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Magnolia Acosta – Administrative Coordinator
macosta@salemacademycs.org
Ms. Acosta is Salem Academy’s Administrative Coordinator having worked at the school since its inception. Ms. Acosta was born in Santiago, Dominican Republic, but has lived much of her life in Salem. She attended Salem High School and North Shore Community College in Beverly. She has four children all of whom have attended public schools in Salem.
Sohrab Ahmari - Learning Specialist
sahmari@salemacademycs.org
Born in Tehran, Iran, Mr. Ahmari migrated to the United States at the age of 14. After graduating from the University of Washington, Seattle, he joined the 2005 Teach for America (T.F.A.) corps. His T.F.A. placement brought him to a middle school in Brownsville, Texas, close to the U.S.-Mexico border, where he served as a content mastery and inclusion teacher. After completing his two-year commitment, he served as a corps member advisor at T.F.A.’s intensive 2007 Houston Summer Institute. He looks forward to continuing to build and support the movement to ensure educational excellence across the country by serving the students at Salem Academy Charter School.
Sarah Bennis – Math Teacher
Amy Benson - English Teacher
abenson@salemacademycs.org
Ms. Benson completed a Bachelor of Arts degree in Comparative Literature at Bryn Mawr College and received an M.Ed in Curriculum and Instruction from Lesley University. In her graduate work, she focused on reading and writing across the curriculum with a special interest in early literacy and language acquisition. She has taught English Language Arts at the Pingree School in South Hamilton, at Landmark School where she was a LiPS (Lindamood-Bell Phonological Sequencing) tutor, and most recently as a Special Education teacher in the Language-Based program at Briscoe Middle School in Beverly. Ms. Benson lives in Beverly with her son, Max, and rooms full of books. She is eager to continue to help create and foster a culture of literacy at Salem Academy Charter School.
Shawn Berry – English Teacher
sberry@salemacademycs.org
Mrs. Berry has been involved in working with children from infancy to middle school. Originally from the Finger Lakes region of New York State, she received her Bachelor of Science degree in Speech Pathology and Audiology from Ithaca College in 1979. She was the Owner/Director of The Children’s Roost Early Childhood Center for children from infancy to early elementary school. She designed the center in order to provide a safe, nurturing care environment while students developed a strong foundation of positive early learning experiences. In 2001 she began a Masters Degree program in Elementary Education at Lesley University. Mrs. Berry worked as a classroom paraprofessional and Special Education teacher in Middleton and Topsfield while completing her degree program. In 2004 she joined the Lowell Community Charter Public School. While there, she had the opportunity to be both a 4th grade classroom teacher and Reading Facilitator for grades 3-8. Mrs. Berry lives in Danvers with her husband and four college age children. She loves Salem Academy's mission and the possibilities for its future.
Ana Brea – Spanish Teacher
abrea@salemacademycs.org
Ms. Brea was born in the Dominican Republic. She obtained her Bachelor of Arts degree in Fine Arts from Massachusetts College of Art in Boston, and more recently completed her diplomado in Education from APEC University in Santo Domingo. She has over ten years of experience as a teacher, having taught English as a Second Language in the D.R. and Puerto Rico, and Art in the D.R. She has also taught Spanish for the Global Child program in North Andover, MA. Ms. Brea is Board certified as a Spanish teacher and as an art teacher. Throughout her career, she has also been painting and has worked in Stage Design. She returns in 2007 for her fourth year with Salem Academy.
Christine Brennan – English and History Teacher
cbrennan@salemacademycs.org
Ms. Brennan completed her Bachelor's degree in English at Colby College. Since graduating, she has been teaching high school English in East New York, Brooklyn as a member of the New York City Teaching Fellows program. She is currently finishing her Master's degree in Education at Brooklyn College and is excited to join the staff at Salem Academy Charter School this fall. Outside the classroom, she loves sports, especially soccer.
Stephanie Coats – Dean of Students
scoats@salemacademycs.org
Ms. Coats hails from Scotia, NY. After graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree in International Relations from Boston University, she joined Teach For America. At her placement school in Lynwood, CA, she taught second and third grade and coached the Wilson Wildcats track team to the state finals. During that time, she also completed a Master of Arts degree in Education from Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles.
