Meet our new teachers

Meet+our+new+teachers

 Editor’s note: The district hired more than 20 teachers at DHS this year. The Hatters’ Herald invited the new teachers to introduce themselves to the community. Several did not respond to our request for information. Here are the ones who did respond. (Compiled and edited by Staff Writers Meghan Edwards, Helena Trofa and Katie Walsh).
 Photos courtesy of Michael Obre
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Raymond Marchinkoski
  • Classes: AP Environmental Science and Aquatic Science.
  • College/Degree: Central Connecticut State University/Master’s; University of Rhode Island/Bachelor’s.
  • Why I teach: Helping students have a positive outlook on life, helping them to become respectful citizens in society, and spreading knowledge about the environment was why I became a teacher.
  • Taken by surprise : How respectful and polite the students at DHS are. I thought that the majority of the high schoolers would have to be taught about respect but yet most of the high schoolers at DHS have been wonderfully respectful.
  • My interests: I enjoy nature by going out on hikes, birding, or traveling to different places with cool nature sites.
  • My dream trip: I would love to go to India to try their green tea with homemade spices and herbs.

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 Kara Mia Colan
  • Classes: Chemistry H & Physics H.
  • College/Degree: University of Bridgeport/Master’s; Fordham, two Bachelor’s.
  • Why I teach: I wanted to help kids from under-privileged areas and help them understand that no matter where they come from, they can do whatever their heart desires.
  • Taken by surprise: How much I would love this job. It’s a pretty awesome feeling when you wake up and actually want to go to work.
  • My interests: I love to travel. I have been to 29 countries and it is a passion of mine. My next country is South Africa. I also love to get down and silly with my two girls, they are “cray, cray.”
  • My dream trip: I’m a big history buff . One of my favorite times in history is the early Egyptian era. I was supposed to go in 2008, but due to an incident in the country, my trip was canceled. So its on the top of my list!
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Katrina Niez
  • Classes: ESL Lab & ESL 2.
  • College/Degree: School for International Training/Master’s; University of Arizona/Bachelor’s.
  • Why I teach:  I love working with students from other countries who speak many languages.
  • Taken by surprise: How hard it has been to teach in different classrooms because the hallways and stairs get so busy.
  • My interests: I love to spend time with my kids swimming at the lake, skiing and riding bikes. I coach a bike racing team and have raced bikes and done triathlons for 20 years.
  • My dream trip: France. My husband’s family lives there and I love to ride bikes in the Alps. Our family went there in August to visit family. Next summer, I hope to visit France again and see the Pyrenees Mountains when the Tour de France races there.
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Camille Tanner
  • Classes: English 1 Honors, English 1 CP, and English 9R.
  • College/Degrees: Christopher Newport University, Master’s and Bachelor’s.
  • Why I teach: I had a math teacher in the seventh grade that had quotes from a book series all over his wall. When I asked him about the quotes, he shared the first book in the series for me and a love for reading was born … I want to inspire students the way that I was inspired.
  • Taken by surprise: How quickly that I have come to care for my students. I knew that I would love them no matter what, but after just a few days I knew that I was in the right school, with the right students.
  • My interests: I love to sing. I was in an a capella group in high school and college … I also love binge-watching Netflix, reading anything I can find, and swimming.
  • My dream trip: I would like to go back to Italy and spend some more time getting to know the people, eating the food, and experience what it is really like there.

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Matthew Raphael Krichmar

  • Classes: English 4, 4H, and 9R.
  • College/Degree: Queens College/Master’s; Marymount Manhattan College/Bachelor’s.
  • Why I teach: I felt it would be challenging and exciting. I did not want to become complacent, and I had a feeling that would not happen with teaching. So far my feelings were correct.
  • Taken by surprise: How good it can feel to teach well.
  • My interests: I like to watch movies. I consider myself a film connoisseur.
  • My dream trip: Japan, because I have always wanted to go, and the culture is so different from ours.

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Gregory Euchner
  • Classes: CP English 2 and Honors English 2.
  • College/Degrees: Manhattanville/ Master’s; Earlham College/Bachelor’s.
  • Why I teach: I’ve always thought in terms of vocation rather than work.  I want to make a difference, and the best way I’ve found to do that is through sharing the most powerful, most transformative literature I’ve encountered.
  • Taken by surprise: I was surprised by how quickly DHS felt like home.  I knew it was where I wanted to be, but the transition has been smoother than I could have hoped.  Everyone has helped a lot in showing me how the school operates.
  • My interests: I still pursue the interests that led me to English teaching.  I love reading and writing.  I also enjoy running, martial arts, and spending time with friends and family.
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Elisa Merola
  • Classes: French I and French III.
  • College/Degrees: University of Connecticut/Master’s, and two Bachelor’s.
  • Why I teach: I’ve had a few teachers who made me really passionate about learning and I would love to do the same for other people, especially in French.
  • Taken by surprise: I’ve been surprised by how kind and respectful the students at DHS have been overall. These are the nicest high school kids I’ve ever met.
  • My interests: I love cooking and experimenting with different cuisines.
  • My dream trip: I’d love to go to Greece because it’s supposed to be an amazing vacation spot. Beautiful water!