Academic Family Ties

Virginia Invernizzi and Eliot Taft, mother and son, redefine family bonds as boarding school colleagues

Virginia Invernizzi may be the newest member of the CRMS Spanish Department, but she has spent the better part of the previous three decades teaching Spanish at independent schools (including twenty years at Deerfield as well as stints at Thatcher and St. Paul’s). Lured both by the romantic intrigue of the west – the expansiveness of space and people – and by the school’s philosophy and pedagogy, Virginia made the move to CRMS after her son, Eliot Taft (CRMS English Faculty), called to say that a teaching position was available for the 2024-25 school year. Virginia was elated by the prospect. When asked about her first year at CRMS, Virginia effuses, “I am so happy here. The people are so open, and I don’t know what it is, but they’re just nice. I feel like I fit like a glove and it’s seamless.”

Virginia’s generous enthusiasms include an exuberance for her students. Eliot notes that she is amazed and dazzled by how much CRMS students care about their relationships with the faculty.

Virginia teaches Spanish 2 and an upper-level Spanish course for CRMS. Dan Pittz, Chair of the Spanish Department, explains, “she has so much experience and so much energy. She brings fresh new ideas and opportunities to the students.”

As a native Spanish speaker originally from Uruguay, Virginia is delighted by the multicultural fabric of the Carbondale community. She uses her language skills to connect and get involved, and, in this regard, her Wednesday evenings are joyfully full! First, she attends a Spanish language gathering at a local Argentinian restaurant, conversing with Spanish language learners. Then she brings CRMS student volunteers to the local library to tutor adults learning English (a partnership with the nonprofit English in Action). She concludes the evening competing with her husband in one of Eliot’s local trivia nights.

Reflecting on her move west to CRMS, Virginia explains, “I feel like someone was watching over me and said, Virginia, here’s your gift.” And what better gift than to continue her career in Spanish language education, extend and pursue her passions, and live and teach alongside her very own son.

— Katie Hyman