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Derryfield Faculty

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Showing 1–12 of 16 results

US

Lindley Shutz

Role: Associate Head of School and Dean of Academic Program, English and LEAD College Essay Teacher.
Years at DS: 14
Other Hats: Advisor of Equity Club, US advisor, Pathway counselor.
Favorite Assignment: The personal essay. I love working with students as they tell the stories of their lives. There is an amazing synergy of realizing that we are the narrators and designers of our lives in fact and in writing.
Fun Fact: As a child, I crewed our family boat from Nova Scotia to the Bahamas four times. As an adult, I have continued to explore by sea, joining National Geographic Lindblad Expeditions to Alaska and the Galapagos. I would love to live for an extended time in another country at some point.
Favorite DS Tradition: Students spontaneously say thank you to their teachers as they leave class. It speaks volumes about the caring and respect at the heart of the community.

US

Chris Little

Role: US Science Teacher (Chemistry, Human Anatomy & Physiology)
Other Hats: Advisor to the Red Cross club; Rock Climbing; US advisor; lacrosse and soccer coach
Favorite Assignment: The dissections are awesome in Anatomy & Physiology because the students are full of curiosity and love to get hands-on with learning about the anatomy of the heart, lungs, and brain.
Fun Fact: I play with my wife in a duo called Gravel Road. I am a certified American Mountain Guide Association instructor and worked as an Emergency Medical Technician/Firefighter for the Plymouth, NH fire department.
Favorite DS Tradition: COVID life has put a big pause on many traditions during the three years I have been here, but Halloween brings great energy and joy!

MS

Ross Feitlinger

Role: MS Science Teacher, grades 8 and 6
Other Hats: 8th grade advisor, boys MS soccer coach, MS alpine coach, a wide variety of exploration blocks
Favorite Assignment: Making a Difference project. It happens in the spring for the 8th graders. In 8th grade, science is an environmentally focused class. We have been studying pollution and to wrap up the unit, I have the students create a proposal of how they can make a difference in their community environmentally.
Fun Fact: Before coming to Derryfield I was a zipline guide in the summers.
Favorite DS Tradition: The 8th grade retreat – I love when we take the 8th graders up to the White Mountains to go for a hike and be outside.

US

Ryan Tanner-Read

Role: History Teacher (AT American Public History, Global Issues)
Other Hats: US advisor, history department chair, curriculum committee chair, and Model UN coach
Fun Fact: I am an avid record collector (I have about 1200 records at home). I have a turntable in my classroom (four at home), and play records for students while they are working as well as to begin class. This year, I offered an Exploration Course on vinyl.

Favorite Assignment: The AT American Public History final Capstone Project. This project allows students to choose any topic in American History that has interested them throughout the year and design a project to share with the Derryfield community. It requires them to think about their topic and their experiences with various forms of communication throughout the year to choose the best form for their final project. They do real, authentic research and they develop wonderful projects. In the last two years, I’ve seen a choose your own adventure video game about turn of the century immigration, a series of escape rooms about military leadership in the Civil War, a podcast about the relationship between religion and (anti-)slavery, and art installations about the history of drag in New York City. Students have produced period newspapers, virtual exhibits, and everything in between. The creativity the students show and the passion they exhibit in researching topics that really matter to them make the project essential.
Favorite DS Tradition: The Winter Musical. I spent three years working as the Production Manager for the theater and I have fond memories of it. It’s wonderful to see another side of students I have in class who have talents I’ve never seen.

US

Mary Ann Watt

Role: Science Teacher (Honors Chemistry, AT Chemistry, Computer Science Practice & Principles)
Other Hats: Varsity girls lacrosse coach, US advisor, Women in STEM club advisor, science department chair
Favorite Assignment: The Unknown Lab in Honors Chemistry – although students typically work with lab partners, in this case, students have to have the confidence to work on their own to identify the specific ions (or lack of ions) in their solution.
Fun Fact: Our family lived in France from the 2008-2009 school year and I successfully resurrected my high school French skills (although now I am quite rusty again).
Favorite DS Tradition: Head’s Holiday – it is fun to see the happy, surprised looks on the students’ faces when we actually pull off the surprise, and then to see everyone having fun together.

