Glen Urquhart School

Cheryl Arsenault Counselor

Cheryl is completing her second year at GUS as the school’s front desk receptionist and this summer will be her second as a GUS camp counselor. Before coming to this area, she worked at York Middle School in Maine for twelve years as a substitute teacher while raising four children. Now they are grown and she has grandchildren. She has always been surrounded by youngsters and she wouldn’t have it any other way. It is obvious when she greets you as you enter the front door to GUS, that Cheryl loves her job! This will be her 2nd summer at GUS.

Amy Billings (Beginning Sewing, Extreme Weather Week 2, Make Your Own, Jewelry Design, Blast Off!)

Amy is currently one of the kindergarten teachers here at Glen Urquhart.  In addition to teaching kindergarten, Amy creates the yearbook with the 8th graders, teaches after school programs in sewing, quilting, soccer, and other subjects, and she co-teaches a vacation camp in March with Debora Diggins. Prior to joining GUS she taught kindergarten and fifth grade science at Kensington Avenue Elementary Magnet School in Springfield, and ran an early morning program there called, “Arts in the Morning”. She taught 9th-12th math, and an after school life skills program to high school students. This will be her 3rd summer at GUS.

Sheila Boss-Concannon (All About Art)

Sheila Boss-Concannon is an art teacher in the Hamilton-Wenham Regional School District. She has a BFA from the Massachusetts College of Art and MAT in Art from Salem State University. While teaching at both the elementary and middle school levels, Ms. Boss-Concannon has worked with students to create set designs for the elementary school musicals, been a member of the Fine Arts Curriculum Task Force and is the Advisor for the Middle School Art Club. She is a member of the National Art Education Association and The Marblehead Arts Association. She exhibits her work locally an both solo and group shows. Her current work includes drawing, painting and mixed-media.

Tamera Burns (Mixed-up Media, Graphic Design, Photoshop, Clay Magic, Portrait Painting)

Tamera Burns has served as an Art Specialist for the Manchester Essex Regional School District since 1996.  During this time Ms. Burns has taught both K-8 and presently 7-12 Art with special emphasis’ in high school Ceramics, Printmaking and Graphic Design.  In 2003, Ms. Burns taught Art History for Endicott College through their Brooksby University program.  From 2004-2006 Ms. Burns served as a part-time faculty member at Montserrat College of Art in Art Education.  As both an arts advocate and artist, Ms. Burns has served in many capacities with the Massachusetts Cultural Council in addition to her educational work on behalf of the arts on the North Shore.  Ms. Burns has been awarded many key grants including those from New England Biolabs, The Spaulding Trust and the Massachusetts Cultural Council.  Ms. Burns has taught specialty art workshops at GUS since 2000. She has a M.Ed Arts in Learning from Endicott College and a BA Fine Arts from the University of Northern Colorado.

Nadine Cubeta (Pioneers co-teacher all six weeks)

Nadine has been with the pre-school component of GUS Summer Program since its inception. During the school year she is a pre-school teacher in Beverly at the Harborlight Nursery School. She is a grandmother to three wonderful granddaughters, two of whom have enjoyed camp with her. Nadine is looking forward to another fun-filled adventure this summer.

Pat Daignault (Pioneers co-teacher all six weeks)

Pat is a preschool teacher at Harborlight Nursery School in Beverly, where she has been for over 25 years. Pat has been working at GUS in the summer program for 10 years. What she says about GUS: “The summers at GUS give me the opportunity to work in a different environment but still with young children. They bring smiles and joy to me throughout the days.”

