Meet Our Staff
Mark Williams (he/him)
Mark Williams is the Special Education Director at School One. Mark started teaching in 1988 and has worked in public and private schools ever since, teaching in both Massachusetts and Rhode Island. He has attended school in the UK, the Netherlands, and the USA. He received a MEd in Special Education from the University of Massachusetts at Boston, a BA in Political Science from the University of Rhode Island, a CGS in Autism Education from Rhode Island College, and his high school diploma from the American School of The Hague.
- M. Ed. Special Education, University of Massachusetts, Boston
- CGS Autism Education, Rhode Island College
- B.A. Political Science, University of Rhode Island
Emily Robbins (she/her)
Emily Robbins is a woman of many talents. She is a published writer, mother of 4, grandmother of 1 and a huge help to everyone at School One. Emily has worked as a writing tutor and editor, and started at School One in 2023 as a Write Rhode Island intern. Now, you can find her in the Main Office handling everything from the ramen closet to bus passes and payroll. Emily is also a School One mom, with a daughter currently in her sophomore year.
When she’s not at school, Emily enjoys spending time with her children, and occasionally works as a certified eyelash technician.
- B.A. English, Rhode Island College
Avieana Rivera (she/her)
Avieana Rivera is the Communications Coordinator at School One, where she works closely with admissions to capture what makes our school special, and share it with the world. She graduated from Emerson College with a degree in Journalism, where she studied communication in the digital age, and practiced many multimedia approaches to storytelling. During her time in Boston, she also worked for the greatest radio station in the world, WERS, where she assisted the Brand Manager and marketing team as they worked hard finding what the listeners loved about them, and doing more of it.
A Rhode Island native and proud sister of a School One alum (among many other siblings), Avieana enjoys reading, crafting of all sorts, concerts, baking and trying new coffee places.
- B.S. Journalism, Emerson College
Lizzie Brown (they/them)
- B.F.A. Film, Animation, and Video, Rhode Island School of Design
Nancy Carreiro (she/her)
Nancy Carreiro joined the staff at School One in 2021 as math teacher after a career spanning over three decades of teaching high school math in public schools. She took on many roles including math department chair, math team coach, class advisor and SAT teacher. In that time she taught all courses and levels of math but her absolute favorite math course is geometry. She was fortunate to have participated in the Institute for Advanced Studies summer math institute in geometry coordinated by Rhode Island College for two summers in Park City Utah. At School One, Nancy teaches math, provides academic support, and thoroughly enjoys the small class setting and the warm, welcoming atmosphere of the school. Knowing that most of her students don’t like math or find it difficult, Nancy tries to make her classes inviting and enjoyable… interjecting bits of math history and encouragement.
- B.A. Math, Bridgewater State University
- M.A.T. Math, Rhode Island College
Mark Christman (he/him)
Mark teaches Math and Science at School One. He started college in Biochemistry, but over time transitioned further and further towards mathematics, ultimately earning a Bachelor’s degree in Physics and a Doctorate in Philosophy, specializing in mathematical logic. In that time, he has always cared deeply about teaching, doing so whenever possible – occasionally to the point of supervisors expressing concerns that too much teaching was being done. In the classroom, Mark makes full use of his multidisciplinary background, drawing connections between topics and contextualizing lessons within the broader academic landscape. When not teaching, he can often be found baking, reading, or playing and designing a wide variety of games.
- B.S. Physics, University of Rochester
- B.A. Philosophy, University of Rochester
- Ph.D. Philosophy, Brown University
Diana Champa (she/her)
Diana Champa is the Director of Literary Engagement at School One where she oversees literary arts programming and community engagement. Diana’s current projects include an inter-generational books club, after-school and evening creative writing programs and the WriteRI short story contest. She also works to foster partnerships with other writing organizations like Grub Street and Goat Hill Writers.
Before coming (back) to School One, Diana worked for Prime Cut Productions and the Van Morrison Rhythm and Blues Foundation in Northern Ireland. Previously, Diana worked as School One’s Director of Development and for several arts organizations in R.I.
