Over the summer, RHS principal Phil King sat down with the new teachers and had them present a lesson.

The results were eight new staff members added to Revere High School over the summer, ranging from the Social Studies department to the guidance office.

In July, King and a team of other interviewers hired eight new staff members to Revere. The new team members include: James Boyeas (Intervention Specialist), Ashley Brenning (Health Aide), Eric Browne (Social Studies), Sarah Coon (English/Video Production), Elizabeth Long (Guidance Counselor), Olivia Pettigrew (Science), Samantha Price (Intervention Specialist), Mrs. Zendlo (Main Office).

King has hired many new staff members throughout his years. King comments on why Browne was hired and what he thinks Browne will bring to Revere.

“We really liked the way he was able to develop and present lessons, as part of the interview process; for all these folks, they had to present a lesson to us and the things that he did set him apart from other candidates. I think he will bring a devoted spirit to Revere High School, he loves this place and has had some experience here in the past as either a baseball coach or a substitute teacher and he really loves this place and you’re going to see that in his actions each and every day,” King said.

Browne was added to Revere’s social studies department in July. Browne graduated from Kent State University in 2010 with a major in Integrated Social Studies Education. Browne had served as a substitute teacher for Revere and other school districts for six years. Browne then worked for two years in the probation department at Stow Municipal Court. Browne did intakes at the court which included assigning a probation officer and setting up someone who has been sentenced to probation. During his time there Browne was the coordinator of the diversion program which was first-time offenders for under-age drinking and marijuana. Browne commented on how working in the court system translated into skills used for teaching along with what made him decide to become a teacher.

“It helped me deal with conflicts and getting to handle people that are upset and don’t want to do things and get them motivated. [I chose to become a teacher] because you get to be apart of the development of so many people you get to have an impact on the lives of thousands of people in your community so being apart of that when kids are at a young age and developing a sense of themselves I think it’s just a great opportunity.” Browne said.

Browne grew up going to Woodridge High School but has always known of the Revere community due to his mother, Kim Gerdes who is an English teacher at Revere Middle School. Browne talked about why he chose to teach at Revere and what he is looking forward to most as a teacher at the High School.

“The Revere student body is talented and they take school seriously, they’re respectful and just the environment here, you couldn’t ask for anything better. [I am looking forward] to having an impact on the lives of students and help them through the content of my courses, through my interactions with just the student body and help guide as many people as I can to success not only academically but also personal growth and social growth. I’m also looking forward to the new school,” Browne said.

Sarah Coon was added to the English department in July as well. King comments on why Coon was hired and what set her apart from other candidates.

“Mrs. Coon [went] above and beyond when she presented a lesson [and] did those things that we want to have in a lesson regarding activity where students were active in the class providing positive demeanor. She was a really positive person and seems very devoted to the teaching process and I think the students are gonna really enjoy her classes. I think she will bring a great energy as well, you’ll see that she’s very energetic and that she loves what she does and she loves to watch kids grow,” King said.

Coon grew up in a family of teachers, with her parents teaching at Copley High School and her twin brother also teaching. Coon started to teach as a substitute teacher while she was getting her theatre degree from Kent State University and soon fell in love with the profession. Coon received her bachelor of arts in theatre from Kent State University along with her masters in theatre from Bowling Green State University; Coon then got her masters in teaching from John Carroll University. With Coon’s background in theatre, she hopes to make the classroom come alive when the time comes in a story. Coon explains why she decided to become a teacher at Revere.

“I’m really compelled by the school system. It’s such a high achieving school system and has such a great reputation. When I interviewed here, I felt really drawn to the people on the interview team and just everyone working here was really wonderful and I really wanted to work with them more than anything,” Coon said.

Ashley Brenning, the new health aide in the office was added to the staff this year. Brenning attended Columbus State community college and majored in medical assisting., this is Brenning’s first year in the health field. Brenning commented on why she decided to go into the medical field and what she’s looking forward to most in her upcoming years at Revere.

