Faculty/Staff

David Collins - Teacher

Tue, 20 Jul 2010 13:16:59 -0400

DAVID COLLINS, Teacher, was born in Hartford and grew up in Allentown, PA. He graduated from Pennsylvania State University in 2010 with high distinction. He received a degree in History and was inducted into the honors society Phi Beta Kappa. David worked as a camp staff supervisor and counselor during his summers in college and wanted a chance to perform service in a related field. While looking for opportunities, David received a tip from a former teacher that Covenant Prep might be a good fit. After accepting an offer to visit Covenant Prep, David was impressed with the general atmosphere and teaching philosophy of the school and decided that it was a place where he could make a difference. This year, David will be teaching 6th grade Social Studies and 8th grade Reading and Language Arts. In addition to being an avid reader and movie buff, David enjoys spending time in the Adirondacks, where hiking, kayaking, and other outdoor pursuits often take up most of his spare time and budget.

Brigid Cremin - Teacher

Tue, 20 Jul 2010 13:16:59 -0400

BRIGID CREMIN, Teacher, is from the North Shore of Chicago, IL and graduated from the College of the Holy Cross in 2010 with a degree in Art History and Africana Studies. At Holy Cross, Brigid was involved with various tutoring programs throughout Worcester, including tutoring African refugees living in the city. In addition, Brigid spent her junior year of college abroad in Cork City, Ireland where she was able to reconnect with her Irish relatives and continue her studies in Art History. Brigid heard about Covenant Prep through Meara Weaver, who was her Spring Break Immersion Program student leader in Spring 2008. Upon applying to the program and visiting the school, Brigid realized that working at Covenant Prep would be a great way for her to give back to the community by providing these young men with an enriching education. This year Brigid will be teaching 6th grade Reading and Language Arts, as well as 7th grade Math. When she is not teaching, Brigid enjoys traveling, listening to music, and spending time with her family!

Meghan Dunne - Teacher

Tue, 20 Jul 2010 13:16:59 -0400

MEGHAN DUNNE, Teacher, is from Mendham, NJ. She recently graduated from the College of the Holy Cross and majored in Biology with a Pre-Medical concentration. She was the captain of the Varsity Division I Cross-Country team and also ran indoor and outdoor track at Holy Cross. She volunteered at the PIP shelter in Worcester and also tutored at the Nativity Prep of Worcester. She lives her life by the quote from Mark's Gospel “to whom much is given much is expected.” She feels she has been given so much in her life and sees volunteering at Covenant as an opportunity to give back. After visiting the school she says “Covenant seemed like the perfect match for me and this was the only place I could see myself after graduation”. She hopes to apply to medical school one day and work with Doctors Without Borders. This year Meghan will be teaching 6th and 7th grade Science and 8th grade Math. Besides running, she also enjoys all things having to do with Holy Cross, weekends on Cape Cod at Nauset Beach, snowboarding, and Hershey bars.

Mathew Obengo - Teacher

Tue, 20 Jul 2010 13:16:59 -0400

MATHEW OBENGO, Teacher, originally from Nairobi, Kenya, graduated from Williams College in 2010 with a degree in Physics. He plans to pursue Electrical Engineering after teaching at Covenant Prep. Mathew spent the summer of 2008 working at a school in Botswana, and he has also served his college community by working as a physics tutor. The experience motivated him to do a year of service before moving on to Engineering school. He was deeply impressed with Covenant Prep’s mission and operating principles when he visited the school, and he knew right away that he wanted to spend his gap year being part of the Covenant Prep community. For his first year at Covenant Prep, he will be teaching 5th and 8th grade science along with 7th grade mathematics. Mathew is a soccer and philosophy enthusiast and enjoys reading and writing poetry.

Ned Turney - Teacher

Tue, 20 Jul 2010 13:16:59 -0400

NED TURNEY, Teacher, grew up just outside Chicago, Illinois in the suburb of Winnetka where he attended New Trier Township High School and then went on to Hobart and William Smith Colleges in Geneva, New York. He graduated in the spring of 2010 from Hobart with a major in Sociology and a minor in American Studies. During his time at Hobart he was a member of the Varsity Sailing Team, an officer in the Sigma Phi Society, and a tutor for the America Reads community service program. In the spring of his senior year, he was awarded the President of the Colleges' Community Service Award for his work as a consultant to the Yates County Family Planning Center as part of his senior sociology seminar. Ned learned of Covenant Prep through close friends including a founding member of the school, Jeff Digel, and looks forward to teaching both 5th and 6th grade Math as well as 7th grade Social Studies. Ned enjoys sailing, golf, the outdoors, and anything having to do with the great city of Chicago.

Brendan Smith - Teacher

Sat, 30 Jan 2010 16:02:52 -0500

BRENDAN SMITH- Teacher, originally from Avon, CT, graduated from Williams College in 2009 with a degree in Political Science. In college, Brendan played intramural hockey and was a part of the College Republican Club. He has an interest in politics and law, and plans on pursuing a career as a lawyer after teaching at Covenant Prep. Before beginning law, Brendan also wanted to complete a year of service close to home. When he discovered Covenant Prep through a newspaper article and learned more about the school, he decided that Covenant Prep would be a good fit. This year, Brendan’s first year at Covenant Prep, he teaches 5th and 6th grade science, 6th grade math, and 7th grade Latin. He is also the robotics club advisor and the fall golf coach.

