After jumping around from Western Massachusetts to Boston and teaching at four different schools, Kendall Farkas has joined WHS as the new sole Latin teacher as well as a classical studies teacher. Farkas works with all grades in Latin and teaches one classical literature course to juniors. After teaching for seven years and having experience working in special education, Farkas is happy to be back in the Latin classroom teaching what she is passionate about. Farkas learned Latin in her sophomore year of college while she was majoring in history. Farkas explained that she loves talking about mythology, history, artifacts and language with her students, so her new role already feels very fulfilling.

“Definitely don’t be afraid to ask for help and rely on your department,” Farkas said. “I think the thing that’s really blown me away with Wayland is how kind everybody is. Both students and staff. I already feel at home here and even if it’s a long day, I leave with a smile. I really am enjoying this role, and I’m so excited to keep going. But it’s also okay to have bad days too. You do not have to be perfect in any way, we’re all human.”

After the departure of Hayes Hart-Thompson, a familiar face, Nicholas Patrie, is WHS’ new intro to innovation pathways teacher. Patrie previously worked at WHS as a teachers assistant in special education. Patrie is originally from New Hampshire and worked in a technology program tied to Exeter High School in NH. Patrie will be working to coach and provide support to seniors working on their capstone projects in the class. Patrie explained his philosophy to never stop learning. Learning from students’ experiences and always being open to growth, he says, is a key aspect he wants to implement in his teaching.

“I am looking forward to being a much more active participant in the success of students this year,” Patrie said. “I’m [also] really looking forward to having a group of kids that are curious and constantly wanting to learn new things and working and discovering things with them [to unlock] some potential.”

WHS’ new girls varsity tennis coach as of last year, Jason Tassinari, is now working as an assistant in the special education department at the school. After working at King Philip High School as a teacher assistant nearly 30 years ago, things have come full circle for this coach. Tassinari came to Wayland after hearing from some WHS students who he coached on a club soccer team that a new tennis coach was needed. Playing tennis in high school and college, he found a perfect fit in the role and jumped right in. He has enjoyed his time as a tennis coach for WHS and has found the school to be a great community. Tassinari helps teachers with whatever they need and is trying to slowly incorporate himself more as the school year goes on. Living in Plymouth, Massachusetts, Tassinari drives about an hour to WHS every day. When tennis season rolls around again he can go right onto the court for coaching.

“The most important thing, especially for the teachers that are new, is [for students to] understand that it’s a transition for us as well,” Tassinari said. “I think what I would say to the students is be patient as I get to know [you] and understand that I might be a little low key and in the background early on as I start to get to know the inner workings of each particular class and each teacher, but as time goes along, my involvement will be much more intensive and active.”

After working in the special education department for years at Boston Public Schools, Student Services Administrator Mykayla Cohen is ready to take on her new role at WHS. Her job at WHS is to oversee the special education department. This includes working with teachers and the counseling department, looking over the development of programs and more. Cohen hopes that as the year settles, she’ll be able to join classes, meet some students and work with them. Cohen expressed that she wants to help give people a voice and make sure that schools are driving in the right direction so students are able to get what they need.

“I think for me, the biggest thing that’s always number one, most important to be successful in any role is just getting to know the people that you’re working with,” Cohen said. “So if you’re a teacher really taking time to build relationships with students and if you’re in a position like mine, working with staff and really trying to build those relationships [is important].”

If you’ve passed by room 215, located in the language wing, took eighth grade social studies at the Wayland Middle School or were on the middle school girls soccer team within the past few years, you may have seen new Special Education Liaison, Jacob Haspel. Haspel has been a part of the Wayland community as a former student, teaching assistant and now a liaison. After graduating from WHS in 2016, Haspel attended college and got a degree in communications. At 18, he decided to join the education department. His career in the Wayland school system began at Claypit Hill Elementary School as a special education teaching assistant.

“The kids have made me feel very welcome,” Haspel said. “I know I’m one of the younger teachers here, [but] I feel like I’ve gotten respect from all the students that I’ve met and come across which is important to me. We talked at a new teacher [orientation event] about how respect sometimes needs to be earned, but I feel like it’s been given to me and I hope to continue to earn and keep that respect from all the students here as I go through this new school year.”

