Berkshire Country Day School Announces New Faculty

LENOX, MA (08/03/2012)(readMedia)-- Berkshire Country Day School celebrates a long history of excellence in teaching. This remarkable group of innovative faculty members is welcoming four outstanding educators to the community this year. Sarah Cooke, Joe Katz, Julie Milani, and Amy Sanchez will all begin teaching at BCD this fall and each of them bring to the classroom a commitment to excellence, abundant energy, and a wealth of creativity.

Sarah Cooke joins the BCD community as our new Beginner 3s Preschool teacher. Now residing in Columbia County with her family, Sarah was most recently a preschool teacher at Children's Learning Center of Morningside Heights in New York City. With eight years of experience teaching young children, she has also worked in museum programs and creative and expressive arts workshops for over fifteen years. Sarah has been described as being an "engaging, personable, creative, and passionate educator." Sarah received a B.A. from Sarah Lawrence College and an M.S.Ed. from Bank Street College of Education.

Joe Katz is joining the faculty as the new part-time Woodshop teacher. He has twenty years of experience teaching students in Grades 4 through 12. In addition to teaching woodworking, Joe has experience working with students in such areas as metalworking, ceramics, jewelry making, and architectural design. In addition to his experience as a teacher, Joe has operated his own woodworking and cabinetry business for ten years. He received a B.S. in Industrial Arts Education from Millersville University and a B.A. in Art from Westfield State University.

Julie Milani joins the BCD faculty as the new Grade 1 teacher. Most recently, Julie was the Kindergarten/First Grade teacher in the one-room schoolhouse in South Egremont. With over twenty-seven years of teaching experience, Julie offers the abilities of a practiced educator, demonstrated innovator, and experienced teacher of teachers. Julie received a B.F.A. in Dance and an M.A. in Southeast Asian Anthropology from Ohio University. After a career in dance and movement education, she received an M.Ed. from Bank Street College and started her elementary teaching career in 1988. In subsequent years, Julie completed the Reading Recovery Certification Program at Lesley University and the Administration Program at the Hampshire Educational Collaborative.

Amy Sanchez will join the faculty as a new part-time Spanish teacher. With seventeen years of teaching experience, she has taught for six years as a PreKindergarten through Grade 8 Spanish teacher and eleven as an elementary teacher and math tutor. Eight of her years of teaching elementary school occurred when she was living in Venezuela. Her additional experience includes teaching English classes to employees of international companies. It is clear that Amy will bring the skills of an experienced teacher and innovator, and we are excited about all that she will offer as we advance our languages program in the future. Amy received a B.S. in Elementary Education and an M.A. in Education from the University of Connecticut.

Berkshire Country Day School faculty inspire, shape, and impact each student in meaningful ways that extend well beyond the classroom. They cultivate originality, instill confidence, and model leadership – making the BCD experience one that prepares young people to become critical thinkers, creative individuals, and exemplary citizens of the world. BCD is thrilled to welcome Sarah Cooke, Joe Katz, Julie Milani, and Amy Sanchez to BCD!

ABOUT BERKSHIRE COUNTRY DAY SCHOOL

Berkshire Country Day School, an independent school for students in Preschool through Grade 9, exists to inspire the individual promise of every student so that each may become an exemplary citizen of the world. More information about BCD can be found at berkshirecountryday.org.