It’s already October, and most of us have no clue who all the new teachers are. So, while online introductions are never the same as in-person, it’s the best we can do right now. Here’s our attempt at introducing the new secondary faculty to the AISB community through a series of pictures and Q&A’s. Enjoy, and make sure to comment below to welcome our new staff members or ask additional questions!
Elizabeth Biggs-Rappe
Q: Where did you move here from?
A: Chennai, India, where I taught at AISC for 5 years.
Q: What subject do you teach?
A: Learning support and sometimes math.
Q: What are your hobbies?
A: Reading, movies, music, running, sketch journaling, and cooking.
Q: What’s something you’d like your students to know about you?
A: I’ve got two grown daughters, and when they were growing up, I was sometimes also their teacher.
Jordi Beneyto
Q: Where did you move here from?
A: I lived in London for the past five years. I was working at the Lycée International de Londres – Winston Churchill. Before the UK, I worked in the US, Malta, Lithuania, Poland and Spain.
Q: What subject do you teach?
A: I teach Spanish for Grades 6, 7, 8, 9 and 11.
Q: What are your hobbies?
A: I love traveling to places with extreme weather conditions, reading adventure books, playing tennis and football, watching movies at the cinema, playing video games, eating any kind of food, and meeting friends for a coffee/beer and a chat.
Q: What’s something you’d like your students to know about you?
A: believe there are more kind and educated people than the contrary, but the uneducated ones are sometimes louder. I am learning about social injustice and discrimination to find ways to change my mentality. Also, I was once slapped by an orangutan and I didn’t deserve it.
Peter Daignault
Q: Where did you move here from?
A: We came to AISB from AISJ, which is the American International School of Johannesburg, where we spent eight years (the maximum amount of time allowed by the school as an expat).
Q: What subject do you teach?
A: English Language Acquisition and I also have English language support classes. I teach at the DP level and the MYP.
Q: What are your hobbies?
A: My hobbies include my family… supporting my kids in their passions, languages, linguistics, cultures, bilingualism, multiculturalism, diversity, politics, travel, film, music, sports, reading… Among others 🙂
Q: What’s something you’d like your students to know about you?
A: I am a learner, like all the students/members of the AISB community. I have never stopped learning throughout my life and in my adult life as well. A recent example of a great period of growth and development took place in South Africa, where I learned about African cultures and languages, making connections to my original country. It was transformational.
Byron Farrow
Q: Where did you move here from?
A: Suzhou Singapore International School in Suzhou, China.
Q: What subject do you teach?
A: I’ve big passion for wellbeing and TOK (which I taught in previous schools), but here at AISB I’m teaching MYP Science in Grade 10 and DP Physics to grades 11 and 12.
Q: What are your hobbies?
A: Many! Almost anything tech related such as computing: coding, research and playing games, anything to do with space, aviation or science-fiction, history (especially Roman and twentieth-century), travel and so much more. I particularly love it when I can combine my hobbies.
Q:. What’s something you’d like your students to know about you?
A: I’m here with my lovely wife Lina and our two children, Edmund (Grade 4) and Iona (in Kinder). Really excited about exploring Romania. We were in our last job for 14 years and hope to be making a significant commitment to AISB and Romania!
Lina Tovar Leon
Q: Where did you move here from?
A: I moved from Suzhou, China. I worked there at Suzhou Singapore International School (SSIS).
Q: What subject do you teach?
A: Grade 6 English-Humanities and EAL.
Q: What are your hobbies?
A: Reading, building with Lego, coloring/painting and cooking.
Q: What’s something you’d like your students to know about you?
A: I am a fierce advocate for the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, so I’m always looking for ways to support them in and outside the classroom. I believe that everyone, young and old, has the power to bring about change. If we all do our part, the goals will become a reality. We only have ten years, so let’s get working!
Tyson Lazzaro
Q: Where did you move here from?
