New teachers, staff make themselves at home for 2021-2022

“People ask me, how do people burst into song in the middle of a conversation?” choir teacher Marion Drew says, smiling. Drew, new West Essex women's and mixed choir director, and a former band student herself, is more than merely passionate about music. To her, music has more power and strength than anyone could even comprehend. “I always try to share the thought that the music takes over...

After working as a traditional classroom teacher, Danielle Cimmet has found her passion for helping students by working as part of the Child Study Team. Cimmet joins West Essex as the high school’s Learning Disability Teacher-Consultant this year.  Cimmet grew up locally in Lyndhurst. She graduated from Montclair State University with a degree in education, after transferring in from an initial seme...

“I like that I know I’m making a difference in the world,” Steve Gilgur said, smiling. “I’m impacting people’s lives directly.” Gilgur, newly arrived from Mountain Lakes High School to West Essex this year, is a high-energy chemistry teacher with a smile always on his face. He’s the kind of person that jumps into new things head-on, with enthusiasm to spare. A self-professed “science...

With a weight in each hand, Crystal Tremaroli breaks a sweat at the gym. It’s her favorite part of the day, giving her the chance to unwind after hours of tending to students’ needs in the guidance office each day.  Tremaroli, who touts a bachelor’s degree in arts and philosophy from University of Central Florida and a master’s in counseling from Montclair State University, said her new...

An English teacher is expected to, well, like English. However, new teacher Kristen Gengaro didn’t at first, only coming to her love the subject later in her academic career. It’s a fact Gengaro keeps in mind as she aims to structure her classes so that her students will like and appreciate the subject on their own terms, using methods she herself appreciated as a student.  When she was yo...

From history teacher to a guidance counselor, Frank Cherichello found his passion through helping people and discovered his love for counseling in the process.  After graduating from Fairfield University in Connecticut, Cherichello worked as a history teacher for exactly one year before he realized how much he disliked the gig, he said. Seeking a job that captivated his interests, he attended Seto...

Hard work is key in the life of new English teacher John Mahoney, who is in his first year of teaching at West Essex. He looks to be set up for success with his dedication and love for what he does: teaching literature.  “The feeling of being able to teach them a book, almost kind of led to me just understanding more of the power of literature for young people,” Mahoney said.  Nothing ca...

This year, Christopher Conroy came to step in as the new wood shop teacher here at West Essex. Although his first experience was purely online, he adapted to teaching post-quarantine when the restrictions were lifted. It was a difficult time for all the students and staff, and wood shop was especially difficult to teach on Zoom. Wood shop is a very hands-on subject, and is very difficult to show through...

Where you grow up is very crucial, and it influences interests, hobbies, jobs and life as a whole. In that light, new history teacher William Morgan is all about the Garden State: He grew up and went to high school in South Jersey, graduated from Rowan University, and previously taught in Lavallette for a year. Being from South Jersey, he’s well familiar with the Jersey Shore, and enjoys outdoor...

“So far it’s great -- the students have been wonderful, colleagues have been very welcoming and it is definitely a very positive environment,” says Edward Griffin, new band teacher and marching band instructor at West Essex with a pleasant outlook at the work in front of him this school year. Griffin said he’s had a great start to West Essex, being welcomed by the teachers and students helpi...