By Madhu Kaushik
Staff Writer
With a new school year comes new faces, both of students and of staff. Jennifer Eby has joined the Westford Academy faculty in the Student Support Services department.
Q: How long have you been teaching as a Student Support Services teacher?
A: I’ve been teaching for seven years. I taught in Malden High School before this. I did more of an inclusion, so [I was] in the regular classroom a lot more.
Q: What are you looking forward to at Westford Academy?
A: I think I’m excited just to be with Social Support kids. It’s a big change, a different community.
Q: Why did you choose to make the move to WA?
A: When I came for my interview, they really won me over. [They] told me about the boys, and I met them and I really enjoyed it. The community’s different from what I’m working in, because I was in inner-city before, so it’s a very different population. I’d worked in Malden for 7 years, and kind of felt like I’d done all I could do. I wanted to try something different – change it up.
Q: What led you to this career path?
A: Actually, it was my best friend, Jenny. When I was in eighth grade, she asked me to volunteer at a program over the summer, a LABB – that’s Lexington, Arlington, Burlington, Bedford, Belmont – for special needs kids. I thought I’d do a week or something, and I loved it.
Q: What does your average day look like?
A: The boys come in, and for ten minutes, they’re just settling down. We work in the mailroom, copying whatever needs to be copied, work on the silverware, and the cafeteria. They all go to different things. Some go to art, ceramics, gym class, acting class, depending on the day.
Q: How do you interact with the kids here?
A: In my classroom, we have five boys who are on the autism spectrum. We try to get them involved in regular classes as much as we can.
Q: Are you planning on participating in any extracurriculars like clubs and activities?
A: I would like to. In Malden I was the class advisor for 4 years. We ran a dance, a talent show, and tons of fundraising. [It was] a lot of work, but fun. I think I need to get settled here before I do anything else.
Q: What do you do outside of your job?
A: Outside of here, I actually teach baton twirling. And I do zumba; it’s addicting.
Q: Any last thoughts about WA?
A: It’s a big change, but I’m excited.
