This fall, eight new faculty members join the Upper School community. Sacred Heart Greenwich welcomes Mrs. Meghan McMahon, Ms. Joyce Reed, Mrs. Kristin Lisjak, Ms. Alyson Tockstein, Mrs. Margaret Siegrist, Mr. Luke Woodard, Dr. Hope Hirshorn ’82, and Mr. Cameron McManus to King Street. These educators, experienced in the subjects of science, English, and theology, cultivate a love of learning among the student body.
Mrs. McMahon, Head of Upper School, received her Bachelor of Arts (BA) from the College of the Holy Cross in history. She then extended her passion for history at Tufts University, where she received a Master of Arts (MA) degree. To further her educational career, Mrs. McMahon earned a Master of Education (M.Ed) degree in Educational Leadership from Columbia University.
As an alumna of Newton Country Day School of the Sacred Heart (NCDS) in Newton, Massachusetts, Mrs. McMahon is eager to return to her Sacred Heart roots. In fact, she comes from a line of Sacred Heart alumnae, which drives Mrs. McMahon’s devotion to the school. Sacred Heart’s Goals and Criteria are particularly significant to Mrs. McMahon as the foundation of her academic career as a Sacred Heart student. She hopes to encompass Sacred Heart’s mission and guide students throughout their Upper School journeys.
“As a Sacred Heart alum, I always aspire to embody and embrace the Sacred Heart Goals and Criteria,” Mrs. McMahon said. “In collaboration with our extraordinary faculty, I hope to continue fostering courage and confidence in the student body as they lead lives of purpose and pursue excellence in the classroom, on the field, on the stage, and through service for others.”
As the school year is underway, the Sacred Heart Science Department welcomes four seasoned educators to the Science Wing. Ms. Reed, Mrs. Lisjak, Ms. Tockstein, and Mrs. Siegrist hope to educate their students in their respective fields of science and encourage them to pursue interests in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields.
Although Ms. Reed is a new face in the Upper School, she taught in the Middle School for ten years. She teaches Neuroscience and Science Research and strives to extend her passion for the sciences to her students. Ms. Reed has a bachelor’s degree in Biological Sciences from Cornell University, a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from the State University of New York at Cortland, and a master’s degree from Bard College. Prior to becoming a teacher, Ms. Reed managed neuroscience research labs at Cornell University and Bowdoin College. Her research revolved around ornithology, focusing on the cognitive processes of birds. Ms. Reed also worked for a science radio program, interviewing scientists about their research. Outside of the classroom, she hopes to contribute to Sacred Heart’s sustainability and community service endeavors.
“I want my students in Science Research to learn more about a subject they are passionate about and discover first-hand the process a scientist goes through in developing a research question and conducting experimental work,” Ms. Reed said. “For my neuroscience students, I want them to gain a deeper understanding of how the brain works and the significance of research in this important field.”
Mrs. Lisjak graduated from the University at Buffalo with a Bachelor of Science degree in Exercise Physiology and earned an M.Ed degree in Secondary Science at DePaul University in Chicago, Illinois. Mrs. Lisjak taught biology, anatomy, physiology, and chemistry throughout her career at Fairfield Ludlowe High School and Darien High School. She has taught for over 15 years and educated students in Illinois, Pennsylvania, and Connecticut. As the Upper School’s Advanced Placement (AP) Biology teacher and chemistry teacher, Mrs. Lisjak hopes to instill a love of science in her students and is grateful to be part of the Sacred Heart community.
“I look forward to sharing my science experience with the teachers and students, for I am very impressed with the facilities of the Upper School Science Department and my colleagues’ wealth of knowledge and experience,” Mrs. Lisjak said. “My goal is to inspire students to continue to take additional science courses throughout their educational journey and to share their knowledge and skills with others.”
Ms. Tockstein, another addition to the Upper School Science Department, attended the University of Southern Carolina for her undergraduate studies and received a master’s degree from Columbia University. She is not new to the area, for she grew up conducting research at the Maritime Aquarium in Norwalk, Connecticut. Ms. Tockstein worked at the aquarium for 15 years, training animals, educating the public, mentoring students, and working on Oceanic and Spirit of the Sound research vessels. Additionally, she furthered her global scientific interests as she conducted fieldwork in California, Chile, and along the eastern seaboard and directed study tours concentrating on the marine ecosystem and conservation in Belize, Costa Rica, and the Florida Keys. Ms. Tockstein hopes to generate curiosity in her students concerning the world around them and the animals that live in it as the AP Environmental Science and biology teacher.
