In the Upper School division this year, there are two new core teachers joining us. Mr. Battista is teaching Ancient World History and Modern World History, and Ms. Frisbie is teaching Freshmen and Honors Contemporary Lit English. To get to know the new faculty, I asked them a few questions.
Prior to teaching at CCD, Mr. Battista taught AP World History, Government, and a variety of history electives at Archbishop Moeller High School for four years. “My favorite part of teaching World History is analyzing social and cultural developments across time. I am fascinated by how historical patterns and trends tend to affect the average person or groups of people in a particular region or state. For instance, this year when we will be studying the Industrial Revolution in my Modern World History course, I will showcase to students how the process of urbanization, the development of factories, and new political ideologies affected each socioeconomic class in unique and oftentimes, divisive ways. I also enjoy teaching students how to write well, how to assess various sources, and how to formulate compelling arguments.” Mr. Battista says that the unique thing he brings to the classroom is the fact that he’s not afraid to find new ways to teach. He is constantly finding new ways to make learning fun and hands-on.
Ms. Frisbee, who was most recently teaching at Notre Dame Academy in Northern Kentucky for seven years, says that her favorite part of English is seeing students grow as writers from the beginning to the end of the year. She says that her humor is a unique thing she brings to the classroom. She commented, “If I can crack a joke, I probably will.”
Both teachers had similar reasons for wanting to teach at CCD. Mr. Battista stated that he chose CCD because “there is a culture of excellence that permeates throughout the buildings.” He said that CCD is incredibly inclusive, allowing him to feel an immediate sense of belonging. Another part of his answer was shared with Ms. Frisbee. They both said that CCD’s smaller class size allows the teachers to get to know the students on a deeper level than most schools which is important to them. Be sure to say hi in the hallway!
