IMS Welcomes New Faculty and Staff 2022-23

Reme López Polo will teach Spanish to our students on the Lower Campus this year and comes to IMS with more than 30 years of teaching experience. Maestra López Polo graduated from the University of Salamanca, Spain, with a degree in Spanish Philology. Since then, she has taught Spanish as a second language all over the world:  in Spain, Egypt, Romania, and for the last 20 years at The Chapin School in New York City, where she also developed the World Languages curriculum for their Lower School. Her goal in teaching her native language is to help cultivate joy, understanding, and acceptance between cultures. In her spare time, Sra. Polo loves reading, cooking, eating in good company, and practicing meditation.

Amy Tedder joins the IMS Lower School to teach a second section of our fourth grade. Ms. Tedder grew up in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. She studied Psychology at Louisiana State University, working as a camp counselor and an au pair through the summers. After a stint as administrative assistant at The Philadelphia School in Philadelphia, PA, Ms. Tedder fell in love with the independent school community and went on to complete her Associate Teacher training at Beauvoir, the National Cathedral Elementary School in Washington, DC. Seeking to  explore an even broader view of education and pedagogy. Ms. Tedder received her master’s degree at the London School of Economics in Organizational Behavior, focusing on organizational and leadership change in independent schools. Ms. Tedder went on to take lead teacher positions at Feynman School in Potomac MD, and most recently at Mirman School in Los Angeles, CA, where she taught 3rd and 4th grade gifted students. She is thrilled to finally be back to her east coast roots, settling into northwest Connecticut with her husband, Michael.  She is eager to learn from and grow with the IMS community.

Lauren Graham is a licensed mental health counselor with a passion for working with children and emerging adults. She is thrilled to be joining IMS as a School Counselor and hopes to make a positive, long-term impact on students’ emotional wellness, self-esteem, and ability to cope with adversity. Her background has allowed her to utilize a trauma-focused approach to facilitate individual, group, and family therapy on residential campuses in New York and Massachusetts. Ms. Graham’s primary goal in her clinical work is to build rapport and cultivate a safe environment for processing in a meaningful way. Outside of work, Ms. Graham enjoys hiking, traveling, and spending time with her daughter.

Annie Bell Muzaurieta is thrilled to join the IMS community as a part-time Spanish teacher and tutor, and can’t wait to share her love of language and culture with her students. She graduated from New York University with a Bachelor’s degree in Italian, and during that time enjoyed a semester abroad in Florence, Italy, which solidified her love of language, travel, and pasta! Upon graduating, she worked as an editor and writer for Time Out New York, Allure magazine, and a web start-up focused on eco-friendly living. Ms. Muzaurieta completed a master’s degree in Public Administration, and most recently received a master’s in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) from New York University. Her final project documented her own Spanish language learning. She lives in Sharon, CT with her husband Albert and their kids Rosie, ’24, Paco, ’25, and Annabelle, ’28.

Lydia Alberts joins the IMS Lower School this year after graduating from Wheaton College with a degree in elementary education. She will be co-teaching the Pre-K classroom on the Lower Campus. Ms. Alberts  grew up in Middlebury Vermont, and has always loved spending time outside and working on crafty art projects in her free time. Lydia is excited to share her love of the outdoors, art, and exploration with her young students and fellow teachers! 

Adam Marcia joins the IMS community as a Latin Teacher and Assistant Athletic Director. He will also be a dorm parent, coach, and advisor. Mr. Marcia is a recent graduate of Denison University in Granville, Ohio, where he majored in Classical Studies. He was also a manager of the late-night café on campus, was on the club soccer team, and hosted his own morning radio show. He worked at the Cardigan Mountain Summer program for the past two summers and is a life-long athlete.  In his free time Mr. Marcia enjoys staying active and exploring the outdoors.

Madelyn (Maddie) Gay joins the IMS  Science Department this year and will teach science on the Upper Campus, as well as coach swimming and softball.  Ms. Gay has always had a passion for education. During her college years, she taught swimming as well as various age levels in after school care.  She earned her bachelor’s degree in Biology from Farleigh Dickinson University in Madison, NJ, Maddie is excited to bring her love of the sciences to the classroom in order to inspire the next generation of scientists.