“I thought it would be great to be apart of a community, I enjoy working with kids and I just thought a school would be really fun. Just getting to know more students, I’m still trying to learn people’s names and am still getting to know people,” Brenning said.

Samantha Price is a new Intervention Specialist for the MH (Multi-Handicapped) program at Revere. Price went to The University of Toledo where she majored in Special Education. Before coming to Revere Price worked at the Monarch Center for Autism, which provides residential, early childhood, educational, transition, pre-vocational, adult, and community programs for individuals ages three through adulthood with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). King commented on why Price was chosen over other candidates.

“She had the skillset to work with students that have special needs and she presented herself in a wonderful way and we believe she will provide a good environment for the students that are in that program,” King said.

This is Price’s seventh year of teaching but her first year in the Revere school district. Price commented on what she’s looking forward to most in her upcoming years of teaching.

“Just to continue to see all of the students grow and become more independent and be able to gain some more socialization skills,” Price said.

Elizabeth Long is the guidance office’s newest addition after the previous counselor Michael Murphy moved to the middle school. Long is a Revere alumnus and graduated in 1996, and also taught English at the high school for four years and at the middle school for one. She also taught English at Wadsworth High School and chemistry in Colorado. Long also received her major in Chemistry, minored in English, and went through the teacher licensure program along with earning her masters in education in school counseling all at Colorado State University. Long described why she chose to become a guidance counselor over other professions.

“I really enjoy working with students and I think with my role as a teacher helped me learn so much from being in the classroom with students and just learned different ways I could help them during this time in their lives, their four years of high school, and so when I was looking at doing something different in education it seemed like counseling would be a good fit,” Long said.

King explained why Long was chosen and what he thinks she will bring to Revere.

“We hired her because she’s a brilliant person and has the knowledge and understanding of what High School students need and she has a very organized and very supportive person that’s needed as a guidance counselor. I think she’ll bring a calm caring personality to help make students successful and a willingness to listen and really find out what student needs are so they can be addressed,” King said.

Long expanded on what she’s looking forward to most in her upcoming years as a counselor in the high school.

“I think that this is such a unique time in somebody’s life between ninth grade and twelfth as you are preparing to reach your goals and as students are preparing to look for what that next step is and I’m really looking forward to helping students obtain those goals and helping them find a pathway to reach those goals and to kind of figure out their place,” Long said.

Olivia Pettigrew is the newest hire to the high school’s science department. She is teaching Biology this trimester. This year is Pettigrew’s eleventh year of teaching in science. Before becoming a teacher Pettigrew was in a pre-pharmacy program at Cleveland State and Toledo as part of a partnership program. King explained why Pettigrew was chosen over other candidates and what she will bring to Revere.

“Olivia came to us with a wealth of experience and she presented herself extremely well and provided great examples of things she would be doing in her classroom. I think she will bring a good spirit to our student population and provide great instruction,” King said.

Pettigrew commented on why she chose Revere over other schools and what she’s looking forward to most in her upcoming years of teaching.

“Revere has a very high reputation as far as reputation and I’ve heard it’s a great place to be and that’s just proven to be true. Just trying new things, I’m excited to be back in teaching Biology because it’s my passion and I always like to find new things to do in the classroom,” Pettigrew said.

Debbie Zendlo was also added to the main office this year. Zendlo worked at the middle school in the past as the assistant principal secretary and worked at the high school attendance office. King described Zendlo as a “great breath of life to the office” and mentioned she is willing to go above and beyond to help out. Zendlo commented on what she’s looking forward to most for her upcoming years at the high school.

“It’s just a fun, exciting, ever-changing day that this school provides,” Zendlo said.

All of the new staff that were added to Revere this year were either new positions in their department or they were filling in for employees who left the school last year. Pettigrew’s position was a new addition to the science department this year, and Long’s position was filled after Michael Murphy left the guidance office to go to the Middle School. The new administration is looking forward to their upcoming years of teaching and what new things they can learn while at Revere.