I have been a teacher in Perth Amboy since September 1994. My first 9 years were spent at the McGinnis School teaching 7th and 8th grade science, both regular and G&T. I very much enjoyed that experience at the time. When a position opened up at the High School for a Biology teacher, I jumped at it. I have been at the High School since 2002 teaching Freshman IPS, Honors Biology, Biology CP, AP(C) Biology since 2007, and AP(c) Environmental Science beginning in 2011. After a few years off, this year (2017-18) I will once again have an APES course!!!!!
People ask me 'Why Perth Amboy?'
I ask 'Why not?' This town has such great potential and promise. I have enjoyed doing my part to educate the children of this town to be successful adults. There have been many success stories, and many more to come. I do not plan on going anywhere else.
My room is a place that students (some not even mine) like to be in. I have a little zoo of animals that currently includes 5 Red Eared Slider turtles (Ralph, Alice, Ed [from the classic TV show the Honeymooner's], Little Squirt [Finding Nemo], and Toby [from Disney's animated film Robin Hood]) who were rescued from being released into nature where they would not have survived.
There is a fish tank of African Cichlids (for info on these fish, check out this link - https://a-z-animals.com/animals/cichlid/).
Then the is the tank with two very big and 'old' Fancy Goldfish.
Let's not forget my Albino Gecko, Frank (named after a lizard in the Disney film "The Rescuers Down-under"). He is about 5 years old and can live up to the ripe old age of 20
.
This year I will be trying something new, again. I have signed up to be a part of the State of New Jersey's Trout in the Classroom program. ( link for information on this program is here). With this, I will be getting trout eggs in September and we will care from them as the hatch and grow up so that in the spring, they can be released into a stream in Union County.
Being a Biology teacher, living animals are an important part of my daily life. I have a painting on one wall that I did highlighting some important biology concepts. There are always little christmas lights hanging form the ceiling that create a warm happy glow and I love to decorate for holidays and celebrations. My room, like me, is a dynamic collection of many things that provide sensory inputs on many levels.
My door is always open to anyone who wishes to stop in and have a look.