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CHERYDLEAANN, GRADES 7 ANODL 8ETHHISICTSORY
CHALKBOARD ART: THINKSTOCK
GRADE 8CHER, MIDDLE SCHONTCLAIR
TEA RDINATOR, MO Y
COO BERLY ACADEM
KIM
IN THE BEGINNING: When
Cherylanne Amendola’s swim coach quit,
the certified 16-year-old was pressed
into service. “I fell in love with middle
school-aged kids,” she says. “They’re so
fun and coachable, silly and serious at
the same time.” She graduated early from
Montclair State University and attended
Columbia University’s Teachers College
on a full scholarship.
A FUTURE AT MKA: On the way to
signing a contract to teach in the Glen
Ridge school system, Amendola was
offered a job at MKA, and started teaching there in the 2006-2007 school year.
ETHICS IN EVERYDAY LIFE: In grades
4-8, teachers include ethics in their daily
lesson plans. “When we talk about social
class in the middle ages, we talk about
there being ‘haves’ and ‘have nots,’” she
says. “You can’t use the standards of your
time to evaluate the past, but fairness
transcends time.” Students join
Amendola for pizza lunches and hot
chocolate to talk about the ethical
implications of current world events.
A SURPRISE FROM THE
PAST: A former student who
struggled with writing but
seemed to enjoy history class
LET THE
asked Amendola if he could be
RECORD SHOW:
her intern during the Upper
School May term. “He said
he wanted to be a history
teacher just like me,” she says.
“He was so unassuming and
quiet, I had no idea I had an
impact on this child.” ➤
“Ms. Amendola
is constantly reading,
researching and learning.
That way, she can teach more
each year. This is not only a
lesson for Social Studies,
but also a lesson for life.
She inspires me every day.”
LUKE GARDINER, GLEN RIDGE