Brendan.p.smith87@gmail.com

Katherine Zakreski - Teacher

Sat, 30 Jan 2010 16:02:10 -0500

KATHERINE ZAKRESKI- Teacher, originally from Fair Haven, NJ, graduated from the College of the Holy Cross in 2009 with a degree in Psychology and Women’s & Gender Studies. Katie has long had an interest in education and service, and tutored students from local high schools in Worcester, MA, during her years at Holy Cross, and was a teacher’s aide at the YWCA of Central Massachusetts. After hearing about Covenant Prep from other Holy Cross graduates involved with the school, Katherine decided that joining the Covenant Prep community would offer her the chance to give back to a community of students who deserve the same excellent education which she received throughout elementary school, high school, and college. Katie returns to Covenant Prep for a second year to teach 5th grade Social Studies and 7th grade Reading and Language Arts. She will also serve as an advisor to Student Council. Katie also ran cross-country in high school and college, and she will return as one of the cross-country coaches. When she isn’t teaching, Katie enjoys cooking, traveling, the beach, New Jersey bagels, and music, particularly Bruce Springsteen.

Katie.zakreski@gmail.com

Nicole LeFave - Teacher

Sat, 30 Jan 2010 16:01:14 -0500

NICOLE LeFAVE- Teacher, graduated from the University of Connecticut in 2007 with a degree in English and Business, and went on to receive her masters in elementary education at Sacred Heart University in 2008. A native of Guilford, CT, Nicole has been an avid hockey player, and played in college. Nicole learned about Covenant Prep while teaching summer school at Choate Rosemary Hall. She was very interested in the school and the mission around which Covenant Prep is built. When she came to interview, she knew that this was a program of which she wanted to be a part, and is very excited to have the opportunity to have a positive impact on Covenant Prep’s students for a second year. This year she teaches 5th grade Reading and Language arts, as well as 8th grade Math. She looks forward to coaching soccer during the fall. Nicole enjoys sports, particularly ice hockey, as well as music, traveling, and spending time with family and friends.

lefaven@gmail.com

Meara Weaver - Principal

Fri, 04 Sep 2009 15:59:17 -0400

MEARA WEAVER- Principal, grew up in Albany, NY and graduated from the College of the Holy Cross in 2008 with a major in psychology and minors in French and Africana Studies. She studied for a year abroad at the Catholic University of Central Africa in Yaounde, Cameroon, where she had the opportunity to assist teaching a kindergarten class and tutor primary school students. As a Holy Cross student, Meara participated in the Big Brothers Big Sisters mentor program, and also tutored middle school and high school students in Worcester throughout college. Meara discovered Covenant Prep through Patrick Moore while studying at Holy Cross and decided to join Covenant Prep after hearing about the opportunity to be a part of a brand new school with an important and inspiring mission. After an exciting first two years teaching and getting to know and love the School, Meara returns to take on a new role at Covenant Prep as principal. Meara enjoys traveling, the Outdoors, drawing, ice cream, and spending time with her big family.

Meara.weaver@gmail.com

Noah Ratzan - Teacher

Fri, 04 Sep 2009 15:56:26 -0400

NOAH RATZAN- Teacher, was born in Hartford, Connecticut and grew up in West Hartford not far from Hartford town line. He attended public schools in West Hartford, and after graduating from Hall High School attended McGill University in Montreal, where he studied art history and philosophy. After graduation from McGill, he traveled and taught in various educational settings, as a substitute paraprofessional, and even as an English teacher. Although Noah grew up and attended school in West Hartford, he notes that the poverty and struggling schools of Hartford were always pressing subjects while growing up. His main motivation for choosing to work at a place like Covenant Prep came from the desire to educate and work in Hartford where there is need and students who are thirsty for knowledge and opportunity. This year Noah has returned to Covenant Prep for his second year to teach 7th grade science, 5th and 6th grade math. He also coaches, golf, swimming, basketball, and tennis. In his free time, Noah enjoys running, hiking, swimming, travel, music, reading, and learning foreign languages.

Noah.ratzan@gmail.com

Patrick Moore - Head of School

Fri, 04 Sep 2009 15:55:08 -0400

PATRICK MOORE- Head of School, is a native of Canton, Connecticut and a graduate of the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Massachusetts. Following graduation, he went on to serve as a volunteer teacher at Nativity Preparatory School of New Bedford and later was promoted to Principal, responsible for the direction of the school's academic program, curriculum, faculty, and students. Pat directed a major renovation of the school building and teacher residence, positioned the school as an academic success model within the New Bedford community, launched a successful recruiting program to attract and retain student body and volunteer teachers, guided the school through its first accreditation by NEASC, and assisted in the development of a five-year strategic plan. He came back to Hartford with the dream of opening a NativityMiguel Network school here. Partnering with a group of citizens who shared his mission, he opened Hartford's Covenant Preparatory School on August 28, 2008 and is its first Head of School.

moore@covenantprep.org

Dave Casavale - Lead Teacher

Thu, 03 Sep 2009 17:30:59 -0400

DAVE CASAVALE- Lead Teacher, grew up in Pittsburgh, PA, and graduated from Penn State in 2008, after completing a major in History and a Political Science minor. Dave had a former Nativity Prep School teacher as an instructor in college and became intrigued by the NativityMiguel school model on which Covenant Prep is based. After seeing the Nativity School in New Bedford, MA, and meeting some of Covenant Prep’s board members, he decided that Covenant Prep would provide an excellent opportunity to experience this unique school model. After two great years of teaching at Covenant Prep, Dave returns for a third year to teach 5th and 6th grade Math and 8th grade Social Studies, and to coach soccer, basketball, and tennis. Dave enjoys reading, travel, and music, and is also an avid sports fan, with a particular interest in the Penn State Football team, and the Steelers, Penguins, or any team from Pittsburgh.

Dave.casavale@gmail.com