We are wrapping up our series of posts featuring new teachers at FWSU this year. Don’t miss Part 1 and Part 2.
JUSTIN WILLS
Teaching Assignment: 6th Grade
School: Fletcher Elementary
Hometown: Fairfax, VT
Alma Mater: UVM, Concordia University (Montreal)
Teaching Experience: 10 years in Franklin and Chittenden Counties
Why You Chose Teaching: It is fun to work with the energy and creativity of students.
Hobbies/Interests: Playing guitar, cooking, hanging out with our dogs.
Little Known Fact About You: I share a birthday with Buddha.
Accomplishment you are most proud of (so far!): Running a marathon and training our puppy Fozzie to sleep through the night.
Wellness Lifestyle Tip: Try to get enough sleep!
Fun Summer Memory: Exploring Colorado and Utah with my wife, and visiting family out west
Favorite Things: Chocolate chip cookies, Star Wars, and Bob Ross
Quotable: “I never set out to be weird. It was always other people who called me weird.” Frank Zappa
SHANNON ARNZEN
Teaching Assignment: K-2 Special Educator
School: BFA Fairfax
Hometown: Tuxedo, NY
Alma Mater: UVM M.Ed.
Teaching Experience: Long-term substitute for third grade STEM & Special Education teacher
Why You Chose Teaching: I believe in the possibilities for all children
Hobbies/Interests: Reading, spending time with my family, hiking
Little Known Fact About You: I have three daughters
Accomplishment you are most proud of (so far!): Being a mom
Wellness Lifestyle Tip: Get sleep and smile
Fun Summer Memory: Santa’s Village!
Favorite Things: Homemade Pesto, Aerosmith, A Christmas Story
Quotable: “All means all.”
LIZ NOONAN
Teaching Assignment: High School Social Studies
School: BFA Fairfax
Hometown: Jericho, VT
Alma Mater: Frostburg State University – Bachelors of Science, Masters of Arts in Teaching, Masters of Education (Administration and Supervision)
Teaching Experience: 6 years of Middle School Social Studies, 5 years of High School Social Studies
Why You Chose Teaching: I have always loved working with students and sharing my knowledge with others to help create a more diverse and unique world.
Hobbies/Interests: Hiking, SUP, Skiing
Little Known Fact About You: I love to skydive.
Accomplishment you are most proud of (so far!): Completed my doctoral coursework!
Wellness Lifestyle Tip: Go Outside!
Fun Summer Memory: 4th of July at Wrigley Field
Favorite Things: Movie – A Philadelphia Story. Music: O.A.R
Quotable: “Every little thing, gonna be alright” – Bob Marley
LAURA HEIL
Teaching Assignment: High School Science Teacher (Physical Science, Forensics, and Farm to School)
School: BFA Fairfax
Hometown: Burlington, VT (but grew up in Hudson Falls, NY)
Alma Mater: I received my Bachelor’s of Science in Biology from St. Michael’s College in 2010, and my Master’s of Science in Biology from Montana State University Bozeman in 2016. I recently completed Champlain College’s Teaching Apprenticeship Program (TAP) in the Spring of 2018 where I received my VT teaching license in 7-12 Science.
Teaching Experience: Starting in 2012, I taught Ecology to K-8th graders at The Ecology School at Ferry Beach in Saco, Maine for a year and a half. During my TAP experience, I student taught science to 9th, 10th, and 12th graders at U-32 High School in Montpelier under Alison Gauthier. Following TAP, I taught as a long-term sub in Gabe Grant’s classroom here at BFA this past winter. Then, I finished the 17-18 school year as a long-term sub teaching science at Enosburg Falls High School.
Why You Chose Teaching: I believe that everyone deserves access to high-quality science education and I strive to provide that to my students each and every day. Also, seeing the world through a scientific lens makes life so much more exciting, and I hope to ignite that excitement within my students through teaching.
Hobbies/Interests: I love doing most outdoor activities including hiking, backpacking, rock climbing, skiing, and gardening. I also love to play field hockey, knit, host potluck dinners and travel.
Little Known Fact About You: During a trip to Zambia, I had the chance to touch a live cheetah! I was lucky enough to be a part of a team that was radio-collaring a cheetah. While the cheetah was put under, I got to give it a quick pet and get my picture taken with it.
Accomplishment you are most proud of (so far!): My Master’s research on Montana’s native, wild bees and the flowers they depend on was recently published in a scientific journal.
Wellness Lifestyle Tip: Discover what self-care activities you enjoy most and strive to do one of those for yourself every day.
Fun Summer Memory: As an Earthwatch Project Facilitator this past summer, I got paid to travel with a bunch of high schoolers to the sub-Arctic to Churchill, Manitoba and saw 6 polar bears, got to kayak with beluga whales, and saw the Aurora Borealis for the first time ever!
Favorite Things: I enjoy eating homemade hummus, fresh picked strawberries and blueberries, dark chocolate, chai lattes, sharp cheddar, and my parent’s homemade Bread & Butter pickles and salsa. I love most music but enjoy folk, bluegrass, Latin and jazz the most.
Quotable: “Trust the wait. Embrace the uncertainty. Enjoy the beauty of becoming. When nothing is certain, anything is possible.”
MICHELE MICHALSKI
Teaching Assignment: Grade 1/2
School: Fletcher Elementary
Hometown: Colchester, VT
Alma Mater: California State University San Bernadino
Teaching Experience: 14 years
Why You Chose Teaching: I love working with kids. It’s really fun to watch them learn and grow as humans and students.
Hobbies/Interests: Cycling, swimming, reading, baking, and cooking
Little Known Fact About You: I love to make ice cream!
Accomplishment you are most proud of (so far!): I’m most proud of my two kids.
Wellness Lifestyle Tip: Remember to take some time out for yourself doing something you love.
Fun Summer Memory: Hanging out on the beach with my family.
Favorite Things: I love ice cream and great Mexican food. My favorite movies happen to be mob movies. The Godfather and Goodfellas are favorites. I love to read, especially autobiographies and thrillers.
Quotable: “Find ways to be more awesome” – Kid President
The FWSU Story 