New Faces at the Hall
There are many updates at Nerinx Hall this year, including the addition of new faculty and staff to several departments. There are new faces in the Counseling Center, Library, Spirit Shop, Math department, English department, Science department, and Admissions.
Ms. Judi Timmons is the new college counselor at Nerinx and is excited for her first year. She has been a part of the Nerinx community for quite some time, as her daughter is an alumna who graduated in 2008. Ms. Timmons believes the school is the perfect size to allow students many choices for getting involved and loves how students feel free to voice their opinions without fear of repercussions. When asked her favorite thing about Nerinx thus far, she divulged, “My favorite ‘thing’ so far — by far— are the people. The students, parents, and staff here have been so welcoming, friendly, and fun.” Ms. Timmons invites all students to come by her office to see her “decisive yellow” accent wall, pet her mermaid pillow, and grab a Kit-Kat.
Nerinx also welcomed the new library assistant, Ms. Lee Ullery, last spring. Ms. Ullery has worked for over 30 years teaching adults in public schools and is excited to work in a Catholic high school. Her daughter currently attends Nerinx, and Ms. Ullery says “Whenever I walk in the front door, I still marvel at this opportunity that I was given. Five years ago, when my family first toured Nerinx on an Open House Sunday, I never dreamt that I might one day work here. Life is full of surprises.” Her favorite thing about Nerinx is the enthusiasm; she believes Nerinx is very “alive.” Ms. Ullery loves that the girls are given many opportunities to be involved in the world as they explore their futures.
Angela Tabash is Nerinx’s new Spirit Shop manager, and she is ready for the new year. Ms. Tabash is an alumna of Nerinx and loved her time as a student here. She says, “Nerinx is a very special place, full of enthusiasm, creativity, spirituality, and deep thinking.” Ms.Tabash knew Nerinx was the perfect fit for her because she loves the creative ability to bring in new items for the students and families to enjoy. Not only is Ms. Tabash the manager of the Spirit Shop, but she is also a mother of four kids, all under the age of 10, and loves to spend time with her family.
The Math department welcomes a new addition to the team, Ms. Susan Dill. Ms. Dill really wanted to get involved in high school level teaching, and Nerinx had an opening. After visiting Nerinx, she enjoyed the feeling about the place. When asked what her favorite thing about Nerinx is thus far, she stated, “I love how polite the students are. I love that at the end of class majority of the students say thank you, and I love the respect they have for each other and staff.” In the future, Ms. Dill would like to get involved in Nerinx theater, but for now, she enjoys her position as a math teacher.
Ms. Heidi Lim is a new English teacher and also the Speech team moderator. Ms. Lim was finishing graduate school at Washington University and wanted to find a way to continue teaching at a rigorous academic level. Nerinx was presented to her by her students from St. Louis as the best all-girls, intellectually-advanced high school. She loves how the school keeps her on her toes, “At Nerinx every week is a surprise. It is both energizing and exhausting.” Ms. Lim would like everyone to feel free to stop by her office to talk about anything; she is always available.
The Science department has hired a new addition to their crew, Mr. Alex Tate. Mr. Tate teaches ninth grade physics and twelfth grade astronomy. He loves the positive energy each Nerinx student has and their eagerness to learn. He wanted to come to Nerinx because “I had always heard really good things, growing up in St. Louis you hear the schools you need to look out for. Originally I didn’t know whether I wanted to be a teacher, but I saw a position open up, gave it a shot, and everything fell into place.” He really enjoys having fun and doing interactive activities in the classroom. He is absolutely the person you can come up to and just spend 30 minutes talking about science. He loves what he teaches and is happy to share his knowledge.
Dr. Theresa Jeevanjee, or Dr. J, has been an active parent at Nerinx since 2010. Now, she acts as a part-time computer science teacher and Robotics club moderator. Dr. J is very passionate about her work. As a woman in a male-dominated career of computer science and engineering, she is in a position to help prepare girls for the field. “It is exciting for me to be a part of helping young girls learn more about STEM at this level.” Her favorite thing about Nerinx so far are her students. They are “such inquisitive, bright, and respectful girls,” she says. She especially loves the positive energy our new principal, Dr. Grumich, has brought to the school; “It is really an exciting time to be at Nerinx.”
Ava Rollins is the new Assistant Director of Admissions for Nerinx. Ms. Rollins graduated from Nerinx 5 years ago, and has since gained knowledge and experiences that she is excited to use in her job at Nerinx. She has always been quite intrigued by the educational system and the impact educational institutions can have on the world, and she believes that the first step is in admissions. “By reaching out and accepting students from all walks of life, admission offices help set the tone for the impact their schools can have,” Ms. Rollins explains. Her favorite thing about Nerinx is how every student is unique and unapologetic for who she is. Ms. Rollins encourages students to reach out to her, and she emphasizes that she is here for each and every student.
With the new staff and faculty members at Nerinx, their varying personalities, teaching styles, and ideas add an exciting new atmosphere to the school. All new members are excited for the new school year and promising eventful teaching careers at Nerinx. Good luck and welcome to the new staff. Here’s to a successful first year at the Hall.
