New Colleagues

Nicole is a full time agriscience and biology teacher at Trumbull High’s Agriculture and Biotechnology Center. She received her BA in Communication Sciences and a BS in Agriculture and Natural Resources from The University of Connecticut. She also recently completed her masters in education through the TCPCG program, which was also at The University of Connecticut. She is currently certified in K-12 Agricultural Education and is working on becoming dual certified in biology. After Nicole’s first undergrad degree, she worked as a National Tour Program Coordinator for an organization designed around the theme of promoting good sportsmanship to today’s youth. This is when she realized that she wanted to somehow include her two passions, children and animals, into a career. This lead to her continuation of her education and the pursuit of career in field of agricultural education. Nicole is new to the area and is very excited to begin her year here working with the students and the staff of THS.

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Heather Domurad is the new full time four-year old preschool special education teacher at Trumbull Early Children Education Center. She received my B.A. in Psychology with a Concentration in Children and Youth from Eastern Connecticut State University. She has worked as a behavioral therapist working with children with autism for the past three years in several different school districts. While working full time, she recently received her Masters in Special Education and her initial teaching certification (Pre-K to K: special education and Pre-K to grade 3: general education) from Southern Connecticut State University. She is looking forward to a wonderful school year with the incredible staff and children at TECEC.

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Hannah received her BS and MS in art education at SCSU. She recently completed 30 credits beyond my masters through Mass College of Liberal Arts and UB. She began my teaching career here in Trumbull starting as a long term sub at Middlebrook, the preschool, and headstart. She was then hired for the following school year and remained at these schools for 3 more years. She then took an art position in Norwalk for 2 years and then a position in Fairfield, where she has been teaching elementary and middle school art for the last 6 years. She is now teaching at Tashua and Tecec and am very happy to be back in Trumbull.

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Cathy Huffman
Cathy is the new TAG/Enrichment teacher at Booth Hill and Daniels Farm Schools in Trumbull. Cathy received her Bachelor's Degree from SUC of NY at Buffalo in Special Education (K-12) and Elementary (K-8). She taught a year in New York state and relocated to Houston, TX where she taught middle school (math, language arts, special education and gifted/talented) and received her M.Ed. in Gifted/Talented and Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Houston.
In 1995, Cathy relocated with her family back to the New England area and began working in Westport, CT. She co-authored the elementary TAG curriculum, taught grades 2 -5 and was the district team leader responsible for G/T training for new staff and parents. Cathy received her 092 certification from Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, CT in 1998 and is also an adjunct professor at University of Bridgeport where she teaches a class on creativity and critical thinking.
Cathy and her family live in Newtown, CT and she is delighted to be a member of the Trumbull learning community.

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Elizabeth Intemann

Libby is a new teacher to the Trumbull system but a veteran teacher of 13 years. After receiving her bachelor’s degree from Western Connecticut State University and a cross-endorsement in special education from Southern CT, she took a full-time special education teacher position at Stratford High School in Connecticut. Dedicated to school improvement, she became the BEST mentor leader for her school, presented numerous professional development strands on collaboration and inclusion, and spearheaded a freshmen transition program called Link Crew. She comes to Trumbull inspired to share her enthusiasm for teaching and learning and make a difference in the Trumbull schools.

Elizabeth Intemann aka Libbi Intemann

Jackie is the new .5 reading and .5 Math specialist at Frenchtown Elementary School. She joins us in Trumbull after working in Norwalk for the last 13 years. In Norwalk, Jackie served as a Literacy Coach K-5 as well as having taught in grades 1,2, & 4 at Tracey Elementary School. Jackie completed her undergraduate work at UCONN and received her Masters from Sacred Heart University. Jackie has also received her Sixth year in Reading at Southern Connecticut State University and holds a Reading and Language Arts Consultant certification. Jackie has two young children; her son Jason who started Kindergarten at Frenchtown this year as well as her daughter Abby who is in Preschool. Jackie is very excited to continue her career in education in her hometown of Trumbull.

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Jennifer O'Loughlin
Jennifer is the new full time Italian teacher at Trumbull High School. She comes from Waterbury, CT where she received her high school education and began fostering her love and passion for the Italian language at Kennedy High School with Dr. Carmine Paolino. From her freshman year she knew: this was something she had to be a part of. So, she traveled to Italy thanks to the programs organized by her Italian teacher, twice. She continued the pursuit of her passion at Central Connecticut State University where she earned her BSED in Italian magna cum laude. At Central she afforded herself the opportunity to study under Dr. Carmela Pesca and became fluent in Italian through her courses and her study abroad experience in Perugia, Italy for two summers where she lived with Italian students and attended courses at the Universita' per Stranieri di Perugia. She completed her student teaching at New Britain High School and before graduation interviewed for and was offered the position at THS this year. She is excited for her first year teaching and says she is proud to be a part of the Trumbull community.

