CHAPPAQUA LEARNING CENTER

Judy is a certified teacher with more than thirty-five years of experience in education and educational planning. In 1985, hoping to encourage students to seek careers in the sciences, she attended Pace University to obtain her certification as a science teacher and her masters degree in education. Since that time she has taught biology, AP biology, and chemistry, as a full time teacher and permanent substitute teacher at Fox Lane High School, Horace Greeley High School and The Hackley School. She began tutoring in 1986 and has been helping students to excel in biology, chemistry and the SAT and ACT since that time.

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  After attending College Board and National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) conferences, and taking numerous continuing education courses, she began to help her students with their college planning, and college applications. Despite her busy schedule, she finds time to visit college campuses and meet with admissions officers, deans and department chairs. Judy has remained active as part of a professional network of admission directors, educators and other educational consultants.

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  Judy received her Bachelor of Science degree from Brooklyn College, did her post graduate studies and research work at Cornell Medical School. While studying and working at Cornell, she took English classes in writing and grammar to hone her skills so that she could assist in the writing and editing of research papers. Her science research work has been published in scientific journals including The New England Journal of Medicine. She completed her undergraduate and graduate degrees in science and education with honors and is a member of Alpha Chi, the National College Honor Scholarship Society, Alpha Sigma Lambda, the National Honor Society for Adult Students, and Kappa Delta Pi, the National Education Honor Society.

Ginny tutors students in writing skills, critical reading and grammar for the SAT and ACT, AP English and New York State English Regents. She also assists students with organizational skills and curriculum enrichment. Ginny has earned two Masters Degrees—a Master of Arts and a Master of Philosophy in English—both from Fordham University. She was a Teaching Associate of Composition/Rhetoric and a tutor at Fordham University's Writing Center, and currently helps students with college application essays. Ginny  teaches English and AP English at the Bi-Cultural Hebrew Academy in Stamford, Ct.

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In addition, Ginny has written numerous papers for presentation at national literature symposiums, including the Antebellum American Women Writers and the City Conference, Central New York Conference on Language and Literature (CNYCLL), Midwestern Conference on Film, Language and Literature (MCFLL) and Group for Early Modern Cultural Studies (GEMCS). A member of The Phi Kappa Phi National Honor Society, Ginny has also won the Pace University President's Graduate Merit Scholarship, as well as a Dissertation Research Grant, a Fordham Presidential Scholarship, a Folger Shakespeare Library Grant-in-Aid, and Fordham University Teaching Awards. She currently attends Pace University where she is working towards her third master's degree (i.e., secondary teaching) on the road to completing her doctorate in education.

Barbara has always been a teacher, even though she did not officially join the profession until 1999. Upon graduating from Teachers College, Columbia University with a Master’s Degree in English Education, after studying comparative literature and writing at SUNY College at Purchase, she was immediately hired at a public high school in the Bronx, New York. For the past six years, Barbara has been teaching at a public high school in the Bronx. 

Barbara works always to build her students’ confidence by providing meaningful feedback on assignments and encouraging them to have specific goals when they write their papers. She continuously encourages them to edit and revise their own work until each and every student has achieved his or her final objective.  She believes revision is the craft of writing and she has a sharp eye for the perfect verb and the strongest syntax to render the most powerful impact. 

In 2000, she exemplified that mantra when she taught an AP English Language and Composition course for her very first time to thirty-four overwhelmed high school juniors. In the process, she discovered the right niche for her style, skills and love of reading and writing.  She boasts proudly of the superb scores her students achieve on this very challenging exam, one of the hardest of all the AP exams offered. Guiding students to succeed gives Barbara the greatest joy. 

In addition to teaching, reading and writing, Barbara enjoys eating well, riding her mountain bike, swimming in the ocean, spending time with her friends and chilling at home with her two cats Oskar (with a “k”) and Sasha.

Tom Andriello: For the past eleven years, Tom has been Byram Hills High School’s 9th and 10th grade Global History teacher extraordinaire. His knack for turning the history of the early civilizations into a fascinating story captures his 9th grade students’ attention year after year, helping them to remember and also enjoy learning the abundance of information in global history. With that same flare, on the odd occasion when he has taught Economics, his students come away from the class with the desire to become entrepreneurs. 

