ANDOVERVIEW staff members interviewed the new faculty members in Andover High School this year. Here are short profiles.
Andrew Comeau, Fine Arts
By Grace Wang, STAFF WRITER
Andrew Comeau, an avid lover of cats and Andover High School’s new art teacher, was inspired by his own high school art teacher to pursue art education.
Last February, Comeau began teaching in the AHS remote academy, and this year he’s teaching drawing and painting in person. Comeau loves working with high school students and is thrilled to be working here.
“Everyone cares about each other, not just the adults,” Comeau says. “I can see in the students that everyone really cares about one another. It’s really incredible,” he elaborates. Comeau, who grew up in Andover himself, continued, “I want to give back to the community that shaped me, and I’m hoping…to shape the next generation of people.”
As he continues working towards his goal, Comeau goes home to his four cats every day. “[The cats are] All different ages, all of which were shelter animals, and two of which were abandoned, and we kind of took them in,” Comeau described fondly.
Kelley Papa, Digital Learning
By Anusha Sambangi, STAFF WRITER
After working as a classroom teacher in Reading, Kelley Papa came to Andover with intent to shift careers. Now Papa works as a digital learning coach at Andover High School.
Papa used to teach 4th and 5th grade and was a library media specialist during her career in Reading. In Andover, she works with staff to help them integrate technology into their teaching and learn about the tech tools they have available. In addition to working at AHS, she coaches at Wood Hill, West, and Doherty middle schools.
Papa has had a great experience working in Andover so far. “Everyone has been super helpful and friendly,” she said, “you also [have] a very respectful student body.”
Papa has had an interest in teaching since she was young. “When I was little I would play school,” she said. The biggest factor that contributed to her career choice is that she has always been interested in learning and trying new things. “That comes from my grandmother,” she said, “[She] was an immigrant to this country.” Papa’s grandmother didn’t attend school past the third grade, and Papa says she “was really smart, and knew that there was always something new to learn.”
Rebekah Gerard, English
By Jillian Slotnick, CORRESPONDENT
New English teacher Rebekah Gerard has taught internationally for almost a decade, living in Bogata, Columbia; Quito, Ecuador; and Kazakhstan.
Living and teaching internationally is exciting enough, but there’s a surprise: Gerard’s favorite class in school wasn’t English. Since the classes she loved in school were engaging and let her form personal opinions, her favorite one was an ethics elective she took her junior year. It was held at night and gave Gerard a taste of what she would experience in college just a couple years later.
It might not have been her favorite class in school, but Gerard still loves English. Explaining why she became a teacher, Gerard said, “Reading stories, reading fiction makes us more empathetic and understanding about the human experience. I love the idea of getting to share that with people and find value in it.”
Derek Voigt, Fine Arts
By Caitlin Connell, STAFF WRITER
Was the new orchestra director Dr. Derek Voigt destined to play music? He first picked up violin when he was two and has continued to study music since.
Voigt came to teach at Andover High School in late April 2021, and he said the AHS students are “beyond exceptional.”
Before coming to work at Andover High School, Voigt grew up around Buffalo, New York and went on to study at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music and Ithaca College School of Music.
Voigt has performed numerous times in places like Italy and France, but his favorite performance was at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, where he played the Rite of Spring. This was the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music orchestra’s third time playing it but Voigt said it was, ”easily the most successful performance of it and it was so much fun to do.”
Mary Testa, Social Work
By Jocelyn Barton, STAFF WRITER
Mary Testa, a new guidance counselor at AHS, supports the empowerment of students in local communities.
“I became a high school teacher and I loved working with kids but the idea of getting my masters in education or in classics wasn’t really what I wanted to do,” she said. However, one of Testa’s friends became a guidance counselor which sparked her interest. School counseling offered many opportunities such as working with kids, assisting others, and leaving the door open for a private practice if she desires.
Given her interests in working with students and bringing awareness to mental health, Testa is debating on introducing a new club to Andover High. “So in my previous school, I had just started what we called the ‘Yellow Tulip Project’. It is very student-centered and student-driven and it’s all-around smashing the stigma around mental health issues.” Testa wants students to be able to empower others to seek help and talk more openly about mental health in the community.