She’s native to Rhode Island who makes friends easily. Despite ridicule, she believes in astrology.
- B.A. Liberal Studies, University of Rhode Island
- M.F.A. Creative Writing, Seamus Heaney Centre, Queen's University Belfast
Miles Cook (he/him)
Miles teaches courses ranging from comics to illustration to digital design. A comic book artist himself, he teaches students to create characters, map out plots, and use visual communication whether on paper or using digital tools. Miles comes to School One from Maine where he attended the Maine College of Art.
- B.F.A. Illustration, Maine College of Art
Siobhan Ritchie Cute (she/her)
Siobhan grew up rolling her eyes at parents who dragged her along on trips to far-off lands like Turkey, Thailand and Tunisia. Somewhere along the line, she realized her good fortune, falling in love with cultures, places and peoples. She loves teaching languages and fostering the many forms of communication that help people connect to one another. She teaches Spanish and a variety of other classes. Siobhan feels School One is a wonderful place for young people, because “students here get to step into and walk around in adult-sized academic shoes, making decisions about what they learn and what holds meaning in their world.”
- A.B. Sociology, University of Chicago
Jim Drain (he/him)
Jim Drain is a multi-disciplinary artist whose work centers around craft-based methods in his sculpture and installation work. Jim received his bachelor’s degree in Sculpture from the Rhode Island School of Design [RISD] in 1998. At School One, Jim teaches Art and sees his instruction as a way to gain visual literacy, find ways to problem-solve and see making as another method of thinking critically. Jim also teaches at RISD and has taught at Lesley University, Sotheby’s School of Art and Haystack School of Arts and Crafts. His work is in a number of private and museum collections including MOMA, the Whitney Museum and Philadelphia Museum of Art, among others.
- B.F.A. Sculpture, Rhode Island School of Design
Erin Egan (she/her)
Erin began her career at School One as a part-time teacher and began full-time in 2000. Erin specializes in English Medieval History, but has taught courses in U.S. History, Western Civilization, Fashion and Décor, Hollywood History and Shakespeare. She appreciates good, robust debates and encourages them in all of her classes. Erin converts students from “I hate history” to “It’s my favorite class” on a regular basis. She is also a warm and caring advisor who can nonetheless deliver a “look” when students are cutting corners. She draws on her theater background in stage-managing to help organize School One’s unique graduation ceremony.
- B.S. Theatre, Emerson College
- M.A.T. Teaching, Brown University
Michael Gunn (he/him)
Originally from rural northwestern Pennsylvania, Michael Gunn recently graduated from the Rhode Island School of Design with a degree in Painting. His time at RISD allowed him to function as a community builder, event organizer, curator and teacher through his various leadership and teaching positions. His art practice balances between painting traditions, sculpture, and craft to produce narrative and symbolic images and objects. He was awarded Residency in Scotland by the Royal Drawing School, a fellowship in curating at the RISD Museum, and now works at ODD-KIN gallery in East Providence. Originally learning how to oil paint and draw in a community based intergenerational course himself, Michael’s School One Intergenerational Advanced Drawing Class hopes to forge relationships between adults and teens as they uncover tools to map and depict the world surrounding them and in their imaginations. Michael’s course utilizes still life traditions to give students strategies to depict and practice drawing any type of subject matter or to return to for visual research when making work that is entirely from the imagination.
- B.F.A. Painting (dual minor in Drawing and Theory and History of Art and Design), Rhode Island School of Design
Phil Goldman (he/him)
In addition to being an Advisor, Phil teaches a wide range of classes at School One, and yet all of them somehow seem interconnected: Eastern Philosophy, Ethics, Psychology and Public Speaking. He also teaches Tai Chi and the Meditation/Stress Reduction Committee. He is devoted to chilling out the entire school.
