Geometry, IB Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches

Ms. Waefler taught advanced math courses including Algebra 1, 2, and 3, Pre-calculus, Geometry, AP Statistics, IB Math Studies and IB SL at Granby High School for the past 20 years. Certified in all mathematical levels of the International Baccalaureate Programme, she is passionate about connecting with her students and finding ways to encourage their growth and development. Her warm personality and creativity make learning math fun!

Faculty & Curriculum Specialist, English Literature

Ms. Walker is the previous Gifted Resource at Tallwood HS and Global Studies Academy in Virginia Beach. During her 30 + years of teaching she has received numerous honors: 2003 Virginia Beach Public Schools and Virginia Region II Gifted Teacher of the Year, 2007 VBCity Humanitarian Award, 2008 American Councils of Education, and 2009 Fulbright/ Hayes Grant Travel Awards to Russia. Trained in the Harkness Method at Phillips Exeter Academy, Ms. Walker uses her expertise in gifted education, curriculum and development, and her global perspective to prepare students for their transition to a college preparatory high school. She is passionate about helping students to become critical readers, writers, and thinkers. Ms. Walker teaches English Literature 9 at The Hague School.

IB Visual Arts, Studio Art, IB Spanish

Ms. Adelfio is an internationally recognized sculptor who serves as the Artist-in-Residence at The Hague School. Her students integrate art history with creation, utilizing the school’s partnership with The Chrysler Museum to engage with original works of art, as well as producing their own unique pieces. Trained in the Harkness Method at Phillips Exeter Academy, Ms. Adelfio also brings her international experience to lead our growing world languages initiative, which incorporates linguistics and cultural awareness with language proficiency in Italian, French, and Spanish.

American Literature, Research & Composition, Visual Rhetoric, & Multimedia Documentary

Becky Boncal earned an M.F.A. in Creative Writing from George Mason University where she studied the short story and novel under Alan Cheuse. For more than twelve years, she has been honored to share the transformative power of language and visual art with students at colleges and universities across Virginia. She has twice led students on study abroad trips to Ireland and Northern Ireland. After moving back to Norfolk from Richmond to be closer to her roots, she has found a home both in the Larchmont neighborhood and at The Hague School, where she teaches Research & Composition, Visual Rhetoric, and Multimedia Documentary. Her poetry, fiction, and non-fiction appear in various anthologies, literary journals, and magazines including the The Adirondack Review, The Copperfield Review, The Richmond Times Dispatch and R Home.

U.S. History, IB Language and Literature, & Extended Essay

Ms. Mouak is a Norfolk native who received her B.A. in English from Mary Washington University and her M.A. in English Literature from Old Dominion University. She has taught writing and literature at Old Dominion University, as well as Granby High School in Norfolk. She has been teaching at international schools in Morocco for the past five years.

Cultural Geography, U.S. History, & IB History

Ms. Hall is a graduate of the University of Virginia, where she received a B.A. in History and a Master’s Degree in Teaching, with postgraduate training in Literacy across the Curriculum. Following her coursework, she first taught 20th Century History at Maya Angelou Public Charter School in Washington, D.C. She then became licensed in New York where after being offered a position as a founding teacher at East Brooklyn Community High School in Brooklyn, NY. There she taught courses in Global Africa, Global Middle East, Global Asia, Global Historical Figures, Global Europe, Latin American History through Art, French Language and Culture, and Communism in Literature. At The Hague School, Ms. Hall leads its IB core courses in Individuals & Societies and further serve as the school’s Advancement Coordinator.

Psychology, Freshman Seminar

Ms. Coles is a practicing therapist who has worked in higher education for more than fifteen years, serving as an instructor, counselor, and administrator. A former Associate Campus President and, later, Director of Academic Affairs in the School of Health Sciences at ECPI, she is working to obtain her Ph.D. in Counseling & Psychological Studies by 2024 from Hampton University. She brings her holistic approach to mental health care and her experience working with diverse patient populations to The Hague School where she teaches Psychology and Freshman Seminar.

Filmmaking

Mr. Friedman teaches filmmaking at The Hague School and the Governor’s School for the Arts, where he helped start the school’s film department. He wrote the local independent feature comedy, Moving, in the early 2000s (for which he won “Best Screenplay” at the Digital Visions film festival in Chicago) and received the Sloan Foundation Fellowship for science themes in film. He assistant directed the 2012 Doritos commercial “Man’s Best Friend,” which became the #1 ad of that year’s Superbowl, then wrote and co-wrote several followups. In 2016, he produced and scored the short film Moss Manor, which won Best Film at the Hampton Roads 48 Hour Film Project and also garnered him the award for Best Original Score. He has been a screenwriting panelist at the Virginia Festival of the Book, a screenwriting workshop instructor at the CNU Writer’s Conference.

