By Kaelyn DiMartino ’25
Here at Derby High School, there are four new teachers and a new school nurse for the 2023-2024 school year. The Raider Press interviewed each new teacher and are excited to share the information about them with the Derby community.
Meet our newest art teacher, Sara Sicona! Sicona is from Fairfield, Connecticut and attended Louisiana State University and Baton Rouge. She fell into teaching art by accident when she was called to substitue for a teacher in her first few years of high school teaching. Sicona stated, “I like how small the school is and like the family feel where everyone sorta knows everyone.” Derby High School welcomed her and made her a part of the family. She is very happy and loves teaching the kids here at Derby High School.
Meet our newest math teacher, Stephen Harrison! Harrison is from Southbury, Connecticut and attended Elms College located in Chicopee, Massachusetts. He became a math teacher because he was inspired by his baseball coach who was also his math teacher. Harrison stated, “ We had a good relationship and he gave me some information as to what being a teacher is all about and kinda helped me go towards that progression.” He loves the small-school feel here at Derby High School. He likes to work with everyone and get to know his students and build good relationships with them. Harrison likes it here at Derby High School and loves the friendly environment that the students and teachers have built.
Meet our newest Social Studies teacher, Daniel McNamara! McNamara is from Rockland County New York and attended the University of Albany and Marist College located in Poughkeepsie, New York. He began teaching social studies because he always loved the subject even as a kid growing up. McNamara stated, “My dad’s a big history buff and I grew up kinda going to all these Civil War battlefields, so I had an interest in history for many many years.” He was inspired by his history teachers growing up and decided that teaching was a great profession that he wanted to go into. He thinks Derby High School is a great fit for him and enjoys getting to know the students and his colleagues.
Meet our newest Special Education teacher, Ellen Stansfield! Stansfield is from Monroe, Connecticut and attended Southern Connecticut State University. She has wanted to teach special education since she was in second grade. Stansfield stated, “My neighbor was actually my inspiration, and I’ve always been friends with people that have different abilities like autism and Down Syndrome. I’ve just always been experienced and it’s my passion.” She loved the interview committee here at Derby High School and said everyone was so nice and welcoming. Stansfield really likes working here with her fellow teachers and loves teaching the students.
Meet our new school nurse, Erin Gregoire! Gregoire is from Waterbury, Connecticut and attended Naugatuck Valley located in Waterbury, Connecticut and Goodwin University located in East Hartford, Connecticut. She became a nurse because she always wanted to help people and knew how important nurses are in the healthcare field. Gregoire stated, “I knew that I had passion for it since I was young and I went after it.” While she was in nursing school, she worked as a public health aid in the school nurse’s office in Waterbury, and ever since then, she knew she liked the school atmosphere and wanted to become a nurse in a school community. She enjoys helping the students and loves working here at Derby High School.
The new teachers and nurse all said they are so excited to be working at DHS and can’t wait to keep exploring the Derby community. We are lucky to have them as a part of the staff this year!
The Raider Press 