By Madison Marques, Staff Writer

The 2018 school year brought not only new students and new construction, but also new teachers. Barbara-Jean Brees and Stacy Stender joined the STEM Team while Christine Facer and Maryanne Kain joined the World Languages Team. These four highly qualified faculty are will enrich the classroom experience for all students.

Kain, who currently teaches French and moderates the dance club, was at her previous school for 22 years where she taught Chinese, French, Latin and Spanish as well as being the moderator of the World Language Honor Society. Kain also has experience in the arts, and she directed the Spring Musical and Fall Drama in her previous school. She has offered her help to the arts department, specifically for the fall drama, Peter and the Starcatcher.

“I am really just excited about helping where I can help and supporting the activities and supporting the students,” Kain said.

Kain has had a positive experience becoming a part of the community. “It was a real leap of faith on my part […] but quite honestly it was the best decision I could have made. I could not be happier. I love the students and I love the faculty,” Kain said. Outside of teaching, Kain likes to ride her bike near the boardwalk, read, see plays and travel.  

Also joining the World Languages team as a Spanish teacher is Facer, a dedicated Harry Potter fan. Prior to her 10-year teaching career, Facer worked in the public speaking field. When asked why she decided to join Trinity Hall, Facer said, “I had heard great things about the school, and I wanted to see for myself what Trinity Hall was all about.”

Facer, who previously taught at public school, compared how her experience at Trinity Hall has been different already. “There are so many differences between an independent school and a public school, most notably advisory, community meetings, prayer and the project-based learning.”

Facer wants to engage with her students in the academic aspects of Trinity Hall but also support them in their out of classroom activities. “I’m excited to see what the Royal Rumble is all about. I am Team Orange!” While she is currently a sophomore class advisor, Facer hopes to become even more integrated into the community, possibly by serving as a student or club advisor.

The STEM Team welcomed Brees, who previously taught biology at another all-girls school in New Jersey, to teach honors and AP biology here. Brees said she felt Trinity Hall was the right fit for her the first time she visited campus. “Trinity Hall definitely had that optimistic feeling that you can tell the students were willing to work, […] that the faculty enjoyed what they did, [and that they] were willing to take risks to do different things, and that was the type of community I was looking for,” said Brees.

Brees is excited to be in an environment where she is able to explore biology with her students and answer questions while still having the ability to mix up lab groups to ensure a varied experience. “I am really just excited to get further into biology in both of my classes. The students have been great,” said Brees, who serves as a co-advisor for a student group. Brees has been involved in science clubs in the past and is willing to be a part of anything similar that Trinity Hall creates.

Brees notes that the faith portion of Trinity Hall is a different from her previous schools and that she enjoys how it is integrated into the community.  Outside of teaching, she enjoys spending time with her two- and four-year-old daughters.

Another new member of the STEM Team, Stender has held numerous teaching positions in chemistry, biology, math and physics at a variety of schools, including a public school in Virginia, an all-boys Catholic school and a school in Hawaii. She was also involved in her previous school’s theatre program and taught set design for plays.

This year, Stender teaches junior math and freshman physics at Trinity Hall, where she already feels welcomed. “This is a much smaller school. It is much more concentrated, so it’s easier to get to know students and faculty more quickly. It’s only the first month, and I don’t feel like an outsider,” Stender said.

Stender is co-adviser of the book club and spoke about her involvement in other activities. “Every week has had something new. It has been fun to see what’s going on and what new opportunities are out there,” said Stender, who is also a certified scuba diver.