MEET OUR NEW TEACHERS
We have quite a few new faces around campus as we begin the 2016–17 school year. Get to know each of our newest faculty members as we introduce them below:
Miharu Altmire will be joining our mathematics department this year, teaching Honors Geometry, College Algebra/Trigonometry, and Precalculus. Miharu received her Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics and M.Ed. from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and taught at Newbury Park High School in Newbury Park, CA, for 11 years. At Newbury Park, she advised many types of clubs—academic, cultural, and social. She hopes to continue that at Loyola Blakefield, and looks forward to new adventures such as chaperoning student retreats. In her spare time, she enjoys cooking, traveling, and attending sporting events.
Edward Brown enters his 31st year as a teacher, having spent the last three years at Randallstown High School, and then 23 years before that at St. Paul’s. He received both his B.A. and M.A. from Middlebury College. Since 1992, he has worked during the summers for Middlebury College at their Bread Loaf Mountain campus as the Innkeeper. At Loyola, he will be teaching American Literature to sophomores and British Literature to juniors. He will also be working with the squash program. His hobbies include squash, fiction writing, the Orioles, and biking. He hopes to get involved with creative writing here, possibly by sponsoring a group of students to participate in National Novel Writing Month in November.
Emily Buchler earned an M.A. in Art History and M.S. in English Education from Syracuse University, along with a B.A. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. After graduate school, she served as the head of school and teacher programs at Carnegie Museum of Art and spent more than a decade working as a writer and editor for organizations across a range of fields, from healthcare and technology to progressive education and the brain sciences. She holds a Pennsylvania teaching certification in secondary English and lives in Towson with her husband and two lively daughters. In her spare time, she plays fetch with her poodle, Gatsby, shoots hoops with her kids, and writes about the trials and tribulations of modern parenting.
Miharu Altmire will be joining our mathematics department this year, teaching Honors Geometry, College Algebra/Trigonometry, and Precalculus. Miharu received her Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics and M.Ed. from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and taught at Newbury Park High School in Newbury Park, CA, for 11 years. At Newbury Park, she advised many types of clubs—academic, cultural, and social. She hopes to continue that at Loyola Blakefield, and looks forward to new adventures such as chaperoning student retreats. In her spare time, she enjoys cooking, traveling, and attending sporting events.
Edward Brown enters his 31st year as a teacher, having spent the last three years at Randallstown High School, and then 23 years before that at St. Paul’s. He received both his B.A. and M.A. from Middlebury College. Since 1992, he has worked during the summers for Middlebury College at their Bread Loaf Mountain campus as the Innkeeper. At Loyola, he will be teaching American Literature to sophomores and British Literature to juniors. He will also be working with the squash program. His hobbies include squash, fiction writing, the Orioles, and biking. He hopes to get involved with creative writing here, possibly by sponsoring a group of students to participate in National Novel Writing Month in November.
Emily Buchler earned an M.A. in Art History and M.S. in English Education from Syracuse University, along with a B.A. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. After graduate school, she served as the head of school and teacher programs at Carnegie Museum of Art and spent more than a decade working as a writer and editor for organizations across a range of fields, from healthcare and technology to progressive education and the brain sciences. She holds a Pennsylvania teaching certification in secondary English and lives in Towson with her husband and two lively daughters. In her spare time, she plays fetch with her poodle, Gatsby, shoots hoops with her kids, and writes about the trials and tribulations of modern parenting.
Christopher Castillo is excited to join the mathematics department, teaching College Prep and Honors Precalculus. Most recently, he taught Calculus and Discrete Mathematics at University of Delaware. While there, he completed his Ph.D. in mathematics in 2015, and also served for a year and a half as president of the Graduate Student Government. Previously, he graduated from Towson University in 2008 with a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics and a minor in music performance (on tuba). During his junior and senior years, he worked in the Applied Mathematics Laboratory developing a mathematical model for crime mapping.
Chris has also been involved with Scouting for over 20 years, and became an Eagle Scout in 2002. Most of his recent involvement has been organizing and staffing youth and adult leadership training, including National Camping School, Leave No Trace courses, Wood Badge, National Youth Leadership Training, and the Venturing division at University of Scouting. He also served for twelve summers on staff at Broad Creek Memorial Scout Reservation in Harford County, and is currently the program director at Lost Lake Camp in Alaska. Outside of Scouting, he enjoys cooking and hiking.
