Reception

Ali (Alison) Matthews

I grew up in the South East of England (Kent) with my parents and older sister. I’ve always been interested in how children learn, and my first degree in Psychology gave me a great insight into this. During this time, I lived in London for three years and developed an admiration for big cities and all the exciting things they have to offer. My fascination with new cities continued when I took a gap year after my degree and explored South East Asia, Australia and New Zealand. I cannot wait to move to Chicago and discover all it has to offer. Having visited briefly last year, I loved the diverse mix of music and arts around the city. Having played the drums as a child/teenager, I have a love for live music and am really excited about the Julliard-Nord Anglia Performing Arts Program the school has. I am an amateur runner and look forward to finding new routes around all the beautiful parks in Chicago and along the lakefront.

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Amy Newman

I am from a beautiful city in the south west of England, Salisbury. I attended the University of Plymouth, Rolle College in Devon where I undertook my teaching degree. After I graduated with my qualified teacher status I moved the East London to teach in the Borough of Newham. I loved getting to work with such a diverse community of people, learning about different cultures, languages and traditions. Moving to the USA has allowed me to continue this interest as I really enjoy travelling to different parts of the country. Chicago is a city I find rich in diversity and I really enjoy exploring the different neighborhoods and trying the different cultures of food around the city!

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Emily Smith

I am originally from London, however, at the age of 9, I moved to Belgium where I lived until I was 16. I then moved back to the UK to continue my further education. Once I graduated, I moved to Qatar to start my international teaching career. After 2 years in Qatar, I moved to Dubai where I have been living to the past 5 years. I am a keen traveler, and I love to explore new places. I can't wait to move to Chicago to experience all it has to offer. I also love cooking, and I love to experiment and cook new things.

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Douglas McNeill

I was born and raised in the busy city of Glasgow, in the West of Scotland. Having taught in Scotland for a number of years and had the opportunity to work with children across Europe whilst volunteering: I was thrilled when asked to move to Chicago to continue my love of teaching. Chicago is filled with diversity from every walk of life and yet there is a sense of unity and pride that radiates from this beautiful city. It’s this sense of community where support, talent and an eagerness to learn are brought together that makes BISC Lincoln Park such a unique and wonderful place to be in each day and I am very proud to be a part of it.

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Jamie Smith

I was born and raised in the southwest suburbs of Chicago and I love my hometown. I spend the summers visiting the museums and the lakefront. When I'm not exploring the city you can usually find me curled up with a good book and a cup of coffee.

I believe there's no limit to what students can achieve because as long as a child has the passion and the drive to make their dreams come true, they can achieve whatever the set their minds to. They may need some guidance along the way, which is where I come in, but the true potential lies within them, and I make it my mission to do everything within my power to ensure they achieve whatever goal they've set for themselves.

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Sarah Wahlen

I grew up in Saint John, Indiana and just moved here to Chicago. I've always loved Chicago because it is so beautiful and seems to have endless opportunities for new experiences. I believe that unique and global opportunities enhance every student's learning experience. I was lucky enough to study abroad in college and learned so much. It is wonderful that students have the opportunity to learn about these things at such a young age.

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Christina Livingston

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Abigail Schultz

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