M.S. Teachers

My name is Melissa Eldred, and I am the middle school English language arts teacher. I am proud to say this is my 12th year of teaching at WRVS; I have a lot of Wildcat pride! I graduated from Saint Leo University in Florida with a bachelor’s degree in middle grades education with a specialization in English. To date, I have now accrued 15 graduate credits at Saint Michael’s College with a concentration in literacy. My favorite part about being an English teacher is seeing students come alive and get excited about what they’re reading or writing. I am a proud native Vermonter, but attended undergraduate college in Florida. I currently live locally with my husband, our 2 dogs, and our 2 cats. I enjoy spending time with family and friends, reading, writing, and baking (pies are my specialty). I also love the great outdoors and enjoy hunting, snowshoeing, and kayaking. 

English language arts is aligned with the Common Core State Standards. That said, my curriculum includes building skills in: reading, writing, speaking and listening, as well as language. During each trimester students are exposed to at least one full novel study unit as well as various other texts ranging from poetry, fictional stories, dramas, and nonfiction texts to ensure their text variety as well as exposing them to varying text complexities. To add, students also compose various writing assignments throughout the year including: argumentative/opinion writing, informational writing, narrative writing, and creative writing. Students also engage in whole class discussions, peer or small-group discussions, as well as informal and formal presentations to address their speaking and listening skills. Furthermore, language (such as grammar, usage, and mechanics) are taught both directly and in context throughout the year. 

One of the new experiences of middle school is having a separate Social Studies class and teacher. In Social Studies, we learn about history, geography, civics, economics, and more. Students grow their brain by developing research, presenting arguments and supporting them with facts, and metacognition (thinking about your thinking). 

There are histories, stories, and patterns of humans interacting with and impacting the environment throughout human existence. In 6th grade, students build fundamental skills of understanding the world around them and building perspective to view the world through different eyes.

 Sixth grade studies world geography. This includes but is not limited to:

• Basic Geography Skills

• Five Themes of Geography

• People, Resources, & Culture

• 7 Continents & 5 Oceans

For additional information, view the class syllabus and reach out to Ms. Muscarella with questions. 

Seventh and eighth grade students have experience and knowledge in diving into cultures, geography, and how humans interact with other living beings and the environment. They have practice learning about history, geography, civics, economics, and more. Because of the previous knowledge we have developed, we are able to dive deeper, challenge ourselves and our understanding of the world. Students are challenged to question, inquire, and dig in to deep questions they pose and find information to explore the topic further. Seventh grade studies impact of humans' interacting with and impacting the environment  (physical, cultural, etc). Eighth grade studies impact of cultures' interacting with and impacting the environment.

 For additional information, view the class syllabus and reach out to Ms. Muscarella with questions. 

This is my third year teaching at Waits River and my nineteenth overall. I've primarily taught middle school science, but have done some math as well as high school science. I have a B.A. geology from Alfred University and a M.S. in environmental science from Antioch New England Graduate School. Before teaching, I worked as a field biologist with VINS and with the National Audubon Society in Maine. I was also the naturalist at Groton State Park for several summers.

In middle school science, one of the main goals is for students to be able to analyze data and support their explanations with evidence. We cover most fields of science and this goal can be applied in many of them. In 6th grade, we study states of matter, weather, astronomy, physics and electricity. Seventh grade is devoted to life science, where we will look at insects, mushrooms, bacteria, cells, genetics, evolution, amphibians, birds and plants. In eighth grade, we study chemistry, climate, geology, light and sound. We also spend time on a sex education unit.

My name is Ian Spencer and I am the middle school math teacher at WRVS. I attended UVM and Union Institute and University where I got my Masters degree in instruction and curriculum. I am a native Vermonter, reside in Warren (VT), am married, and have two grown daughters. I also work with a paint crew during my summers and am a ski instructor and Development Team coach at Mad River Glen on my weekends during winters. I also occasionally play gigs with either a blues band or a rock band in central Vermont.

Math is often intimidating to younger students and when asked, they would probably say they are not very good at it. From where I stand, most students are better than they think they are. Basically, the middle school curriculum can be boiled down into grade level categories: Sixth grade deals largely with factors, multiples, decimals, and a dip of the toes into pre-algebra. Seventh grade looks into scale factors and proportions, probability, circle geometry, negative values, and more deeply into algebra; eighth grade digs much more deeply into algebra, similarity, and the Pythagorean Theorem. 

¡Hola, me llamo Maestra Ramirez!

Hello my name is Mrs. Ramirez and this is my 6th year teaching Spanish at Waits River.  Originally, I am from East Barre and I did not grow up speaking Spanish. I took my first Spanish class at Spaulding High School. Due to a foreign exchange to Puerto Rico in my junior year of high school,  I became extremely passionate with learning about the culture and the language. Since then, I have studied abroad in Spain and lived in Mexico. My two sons are native Spanish speakers since I married a man from Mexico and we speak it and read it at home. 

The teaching method that I use is called Comprehensible Input. It looks very different from any class you may have had as a student. I have a deskless classroom with no textbooks. We try to duplicate how students learned their native language of English. I do this by talking and reading about fun topics, and by creating compelling stories in Spanish and acting them out. Furthermore,  listening to Spanish music and learning about geography and culture is all part of the work done in my classroom. 

My name is Jennifer King and I am the middle school academic interventionist. I have been a resident of Corinth for over 20 years and live here with my husband and 3 children. I have been teaching for just over 10 years and spent the first 9 years as an elementary school teacher. I have been working on obtaining my M.Ed in Curriculum & Instruction and will graduate next fall. I love to travel to tropical locations. I love pirates and sea turtles but truly the ocean is where my heart lies. 

What is Academic Intervention? In intervention, I provide educational interventions and progress monitoring for scholars who need support in reading, writing and math. I work with the other middle school teachers around developing strategies, skills, tools, techniques, and capacity to effectively teach all scholars. Here at Waits River Valley School, intervention is provided through the use of a multi-tiered system of support (MTSS). This means that each scholar will get targeted support to ensure they are getting what they need to be successful and master the necessary skills. Continuous monitoring of student performance and progress is a regular part of intervention. A variety of methods are used to engage students in their learning. This includes the Common Core State Standards (CCSC). I fluently use all the grade level standards in order to ensure that I am able to target the skill that needs to be mastered. Students are encouraged to take ownership of their learning so they know how to apply what they are learning in different contexts and take responsibility for their progress and success.