By Richard Zowie
Leader Staff Writer
New names, new faces, new ideas.
Oxford Schools got an infusion of new blood last week as the district welcomed 18 new staff members ranging from teachers to administrators.
Let’s meet the freshman class:
Nady Benyamine will be teaching orchestra at Oxford Middle School and either Oxford Elementary School or Lakeville Elementary School, along with sixth-grade choir. Originally from Egypt, Benyamine now lives in Troy with his family. He has two bachelor’s degrees from Wayne State University ? one in violin performance and one in music education. He has performed in several community orchestras, along with the Southern Great lakes Symphony, Rochester Symphonic Orchestra and Il Segreto String Quartet.
‘I believe every student has a potential to develop a certain skill that they can improve and learn to love,? Benyamine said. ‘My job as a music educator is to encourage every student to maintain the love, excitement and discipline so that it will continue with them throughout their lives.?
The native of Giza, Egypt, said he loves Oxford’s family environment and admires the support for the arts and music in the district.
Elizabeth Hague will be working as a third-grade teacher at Oxford Elementary. Originally from Illinois, she recently moved from Florida to Oakland Township where she lives with with her husband, Oxford High School hockey coach David Hague. She graduated magna cum laude from Arizona State University with a bachelor of arts in elementary education.
Hague worked as a second-grade teacher for the past two years in Florida.
‘I want all of my students to have self-respect (and) respect for their peers, community and (the) world as they learn in a positive, successful and nurturing environment,? she said. ‘I love teaching because of the enthusiasm and creative thinking that comes from children.?
Hague said she enjoys Oxford because it seems to her to be a ‘highly-respected? school district that focuses on the community.
Sarah Harris will be working as a speech/language pathologist at Daniel Axford Elementary School. Originally from Macomb, Harris now lives in Ortonville with her husband, Tristan. She has a bachelor of science from Western Michigan University and a master of science from Bowling Green State University. Recently, she finished an internship at Utica Community Schools, where she worked with students from kindergarten through sixth grade. Last year, she worked as a first-grade substitute teacher.
‘I think it is important to maximize learning by creating a comfortable and safe environment for students,? Harris said. ‘It is also important to be structured and to set high expectations, but also to have fun with the students. I love seeing the kids learn and succeed.?
Harris, who recently moved into the area, said she has heard wonderful things about Oxford Schools.
‘My goal is to do the very best I can for each and every student,? she added. ‘I hope to have wonderful relationships with the parents, students and teachers.?
Shannon Huhta will be teaching third grade at Leonard Elementary School. She grew up in Oakland Township and now lives in Shelby Township with her husband, Dustin. Huhta has a bachelor of science in elementary education and is currently working on her master’s in reading with an early childhood endorsement.
Since the 2004-2005 school year, Huhta has been working in Oxford as a substitute teacher in the second, fourth and fifth grades.
‘Through my dedication to the staff, school and community I will teach by encouraging, guiding and supporting each child to develop and maintain the skills and knowledge for a lifetime of success,? she said. ‘I love teaching because I get to make a difference in a child’s life. And there is nothing more rewarding than that.?
Huhta said she has been able to establish great relationships with Oxford’s staff, parents and children during her time as a substitute teacher. She loves the ‘small-town feel? that Oxford has and feels it’ll be a great place to work.
Cindy Keenist will be teaching kindergarten at Lakeville Elementary School. Originally from Pittsburgh, she has lived in Oxford for 20 years. She and her husband, Bill, have three children: Billy, 20, a junior at Adrian College; Christopher, 18, a freshman at Saginaw Valley State University and Lindsay, 14, a freshman at Oxford High School.
Keenist has a bachelor of science degree in elementary education from Indiana University in Pennsylvania. She also attended Oakland University for additional certification in English and Language Arts. She has taught preschool, second grade, sixth and seventh grades.
‘I want to instill in students the joy of lifelong learning by modeling for them that we are never truly finished learning,? Keenist said. ‘Teaching, for me, is not a job, but my passion . . . I want to create an environment in the classroom that allows students to feel excited to come to school everyday.?
Because all three of Keenist’s children grew up in Oxford schools, she knows first-hand of the quality education they have received.
Jeremy LaValley will serve at OHS as Dean of Students. Originally from North Branch, he now lives in Shelby Township with his wife, Tricia and his son, Trey.
LaValley has a bachelor of science degree in psychology and a bachelor of business administration in management from Rochester College and has a specialist degree in school psychology from the University of Detroit Mercy. He has worked at Crossroads for Youth in Oxford as a therapist and as a site supervisor for the last four years.
