Welcome back!

Welcome Back

Kurt Moellering, Head of School

This is one of my favorite weeks of the year! After a summer of planning and anticipation, we welcome all our students back to school. Everyone at Learning Prep has been eager to meet their new students and reconnect with the students they already know. Although it is a joyful week here, I am sure, at home, you saw both nerves and excitement as we got closer to the start of the year. Everyone adjusts to the school year at a different pace, but hopefully by the end of week one your student is more settled and has made some connections with peers and teachers. If you have concerns or questions, or even just want a sounding board, please reach out to anyone here. Your student’s counselor, teaching team, ETF, and dean can always help. Additionally, Cate Wilson, Amy Davis, Amy Plante and I are available. Your student has an incredible team around them. Please reach out to that team whenever you need.

In my end of summer letter, I mentioned the excellent educators whom we have hired. I left a few people off who hadn’t officially joined at the time, but I want to “introduce” them to you as well here.

Colleen Amidon is returning to Learning Prep and teaching science in our Middle School. Colleen is a dedicated special education teacher who, in fall of 2001, began teaching language arts and reading at LPS, and she has enjoyed a wide range of experiences teaching our middle school and high school students. In addition, Colleen has taught language-based science classes in several public and private schools. She is excited about rejoining our committed staff and supportive families. Colleen is motivated by understanding how her students learn and by engaging individuals in their own social, emotional, and academic growth process.

Rebecca Silva is thrilled to join the Learning Prep School team as a Transition Instructor within the Transition Department's Experiential Learning Program. Rebecca is a Massachusetts native who grew up in Sharon and graduated from Sharon Public Schools. She then attended college at Coastal Carolina University where she received her Bachelors of Science in Public Health. Previously, Rebecca worked at Westwood High School as the Transition Program Job Coordinator where she helped students gain and maintain paid employment and unpaid internships in integrated business settings. Prior to working as a Job Coordinator, Rebecca worked as a case manager at the MetroWest Center For Independent Living in Framingham, where she was the Transition to Adulthood Program (TAP) Coordinator. As the TAP Coordinator Rebecca worked to support high school students gain the skills necessary for post high school including transition planning, finding work, and/or attending college or other transition programs, and life skills for moving out. Rebecca is so happy to join the Learning Prep School and continue the efforts to best support student success. 

Jon Wooding is joining our ELA department as the 10th grade teacher for English Language Arts and English Literature. Jon graduated from Boston University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English Language and Literature, summa cum laude. He worked in learning technology at Pearson Education in the Higher Ed department for more than a decade. Since moving to the classroom setting to more directly support students as they work towards success, Jon has primarily worked in Special Education. Jon looks forward to sharing his passion for Language Arts and Literature with his students, as well as his experience with project management and real-world problem solving.  

We also have a couple of long-term substitutes who are filling in this fall. Ruth Comstock is in her 3rd year at Learning Prep, but her first starting the year in the HS science classroom. Ruth is a retired public school Special Education teacher and Social Worker, who still loves to teach. She has a Masters in Education and Social Work. She was Director of Social Work at Codman Square Health Center and a Special Educator for Malden Public Schools. Ruth lives in Newton and one of her children is a scientist. She loves how supportive Learning Prep is to our students. Brianna Guyer is excited to join our Speech and Language Department and get to know her students over the next couple of months. She is a graduate of Northeastern University with a Masters of Science in Speech-Language Pathology. Her experience includes providing services for children across a variety of ages in the public school system and most recently worked within a private practice where she provided treatment and supported families over the course of 2 years. 

Please welcome these talented educators when you meet them. 

On behalf of everyone at LPS, I hope you have a wonderful year. I look forward to partnering with you as we work towards great success for your students.