Name: Kristen Dize

Position/Subject: Exceptional Education Inclusion Geometry

College attended: Randolph-Macon College
Years teaching: 5

Hometown: Eastern Shore, VA

Favorite subject as a kid: English and Photography
Hobbies: Fishing, going to the beach, reading, playing sports

Favorite book: Where the Crawdads Sing
Favorite movie: A League of Their Own
What is an interesting fact about you? I hold an IGFA world record for catching a 50 lb red drum when I was 9 years old!

Advice to students this year: Avoid being the barrier to your own success. Stay positive, keep an open mind, and have some fun.

Name: Vicki Foster

Position/Subject: Chemistry Teacher

College attended: Arizona State University
Years teaching: 8

Hometown: Phoenix, Arizona

Favorite subject as a kid: English
Hobbies: Oil Painting

Favorite book: A Moveable Feast by Hemingway
Favorite movie: The Martian
What is an interesting fact about you? I was a gymnast and a cheerleader in high school.

Advice to students this year: Embrace change and enjoy this unique and atypical start to the school year. This is the perfect time to reflect on your individual learning style and strengths and to develop your own signature habits for success and growth.

Name: Stacie J Hanscom

Position/Subject: Biology Teacher

College attended: University of Maine at Farmington
Years teaching: 27

Hometown: Norway, Maine (Grew Up in RI)

Favorite subject as a kid: Science and History
Hobbies: Volunteering, Baking, Hallmark Movies

Favorite book: Do not have one
Favorite movie: Double Jeopardy
What is an interesting fact about you? I have four children, my youngest just started at JMU.

Advice to students this year: ALWAYS do your best and push yourself to achieve more than you thought you could. 

Name: Bert Hodges

Position/Subject: Special Education Teacher

College attended: Christopher Newport University
Years teaching: 18

Hometown: Newport News, VA

Favorite subject as a kid: Math
Hobbies: Golf, all sports

Favorite book: Money Ball
Favorite movie: One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest
What is an interesting fact about you? I was an apprentice shipfitter in my youth.

Advice to students this year: Be flexible.

Name: Bilal Jones

Position/Subject: Exceptional Education

College attended: University of Phoenix
Years teaching: 3

Hometown: Bronx, NY

Favorite subject as a kid: English
Hobbies: Running, Basketball, and Cooking

Favorite book: How to Win Friends and Influence People
Favorite movie: 300
What is an interesting fact about you? I repelled from a black hawk Helicopter.

Advice to students this year: Be eager to learn, and listen with an open heart. Don’t be so eager to grow up.

Name: Lisa Philip-Lovelace

Position/Subject: Exceptional Education

College attended: I attended three: University of Trinidad and Tobago, University of the West Indies, McGill University
Years teaching: 9

Hometown: Henrico 

Favorite subject as a kid: Home Economics
Hobbies: Reading, Hiking, Socializing, Visiting Wineries

Favorite book: Trevor Noah’s Born a Crime
Favorite movie: The Italian Job
What is an interesting fact about you? Chocolate ice-cream makes me happy. 

Advice to students this year: Despite the fact that the world seems upside down, try to live and experience life. Talk to someone if you are having a hard time.

Name: Sarah McBride

Position/Subject: Math Teacher

College attended: Georgia Tech, Cornell University
Years teaching: 1

Hometown: Houston, TX

Favorite subject as a kid: Math
Hobbies: Playing with my dog, reading, cooking, playing classical guitar

Favorite book: The Dream Daughter by Diane Chamberlain
Favorite movie: Legally Blonde, Mean Girls, The Notebook
What is an interesting fact about you? I’m a vegetarian – it’s great for the planet (and for the animals 🙂 ) 

Advice to students this year: Reach out to your teachers if you need help or are just feeling overwhelmed – we’re here for you! 

Name: Jordan McKenzie

Position/Subject: Exceptional Education Teacher-Algebra 1 and Personal Development 

College attended: Sweet Briar College, B.A.; Mary Baldwin, MAT; and wrapping up George Mason, M.ED
Years teaching: 7

Hometown: Aylett, Va 

Favorite subject as a kid: History
Hobbies: Traveling, Culture, Foodie, Field Hockey, Football, Nature, Hiking

Favorite book: The Great Gatsby
Favorite movie: Mamma Mia
What is an interesting fact about you? I have been to 13 different countries. 

Advice to students this year: Take it day by day and find at least one good thing that happened each day. 

Name: Ryan Mosse (ignore the “e”, it is silent)

Position/Subject: Math teacher/Honors Geometry and AP Computer Science A

College attended: B.S. in Architectural Engineering from Cal Poly SLO, and M.Eng. in Acoustics from Penn State
Years teaching: 8.5 

Hometown: El Cajon, CA (a suburb of San Diego)

Favorite subject as a kid: Music
Hobbies: Designing and building speakers, playing and writing music, gardening

Favorite book: Lord of the Rings Two Towers, The Art of Learning
Favorite movie: The Shawshank Redemption
What is an interesting fact about you? From 2004 to 2010 while singing with a chorus based in SoCal , I became a two time international barbershop chorus champion, won the Choir of the World competition, and got the opportunity to record a full length A Capella album in Capitol Records Studio A, where many of the all time greats recorded.

Advice to students this year: Observe your teachers learn to teach from distance.  What techniques, mind sets, and approaches do they use to figure things out?  You might pick something up for your bag of learning tricks.

Name: Gigi Roulidis

Position/Subject: Math Teacher – Algebra I and Algebra II HN

College attended: Christopher Newport University
Years teaching: 2

Hometown: Springfield, VA

Favorite subject as a kid: English
Hobbies: Cooking, eating food, and going to places to eat food

Favorite book: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Favorite movie: When Harry Met Sally
What is an interesting fact about you? I’m Greek.

Advice to students this year: Check in with yourself! Make sure you’re taking care of yourself by getting some sunshine, taking a walk occasionally, eating three meals a day at least, drinking water, and doing something you enjoy that isn’t school related each day. 

Name: Anna Sakunthar

Position/ Subject: Math 

College attended: Madurai Kamaraj University – India and James Madison University
Years teaching: 11

Hometown: Tamil Nadu, India

Favorite subject as a kid: Art and Math
Hobbies: Crochet, Dot Painting and Gardening
Favorite movie: Sound of Music and Mrs. Doubtfire
What is an interesting fact about you? I love tasting food around the world and learning about cultures/customs.  

Advice to students this year: Confidence isn’t walking into a room thinking you are better than everyone, it’s walking in and not having to compare yourself to anyone at all.  

Name: Jonathan Saufley

Position/Subject: Social Studies Teacher:  US History and AP Psychology

College attended: Virginia Tech and UVA
Years teaching: 8

Hometown: Harrisonburg, VA

Favorite subject as a kid: History
Hobbies: Travel, hiking, camping, and bike riding.

Favorite book: Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari
Favorite movie: Lost in Translation
What is an interesting fact about you? I founded a non-profit in Nepal and taught yoga in the States before becoming a teacher.

Advice to students this year: Stay positive.  We are all in this together!

Name: Jerold Solomon

Position/Subject: Theater Director/English 12

College attended: VCU
Years teaching: 5

Hometown: Springfield, VA

Favorite subject as a kid: Theater
Hobbies: Watching movies, bowling, playing with my kids

Favorite book: The Dark Tower series by Stephen King
Favorite movie: Pulp Fiction
What is an interesting fact about you? I am a foster parent.

Advice to students this year: Don’t let the circumstances dictate your level of success. Achieve excellence anyway.