A: I arrived in Bucharest from Portland, Oregon, on the West Coast of the U.S. I was previously teaching at the International School of Beaverton.
Q: What subject do you teach?
A: I currently teach 9th grade Humanities and Psychology in the 11th and 12th grades. I have taught everything from History to Literature and Composition to English as a Second Language, from grades 6-12. I am also the co-advisor at AISB for the Accepted middle school club, which is a joy.
Q: What are your hobbies?
A: My hobbies are engaging in film (watching and film criticism), playing disc golf, trying to read more, and feeling guilty for not reading more. Also, I have taken up a new hobby of adopting dogs that don’t like me, and failing to get them to recognize their own names. (I’m talking to you, Henri the dog! It’s Henri! That’s your name! H-E-N-R-I! Please, just look at me!)
Q: What’s something you’d like your students to know about you?
A: Most times I would give an anecdote about terrible jobs I’ve held or silly experiences I’ve had, but I think right now I’d rather my community know that I am motivated every day by the essential faith I have in human beings to exhibit genuine compassion and to overcome the tendency toward lazy and cynical thought patterns. This means prioritizing our humanity whenever we can, from standing up for friends and strangers alike when they are feeling down or being bullied, to making eye contact and talking to each other in Zoom classes because we can’t be together, all the way up to realizing that your political participation matters to real people’s daily lives, and your participation may be the deciding factor that brings justice. These are the ideas that keep me going.
Dawn Lovig
Q: Where did you move here from?
A: I’ve moved here from the American School of Asunción, in Paraguay.
Q: What subject do you teach?
A: I teach MYP and DP Music.
Q: What are your hobbies?
A: few of my hobbies are photography, bird watching, and making ñandutí (Paraguayan needlework lace).
Q: What’s something you’d like your students to know about you?
A: Music plays a large role in many of my favorite memories, from learning to play the lyra on the Greek island of Crete to interviewing musicians and dancers in French Polynesia. A recent highlight was meeting the amazing jazz vocalist Dianne Reeves at the Panama Jazz Festival. At the end of our conversation, Ms. Reeves thanked me for being a music teacher!
Susannah McGlamery
Q: Where did you move here from?
A: I moved here from Chennai, India, where I was a high school counselor at the American International School Chennai.
Q: What subject do you teach?
A: I am a counselor with the amazing students in grades 6 & 7.
Q: What are your hobbies?
A: When I’m not at school, I love to explore new places by taking long destination-less walks with my husband and trying all of the food! I also spend time reading, making little crafty things for people I love, and snuggling with my daughter who is almost one year old. There is more to each of us than meets the eye; we each have a unique story.
Q: What’s something you’d like your students to know about you?
A: I want my students to know that they are enough just as they are and that each of their stories are valuable. I want them to know that I am someone they can feel safe with to just be themselves.
Nathan Mees
Q: Where did you move here from?
A: Seoul Foreign School in Seoul, South Korea.
Q: What subject do you teach?
A: MYP English and MYP/DP Film.
Q: What are your hobbies?
A: Being awesome, running, reading, watching film, thinking about living in New Zealand.
Q: What’s something you’d like your students to know about you?
A: I am only two-degrees from Kevin Bacon.
Jennifer Newton
Q: Where did you move here from?
A: Portland, Oregon.
Q: What subject do you teach?
A: MYP English (9th grade) and IB Language and Literature (grades 11 and 12).
Q: What are your hobbies?
A: Sewing, knitting, running (slowly), walking in the woods, watching and talking about movies, reading and talking about books.
Q: What’s something you’d like your students to know about you?
A: I went on multiple tours with an all-female hardcore punk rock band in the early 2000s.
Ana Sanchez Rollon
Q: Where did you move here from?
A: I moved here from AISJ (The American International School of Johannesburg) where I taught for eight years.
Q: What subject do you teach?
