Kelly
Fitzsimmons
Kelly
Fitzsimmons
Kelly
Fitzsimmons
Kelly
Fitzsimmons
Faculty
Visual and Performing Arts Curriculum Coordinator
Andrea Mejia
Andrea Mejia came to Westford in 2013 as K-12 Visual and Performing Arts Curriculum Coordinator. She had previously been a band director and has taught music at various levels K-12. Ms. Mejia holds Bachelor of Music degrees in Clarinet Performance and Music Education from Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University. She earned her Masters degree in Clarinet Performance from the University of Massachusetts at Lowell. Ms. Mejia also serves on the faculty of Indian Hill Music School as director of the New Horizons Band. Ms. Mejia has adjudicated for festivals at both the junior and senior level. She has maintained a private studio and has performed as clarinetist with various chamber ensembles and orchestras in the Greater Boston area and New Hampshire.
amejia@westfordk12.us
Elementary Music & Visual Arts
Todd Hamelin
Todd Hamelin is the Strings instructor at the Abbot, Day, and Crisafulli schools. Like many of his current students, Todd began his violin studies in third grade at the Byam School in Chelmsford. Todd holds a Bachelors degree in Music Education and Music Performance from UMass-Lowell as well as a Masters in Music Education from Boston University. Believing that a strong foundation is the key to success, Todd incorporates elements of Shinichi Suzuki, Paul Rolland, and Mimi Zweig's pedagogy in his lessons. Besides teaching in Westford, Todd is an active freelance violinist and plays with the Orchestra of Indian Hill.
thamelin@westfordk12.us
Kristin Lampros
Kristin Lampros has been teaching elementary general music in Westford since January 2011 and is currently teaching music at the Miller (K-2) and Day Schools (3-5). Prior to teaching in Westford, she taught in the Mendon-Upton Regional School District (August 1998-December 2010) and Haverhill Public Schools (1997-1998). She has a Bachelor of Music from Ithaca College and a Master of Education (with a specialization in Technology) from Framingham State College. In addition, Mrs. Lampros is trained in Conversational Solfege Levels 1 and 2 (2017), First Steps in Music (2016), and is Orff Level 1 certified (2009). She enjoys finding ways to integrate technology into her curriculum and believes that everyone should be tuneful, beatful and artful.
klampros@westfordk12.us
Cathy Lanno
Cathy Lanno holds a Bachelor of Music Education from Washington State University and received a Master of Music Education is from Boston University in 2007. She also has a Level 1 Orff certification and is a member of American Orff Schulwerk Association and is active in the NE chapter of AOSA. In addition, Mrs. Lanno is a member of the Massachusetts Music Educators Association, the National Association for Music Education, and has been a member of MENSA since 1991.
clanno@westfordk12.us
Patricia Gately
Patricia Gately earned her B.M. in Music Education from Berklee College of Music ('13). She came to Westford in 2017 as the Elementary Band Director for the Abbot, Crisafulli and Day schools. Trish has experience working with students in grades three through twelve. She maintains a private studio working with students in the Central and Eastern Massachusetts Districts. She also manages and performs regularly with the Blueprint Jazz Club in addition to other bands. Trish believes all students should have the opportunity to experience playing a musical instrument and is determined to make learning music a fun and memorable experience for all her students.
pgately@westfordk12.us
Laurie Oliver
Laurie Oliver has been teaching Elementary Music since September of 1990. She taught at the Harrington School in Chelmsford her first year out of college and began teaching Music in Westford in the Fall of 1991. She holds degrees both in English and Music Education from the University of Massachusetts at Lowell. She currently teaches grades Pre-First through Grade Five General Music and Grade Five Chorus at Robinson and Crisafulli Schools. As a vocalist, Laurie enjoys singing in her Church Choir as well as the annual Westford Community Christmas Chorus, a group which raises funds for the Westford Food Pantry. A Girl Scout co-leader, she also founded the Westford Girl Scouts Chorus, a group of Middle and High School-aged Scouts who actively sing at Westford Community events during the Winter Season.