Chris has also been involved with Scouting for over 20 years, and became an Eagle Scout in 2002. Most of his recent involvement has been organizing and staffing youth and adult leadership training, including National Camping School, Leave No Trace courses, Wood Badge, National Youth Leadership Training, and the Venturing division at University of Scouting. He also served for twelve summers on staff at Broad Creek Memorial Scout Reservation in Harford County, and is currently the program director at Lost Lake Camp in Alaska. Outside of Scouting, he enjoys cooking and hiking.
Mark Grzanna will be teaching College Prep Chemistry to sophomores this year. Last year, he taught sophomore biology at Cristo Rey Jesuit High School in Baltimore. which was his first year as a high school teacher. Prior to teaching high school science, Mark completed his Master of Science in Plant Biology at University of Maryland Baltimore County where he also completed his undergraduate degree in biology. His decision to pursue a master’s degree arose while he was working as cell and molecular biology research technician and laboratory manager at Nutramax Laboratories, Inc., in Edgewood, Maryland.
Mark enjoys working with students and had the privilege to work with the Cura Urbi program this past summer which paired students from Cristo Rey and Loyola in a project that addressed problems facing Baltimore City. In addition, he is an instructor for the Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth, a program that teaches advanced concepts, including science, to gifted and talented students from elementary through high school. In his free time, Mark loves to garden and spend time outdoors biking, hiking, and relaxing. He is passionate about his work in science and education and looks forward to an exciting year at Loyola Blakefield.
Joseph LaBella received an M.A. in English Language and Literature from University of Maryland, College Park, and a B.A. in English from Loyola University, MD. He spent the past five years working as an English and special education teacher at Paul Laurence Dunbar High School in Baltimore City. This school year, he will be teaching Honors British Literature to juniors and American Experience to sophomores. He is also the assistant coach on the freshman soccer team and hopes to get involved with environmentally-driven extracurricular activities.
Catherine McGrain is a graduate of the University of Delaware where she received her Bachelor of Arts in Secondary Mathematics Education. She has spent the past four years teaching algebra and coaching badminton at the Institute of Notre Dame, of which she is a proud alumna. At Loyola this year, she will be teaching Algebra I & II in the upper school. Catherine also hopes to get involved in some service opportunities and maybe some coaching—she played rugby at UD. Outside of school, she enjoys cooking and running, and she is a huge Orioles fan.
Jennifer Pipkin has taught at the elementary, middle, and high school levels for the past 19 years. She has degrees in elementary education, middle and high school mathematics, art, and administration. This year, she will be teaching geometry and Algebra II to freshmen, sophomores, and juniors. She also hopes to get involved in many service activities at Loyola, as giving back is very important to her. In her free time, she enjoys adventures with her husband, twin 6-year-old daughters, and 10-year-old son. She enjoys traveling, outdoor activities, and Cub-Scouting in her free time. She loves helping others and participating in service activities such as the Kennedy Krieger Festival of Trees. She also runs with her husband and son for the A-T Children’s Project each January during Disney’s Marathon Weekend.
Steven Schaffer comes to Loyola Blakefield’s Sheridan Hall Reading Room following a long and successful teaching career in Howard County. He earned his undergraduate degree in education from Towson University and a Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Maryland. He is a proud husband, father, and grandfather to three adorable kids. He lived overseas as a child and traveled extensively throughout Europe, the former Soviet Union, and North America. He has a particular interest in Native American culture. Mr. Schaffer is a published author of two novels and a play, and is currently working on several children’s books and a new play. He loves books and is thrilled to be helping Dons in our middle school love them too!
Alethea Spear will be joining our mathematics department, and although this is her first year teaching here, she is not entirely new to the community as her son, Tyler, graduated in 2014. Alethea received her education at the College of William and Mary, Loyola University, and Notre Dame of Maryland University. For the past eight years, she taught middle school mathematics and Honors Algebra at Immaculate Conception School in Towson. This year, she will be teaching Algebra I & II to students in grades 7–10. She spends most of her free time at home with her family—the combined activities of her husband, three children, and border collie keep her busy. She also loves to read, especially historical fiction, spend time outdoors whenever she can, and watch sports.