Testa also brings advice to students who are still feeling overwhelmed and off-balance since the pandemic. She said, “Be kind to yourself, take a deep breath, and advocate for what you need,”. Testa wants students to know that school counselors are their allies, their advocates, and the people to guide them through high school.
Chris Krueger, Digital Learning
By Eva Liss, STAFF WRITER
Despite working with digital tools, new digital learning coach Chris Krueger also enjoys disconnecting with the fast-paced world around him and spending time in nature.
Being a digital learning coach has been an enjoyable experience for Krueger so far, although it certainly has been a switch for him from the Spanish department at Doherty Middle School, where he had worked for 10 years prior. Krueger says it’s a bit too early in the job for him to know his goals for sure, but he is looking forward to all the opportunities available for him to impact the learning and teaching at Andover High School.
One of Krueger’s passions has been technology and how it engages students. Surprisingly, apart from his job, he appreciates taking a step back from technology. He can often be found with his phone off, without a wifi signal, kayaking or on a mountain hike.
Krueger said his favorite aspect of AHS was that, “There’s so much that you might consider nonstandard, or original, or unique, that’s happening here, and I think that is just so exciting.”
Kelly-Ann Moran, Special Education
By Angela Mac, STAFF WRITER
New English Language Learner (ELL) teacher Kelly-Ann Moran came to Andover from St. Petersburg, Russia after majoring in Russian and Soviet Politics.
After living abroad for almost a year, Moran decided to move closer to home in Nashua, New Hampshire. She originally did not plan to teach ELL.
When she graduated college, Moran got an opportunity to be a professor’s assistant at Michigan State in the Russian language and literature department. While working there she heard about a Russian student, Natalya, who was enrolled in a local school. Moran decided to reach out to help her get around the school, understand lesson material, and learn common English phrases. This sparked her newfound love of teaching English to children who are English language learners.
“Initially I wanted to teach Russian at the university, and then I realized I think I really like working with the little ‘Natalyas’ of the world,” Moran said. “It’s just so much fun.”
Moran, currently the only ELL teacher at AHS, has been teaching for 19 years now. In the future, Moran sees herself enjoy teaching teachers to be ELL teachers. In the future she plans on getting her doctorate and travel abroad with her children when she gets the chance.
Thomas Gardner, Math
By Jillian Slotnick, CORRESPONDENT
Thomas Gardner, now a math teacher at Andover High School, got into teaching by playing lacrosse at Saint Anselm College.
Sports are very similar to the classroom. They have a competitive atmosphere, and you’re trying to learn as much as you can in both. Because Gardner loved lacrosse he was told he should try being a teacher. He was first a lacrosse coach at our school and loved the atmosphere. When he stopped coaching, he got a job as a teaching assistant.
Gardner agrees that sports and school are very similar. “It’s a super fun feeling seeing someone overcome a challenge in the classroom and on the field,” he said. In school, math was his favorite subject, and in college, all his electives were always math-related.
Physical education was another favorite, and he has played or coached lacrosse for most of his life.
JJ Kuchan, Fine Arts
By Melody Tang, STAFF WRITER
Jeffrey Kuchan, who goes by JJ, moved to the Merrimack Valley to be closer to family while picking up a job as Andover High School’s newest band director.
Moving from Northern Virginia to teach closer to his wife’s home in Acton, Kuchan is excited for the future accomplishments of Andover Vocal and Instrumental Music (AVIM).
“At most high schools, you see a lot of petty competition between the [music] groups,” stated Kuchan. “It’s been really exciting to see the positivity and support and eagerness for the groups to mingle and work together, and I’m excited to see that grow more.”
Growing up in Arizona, Kuchan has always felt inspired by his family’s love for music. “My grandmother was a middle and elementary school choir and piano teacher, so I’ve always been in a musical family,” he said.
