Q: What kinds of work experiences did you have before joining our school staff?
A: I enlisted in the Marine Corps right out of high school and was trained as a helicopter mechanic while stationed in California. I went on to study math and engineering at Villanova University, and became a programmer for the Department of Commerce just outside Washington, D.C. Later, I returned to work for the military at a Marine Corps Air Station in Cherry Point North Carolina, helping create an online way to streamline the investigation of engineering problems in military aircraft. I then went back to school to get my master’s degree from Boston University in Management Information Systems. After coming to Maine, I worked for several years in the health care industry, in a computer programming capacity.
Q: What are your major goals for the school’s technology program?
A: First, I want to further develop the incorporation of technology into every classroom as something that’s used far more frequently. Second, I want to help both teachers and students to feel more comfortable learning new computer skills. Another priority is to keep including my faith and the teachings of the Catholic Church in my instruction. Finally, I want to continue improving our computer lab and keep us as up-to-date as possible in terms of equipment and curriculum.
Q: What do you think are the most important technology skills for our students to master before graduating from St. Brigid?
A: The main thrust of my teaching and instruction revolves around keyboarding; the students really need to be able to type quickly and accurately to be prepared for high school. Next would be the use of Microsoft Office applications -- email, word processing, spreadsheets and presentations. The last one is file management, because once they learn the basics, they should be able to navigate any computer.