US

Alex Hunton

Role: Creative Arts Teacher (Music, Chorus)
Other Hats: Girls soccer coach, Music Director for musicals and a cappella, Program Director of Derryfield Repertory Theatre Camp
Favorite Assignment: I love putting on a musical in 6th Grade Performance Arts. It’s always fun to see a group of young students who have never acted before taking on something as large as a musical, and the end result is always fun and rewarding.
Favorite DS Tradition: Heads Holiday, of course! Go MAROON!

US

Bill Westenberg

Role: Creative Arts Teacher (Performing Arts)
Years at DS: 12
Other Hats: US advisor, creative arts department chair, Director of US & MS musicals and the US Play
Favorite Assignment: Five-minute short film. I love to see the students realize that they are in fact creative and can produce wonderful short films.
Fun Fact: I am an active member of the Actors’ Equity Association and the Screen Actors Guild and a certified Meisner Master Teacher.
Favorite DS Tradition: Watching the 6th graders march in on the first day of school and having all of the school, especially the seniors, standing and cheering for them. It defines DS for me.

US

Chris Hettler

Role: Director of Athletics, LEAD Teacher, Athletics and Wellness Department
Years at DS: 20
Other Hats: Varsity boys lacrosse coach, marketing team, 8th grade advisor, college athletic recruitment advisor
Fun Fact: Played professional outdoor (Boston Cannons 2004-2008) and indoor (Boston Rockhoppers 2012-13) lacrosse. Coached the English (2011-14), German (2014-2018), and Scottish (2019-present) men’s national teams. Coach and co-founder of the NH Tomahawks travel lacrosse club.
Favorite DS Tradition: Madden Flag Football Game and Winter Carnival – The competition and school spirit amongst students and faculty is always magnified and lots of fun to be part of.

MS

Karen Robichaud

Role: Science Teacher, grades 6 and 7
Years at DS: 23
Other Hats: MS cross country coach, 7th grade Head Class Advisor
Favorite Assignment: The Bear Brook winter ecology field trip – It gets the students outside to experience ecology first hand, but also gives them an experience that builds their confidence.
Fun Fact: I’ve hiked all the trails in all the AMC White Mountain Guide, hiked all 48 4000-footers in all seasons, hiked all of the NE 100 highest peaks and all of NH 100 highest peaks. I’m currently working to complete the grid (all 48 peaks in all 12 months – that’s 576 summits!) and am currently at 67% complete.
Favorite DS Tradition: Any maroon vs. white competition! They’re fun, bring us together as a school, and get middle and upper school students together.

US

Taylor Moon

Role: Science Teacher (chemistry, biology, AT biology), grades 9-12
Other Hats: Equestrian advisor, Green Club advisor, 10th grade Head Class Advisor, ISP committee, admissions committee
Favorite Assignment: AT biology students write a story using immune cells as characters. The personalities they develop in this assignment always impress me!
Fun Fact: I was on St. Lawrence University’s national championship riding team.
Favorite DS Tradition: Community meeting – It’s a favorite part of my week. There is so much joy and celebration of student talent, it always makes me smile.

MS

Samantha Mandeville

Role: Geography and Civics Teacher, grades 6 and 7

Other Hats: Yearbook advisor, Community Meeting organizer, 6th grade Head Class Advisor

Favorite Assignment: The Disney EPCOT project – 6th graders propose a new world pavilion to add to the World Showcase at Walt Disney World’s EPCOT. It’s a country project with a dash of entrepreneurship. I love this project because it gets students excited to learn about new countries and cultures while also being creative and active.

Fun Fact: I’ve been to 25 countries, taught in Thailand and Peru, and backpacked Europe.

Favorite DS Tradition: Thanksgiving Baskets – It’s an opportunity to give back to our communities and to support those in need, and really brings our students together for a good cause.

US

Steven Pankratz

Steven Pankratz

Role: STEM-X, Honors Chemistry teacher, grades 9-12

Other Hats: Soccer Coach, Robotics Mentor

Student Focus: I love the phase in RADx (Research & Design) when my students begin to work on their Detailed Plan and we work together on how to make their ideas come to life. The garden of the mind!