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Dean replaces Gayle Bogel as one of the media specialists at Trumbull High School. He received his B.A. from New York University, majoring in History and Journalism. After several years of working in the private sector, he decided to embark on a career change and pursue a job in education. He enrolled and graduated from the Information and Library Science Department at Southern Connecticut State University and graduated in 2008 with an MLS degree. He completed his teaching certification by student teaching at Madison Middle School in Trumbull and later worked as a substitute in the district.

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Taryn Pinto
Taryn is currently the new third grade teacher at Jane Ryan School. She graduated from Quinnipiac University with a bachelor’s degree in psychology, and a masters degree in elementary education. She completed her internship at Jane Ryan two years ago, and completed her student teaching with Sandy Matthew, also at Jane Ryan in fourth grade. She worked at North Stratfield Elementary in Fairfield as a paraprofessional where she worked in a kindergarten room, then went to Hallen School in Bridgeport where she completed a long term position in first grade. She is extremely excited to be back at Jane Ryan as a full-time teacher and is looking forward to a wonderful year in third grade.

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Karen Shupp
From 1999-2006 Karen worked in the THS English Department. Seeking part-time employment that the district could not accomodate for 2006-2007, she taught at Western Connecticut State University (English Department), and in 2007-2008 she taught at Pomperaug Regional High School (Region 15 - Southbury/Middlebury) in the English Departmen. She has now returned full-time for the 2008-09 school year to the THS English Department. Prior to that, she student taught at Brookline High School in Brookline, MA. She received her B.A. in English from Boston College in 1998 and her M.Ed in Secondary Education from Boston College in 1999.

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Michaela is a new third grade teacher at Tashua Elementary School. She received her B.S. in Elementary Education and French from Susquehanna University in Selinsgrove, PA. She is excited to be back teaching at the elementary school that she attended as a child!

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If you have not been included and would like to be, please forward your biographical sketch to Reenie Demkiw at demkiwr@trumbullps.org