A: I teach French and Spanish mother tongue. In my time in South Africa, I was the Stuco teacher coordinator and I loved seeing the students find their voices and use it to improve the school.
Q: What are your hobbies?
A: I have taken up running since moving to Bucharest. I had never run in my life, but having access to the forest and finding a supportive group of teachers to run with made all the difference. Other than running, I love traveling and visiting libraries and museums. My biggest hobby, though, is reading.
Q: What’s something you’d like your students to know about you?
A: I am just a fun-loving, approachable person, who likes to lend a hand. Talk to me if you want to practice your French, your Spanish, or if you just want to chat. In this picture, I am posing with my pet billy goat Ivan Apollo. He loves taking selfies. Unfortunately, Ivan had to stay back in South Africa, but he is enjoying my friends’ bigger yard.
Allison Sands
Q: Where did you move here from?
A: I am originally from New York, but I am most recently coming from Ecuador, where I taught at Academia Cotopax.
Q: What subject do you teach?
A: I am the 6th grade Learning Support teacher.
Q: What are your hobbies?
A: I love to hike and to bake!
Q: What’s something you’d like your students to know about you?
A: I want students to know that I love finding new restaurants, so I need their help finding great spots to eat in Bucharest!
Isabelle Seigneur
Q: Where did you move here from?
A: Before coming here, I was in Nanjing, China, two hours from Shanghai in the countryside. I was working at the International School of Nanjing as a French and TOK Teacher.
Q: What subject do you teach?
A: I now teach MYP and DP French.
Q: What are your hobbies?
A: I love being in nature, especially near the ocean. I love meditating and yoga, dancing, and spending time in the bush. My best nights ever were when I was camping in the national parks in Kenya and Tanzania, in a small tent and I would hear lions, hyenas and buffalos.
Q: What’s something you’d like your students to know about you?
A: I am from France, from French and Italian parents. I love studying and I will keep learning until my brain can no longer allow me to do it! I have had all sorts of jobs including waitress, working in an elderly house, cleaner, babysitter, social worker, and actress. I have traveled to many countries, have lived in the States, Singapore, Tanzania, China and now here. I do not like to pretend. I am usually always happy and positive, but I have my days like anyone else and If I am mad, you will know it right away. 🙂
Rach Thomas
Q: Where did you move here from?
A: Nagoya International School, Japan.
Q: What subject do you teach?
A: MYP Drama and IBDP Theatre.
Q: What are your hobbies?
A: Reading, watching plays, TV and films, and socializing. I love animals and have two cats. I like watching butterflies when out in nature. I’m interested in architecture. Also sunbathing – I’m loving the blue skies here in Romania!
Q: What’s something you’d like your students to know about you?
A: I had one of my big toenails permanently removed last year. Someone ran over it with a shopping trolley years ago and it kept growing back double or triple – extremely painful. I had it removed seven times before the doctor agreed to kill it permanently! My worst job was plucking turkeys in a freezing farm building when I was at University in Wales. All the other workers apart from one were old men who spoke Welsh. I only lasted for five days before I quit. It made me determined to work hard to get a good job.
Yarrow Uleman
Q: Where did you move here from?
A: I am American, from the Pacific Northwest. I moved here from Denmark, where I was teaching at a small school called Esbjerg International School. Before that, I taught at Graded: The American School of São Paulo in Brazil.
Q: What subject do you teach?
A: I teach English Language Arts and Humanities. I am also the 6th Grade Level Leader. I have also previously taught photography, dance, community service learning, and digital arts.
Q: What are your hobbies?
A: I love cooking, yoga, traveling, reading, photography, learning my ukulele, dancing, watching films, and hiking.
Q: What’s something you’d like your students to know about you?
A: I have traveled to over 30 countries and five continents, and have lived in five different countries. I am trying to learn Romanian, so come practice with me!
Thanks to all the new teachers for taking the time to talk to us. We wish you the best of luck, and welcome you to AISB!