Five New Paths Into the Classroom: SWHS Welcomes Its Newest Educators
Señora Maria Kesel, a new Spanish teacher who joined the South Windsor School District at the beginning of the 2025-2026 school year, is a new addition to South Windsor High School’s Spanish department.
Señora Kesel was born in Arequipa, Peru, the second largest city in the country.
“They call it “ciudad blanca” or white city due to a volcanic white rock that’s used in many of our buildings,” Kesel said.
She came to the U.S. when she was 14 years old, right when she was about to start high school. She had to switch high schools three times. Señora Kesel’s first high school was Islip High School in Long Island, New York, for only a semester. After that, she moved to Connecticut, where she attended New Britain High School for three years, and then Middletown High School for her senior year.
“This time was most definitely a cultural shock and challenging in many ways,” Kesel said. “But, in the end, I became the person I am today, thanks to those experiences.”
After high school, Señora Kesel attended Middlesex Community College where she graduated with a degree in social services, and after that, she returned to college in Central Connecticut University, where she worked hard to earn her degree in Spanish.
In her free time, Kesel enjoys exploring the outdoors, whether it’s by going for a camping trip or just experiencing connections with natural beauty. She also appreciates spending time with her family without any interruptions from screens or technology the most.
“Last summer, we went to Burlingame State Park in Rhode Island for a few days of camping,” Kesel said. “It was my favorite. We all decided we need to go back but for longer next time.”
Before joining the South Windsor School District, Señora Kesel worked with 5th and 6th graders at West Woods Upper Elementary School in Farmington, and after that, she worked with middle and high school students in East Granby.
But there’s a reason why she’s been passionately working in the World Language Department for so long: she had an inspiration, a role model who impacted her in a beautiful way, and it showed her how she wanted to impact other kids in her life.
“Mrs. LaRosa, my language teacher at MHS, left a huge impact on me,” Kesel said. “She was the kind of teacher everyone went to. I remember she had a wall full of school photos from the many students that would share their pictures with her.”
Another captivating factor for Señora Kesel is the Spanish culture itself! She has a lot of appreciation for her beautiful heritage.
“It’s rich, beautiful and diverse,” she said. “The music, the many holidays and parties, the food, the many countries that make it up, it’s all so wonderful, colorful and full of energy.”
Señora Kesel also understands how important it is for the new generations of society to keep learning new languages. Knowing how languages are spreading all over the world, she recognizes the fact that people need to develop ways of communication with diverse populations.
“I think it’s where the world is going,” Kesel said. “Just in the US alone Spanish is becoming more mainstream than ever. Not to mention being able to connect with others on a deeper level by speaking their language and being familiar with their culture. I think everyone should experience learning a second language.”
In order to enhance this exciting experience for everyone, Señora Kesel has several ideas and goals for this year. With these goals, she hopes to attract more interest into this field and just give her students something to look forward to in their day!
“I hope to continue teaching in a way that’s engaging, inviting and fun for students,” Kesel said. “My goal is to implement more movement activities, interactive games with a little competition and the opportunity to experience the culture through music and perhaps even some food tasting!”
Kesel is enthusiastic for all of the opportunities and adventures this new journey will bring. She has really enjoyed her experience so far in South Windsor, and she expresses lots of appreciation for her welcome.
“I’ve felt so at home at SWHS,” she said. “We have a wonderful World Language department, a supportive admin and the BEST students. From the very beginning everyone I’ve come across has been absolutely wonderful.”
However, Señora Kesel is not the only one who’s delighted at her new experience: SWHS is just as delighted to accompany her along this journey and greet her as another member of our family. Several teachers around Señora Kesel’s room have expressed their pleasure at having Kesel as their new neighbor.
“She just has a really positive and happy vibe, so it’s great to see her in the morning and all throughout the day if I need a pick-me-up,” a fellow World Language teacher, Senor Ramos said. “We also teach at the same class level, and it’s cool to see her perspective when we collaborate, and it makes me a better teacher.”
“She’s lovely, very friendly and also very outgoing,” Italian teacher, Mrs. Zaccardelli teacher said. “ She’s so sweet and kind. I really enjoy having her be part of our department.”
Many students have also expressed their admiration for their new Spanish teacher.
“She’s really nice, and she’s also taught us a lot so far,” freshman Olivia Dziadul said. “She’s also adapting really well to our class and we play a lot of fun games.”
“She always gives us a warm smile when we enter the room,” freshman Mia Delany said. “She makes us feel so welcome and really helps lighten our moods with her kindness and engaging class. Señora’s not only a great teacher, but she’s a really nice person, as well!”
Everybody is very excited to warmly welcome a new member into the Bobcat family.
