Mrs. Zyskowski

About Me

Hello! My name is Catherine Zyskowski, and I am an ELA teacher at Henry H. Wells Middle School! This is my fourth year as a middle school ELA teacher. I am certified to teach ELA in grades 5-12 and ENL in grades K-12. I am also a Level 2 Google Certified Educator.

I was born and raised in Putnam County: I lived in Brewster when I was very young, and I graduated from Mahopac High School. I went upstate and earned my bachelor's degree from Siena College, where I majored in English Education and earned minor degrees in Spanish and Educational Studies. Afterward, I attended Mercy College, where I earned a master's degree and New York State Certification in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages. While completing my graduate program, I honed my teaching skills at a middle school. It was then that I realized I wanted to be a middle school ELA teacher. To ensure that I was prepared to meet the unique educational needs of middle school students, I completed the NYS Middle School Extension Certification (grades 5-6) through the College of Saint Rose. 

I am passionate about using technology in the classroom to facilitate deeper learning and engage all students. My goal is to develop students' digital literacies in conjunction with the ELA content knowledge. One way that I have prepared to accomplish this is by becoming a Level 2 Google Certified Educator. Additionally, I am a matriculated student in SUNY Oneonta's M.S.Ed. Educational Technology Specialist program. Upon completion of this program, I will also have NYS Certification as an Educational Technology Specialist (grades K-12). 

Aside from teaching, I enjoy watching sports (especially basketball), doing just about anything outdoors (running, biking, kayaking, paddle-boarding, swimming, hiking…the list goes on!), spending time with my amazing family, curling up with a good book, and watching funny movies. I also love animals, especially my cat, Jeb, and my puppy, Baxter.

My future goals are to complete the EdTech program at SUNY Oneonta, become a Google Certified Trainer and Innovator, become fluent in Spanish, visit all 50 states, complete a half-marathon, develop my cooking skills, and, most importantly, continuously improve as an educator.

To say that I love my job is an understatement. I am constantly thinking of ways to make each lesson more effective and each assignment meaningful for my students. Last year, I was awarded the Mid-Hudson School Study Council "Teaching Excellence" Award. This was an incredible honor, and I will continue to strive for excellence each time that I step into the classroom.

Please don't hesitate to reach out with any questions, concerns, or feedback. My ultimate goal is to provide my students with the best educational experience possible this year. We will face any challenges together and undoubtedly become more resilient, creative, and knowledgeable as a result! I am approaching this year with a positive attitude and a tenacious spirit, and I look forward to making it the best year ever! 

Sincerely,

Catherine Zyskowski