Aug. 28, 2019
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News A7
Melody Lee: Biology By Sandra Koretz
CAITLIN CHUNG/CHRONICLE
Melody Lee is joining the upper school science department this year and will be teaching Advanced Placement Biology and Genetics and Biotechnology. Lee said she is looking forward to working with students who are passionate about biotechnology.
“I am most excited about that course because even though I am the only person who will be teaching it, it gives me a lot of flexibility to do what I am passionate about,” Lee said. Lee double-majored in biology and education at Smith College. Prior to moving to Los Angeles, Lee lived in New York and taught at Loomis-Chaffee
School in Windsor, Connecticut where she coached varsity cross country and acted as a dorm parent. Lee later received her master’s degree in molecular biology and genetics from New York University. In her free time, Lee also participates in multiple athletic activities, such as ultimate touch rugby, frisbee and track and field. She competed in
the touch rugby USA National Championships in 2017. Lee looks forward to working with students who are excited about science. “I am excited to work with motivated students who are passionate about the subject and that we can work together to do a lot of lab-based activities and projects,” Lee said.
Before joining the school, Limerick obtained a master’s in interdisciplinary art and social practice from the University of Minneapolis. Afterward, they taught multiple classes at the university, including Art and Ethics, Intro to Contemporary Art and Theory and Intro to Experimental Media Arts. Outside of work, Limerick spends time as a performer, having done interdisciplinary
performance art for multiple years at many venues including the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles, an airplane hangar in Santa Monica in collaboration with Postcommodity, and queer performance strongholds across London. Limerick said that, they were surprised by the school’s culture of trust and positivity and that they were excited about joining the community.
JASON MORGANBESSER/CHRONICLE
ly inspiring to me, allowing me to explore movement, and then they inspired me to go to college for dance. I always want to inspire and encourage my students to explore movement and to be curious.” Before becoming a performing arts teacher, Moore earned a BFA at the University of Utah and an MFA from
California Institute of the Arts. After earning her degrees, she taught dance at Hastings College, CalArts and the Buckley School. Moore also choreographed Malibu High School’s annual musical for the past five years and plans to continue working with their students on these productions. One aspect of Moore’s ca-
reer that she enjoys is choreographing. “I just find it to be fascinating,” said Moore. “The constant problem solving, it’s like putting a puzzle together.” Moore said she is looking forward to directing the Upper School Dance Concert and collaborating with the students and production team.
from California State University, Los Angeles. When asked what she is most looking forward to at the upper school, Movsisian said she is excited to get to know and work with her new students. “I’ve heard how hard-working students at Harvard-Westlake are,” Movsisian said. “I am really excited to teach stu-
dents who are so hard-working and eager to learn. I’m looking forward to forging new relationships with my students and colleagues and becoming part of the Harvard-Westlake family. Everyone is so welcoming and helpful, and there a big sense of community and a very positive atmosphere in the school.”
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years old. He earned his bachelor’s degree in painting from Rhode Island School of Design and his master’s degree in studio art from University of California, Irvine. Thompson previously taught at several independent schools, including Crossroads School for Arts and Sciences. Although he mainly focuses
his time on teaching fine arts, he said he also enjoys playing tennis, basketball and guitar. Because he has recently spent time in his studio and focused on his own work, Thompson said he is excited to interact with students again. He also said he is looking forward to hearing students share their different ideas in
the classroom and witnessing all their contributions. “I have always believed that teaching as an artist, the work you do as a teacher really feeds the work that you do in your own studio and that they work in a reciprocal relationship and create a lot of great creative energy.” Thompson said.
with adults,” Wagner said by email. Wagner received two degrees at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and her master’s of education degree at Bridgewater State College for Latin and Classical Humanities. She also taught introductory Latin courses at the middle school for 23 years.
Wagner explains how excited and eager she is to start classes again because of how happy working around her students and fellow teachers makes her. “Young people have always infused my life with joy,” she said, “I am so looking forward to being with the students again and I can’t wait for classes to begin.”
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discovered her love for books when she was young, and acquired her first job working in a library at age fifteen. She has served as a circulation clerk, a library associate for children’s literature and, most recently, a library clerk at the Buggemeyer Library in Monterey Park. Wahl earned a bachelor’s degree in literature from East-
ern Michigan University, as well as a master’s in library science from the University of Southern California. Outside of her job, Wahl pursues her passion of silent films through her blog, “Silence is Platinum,” where she writes about the creators of the art to ensure their stories are not forgotten.
Reb Limerick: Visual Arts By Jason Morganbesser Reb Limerick will join the Visual Arts department for the upcoming school year as a new teacher of Video Art I, Video Art II and Video Art III. “I love to help students discover deep connections between themselves, their studies and the world at large,” Limerick said. “I see myself as a catalyst within the classroom, here to inspire artistic
exploration, critical analysis and empathic allyship.” In addition to teaching classes, Limerick will also help organize Westflix, the student film festival, which will be a red carpet event held at the Arclight Hollywood in March . “I am feeling grateful to be part of this amazing community and to look out my classroom window each morning and see a canyon of trees,” Limerick said.
Anne Moore: Performing Arts By Caitlin Munoz
CAITLIN MUNOZ/CHRONICLE
Anne Moore is joining the school community as a performing arts and part-time dance teacher. “I’m looking forward to working with the amazing dance students at HarvardWestlake,” said Moore. “My teachers growing up were real-
Gohar Movsisian: Math By Tessa Augsberger Gohar Movsisian joined the Upper School Mathematics Department this upcoming year to teach Algebra II with Analysis, Precalculus and Precalculus: Trigonometry and Functions. Movsisian worked as the chair of the mathematics department at Rose and Alex Pili-
bos Armenion School, a K-12 school in Los Angeles. Movsisian previously taught Algebra II, Precalculus, Advanced Placement Calculus and Advanced Placement Statistics. Movsisian earned her bachelor’s degree in pure mathematics from California State Polytechnic University, Pomona and has a master’s degree in applied mathematics
Conor Thompson: Visual Arts By Alexa Druyanoff
ALEXA DRUYANOFF/CHRONICLE
After substitute teaching photography at the school for two months last year, Conor Thompson will join the Visual Arts department full time to instruct Drawing and Painting classes. Thompson started painting in high school when he was 14
Joyce Wagner: Latin By Marine Degryse After six years of retirement, Joyce Wagner will be returning to the World Languages Department to teach a section of Latin II at the Upper School. Since her retirement in 2013, she has spent her time consulting for Paramount Pic-
tures, consulting for movies like Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension. While she spent most of her time working on different projects, Wagner also traveled to New England, where she relaxed, read many novels, and baked “decadent desserts”. “I was retired for six years and spent most of that time
Jessica Wahl: Library By Jane Hamilton
SARAH MITTLEMAN/CHRONICLE
Jessica Wahl joined the school community as a librarian this year. Along with her library duties, she will work in the upper school Learning Center to provide assistance for students in writing and executive functioning. “I’m hoping to bring my
love of libraries and literacy [to Harvard-Westlake],” Wahl said. “I love what libraries can do for people and what they have to offer. It’s not just books. It’s a place to come hang out [and] to get questions answered.” Wahl has nearly twenty years of experience working in libraries. She said she