the TEAcher Trumbull Education Association 2008

New Colleagues
We welcome you to Trumbull

Nicole Decker Nicole is a full time agriscience and biology teacher at Trumbull High’s Agriculture and Biotechnology Center. She received her BA in Communication Sciences and a BS in Agriculture and Natural Resources from The University of Connecticut. She also recently completed her masters in education through the TCPCG program, which was also at The University of Connecticut. She is currently certified in K-12 Agricultural Education and is working on becoming dual certified in biology. After Nicole’s first undergrad degree, she worked as a National Tour Program Coordinator for an organization designed around the theme of promoting good sportsmanship to today’s youth. This is when she realized that she wanted to somehow include her two passions, children and animals, into a career. This lead to her continuation of her education and the pursuit of career in field of agricultural education. Nicole is new to the area and is very excited to begin her year here working with the students and the staff of THS. ______________________________________________________________________________________________ Heather Domurad is the new full time four-year old preschool special education teacher at Trumbull Early Children Education Center. She received my B.A. in Psychology with a Concentration in Children and Youth from Eastern Connecticut State University. She has worked as a behavioral therapist working with children with autism for the past three years in several different school districts. While working full time, she recently received her Masters in Special Education and her initial teaching certification (Pre-K to K: special education and Pre-K to grade 3: general education) from Southern Connecticut State University. She is looking forward to a wonderful school year with the incredible staff and children at TECEC. _______________________________________________________________________________________________ Hannah Grabinski Hannah received her BS and MS in art education at SCSU. She recently completed 30 credits beyond my masters through Mass College of Liberal Arts and UB. She began my teaching career here in Trumbull starting as a long term sub at Middlebrook, the preschool, and headstart. She was then hired for the following school year and remained at these schools for 3 more years. She then took an art position in Norwalk for 2 years and then a position in Fairfield, where she has been teaching elementary and middle school art for the last 6 years. She is now teaching at Tashua and Tecec and am very happy to be back in Trumbull. ____________________________________________________________________________________________ Cathy Huffman Cathy is the new TAG/Enrichment teacher at Booth Hill and Daniels Farm Schools in Trumbull. Cathy received her Bachelor's Degree from SUC of NY at Buffalo in Special Education (K-12) and Elementary (K-8). She taught a year in New York state and relocated to Houston, TX where she taught middle school (math, language arts, special education and gifted/talented) and received her M.Ed. in Gifted/Talented and Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Houston. In 1995, Cathy relocated with her family back to the New England area and began working in Westport, CT. She co-authored the elementary TAG curriculum, taught grades 2 -5 and was the district team leader responsible for G/T training for new staff and parents. Cathy received her 092 certification from Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, CT in 1998 and is also an adjunct professor at University of Bridgeport where she teaches a class on creativity and critical thinking. Cathy and her family live in Newtown, CT and she is delighted to be a member of the Trumbull learning community. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ Elizabeth Intemann Libby is a new teacher to the Trumbull system but a veteran teacher of 13 years. After receiving her bachelor’s degree from Western Connecticut State University and a cross-endorsement in special education from Southern CT, she took a full-time special education teacher position at Stratford High School in Connecticut. Dedicated to school improvement, she became the BEST mentor leader for her school, presented numerous professional development strands on collaboration and inclusion, and spearheaded a freshmen transition program called Link Crew. She comes to Trumbull inspired to share her enthusiasm for teaching and learning and make a difference in the Trumbull schools. Elizabeth Intemann aka Libbi Intemann Jackie Knapp Jackie is the new .5 reading and .5 Math specialist at Frenchtown Elementary School. She joins us in Trumbull after working in Norwalk for the last 13 years. In Norwalk, Jackie served as a Literacy Coach K-5 as well as having taught in grades 1,2, & 4 at Tracey Elementary School. Jackie completed her undergraduate work at UCONN and received her Masters from Sacred Heart University. Jackie has also received her Sixth year in Reading at Southern Connecticut State University and holds a Reading and Language Arts Consultant certification. Jackie has two young children; her son Jason who started Kindergarten at Frenchtown this year as well as her daughter Abby who is in Preschool. Jackie is very excited to continue her career in education in her hometown of Trumbull. ______________________________________________________________________________________________ Jennifer O'Loughlin Jennifer is the new full time Italian teacher at Trumbull High School. She comes from Waterbury, CT where she received her high school education and began fostering her love and passion for the Italian language at Kennedy High School with Dr. Carmine Paolino. From her freshman year she knew: this was something she had to be a part of. So, she traveled to Italy thanks to the programs organized by her Italian teacher, twice. She continued the pursuit of her passion at Central Connecticut State University where she earned her BSED in Italian magna cum laude. At Central she afforded herself the opportunity to study under Dr. Carmela Pesca and became fluent in Italian through her courses and her study abroad experience in Perugia, Italy for two summers where she lived with Italian students and attended courses at the Universita' per Stranieri di Perugia. She completed her student teaching at New Britain High School and before graduation interviewed for and was offered the position at THS this year. She is excited for her first year teaching and says she is proud to be a part of the Trumbull community. _____________________________________________________________________________________________ Dean Pelligra Dean replaces Gayle Bogel as one of the media specialists at Trumbull High School. He received his B.A. from New York University, majoring in History and Journalism. After several years of working in the private sector, he decided to embark on a career change and pursue a job in education. He enrolled and graduated from the Information and Library Science Department at Southern Connecticut State University and graduated in 2008 with an MLS degree. He completed his teaching certification by student teaching at Madison Middle School in Trumbull and later worked as a substitute in the district. ______________________________________________________________________________________________ Taryn Pinto Taryn is currently the new third grade teacher at Jane Ryan School. She graduated from Quinnipiac University with a bachelor’s degree in psychology, and a masters degree in elementary education. She completed her internship at Jane Ryan two years ago, and completed her student teaching with Sandy Matthew, also at Jane Ryan in fourth grade. She worked at North Stratfield Elementary in Fairfield as a paraprofessional where she worked in a kindergarten room, then went to Hallen School in Bridgeport where she completed a long term position in first grade. She is extremely excited to be back at Jane Ryan as a full-time teacher and is looking forward to a wonderful year in third grade. _____________________________________________________________________________________________ Karen Shupp From 1999-2006 Karen worked in the THS English Department. Seeking part-time employment that the district could not accomodate for 2006-2007, she taught at Western Connecticut State University (English Department), and in 2007-2008 she taught at Pomperaug Regional High School (Region 15 - Southbury/Middlebury) in the English Departmen. She has now returned full-time for the 2008-09 school year to the THS English Department. Prior to that, she student taught at Brookline High School in Brookline, MA. She received her B.A. in English from Boston College in 1998 and her M.Ed in Secondary Education from Boston College in 1999. ____________________________________________________________________________________________ Michaela Walsh Michaela is a new third grade teacher at Tashua Elementary School. She received her B.S. in Elementary Education and French from Susquehanna University in Selinsgrove, PA. She is excited to be back teaching at the elementary school that she attended as a child! ____________________________________________________________________________________________ If you have not been included and would like to be, please forward your biographical sketch to Reenie Demkiw at demkiwr@trumbullps.org _
















If you have not been included and would like to be, please forward your biographical sketch to Reenie Demkiw at demkiwr@trumbullps.org