Ms. Coats returned to Massachusetts to join KIPP Academy Lynn’s founding staff in 2004. She is very excited to join Salem Academy and looks forward to serving the students and families of the SACS community. Ms. Coats loves traveling, running, painting, and of course – the Yankees.
Eden Costagliola – Math Teacher
ecostagliola@salemacademycs.org
Ms. Costagliola received her BA from Vassar College in 2002 where she concentrated in Mathematics and completed a New York State Teacher Certification program. Just this past spring, she received an MA in Pure Mathematics from George Washington University. In the years between college and graduate school, Eden taught middle and high schoolers at the Poughkeepsie Day School where while she primarily taught math, she also wore many other hats. Eden is very excited to be working with the Second and Third Form math students at SACS this fall.
Teague Desmond – Learning Specialist
tdesmond@salemacademycs.org
Mr. Desmond recently received a Bachelor’s degree in English at Salem State College where he also plans on pursuing a Masters degree. He is certified to teach English, grades 8-12, and he is excited about working in a public school. Mr. Desmond spent the second half of last year at SACS as a part-time paraprofessional and also taught two creative writing courses. He is very happy to be returning for another year.
Sracey Ferguson –Science Teacher
Grace Geden – Learning Specialist
ggeden@salemacademycs.org
Ms. Alterio is a Second and Third Form paraprofessional. She works with our students in learning support. Ms Alterio received a BA in Studio Art from Marymount College, Tarrytown, New York. She continued her studies in fine arts at the Art Students League in New York as well as the Art Alliance and Guild of Creative Art in Red Bank, New Jersey. In 1982 she attended a highly specialized art restoration program in Florence, Italy in collaboration with the Uffizi Gallery. In 1984 she received a graduate teaching assistantship from Massachusetts College of Art where she taught drawing and painting at their satellite school, Nantucket School of Art and Design. Ms. Alterio was a Special Education teacher’s assistant at Gloucester High School for seven years before coming to SACS. She worked closely with students in academic support and mainstream settings. She also taught specialized art instruction for gifted and talented students as well as elementary and middle school art. Ms. Alterio is thrilled to be back for another year at Salem Academy.
Denise Granniss - English Teacher
dgranniss@salemacademycs.org
Ms. Granniss is delighted to be a Salem resident, even in October, and has been bringing her love of books, writing and drama into classrooms for the past 12 years. She has spent the past 10 years teaching English, British Literature and Drama courses at Reading Memorial High School. Ms. Granniss graduated Magna Cum Laude from SUNY New Paltz with a BA in Secondary Education English and earned her MA in Secondary Education with a concentration in teaching writing from nearby Salem State College. She has served on the Massachusetts High School Drama Guild, the Huntington Theater Education Advisory Panel and as Massachusetts’ Director for the National Shakespeare competition for Teens. She and her husband, Chris, are the proud but tired parents of a “Salts” second grade student and an adorable 4- year-old.
Suzanne Gray –Learning Specialist
sgray@salemacademycs.org
Margo Hannifin – Administrative Assistant
mhannifin@salemacademycs.org
Margo Hannifin comes to Salem Academy Charter School from 28 years in Orlando, Florida. Her Bachelor’s degree is a combined major of business and mass communications. She completed her Master’s degree in psychology at Nova Southeastern University. Margo has worked in the apartment development and management field, achieving the position of District Manager handling over 1500 apartments and over 30 employees. Margo came to SACS with a diverse background, expertise in business, personnel, and finance. Additionally, she has a commitment to the students and mission of Salem Academy Charter School.
Pat Hansen – Math Teacher/Learning Specialist
phansen@salemacademycs.org
Ms. Hansen returns to Salem Academy for her third year as a math and Special Education teacher after a number of years in the Computer Industry. She received a BA in Math from Salem State and MS in Teaching with a major in Math from the University of Florida early in her career in the Computer Industry. In making the transition to teaching she received a M.Ed. in Special Education from Salem State in 2005.
Rachel Hunt - Head of School
rhunt@salemacademycs.org
Ms. Hunt is a Salem resident and former teacher at the Collins Middle School in Salem. She graduated from Wesleyan University in 1995 with a BA in sociology and 6-12th grade teacher certification in history and social studies. She went on to earn a M.Ed. at the Harvard Graduate School of Education in 2000 specializing in administration and planning. She has taught and trained teachers in public schools in the U.S. and abroad. Ms. Hunt is fluent in Spanish and is the lead founder of Salem Academy.