After graduating from Syracuse University with a B.A. in International Relations Tom, worked for the AmeriCorps volunteer program. During his two years there, he discovered his true passion: his love of teaching and working with teenagers.  He decided to return to school and obtained his Masters in Education from Mount Saint Mary’s College. He began his teaching career at Blessed Sacrament High School in New Rochelle, NY, and has remained in the classroom ever since, doing what he call his labor of love. 

In addition to his busy teaching schedule, Tom is also the head coach for the Byram Hills’ winter and Spring Cross-Country Track teams.  He sums up his success as a teacher in a few words: the very skills required for successful coaching, translate well to helping students reach their academic potentials and goals not only in a classroom, but also in a one-on-one setting, as well

Matt brings his extensive knowledge and expertise in AP World History, AP European History and Global History to our students at the Chappaqua Learning Center.  A graduate of Cornell University with a Bachelor of Science in Educational Psychology and World History and a Masters degree in Education and Curriculum studies from Harvard University –graduating Magna Cum Laude– Matt began his teaching career in 1997 in Punta Gorda, Florida.  Since relocating to Northern Westchester in 1999, he has been teaching AP World, AP European History and Global Studies at Byram Hills High School in Armonk.

 

Combining a keen sense of his students’ abilities and a passion for history and learning, Matt is a superb, dynamic classroom teacher and private tutor. Matt supports CLC’s mission of inspiring its students’ intellectual curiosity and motivating them to achieve success in school and beyond.
 

In addition to his teaching and tutoring, Matt has also been the Byram Hills High School Varsity Soccer Coach for the past 12 years. Although he has led teams to sectional titles in “06, ’07, ’09 and 10, and league titles every year from 2002-2013

–excluding 2008–  Matt is most proud of his  2007 NY State title, the only state title in any sport in all of Byram Hills’ history.  Always the athlete, after watching the past two winter Olympics, Matt has taken up the exciting sport of curling and is an active member of the Curling Club in Ardsley, New York.  Perhaps in four years, CLC will cheer on its own Matty Allen at the next Winter Oylmpics in Korea!

Victoria tutors European History and World History at the Chappaqua Learning Center. With more than 15 years of tutoring experience, she has worked with students from all backgrounds, from at-risk to honors.   

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Victoria received her BA and MA degrees from Iona College, and recently completed her PhD in European History at the Graduate Center.  For the past 8 years, she has taught history courses on a wide range of topics as an adjunct professor at a number of local colleges, including Manhattan College, Iona College, Lehman College.  In addition to teaching at the college level, Victoria has also spent 10 years working as a learning specialist for students with learning differences, helping them to learn the skills and techniques necessary for success in their academic pursuits and beyond.  Because these skills are so valuable for all students, Victoria continues to use them both in the classroom and during tutoring. 

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Helping students to succeed has always been a motivating factor for Victoria.  Her passion and enthusiasm for history is contagious and always spread to her students.  Her goal is to inspire students to love and appreciate history, and to apply it to their everyday lives.  

Steve Houser returned to Chappaqua Learning Center in 2016, after a very brief retirement from Horace Greeley High school in 2013. He is also thrilled to be back teaching at HGHS for the 2017-18 school year.

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Steve has enjoyed a professional career, teaching at both the high school and college levels. From 1979 until 2013 he taught, World History, AP European History, and a host of other courses at Horace Greeley High School in Chappaqua, NY. From 2013 to 2016, he was a full time professor at Grand Valley State University in Grand Rapids, Michigan, where he taught both European and World History. Steve’s earned an M.S. from NYU and over 60 credits beyond his Masters from various institutions, including Columbia University and Western Connecticut State University.

