Team B Leadership
from left to right: Hend Salah, Josh Weissbach, and Shannon Cove
There is a very important group of educators at Franklin Academy who occupy a vital point position in our partnership with students, classroom teachers, and parents. These professionals serve as supervisors and provide a range of supports for teaching faculty on Teams B, C, and D. They plan and execute the team’s Individual & Community core class. They also serve in the role of Parent Contact and regularly communicate with you to discuss your student’s progress at Franklin Academy. One of them will be calling you within the week to get acquainted, give you a preview of Opening Day, and answer any immediate questions you may have about your student’s upcoming transition back to school. Here are Franklin Academy’s VIPs.
Shannon Cove is the Team B Coordinator and serves as our Academic Coordinator. Shannon began her career at Franklin Academy as a Humanities Instructor, and she moved into the Learning Specialist role three years ago. She is excited to return to Team B. Shannon has two young children who you might occasionally see around campus.
Josh Weissbach joins Team B this year as a Residential Dean, having taught Humanities and Video Production for the past four years. This coming April he will be the trip leader for Franklin Academy’s 2019 trip to Croatia, Slovenia, and Italy, having previously served in this capacity for the school’s 2017 trip to Cuba.
Hend Salah is beginning her second year as the Counselor on Team B, and she is looking forward to supporting the girls as they strive to reach their personal goals. Last year she worked on the Diversity and Safety committees to enrich and enhance students’ understanding of minority groups, as well as to help with protocols to keep students safe.
Team C Leadership
from left to right: Billy Petty, Chelsea Lazos, and Wade Tomlinson
Chelsea Lazos is the Team C Coordinator and serves as our Residential Coordinator. She is a native of East Haddam who is beginning her eleventh year at Franklin Academy. Six of these years were devoted to work as a Mathematics Instructor. Chelsea is excited to work on Team C again! She also has two young children who like to visit campus.
Billy Petty serves as Team C’s Counselor. Billy is a Franklin Academy graduate and a member of the class of 2009. After interning at Franklin for two years, he attended graduate school at Penn State where he earned his Master’s Degree in School Counseling. He is excited to be back on campus. Indeed, this professional opportunity is a dream come true.
Wade Tomlinson is beginning his second year at Franklin Academy and first year as Team C’s Learning Specialist. He is a veteran independent school educator with seventeen years of experience. He has a wife and two young children, and he has lived abroad in Guatemala, England, and Australia. It is not a surprise to learn of Wade’s keen interest in the school’s international travel program.
Team D Leadership
from left to right: John Schultz, Sean O’Leary, and Sara Giroux
Sean O’Leary is the Team D Coordinator and serves as our Clinical Coordinator. Sean is entering his third year at Franklin and is thrilled to be returning as the Team D Counselor. He is a movie-buff who has a fondness for music and art. The most satisfying aspect of Sean’s work is immersing himself in the creation of a safe and caring community that fosters tremendous positive change in our students
John Schultz comes to Franklin Academy with thirty-six years of educational leadership experience. His mostly recent work as the head of school in Puerto Rico was interrupted by Hurricane Maria, and he has some gripping stories to share about that experience. John holds a Doctoral Degree in Educational Leadership, and he is excited to be working with Team D as the Residential Dean.
Sara Giroux joins Team D this year as the Learning Specialist. She earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Secondary Education at Syracuse University and her Master’s in Special Education with a concentration in Assistive Technology at Southern Connecticut State University. She has been the Team B Science Instructor for the past two years, as well as the Assistive Technology Specialist. Sara looks forward to moving into her new role on Team D!
In my next blog I will introduce another group of Franklin VIPs – the FLI leadership team.