Phil’s classes demand, from all students, full and thoughtful participation in the often lively discussions as well as meaningful introspection. His technique, at different times, has been described as “not strict but challenging” and “tough love.” Let’s just say it runs a bit of a gamut. When he’s not teaching at School One, Phil teaches Tai Chi and Kung Fu in Cranston.
- B.A. Liberal Studies and Teaching Certificate, Providence College
- Producer/Host, Live Bait: True Stories from Real People, Providence
- Tai Chi Chuan Instructor, Community Tai Chi, Cranston
Adam Hall (he/him)
Adam is a homeschool parent and a dedicated member of Rhode Island’s vast homeschool community. As such, his education model is to allow students to play, explore, and discover in an unscripted way while offering guidance and support to each unique path. Adam is a practicing ceramist, a hopeful environmentalist, a cat person, and an avid reader of terrible crime fiction.
MFA, Photography, Cranbrook Academy of Art
BA, Studio Art and English, SUNY Oswego
- MFA, Photography, Cranbrook Academy of Art
- BA, Studio Art and English, SUNY Oswego
Christopher Hayes (he/him)
After finishing his undergraduate history degree in 1988, Christopher began teaching in Vermont at a small junior boarding school for dyslexic boys. It opened his eyes to how students learn differently and led him to Brown and Ted Sizer to earn his MAT in 1992. A decade of teaching history led to independent school administration, supporting teachers in best meeting the needs of their students. He is thrilled to be returning to New England and family. While Christopher is quite tall, no, he was not a very talented basketball player.
- B.A. Williams College, History
- M.A.T. Brown University
Cary Honig (he/him)
After growing up in New York City, where the kids who beat him up referred to him as “The Professor”, Cary was lured to Brown University. After Brown, he spent a miserable three years in law school and then entered the Master’s in Teaching program at Brown despite his parents’ objections. After teaching in public schools, Cary fell in love with School One students’ willingness to speak up and disagree and with the time and freedom the school granted him to figure out how best to teach students to read, write, punctuate, provide evidence and think for themselves. He also loves being able to evaluate students in a genuine and informative way rather than by comparing students through letter grades. After 30 years at School One, Cary still feels very lucky to be here. In addition to teaching, Cary serves as School One’s college counselor and oversees the school’s curriculum.
- A.B. Classics, Brown University
- J.D., Harvard University
- M.A.T. English, Brown University
Sandy Little (she/her)
Sandy Little has taught in a variety of settings from GED to AP, from Boston to California. She has also held a variety of roles in the last 25 years from classroom teacher and instructional coach to academic dean. She has extensive experience with rigorous academic standards and social emotional learning. She is thrilled to be back in her home state of RI and to join the staff of School One.
- M.A. Urban Education, Clark University
Carly McCalla (she/her)
Born and raised in South Carolina, Carly comes to us from teaching science at Saluda High School for six years after. She has always been passionate about developing an interdisciplinary and collaborative framework when addressing scientific issues such as conservation. My goal is to inspire students to see the “bigger picture” and to make real-world connections to material outside of the classroom and in their own communities. In addition to teaching in the classroom, Carly served as a field instructor for Ecology Project International, where she introduced students to real-world scientific study, engaged them in conservation service projects, and raised their cultural and ecological awareness in the field setting of Yellowstone National Park. Working as a field instructor deepened her interest in continuing to connect students and local communities to scientific research and conservation initiatives through public education and policy outreach. When she is not teaching, she is outside! In fact, Carly stepped off the Appalachian Trail in August 2024 to join us at School One after hiking the full trail from Georgia.
- B.S. Biology, Erskine College
- B.A. Political Science, Erskine College
Kye Mosca (they/them)
After graduating with their BA in Interdisciplinary Studies, Kye Mosca was a middle school teacher for 6 years, working in the STEM, health, and social-emotional learning programs. They have professional experience as a trauma-focused mental health counselor and school adjustment counselor at the high school level. They are an associate mental health counselor in the state of RI, working toward their LMHC. Kye enjoys getting to know students in their authenticity, allowing genuine connection to guide their therapeutic style. They believe that people are the experts on themselves, and work with students to help them develop positive self-worth, healthy relationships, and effective communication skills. In addition to counseling, Kye loves to spend time outdoors and with animals!