“I‘m looking forward to many years at SWHS,” Señora Kesel said. “¡Vamos Bobcats!”
Profe Ruiz, a new Spanish teacher, recently joined the South Windsor High School staff for the 2025-2026 school, due to a shortage of Spanish teachers.
He was born and raised in his native country of Mexico, but never visited other Spanish speaking countries. However, in the future Profe Ruiz plans to visit Panama, Costa Rica, and Peru.
Ruiz attended Ithaca college and majored in Sports Information and Communications, along with minoring in advertising. During his free time, he enjoys hiking and spending time with his friends and family.
After college, Ruiz worked in the corporate business sector and made a career change to teaching Spanish. He thought that his interest in Spanish would be awesome to help our future youth have the ability to be successful in a diverse country.
“One thing I’ve come to appreciate about students is that they always manage to meet or surpass targeted objectives even in the world language area,” Ruiz told The Prowl.
Ruiz attended Central Connecticut State University to get his masters degree, and graduated in 2020. After graduating, he spent a short time working at Cheney Tech Technical High School before coming to Timothy Edwards Middle School, where he has resided for the past for 4 years.
Profe Ruiz taught Spanish as a 6th grade Spanish teacher from the year 2021-2025 at Timothy Edwards Middle School. Ruiz had always had an interest in teaching Spanish at the high school level, and is excited to join SWHS for the 2025-2026 school year.
“Profe Ruiz is a very good teacher, and he always makes class fun,” Freshman Arnav Malpure said.
Being a new high school teacher, Ruiz is very helpful and wants his students to do well. He encourages his students to check their assignments on PowerSchool and complete their missing work as soon as possible.
“Profe Ruiz makes class entertaining, helping us learn in a fun way, “freshman Sameeksha Sajjana said.
Ruiz helps his students learn better by spending time with each of them and understanding their strengths and weaknesses. He creates a comfortable environment in the classroom by making his expectations clear to all, while promoting a positive environment.
“Profe Ruiz explains everything thoroughly, helping us have a better understanding of Spanish,” freshman Nibha Bala explained.
The difference between Ruiz’s experience of being a middle and high school Spanish teacher is that high school allows him to engage and have discussions at a higher level. Students are able to learn more Spanish than they did in middle school.
South Windsor High School is excited to announce a brand new addition to the counseling department staff for the 2025-2026 school year. Families and students were notified in late August of the arrival of Ms. Simmi Miranda, the newest SWHS counselor, who will be working with 9th graders of last names M-Z. She started on August 12th and is excited for this school year.
Prior to working in SWHS, Miranda was a school counselor at Maloney High School, located in Meriden, CT. She worked there for four years, specifically as a counselor for freshmen, meaning she brings plenty of experience with her into this role. She noted that she has not faced any difficult adjustments to the position thus far. Mr. Wry, School Counseling Curriculum Specialist, seconded this thought, with nothing but positive things to say about Ms. Miranda.
“Ms. Miranda has been an incredible addition to our counseling department,” Wry said. “Her positive, uplifting energy has blended seamlessly with our team, and she brings a warmth and presence that makes her highly approachable to students, families, and staff alike. She is deeply committed to making a meaningful impact in the lives of students and has already shown tremendous initiative in building strong relationships across our school community. Remarkably, she has adapted to SWHS’s culture and practices with impressive speed—it already feels as though she’s been part of our team for years. I am truly proud of her and excited to see the continued impact she will make.”
As for her reasoning for making the switch to South Windsor, Miranda was in search of a school closer to home as well as a diverse school community, saying that SWHS “checked those boxes”.
“My experience has been wonderful so far and I am so grateful,” Miranda said. “All of the faculty and staff have been very welcoming and friendly, and the school counseling department has been so supportive and always willing to help.”
Miranda expresses a genuine enthusiasm for working with new high school students. Her favorite part of the job is helping students find connections within their school communities, and encouraging them to get involved and pursue their interests. She also places an emphasis on the importance of building confidence in students, especially among freshmen who are new to the building. She hopes to be able to inspire skills like self-advocacy in her students, teaching them how to speak up for themselves and find their way throughout high school.
“I am really looking forward to getting to meet all my students and making connections with them,” Miranda said. “Being a school counselor is so rewarding and I am looking forward to another year!”
Whether you’re a freshman with a last name M-Z, or somebody looking for a friendly face, Ms. Miranda is here to help. She loves to cook, bake, read, as well as spend time with her family. If you see her in the hall she encourages you to “feel free to talk to me about anything related to fitness or food!”
With each new school comes new and exciting things, while there are the new students, new teachers also come in to replace those who have retired. This year, South Windsor welcomes Ms. Taryn Lavoie, comes to SWHS with over 18 years of teaching experience.