Samia De Simone (Summertime Ballet Adventures)

For the past 20 years Ms. De Simone has been running two enrichment dance programs at St. Theresa’s School in West Roxbury and Sacred Heart School in Roslindale where she teaches students from kindergarten through the seventh grade. Each year culminates with final performances that include a repertoire of creative movement, ballet and liturgical dances. Samia also teaches Summertime Ballet Adventures at the Brookline Ballet School, and she teaches ballet after school at Glen Urquhart. From 1996-2003, Ms. De Simone was a principal faculty member at the Ballet Workshop of New England. Recently as a faculty member of The Boston Ballet School Marblehead she created a summer program specifically to enhance the 5-8 year old dancer. Ms. De Simone was born in Lebanon. Throughout her formative years she was a student in French Parochial schools where she became fluent in French, Arabic/Lebanese, and English. She completed her classical and traditional dance training with a Bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts from the Institute of Fine Arts of Beirut in 1989. She toured for 3 years with The Rahbani Company throughout Asia and Europe. Additionally, from 1985-88, she was Counselor for The Lebanese & French Union for Youth Enrichment for which her work focused upon Creative Movement and Dance for ages 3-12.

Debora Diggins Director

This will be my 4th year as camp director. I love our camp and I’m looking forward to seeing everyone this summer! During the school year I organize and direct GUS’s after school programs, but from December on, I spend a lot of my work time planning our summer program and thinking about ways we can make it even better. My prior experience includes teaching after school enrichment programs at other schools, leading professional workshops for adults in management and sales and in nature studies, and working for Mass Audubon as a manager and teacher. I enjoy hiking, swimming, kayaking, and bringing my dog, Sophie, to the many wonderful conservation areas on the North Shore and with me to GUS summer camp. I have a M.A. Interdisciplinary Studies from Lesley University and a B.A. in Management from University of Massachusetts/Boston.

Angela Dominick (In the Kitchen with Angela, Baking with Angela)

Angela Dominick is a well known Chef and co-owner of Dom’s Trattoria in Beverly Farms. She hosts a cable TV cooking show that is shown over 50 towns on the North Shore and is a pleasure to watch. Her specialties include pasta, soups made with fresh local ingredients including vegetables and locally caught fish, salads, pizza, and comfort-food desserts such as berry crisp and giant cookies. She teaches cooking and baking workshops for children, and her restaurant provides healthy lunches for several independent local schools including GUS. We marvel how she does all this so well and still maintains a cheerful and energetic attitude!

Nancy Garvey (Extreme Weather Week 1, American Girl Doll, Iced Delights, Enchanted Forest)

Nancy Garvey has a BA in Psychology from University of New Hampshire and a Master’s of Education from Western Connecticut  State University. Most of her teaching has been in the early grades at independent schools such as Shore Country Day and Nashoba Brooks School in Concord, Massachusetts. In addition, she has taught summer courses at GUS, Magic Years, and for the Manchester Recreation Department. Currently, she is a reading specialist at the Beverly Cove School in grades 3-5. Nancy is a parent of a seventh grade boy and lives in Manchester by-the sea with her family and their two Labrador retrievers.  She enjoys tennis, skiing, and reading.

Jo-Ann Gorrell (Lego Engineering)

Jo-Ann Gorrell has a BS in Mechanical Engineering and a M.S. in Quality Assurance.  She worked as a process engineering and as a consultant for various companies including Ben & Jerry’ before founding  Engineering Action. Engineering Action is  dedicated to providing hands-on education for all ages.  Engineering Action  provides after school enrichment programs and homeschool classes including; LEGO Robotics,  LEGO Engineering, Simple Machines, Electricity and Experimenting.  Jo-Ann is also the founder of Ipswich’s First LEGO League and volunteers her time as a coach and coordinator.  Jo-Ann is the mother of 5 sons and lives in Ipswich.

Justine Kane Counselor

Justine is returning for her second year as a counselor here this summer. Prior to joining GUS, she worked at another summer camp in Essex for 5 years. She is finishing her sophomore year at UMASS Amherst, studying Sociology and Spanish with a minor in Education. Justine says, “I love working with children, and can’t wait to spend the rest of my life playing with and educating children! I absolutely love spending my summer with the kids, and I can’t wait for this summer to start!”

