Greetings families! Every year, we welcome new, highly-qualified teachers to our faculty. Today I’d like to introduce you to Michaelle Larracuente, our 5th Grade Head Teacher. As soon as I met Michaelle during our hiring process last spring, I knew she was a perfect fit for WNS. She was organized and flawlessly prepared, shared many stories of student growth from her previous experience – both social/emotional and academic – and had a great sense of humor throughout our extensive interview process. We knew she was the right person to facilitate maximum learning in 5th grade and prepare our first class of soon-to-be Middle Schoolers. Working next door to Michaelle for the past few weeks has also been a pleasure. Her students clearly trust and respect her, and she strives to meet each of them where they are and challenge them to achieve their best.

Michaelle is a graduate of Northeastern University and trained at Columbia University’s Teachers College Reading and Writing Project. She is a lifelong learner and educator who is dedicated to bettering the lives of others. This passion inspired her to engage in service projects and initiatives around the world. She has supported peace and reconciliation work in Northern Ireland, educated local people about diabetes in Thailand, and built and supported a school Jamaica. She brings this powerful notion of being a global citizen to the classroom, valuing the stories of all people and building an inclusive atmosphere. Over the past six years, she taught 2nd, 4th and 6th grades with KIPP in Newark, New Jersey. Outside of the classroom, she served in the positions of School Culture Coordinator and Grade Level Programs Coordinator. She was also involved in after school activities, sharing her experience and talents in Latin dancing and yoga.

We are thrilled to have Michaelle as a member of the WNS teaching team. If you haven’t met her yet, I invite you up to the 6th floor to introduce yourself!