By: Courtney Klar ’22

As she walked across the stage to receive her Pine Crest School diploma, Mrs. Michelle (Smith) Santarelli ’89 never imagined that her career path would one day lead her back to her educational roots. From a fourth grade student in the Lower School to a biology teacher in the Upper School, and a parent of two Pine Crest “lifers,” John ’21 and Jaden ’23, Mrs. Santarelli now cannot envision herself anywhere else.

After Mrs. Santarelli graduated from Pine Crest in 1989, she attended the University of Virginia, where she received a degree in biology. Upon graduating from college, she began her career as a marketing director for an educational tutoring company. While she did well in the position, she quickly realized that her true passions were for biology and teaching. “I never thought I wanted to be a teacher,” said Mrs. Santarelli. “I worked in an educational environment, which is what attracted me to that company. But I missed biology and wanted to find a way to combine biology and my love of public speaking. That was the first time I decided to become a teacher. I knew the only place I wanted to do that was Pine Crest.”

On teaching biology, Mrs. Santarelli says “science is the one field that always captivated me—living organisms are so complex. What I love about biology is that there is so much we don't know. Biology is exciting, and there are discoveries being made every day!”

When speaking about what keeps her at Pine Crest, Mrs. Santarelli says the students and her colleagues. “What is great about Pine Crest students,” she said, “is that if you are excited about something, they are excited about it too. My students love learning just as much as I do.”

By: Spencer Davimos ’22
 
Mr. Andrew Schwartz has been a member of the Pine Crest Upper School Science Department since 2007. Originally from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Mr. Schwartz had not considered a career in education until serving as a teacher’s aid as a graduate student. Now, after 20 years of teaching, Mr. Schwartz can’t imagine doing anything else! 


I sat down with Mr. Schwartz to learn more about his teaching career and what he loves about being an educator at Pine Crest. 
 
Spencer Davimos ’22 (SD): Did you always want to be an educator? Did you have a career doing something different before you started teaching? 
 
Andrew Schwartz (AS): I never really thought about teaching until I spent time as a teacher’s aid in graduate school teaching a zoology lab. I was struck with how rewarding it was to help students learn the biological concepts I found so interesting. After three years of doing research for my master's degree, I realized I didn't have it in me for another four years of field and lab work to get my doctoral degree. When I moved to South Florida, I needed a job and took a position teaching seventh grade science. This was quite an adjustment and much different than teaching college students. I found this experience very challenging, and immediately I knew that if I was going to continue my teaching career, it needed to be with older, more independent students.
 
SD: What brought you to Pine Crest and how long have you been teaching here? 
 
AS: After my first teaching job, I moved to another local school where I taught high school biology. I stayed there for four years honing my craft and gaining valuable experience in the classroom. During that time, I was working at Pine Crest Summer Camp waiting for an opportunity to join the Pine Crest faculty. That opportunity came in 2007 and I jumped at it. The rest is history.
 
SD: Have you always enjoyed the sciences? What drew you to teaching biology as opposed to the other sciences? 
 
AS: It has always been biology for me. Going back as long as I can remember, I've been fascinated with the natural world. In my elementary school yearbook, I wrote that I wanted to be an underwater shark scientist. I never thought about teaching biology but I knew that biology had to be part of my life. I entered college as a pre-veterinary student but quickly realized that medicine wasn't for me. I enjoyed learning and doing research, but I just wasn't into medicine. I minored in chemistry and after graduating from college, I thought about working in a lab. I ultimately went to graduate school to earn a masters degree in biology.
 
SD: What do you love about science and biology in particular? 
 
AS: Science, especially biology, is amazing! Learning about how the universe works (physics, chemistry, biology) fascinates me. The quest for knowledge is never-ending; answers to questions only beget more questions. There is so much still to discover about the natural world and how organisms function, and I love that I get to be part of this discovery.
 
SD: What do you enjoy most about teaching high school students? 
 
AS: High school students are the perfect blend of child and adult. Pine Crest Upper School students, in particular, are well-read, well-traveled, and quite interesting. You can have an intelligent conversation with them about everything from sports and current affairs to genetic engineering and astronomy.
 
SD: What has been one of the highlights of teaching at Pine Crest? 
 
AS: I can't pinpoint one specific highlight, but working at Pine Crest has given me the freedom to grow as an educator and scientist that I'm sure I wouldn't have had at another school. We have so much autonomy in the classroom, support from administration and parents, and almost unlimited access to resources. Coupling that with smart, dedicated colleagues makes coming to work such a rewarding process. So many people are miserable in their jobs, hate getting up in the morning, and are just going through the motions. Since I started teaching at Pine Crest, I've never felt that way, and I'm so thankful for that.
 
