My philosophy for the past 20 years is that “People Do Better When They Feel Better” and that has been the core of what drives me to promote the importance of students’ and staffs’ social and emotional health’s value in the progression of academic gain. I am thrilled to have the honor to continue this mission as the new Assistant Principal at the Lowell School. I was incredibly impressed by the positive environment of the Lowell School as I toured and viewed engaged friendly students and skilled dedicated educators working together. I am beyond excited to become a member of this community!

Hello everyone! My name is Dakota Blais and I am thrilled to join the J. R. Lowell Elementary community as a Kindergarten Teacher! Teaching is my passion, and I am dedicated to fostering strong partnerships with families to support our students' growth and success. When I’m not in the classroom, I enjoy hiking and camping with my husband and our dog, spending time with my family and friends, relaxing at the beach, and getting lost in a good book. I am excited to be a part of this wonderful community and look forward to a fantastic year together!

My name is Edith Bianchi and I’m very excited to join the Lowell School Community! I’m a mom to 2 little girls who love to venture outdoors with me in our free time and we love food! I’m married to a talented executive chef in Boston who spoils us girls at home with the best meals. I met my husband 9 years ago working in the restaurant industry as a pastry cook. I worked in this industry and eventually was an executive pastry chef. I made the switch after having my first daughter because I wanted to be home with her more. Since making the switch, I’ve loved being a teacher more than I truly thought I would. I can’t wait to work with the amazing staff at Lowell Elementary and be apart of the children’s learning experience there!

I’m thrilled to be joining the Lowell school next year! This new role will allow me to continue my work with special education and literacy, as I pursue my reading specialist license through the Literacy and Language Disorder program at MGH. My favorite thing to teach is vocabulary because I love to study word origins! I’m thankful that I can continue this work within Watertown Public Schools, and I look forward to being a part of this community. Beyond the classroom, I’m a busy mom of four boys. When I’m not driving them around to activities, I enjoy gardening, listening to podcasts, and running!

I am very excited to be joining the Lowell community! I am a lifelong resident of Massachusetts and have always had a passion for education. For undergrad, I went to the University of Wisconsin-Madison and studied Education and English Literature. After graduating, I got my Masters in Education Policy from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and worked for a policy research group. I then moved back to Massachusetts to pursue my passion for teaching and got my Master of Education degree from Lesley University. Since then, I have been working as a 5th Grade Teacher in Bedford, Massachusetts. In my free time I love spending time outside, swimming, cooking, and being with my friends and family.

My name is Maria Luiza Silva McDonough. I was born in Brazil and came to the United States in 2004. I graduated from UMass Boston with a degree in Bachelor of Arts in Classical Language. I have been working with youth for many years, and I am very excited to serve students and families at J.R. Lowell Elementary School, as well as to work with a program that addresses social and emotional development and provides academic support that complements the school day. I look forward to growing with the J. R. Lowell Elementary School community and making this program as amazing as possible.

I have been a school nurse for 8 years. I go by Nurse Kristen or Ms. Kristen, my last name has proven to be tough for the kiddos to say! I have 3 teenage sons and a dog named Duke. When I am not at work you can usually find me sitting with a book, out for a walk or hike with Duke or just spending time with my friends and family. I am very grateful to be the person to take the place of Mrs.Taverna as I know she was a very special person to everyone. I look forward to meeting everyone in the fall!

Dear J.R. Lowell Elementary Staff & Families,

It is an honor and pleasure to start my new journey as the Instructional Assistant for the Watertown Public Schools Community and become a Leopard!

My name is Fredrick Foster and I am from Muncie, Indiana. A graduate of Muncie Southside High School and the University of Southern Indiana in Radio & Television. I started working with children in the summer of 2010 at a YMCA called Camp Crosley in North Webster, Indiana, and have loved it ever since! The amazing thing about myself is that I love Boston sports, especially the Celtics and Patriots. Once I completed college in 2014 I began living in the Dorchester/Somerville area where I was able to be around & be a part of Boston sports history.

Furthermore, I started my next chapter in life by becoming an After School Teacher and Math Interventionist along with becoming a Soccer Coach for the City of Somerville's (Youth Soccer

program).

In addition, I have a strong work ethic and am highly motivated to achieve my goals. Always ready to lend a helping hand, support my colleagues, and embrace a positive and cooperative work environment. Together, we can accomplish great things. I take pride in my dependability and my commitment to personal and professional development. Having a career in Education has been very impactful on my life by being a positive role model with a hardworking nature and a

genuine passion for the youth.

I wholeheartedly will be a valuable asset to the Watertown District.

Thank you for your wonderful acceptance as I am looking forward to the start of this upcoming school year!

Hello Lowell School community!

I am Brianna Bond, and I am thrilled to begin my eighth year in education with you this upcoming school year. For five years, I had the privilege of working in special education, spanning grades 4 through 6, followed by two years as a 4th grade teacher. While I am excited to teach all subjects, I am particularly passionate about teaching math and science.

Outside of the classroom, I love spending time with friends, playing games, cooking, tackling puzzles, snuggling with my cats, and unwinding by the water.

I am excited about becoming a part of the Lowell School community as a 4th Grade Teacher!

Looking forward to a fantastic year ahead!

Hi Everyone, my name is Meaghan Teehan. I am from Billerica Ma, and I completed my Master’s Degree at Merrimack College in Early Childhood Education. I have taught Kindergarten for the last 2 years, and am very excited to be making my way back to Watertown Public Schools to teach Pre-K. For fun I like to read, take my dog for walks, and spend time with my family. I am looking forward to joining the Lowell

Community!

Hello everyone! I am Mia Zarkadas, and I am so excited to be joining the Lowell staff this fall. As a lifelong resident of Watertown and a former Lowell School student, I am thrilled to be back. I graduated from the University of Massachusetts Amherst this past May with a bachelor’s degree in special education. Beyond the classroom, I enjoy spending time on the beach with friends and family. I look forward to getting to know you all this coming school year!

Hello Lowell community! I am very excited to join you all this fall as the math interventionist. I come from a math background, holding a Bachelor’s degree in math from Lesley University in addition to completing my second year as a math tutor at the Hosmer school. I continue to improve and expand upon my teaching practices as I complete Master’s courses at Gordon College. As some of you may know, I have been a part of the Lowell Extended Day Program for the last three years so I’m glad that I will be familiar to most of you! I am very passionate about teaching math and building students’ confidence in math. Other than teaching math, I love traveling, drinking coffee, and reading. I am thrilled to join the Lowell community and I look forward to all future collaborations and achievements together!