Esperanza Academy - Meet Our Teachers

Caitlin Bixby

Caitlin Bixby is a second year teacher at Esperanza Academy. For the 2010-2011 school year she worked as an AmeriCorps teaching fellow. This year she will be a classroom teacher. Caitlin graduated summa cum laude from Roger Williams University in 2010 with a Bachelor of Arts. She majored in Elementary Education and Psychology and is a recipient of the John Dewey Award for Academic Excellence in Elementary Education.

Becky Cutts

Becky Cutts is in her third year teaching fifth and sixth grade science at EA. Prior to this Mrs. Cutts taught 16 years at Pike School in Andover, MA and was science department chair for many of those years. She is known for developing and writing curriculum and she has mentored many Masters Degree students from Lesley who interned with her at Pike. Mrs. Cutts is an avid tennis player, reader and cook who loves to spend time with her family. Mrs. Cutts has her degree in education from Miami University (Ohio).

Allison Bouchard

Alison Bouchard grew up in New Hampshire. She received her BA in 2008 from The College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, MA, where she majored in English. Following college, she worked as an AmeriCorps volunteer at The Nativity School of Worcester for two years, where she taught ELA, Social Studies, Reading, and Religion. Alison also attended Clark University and received her MAT (master in the art of teaching) in 2010. After her time in Worcester, Alison moved back to New Hampshire to be closer to her family. Alison started working at Esperanza in 2010, and got married in thesummer of 2011.She and her husband Keith now live in Salem, NH, with their cat, Aidah. They enjoy reading, traveling, camping, hiking, mountain biking, and spending time with family and friends. They are expecting their first child in summer 2012.Alison loves teaching at Esperanza Academy, and she is looking forward to helping her students gain a love of learning, in addition to knowledge

Dianne Fields

Dianne is looking forward to her 5th year teaching at Esperanza Academy. Dianne is a life long learner who believes in integrating media into education wherever possible. While attending Hofstra University, Dianne interned in the Instructional Television department at WLIW, a public broadcasting station. Upon graduating college, she worked in the Schools TV Group at the BBC in New York. She returned to Boston in 1997 to work at a research and development company (BBN, now part of Raytheon). In those early years, the Internet was just becoming available to the public, and technologists were wondering how it could realistically enhance education, business and commerce. Dianne went on to work at various instructional software companies, and joined the Greater Lawrence YWCA in 2001 as coordinator for their Tutoring Center. She came to Esperanza as part of a partnership with the YWCA to bring STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Math) programming to Esperanza students.

Nerissa Gleason

Ms. Gleason teaches English Language Arts, Reading, and History. Ms. Gleason is a native resident of Lowell, Massachusetts. She received her Bachelor’s degree in English and American Studies from the University of Massachusetts Lowell, along with her Master’s Degree in English curriculum and instruction. Middle school has always been her passion because of her commitment to help adolescents feel more empowered and self-confident in their journey and growth as young adults. Ms. Gleason’s own middle school experience served as a primary catalyst in her decision to become a teacher. Because of the constant bullying and lack of support she received from her middle school peers and teachers, she has long since made a decision to make sure no other young adult feels the same isolation she experienced as a former student. Ms. Gleason hopes to inspire her students to use writing as an outlet for self-expression and personal discovery. She is confident in all of her students, regardless of their backgrounds or circumstances, and she believes each Esperanza girl has the ability to use writing as a tool to unlock hidden strengths they never knew existed.

Jim Nichols

Mr. Nichols graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics from Christian Brothers University and a Master of Arts in Economics from The University of Memphis. He then spent the next 35 years in business where he had many roles and responsibilities. This included working in marketing for nearly 20 years and then being the President of four different companies, including a baby food company and a cereal company. During the next phase of his life, Mr. Nicholas spent 6 months as an intern in the mathematics department of Shore Country Day School, in Beverly, MA. As he begins his fifth year at Esperanza Academy, he will continue to teach mathematics as well as advise sixth grade students.

Andrew Nimmer

Andrew Nimmer holds a BA in Environmental Studies from The University of California Santa Cruz. He began my teaching career doing science outreach programming throughout the San Francisco Bay Area with an organization called Tree Frog Treks. During this time, Andrew developed high energy hands on teaching style and worked with students from a wide range of ages and backgrounds. After three years, he left the Bay Area for a nationally renowned science teaching fellowship at Eagle Rock School and Professional Development Center in Estes Park Colorado. At Eagle Rock, he honed his practiced and received extensive training in the workshop model, experiential learning, and curriculum creation. Throughout this time, Andrew worked for The Road Less Traveled LLC as their senior leader for international service and adventure trips for high school age students during the summers. In addition to traveling the world, I led 10 day staff orientations on risk management, conflict resolution and trip programming. Andrew now works as a Science teacher for Esperanza Academy. At Esperanza, he teach a wide range of science topics to students in the 5th through 8th grade. Andrew feels fortunate to work at a school with such an amazing student body and with a faculty that ceaselessly strives for improvement.

Leah Boylan

Leah Boylan graduated from Bryn Mawr College in May 2011 with a BA in mathematics. She has previous experience working in a Philadelphia public high school as well as academic summer programs and internships in various Philadelphia schools. She participated in Philadelphia's mural arts program in 2011. She has also studied math in Budapest, Hungary through her college.

Briana Gross

Briana Gross is an teacher this year at Esperanza Academy. Briana is a recent graduate of Bates College, where she majored in History, minored in Spanish, and was a member of the Bates Women's Lacrosse team. Briana has been a youth lacrosse coach for 8 years and is excited to bring these skills into the classroom.

Jhovanny Martes-Rosario

Jhovanny Martes Rosario was born on May 18, 1974, in the city of Santiago de los Caballeros, the Dominican Republic. He has a degree on English as a foreign language (EFL), and a Diploma in Spanish as a Foreign Language (DELE). Mr. Martes had the honor to be the Academic Director of two language schools located in the Dominican Republic: American Language Partnership International and Community Language Exchange Institute. He has also worked as a writer for two newspapers: Siglo21 and El Diario. Mr. Martes has written 5 books about social issues (one about politics), several articles, stories and poems, which he hopes will sooner or later be published. In his free time, he loves to spend time with his lovely family.

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Meet our Teachers