SD: What are your hobbies beyond teaching in the classroom? 
 
AS: I like going to the gym, riding my bike, and running. Fitness and health are very important to me. I love fantasy football and all things Philadelphia. I enjoy cooking and reading “nerdy” science books. 
 
SD: What would students be surprised to learn about you? 
 
AS: I wrestled and did gymnastics as a kid (through high school) and can probably still do a couple tricks if my old body would let me.
 
SD: Do you sponsor any clubs at Pine Crest? What do you like about working with students in this capacity? 
 
AS: I was asked this year to sponsor the Middle Eastern Heritage Club. Not sure how I fit in, but I am happy to help in any way I can. I was also the sophomore class sponsor for years. As I said previously, our students are great, and being able to interact with them in different capacities (club sponsor, coach, etc.) helps to build strong relationships that are important to them and to me.
 
SD: What is the most gratifying part about being a teacher? What has been your proudest moment? 
 
AS: The most gratifying part about being a teacher is knowing that you are contributing something positive to society. Seeing the wonderful things our students accomplish in college and beyond and knowing that you've had a part in it, even if it was a very minor part, is extremely fulfilling.
 Upper School Science Instructors Megan O'Brien, Andrew Schwartz, and Michelle Santarelli ’89

After being forced to end the spring 2020 athletic season abruptly, Pine Crest Athletics began planning and focusing on student health and wellness for what became an unprecedented 2020-21 school year. 

Coach Dave Smith may be the only faculty member at Pine Crest School who can say that he has worked under every School president and every Athletic Director in School history — including time spent on the original campus location on Broward Boulevard.

Coach Ruth Bresnahan, more affectionately known as “Coach B” around campus, has been a fixture of Pine Crest School athletics since 1988. However, her start at Pine Crest was actually in 1975 when she began working at Pine Crest Summer, known then as Pine Crest Day Camp.

Alexis Peddy ’22 loves to read. As an avid reader, encouraging and helping children access books has been a longtime interest of hers.

In the early afternoon of January 6, 2021, students in Mrs. Trish Everett’s Post-Advanced Placement (AP) Political Science Seminar cast C-SPAN to the smartboard and began watching the joint session in the U.S. House of Representatives chamber. As lawmakers made their way through a count of Electoral College votes in alphabetical order by state, students were enthusiastic about experiencing their classroom lessons coming to life. 

By Danielle Weisfisch ’20

Pine Crest Head of Upper School Joseph (“Joey”) Walters ’95 wears many hats: he is an alumnus, the proud parent of two Panthers, Leah ’24 and Nathan ’31, an educator, and a member of the senior administration team.

Sports programs in independent schools have changed a lot over the years, and Pine Crest School is no exception.

by Connor Norris ’21

In March of 2019, 13 Upper School student journalists traveled to New York City to attend the Columbia Scholastic Press Association (CSPA) Spring Convention. Before the conference, students had the opportunity to meet with Pine Crest alumni who work in media-related careers in the City. The alumni offered tours of their offices, spoke about their career paths, and answered students’ questions about working in media. Everyone enjoyed reminiscing about their Pine Crest experiences and reflecting upon what makes the School so special.

by Daniel Hennelly ’21, Ilana Hutzler ’20, Karene Hermon ’21, and Jade Klacko ’21

The Columbia Scholastic Press Association (CSPA) announced the winners from its 37th Gold Circle Awards program recently. This year, the awards attracted 5,757 yearbook and digital media entries submitted in 91 categories.

An important part of applying for admission to an independent school is getting to know the school and assessing if it is right for your family.

At Pine Crest School, we believe our students must learn to be as agile and adaptable as possible.

High-brain human traits such as global understanding and empathy, deep thinking and learning, and complex problem-solving mindset through collaboration will distinguish our students and set them up for success.

Upper School Students Rhea Jain ’20 and Neil Sachdeva ’21 were selected to join the Young Entrepreneurs Academy (YEA!) in the fall of 2018. 

By Spencer Davimos ’22

Pine Crest School received three Anatomage Tables recently.

Anatomage Tables are virtual dissecting tables that are generally used by medical schools such as the Mayo Clinic to allow medical students the opportunity to perform virtual autopsies. One Table is located in an Upper School Huizenga Family Science Building classroom. The additional Tables are located in the Middle School life science classrooms — one on the Boca Raton campus and one on the Fort Lauderdale campus.

By Sophia Lieuw-Kie-Song ’22

Researchers have found that students who prepare for exams in advance, study efficiently, and make healthy choices perform better on exams. Here are some important tips to consider: