New teachers join the Gulf faculty

GULF HIGH SCHOOL, Feb. 5, 2008.—Several new teachers have joined the Gulf faculty since the start of the school year, either replacing teachers who have resigned or retired, or because our school was allocated additional teachers by the district. Here is some information about them:

Jennifer Cooper joined our staff on January 7. She teaches intensive reading. Ms. Cooper has a degree in Elementary Education from USF. She is a 2003 graduate of J. W. Mitchell High School, where she made states in hurdles under Coach Buono, who was also her math teacher. Mrs. Buono is now an assistant principal at Gulf. Ms. Cooper was born in Tampa.

Judy Hudson joined our faculty in December as a science and reading teacher. She moved to Florida in the 1980s, initially teaching in Hernando County. She began teaching at Land O'Lakes High School in the 1996-97 school year and was a reading coach and teacher in Hillsborough County for eleven years as well as a teaching fellow for graduate students in the College of Education at USF from 2001-2003. She has Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Education from Wayne State University in Detroit and a doctorate in Curriculum and Instruction and Educational Leadership from USF. She earned national board certification in 2007. Dr. Hudson was born in St. Clair Shores, Michigan. She has two sons. She says her hobbies are SCUBA, racquetball, and rollerblading, and that she has three cats instead of a husband.

Andrew Iacovacci teaches pre-IB ninth grade English, Creative Writing II, and sophomore English. He taught at Land O'Lakes High School last year. For eleven years he was a playwright in New York City, where he owned a bookstore. He is a graduate of Fordham University in New York, where he majored in English with a specialty in dramatic literature. He attended Power Memorial Academy High School in New York, the most famous graduate of which is Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Mr. Iacovacci was born in New York City.

Mike Rosso teaches HOPE (Health Opportunities through Physical Education). He replaced Mrs. Jolin, who retired. He is new to teaching. Mr. Rosso has a degree in sports management from St. Leo University. He is one of our soccer coaches. He was born in Staten Island, and is a graduate of East Lake High School.

Zack Stoutimore joined the GHS faculty in January, when we were authorized an additional math teacher. He teaches Algebra I, Probability and Statistics, and Intensive Math. Before becoming a math teacher, Mr. Stoutimore was the youth pastor of Family First Assembly in Spring Hill. He is a 1998 graduate of Chamberlain High School and has a B. S. degree from Southeastern University in Lakeland. He was born in Durango, Colorado. He lives in Oldsmar. He is a runner and was scheduled to run his first marathon in January.

William Toms teaches English I and III. He joined our faculty this month, coming here from Springstead High School in Spring Hill, where he taught for three years. He has also been a graduate teaching assistant at USF, teaching English composition. Mr. Toms has a B. A. degree in English from USF. Coming from a military family, he was born in San Juan, P. R. He graduated from Bourne High School in Cape Cod, Mass. He lives in Spring Hill. He has a one-year-old daughter and describes himself as an aspiring novelist and filmmaker.

Holly Palmerton (formerly Holly Boyet; not pictured) joined the Gulf faculty during the 2007-2008 school year. She is an ESE teacher with ESOL endorsement. She has a B. A. degree in Special Education and a Master's degree in Education Administration. She is a new resident to Florida, from Texas. Prior to teaching she was a substitute for the Department of Defense schools, and a high school secretary at a private school. She is married with three kids and two dogs, and she reports that she loves boating and Harleys.