New Teachers Decide to Join the #IBFam

When beginning a new year of school, change is inevitable. This year at CHS, this change includes new teachers. Two fresh faces have joined the International Baccalaureate (IB) program this year. Kristin Rodriguez is teaching IB Biology HL, while Anthony DiGiulio is teaching IB English HL 2.

In the nine years Rodriguez has been here at CHS, prior to joining the IB program, she has taught several CHS courses, including Anatomy & Physiology, Marine Biology, Zoology & Botany, and AP Environmental Science. Rodriguez is excited about being a part of the IB program this year, as she enjoys many things the IB program has to offer. For instance, she values the deeper, critical thinking aspect of the IB program. As IB Biology is a two-year course, she is eager to get to know her students over the course of two years and build relationships with them. Rodriguez hopes to be a mentor of sorts for her students over the two years of IB Biology. As a kinesthetic learner herself, she enjoys how hands-on the course is, including over sixty hours of lab within the two years of the IB Biology course.

“I love the idea of coaching, teaching, seeing people, and seeing that lightbulb go on when they really understand a concept,” Rodriguez said.

In addition to Rodriguez, DiGiulio is also a fresh face to the IB program. Over the course of his five years as a teacher at CHS, he has taught a variety of English courses including Journalism, Creative Writing, Honors Freshman English, Freshman English, Junior English, Senior English, and now IB English HL 2. After being a CAS advisor for three years, DiGiulio is excited to finally teach an IB course. DiGiulio is fond of the aims and goals from the IB learner profile that the program tries to develop in the students. As someone who enjoys traveling himself, DiGiulio recognizes the importance of the worldly view and the understanding of different perspectives, which the IB program very heavily emphasizes.

“I really like being a part of the IB team and helping the students achieve as much as they can, both in and outside the classroom,” DiGiulio said.

As Rodriguez and DiGiulio begin the year as new IB teachers, they are excited to have a role in this IB team. Needless to say, it looks as if they both will have bright futures here at CHS as IB teachers.