VA Welcomes New Teachers for 2018-19

Drew holds a B.A. from Colby College, where he was a double major in math and economics. He attended secondary school at Kent School, a college preparatory school in Kent, Connecticut. Drew will be a dorm parent in 25 House, a boys’ junior varsity soccer coach, and an assistant coach for boys’ varsity lacrosse.

Jacob has worked as a math teacher at Hawthorne Academy and a tutor at Marlborough School. He earned his B.A. in math from Keene State College and will receive a post-baccalaureate teaching certification from Granite State College in fall 2018. He attended Forman School in Litchfield, Connecticut, for high school. Jacob will live in Keene, New Hampshire, and serve as an affiliate dorm parent in Jones.

Savanna was an intern here last year and quickly became an indispensable part of the VA team. This year, she will teach two sections of geometry, work part-time in our Communications office, and continue as an assistant coach for girls’ varsity hockey. She is a graduate of Saint Anselm College, where she played four years of ice hockey. Prior to Saint Anselm, Savanna spent two years at Kents Hill School in Readfield, Maine. In 2018-19, Savanna will be a dorm parent in Jones.

Katie holds a B.A. from St. Lawrence University in economics, where she was captain of her soccer team. She has worked as an economics teaching assistant at St. Lawrence. Katie will be a dorm parent in Campbell and an assistant coach for hockey and soccer.

Joining our World Language department (which is chaired by Laura Frey):

Alumnus Adrian Diaz ’14 is returning to Vermont Academy after earning a bachelor’s degree from Saint Michael’s College in psychology and MJD (media studies, journalism, and digital arts). Adrian is a native of Spain. He will teach Spanish, serve as an assistant coach for boys’ varsity soccer, and work with our international students. He played for the Saint Michael’s College varsity soccer team for four years and was captain of the team for two years. Adrian will be a dorm parent in Jones.

Carolina holds an M.A. from Syracuse University in Spanish literature and linguistics as well as a B.A. in Spanish from La Moyne College. She has worked as an introductory and intermediate Spanish instructor at Syracuse and as an interpreter. She is originally from Bogota, Colombia, and began studying English in second grade. She attended Colegia de La Presentación Ferias for secondary school.

Brian Schilling '11 has a B.A. in English from Castleton University and is an alumnus of Vermont Academy, class of 2011. He will be a dorm parent in 25 House and will coach boys' junior varsity soccer and boys' junior varsity hockey. Brian is entering his second year as a Vermont Academy faculty member after serving as a teaching intern last year. He will be teaching American literature. Brian is the son of Lorna Schilling, head of the English department, and Falko Schilling, former faculty member.

Dan taught theater at VA from 2008 to 2010 and is coming back to head our theater program. He will direct our plays, teach theater courses, oversee production, and run the technical theater program. During his eight-year absence from VA, Dan earned a master’s degree in theater education at Emerson College, served as production manager of Emerson Stage, and served as a full-time faculty member at Emerson College, teaching acting and theater theory. He is in his third year of a Ph.D. program in educational studies at Lesley University and is a practicing theater director, writer, and actor. Dan will live in Proctor House.

Also joining us this year are Amy Burmester (wife of Dan, daughter of former Business Office staff member Phyllis Davis) as our per-diem nurse and Nicole Blodget as our assistant athletic trainer. Nicole will also run our new Strength and Conditioning program.

With our new Executive Council (Assistant Head Melanie Hoffmann, Assistant Head Jeff Seaton, Senior Director of Admissions David Hodgson, and Dean of Faculty Amanda Gilbert-Hodgson) now in place, we are looking forward to a fantastic year.