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During Steve’s career at Greeley, he won numerous teaching awards: Ed Habermann Award for Outstanding Educator, granted by the Horace Greeley Scholarship Fund, 2011; Educator of the Year,” Teen Ink Magazine, 2008, Citation for Teaching Excellence, Assembly of the State of New York, 2011; Outstanding Teacher, the University of Chicago, numerous times. And last but not least, Steve received an award the high standards to which he holds his students. Since 2004, eleven of his students have had research papers––originally written for his class––published in The Concord Review, the country’s foremost journal for publishing the works of high school history students. During an interview with Professor Michael Shaughnessy of Eastern New Mexico University, Will Fitzhugh, editor of The Concord Review recognized Steve as one of four teachers in the entire country whose students consistently produced papers of the highest academic quality. And a little known fact: Steve is also an outstanding juggler

Rikki is an integral part of Chappaqua Learning Center history program

 

She has been teaching AP World History and Global 9&10 History for the past 5 years. After graduating from the University of Vermont, where she received her BA in History and a minor in English, Rikki enrolled at Pace University where she received her Masters Degree in Social Studies for grades 7-12. Following graduation, Rikki began teaching at Pleasantville High School, where she has remained ever since, teaching both at the AP and Regents level. She and even taught Economics and Government for a year or two. Rikki is also the teacher liaison for the Pleasantville High School Human Rights Action Committee, a student run club that raises awareness for human rights injustices around the world. 

 

Rikki’s love for history started at an early age. After working at a summer camp for a number of years, she decided to combine her two passions––working with children and studying history––into teaching history itself. She believes that understanding the origination of past events helps students understand the direction events will head in the future. She enjoys helping her students achieve success. She personalizes each classroom lesson and tutoring session, so that each student feels successful and masterful: both key concepts when instructing children. Her high energy and outgoing personality make her lessons fun and enjoyable. Her students’ success is her number one priority! 

 

Rikki loves to travel, take pictures, and hang out with family and friends. She recently traveled to Greece and got to cross off "visiting the Parthenon" from her bucket list. Rikki believes visiting historical sites is a great way to experience history and culture first-hand. 

Mike tutors all levels of United States History, European History, and Economics at Chappaqua Learning Center. 

With the goal of becoming a Social Studies educator, Mike received his Bachelor of Arts degree in History from Fordham University and continued his training at Columbia University Teachers College, earning a Master of Arts degree in Social Studies. He began teaching at the Facing History High School in Manhattan, where he helped to create an innovative mock trial project on the Rwandan genocide that was featured in the New York Times and WNYC. He also taught at Lehman High School in the Bronx, New York. 

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For the past 6 years, Mike has taught at Horace Greeley High School in Chappaqua, New York, where his course load has included teaching both AP and Regents level United States History, AP European History, Economics, History Through Film, and Contemporary Issues. At Greeley, Mike also works as an assistant to the Academic Challenge Team, which has won multiple national championships and is the founding advisor of the Investment Club, which participates in the Ithaca College High School Investment Competition. Staying up to date on all developments in Social Studies pedagogy and curriculum, Mike is an active member of the Westchester Lower Hudson Council for the Social Studies. 

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Mike's love of history has extended beyond the classroom as an avid screenwriter. His script Wild, based on the true-life story of Jonathan Wild, was selected as a Quarterfinalist by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in the most prestigious screenwriting competition in the world, Nicholls Fellowship. The work was also selected as a Top 10 Finalist, from more than 7,000 submissions, in the Scriptapalooza screenplay competition, which garnered him the attention of several management companies in Hollywood.  

John brings 20 years of teaching experience and a passion for AP United States History to the Chappaqua Learning Center. His love of history, especially the Civil War and the reconstruction period, inspired him to graduate from Gettysburg College with a Bachelor of Arts degree in History. Additionally, John earned his Masters of Science in Teaching from Iona College. Since 1995, John has been teaching at Byram Hills High School in Armonk. NY where his course load includes AP US History, regents level US History and Investment & Markets classes. 

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John’s high-energy teaching and tutoring style extend beyond the classroom to the world of athletics. As both a successful head Varsity football coach and Assistant Athletic director, John considers athletics as a way to extend and enrich the educational experience.