‘My philosophy on education is that every child deserves a chance and that through positive relationships and creative approaches, all students can be successful,? he said.
Jessie Qi will be teaching ninth-grade Chinese at OHS and seventh-grade Chinese Culture at O.M.S. Originally from Beijing, China, she and her husband, Guangzhi Qu, now live in Auburn Hills. He is an assistant professor in computer science at Oakland University.
Qi (pronounced ‘Chee?) has a bachelor of arts in English education from Beijing’s Capital Normal University. She also has a master’s degree in language, reading and culture from the University of Arizona. She has taught Chinese up to the tenth-grade level and also has taught intermediate algebra.
‘I believe that ‘student-centered? teaching is very important to teach effectively,? Qi said. ‘To do this, I always try to know my students and understand what their needs are. Teaching has always been rewarding to me, especially when I see my students making progress day by day.?
Qi said she has been impressed by the Oxford school leadership and feels it will be an ideal place for her to develop herself professionally.
She added: ‘I will make sure all the students who are taking Chinese will learn in a comfortable environment, and that no one will be left behind when we are moving forward together. I hope in the next year that more and more students will join the Chinese class and love the Chinese culture and language.?
Josh Smokovitz, an Oxford native, will be the director of the Oxford Fine Arts Center at OHS and will serve as the teacher of stagecraft/theater tech classes. He and his wife, Jessica, live in Oxford. He majored in communication and theater and minored in sociology at Saginaw Valley State University.
Smokovitz has served as an auditorium manager at Bullock Creek School District in Midland; assistant auditorium manager at Lake Orion Community Schools and as a substitute teacher at Lake Orion Community Schools.
‘Students in my classroom will feel as though they have a place where they belong,? he said. ‘They’ll learn the importance of being a positive reflection of their school, community and themselves. I hope to teach them how to work hard, celebrate their achievements and maintain a positive attitude.?
Smokovitz finds the support for the fine arts center very motivating and is happy to be here.
Jui-Chao Wang will serve as a music teacher in both the orchestra and choir at one of the elementary schools and at Oxford Middle School. Originally from Taiwan, Wang lives in Farmington Hills with her husband, Charles Fan, and with her son Justin, 12, and 10-year-old daughter Ingrid.
Wang has a bachelor’s degree in music from National Taiwan Normal University, a master’s degree in music from the University of Michigan and doctoral degree in musical arts from the University of Texas. She also attended Wayne State University for her teaching certificate. Wang has taught private lessons for many years and has played in many community orchestras. She has played as the principal cellist for Livonia Symphony Orchestra since 1995.
‘I love teaching, because I like to see children learn and grow,? she said.
Wang finds Oxford to be a very nice community that will keep growing.
‘The people here seem very nice, and the children are well-behaved,? she said. ‘It is my hope that I will help the new orchestra program expand and the choir program maintain the excellent standard.?
Michele Whalen will be teaching art education, ceramics and sculpture along with AP studio art in drawing and painting at OHS. She is from Rochester Hills and currently lives there with her husband and two sons. She has a bachelor of fine arts and a master’s degree in art education, both from Wayne State University. Whalen has worked as a graphic designer, artist and teacher.
‘I like to see the change take place in a student over a period of time,? Whalen said. ‘It’s great to see the growth and appreciation for art in that student.?
She is looking forward to the opportunity to help build a great art department.
‘I want to make the students, their families and my colleagues feel a sense of welcome and growth in my art room,? she said.
Joseph Zmikly will serve as a dean of students at OHS. He’s from Oxford and currently lives in Lake Orion with his wife, Stacey.
Zmikly has a bachelor’s degree in English and History from the University of Michigan and is currently working on his master’s degree in educational leadership from Oakland University. Previously, he taught English at OHS in 2006 and then taught English in Baltimore for two years.
‘My educational philosophy centers around respect, integrity and student centeredness,? he said. ‘What I love about teaching is having an impact on the lives of other people.?
‘My goals are to help create a more positive environment in the high school and to help kids make good decisions,? Zmikly explained.
Also new to the school district this year is Baran Kelly, who will be teaching special education and vocational classes at Crossroads for Youth.
Other new staff members at the district include Jill Brzezinski, Deonna Giacona and Joseph Wood, tutorial assistants at Crossroads; Pi-Fei Elena Fang, a substitute Chinese instructor at the elementary schools (Fang, who will work with Qi, is from Taiwan and is getting her Chinese education certification through Wayne State University); Linda Lewis, an executive assistant for curriculum and district communications at the central office; and Jennifer Matteson, a secretary at Clear Lake Elementary School.