Hannah Rubio is the new school adjustment counselor. A school adjustment counselor is someone who works within the counseling department, and helps students with more specific needs and goals. Prior to WHS, Rubio worked at Acton-Boxborough Regional High School. Rubio explained her surprise at the friendliness of the student body.

“I’m definitely just working on adjusting to what the culture is here, and being able to build new relationships with young adults,” Rubio said. “I work so closely with a small group of students that I feel like I’ve very quickly been able to get to know them, and work closely with them as well as a small handful of staff that I have also worked very closely with. It’s been more challenging to get to know other teachers and other departments, but I’m working on that. Everyone comes across super, super welcoming and friendly.”

Mary Jo Murphy found her way to WHS when girls varsity soccer coach and history teacher Edmund DeHoratius, whom Murphy knew from growing up in Worcester, reached out about a role as the freshman girls soccer coach. When Murphy learned she would also be able to pursue her potential career in education by working for WHS as a TA, she jumped on the opportunity for both jobs. So far, Murphy has been working mostly in math and science classes. In college she studied environmental science and biology. She says her background has especially helped her when assisting in these subjects. This is Murphy’s first time working at a school, and she explained that she is looking forward to meeting a variety of students and teachers so she can learn more about what being a teacher would be like.

“This school, just from the month or so I have been here and seen the student body and the community of it, is very special,” Murphy said.

Margaret Britton, WHS’ new teaching aid, works with students one on one, going to their classes with them and assisting them with difficult subjects. Britton is a WHS Class of 2020 graduate who then went on to attend Skidmore College. She worked in Concord Middle School’s extended school or summer school program over this past summer before interviewing at WHS. Britton went through the WHS special education program herself which partially inspired her to apply here to work for that same program.

“I chose [to apply] partly because I went through the special education system and I wanted to help students who are going through the same thing,” Britton said. “ [However] I got this role partially because I worked at Concord Middle School’s extended day program this summer and then I interviewed here and was like, this is basically what I have been doing this summer, [and] I got the job.”

Brittany Price worked in WHS’s life skills room for the past six years. This year, she is taking on the role of a special education teacher. Recently, Price has been working with Ms. Lima. Though she is currently earning her masters degree in special education, Price already has a masters degree in expressive therapies with a specialization in art therapy and mental health and counseling from Lesley University. After working as a therapist for a year and a half, she found her way to Wayland through working for the BASE program. Nowadays, she works mostly on helping WHS students with their executive functioning skills.

“It’s actually pretty exciting working on time management and all of those skills that one needs to just have effective planning for their life: how to manage your work, how to manage what you are going to do,” Price said. “Beyond school as well. Kind of like life planning a little bit, all those skills that you need. And also part of the special education piece, teaching for that is making sure that everyone is getting the services that they need, that they are staying on top of their classes and that high school is successful for them.”

Janet Carmichael has graciously filled a number of [necessary] WHS roles including study hall teacher for 10 years, occasional stints in biology because of her certification as a biology teacher and, most recently, teaching forensics. This year she joined the special education team. But possibly her favorite job, she said, was being a mother to her four sons. According to Carmichael, having her children go through the Wayland Public School system helped her connect with the community and give her an understanding of it.

“I live in Wayland, pretty entrenched here for the time being,” Carmichael said. “I know a lot of the families. I know a lot of the kids, the siblings, so it’s been really fun to see these families grow up. I really love this high school so I’m quite a cheerleader for it because it’s really like a public school in a private setting because kids really get what they need. Everyone doesn’t get the same, they get what they need and what they request.”

Alaina Ghetti teaches Spanish and is the interim head of the world language department as the former department head Nicole Hagdoust is out on maternity leave. Ghetti teaches Intro Spanish One, Novice Spanish One and Intermediate Spanish One courses. Along with her new role of interim department head, Ghetti had taken on the new position of leading the new Diversity, Equity, and Belonging program here at WHS. The goal of the program is to be a resource for teachers to ask questions or brainstorm ideas that support the values of diversity, equity and belonging.

“Just the concept of recognizing that the way that each of us sees the world varies slightly based on our experiences and perspectives,” Ghetti said. “The more that we can continue to widen our understanding of other people’s [burdens], I think the better we will be at responding to incidents that fall outside of our norms of expected behavior. It will help us create more accountability for this sacred space that we’ve created.