Principal
John (Jay) G. Merselis III is a lifelong area resident and educator. He became the principal after spending over two and half decades as a teacher and administrator in area schools. He graduated from Hamilton College in Clinton, NY with a BA and went on to earn his M.Ed with a concentration in education administration from Antioch New England Graduate School in Keene NH. He is also the Title IX and Section 504 Coordinator.
Jay and his three children live in nearby Williamstown where they take full advantage of all the area has to offer.
Sixth Grade
Mrs. Jennifer Mills is the sixth grade teacher in the Emerald Room. She holds a BA Degree in Sociology and completed the Elementary Education Program at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts.
Mrs. Mills has previously worked in elementary schools in Virginia and Western Massachusetts, most recently at the Health Elementary School where she taught in a multi-age classroom. She brings extensive knowledge and interest in STEAM projects that reach across the curriculum and grade levels.
Fourth and Fifth Grade Teacher
Janet Tremblay is a life-long educator. She received her undergraduate degree in Elementary Education from MCLA. She then went on to obtain her Master’s degree in Special Education from Lesley University. While residing and teaching in North Carolina, she earned her Master’s degree in Educational Leadership from East Carolina University. She has had the opportunity to teach and administrator in a vast array of venues. Currently, she resides in North Adams. She has one daughter, Emily, and a son-in-law, named Joe. Her favorite past time is spending time with her grandson, Hayden, and 4-year old twin granddaughters Railyn and Mikinley.
Second and Third Grade Teacher
Mrs. Marla Dix is the Ruby Room teacher. She writes: I live in Clarksburg, MA where I raised my two children and helped to raise my three step-children. Our family has grown and I now have two grandsons and a step-grandson and step-granddaughter. We live on a small farm with a variety of animals, and have loved the farm community which is very much like Hancock community. My hobbies are reading, crocheting, doing cross stitch, gardening, and most importantly, having my children and grandchildren over to visit.
I graduated from MCLA with a BA in Mathematics, and a BS in Education. I have furthered my education by completing several courses in Mathematics and Language throughout the years. In 2015, I began taking courses toward a Master’s Degree in Literacy and Reading from Simmon’s College through The Reading Institute in Williamstown, MA. I completed my Master’s Degree in May of 2017. I have been teaching for 19 years altogether, and this is my eighth year of teaching at Hancock School. Previously, I taught the third grade at Greylock School in North Adams for a year and a half. After that, I worked as a substitute teacher in both Massachusetts and in Vermont. I began teaching in Stamford Elementary School in the 1999-2000 school year and worked there until June of 2010.
I started at Hancock School in July of 2010. I have enjoyed every minute of this experience and the chance to work with the children and families of Hancock. I come from a small community and enjoy working in another. Family is very important to me, and I see the same values in the Hancock community. This is a beautiful community with a great school; I am glad to be part of the “Hancock Team”.
Kindergarten and First Grade
Mrs. Makayla Dowling is a MCLA graduate with a degree in Early Childhood Education, as well as Sociology. She loves working with children in all different settings. Besides working at the fabulous Hancock Elementary, Mrs. Dowling is also a Hip Hop Instructor at two dance studios in Berkshire County. She enjoys spending time with her husband and her kitty, Jasmine. In her classroom, they let it go because hakuna matata and the bare necessities will always be their guide to infinity and beyond. With a little faith, trust and pixie dust, they will keep swimming and whistle while they work because in her class, they do Disney!
Preschool
Katie Cummings joined the Hancock staff as the Preschool teacher after almost two decades teaching Prekindergarten and first grade. After earning a Masters in Education Miss Cummings continues to pursue advanced coursework in literacy, recently earning an Associates level certification in Orton Gillingham.
Paraprofessional for Kindergarten and First Grade
Mrs. Lisa Buell is a 1990 graduate of Boston Baptist College with a Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education. She taught 3rd and 4th grade for three years at Temple Christian Academy in Holbrook, MA. Mrs. Buell is married to David and is a mother to three sons: David III, Ethan and Daniel. Mrs. Buell is a Hancock resident and has been a paraprofessional at Hancock School since 2009.
Paraprofessional for Grades 2-5
Mrs. Janice Derby has been at Hancock School for almost three decades. She has been a para-professional in all the classrooms and has enjoyed working with all the children she has met over these many years.
Mrs. Derby is married to Ed and they have two grown children, five grandchildren, and two dogs. They all live right here in Hancock.
In her spare time, Mrs. Derby enjoys camping, reading, needle work and cooking.