Environmental Systems

Ms. Mitchell-James earned her Bachelor’s in Environmental Science from Southern New Hampshire University and a Master’s in Environmental Science and Policy from Johns Hopkins University. Born and raised in Trinidad and Tobago, Ms. Mitchell-James has traveled across the world. She earned a degree from the Institute of Culinary Education and worked for years as a chef before serving as a Biomedical Technician in the Air Force where she discovered her passion for the environment. She is excited to be teaching IB Environmental Systems and Societies at The Hague School.

Studio Art

Ms. Zafar is an interdisciplinary artist exploring the ethereal qualities of interconnectivity through light and shadow. Her studio practice, which combines glass, digital media, and lighting, merges elements of contemporary design with the powerful poetics of fine art. While pursuing her BFA at the Rhode Island School of Design, Ms. Zafar found hot glass, a time based material capable of vivacious manipulation. Ms. Zafar is invested in sharing her curiosity of material and process with students. A consummate teacher, she has guided students at institutions such as: Corning Museum of Glass, Governor School of the Arts, Old Dominion University and RISD. Currently, Ms. Zafar is enrolled in the Chrysler Museum Glass Studio Assistantship Residency Program. She teaches Studio Art at The Hague School.

Music Appreciation

Mr. Sacks is a singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist born and raised in Norfolk, Virginia. Mr. Sacks attended the Governor’s School for the Arts and continued his studies at Old Dominion University, earning a BA in Music with a focus on jazz and aesthetics in art and science. He worked in music summer camps from the age of 14 and has been teaching ever since. He has experience playing in many bands of varying genres, but his main project is the alternative band The LifeHacks. Mr. Sacks was a finalist in the Sea Level Emerging Artist Contest 3 years in a row, winning in 2012. Since then he has been featured on radio and TV shows including 96x, Paul Shugrue’s Out of the Box, and the Hampton Roads Show. In 2016, Mr. Sacks founded the Local Cheers concert series. He worked as an instructor and director at the School of Rock program for over 7 years. He teaches Music Appreciation at The Hague School.

Spanish I & II

Ms. Vazquez Falls is a long-time resident of Virginia. She graduated from Old Dominion University and earned her Master’s degree in Spanish Language and Culture from Universidad de Salamanca in Salamanca, Spain. In addition, she is a National Board Certified Teacher. Recently retired from VBCPS, she served as Department Chair and an Instructional Leader of the World Languages Department in the Global Studies and World Languages Academy at Tallwood High School. She has taught all levels of Spanish and led student trips abroad. Sra. Vazquez Falls has traveled extensively and loves sharing her Cuban heritage with her students. With a focus on proficiency, real-world application, and performance-based instruction and assessment, she ensures that her students leave her class speaking Spanish and understanding the unique aspects of the culture. She is excited to join the Hague School this year.

French I & French II

Ms. Ardyna is a French native who moved to Norfolk one year ago and started teaching with the Alliance Française. She also teaches history and geography lessons in French at the French American School in Norfolk. She has a medical background in France and decided to start teaching French when she arrived in the U.S. because she sees French as a language rich in culture. Enthusiastic, patient, and eager to share her passion for French, she will teach students with an emphasis on grammar and oral communication. Having moved to a new country, she knows that it is complicated to learn and progress in a new language and that is why she makes language learning fun by providing readings, culinary workshops, and role-playing games. Ms. Ardyna teaches French to beginners at The Hague School.

Algebra II, Trigonometry, & IB Math

A Massachusetts native, Jessica Duggan began her path to teaching as an undergraduate at the University of New Hampshire. Her love for both history and math left her undecided about where to focus, so she flipped a coin and math won! Ms. Duggan earned a Master’s of Arts in teaching from Boston University. For 10 years, she taught all subjects of high school math in a public school in Massachusetts before moving to Norfolk in 2016. Ms. Duggan is a doctoral candidate at the College of William & Mary in the Educational Policy, Planning & Leadership program with a specialization in curriculum and learning design. She has supported a variety of Virginia grant-funded research and teaching projects, ranging from elementary math coaching to project-based learning. Outside of her professional pursuits, Ms. Duggan is a loving mom of three. She enjoys cooking and spending time with her family, especially outdoors where you’ll find her at the beach, in the neighborhood walking her pups, or in the mountains skiing or hiking.

Scientific Research Methods & IB Biology

Michael Mulligan has taught IB sciences in the United States, South and Central America, and West Central Africa during the last twenty-seven years. Prior to classroom instruction, he was an educator and grassroots coordinator working for environmental non-profit organizations in Virginia. He earned his BA in Art History/Fine Arts from Virginia Commonwealth University and his MS in Science Education from Montana State University. He has thrived in different cultures and with diverse groups of students in his classes. He utilizes the resources in the places he lives and works to apply science to authentic situations with the goal of both problem-solving and better understanding the world we live in. Seeing students apply critical thinking skills in a variety of situations that lead to personal and community success is what inspires his love for learning and teaching.