loliver@westfordk12.us
Pamela Perron
Pamela Perron has been teaching in the Westford Public Schools for over 18 years, where she is currently a 3-5 art educator. Mrs. Perron received her Bachelor of Fine Art degree from Mass College of Art and Design and later earned a Masters of Elementary Education from Lesley University as well as a Masters in Elementary Science. Her teaching career in Westford began as a classroom teacher teaching 5th grade for 5 years. Pamela spends her Summer's creating loving memories with her family, gardening, reading, and of course making art.
pperron@westfordk12.us
Melissa Quattrocchi
Melissa Quattrocchi has a Bachelor of Fine Art, with a focus on Education, from the University of Massachusetts/Amherst. She has been teaching in the Westford school system for 20 years and before that taught in Nashoba Regional School District. Melissa taught grades K-2 before moving to the 3-5 level. She also teaches art in an integrated preschool. Her own art focuses on pen and ink drawings and acrylic paintings.
mquattrocchi@westfordk12.us
Jen Tietze
Jen Tietze has been teaching elementary general music in the Westford Public Schools since February, 2006 and is currently teaching in the Nabnasset and Miller schools. She received her Bachelor degree in both Music Education and Clarinet Performance from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst and later earned her Master of Music Education degree at Boston University. She is especially passionate about early elementary music education and her role in providing the foundational knowledge and skills for our youngest musicians. She is a certified Orff, First Steps of Music, and Conversational Solfege teacher and enjoys teaching through a combination of the Feierabend, Gordon, Kodaly, and Orff methodologies.
jtietza@westfordk12.us
Susan Turcotte-Gavriel
Susan Turcotte-Gavriel received her undergraduate music degree from the University of Lowell and Masters Degree in Music Education from Southern Illinois University where she served as teaching assistant to Prof. John Kendall. She has been clinician and conductor for workshops, festivals, and summer institutes from Maine to California. As founding member and Master Teacher of the UMass Lowell String Project, she supervised student teaching assistants and instructed the introductory string pedagogy course. Susan enjoys playing as well as teaching music, and performs regularly with the Orchestra of Indian Hill. She has established and directed public and private school string programs in numerous communities throughout Massachusetts. Most notably, she started the Westford String Program in 1989 and is thrilled to once again be part of this vibrant musical community.
sturcottegavriel@westfordk12.us
Jennifer Telles
Jennifer Telles has been an art educator since 2003, teaching in both public and private institutions in Massachusetts. She joins the Westford community this year and is excited to be working with students at Abbot, Millennium, and Nabnasset. Ms. Telles holds a Masters in Art Education from Lesley University and a Bachelors of Fine Arts from Syracuse University. Outside of the classroom, Ms. Telles enjoys exploring the connections between science and art through acrylic painting.
jtelles@westfordk12.us
Middle Music, Theater & Visual Arts
Debra Benschneider
Debra Benschneider holds a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Lowell and a Masters of Music degree in Voice Performance from the Hartt School of Music. She currently teaches General Music and Chorus at the Blanchard Middle School. She also directs an afterschool honors ensemble and is Music Director for the Blanchard Theater Arts program. As a professional singer, Deb teaches private voice lessons and sings with the Boston Pops during the holidays as a member of the Tanglewood Festival Chorus.
dbenschneider@westfordk12.us
Vicki Garino
Vicki Garino has been teaching in the Westford Public Schools since 2012 where she is the band director at both the Blanchard and Stony Brook Middle Schools. Prior to beginning her tenure in Westford, Ms. Garino was band director at both the middle and high school levels in Ashland then Franklin, MA starting in 1994. Ms. Garino received her Bachelor of Music Education degree from UMass Lowell and later earned her Master of Conducting degree from The American Band College at Southern Oregon University. Through the years, Ms. Garino has performed as a flautist and vocalist in various occasions and ceremonies. She is lead vocalist on indie rock band Karmic Brick’s LP, and has been “front woman” for various cover bands. In addition to her music career, Ms. Garino owns and teaches at a thriving Yoga studio in Northern Massachusetts.