- B.A. Interdisciplinary Studies, St. Andrew's University
- M.A. Clinical Mental Health Counseling, Lesley University
Lon Plynton (he/him)
Lon’s music classes at School One combine ensemble playing with musical concepts and range in style from jazz to rock to blues to classical. Lon is a multi-instrumentalist, composer, producer and performer, often playing with the band Mystic Jammers. He also directs music and performs with Rites and Reason Theater at Brown University.
- B.A. Music and Africana Studies, Brown University
Megan Roppolo (she/her)
With a doctorate in materials chemistry, Megan’s scientific background is both deep and broad. At School One, Megan teaches chemistry, forensics and physics. This year, she is also piloting a computer science curriculum developed at the University of Rhode Island. Megan wants students to truly connect to science: “My goal is for every student to find something interesting, relevant and fun in their science courses.” Her previous teaching experience includes SUNY Binghamton as well as Moses Brown. When not working, Megan practices chemistry in her kitchen and is a baking genius (according to her lucky colleagues and students).
- Ph.D. State University of New York at Binghamton
- B.S. St. Lawrence University
Rebecca Siemering (she/her)
Rebecca Siemering is an artist whose work centers on repurposing found materials with her methodical style of stitch and needlework into fiber-based sculpture. Rebecca has honed her craft by learning from artists in the areas of paper making, woodworking, broom-making, and printmaking, as well as receiving a B.F. A. in sculpture.
At School One, Rebecca imparts the value of slow craft, handwork that takes time, and the skill-building process is just as enjoyable as the finished product. She believes art to be a whole mind/body experience that will benefit the student and how they relate to objects in their world and their community.
Rebecca is the Education Manager at the Handicraft Club in Providence, RI, where she teaches workshops in quilling and broom-making to adults. Her recycled, paper-based work is in the collection of Fidelity Investments, and has traveled in multi-museum shows with the Robert C. Williams Paper Museum, the Fuller Craft Museum, and Fiber Art International.
To love an object
is to examine fully
the maker’s handwork.
- B.F.A. Sculpture, Washington University in St. Louis
Maryann Ullmann (she/her)
Maryann Ullmann’s expertise spans many disciplines. She teaches Spanish and lived in Mexico and Argentina for several years. She also teaches U.S. history, Civics, and creative writing courses. In her Civics & Communications course, students participate in Generation Citizen where they research an advocacy issue, develop policy recommendations, and present at Civics Day at the RI Statehouse. As Maryann says, “I love seeing the amazing projects students come up with when they are given the freedom … to follow their passions and curiosities, and all the ways they learn from and support each other.”
Maryann also teaches a wide variety of creative writing classes. She leads School One’s National Novel Writing Month Project every November and runs after-school creative writing classes like Ghost Stories and Lit Lab with School One’s Literary Center.
- Antioch University New England, M.S., Environmental Advocacy and Organizing
- Chatham University, MFA, Creative Writing
- Antioch College, B.A., Cultural and Interdisciplinary Studies
Julia Volynsky ’99 (she/her)
Julia’s time with School One began as a student in 1997 after transferring from Classical. She went on to graduate in 1999, and her life was forever changed. In her own words,
“Like many, School One saved my life. I met a wonderful advisor who made sure I was challenged and encouraged and that I knew I had a bright future ahead of me.”
Later in 2006, after graduating from Rhode Island College, Julia returned to School One to help with marketing, and has worked here ever since. Her roles have changed over the years, but her love of School One has remained the same. After a brief time away during COVID, Julia returned to School One as the Director of Admissions and Marketing, where she remains today.
In her spare time, Julia enjoys doing yoga, going to the beach, playing Barbies with her daughter, riding bikes with her son and husband, and visiting new places.
- B.A. Marketing and Communications, Rhode Island College