Mike Jacob - Learning Specialist
mjacob@salemacademycs.org
Mr. Jacob graduated from Salem State College with a major in Literature/Writing and a minor in Music. After graduating college, he went on to work as a financial advisor for a Salem based financial firm. Mr. Jacob is also an active member of the Danvers historical society, as well as a volunteer at the Northeast animal shelter. Currently, Mr. Jacob works here at Salem Academy Charter School as a Learning Specialist.
Jessica Kane - Science Teacher
jkane@salemacademycs.org
Mrs. Kane is a graduate of University of Rhode Island's Education program, specializing in Biology and General Sciences. After completing her studies, she went on to teach at various nature camps, YMCA programs, and most recently The Met School, an alternative education program in Providence, RI. Looking for a more challenging opportunity, Mrs. Kane came to Salem Academy Charter School in 2006. She returns in 2007 to share her love of all things science with the Second and Third Form students.
Rachel Litecky – School Adjustment Counselor
rlitecky@salemacademycs.org
Ms. Litecky completed her Masters of Social Work in 2004 at Boston University. She has held a variety of positions working with children, adolescents and their families. Ms. Litecky taught sixth graders reading in Baton Rouge, Louisiana through the Teach For America program from 1999-2001. Most recently, Ms. Litecky was a therapist at Lighthouse School, a Special Education non-profit school in North Chelmsford, where she counseled students with emotional and behavioral difficulties and their families. She has experience working with students individually and in running a variety of groups on social skills, disability awareness, anger management and adolescent female issues. She earned her Bachelor's of Arts in Anthropology and Women's Studies from the University of Wisconsin at Madison in 1999.
Justin Melville – History Teacher
jmelville@salemacademycs.org
Mr. Melville lived for more than 20 years in Salem. His teaching experience includes two years instructing social studies at the middle and high school level in an alternative school and three years at Lawrence Family Development Charter School in Lawrence, MA. Mr. Melville earned a Masters of Arts in Teaching History in 2006. He is very excited to join Salem Academy and to work with the school, its parents, and the community. Mr. Melville looks forward to extending his knowledge in social studies and enjoys reading non-fiction history. He also enjoys golf, baseball, football, music, and art.
Shamus Mruk – History Teacher
Beth Murphy – Reading Specialist
bmurphy@salemacademycs.org
Mrs. Murphy completed a B.A. degree in English and an M.ED. in Education from Salem State College. She is certified in Elementary Education and is presently pursuing certification in Reading. As a part of her reading certification, she is completing certification in the Wilson Reading System this fall. Prior to teaching at Salem Academy, Mrs. Murphy taught middle school reading and social studies for 8 years at St. Mary’s Star of the Sea School in Beverly. She returns for her second year as a Reading Specialist. “ It is my goal to help struggling readers achieve personal success in their reading skills, as well as a love of literature.” Mrs. Murphy lives in Hamilton with her husband and two children Kevin, 4, and Kyleigh 2.
Sean O’Neil – Executive Director
soneil@salemacademycs.org
Mr. O’Neil has many years of experience as an English teacher and an administrator at public and private schools including Cape Cod Lighthouse Charter School, Cambridge School of Weston, Chapel Hill-Chauncy Hall School, and Lawrence Academy. He has a B.S. in Business Administration from Rider University and an M.A.T in English from University of Notre Dame. He has particular interests in curriculum development, progressive education, and arts education and has served on the Boards of several performing arts organizations on Cape Cod. Mr. O’Neil and his wife, Nancy, have two daughters.
Robert Pelletier - History Teacher
rpelletier@salemacademycs.org
Mr. Pelletier is a recent graduate of Boston University's School of Education where he earned a Bachelors of Science in Social Studies Education. Having grown up in Salem, he is delighted to be returning to the community. For the last three summers he has served as an instructor at Salem State College's SEA Program. Mr. Pelletier also attended a charter school as a middle schooler and is excited to once again be a part of a charter school.
Raquel Rodriguez - Spanish Teacher
rrodriguez@salemacademycs.org
Ms Rodriguez came to the United States from Barcelona, Spain, two years ago. She has two degrees: one in literature (Universitat Rovira i Virgili), and another one in Linguistics (Universitat de Barcelona). She was a teacher in Spain for three years, and before coming to Salem Academy she taught Spanish in a charter school in Cambridge. She is very excited to return to Salem Academy. Ms. Rodriguez loves seeing her students learning Spanish and enjoying the Spanish culture. Her hobbies are reading, cinema, and writing short stories.