Elizabeth Kolek, Social Studies
By Ethan Zabar, STAFF WRITER
Elizabeth Kolek, the new history and psychology teacher, said her first year teaching is everything she had looked forward to. However, teaching social studies here at Andover High School was not initially her plan.
“I was an English major, and I was going for elementary education, but then I took a history course in my freshman year… and the professor was great,” Kolek said. She was disappointed she would have to stop learning history, and decided to change her major.
Kolek’s favorite part of teaching is having a diverse group of personalities in her classes. “Within my class, I have different personalities that contribute to a positive classroom environment,” Kolek explained.
Michael Bourque, Special Education
By Melody Tang and Grace Wang, STAFF WRITERS
The new Andover High School evaluation facilitator, Michael Bourque, has finally found his way around the maze-like building.
We all remember getting lost in the unfamiliar hallways that never seem to end. When asked what surprised him most about AHS, Bourque responded with “how confusing the building layout is.” Bourque has had many meetings in rooms that are hard to find, but has since been getting more used to the school layout.
As an evaluation facilitator, Borque’s week consists of facilitating individual education plans (IP) meetings. He attends lots of meetings with students, parents, and other staff members.
In his previous career, Bourque was a special education teacher for Lowell Public Schools. He mentioned that he chose AHS greatly because of its “great team of teachers and student bonding.”
Patty Trant, Special Education
By Dane Connor, STAFF WRITER
Special education physical science teacher Patty Trant described her transition of instructional aid to teacher as a seamless and a very enjoyable experience because of her past within AHS.
Trant was an instructional assistant for a few years before moving to a teaching position. She wanted to be able to grow closer to her students and found that teaching would be the next step towards her goal.
“All the teachers are so wonderful, there is a lot of support here,” said Trant.
Trant described the way covid affected her teaching style and how she adapted to the new technology and improved the learning environment overall. The challenge of getting the same information across through the screen had its own challenges. Despite this, the technology usage during the pandemic allowed Trant to gain more experience.
“I can still use some of this technology this year,” Trant added.
Marianne Bezaire, Programming
By Aisha Riaz, CORRESPONDENT
Not only does Dr. Marianne Bezaire, the new computer science teacher, enjoy being outdoors, she also loves to interact and build relationships with her students.
This is one of the primary reasons why she moved from her previous job to Andover High School. Bezaire used to work at Boston University as a researcher during the school year and then as a summer school teacher during summer vacation. A passionate teacher, she felt that just six weeks per course wasn’t enough to cover all of the material and have meaningful relationships with her students. She wanted to be able to connect with her students and teach them for a long period of time to better cover the vast material.
“I think it works better to just have it spread out, and it’s not just a few weeks with the kids, you get several months with them. I like that aspect,” said Bezaire
Bezaire teaches Java Programming, AP Computer Science (AP Java), and AP Computer Science Principles. One thing she said she really likes about AHS is the sense of community at the school. She says it’s really rewarding to be part of a school that offers so much to its students.
For a teacher new to AHS, Dr. Bezaire has adapted quickly to the somewhat challenging schedule and has fit right in with the other staff. When asked about how she likes working here, she responded, “It’s awesome. The students here are great, the other teachers here are great.”
Alicia Linsey, Clinical Coordinator
By Melody Tang and Grace Wang, STAFF WRITERS
Previously, Alicia Linsey worked at Andover High School for 10 years as our guidance counselor, and now she’s back again! Drawn by the “heart of the Andover community and just how strong it is,” Linsey returns as our new clinical coordinator.
Linsey is a clinical coordinator for a program called transitional learning programs. Those programs are for students that are out of school for long periods of time due to mental health or medical reasons, and are returning to school. The programs include individualized reintroduction plans.
Linsey is a big believer in listening to student voices. Linsey stated, “I think of the school as the students’ building, that the adults happen to be here, but I really think it’s yours.” She has supported students’ thoughts and voices, especially in planning activities.
Spending her family summers in Cape Cod, Linsey is a needlepointing lover, and she currently has three children in middle school. “You’ll often see me in the soccer field,” she mentioned, since all her children are athletically involved.
