To begin the 2022-2023 school year, John Carroll has welcomed some new faculty and staff members to the community. The Patriot asked each one of them to share a bit of their stories.

Ms. Tenecia Crawford
School Counselor

Why did you want to come to John Carroll? I enjoy working in a school environment. John Carroll has proven to be an excellent choice for me because of the warmth of staff and the students. I am from the south, so hospitality is major for me. John Carroll is a school intentional on preparing its students for college and life success; therefore, I wanted to be a part of the JC family.
Did you have any ties to JC before coming here? No ties prior to working here.
What have you thought about your experience thus far? Organized, friendly, and there are a lot of opportunities to become more involved with the students and faculty.
What would students be surprised to find out about you? Nothing really. I am an open book lots of content.
What would people find on your own playlist? NPR , Smooth Jazz, Jill Scott, Motown, and I am ready for the Christmas Playlist!

Mr. Jim Orndorff
Mathematics Teacher (Algebra 3, Honors Precalculus, Honors Calculus)

Why did you want to come to John Carroll? When I was looking for a position, The John Carroll School really stood apart from everyone else. I think I could best describe the culture as promoting a servant’s attitude towards our students. It was clear from my early discussions with both the administration and the teachers that everyone employed at John Carroll knows they are here to serve the diverse needs of our students. Those needs start with preparing our students for college and, equally important, inspiring them to achieve their greatest potential.
Did you have any ties to JC before coming here? I’ve known several students from past classes and have always been impressed with the caliber of the students; they have all struck me as intelligent, compassionate, kind, and supportive.
What have you thought about your experience thus far at JC? JC is just what I hoped for. The students have been respectful, helpful, and kind. The administration and staff have been incredibly supportive. The early challenge for me was following the eight-day rotating schedule. After a week, I think I have gotten the hang of it.
What would students be surprised to find out about you? You wouldn’t know it by my ugly car, but I own several fun motorized toys: motorcycle, boat, four-wheeler and an electric skateboard for riding around the city.
What would people find on your own playlist? Songs from Queen, Elton John, Rolling Stones, Journey, Boston.

Mr. Chris Kosmides
English Teacher (English 1 & English 4)

Why did you want to come to John Carroll? The people I interviewed with were warm and friendly and seemed committed to education.
Did you have any ties to JC before coming here? Not at all. I knew very little about it.
What have you thought about your experience thus far? It is a welcoming learning community. I am struck by the diversity of the staff and students.
What would students be surprised to find out about you?  I play guitar in a rock band.
What would people find on your own playlist? Alt-J, Portugal the Man, AC-DC, Black Sabbath, Neil Young and The Clash.

Mr. Nathan Nocket
Religion Teacher, Marching Band Percussion Tech

Why did you want to come to John Carroll? I taught co-ed middle school for three years before teaching at Maryvale. I felt a strong desire to return to the co-ed classroom.
Did you have any ties to JC before coming here? When I was the youth minister at St. Joan of Arc in Aberdeen, I had a number of JC students come through my programs. My cousin, Emma Braddy, graduated with the Class of 2022. Emma’s sister, Carlene, is a senior this year.
What have you thought about your experience thus far? I have been completely taken with the level of kindness and respect displayed by the student body at large. The faculty and staff have been wonderful as well in helping me get going this year.
What would students be surprised to find out about you? So a few things here; my students have been surprised to learn that this is my tenth year teaching (they think I’m younger than I am—so I’ll take it! Haha!) I used to be on a competitive bowling league for two years with a 2009 JC graduate. I taught English in Morocco during the summer of 2019.
What would people find on your own playlist? NPR , My playlist is wild…a lot of 80s tracks, 90s R&B, a lot of country, Moroccan tunes, Mumford & Sons, Imagine Dragons, Ballyhoo! (They’re from Aberdeen), 2000s punk rock, and a bunch of indie artists.

Mr. Rhys Gadbois
Religion Teacher

Why did you want to come to John Carroll? The commute was a lot easier than my previous job. Also, I had heard positive things about The John Carroll School.
Did you have any ties to JC before coming here? I did not.
What have you thought about your experience thus far? Honestly, I am loving it. My co-workers are a solid bunch, and the kids are great!
What would students be surprised to find out about you? Believe it or not, I hardly ever drink something with caffeine in it.
What would people find on your own playlist? “Park Bench” by Valley, any song by Novo Amor, and any song by Vian Izak. Also, they may find “Flossin” by The Backpack Kid.

Ms. Tricia Giuffrida
Physical Education Teacher

Why did you want to come to John Carroll? To work in the community where you live in provides countless benefits. I love being able to attend John Carroll events, see my students around town, and also be able to spend more time with my own family.
Did you have any ties to JC before coming here? Living in Harford County, I have known plenty of individuals who went to school here, work here, or have worked here in the past, and all of them have always spoken highly of John Carroll.
What have you thought about your experience thus far at JC? My experience thus far has been nothing short of amazing. From the very start, I knew that John Carroll was a special place where the charisma is palpable, and everyone has been so warm and welcoming.
What would students be surprised to find out about you? Students would be surprised to find out that I’m a native of Long Island, NY and was an avid Yankee fan before arriving in Maryland. Since then, I have slowly but surely switched my baseball caps in support of the black and orange!
What would people find on your own playlist? My playlist contains an eclectic mix of 80s music from Bon Jovi to Pearl Jam; I’ve also got some NPR thrown in there to keep me fresh on everything happening in the world.

Ms. Laura Seifert
Assistant Athletic Director/Girls Varsity Lacrosse Coach

Why did you want to come to John Carroll? The opportunity to pursue my passion working in athletics and coaching full-time; great school with fantastic students.
Did you have any ties to JC before coming here? Growing up, a few of my friends attended the school; I also currently have a few athletes from my club attending the school.
What have you thought about your experience thus far? Love being here at JC – everyone is very friendly and helpful; a great environment to be a part of.
What would students be surprised to find out about you? My birthday is a holiday.
What would people find on your own playlist? Depends on the day – I usually have a pretty eclectic playlist.

Others new to the Patriot community are Mr. Del Cowsette, Ms. Alicia Lambe, Mr. Mark Modeste, Ms. Christina Presberry, Mr. Dusan Stojanoski, and Mr. Don Lemmon.