Hello! I’m this year’s 7th Grade Reading Teacher. I’m coming to International from CREC’s Academy of Aerospace & Engineering. This year, we will be reading 4 whole class novels: A Long Walk to Water by Linda Sue Park, Patient Zero by Marilee Peters, One Last Word by Nikki Giovanni, and Trash Vortex by Danielle Smith-Llera. I love reading, performing improv comedy, and riding my bicycle.

Hello,

I am the 7th Grade Writing teacher. I am looking forward to working with all of my students this year. Last year I had the opportunity to work with many of the same students while covering in the 6th-grade wing and during my lunch duty, and I am excited to see everyone return. Gradually over the year, the students will learn to develop their voices and communication skills through writing as they learn about and work to answer essential questions about their identities and communities. We will explore questions like “what matters the most to you?” and “what change do you want to foster in the community?”.

I am the teacher for Grade 7 Global Systems. My educational background is in International Relations and Social Studies education, and this is my 26th year of teaching, mostly at the middle school level. I’ve spent much of my career working at international schools in China, India, Malaysia, and this is my second year of teaching at AIS. Along with my wife, I am the proud parent of two boys (ages 23 and 20), two dogs, and a cat. I enjoy travel, outdoor sports, reading, and cooking. I look forward to another great year in Global Systems and sharing my passion for different cultures and global events.

Un saludo a todas las familias de séptimo grado! Greetings to all seventh grade families!

My name is Elizabeth Parada and I am your student’s Spanish teacher this year. This is only my third year here at the Academy of International Studies, but I have taught and been a school administrator for over two decades. While I am still relatively new at AIS, I am also relatively new to middle school, as my teaching experience has been mostly at the high school level. I have to say that I have never been kept more on my toes than with this age group! They keep things lively and I am appreciative of their energy and sense of humor while I work with them to learn not only about the Spanish language and Hispanic culture but also how to be a successful student.

Outside of the classroom, I love music and have participated in several Latin American folk music groups. I also love animals and am a strong supporter of adopting from the pound or from rescue centers. I currently have a small dog, a cat, and two fish.

I am excited to get to know your child better and I hope you will reach out to me if you have any questions or concerns.

Hello and Welcome back to school! I am one of the 7th grade Special Education Teachers this year, and I am excited to start another fun and productive year of learning. Prior to joining the Academy of International Studies, I worked as a Special Education Teacher and a Social Studies teacher in Hartford CT, Shanghai China, Greenville, SC, Chicago, IL and Gothenburg, Sweden. I am a wife and a proud mom of a college student, Martha who is a former IB student. This year I will co-teach 1 Math class with Mr. Williams and 2 Reading classes with Ms. Carrier. In addition, I will teach 2 Resource room classes. When I am not in school I love traveling, spending time with family and friends, running and yoga.

Hi and Welcome back to school!! I am one of the 7th grade Special Education teachers and I’m looking forward to working with all of our students this year. This is my first year working at AIS but this will be my 12th year teaching overall. I have taught many different types of students with varying needs around the state of Connecticut. I absolutely love teaching and I can’t wait to start to get to know all of the students so we can have an amazing year. I love to travel, Lucille Ball and I Love Lucy, theatre, reading, Harry Potter, Star Wars, Disney, and learning new things especially history related. This year I will be working with Mr. Williams’ math classes and some of the 7th grade students in the Resource Room. When I’m not at school, I love to spend time with family and friends. My husband and I have 2 kids who are 5 and 3 and one new dog we adopted this summer named Jesco. 😀

Mrs. Eleisha LeMay - Assistant Principal MS