Faculty and Staff

Director: Heather Christy-Robinson

Heather

Currently an English instructor at SUNY Orange and formerly an instructor in the Divisions of English and of Education at Mount Saint Mary College, I am a mother of three children (Corbin, age 15; Malia, age 11; and Griffin, age 7) and am married to Doug Robinson, a professor of Biology at MSMC.  I have taught at all levels in both public and private schools.  I am certified as an elementary and special educator in New York, and have been since 2003.  I am a board member of the Balmville PTA and the Balmville Grange .  With regard to education, I am a constructivist.  That is, I believe all children create their own knowledge through genuine experiences to learn.  Our program mostly follows an epistemological approach in which children explore systems of knowledge.  With the Science Through ART program, I hope to offer opportunities for my children and yours to enjoy learning for the sake of learning! I am so excited to be able to run our program again for the fourth year.  It’s awesome to ‘plant a seed and watch it grow and blossom’!  I am proud of this program because kids enjoy themselves while learning. Yo hablo español. Por favor llámeme si tiene algunas preguntas.

 

      Lead Teacher: Kristen Drew Tamberino

Hi Everyone!
My name is Kristen Drew Tamberino, and I am so thrilled to work with S.T.ART for a second year! I have been a teacher at Hudson Hills Academy for almost 9 years. In addition, I have run their summer camp for the past 7 years,  so I know how to have a great time with the kids at camp. I’ve worked with children from ages 3 to 13; I know how to differentiate lessons and adjust my care of children.  I LOVE art, and science is cool, so I am so excited to join the team.
As a head of a camp, I knew safety and fun were of the utmost importance.  At S.T.ART, we will have the same. I have done project-based learning since I started at HHA. I also ALWAYS incorporate art and hands-on  learning in my classroom. HHA has a Montessori program so we stress the “follow the child” philosophy and at ScienceThroughART, we will have fun doing the same thing.
I look forward to working with your children this August. Please come say hello.
Happy Summer!

Lead Teacher: Danny Barbuto

Greetings, all! My name’s Danny Barbuto. I’m a member of the class Mammalia who enjoys the use of his​​ opposable thumbs. If you attended the Wappingers or Poughkeepsie school districts any time over the past decade, there’s good chance you know me, as I’ve been employed there as a substitute teacher. I hold a New York State Public School Teaching Certification as well as a Master’s degree in Childhood Education with a focus in Math, Science, and Technology. (Well, technically they’re on my wall, but you get the idea). I believe that both science and art should be messy, interactive, and fun, and I have only once before accidentally blown something up. See you this summer!

Lead Teacher: Sarah Anne Sherar

Hi! My name is Sarah Anne Sherar. This is my first year teaching at S.T.ART, and I am very excited to spend the summer with our campers! I graduated with a B.A. in English from MSMC in 2005. For several years after graduating, I worked as a morning show co-host for WRRV, a local radio station. I then decided to pursue a career in education, earning my Master’s Degree in Childhood Education from Dominican College and obtaining my NYS Teacher Certification. I have worked as a Title 1 Reading and Math Specialist for grades 1-8 and as a Pre-K Aide. Recently, I began substitute teaching again after taking some time off to be a stay-at-home mom. I look forward to guiding, interacting with and encouraging your children while they discover science through art this summer!

Lead Teacher: Lea Weinstein

Hello! My name is Lea Weinstein, and I absolutely love teaching. I am so excited to begin an educational journey with Science Through ART! It works out well, because I have a passion for both. I look forward to intertwining both disciplines because I believe that teaching a deep appreciation for nature can develop a sense of calm and confidence within the young mind.  I earned a Bachelor’s of Science in Education from SUNY New Paltz in 1998, and began as a teaching assistant at a school primarily for children on the Autism Spectrum. It was there, at my first teaching job, that I learned patience and compassion as an educator. I earned my Master’s degree with honors at The University of Bridgeport in K-12 Education. I loved the variety of different learning and teaching experiences. I learned there how to become a lifelong learner. For the majority of my career, I was employed by the NYC board of Education, where I taught on various levels and subjects. My most poignant years were teaching kindergarten, sixth grade English and Social Studies, and Science. I am a mother of an awesome 15 year old boy who continues to teach me what I believe to be the best lesson of all: unconditional love.

 Middle School Teacher: Vicki Caruana

Vicki Caruana is a professor of Education at Mount Saint Mary College who has taught students from grades K-12. Vicki also homeschooled her own children and has worked with middle and high school students in various summer enrichment programs since 1988. Vicki taught science at the middle school level and loves to use hands-on experiences to build new knowledge. Vicki will be teaching science using fiber arts this summer.

Assistant Teacher: Kim Robinson

I have been with S.T.ART from the very beginning!  I live in Flanders, NJ.  My daughter, Skylar, is 10 years old.  I am excited to return to the S.T.ART Program to explore the sciences and arts together.  I am looking forward to exploring new types of science and art! I can’t wait to make learning science fun for the kids.  Everyone tells me I’m great with children and I am looking forward to spending more time this summer in a hands-on learning environment.

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