Eda taught for 38 years at both the high school and college levels. She is a cum laude graduate of the City College of New York with a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics. A member of Phi Beta Kappa, Eda received a Masters Degree in Mathematics Education from the University of Connecticut. She taught mathematics for eight years at the E. O. Smith School, a public high school affiliated with the University of Connecticut. She then taught mathematics for thirty years at Blind Brook High School in Rye Brook, New York. During this time, she also taught calculus for five years as an Adjunct Professor at Iona College. While at Blind Brook High School,

 

Eda taught the full spectrum of high school math courses, including Algebra I & II, Geometry, Trigonometry, Pre-calculus and Advanced Placement Calculus. In addition, she mentored untenured teachers and supervised student teachers. Prior to her retirement from Blind Brook High School, Eda served as the Coordinator of the Mentor Program, supervising mentors and mentees in grades 6-12. Since retiring from teaching in 2007, she has tutored at the Chappaqua Learning Center.

Bill has been teaching mathematics for 21 years, the last 15 of those years in Northern Westchester. He has taught at the middle school and high school levels during that time, teaching classes ranging from 7th grade mathematics to pre-calculus, AP Statistics and Calculus AB. Bill has taught AP Statistics since 1998 and the majority of his students have excelled on the AP Statistics exam.

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Bill graduated cum laude from Manhattan College with a BS in Mathematics and went on to earn a Masters in Mathematics Education from CCNY. Bill is a member of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics and continues to stay at the forefront of the latest developments and teaching techniques in mathematics education.

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Bill's experience working with students is not limited to the classroom. Bill coached rugby at Fordham University for three years and led Fordham to two MetNY Division 1 titles and three appearances in the national collegiate tournament. He has coached both soccer and basketball at the high school level and coaches his own son's soccer team, bringing his years of experience in working with a wide range of student athletes to all the students he tutors.

 Sue began her teaching career at Horace Greeley summer school. Her knack for simplifying complex math concepts makes Sue a fantastic, easy to understand math teacher, who helps students improve their skills in record time. She has been an integral part of the Chappaqua Learning Center family since 2010.

 

 

After teaching math to 8th graders at Kline middle school in Harrison in 1992, Sue moved to Alexander Hamilton Junior/Senior High School, where she has been teaching algebra, geometry, algebra2/trigonometry and fundamentals of pre-calculus, since 1993. She received her Bachelor of Science in math from SUNY Plattsburg and Masters in Teaching from Pace University. 

 

Outside the classroom, Sue loves to workout, dance, spend time with her husband and daughter and work on building her vacation home in Naples, Maine.  

Jesse tutors algebra, geometry, algebra2/trig and pre-calculus, at the Chappaqua Learning. He has also been tutoring and assisting students with test prep for seven years.

 

Jesse currently teaches math at Brien McMahon High School in Norwalk, CT. He moved to McMahon High School from Westfield Academy, a private school for exceptional populations in Armonk, NY where taught all levels of math. In the eight years he has been teaching, he has taught or assisted in teaching everything from 7th grade math to College Calculus.  Jesse earned degrees in Math, Psychology and Philosophy from Manhattanville College, where he also completed his MAT. Since his graduation, he has been invited back to the campus several times by the Education Program as a guest lecturer.

Jesse has also spoken at both national and local psychology conferences on the subject of gifted students with ADHD, "The Twice-Exceptional Teens." He endeavors to integrate his understanding of the psychology of learning into his math teaching for greater comprehension and accessibility.

Barry has been teaching AP Physics B, AP Physics 1, Regents level Physics, Engineering Design, Applied Engineering and Astronomy at the Chappaqua Learning Center for the past year. He has taught science & math for 9 years, first in Detroit, then in Michigan and now in Armonk, NY at Byram Hills High School.

 

Barry graduated from the University of Michigan with a degree in Engineering Physics, earned a certification in secondary education from Eastern Michigan University and has most recently earned a Master of Science in Teaching Astronomy from the University of Wyoming. He is also a member of the American Association of Physics Teachers and the American Modeling Teaching Association.

 

While living in Michigan, Barry coached golf and volunteered with a local Venture crew. In his spare time, he enjoys playing golf, backpacking, rock climbing and watching the 2017 eclipse in Tennessee. 

