As the school year begins, returning students eagerly anticipate welcoming both the incoming 9th graders as well as new faculty. Hailing from all corners of the United States, this array of incoming faculty is sure to bring a new blend of enthusiasm, experience, and passion to Lakeside.
Included in the 15 new faculty members are two STEM teachers, J Wysocki and Michelle Lombardi, and one language teacher, Profe Andrea del Moral.
Mr. Wysocki is joining Lakeside as a math teacher, bringing a wealth of experience from his time at both independent and public schools across New York, California, and Oregon. Most recently, Mr. Wysocki worked at Catlin Gabel School in Portland, OR as a math and computer science teacher, and he is particularly enthusiastic about joining Lakeside’s math program “due [to] its integration of computer science.” Mr. Wysocki explains, “I’m looking forward to being in the classroom with my students — not just teaching them but learning from them as well. After all the years I’ve been teaching, it’s always the classroom that I find most enjoyable about the job,” aptly sharing that, like his students, “I’m always a learner first.” Outside of teaching, Mr. Wysocki also loves to travel, listen to music, hike, drink coffee, and spend time with his family. He is also an avid reader of a diverse collection of genres including sci-fi, fantasy, nonfiction, and philosophy. You can catch Mr. Wysocki on campus this fall sporting his signature chainmail earring — a product of his interest in jewelry-making and the Renaissance fairs he used to attend when living in Southern California.
“Creating an inclusive STEM environment for every student” is a passion of [Ms. Lombardi], developed through teaching at a variety of schools including public, private, single-sex, and co-ed institutions.
Another incoming member of the math department is Ms. Lombardi, who recently moved from Pittsburg, PA, where she taught computer science to grades 5–12 at The Ellis School. The Seattle area charmed Ms. Lombardi because of its “sense of community,” and, upon visiting the Lakeside campus, “it was clear that [Lakeside’s] practices, mission, and values aligned with [her] own.” Ms. Lombardi looks forward to integrating her background in math with her experience teaching computer science and says, “creating an inclusive STEM environment for every student” is a passion of hers, developed through teaching at a variety of schools, including public, private, single-sex, and co-ed institutions. In her free time, Ms. Lombardi has been exploring Seattle’s coffee spots, reading, baking, and watching reality television. She also enjoys hiking and hopes to take her dog Zoe to explore the Pacific Northwest.
From teaching Spanish in Spain to directing and performing at a dance company in Oakland, CA, Profe Andrea has had a very dynamic and adventurous career.
In the language department, Profe Andrea joins Lakeside as an all-school Spanish teacher from the Bellevue school district. Lakeside attracted Profe Andrea because “the environment seems full of interesting questions, engaged classes, and strong community among teachers and students.” Profe Andrea says she’s “excited to get to know each class … and find our humor and creativity together.” From teaching Spanish in Spain to directing and performing at a dance company in Oakland, CA, Profe Andrea has had a very dynamic and adventurous career. Additionally, she has lived in many places across the world, including Canada, the Netherlands, and both coasts of the United States, which has allowed her to embrace many opportunities for cultural exchange. Outside of school, you can find Profe Andrea staying up to date on Spanish culture through Spanish TV and podcasts, as well as embracing the urban homesteader life by baking bread, making yogurt, and fermenting vegetables. In the outdoors, Profe Andrea enjoys swimming, lifting weights, meditating, and biking.
Along with the new teachers, Dejah Coleman, David Buerger, and Lizzy McElroy will also be joining Lakeside’s faculty.
Dejah, Lakeside’s new assistant athletic trainer, is committed to optimizing physical health and promoting peak athletic performance. She is a recent graduate from Washington State University (“Go Cougs!”) and is from Bremerton, WA. “Lakeside has everything I am looking to be a part of,” Dejah voices, and the school’s close proximity to her family is an added bonus. In her free time, Dejah enjoys spending time with family and her significant other, cooking, and learning new skills. She also looks forward to embarking on more Seattle adventures with her seven siblings. To learn more about Dejah, check out her feature in the Sports section.
This year, Mr. Buerger is responsible for coordinating and supervising safety and security initiatives at the Upper School, Middle School, and The Downtown School… [where] he hopes to bring a culture of “collaboration, approachability, and trust.”
Mr. Buerger actually joined Lakeside last March when he became the school’s first Director of Community Safety, and he’s excited to further immerse himself in the school’s community. Before Lakeside, Mr. Buerger worked as a law enforcement officer for 25 years; as the founding director of safety and security at the Bullis School, an independent K–12 school in Potomac, MD; and most recently, as the security, safety, and emergency manager at the Museum of Flight in Seattle. This year, Mr. Buerger is responsible for coordinating and supervising safety and security initiatives at the Upper School, Middle School, and The Downtown School, including security services for students, employees, and guests. He hopes to bring a culture of “collaboration, approachability, and trust.” In addition to bolstering Lakeside security, you will likely find Mr. Buerger — who is himself an avid swimmer and hiker — attending Lakeside sporting events and arts performances throughout the year.
And finally, in the athletics department, Lizzy McElroy will take on the position of head wrestling coach. Lizzy is a Lakeside alum from the class of ’13 who wrestled for Lakeside during the girls wrestling program’s first years. Upon graduating college, she moved back to Seattle and “was excited to be able to come back to Lakeside and get involved with the wrestling program again!” Lizzy has been Lakeside’s assistant wrestling coach for the past few years, and looks forward to “growing the team and continuing to develop the great athletes we already have” as head coach. A fun fact about Lizzy is that she was in the pregame show for Super Bowl XLIX as a trombonist in the marching band!
In addition to the six featured staff, Lakeside is fortunate to be welcoming another nine new faculty members including a school nurse, teachers, and directors.
