THE RETURN OF THE EYE

*Art Teacher*

By: BHS Staff Profiles 

December 16, 2022

This week’s final Staff Spotlight goes to Mrs. Marcie Lowell. This is her twenty-sixth year of teaching in the Brooklyn City School District. She has taught in other schools as a substitute, but overall, her main career has been here. In her free time, she can be found gardening, creating art, baking, or playing with her dog. Something you might not know about Mrs. Lowell is that when she was in college, she took a radio broadcasting class, and she later received her broadcasting license. 

Q: As an art teacher, what strategies do you use to inspire creativity in your students?

A: “I try to get them to think on their own. I ask a lot of questions, specifically a lot of ‘Why?’ questions. I really like to try to have them figure things out when looking at artwork. For example, I like to challenge them and ask ‘Why do you see?’ and ‘What do you think is going on?’. I think kids know a lot more than what we give them credit for. As a teacher, I’m here as support and facilitation with what they’re trying to do.”

Q: What do you like most about being a teacher?

A: “I love to see the light bulb go off in kids when they figure something out, especially when they think it’s hard, and they don’t think they can do it. I love to encourage them and see them persevere through something really difficult and help them realize that they really can do something they didn’t think they could do.”

Q: What is the most important lesson you have learned as an art teacher?

A: “I think that I learn a lot from my kids. I think sometimes as teachers, we know content, but sometimes, you can learn a lot from the kids, especially things that weren’t expected. They teach you a lot on how to do things differently as a teacher or how to take another approach. As a teacher, we’re lifelong learners, too, and sometimes, we forget that. The kids are good at helping to remind us of that.”

Q: Who is your favorite artist? 

A: “I don’t always pick favorites simply because it’s hard, but some artists do stand out to me. I’m inspired by and I love looking at Claude Monet’s work because of nature; I love nature. People like Vincent van Gogh and Frida Kahlo just because they persevered through so much. Frida persevered through her pain, and van Gogh persevered through little to no support. I just love the work that van Gogh did; I really think he was misunderstood, and I often wonder how different his life would be now. I think artists do things very differently, and they take that risk; they don’t do what ‘the norm’ is, and I try to teach the kids to be like that, too, and be okay with it.”

Q: What is the most amazing aspect about you, and how can you use it in your teaching? 

A: “I think just being comfortable with who I am and how different I do or approach things. I try to influence the kids to be okay with being different. At the end of the day, you’re the one you’re with, so don’t be afraid to show that difference.”

Q: What are your New Year’s resolutions?

A: “I generally don’t do New Year’s resolutions; I like to think of the new year approaching as a reflection more so than making new goals. All in all, I just want to figure out how to spend more quality time with the people who I care about and be present in more intentional ways.”

Q: If you had the ability to solve any problem in the world, what would you choose?

A: “Right now, just looking at our world and what’s happening, if I could solve anything, I would want it to be for people to love each other more. I feel like there is so much hate right now in so many different areas, and I just wish people could see people for the good that they are instead of focusing so much on the negative.” 

Q: What’s the best gift you have ever received? 

A: “My kids are my most treasured gift.”

Q: What is your favorite food?

A: “If I had to pick, I really love Italian food. I really love lasagna and pasta.”

Q: If you could grow up in any decade, which one would you choose? 

A: “I feel like I’m more of an older soul. I often think that I could live during the 1800s. If I had to pick something more recently, it would be the 50s, but for the most part, I’m perfectly happy where I am right now.” 

Thank you so much for allowing us to interview you, Mrs. Lowell. We wish you the best Christmas season and a very Happy New Year. Stay cozy! 

*1st Grade Teacher*

By: BHS Staff Profiles 

December 16, 2022

Chosen for this week’s second staff spotlight is Mrs. Borowy. She has been working in the Brooklyn City School District for 22 years. An activity that she likes to do in her free time is watch her daughters play in club volleyball tournaments. A fun fact about her is that she loves watching the long-running soap opera, General Hospital. 

Q: What did you like/dislike about remote learning?   

A: “I disliked not having direct contact with my students.”

Q: What inspired you most to be a first grade teacher?

A: “I always played school when I was little, and this is always what I wanted to do with my professional career.”

Q: What is your overall goal for your first grade students?

A: “As first graders, I want them to learn how to read and to be successful in school, overall.”

Q:  In what kind of environment are you the most productive?

A: “A quiet environment.”

Q: How do you motivate yourself to take on difficult tasks?

A: “I set a mindset, I make lists so I can accomplish what I need to do, and I set a goal.”

Q: Would you rather have more money or more time?

A: “More time but money doesn’t hurt, either. However, time is good.” 

Q: If you could have dinner with any famous person, who would it be?

A: “Katie Renkas!” 

Q: What is your favorite dessert? 

A: “Chocolate ice cream.”

Q: If you could be on any game show, what would you choose?

A: “Jeopardy.” 

Q: What is your favorite decade?

A: “That’s a good question. I would say the 90s.”

Thank you for allowing us to interview you, Mrs. Borowy. Enjoy your Christmas vacation and new years.