Amary joined CLC this fall and brings with him his expertise in AP Chemistry, Regents and honors chemistry and his superb teaching skills. Though Amary has also taught Pre-Calculus, his heart lies in in teaching AP Chemistry, as students attest. They laud him as the best teacher they have ever had.

 

After graduating from Ecole Nationale d’ Economie Appliquee, in Senegal with a BS Statistics, Amary went on to earn a BS in Mathematics and Chemistry from the City College of New York, an MS in Education from College of Mount St. Vincent in Riverdale, NY, and an MS in Chemistry from NYU-Poly Tech In New York. He has been teaching at Mamaroneck High School in Mamaroneck, NY, since 2001.

 

Hailing from Senegal, Amary is fluent in French and Wolof, the languages of Senegal. He is also the president of Students for Senegal,a nonprofit organization whose mission is to build learning centers in the needy villages in Senegal and foster cultural exchange programs between young people in Senegal and in the United states. 

 

Moreover, Amary is an avid soccer and basketball player, unsurprisingly, with his lanky 6’+ height.

Vincent Currently teaches AP, Honors, and Regents Chemistry at White Plains High School

where he has taught for over 30 years.

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He received his M.B.A. and M.S. from Iona College. Most recently, Vincent completed a two-

year Fellowship for Science Education Leadership

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In addition to teaching full time, Vincent currently serves as a Computer Lead Teacher and

District Technology Trainer to help other White Plains science teachers incorporate technology

into their daily instruction.

Elena earned her Ph.D. in Physics and Mathematics from Moscow State University, in Moscow, Russia, in 1992. For the following 10 years, she worked as a scientist at different universities and laboratories including Moscow State University, SUNY at Stony Brook, and Brookhaven National Laboratory. As a former college level teacher and scientist, Elena is an expert in many fields including physics, mathematics, biology, and chemistry, with expertise in explaining complex concepts at different levels, from the simple to the advanced, requiring will all requiring the application of calculus. Through her research experiences, she has developed excellent skills in collaboration and data presentation. Elena has expertise in working with young adults both in and out of the classroom.

For the past fifteen years, Elena has taught AP and Regents Physics classes, with thirteen of those years at Mamaroneck High School. She enjoys sharing her experiences and passion for science with her students. Since 2014, Elena has been an AP Physics 1 exam reader and uses this priceless experience––specifically the golden opportunities provided at the readings––to gain an abundance of helpful tips and tricks, which both enrich her teaching style and help her students excel, as seen by their exceptional performance on the AP Physics 1 exam as well as on all science related questions on standardized tests. Elena is very happy to join the Chappaqua Learning Center family and faculty.

Doug brings 25+ years of teaching experience and passion for AP psychology, earth science physics to the Chappaqua Learning Center.

 

Doug’s love for science, especially for the workings of the human brain, motivated him to graduate from Purchase College with a BA in biological psychology.  Additionally, Doug earned his MAT in science from Manhattanville College. Since 1995, Doug has taught at Eastchester High School in Eastchester, NY, where his current course load includes Chemistry and AP Psychology.  He has also taught Biology, Physical Science, and Forensics there as well.

 

Since 2011, Doug has been a reader for the College Board’s AP Psychology exam. He claims, only his love for AP Psychology has enabled him to survive reading and grading nearly 1500 Free Response Questions in one week. 

Doug Brings 25+ years of teaching experience and passion for AP psychology, earth science physics to the Chappaqua Learning Center.

Christine Pallotta has taught biology for over fifteen years in New York City, Mamaroneck, and currently at Pleasantville High School.  

 

She earned a B.A. in Biology from New York University and worked at the New York Botanical Gardens.  She obtained her Masters in Secondary Science Education from Lehman College and an Advanced Certificate for Technology in Education from Dowling College.  

 

During her career, she has taught Regents, Honors, and AP Biology, Regents Chemistry, Forensics, Horticulture, and Anatomy & Physiology.  Christine is currently pursuing an additional certification in special education. She has a true passion for making science accessible to all students, including those with diverse needs and strengths. 

 

In essence, Christine is the epitome of a true educator, and we are thrilled she has chosen to join the CLC family.