Science, Technology, Gym Teacher
Mr. Brian Keller has been with Hancock School for several years. He holds a Masters of Health/Family Consumer Science, a Bachelor of Arts in English, and an Associate of Science in English/Science. His prior work experience includes Mount Greylock, Mount Anthony Middle School, and Conte Middle School.
Secretary
Dana Hopf has joined us after recently moving to Cheshire. Her email address is secretary@hancockschool.org.
Nurse
Mrs. Maureen Strype is an RN who has had a longtime positive impact in the community as she has worked at the North Adams Regional Hospital, Williams College, and Berkshire Family and Individual Resources (BFAIR). She continues to work at BFAIR and purse numerous volunteer opportunities in the community.
Special Education Director
Mrs. Jenevra A. Strock is the Special Education Director for Hancock School. She has worked in the Shaker Mountain School Union (Hancock/Richmond/New Ashford) for 40 years. She has worked as a Special Education Teacher, Principal and now Special Education Director. She holds a degree in Special Education from Fitchburg State College, as well as Leadership (Principal/Special Education Director) from Massachusetts Elementary and Secondary Principal Association. Mrs. Strock is married and has two grown children. In her spare time she loves photography and reading. She has a boxer puppy that drives her crazy, but she loves her anyway.
Special Education Teacher
Mrs. Shirley McLellan is our Special Education teacher. In this role she provides reading instruction and academic support to the students with Individual Education Plans (IEP). Her goal is to ensure that every student learns to read and makes progress towards developing the necessary literacy skills to function at grade level.
Mrs. McLellan’s educational background has prepared her to pursue careers in nursing and teaching: Education for Teaching: Doctor of Education (EdD), – Univ.of South Dakota; Specialist in Literacy (EdS), Simmons College – Reading Specialist (MA Initial Certification); MS in Education, SUNY Albany & SUNY Plattsburgh- Elementary Education and Special Education Teacher (MA & NY Professional Level Teacher Certification Elementary Education and Special Needs Pre K-9 and 5-12 Certification).
Mrs. McLellan’s teaching Experience includes: Elementary Teacher – New Lebanon Central School; Title I Director – Pittsfield Public School; Reading Specialist and Special Education Teacher – Eagleton School. Reading Specialist – Hancock School.
Mrs. McLellan also has experience in the nursing field. Some of those experiences include being a Registered Professional Nurse – BS Nursing SUNY Plattsburgh; MS Nursing Russell Sage College Experience: Berkshire Medical Ctr. Critical Care Nurse; Dept. Veterans Affairs Medical Centers – Assoc Chief Nursing Service for Education at Albany NY; Battle Creek MI; Sioux Falls SD; East Orange, NJ.
For ten year Mrs. McLellan has served as a Literacy Volunteer of America in Pittsfield, MA. During those years she served on the Board of Directors and was a Literacy Instructor for adults. In her spare time Mrs. McLellan enjoys knitting, sewing, needlepoint and cooking. Her main interest is in Lifelong Learning. She has three children and six grandchildren.
Music Teacher
Mary Talbot is a credentialed teacher who has taught elementary aged students for over 30 years in both private and public school settings in the San Diego, CA region, focusing on teaching Gifted and Talented Education. She has been the classroom teacher in PreK, K, 4th, 5th and has also taught, Physical Ed, Dance for young children, and Music during those years. She was the founder of a tutoring company which she ran for 7 years in La Jolla, CA called Edge Tutoring.
Ms. Talbot is a professionally trained vocalist and, in 2009, released an album of pop and jazz tunes in several languages. It is called “Midwinter Night’s Dream”.
Mary is the founder of The SoCal Jazz Society, a nonprofit established in 2012 devoted to increasing the enjoyment, understanding and interest in the American art form of Jazz Music. She has brought this artist-in-residency series to schools in western Mass.
Being back in her native Berkshires has been a wonderful change for Mary. She enjoys skiing, figure skating, kayaking and hiking, as well as enjoying her 3 dogs and her garden. She is working on her second children’s book, entitled “The Birds of Mt. Ephraim”, her first having been a step-by-step book to teach young children to enjoy dancing.
Art Teacher
Carolyn Hawthorne is the Art Teacher for Hancock Elementary and also teaches art at two other elementary schools in western Massachusetts. She has a Bachelor of Fine Arts in ceramic sculpture from Mason Gross School of the Arts, Rutgers University, and an educators license for art pre-K through 12th grade. She has worked with students in various settings as an art teacher and a special education para for over 20 years. She loves to explore art from cultures all over the world and looks forward to bringing the students of Hancock on that journey. She is also a fan of nature and the outdoors and wants to find ways to make art outside and be inspired by the school’s beautiful surroundings.
School Adjustment Counselor