Mark enjoys working with students and had the privilege to work with the Cura Urbi program this past summer which paired students from Cristo Rey and Loyola in a project that addressed problems facing Baltimore City. In addition, he is an instructor for the Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth, a program that teaches advanced concepts, including science, to gifted and talented students from elementary through high school. In his free time, Mark loves to garden and spend time outdoors biking, hiking, and relaxing. He is passionate about his work in science and education and looks forward to an exciting year at Loyola Blakefield.
Katie Korrow is excited to be joining the Loyola Blakefield community, teaching freshman English and journalism. Katie has a Bachelor of Arts in English from Salisbury University and a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Nonfiction Writing from Goucher College. Her professional experience includes a combination of writing, teaching, and nonprofit work. She was a newspaper reporter right out of college, then became a technical writer, and concurrently started teaching college English. She is entering her seventh year as an adjunct professor at the Community College of Baltimore County and Towson University.
In 2010, she started volunteering for Johns Hopkins Pediatric Oncology Camp Sunrise, which is a camp for kids who have or had cancer, which led her to her most recent job which was the Program and Outreach Manager for Cool Kids Campaign, a local nonprofit dedicated to improving the lives of children with cancer and their families. Katie is looking forward to combining her love for teaching English and service work at Loyola Blakefield. Most importantly, she is excited about the opportunity to work with her father in law, Bill Korrow, who has worked at Loyola for nearly 50 years.
In 2010, she started volunteering for Johns Hopkins Pediatric Oncology Camp Sunrise, which is a camp for kids who have or had cancer, which led her to her most recent job which was the Program and Outreach Manager for Cool Kids Campaign, a local nonprofit dedicated to improving the lives of children with cancer and their families. Katie is looking forward to combining her love for teaching English and service work at Loyola Blakefield. Most importantly, she is excited about the opportunity to work with her father in law, Bill Korrow, who has worked at Loyola for nearly 50 years.
Joseph LaBella received an M.A. in English Language and Literature from University of Maryland, College Park, and a B.A. in English from Loyola University, MD. He spent the past five years working as an English and special education teacher at Paul Laurence Dunbar High School in Baltimore City. This school year, he will be teaching Honors British Literature to juniors and American Experience to sophomores. He is also the assistant coach on the freshman soccer team and hopes to get involved with environmentally-driven extracurricular activities.
Catherine McGrain is a graduate of the University of Delaware where she received her Bachelor of Arts in Secondary Mathematics Education. She has spent the past four years teaching algebra and coaching badminton at the Institute of Notre Dame, of which she is a proud alumna. At Loyola this year, she will be teaching Algebra I & II in the upper school. Catherine also hopes to get involved in some service opportunities and maybe some coaching—she played rugby at UD. Outside of school, she enjoys cooking and running, and she is a huge Orioles fan.
Jennifer Pipkin has taught at the elementary, middle, and high school levels for the past 19 years. She has degrees in elementary education, middle and high school mathematics, art, and administration. This year, she will be teaching geometry and Algebra II to freshmen, sophomores, and juniors. She also hopes to get involved in many service activities at Loyola, as giving back is very important to her. In her free time, she enjoys adventures with her husband, twin 6-year-old daughters, and 10-year-old son. She enjoys traveling, outdoor activities, and Cub-Scouting in her free time. She loves helping others and participating in service activities such as the Kennedy Krieger Festival of Trees. She also runs with her husband and son for the A-T Children’s Project each January during Disney’s Marathon Weekend.
Steven Schaffer comes to Loyola Blakefield’s Sheridan Hall Reading Room following a long and successful teaching career in Howard County. He earned his undergraduate degree in education from Towson University and a Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Maryland. He is a proud husband, father, and grandfather to three adorable kids. He lived overseas as a child and traveled extensively throughout Europe, the former Soviet Union, and North America. He has a particular interest in Native American culture. Mr. Schaffer is a published author of two novels and a play, and is currently working on several children’s books and a new play. He loves books and is thrilled to be helping Dons in our middle school love them too!
Alethea Spear will be joining our mathematics department, and although this is her first year teaching here, she is not entirely new to the community as her son, Tyler, graduated in 2014. Alethea received her education at the College of William and Mary, Loyola University, and Notre Dame of Maryland University. For the past eight years, she taught middle school mathematics and Honors Algebra at Immaculate Conception School in Towson. This year, she will be teaching Algebra I & II to students in grades 7–10. She spends most of her free time at home with her family—the combined activities of her husband, three children, and border collie keep her busy. She also loves to read, especially historical fiction, spend time outdoors whenever she can, and watch sports.
