Ms. P. Craig
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Ms. Craig joined the Freeport School District in 2001 as an ESL Teacher. Ms. Craig has a wealth of experience. She has worked as an ESL Teacher for the NYC Department of Education, Hofstra University, LaGuardia Community College, and for the Queens Library System.
Ms. Craig was on the Deans List and graduated Cum Laude from St. John's University with a B.A. in Communication Arts/ Business. She earned a Masters in Education, in ESL, from Queens College; here she too graduated Cum Laude. Ms. Craig also holds a Masters in Supervision and District Administration from Touro College.
Travelling is her passion. She likes to experience first-hand and learn from the different cultures of the world. Ms. Craig has been to Australia, Ireland, France, Italy, Mexico, Costa Rica, Portugal, the Dominican Republic, and Canada. She has travelled the islands of the Caribbean on a sailboat. Once she even took a six-month trip across the United States in a camper!
To sin by silence, when they should protest, makes cowards of men.
-Abraham Lincoln
Mrs. L. Gardenhire
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Mrs. Gardenhire joined the freeport school district in 2017 as an ESL Teacher at Freeport HIgh School. Prior to coming to Freeport, she worked as an ESL teacher for the NYC Dept of Education with middle and high school students for nine years. She also taught adult ESL students with Nassau BOCES.
Mrs. Gardenhire received her B.A. in Political Science with a Minor in Leadership Studies from Williams College. She also has a Masters in TESOL education from Lehman College. Her teaching philosophy is student centered. She will give your son/daughter a lot of work to do, challenging them to dig in and work hard! She has two kids of her own, and so she also understands that the same strategy may not work for every child. She is looking forward to finding that unique approach that will work for your son/daughter.
Please do not hesitate to reach out if you have any questions for her!
"If a child can't learn the way that we teach, maybe we should teach the way that they learn." - Ignacio Estrada
Ms. P. Konstantinopoulos
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Ms. Konstantinopoulos is a former ESL student, who has been with the district since 2007. Prior to coming to Freeport she had three years experience. She is fluent in Greek and English and hopes to learn other languages. Ms. Konstantinopoulos earned her undergraduate degree from Queens College, and a Masters Degree from St. John's University. She is actively involved with our students in the ESL Club at the high school. Ms. Konstantinopoulos was an ESL teacher for the ESL Adult Education at New Visions and J.W. Dodd Middle School.
Everyone smiles in the same language!!
Ms. M. Melgar
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Mrs. Melgar is a former Freeport High School ENL student, who has been teaching with the district since 2011. She earned an undergraduate degree in Mathematics and Spanish grades 7-12, from Adelphi University. Mrs. Melgar holds her first Masters Degree in Adolescent education form Adelphi University; she has also earned a Masters Degree in TESOL (Teaching English as a Second Language to Speakers of Other Languages), from Touro College. In addition she holds a Bilingual Certification from St. John's University.
She is fluent in Spanish and has a moderate knowledge in Sign Language. Mrs. Melgar is actively involved with the ENL students through the Express Yourself Club.
Mrs. L. McCaw
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Ms. McCaw received a Bachelor's Degree from Stony Brook University. She majored in English Literature and Spanish Literature. She received a Master's Degree in TESOL from Manhattanville College. Ms. McCaw is dually certified in TESOL and English Language Arts. She is fluent in Spanish. Ms. McCaw is a notary public, she is in the PTA of her local district, has project management experience as well as investigation background. She is a tutor as well as a former aerobics/Zumba instructor.
Ms. McCaw joined the Freeport School District in 2014. Since then she has taught ESL 1, 2, and 3, Bilingual Global, English literature to ENL's, and Writer's Workshop. She will be holding ELA regents preparation and is currently a mentor.
Mr. J. Perez
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Mr. Perez majored in Spanish Literature at SUNY Albany. He holds a Masters in TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) from Hofstra University. Mr. Perez is fluent in Spanish.
Mr. Perez joined the Freeport School District in 2001. Since that time he has taught Community School, Summer School, and done home tutoring for the District.
The aim of education is the knowledge, not of facts, but of values.
- William S. Burroughs