As Maggie Walker’s halls are once again bustling with activity, it’s likely you’ve seen some new faces around the school. This academic year, Maggie Walker has welcomed many new faculty members. These new additions will bolster our staff and contribute to the community by sharing their unique life experiences and academic teaching styles with both students and their fellow faculty members.

MLWGS’ new chorus teacher, Ms. Kelsey Snyder, is joyful, energetic, and ready to share her love of singing. Snyder’s passion for music has led her to run her own private vocal and piano studio, on top of being a vocalist at a local church. Snyder is experienced with the classroom setting, having taught chorus classes at L.C. Bird for five years. Distinct from her other professional experiences, Maggie Walker offers a new set of opportunities for Snyder as she develops more robust lesson plans to fit the needs of her eager students. With 14 chorus students, Snyder is excited to continue the tradition of Maggie Walker’s chorus program. As Snyder put it, “[Maggie Walker’s community of trust] put me in a position where I can truly focus on the music without other challenges getting in the way.” Snyder is able to develop more complex, exciting lesson plans and strive for greatness with the chorus community, all enabled by the trust in her students. To start the year off strong, Snyder is working diligently on preparing the chorus’ performance at the Fall Chorus and Orchestra Concert.

In the mathematics department, MLWGS welcomes not one, but two new teachers this year. Before joining the Governor’s School faculty as a math teacher, Mr. Juan Rivera served in the Navy, where he developed a love for teaching. During his time serving, Rivera taught new officers how to steer ships, and the methodological process of the officers slowly learning the ropes, along with the joy of watching the officers succeed, first led Rivera to pursue a career in teaching. Now, Rivera applies similar principles of methodological teaching and trial-and-error to his math classes, where he encourages students to think critically and work problems until they are not only successful, but can clearly see their previous mistakes. Rivera also brings a new perspective to dealing with challenging subjects to the table. As a high school student, Rivera never considered himself a math person; but when the Navy offered him a full scholarship in a STEM field, he knew he could persevere and achieve great things in mathematics. Rivera urges students who similarly struggle in subjects to “get a different perspective on problems and build courage to ask for help.”

The second new addition to Maggie Walker’s math department, Dr. Ashley Sigrest, now joins the ranks of our wonderful Algebra 2 and Pre-Calculus teachers! Sigrest’s journey as a mathematical educator is slightly off from the usual teaching degree path. Sigrest shared that, “I got my college degree in engineering and absolutely loved it.” However, after her job moved to Northern Virginia, she began to volunteer at her daughter’s elementary school in Goochland. And after mere days of working with that 4th grade class on writing and math, she was invited back with a cheer every time. Sigrest stated that was her conversion point, saying, “It warmed my heart, and it was just so rewarding. So, I figured, why not do this full time.” Eight years later, Sigrest now joins MLWGS to continue her work as an educator at a community she knows well. As a former and current MLWGS parent, Sigrest was not at all surprised at the energy of the community that she walked into. However, when asked for the most surprising experience, Sigrest stated one aspect that stood out to her: the sheer politeness. Citing the recent fire drill as an example, Sigrest jokingly stated, “Every person came through [the door] and said ‘thank you.’ I think my voice was cracking from saying ‘you're welcome’ so many times.”

The MLWGS English department welcomes Kelley Conner, our newest World Literature 9 and Intro to Drama teacher. Conner credits her path as a literary teacher to her high school AP English teacher. After pursuing three separate degrees in English literature at VCU, Conner joined the world of literary education. As a senior IB teacher at Tucker High School, Conner taught the senior IB literature course, the senior advanced college academy students in literature, as well as dual-enrollment English courses. Conner shares that her workload felt heavy, stating, “Being the only teacher teaching some of those classes, it was difficult to have support with lesson plans.” At Maggie Walker, she no longer faces that issue. Conner describes her welcome from the English department as being “with open arms.” She describes her favorite memory was “mini golfing with the English department and doing a group photo shoot at the end.” Sharing how close she feels to her co-workers after just a short amount of time, Conner emphasizes her gratitude for having an extremely supportive community as she takes on her new role.

In addition to expanding our staff of teachers, Maggie Walker also welcomes a new Strategic Engagement Coordinator, Aparna Harger, who is also the current Director of Communications for Virginia Diversity Network. But before joining MLWGS, Harger worked as a French teacher for 12 years at Fairfield Middle School and Trinity Episcopal School, with a focus on DEI work in her community. But wait a minute–what exactly is D.E.I.? Well, Harger describes her new job as, “working with the school community to improve our diversity, equity, and inclusion (D.E.I.).” As MLWGS aims to sustain an inclusive and uplifting community, this new focus from the administration is meant to improve conditions in the classroom, clubs, and admissions. Harger stated this effort “shows the importance that the Maggie Walker community places on connection.” Even though Harger is a new addition to the faculty, she’s already knee-deep with our students and the incredible sense of community! When asked for her favorite moment since joining Maggie Walker, Harger replied that it was, “Visiting Festival of India with [her] daughter and watching the MLWGS Bhangra perform and win first place,” sharing how special it was for her daughter to be able to see “such talented big kids show off a piece of their culture!”

In the Social Studies department, MLWGS welcomes alumnus Matthew Ruskan. Ruskan exudes Maggie Walker’s spirit of excitement and energy. He remarked that he “feels at home,” teaching at Maggie Walker. Ruskan is teaching Global Studies 10 and FIRC Social Studies, both of which harken back to his deep connection with the MLWGS community as a former student. He muses that he can “hear Mr. Wilkes’ voice in the back of my head” while teaching a lesson he himself once took notes on and recalls that his wording and teaching style has been influenced by his very own MLWGS teachers. Ruskan’s unique position allows him to comment on Maggie Walker’s community of learners with heightened clarity, and he remains amazed at how collaborative and participatory the school is. Ruskan feels grateful to teach in an environment where students are excited to contribute with their own ideas and experiences. He noticed things that make MLWGS special after teaching at other schools, saying that Maggie Walker “gives [the freedom] to explore and challenge students and for students to challenge back and to ask questions.” He cites “the willingness just to engage” as his favorite aspect of the Maggie Walker community. Ruskan says that when he would substitute and teach at other schools, he would try to start discussions, only to be met with little engagement, but notes that “at Maggie Walker, the ability to just throw a question out and have students just pick it up and [run] with it … is something that’s really special and a lot of fun.”

Outstanding community not only led these teachers to Maggie Walker, but has characterized their first weeks here. In heartwarming fashion, the new staff commented on how welcomed and supported they continue to feel by their fellow staff and new students. They feel encouraged to provide engaging lessons, build new connections, and make an impact on our school. But they’re only one half of the equation. We students can do a lot to support and welcome our new faculty. Rivera commented that considerable trust must be built between students and new teachers as they get to know each other, and there is an adjustment period attached to this. As students, we can encourage our new faculty to share their unique and valuable experiences for the betterment of our collective school society. Along with this we can show them the ropes of how MLWGS functions and offer constructive feedback. Their path to success is not linear, and we can aid in their growth as teachers and community members. Welcome, new Maggie Walker staff!