Catching up with Carol Gahagan, Lower Campus Division Head

We had a chance to catch up with Carol during a quiet moment over the summer.

RCS: When, and in what capacity, did you join the RCS community and what experiences along the way have helped prepare you to be the leader of the Lower Campus?

CG: In the spring of 2003, after many years of educational experience, I accepted a position as a Learning Specialist at Rippowam Cisqua. As a Special Education teacher, I had always known how to multitask as the position necessitates balancing many pieces: teaching students, working with teachers, and conferring with parents and administrators as well as teaching courses and making presentations to faculty and parents on methods of learning and overcoming learning differences.

Initially, my role consisted of teaching, supporting, and sharing strategies with teachers in Kindergarten through second grade in the areas of handwriting, reading, and written expression. In time, my responsibilities grew as I partnered with the third grade teachers, expanding their reading phonetic program; the fourth grade teachers, assisting students with their writing assignments; and meeting with the pre-school classroom teachers to discuss a child’s developmental goals. It was not long before I was touching every aspect of the elementary school and getting to know faculty, students, and parents in every grade - an incredibly fulfilling role, and an opportunity that I hadn’t anticipated when I first joined the School. In the eight years that I have been a Learning Specialist, being enriched by teacher, parent, and student interactions and experiences, I never imagined that it would grow into this opportunity to lead the Rippowam Cisqua Lower Campus, although, now, as I continue along this new path, it seems so natural.

RCS: How did you originally become interested in teaching as a profession?

CG: This incredible journey of mine in education began when I was in the eighth grade when I joined the Teachers Club. Even back then, I loved children and wanted to help them learn. I attended the School of Education at Boston University and became involved with a faculty that was truly dedicated to teaching students as individuals, and learning to differentiate the instruction according to their needs. By the time I graduated, teaching had truly become my passion. I accepted a position as an elementary school teacher and went on to obtain my Masters Degree, and then a Special Education Certification. My teaching career has consisted of working in independent, public, and parochial schools as well as rehabilitation centers for medically and mentally impaired children, cerebral palsy, and severe learning differences.

It has been an incredible, varied teaching journey for me and I feel, as a result, that I can offer a wealth of knowledge and experiences, which will contribute to my new role. It is with excitement, determination, and compassion that I will lead this exceptional learning community.

RCS: How have you enjoyed your first eight years at the Lower Campus?

CG: When I accepted my position at Rippowam Cisqua, I was at a point in my career, based on my previous experience, when I knew what was needed in order for children to reach their potential and feel successful. I found this opportunity to teach at the Lower Campus perfect for that stage in my development and I have enjoyed my role as a teacher every year! I remember the first day of school when I asked Marylea Franz, then Head of the

Lower Campus, what methods and programs were to be followed. She encouraged me to use my best professional judgment, drawing on my past teaching experiences and to establish my own teaching style in order for students to progress and to enjoy school within the curriculum standards. Accordingly, I have been able to tailor my knowledge and experiences to the needs of the students, differentiating the instruction in order for them to achieve and advance in reading and written expression. I believe we all want our children to be happy in an academically challenging environment where they are taught and encouraged to question, think, speak publicly, and write skillfully about what they are learning in school. That’s exactly what happens at Rippowam Cisqua.

Over the last eight years, my opinions about good teaching have been reinforced by the commitment that I have seen among the Lower Campus faculty, a group of hard working professionals, many of whom came early and left late, and were always willing to collaborate around students and their skills. The exchange of teaching ideas and dedication to the students’ academic achievement is inherent in this school environment. Each year the new and ever changing challenges I see inspire me to continue to learn. Each student is always very different, therefore you can never stop learning, no matter how many years of experience you have! Importantly, I have found over and over that parents are very willing to support their children’s needs and they are comfortable collaborating with teachers, all of which contributes to their children’s progress and their enjoyment in learning. Knowing that we are all part of a team of teachers and families working together makes for a very positive atmosphere for students to excel in their desire to learn.

RCS: Do you have any particular memories from your first years that you would like to share with our readers?

CG: I have many memories from my years of teaching; however, the particular ones I remember most at Rippowam Cisqua are the sincere, innocent comments of young students in my classroom. There were those students who found reading to be difficult at the beginning of the year and were often discouraged, but who, by the end of the year, would proudly announce that they now “love” reading. There were those students who, although assigned to read only five pages a night, decided to read a whole chapter. There were those students who were disappointed when homework was not assigned! My fondest memories are when students suddenly realize that they can blend sounds together to form words. They realize they are reading and the look on their faces is priceless! I also relish the memories of a parent conference going well, and the children saying thank you as they leave my class.

The feeling of exhilaration as the students are singing their hearts out in a sing-along session during an assembly; the feeling that I am appreciated through simple notes that parents, teachers, and students have written; these memories are unforgettable and make my job meaningful.

RCS: What were your first thoughts when you were asked to lead the Lower Campus?

CG: It will be a moment that I will never forget. As I stood there speechless for a few seconds, I realized with all my years of educational experiences that this was an opportunity that I knew would fulfill my final personal goal as an educator. It came at a very good time in my career. I began to hear my own words that I repeated to my children growing up: “You will never know until you try.” I was excited and felt honored to be offered such an important role as a leader. I know the culture of the School, its staff and faculty, the students and parents and, in my new role, I plan to listen and lead, but also laugh along the way.

RCS: Will there be a particular area of focus for you and the faculty in your first year?

CG: Yes, as a matter of fact, I have already met with a number of groups of teachers this summer to discuss the priorities we formulated during the last week of school. One of the areas that we plan to focus upon this year is our involvement in community service. We plan to integrate it into our Character Counts program and School assemblies. This initiative will involve teachers, parents, and students participating in activities in an effort to teach principles such as sharing, respect, caring for one another, and appreciating what we have, compared to those less fortunate. Secondly, we intend to expand our “Reading on the Lower Campus” starting with our preschool children and extending through fourth grade. Thirdly, we will continue to forge a stronger relationship between our two campuses, both academically and socially, communicating more with all the teachers and students by sharing lessons, classroom observations, and School events. Other areas of focus will be reinstating a mentoring program for our new teachers, planning outside assemblies, and tapping into the talents of our students and faculty within our School. We are looking forward to a very exciting and productive year of growing, enjoying, and learning more about one another.

RCS: We are fortunate to have you at the helm. Are there any thoughts you’d like to share with our readers about the upcoming months at RCS?

CG: I actually feel fortunate to be at the helm of the Lower Campus of Rippowam Cisqua. I want the entire community to know that the faculty, staff, and I have worked hard this summer and have been very productive in an effort to help the children reach their full potential in a challenging, creative thinking environment. We want the children to progress and learn, but we also want them to be happy, make new friends, and be kind to one another. It is important to bring out those hidden talents they do not know they even have. We will encourage them to think positively about themselves and we will instill self-confidence. We, as teachers, spend more time with the students during the week than their parents do. I take this fact seriously. Rippowam Cisqua is their second home and it is important for me as one of the School’s leaders to be sure that every child is feeling successful, challenged, and happy. I want our families to know that I have an “open door policy” whereby everyone is welcome to stop by my office informally or make an appointment to talk to me about a child, our school environment, or just to share a thought. Communication is a very important priority for me. Making the time to meet encourages people to connect, understand each other, and develop mutual respect. This is one of my principal goals in our professional learning community. I am looking forward to a very exciting and rewarding year for all of us.