Joe Karr (Adventure Games, Special Family Events July 2-6, Grow Your Own, Outdoor Adventures, Afternoon Adventures Counselor)

Joe is a Beverly native who now lives in Somerville, MA. He still loves coming home to visit the beaches and visit his family. He has a M.Ed. in Education with a concentration in Integrative Learning from Endicott College and a B.A. in Environmental Education from Green Mountain College. He currently teaches K-4th grade science at the Nashoba Brooks School in Concord. It’s the perfect position for Joe, as he can draw together his interests in working with children, outdoor education, adventure learning, and fun, hands-on science.  He greatly enjoys outdoor activities such as skiing, hiking, and canoeing and he also loves to cook and grow his own food, explore new places, read, and eat ice cream. This will be Joe’s 3rd summer at GUS.

Brendan McEachern (Filmmaking, Graphic Novel)

Mr. McEachern joined Glen Urquhart in 2007 and is currently the school’s fifth grade co-teacher. Prior to teaching at GUS, he worked for 20th Century Fox and Sony Pictures Home Entertainment writing and creating dvds and behind-the-scenes extras for such films as “Stuart Little,” and “Spider-Man.” He has been filming and producing independent videos and projects for over 15 years and looks forward to sharing his knowledge with budding filmmakers each year.  Mr. McEachern is also a lifelong comic collector with over 14,000 comic books of his own. He has every issue of Batman dating back to 1980 and the Hulk back to 1968!

Renee Mitchell (Project Fashion Design)

Renee returns to GUS Summer Program for her third year. She is an accomplished designer, professional teacher, and
camp workshop leader specializing in art. She holds a B.S. in Fashion Merchandising from the University of Maryland, and a M. of Ed., Arts and Learning, from Endicott College. Her summer workshops are extremely popular. Last summer her campers’ fashions made from duct tape and thrift shop finds were fantastic!

Liz Mount, R.N. Camp Nurse

Mrs. Mount graduated from Pennsylvania Hospital School of Nursing and Saint Joseph’s College in Maine.  She is currently in her 21^st year working as a school nurse at North Andover Middle School. This will be her 5th year as our full time summer nurse.

Mikhail Perelshteyn (Chess)

Mike is a well known chess master and professional chess coach with 35 years of experience. He teaches after school chess programs at many independent and public schools on the North Shore. Mike has a Master’s degree from Moscow Sport Academy.

Matthew Schlegel (Crazy for Cookies, Hoop it Up!, Around the Diamond, Brain Boosters!, Kitchen Chemistry)

Matthew Schlegel has been a 6^th grade teacher in the Manchester Essex Regional School District for the past 20 years. He has a Bachelors Degree and 2 Masters Degrees; all are in education. He currently teaches middle school math and is the middle school boys’ basketball coach. In addition, Matt has served the school district in several capacities, as a high school girls’ softball and boys’ basketball coach, summer tutor, after school program coordinator, and summer camp director. Along with his work within the Manchester Essex Schools, Matt has extensive background experience with children at all levels. He currently teaches a class at Endicott College, is a driving instructor for local high school students, and has coached youth basketball, soccer, and baseball at many levels, from Little League up through high school. Matt is returning to GUS for his second summer.

Peter Stewart (Musical Theater, Rock Music Camp)

Peter Stewart is a teacher, composer, author and performer. He has led people in song for over 39 years all across America. His blend of music, humor and interaction with the audience make him a much sought out motivational speaker across the country. He plays drums, guitar, and piano, and he teaches music and musical theater at GUS during the school year.

Edith Ventimiglia (Chemistry Kids)

Edith Ventimiglia is a science educator and parent of a GUS graduate. Since earning her B.A. in Biology and M.A. in Education, she has developed elementary science curriculum and taught science classes both here in
Massachusetts and in Switzerland. Presently she is teaching middle school science at GUS, and she is a field teacher at the Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary in Topsfield. This will be Mrs. Ventimiglia’s 4th summer at GUS.