WOODBURY — If you picture a school environment, the first thing that comes to mind might be busy classrooms, lockers lining the walls and hallways bustling with students. However, beyond those things, there might be a few educators stuck trying to find their way while working with two other coworkers in a room the size of a closet.
But for Dr. Taryn Fernandez, this is how she got her start. Now, she’s has made it all the way from a tiny closet to central office throughout her time at Nonnewaug.
Fernandez, Region 14’s director of teaching and learning, has been the heart of the district for the past 20 years. Prior to her big move to Central Office, she rose through Nonnewaug and has made an impact every step of the way.
“I think my definition of success has changed a lot over the years,” says Fernandez, “but I would say that the impact on students is how I know I am being successful. When I was in the classroom, [it was] seeing them actually enjoy the lesson and learning and accelerating. Now, [it’s] going into a classroom seeing that the curriculum that we chose and our implementation is working.”
In addition to Fernandez, other teachers and students have helped her along the way.
“Dr. Fernandez, Mrs. [Marisa] Christoff, and myself used to share a tiny closet in the back of the library when we were all department chairs together,” says Jessica McKay, English teacher and English instructional leader. “It was an amazing time laughing and supporting each other. The three of us have such a passion for teaching, and we constantly shared amazing activities, strategies, and pedagogy with each other.”
The Road to Success
Fernandez began teaching at Nonnewaug in 2005. Since then, she has grown her career from being a Spanish teacher to receiving her doctorate in educational leadership in 2019. She then went on to become the assistant principal at Nonnewaug and then the director of teaching and learning for the 2022-23 school year.
“Being at the high school level, we have students coming through that get to us, and everybody looks at the high school as the flagship of performance,” says Fernandez, “but there is so much that happens before students get to high school. Thinking back to your other nine years of schooling, that was essential to your success. The idea that I could impact those nine years before they even get to the high school was really great.”
Between the chaos of work, and the craziness of life, Fernandez makes sure to keep calm.
“I will come home at the end of the day, or on my drive home, I will think about what went well today, what I need to work on and not have it happen again,” says Fernandez. “So I think just those reflections and even just talking it through with colleagues, thinking about what I could have done better and being open to constructive criticism has been huge.”
“Being director of teaching and learning I think has given her the opportunity to get to know the staff and faculty and how best to support them in teaching and learning,” said Christoff, the social studies instructional leader.
Impact on Region 14
Thanks to her long career as a teacher at Nonnewaug, McKay thinks Fernandez has been especially beneficial in new new role.
“Dr. Fernandez has brought consistency and organization to the district,” says McKay. “Her many years of serving as a teacher and administrator here have made her very well-equipped to have a personal knowledge of and investment in our district.”
In addition to what she has done for students, Fernandez has also connected with staff on a more direct level.
“When I first started at Nonnewaug about seven to eight years ago, she was the world language department chair and it was my first time being a department chair, so she was really a mentor to me,” says Christoff.
Fernandez has been a crucial part of Region 14 for the past 20 years, and she plans to continue to bring success to the curriculum and the inner workings of the school system.
“You will never meet someone more intelligent, competent, passionate,” McKay said, “and dedicated to this profession.”