“I am excited to learn from my colleagues and further empower young women to pursue their interests,” Ms. Tockstein said. “I hope to inspire students to enjoy nature and seek to take part in conversation. I particularly appreciate Sacred Heart’s deep respect for all sciences and science communication.”
Mrs. Siegrist hopes to engage her students in diverse science subjects and spark interest in pursuing a career in STEM. Her passion for the sciences was present in multiple public and private schools around Westchester County, Long Island, and Florida. Mrs. Siegrist captivates her students by utilizing the Socratic Method, posing thought-provoking questions that actively engage students in class. As an anatomy and biology teacher, she hopes to encourage her students to do their best in every endeavor they take part in while further cultivating their love for science.
“My most impactful role in the Upper School is teaching the girls to think for themselves and formulate their opinions,” Mrs. Siegrist said. “I hope to get my students more interested in scientific careers because we definitely need more good doctors, researchers, and scientists in the modern world.”
The Upper School also welcomes Mr. Woodard to the English Department as the newest American Literature teacher. He attended Saint Michael’s College in Colchester, Vermont, for his undergraduate studies. After a few years of working as a writer in corporate communications, he became more interested in teaching English. Mr. Woodard also works as an outdoor educator and wilderness guide, and teaching is an outlet to combine his love of literature with the fulfillment he finds in working with youth. He had the opportunity to spend the Fall 2022 semester as a long-term substitute at Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart in Bethesda, Maryland, which solidified Mr. Woodard’s decision to pursue a career in education. In addition to teaching English at Sacred Heart, he is currently pursuing a master’s degree in English Literature.
Mr. Woodard’s Sacred Heart journey did not start in Greenwich, for the Sacred Heart Network played a significant role in his childhood. He values how exuberantly Sacred Heart embraces the ideals of a liberal arts education that engages students in overlapping disciplines, granting students the tools to engage more fully with the world.
“I hope to help my students grow as readers and writers, developing their relationships with language and literature throughout the process,” Mr. Woodard said. “I am consistently impressed by the curiosity and creativity of my students. It brings me joy to see them engage with the challenging and complex questions that literature asks of us.”
Lastly, the Theology Department welcomes two new educators to the Upper School. Dr. Hirshorn is a Sacred Heart graduate herself and the mother of three lifers, Grace Hirshorn ’11, Sarah Hirshorn ’13, and Emily Hirshorn ’15. She is eager to return to campus as an Upper School Theology Teacher. Her career began on Wall Street as a bond analyst. While she worked full-time, she pursued a master’s degree in Public Administration and a Post Master’s Certificate in Finance from New York University (NYU). She then traveled to London, England, receiving a Certificate in Marian Studies from Heythrop College. Upon her return to New York, Dr. Hirshorn decided to pursue her passion for theological studies, receiving an MA, a Master of Philosophy, and a Doctor of Philosophy from Fordham University.
Dr. Hirshorn is proud to reintegrate her Sacred Heart background into her role as an educator. She teaches Theological Foundations to the ninth grade and hopes her students will gain a solid background in theology, which will remain with them throughout their lives.
“I hope to inspire my students to embrace and live out Sacred Heart’s Goals and Criteria,” Dr. Hirshorn said. “Specifically, Goal One: to have a personal and active faith in God.”
Mr. McManus, another addition to the Upper School Theology Department, completed the Religion Teacher program at St. Michael’s College at the University of Toronto, where he received BA and Bachelor of Education degrees, with a double major in Catholicism and English. He then received his MA in English from the University of Victoria. Before working as a classroom teacher, Mr. McManus worked as a tutor, a Teaching Assistant at a university, and even as a carpenter’s apprentice. He taught for five years at the Traditional Learning Academy in British Columbia, Canada, where he taught multiple subjects, including religion, Latin, English, history, and math, to students of all ages. Prior to his arrival at Sacred Heart, Mr. McManus taught at the Brilla School in the South Bronx for a year. Mr. McManus hopes to instill a lifelong love of learning and faith in his Ethics and Scripture and the Arts students.
“As a theology teacher, I want each young woman I teach to become the woman God calls her to be: the best version of herself,” Mr. McManus said. “Although that is not something I can do for my students, I want to help them do it however I can. That is the primary purpose behind everything we do in theology. Everything else is secondary.”
Featured Image by Ana Patricio ’24
