Leadership & Faculty Home / About Us / Leadership & Faculty Dedicated Leaders & Expert Teachers At our school, everyone works together to make sure students and families feel happy and supported. Our leaders, staff, and teachers are all here to help. Our teachers love sharing what they know, whether it’s about reading, music, or outer space! They make learning fun and exciting, helping students explore new things and find what they love. Together, we create a special place where students can grow and learn every day. From The Head of School Joanne Pate Dear Future Rhoades School Family, I came to Rhoades thirteen years ago as a parent. My daughters — one in fourth grade, one in sixth — were the ones walking through the door for the first time. I know what it feels like to be on your side of this letter. What I didn’t expect then, and what I still find myself thinking about now, is how quickly this place becomes home. The people here — teachers, families, kids — actually act like it. When parents describe Rhoades, the word they reach for most often isn’t “curriculum” or “outcomes.” It’s “community.” That’s what happens when curious kids spend years alongside teachers who genuinely know them. Those teachers are worth saying something specific about. Many have been here for fifteen, twenty, even thirty years — they stay because this is the kind of school where teaching means something. They hold advanced degrees and deep expertise in their fields, and they approach each student as an individual: what does this particular child need to be pushed, to feel safe enough to try hard things, to build the confidence that carries into high school and beyond? The campus itself reflects that same intention. Our Lower School was modeled after the Native American pueblos that our founder, Charlotte Rhoades Glinski, studied and admired — an architecture with warmth and history built in. The Middle School has an outdoor space we call Camp Rhoades, where you might find an entire class spread across the lawn deep in discussion, or two students working through a problem in the shade of one of the campus’s old trees. Learning here doesn’t only happen at desks. I think about our graduates often. They come back — and not just to visit. They come back because this was a place where they were genuinely known. They leave as critical thinkers who can articulate what they believe and why, going on to high schools and universities of their choosing. What I hear from them most is a version of the same thing: Rhoades prepared me for whatever came next. If you’d like to come see the school in action, I’d love to show you around. There’s nothing I can write here that compares to watching a class in motion. Warmly, Joanne Pate Head of School, The Rhoades School Read More Browse By Role All Roles Faculty Leadership Search Amaya Aladross Lower School Before & After School Counselor Amaya Aladross Lower School Before & After School Counselor Email Katie Atkinson 4th Grade Katie Atkinson 4th Grade Mary Bologna Middle School Math Mary Bologna Middle School Math Email Ansuya Bose Dean of Students Ansuya Bose Dean of Students Email Kimberly Cirillo Kindergarten Kimberly Cirillo Kindergarten Email Siobhan Crews Middle School Drama Siobhan Crews Middle School Drama Email Nick Dei Middle School Physical Education Nick Dei Middle School Physical Education Email Maggie DiGrazia Lower School Fine Arts Maggie DiGrazia Lower School Fine Arts Email Priscilla Drew Enrollment Director Priscilla Drew Enrollment Director Email Robert Ellison Middle School Math Robert Ellison Middle School Math Email Mariam Enayat Preschool Mariam Enayat Preschool Email Ron Florentine Middle School & Lower School Music Ron Florentine Middle School & Lower School Music Email Christelle Francois Preschool Christelle Francois Preschool Miranda Garcia 2nd Grade Miranda Garcia 2nd Grade Email Barbara Govea Garcia Preschool Office Administrator Barbara Govea Garcia Preschool Office Administrator Kristofer Gray Middle School Spanish Kristofer Gray Middle School Spanish Email Page 1 of 4 Jump to Page Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Learn More About Rhoades Teachers What qualifications do teachers at The Rhoades School hold? All teachers hold a minimum of a bachelor’s degree in education or a related field, and a significant majority possess advanced degrees in specialized areas such as curriculum development, gifted education, or subject-specific instruction. Most of our educators also hold teaching credentials, ensuring that their deep subject-matter expertise is paired with mastery of instructional best practices. How does The Rhoades School invest in its teachers’ ongoing growth? We believe that a dynamic classroom starts with a continually developing teacher. The Rhoades School provides a robust ecosystem for professional evolution, including dedicated time, financial resources, and one-on-one coaching. Our educators engage in high-impact training focused on differentiated instruction, student-centered learning, and project-based mastery. This investment ensures our faculty remains at the forefront of pedagogical research, allowing them to transform the latest educational theories into classroom reality. Do you have long-standing faculty and staff at The Rhoades School? We are proud to have a core group of legacy educators who have shaped the Rhoades experience for decades; in fact, 11 of our teachers have been part of our school family for more than 15 years. What makes teachers at The Rhoades School exceptional? What truly distinguishes our teachers is their commitment to the same intellectual curiosity they foster in their students. We personalize professional development to align with each teacher’s specific goals, deepening their practice and keeping them current in their field. We even offer educational assistance for advanced degrees, reinforcing our core belief: when teachers are encouraged to be scholars, they create a classroom environment where scholarship is both aspirational and achievable for every student.
