Meet Some of Our
Grades 5-8 Educators At WNS, teachers know each child as a learner, what excites them, where they’re growing, and when they’re ready for the next challenge. With the right support and encouragement, students build confidence, curiosity, and increasing independence.
JOHN UMEKUBO Director of Social Entrepreneurship
STEPHANY PEREZ Middle School Math & Dance Teacher; 7th Grade Dean
9 years at WNS
6 years at WNS
When something doesn’t work, that’s data.
It’s safe to share unfinished thinking.
In Game Design Studio, students don’t just play games—they design and playtest their own. When a rule doesn’t work (we call it a “fizzle”), that’s not failure; it’s data. Students revise, test again, and use feedback to improve their ideas.
In my math classroom, students learn to say, “I respectfully disagree,” before explaining their thinking. Challenging an idea becomes part of our shared language, helping students feel comfortable sharing unfinished thinking and learning from one another.
MEAGHAN MIHALIC 6th Grade Social Studies Teacher; 6th Grade Dean 16 years at WNS
Ideas connect across subjects and to the world beyond the classroom. Middle school students are at a stage where curiosity, independence, and confidence are rapidly developing. I love helping students recognize the interdisciplinary nature of learning and see how ideas connect across subjects and to the world around them. One of my favorite moments is when I hear, “Is this science, English, or social studies class, Ms. Mihalic?!”
TIM WHITEMAN Dean of Students; 6th Grade English Teacher 7 years at WNS
Trust—but verify. I encourage students to gather what they can during our time together—and then seek more clarity on their own. Learning is a journey of discovery for students and teachers alike. Helping students question, investigate, and look beyond what they’re given is how they become lifelong learners prepared to positively impact the world around them.
Exceptional teaching starts with connection. Our faculty create the relationships that help students take risks, ask big questions, and grow with confidence.