Ms. Lavoie grew up in Hamden, CT, but attended the University of Delaware, where she studied secondary math education. She has taught at three different high schools, and even taught nursing students at Goodwin College.
Many students find themselves struggling with math, and Mrs. Lavoie relates to that struggle and hopes to help as much as possible.
“I became a math teacher because I know what it feels like to struggle with a concept—and the satisfaction that comes with finally understanding it,” Lavoie told The Prowl. “I wanted to help students experience that same breakthrough. I’ve always loved how math teaches problem-solving and logical thinking, but more importantly, I wanted to be the kind of teacher who makes students feel supported, capable, and confident.”
To help overcome these hurdles, Lavoie has many routes she would like to explore.
“I meet students where they are,” Lavoie said. “If a student is struggling, I first try to identify the root of the problem—whether it’s a gap in prior knowledge, a misunderstanding of the current topic, or a lack of confidence. I use a variety of strategies like breaking problems into smaller steps, offering visual aids or alternative explanations, and providing extra practice tailored to their needs.”
Lavoie has hobbies that she loves outside of school.
“A fun fact about me is that I’m vegan, and I absolutely love creating delicious, healthy meals, Lavoie said. “Cooking has become one of my favorite creative outlets—I enjoy experimenting with new plant-based recipes that are both nutritious and full of flavor. It’s a great way for me to relax and stay energized, and I love sharing tips and dishes with anyone curious about trying something new!”
Mrs. Lavoie is very excited for this new chapter in her life teaching math at South Windsor High School.
“I’m excited to learn from my new colleagues, contribute to the math department, and become an active part of South Windsor High School’s positive and collaborative culture.”
South Windsor welcomes Mrs. Lavoie and wishes her the best for her first year in this new district.
For the 2025-2026 school year, there is a new addition to the South Windsor High School, Physical Education and Health Department: Mrs. Joanne Stavens-Martin.
Martin had started off her educational career by attending the University of Connecticut and majoring in Psychology, with the plan to be a school psychologist. However, after her graduation, Martin decided she wanted to teach and work with kids within all age levels and help to be more connected/have fun at school.
She then went to Eastern Connecticut State University to get her Physical Education and Health Certification, and then pursued two masters degrees both at Central Connecticut State University, in ED Leadership and her administrative certification, for backup options just in case she ever wanted to switch. Despite holding these additional certifications, Martin currently loves teaching and being in the classroom, and has no plans of pursuing a different career.
Martin started her teaching journey in Vernon and proceeded to teach there for 27 years. During the previous year, Martin decided to switch to South Windsor High School, where her roots are.
“I know a lot of kids in town and it’s a great community and I feel that it is great to be in a town that values sports and activities, ” Martin told The Prowl.
As a mother to 2 SWHS graduates and a current senior in the building, Martin felt this transition would be easy. In addition, Mrs. Martin ran the travel basketball program for many years, creating deep connections within the town.
“I have known Mrs. Martin for over a decade, and know she will make a difference in SWHS students’ lives, just as she has in mine,” former athlete coached by Martin, Eliza Blanchfield, told The Prowl.
Martin’s main goal for her students is to make them feel connected, and for them to know she cares about them, and that they do matter. This goal is achieved by her teaching style, which is quite different from the traditional using technology to learn. Martin believes using games and other activities that are more interactive, will help the socialization and learning of the child.
The main advice that Martin would give for all students is to surround themselves with good people. She believes that if you create connections like she has with others, everything will work out. Martin hopes to have a great year teaching at South Windsor High School, and already feels at home within the building.
Mr. Nobou is one of a few new Spanish teachers at South Windsor High School and aims to make every effort to help his students feel comfortable in his class.
Nobou grew up in the Ivory Coast and came to the U.S. in the late 1980s with his master’s degree in linguistics. After briefly living in New York City, he moved to the Berkshires in Massachusetts. He graduated from the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts with a Bachelor of Science in accounting and finance and later obtained his MBA from American International College.
Before becoming a teacher, he worked as an assistant supervisor at a youth group home for emotionally disturbed children in Lenox, MA. After attaining his MBA, he moved to Connecticut to work for The Hartford Insurance Company as a Senior Investment Accountant. Later, he also worked as a Manager for a Home Health Care Agency.
His time helping at the youth group home inspired him to become a teacher. His favorite part of teaching is “helping students thrive, especially those who are hard to reach,” Nobou said.
He is also an ordained minister, a red belt in Taekwondo, and can clap with one hand.
“He keeps the classroom environment open and engaging and connects with the class,” freshman student Connor Hall said.