vgarino@westfordk12.us
Sioban Morris
Sioban Morris has been teaching art in Westford since 2000 and loves working with the sixth, seventh, and eighth grade students at Stony Brook. Her educational experience includes a B.A. in Fine Arts and Design, a Masters Degree in Education and she is certified in Art Education pre-k through 12th grade. She is currently advancing her education by taking graduate courses in art. Before teaching in Westford Ms. Morris was the Education Director at The Discovery Museums in Acton, Massachusetts for 12 years where she designed exhibits and developed educational programs for children six and under. She has lived and studied art in Siena, Italy and is passionate about teaching, creating art, traveling and spending time with family and friends.
smorris@westfordk12.us
Julie Ottesen
Julie Ottesen began her tenure in the Westford Public Schools in 1996, where she is currently the middle school orchestra director at the Blanchard Middle School and the Stony Brook School. Before teaching in Westford, Mrs. Ottesen taught elementary and middle school strings in Illinois and North Carolina. Mrs. Ottesen, a violist, received her Bachelor of Music in Music Education degree from Northwestern University and later earned her Master of Music in Music Education from The University of Connecticut. Mrs. Ottesen is the director of the Westford Summer Music Program. She has maintained a private studio, served as a conductor of a youth symphony and is active as an adjudicator for music festivals in Massachusetts.
jottesen@westfordk12.us
Jodi Scalia
Jodi Scalia has been teaching in the Westford Public Schools for the past eleven years, where she is currently the middle school Visual Arts Teacher. Ms. Scalia has received her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the University of New Hampshire and later earned her Master’s of Education degree at Cambridge College. During the summers Ms. Scalia has worked for the Boston Symphony Orchestra in the Visual Arts program in Lenox, MA and the Westford Summer Music and Art Program. Ms Scalia has exhibited her paintings at the New Art Center in Newton, MA and The Brattle Book Shop in Boston, MA.
jscalia@westfordk12.us
Andrea Watson
Andrea Watson received her Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance and her Master’s degree in Educational Theatre and English Education from New York University. Prior to becoming an educator, she spent many years performing professionally in New York City and around the country. Andrea has worked in education as an English Teacher and a Special Education teacher in Massachusetts, and is thrilled to be a part of the performing arts faculty in Westford.
awatson@westfordk12.us
Westford Academy Music, Theater & Visual Arts
Lisa Bolotte
Ms. Bolotte has been a teacher of visual art and photography courses at WA since 2003. She received a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Massachusetts College of Art and a Master of Fine Arts in Photography/Digital Imaging from the University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth. Ms. Bolotte is also the advisor for the Photography Club at WA. She continues to pursue artistic growth, participating in classes and workshops at Massachusetts College of Art, the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, the Danforth Art Museum, Maine Media Workshops and Santa Fe Photographic Workshops. Her background in teaching includes art and photography courses at Stonehill College, the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, Massachusetts College of Art and Design, the South Shore Art Center, Algonquin Regional High School and Rockland High School. In addition to art, Ms. Bolotte loves her cats, horseback riding and traveling.
lbolotte@westfordk12.us
Julie Cook
Julie Cook has been teaching art in Westford Academy for the past five years. Originally from Australia, where she received her Bachelor of Arts degree, she completed her Masters in Art Education at Framingham State University. She taught for eight years at The Bromfield School in Harvard before joining the WA Art Department. Julie is passionate about ceramics and is constantly evolving her curriculum by taking classes at New Hampshire Institute of Art. Her goal is to help students bring their inner artist to life by exploring their unique voice and creative potential.
