Heather Sugrue
Susan Scardella

Although Heather Sugrue is only in her second year of teaching at Milton, her level of involvement in the Milton community makes her easily mistakable for an old timer. In addition to her teaching responsibilities in the math department, Heather lives in Hallowell House, has coached girl’s basketball and is currently running the active community service program at Milton.

A transplanted Pennsylvanian, Heather has been in New England for the past 10 years. After attending MIT, where she graduated with a major in math and a minor in French, she spent several months in France before taking a position at the French Library and Cultural Center in Back Bay where she organized and planned their cultural programs. Before long, Heather, the daughter of a math teacher, realized that she missed the “math side” of her life. Her father had once advised her that in choosing a college major she should find an area in which she wanted to take the largest number of courses. For her, this was math. Heather accepted a math teaching position at St. Paul’s School where she also coached basketball and crew and headed a girl’s dorm. Obtaining her masters degree in Education at Boston College was the next step, followed by a job at Milton, where she continues to be as involved in campus life as she was at her previous position.

Heather teaches Algebra II honors and AB Calculus and has received attention for the innovative approach she has taken using the internet to enhance the teaching of Algebra II. As the course does not use a textbook, a web page for the class is accessible on the Milton Web site. The page is divided into sections allowing students and parents to access assignments, download handouts and remind themselves of course expectations. A student can check the site if he or she has missed a class, print out the handout and get his assignment. Students have been very helpful in providing suggestions to improve the site. Overall, Heather finds Milton students to be well rounded and the Milton community to be an open-minded place where the exchange of ideas is welcomed.

Hallowell House is home to Heather, her husband Brian, and their two cats and a dog. Having been a dorm head for 24 students at St Paul’s School, Heather came to Milton with dorm living experience. She really enjoys getting to know the girls in the dorm and the close interaction with her advisees. On occasion, however, she admits the need to close her door to get a bit of private time with her family.

Perhaps the most daunting task Heather has taken on has involved the Community Service Program. Although her dorm at St. Paul’s did get involved in a few projects, her community service experience was limited. Milton has a far more expansive community service program involving over 25 sites where Milton students regularly volunteer. Heather is impressed by the high level of commitment to community service in the Milton community. She feels that while some schools require community service, having students involved by choice is preferable. Currently, because Andrea Geyling, the head o the Community Service Program at Milton is on sabbatical, the “monumental” task of coordinating the program has fallen to Heather and fellow faculty member Julia Rivellino-Lyons. Fortunately a “terrific” group of students on the Community Service Board has made that task easier. Upon Ms. Geyling’s return next semester, Heather will move back in to her assistant position.

Heather has numerous outside interests which she hopes to spend more time pursuing when her community service responsibilities diminish. She has a strong interest in photography, enjoys travel and has a love of the French language and culture. As Milton is a member of the School Year Abroad program she hopes that the future will hold an opportunity to teach math at the SYA school in Rennes, France. She would also like to pursue research related to math education and how students learn the subject. It is quite clear that in Heather Sugrue, Milton has found a multifaceted and energetic new faculty member.