GMHS Lasso Online News Story

Who’s That New Kid . . .errr . . .Teacher?
New Instructors Offer
Perspectives, Talents, Advice

By Anna Duning and Dana Cazan (September 25, 2006)

This year, GMHS welcomes 10 new faculty members to the rapidly growing staff. Lasso Online’s Anna Duning and Dana Cazan caught up with these new faces to help introduce them to the student body.

	Mr. Bill Daughtridge, the new IB Coordinator, advises students to “work hard, stay focused and keep balanced.” Originally from Rocky Mount, North Carolina, this history and German major studied at the University of Missouri at Columbia. So far, his favorite part of Mason has been “the polite, friendly and highly motivated students.” Noting how much has changed since he was a student, Mr. Daughtridge adds that when he was in high school, “the term ‘environmentalism’ was considered subversive.”
	“Enjoy this time now because it will go by quickly,” says Mr. Brad McAdam, the newbie in the counseling department. Mr. McAdam comes from Dover, New Hampshire, and attended college at St. Michael’s in Vermont where he majored in American Studies. He then received his masters in education at the University of Maryland. His favorite aspect of Mason so far is the smaller size; he is especially looking forward to “getting to know the students and being a part of outside events.” Mr. McAdam also notes that when he was in high school, “I made the most of my fun opportunities.”
	Mrs. Paige Whitlock, the new English teacher and senior class sponsor, informs students that “when it comes to work, either pay up front or pay in the end.” She is originally from Wayzata, Minnesota, and attended Drake University and the University of Minnesota, studying English and later received her masters in educational leadership. So far, Mrs. Whitlock enjoys “the diverse interests and backgrounds of the students” at Mason as well as its smaller size. She is most looking forward to grading her first set of papers this year. When Mrs. Whitlock was in high school, she describes herself as being very “free-spirited.”
	Mr. Jonathan Pepper, a new science teacher, tells Masonites to “work hard but don’t take yourself too seriously.” Mr. Pepper, a big hockey fan, grew up just north of Detroit and attended the University of Washington in St. Louis where he studied environmental science. Mr. Pepper comments that when he was in high school, “I was the kid in the corner.” At George Mason, however, he is looking forward to finally calling Mason home after teaching at four different schools, and has hopefully outgrown his high school habit.
	Ms. Nisha Shensharma comes all the way from Bombay, India, and now teaches psychology and history here at Mason. She studied at the University of Bombay and later at Virginia Tech. She enjoys George Mason for its smaller size as well as the interesting students and is looking forward to “helping them work toward success.” When she was in high school, “we had to wear uniforms,” she says. Just as she personally has done so far, Ms. Sensharma hopes that Mason students enjoy their school year.
	“Always try your best and believe in yourself,” says Ms. Hilary Thornton, new math teacher and co-yearbook sponsor. A native Canadian, she attended the University of Alberta in Alberta, Canada. She likes George Mason for its “all-around support” and is looking forward to getting to know more people. Despite her current profession, “in high school, I was not one of the students the teachers enjoyed,” she comments.
	Ms. Melanie Besio, another of our new math teachers, will be sharing the responsibilities of yearbook sponsor with Mrs. Thornton. Although she calls herself a “military brat,” Ms. Besio is somewhat of a Virginian herself, having attended Oakton and Robinson High Schools and then the University of Virginia. At UVA she majored in landscape architecture and received her masters in education. She is especially looking forward to “a finished yearbook” and advises students to “participate and have fun.”
	“Global warming is real,” declares new science teacher Mr. Husan Thompson. Originally from Los Angeles, California, he attended Xavier University in Louisiana where he majored in biochemistry. He also received his masters in curriculum and administration. Mr. Thompson’s favorite part of George Mason is “the art on the walls” and he is looking forward to “keeping my job.” In high school, he says, he never did his homework but now he advises students to “wake up!”
	“Enjoy high school because you can never go back,” advocates another new science teacher, Ms. Jennifer Parsons. All the way from Portugalcove, Newfoundland, Canada, she attended Virginia Commonwealth University and majored in forensic science. She also has a masters in teaching secondary chemistry. Ms. Parsons’s favorite aspect of George Mason thus far has been the people, both students and teachers, and she is looking forward to “having fun!” this year. During her own high school experience “at the turn of the century,” she was “very athletic” and will be demonstrating those skills this spring when she coaches soccer.
	Already a familiar face to many, Mr. Marc Robarge is the former art teacher at Thomas Jefferson Elementary School. Now, he will be teaching both art and photography at Mason. He attended the University of Virginia and then Indiana University, studying art and sculpture. In high school, he says that “my favorite class was art. I liked football games and dances with friends.” An artist in his own right, Mr. Robarge passes on the wisdom to “be yourself.”
	All the way from Morocco, the new Italian teacher, Dr. Meriem Bousaidi Bacha, is anticipating the moment when “my students can fully communicate with me in Italian.” An expert in the language, she attended the Université Mohammed V in Rabat, Morocco, then perfected her skills at the Università di Bologna in Italy. She hopes students will “take advantage of everything they are given” and “read,” for she believes that “reading is the key to knowledge.”