Celebrating Faculty: Milestones + Departures

Join us in honoring faculty who have dedicated years of service to GUS, as well as those who will be leaving us this year. Particularly notable are retirees Dawn Southworth, after 30 years at GUS, and Patty Clark, after 19 years at GUS. Additionally, Cheryl Arsenault and Gretchen Forsyth celebrate 15 years!

Faculty Milestones:

Celebrating 25 years

Dawn Southworth
Art Teacher

Celebrating 15 years

Cheryl Arsenault
Receptionist

Gretchen Forsyth
Head of School

Celebrating 10 years

Lindsay Calef
Director of Facilities

Christopher Doyle
Grade 3 Teacher

Kelly Zaval
Grade 4 Teacher

Celebrating 5 Years

Alana Catalfamo
Kindergarten Teacher

Holly Shepherd
Admission Associate

Lisa Sandouk-Romanelli
Grade 5 Teacher

Departing Faculty:

Patty Clark, Music Teacher

In 19 years at GUS, Patty reimagined the music program—from recorders to organs, and everything in between. Regardless of musical skill, every student under Patty’s guidance learned to explore this art form with curiosity, courage, and joy. Patty’s talent is most visibly on display during signature events like Grandfriends Day, the Solstice Assembly, and, of course, Bread Day. Yet, any day walking past her classroom is a treat—there’s always a melody in the air, and laughter mixed in with the learning. Patty’s positivity and can-do attitude inspired us all, particularly during the 2020-2021 school year. Instead of being discouraged by COVID protocols, Patty focused on what was possible, and this spirit made the year a positive one. She and her rolling music cart traveled from outdoor class to outdoor class, and she helped to reimagine Songs and Tales of the Sea on the play structure (a tradition that has since stuck). Patty’s commitment to fostering a love for music and musical expression, and the power of coming together as a community of musicians, will live on in the hundreds of students she has taught at GUS.

Emily Curley, Grade 2 Teacher

Emily began her career at GUS as a student teacher, supporting third grade, in the fall of 2019. During school year 2020-2021, she was an Endicott Fellow, teaching as part of the first grade team, while finishing her master's in education. For the last four years, she has taught alongside Elliott Buck in second grade and here Emily has shined as a teacher known for bringing joy and creating a supportive learning environment where students thrive. Her insights and developing expertise benefited students, colleagues, and the school, and her ability to communicate and highlight what was happening in the classroom brought families in and helped shape strong partnerships between school and home. Her creativity, sense of humor, and talent (including backflips on the beach!) will be missed by students and her colleagues alike.

SHannon Deforest, Grade 3 Teacher

Shannon joined GUS in the fall of 2022 as a fourth grade teacher and quickly realized how attuned her own educational philosophy was with the “GUS Way.” Happily, Shannon found her professional home here at GUS. She moved to third grade in the fall of 2023, where she taught for two years. A dedicated GUS teacher, she was known for her ability to make every child feel seen, valued, and loved. Shannon worked to create engaging lessons that targeted learning goals while offering students a variety of enjoyable activities. Shannon made the classroom experience fun for all. She is known by her colleagues for her creativity, positivity, and kindness. In everything she did at GUS, Shannon always worked to be her best and was authentically herself. Most importantly, she reminds us all to focus on what matters most – to live life to its fullest. Shannon visits campus often and is welcomed with cheers and gusto. 

Margaret Monteith, Grade 8 Humanities Teacher

Margaret Monteith joined the 8th grade team in the fall of 2022. Margaret's time at Glen Urquhart School will be remembered for her ability to connect her own passion for writing to the 8th grade Humanities program. She did this with a dedication to the students in her care, most notably preparing 8th graders for important milestones like the White Shirt Project speeches and their This I Believe speeches for Evening with the Graduates, while creating a space for personal expression and identity development. A teacher with a clear passion for her subject, and an accomplished writer of her own, Margaret sought to nurture a love of literature and writing, especially poetry. She also did a wonderful job touring students at the MOMA, integrating the 8th grade New York City trip into her curriculum, and supporting students on the 8th grade trip to Puerto Rico. Her work and enthusiasm made an impression on the lives of her students, and her commitment to helping others was evident. While her time at GUS is coming to a close, we wish her the best in her future endeavors.

Dawn Southworth, Art Teacher

Dawn concludes her incredible journey at GUS with 30 years of devoted service. She has touched the lives of generations through her art instruction, her curation of both school galleries, and of course, her signature contribution—the White Shirt Project. The remarkable works of art created by GUS 8th graders year after year is a testament to the skill, the thoughtfulness, and the talent she has brought to our students and our community; her teaching has not only brought artistic skill and inspiration to her students, but in turn has inspired every person who sees their art hanging in our hallways. Beautiful silk scarves, bird collages, mosaics, cake drawings, or self-portraits, there are countless examples of amazing work that GUS families proudly hang on their walls, works that Dawn inspired students to craft with care and skill. Her commitment to using our lower and upper school gallery spaces to display the work of professional artists is another layer of our art program in and of itself, that builds connections between GUS and the greater North Shore community and celebrates the talents of local artists. Her work, teaching, and spirit have brought color, perspective, and joy to our community.

Julie Wyman, Grade 5 Teacher

Julie Wyman joined GUS in 2011 as a Math Teacher, celebrating 14 years at GUS this year. She has been a true trailblazer in her commitment to DEIJ in all aspects of her work. Her piece on how to teach anti-racism in math is one of the most-read blog posts on our website. Her passion for social justice has inspired students and colleagues alike – from math projects focused on plastic pollution to the celebration of Hispanic and black mathematicians – her creative and passionate teaching exposed students to broader thinking about social responsibility and their place in the world. In 2022, she began teaching math and social studies in 5th grade. In the summer of 2023, as part of the Tadler Grant, she traveled to Ghana to learn more about African culture and its impact on the world, with the goal of enriching the social studies curriculum by focusing on the relationship between the U.S. and Ghana, as well as the people who were enslaved in the Americas. 

Kelly Zaval, Grade 4 Teacher

As Kelly embarks on new adventures, we celebrate her impactful contributions to Glen Urquhart School. This year marks 10 years of service to GUS, beginning as a 5th grade teacher before becoming part of the dynamic 4th grade duo exploring the sea with vigor and passion. Kelly embraced our math philosophy, consistently creating engaging, hands-on lessons and extending math beyond the classroom with early morning and afternoon math “clubs” for students who wanted to take their math skills deeper and further. Students especially loved her Skittles math and brownie fractions. Kelly’s care for students was evident throughout her tenure at GUS and especially during the COVID lockdown in spring 2020, when she would drive to students' homes to deliver classroom materials, activities, and the comfort of socially-distanced companionship and care. Throughout her tenure, Kelly consistently demonstrated a notable dedication to co-teaching, effective communication with families, and high academic standards. Kelly fully embraced mindfulness practice and not only integrated it into the classroom experience but also ran yoga sessions for faculty. Dedicated, professional, and committed, Kelly was a model GUS teacher as she worked to always improve her practice, with a strong focus on the student experience.