Andrea De Jesus

Pronouns: she/her

Teaching: Sixth and seventh grade English; 6th grade advisor

Previously… : I taught English at Lake Forest Country Day School in Lake Forest, Illinois for three years.

Looking forward to… : The first thing that comes to mind is being on a campus. I think I got spoiled when I was living in Illinois and my school was on a beautiful campus. I’m just so grateful to be coming back to New York City while still keeping that space and greenery of a campus school.

Ideal superpower: My ideal superpower would be the ability to fly. There is so much of the world I want to see and experience.

Karen Jimenez

Pronouns: she/her

Teaching: Sixth and seventh grade history; sixth grade advisor

Previously… : I taught at the Windward School for four years prior to coming to Horace Mann.

Looking forward to… : I’m really looking forward to the Dorr trip since I’m going to be a sixth grade advisor.

Ideal superpower: Fly or teleport and I would visit all the historical sites I’ve learned and taught about, particularly in South America, whenever possible.

Mark Chiu

Pronouns: he/him/his

Teaching: Sixth and seventh grade math

Previously… : I was a middle school math teacher in New Jersey for 24 years, and 1 year in California.

Looking forward to… : I’m looking forward to the challenges adapting to a new school environment, and looking forward to working with the Horace Mann community, which I’ve heard nothing but positive and great things about. I grew up in NYC and I went to Bronx Science, so I never really worked in an independent school environment, but looking forward to it.

Ideal superpower : Teleportation. I would try to be in as many places as I could, as quick as I could. We’re pulled in a lot of directions these days and sometimes we feel like we can’t accomplish it all, and that would be a way to try and get more efficient. And if a student needs you, or you need to go back home for something, you’re there. If I could do it for good and for the good of society and the community and use that to get to meetings or to get to more places or more things I could do, I would.

Olivier Bakowiez

Pronouns: He/him

Teaching: Beginner French, French MS2

Previously… : In France, I was a Science Teacher. I moved to the USA to be part of the administration in the Lyceum-Kennedy French-American School, and then I taught French in different places such as UNIS (United Nations International School) and Bank Street School for Children.

Looking forward to… : Since it is my first year at Horace Mann, I am mostly looking forward to discovering the HM community. I am also looking forward to going back to a “normal” teaching environment without COVID.

Ideal superpower: Traveling through time to repair errors made in the past.