CSW Welcomes New Faculty and Staff
Please join us in welcoming new faculty and staff to the CSW Community!
Calin Duke is the new costumer for our Theatre Department. In addition to being paid to be an inflated sea urchin, firefighter, and farm-to-school manager throughout the course of her career, Calin also brings to CSW over 20 years of experience as a classroom teacher, much of it internationally. While teaching in Colombia, India, and Lebanon, Calin began a business selling upcycled clothing of her own design. When she returned to the United States with her collection of beautiful fabric that she amassed in her travels, she studied Fashion Design at Parsons, The New School, where she also received a certificate in Streetwear Essentials. Calin holds a B.A. in linguistics from University of California at Santa Cruz, as well as a master’s of education from Portland State University. Her first book, How To Upcycle Nearly Everything, is due out any day now.
Brit Garner has joined CSW’s Science Department. A native Floridian, Brit received a B.S. degree in zoology with a minor in wildlife ecology and conservation from the University of Florida and a M.S. degree in marine biology from the University of North Carolina Wilmington (2010-2012). Her research during these degrees included topics such as shark attack risk assessment, phylogenetics, conservation genetics, and ancient DNA. After graduation, she became an adjunct professor at Brunswick Community College outside of Wilmington, before beginning an MFA program at Montana State University in science and natural history filmmaking. After a year of that program, she began to miss research science and switched to a Ph.D. program at the University of Montana in fish and wildlife biology. She joined the world of science communication in 2017, hosting SciShow Psych on YouTube, and continues to explore that world at present. In July 2021, she graduated with a Ph.D. in interdisciplinary studies. Since graduating, she has teaching science full-time to 7th and 9th graders in NYC.
David Irons has returned to the Boston area as CSW’s new technical theater director after seven years in the same position at the University School outside of Cleveland, Ohio. Having graduated from college with a B.A. in classical and medieval studies, he taught at Thayer Academy before earning his master’s in classics from King's College, London. Following a year at Fort Worth Country Day, he began to follow his love of technical theater in Cleveland, and is very excited to be back near his hometown of Braintree, Massachusetts.
Lizzy Knight joined CSW’s Science Department in the spring of 2021 and has returned full-time this fall. Lizzy graduated from Reed College with her B.A. in chemistry. While at Reed she studied organometallic complexes and how they can be used as tools to manipulate or aid chemical reactions. Outside of studying chemistry, she loves to explore the outdoors through rock climbing, hiking, and kayaking.
David McCarthy is CSW’s new counselor for 9th grade students, the peer mentor coordinator, and a 9th grade teacher for the PACE program. Before joining CSW, David graduated from Boston University, earning his Ed.M. in child and adolescent mental health counseling. He is currently pursuing his LMHC. He previously interned as a school counselor at Boston Green Academy. During his free time, he likes to play video games, sing, and participate in pickup basketball games at the park.
Meredith Mikell joins us in the Science Department and as a dorm parent, and coaches cross country. She has taught in independent day and boarding schools for 17 years, including at Cushing Academy (MA), Santa Catalina School (CA), and Berkeley Preparatory School (FL). Meredith lives on campus at CSW with her eight-year-old son, and also has a stepson serving in the U.S. Navy. She studied marine science at Eckerd College for her undergraduate years, aeronautical science at Embry-Riddle for her master's degree, and is currently pursuing a doctorate through Wilmington University.
David Mountcastle has returned to CSW after a few years away. Going into his twentieth year in the admissions field, David has worked at three schools in the greater Boston area, as well as an international school in the Swiss Alps. David also has done secondary school counseling and advancement work at other schools. He experienced first-hand the transformational power of independent schools when he transferred from public school to a boarding school in eleventh grade. After graduating from St. Mark's School (MA), he attended Bowdoin College where he majored in biochemistry, was a member of the Residential Life team, and played on the men's varsity hockey team.
Jason N. Smith joins the Language Department as a French and Spanish teacher. Prior to coming to CSW, Jason worked at the Taft School (CT) and The Westminster Schools in Atlanta, GA. Jason loves exploring language and culture with his students and making sure all students can see themselves in the language. He has two bachelor's degrees (marketing & French) and a master’s degree (Spanish) from Auburn University. He has done post-graduate French studies at NYU Paris, and is currently working on his Ed.D. in curriculum and instruction at Texas A&M University, where he is researching cultural teaching and learning in the language classroom.
Ruby Stardrum, LMHC, joins the Health and Wellness team as a new School Counselor this year. Previously, Ruby worked as a counselor with college students at both MassArt and Berklee College of Music, and also has experience running her own psychotherapy private practice. Before entering the mental health counseling field, Ruby was a teacher for several years. Ruby holds a bachelor's degree from Wesleyan University in feminist, gender, and sexuality studies, a master's degree from Bank Street College of Education in childhood general and special education, and a master's degree from UMass Boston in mental health counseling.
Dee Tran will be joining the Visual Arts department as the digital photography teacher. Dee graduated from MassArt with a B.F.A. in photography. She accomplished a year of service with Americorps, facilitating a high school leadership group at the Stoughton Youth Commission. Prior to CSW, Dee was teaching digital photography and assisting in lowerschool classrooms at Dedham Country Day School (MA). In the Summer, she teaches photography at the Horizons program at Dedham Country Day.
The Cambridge School of Weston is a progressive high school for day and boarding students in grades 9–12 and PG. CSW's mission is to provide a progressive education that emphasizes deep learning, meaningful relationships, and a dynamic program that inspires students to discover who they are and what their contribution is to their school, their community and the world.