Joe Rogers – Athletic Director
jrogers@salemacademycs.org
Mr. Rogers attended the College of Wooster (OH) where he received a Bachelor of Arts in History, before going on to Villanova University School of Law, from which he recieved his Juris Doctor in May 2007. In addition to his duties as Athletic Director, Mr. Rogers teaches Choice Block classes, Learning Center and coaches the girls’ middle school and boys’ junior varsity basketball teams.
Meg Russo – Math Teacher
mrusso@salemacademycs.org
Mrs. Russo attended Boston College where she earned her degree in Computer Science. Before beginning her teaching career, Mrs. Russo worked as a Missile Systems Software Engineer. She began teaching math eight years ago. She is currently working on her M.Ed in Middle School Mathematics at Salem State College. She enjoys spending time with her husband and their three children.
Rhiannon Stockdale - Science Teacher
rstockdale@salemacademycs.org
Ms. Stockdale, originally from Minnesota, attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison where she earned Bachelor of Science degrees both in Biology and Sociology in 2005. She recently completed her Masters of Arts in Teaching: Secondary Education at American University in Washington, DC. A member of the 2005 DC Teaching Fellows cohort, she has also spent the last two years teaching 6th and 7th grade Earth Science and Life Science at Kramer Middle School in Southeast Washington, DC. Recently relocating to the area, Ms. Stockdale lives in Winthrop with her fiancé and cat where she loves to explore the outdoors and take advantage of the beach nearby. She is very excited to be a part of Salem Academy Charter School this year and educate First Form students about everything scientific in the world.
Kelly Story - Science Teacher
kstory@salemacademycs.org
Mrs. Story completed her M.S. in chemistry from University of Massachusetts, Lowell, in 2005 and her B.S. in English and chemistry from Gordon College in Wenham, MA. She has nine years of experience as an analytical chemist and microbiologist working for Eastman Gelatine Corp. in Peabody and seven years of experience teaching college chemistry and biology labs at Gordon College. Since 2000 she has also been a contributing writer and editor for CPOScience, a Massachusetts-based middle school science publishing company. She and her husband have two children who are currently enrolled at Salem Academy.
Linda St. Pierre – Special Education Coordinator
lstpierre@salemacademycs.org
Ms. St. Pierre is a Salem resident and former teacher at the Horace Mann Lab School in Salem. She has worked in the field of Special Education in private and public settings since earning her Bachelor's degree in Elementary Education at Salem State College in 1979. She completed one year of graduate study in Educational Psychology at the University of Minnesota in 1990. Ms. St. Pierre is a founding faculty member of Salem Academy.
David Shiels – Math Teacher
dshiels@salemacademycs.org
Mr. Shiels completed a Bachelor’s degree in Economics and an MSc in Public Policy Economics at the University of Hull in England. In his graduate work, he focused on research and statistical analysis of the link between unemployment and criminal activity. Upon graduation, Mr. Shiels worked as a Business Analyst of a large financial services company. He then completed a Postgraduate Certificate in Education at the University of Manchester where he taught in a wide range of schools and colleges. Before becoming a teacher at Salem Academy, he taught Mathematics and Computer Science at a sports college in England, specializing in differentiating learning outcomes to meet the needs of mixed ability groups. He is a founding faculty member of Salem Academy Charter School
Bonnie Vallis – Learning Specialist
bvallis@salemacademycs.org
Ms. Vallis graduated from Salem State College with a double major in Elementary Education and Psychology. After graduating, she began working at Salem Academy Charter School as a learning specialist and presently she is in her second year. In her spare time, she works at a coffee shop and enjoys crochet.
Jon Workman - Learning Specialist
jworkman@salemacademycs.org
Mr. Workman loves both living and working in Salem. Previously, he was teaching at an alternative middle school program in Fitchburg, MA. Mr. Workman has a degree in English and Drama and has several years of publishing and writing experience. He recently finished his M.Ed. in Special Education at Salem State College. He enjoys spending time with his wife and his two dogs, Althea Bean and Casey Jones.