*Intervention Specialist*

By: BHS Staff Profiles 

December 12, 2022

This week’s first Staff Spotlight goes to Mr. Jack Hans. This is currently his ninth year as a Brooklyn City School District staff member, but all together, this is his thirteenth year of teaching. In his free time, he can be found playing golf, reading Sci-fi books, and watching the “greatest” sports franchise in the history of the world — the Cleveland Browns. Something that you may not know about Mr. Hans is that he absolutely loves French fries.

Q: What made you want to become an intervention specialist? 

A: “When I was in college, I took a class about special education, and they had us go and visit classrooms. Teaching kids with special needs was my favorite.”

Q: What is one aspect that you love about your work day?

A: “I like getting to have students for three or four years in a row rather than having new students every year.”

Q: How do you go about handling a situation when a student is struggling? 

A: “This is why I like being an intervention specialist; I like to find new ways of teaching that accommodates them so they understand it.”

Q: What is the most rewarding aspect of your job?

A: “Getting to see the students make progress over a couple of years.”

Q: What does a typical day look like for you?

A: “We do all four subjects here. We start out in the morning doing math, then computer learning games, then they have practicals and lunch. After lunch, they go to recess, and then we come back and do English Language Arts. After all of that, we do science and social studies, depending on what month it is (going back and forth). Then at the end of the day, they get to go home, and I get to relax!”

Q: What has impacted your life the most?

A: “Having a family who supports me.”

Q: What was your greatest achievement? 

A: “Making it through graduate school with my Master’s degree.”

Q: How do you deal with a stressful situation? 

A: “I like to take a deep breath and count to 10, then think about something calming.”

Q: What is your favorite food? 

A: “A big steak!”

Q: If you had an all expenses paid vacation to anywhere in the world, where would you go? 

A: “Australia!”

All in all, thank you for letting us interview you Mr. Hans. It was nice getting to know you as an intervention specialist and as a person. We wish you all the best this school year, and we wish you a Merry Christmas and the most amazing New Years! 

By the way, Mr. Holko said that you can caddy for him anytime you want. 💪🏻⛳

*Preschool Teacher*

By: BHS Staff Profiles 

December 9, 2022

This week’s second staff spotlight goes to Mrs. Brittany Hubbell. She is currently in her ninth year as a teacher in the Brooklyn City School District. In her free time, she enjoys hanging out with her three boys, watching TV, and going to newer restaurants to try different food. Something you might not know about her is that she is also a proud graduate of BHS; she received her diploma in 2008.

Q: What is the biggest struggle that you have working with preschool students?

A: “The biggest struggle is probably that we have so many kids coming in at different levels, so just trying to meet their individual needs is a challenge. It’s really rewarding to watch them grow, though.”

Q: If someone was to walk into your classroom during the middle of a lesson, what would be witnessed?

A: “They would likely see a lot of play going on, so it might look like the kids are just playing with toys, but we really plan and put out certain toys to teach certain concepts. They will also probably see the teachers facilitating a lot of interactions and language.”

Q: What three words would your co-workers use to describe you? 

A: “I hope bubbly because I try to come in with a happy personality. Maybe a good communicator and reliable, too.”

Q: What routines do you have in place to keep your children physically and emotionally safe?

A: “We have a picture schedule posted that we follow everyday. That way, if there are any changes, we can change out the picture to prepare them for it. We use a lot of songs to transition throughout the day, so they know if they hear a song or they hear a timer, they know what to expect.” 

Q: What activities do you use to keep the preschoolers entertained?

A: “We try to do as many hands-on activities or activities with music to keep them engaged. We also try to expose them to technology, so that they are familiar with how to use ipads, smartboards, and computers.”

Q: If you could compare yourself to any animal, what would it be?

A: “I will say a dolphin because it’s my favorite and because they’re supposed to be very loyal.” 

Q: If you were not a preschool teacher, what would your profession be? 

A: “I think I would actually be a writer. I like to write both fictional stories and also articles.” 

Q: What two items, besides food and water, would you want with you on a deserted island? 

A: “My cell phone and my family.” 

Q: If you had to eat the same meal for the rest of your life, what would it be?

A: “Steak and lobster!”

Q: What is the best gift that you have given someone? 

A: “I will say giving birth to my three boys for my husband! Now, they can pass on the family name.”

Thank you Mrs. Hubbell for this interview; it was a pleasure meeting you. It takes a lot of patience to teach young students, and you are great for that level. We hope that you and your family have a wonderful Christmas!

*Intervention Specialist*

By: BHS Staff Profiles 

December 5, 2022

Chosen for this week’s first Staff Spotlight is Mrs. Melissa Depetro. Mrs. Depetro has been a teacher here in the Brooklyn City School District for 21 of her 25-year teaching career. Outside of school, she likes to spend time with her family and vacation with them. She also loves to garden and plant flowers. Next Summer, she plans to spend time with her dad playing in a Bocce Ball league. 

Q: Why did you decide to become an intervention specialist?

