Back to School Package
FALLS VILLAGE —When students go through the doors at Housatonic Valley Regional High School on Tuesday, Aug. 27 there will be several new faces among the faculty.
Five new teachers have been hired for the new school year, most to fill positions vacated by retiring teachers. Two of them are math instructors and Kara Jones will be serving as the chair of the Math Department.
Kara Jones
Jones comes to HVRHS from Bristol Eastern High School, where she taught most of the math classes offered there, along with AP Statistics, for the last 20 years.
She earned both her Bachelor of Science and master’s degrees from the University of Connecticut and her sixth year degree from Central Connecticut State University. Her salary is $104,879.
She grew up in Bristol, where she met her husband, Mark, and they recently moved to Winsted with their two children, Makenzie and Zachary and their two dogs. Jones said she is very excited to begin a new chapter in Region 1 and is looking forward to teaching in the Math Department.
Dustin Greene
Photo contributed
Dustin Greene is also teaching math and he holds a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics from the University of Pittsburgh and a Master’s in Education in Kinesiology from Dallas Baptist University. He has formerly taught at the Berkshire School, Lawrence Academy, and St. Johns Preparatory School.
He said that he is passionate about helping students discover relationships and patterns in mathematics, improving mathematics literacy, and bringing advanced calculus applications to the classroom. He also enjoys working with competitive soccer goalkeepers and is an advocate for youth sports. As a central West Virginia native, Greene said he is excited to reconnect with his public school roots. His salary is $61,694.
Lilly Barnett
Lilly Barnett is joining the faculty as an art teacher. A native of Salisbury, where she lives with her two children, she has been teaching art at Sharon Center School since 2014. She also was previously an art teacher at Marvelwood School. She studied Fine Art at Hobart and William Smith Colleges. When she arrived at her teaching career, she decided to get her Master’s of Science in Educational Leadership from a program at Bank Street College of Education and Parsons The New School. Her salary is $97,711.
An active artist in her own right, she enjoys creating ceramics, jewelry and mixed media. Barnett finds great joy in teaching the next generation of aspiring artists and said she is very much looking forward to beginning her new role at the high school and welcomes any and all into her new classroom. In her personal time, she enjoys gardening, being active in seasonal sports, or hanging out with family and friends.
Justin Nelson Photo contributed
Justin Nelson joins the Science Department as a professional certified teacher with both physics and chemistry certifications. He has his sixth-year degree in STEAM Education from Sacred Heart University, his Master’s Degree in Curriculum and Instruction from University of Connecticut, and his Bachelor’s Degree in Chemical Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. He comes to HVRHS from the Coventry School District, where he taught physics and integrated freshmen science for nine years. His salary is $93,825.
Nelson said he believes that in order to learn science, one has to do science. He focuses on the process of science, and incorporates projects into the curriculum as best he can. He believes that the skills learned in science can be applied to all aspects of life, not just in the science classroom, and is excited to continue these ideas in Region 1. Outside the classroom, Nelson said he enjoys bowling, singing, board games, and watching the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) and Harry Potter.
Paige Root
Paige Root joins HVRHS with over a decade of experience teaching secondary school Spanish in both the independent and public school setting. She earned a Master’s degree in Spanish from Middlebury College and holds a Bachelor’s Degree in French and Spanish from the University of New Hampshire. She said she is a proud graduate of HVRHS and is excited to work with many of her former teachers and fellow alumni. Root grew up in Cornwall and now resides in Sharon with her husband and toddler. Her salary is $79,464.
The high school is still in the process of hiring a school counselor.
