Falcon Fresh Faces 2021

Say cheese! Photography teacher Sarah Ewing joins the Art Department after many years of practice. She has always had an interest in photography and has been taking photos since she was in elementary school. “It's just kinda my thing,” said Ewing. After graduating from KRHS, Ewing attended James Madison University. Later, she got a Studio Art degree and concentrated in photography. In her free...

Shakespeare enthusiast Dan Sirignano joins FHS’s English department after teaching at Northern Virginia Community College. Sirignano’s goal has always been to “get people excited about reading and writing.” Sirignano’s passion for literature started with an English teacher: Andy Hawk. “At the time I had no interest in English,” Sirignano said. “He really got me excited about it and...

Grab a book and bring a friend, Rebecca Webster is the new librarian, and she loves recommending new books. Webster brings her knowledge of Young Adult literature with a plan to engage students in different ways to promote learning. Webster's favorite thing about being a librarian is “helping people find a book that they can enjoy.” Webster dreamed of being a librarian since she was little. “I...

FHS alumni Nancy Nye returns with 22 years of experience to teach students of all ages. After graduating, she became a nanny to triplets and was inspired to take a child development course. She began teaching preschool and was motivated to get a teaching degree. “A parent of one of the preschoolers handed me an envelope with a note saying, ‘Use this money for your first class toward your degree,’”...

Returning to the halls of FHS, Kim McPherson graduated in 1988. A falcon at heart, McPherson says she is excited by the opportunity to teach English and inspire future students. Not only is McPherson an English teacher, but she's also a water safety instructor at the Freedom Aquatic Center in Manassas. She started swimming when she was 3 years old. McPherson plays the handbells because she enjoys...

Instructional assistant Sarah Barber returns to FHS with hopes to make an impact within the Special Education Department. She wishes to use her positive attitude to brighten students’ lives since “they might not always have someone at home to take care of them.” Barber graduated in 2008 and earned her Certified Nursing Assistant certificate as a senior. While at FHS, Barber participated in multiple...

When it comes to reading and writing, Dawn Morton is there to lend a hand! Morton had been teaching for 20 years at the elementary school level, until going back to school to get her masters in literacy. Her switch to teaching at the highschool level began after COVID, with becoming a long term substitute teacher at KRHS. “Being back in the classroom made me realize how much I missed teaching students,”...

From Wisconsin to Illinois, from New York to Virginia, Mary Kruck eventually found her way to FHS. Kruck can be found enticing her students with the world of literature. New to the English department, Kruck is excited to be teaching high school classes. Kruck graduated from Olean High School in New York and attended Saint Bonaventure University. Afterwards, she got her Masters in English and Literature...

Matt Schell, a social studies teacher and a Star Wars fan, joins the FHS team as a Social Studies teacher this year. He loves Star Wars and alternate history, and he thinks that the shows are better than some of the movies. Schell is trying to set up an Esports club and says that it might happen next year. Schell attended Radford University, and in his spare time enjoys playing video games, exploring...

Say “bienvenidos” to FHS’s new Spanish teacher! Pam Chovnick is joining the staff with 20 previous years of teaching on her resume. Before coming to FHS, Chovnick taught Spanish at Rappahannock Highschool and KRHS, “I thought I would be doing something with international relations, and I always knew that language was what I wanted to teach,” said Chovnick. Outside of school she enjoys hiking...

Math teacher Mesfin Tadesse has come to FHS after previously teaching in Maryland and DC. Born in Ethiopia, Tadesse moved to the United States in 1991. After working as a dishwasher in Georgetown, he was promoted to cashier and then to manager. Tadesse eventually bought the restaurant, where he served many guests including former President Bill Clinton’s daughter, Chelsea Clinton. “She was in...

Turn on those thinking caps and get ready to learn! Kim Raines is the new mathematics teacher ready to inspire students to appreciate the subject. She hopes to offer “experience, care and, hopefully, a little energy” to her students. Raines has taught mathematics in Fauquier County for 33 years. Ever since a young age, Raines has “always wanted to teach.” She started by mentoring her younger...