A: “I love working in small groups with students, getting to know them. I also like helping them with things they need to work on that will help them improve. I always try to get to know the students on a personal level and what they’re interested in, so it can help me work with them and build a relationship. A cool thing about being an intervention specialist is that I get to do all the subjects. Not that I’m stuck in between all of it because I don’t want to say that, but I get to team-teach with very excellent teachers.”

Q: What has been your favorite part about working in the Brooklyn City School District? 

A: “All the wonderful staff that I’ve gotten a chance to work with. Everyone is very caring and giving. They’re understanding and supportive; they’ve helped me become a better teacher, better friend, and also a better mentor to others. They support me outside of school as well, which is something I love.”

Q: How do you feel as a teacher when you reflect on the growth of your students? 

A: “It’s so nice to see my students now, as high school students; it brings tears to my eyes. It’s so nice to see progress and see how much more mature the kids have gotten. For example, seeing a student in seventh grade who never talked brought me breakfast, and it brought tears to my eyes. I’m already an emotional person, and it was such a nice thing to see. I also love going to graduation. It makes me emotional to see the kids I used to teach, graduating, and moving on with their lives as grown up people. It’s almost as if time went by within the blink of an eye, and that’s really crazy!”

Q: What advice would you give to your former students who are graduating this coming year? 

A: “One piece of advice I’d give my former students is to show up everyday, no matter what. Do your best, and be kind to others. That will help a lot.”

Q: What is your funniest teaching moment?

A: “A staff member fell off a wobble stool in the middle of class. It wasn’t funny for them, but it was really funny at the moment; it just happened out of nowhere. That was such a funny moment for not only me but for them as well, once they realized what happened.”

Q: What was your biggest setback in life, and how did you overcome it?

A: “In high school, I didn’t make the varsity softball team as a junior. I really had to plan a team with my peers that were younger and had to improve my hitting skills. They were terrible, so I had to work really hard at practicing. That was alright for me. I was willing to keep going to get it right.” 

Q: What are your favorite sports teams?

A: “The Guardians! I love the Guardians. My husband and I love going to games and supporting them. I love the Monsters. I like Ohio State as well. I like the Browns, but this year, I’m kind of on the fence about that. I wish Mr. Holko liked Ohio State.”

{Editor’s note: Sorry, Mrs. Depetro. Never happening! 😂}

Q: How do you plan on spending your Winter break?

A: “I’m going to watch some Hallmark movies, eat cookies, and spend time with my family. I’m planning on doing the holiday lights fest where you drive through and see the different displays from all kinds of different people. We will have dinner beforehand, then go out for hot chocolate. I will also catch up on some sleep, I hope!”

Q: What are some goals that you would like to achieve in the near future?

A: “I would like to go to Hawaii and visit, pay off my mortgage, and this Summer, build or plant a garden.”

Q: What do you feel is your biggest accomplishment in 2022?

A: “I would say getting everything organized, specifically my holiday items. I like to be organized and keep everything neat, so I can find it when I need it.”

Thank you for taking the time to let us interview you, Mrs. Depetro. You truly are one of the kindest staff members here. We hope you have a wonderful Winter break, have the most awesome Christmas, and the greatest New Years. We wish you all the best!

*Kindergarten Teacher*

By: BHS Staff Profiles 

December 2, 2022

Chosen for this week’s staff spotlight is Mrs. Hopkins. She has been working in the Brooklyn City School District since 2003. Some hobbies she likes to do in her free time are spending time with family, exercising, and doing yoga. One thing you may not know about Mrs. Hopkins is that she grew up in Long Island, New York.

Q: What does a typical day look like as a kindergarten teacher?

A: “Very routined. We have our morning meeting, centers, snacks, then math centers, lunch, and then specials. At the end of the day, it’s kind of an intervention enforcement time.”

Q: What rules/expectations do you enforce in the classroom?

A: “Be kind and nice to everybody is most important, but also, be respectful and be safe with your body.”

Q: What made you decide to work with kids?

A: “I really loved my first grade teacher; she inspired me to become a teacher of younger students.”

Q: What kind of positive reinforcement do you use?

A: “Classroom Dojo has positive points for being on task or helping others. Every ten points earned, they get a prize. When they get twenty points, they get to bring a stuffed animal to school. If they get thirty points, they get a prize from the prize box. At forty, they get to pick a free choice with a friend while everyone else is working. We also have a classroom prize when we try to fill the tens frame up to twenty.”

Q: How do you make learning fun for the students?

A: “We use lots of songs, move around, and have hands-on learning. There’s not a lot of seat work or paper work.”

Q: What is something you never thought you would do in your lifetime?

A: “Have a set of twins!”

Q: If you were a superhero, what would your superpower be?

A: “That’s hard! But, I would like to help people who are sad or who are going through a difficult time.”

Q: If you could teach any other grade level, what would it be? 

A: “Preschool because they have a lot of fun crafts.” 

Q: What is your favorite flower?

A: “I love red roses because red is my favorite color.”

Q: If you had a time machine, would you travel to the past or the future?

A: “I would travel to the past.”

Thank you Mrs. Hopkins for letting us meet with and interview you. Have a wonderful Christmas and a terrific rest of the school year.