The McClancy family, before anything else, is forever growing and changing. This year is no exception. With the addition of 7 new members, we have added some remarkable and compassionate people to our home. As each of them settles into their first year here, I’ve taken a few minutes to question them to try and help us get a better understanding of who they are. Meeting with each of them has been a pleasure and very informative, they’re all wonderful people who I know will be amazing additions to our family.
Mrs. DiMaggio
Mrs. DiMaggio (the newest member of the English Department) started as a college professor. Before she came to McClancy she was a teacher at Plaza College, but it was when she worked at Queens College that she started working at the writing center, discovering her love for teaching. She didn’t just like writing but she loved helping others find their voice. When I asked her about how she knew she wanted to teach she responded, “I just loved encouraging others and helping them see their potential, especially in writing, it’s so personal”. Though she loves writing, and even creatively writes on the side, there’s nothing she loves more than her shelter dog, Karen. While Karen is generally an uncommon name for a dog, Mrs. DiMaggio points out that she can act like “Karen” sometimes.
As for her start here at McClancy, she describes it as charming, thanking everyone who has been welcoming and kind to her. She said that in all the interviews she went to, “institutions didn’t seem to care for their kids as much as we do here”, making it one of the defining factors for her to want to work at our school. As we approached the end of the interview, I asked if she had any advice for her students this year, and responded with a short reminder: “Every second counts.”
Mr. Colombi
Mr. Colombi joined not only our STEM department this year but he’s also become a huge member of our sports department. Previously he worked in sports medicine for 6 years, making this his first year as a teacher. He is no stranger to McClancy though, he coached JV baseball last year and while doing so discovered he loved working here. He learned about how the staff and community aspect of our school was what he loved, he jumped at the opportunity to join our family.
Besides being an athletic trainer here, he also teaches psychology and health. He wanted to go into teaching because he wanted to be a positive influence on people, especially in psychology as he feels it’s very important for people to learn about mental health, particularly children during their high school years. Although Mr. Colombi might seem like a superstar between all his sports medicine background, teaching psychology, and health, there are some things a lot of people might not know about him. Like that, he actually can not swim. Furthermore, when I asked him what his hidden talents were he replied, “Too many to name.” The final question I asked Mr. Colombi to conclude our interview was for a reminder he wants his students to remember this year, to which he said: “Deny, deny, deny.”
Ms. Culcasi
If you had told Ms. Culcasi a year ago she’d be here teaching religion to her very own students, she would tell you you were crazy. In college, she had studied business management, but when her friend told her about an opening here at McClancy she took a leap of faith and took the job. “I never had a thought to be a teacher,” Ms. Culcasi says, “but once I started here I loved it. It came to me right when I needed it. It came at the perfect time for me to fall in love with it.” Ms. Culcasi is no stranger to the religion she teaches, as an adolescent she attended St. Francis Prep and St. Francis College, but even before that, she grew up in a religious household. Religion is something she’s always been surrounded by and wants to share with future generations.
Outside of school, Ms. Culcasi has a hot dog named Dixie who she loves so much. She is one of her favorite parts of coming home every night. Every morning before school, she uses one of her many hidden talents and makes an amazing breakfast meal. Ms. Culcasi left the interview with some motivation she wants her students to remember this year. She found this quote when she felt stuck and it gave her the boost to keep going. She says she wants others to expirence the same effect during times of hardships. So no matter what you’re facing always remeber, “difficult roads often lead to beautiful destinations.”