jcook@westfordk12.us
Ken Culver
Ken Culver started teaching in Westford in 1999 and taught at the elementary and middle school levels before becoming Orchestra Director and Applied Music Teacher at Westford Academy. Mr. Culver received Bachelors degree Violin Performance from Connecticut College and Masters Degrees in Violin Performance from the University of Connecticut. Mr. Culver is a Past President and Editor of the Massachusetts ASTA and currently serves as the of the MMEA Northeastern District Assistant Orchestra Manager. He has been a member of the 1st violin section Eastern Connecticut Symphony Orchestra and still enjoys practicing and performing.
kculver@westfordk12.us
Brandon Eang
Brandon Eang has been teaching movie production and digital art in Westford Academy since 2000. He taught multimedia for five years at Chelmsford High School prior joining WA. Mr. Eang received his Bachelor of Fine Artsdegree from University of Massachusetts Dartmouth with a concentration in Visual Communication (Graphic Design). He received his Masters of Education degree from Fitchburg State College. During the summers Mr. Eang worked a photographer and videographer, he also has to-date completed two award winning documentaries about his country of his birth country, Cambodia.
beang@westfordk12.us
Kelly Fitzsimmons
Kelly Fitzsimmons has been teaching in the Westford Public School District for two years. She is currently a visual arts teacher at Westford Academy High School. Ms. Fitzsimmons received her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Syracuse University where she was an art education major with a concentration in painting. She received her Masters of Arts in Art Education degree from Boston University. She spends her summers as an art director at Camp Sewataro in Sudbury. She is an active painter, frequently participating in local art events.
kfitzsimmons@westfordk12.us
Ed Hardy
Since 1999, Mr. Hardy has worked hard to dispel the notion that a student’s ability in the arts is naturally occurring and not something they can learn to be great at. Along the way, he has taught a section of almost every visual art course offered at Westford Academy. Mr. Hardy’s background is in painting and illustrating and he spent a period in the ‘90s as the staff cartoonist for The Kraft Group owned publication Patriots Football Weekly.
ehardy@westfordk12.us
Karen St. George
Karen has been a choral director and music teacher in the Westford Public Schools since student teaching here in 1994. She received her Bachelor of Music from the University of Massachusetts-Lowell and later earned her Master of Education in music studies and secondary education at Fitchburg State College. She has served as an adjudicator for the Massachusetts Music Educators Association and she and her students participate in festivals of the American Choral Directors Association. As a soprano, she has sung with the Nashua Symphony Choral Society, United Night of Worship and regularly volunteers as a worship leader in her local church. In the summer, she directs the Westford Summer Music Chorus at Stony Brook Middle School. Her choirs have joyfully performed in Orlando, Toronto and New York City's Carnegie Hall.
kstgeorge@westfordk12.us
Melissa McDonald
Melissa McDonald has been teaching digital arts at Westford Academy since 2003. She earned a Bachelor degree in Fine Arts & Graphic Design and a Masters degree in Education, both at The University of Massachusetts Lowell. Melissa loves working with high school students as she is constantly amazed and inspired by their talents and creations. In her free time she enjoys freelance designing, painting murals and spending time with her husband and four children.
mmcdonald@westfordk12.us
Michael Towers
Michael Towers is the Artistic Director of Westford Academy Theater Arts (WATA) and the Summer School for the Performing Arts. In conjunction with guest professionals from the Boston area Michael produces four mainstage and four black box productions in his WATA Season showcasing the talents of his one hundred and fifty secondary theater students. Michael's productions of My Name is Asher Lev, Dancing at Lughnasa, Chamber Music, J.Caes, The Hairy Ape, and Melinda Lopez', Sonia Flew were each named the Massachusetts Educational Theater Guild's State Finals Winner. In 2009, Michael earned his MFA in Playwriting from Boston University under the instruction of Melinda Lopez, Ronan Noone and Kate Snodgrass. His full-length comedy Five Down One Across premiered at The Boston Playwright's Theater in October of 2010. His short plays have been read and produced by the Munroe Saturday Night Reading Series, the Boston Theater Marathon, and Station Nation-A National Reflection on the Station Nightclub Fire.
mtowers@westfordk12.us