Ms. Allison Grecco

Ms. Grecco’s achievement of the Crystal Apple Award was not a surprise to her eighth grade students. Prior to becoming a teacher, Ms. Grecco conducted ecology research in Chicago. Before coming to BLS, she taught chemistry and physics at Fenway High School.
In the classroom, Ms. Grecco aims to get to know each student and engage the whole class. Carwen Simoneau (IV), who had Ms. Grecco last year, notes, “I cannot think of many teachers [like her] who are able to address everyone in a room in a way where everyone is seen and appreciated.”
While the Unified Science curriculum can challenge students because of the wide range of topics covered, Ms. Grecco actively works to present information in an understandable way for students to get excited about.
Simoneau concludes, “She is so kind and generous, and I am really happy that I am still in touch with her — I loved her class.”

Mr. Jeffrey Mikalaitis

Mr. Mikalaitis teaches ELA 9 and ELA 11. As a part of the curriculum, he works with students throughout the year to write the Junior Research Paper (JRP). The JRP is uniquely important for students, as the paper is a requirement for graduation. As such, Mr. Mikalaitis splits up the work throughout the year and ensures that students stay on task and develop the skills they need to write high-quality analysis. While doing this, Mr. Mikalaitis also balances teaching many different novels, including Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe and The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood.
Outside the classroom, Mr. Mikalaitis remains very involved in the school community. He serves as one the faculty advisors for The Register, helping them to publish several issues throughout the year. He mentors newer English teachers to help them develop lessons and classroom management. He also takes on a senior capstone student as a mentee.