Mrs. Zyskowski

About Me

Hello! My name is Catherine Zyskowski, and I teach sixth and seventh grade at Henry H. Wells Middle School. This is my sixth year as a middle school teacher. I am dual-certified in English Language Arts (grades 5-12) and English as a New Language (grades K-12), and I am a Level 2 Google Certified Educator.

I was born and raised in Putnam County, spending my early years in Brewster before my family moved to Mahopac. After graduating from Mahopac High School, I attended Siena College, where I majored in English Education and minored in Spanish and Educational Studies. Following my time at Siena, I earned my master's degree in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages from Mercy College, where I was honored with the Excellence in TESOL award. While completing my graduate program, I honed my teaching skills in a middle school setting, which solidified my passion for becoming a middle school ELA teacher. To further prepare for the unique educational needs of middle school students, I earned the NYS Middle School Extension Certification (grades 5-6) from the College of Saint Rose.

I am passionate about integrating technology into the classroom to foster deeper learning and engage all students. I aim to develop students' digital literacies alongside their ELA content knowledge. In addition to being a Level 2 Google Certified Educator, I am currently completing my final course in SUNY Oneonta's M.S.Ed. Educational Technology Specialist program. Once I graduate, I will also be certified as an Educational Technology Specialist (grades K-12) in New York State.

Aside from teaching, I enjoy watching sports (basketball is my favorite), doing just about anything outdoors (running, hiking, swimming, kayaking—the list goes on!), spending time with my fantastic family, curling up with a good book, and watching funny movies. I also love animals, especially my cat, Jeb, and my dog, Baxter.

My future goals include completing the EdTech program at SUNY Oneonta, becoming a Google Certified Trainer and Innovator, becoming fluent in Spanish, and, most importantly, continuously improving 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 every assignment meaningful for my students. In 2022, I was honored with the Teaching Excellence Award from the Mid-Hudson School Study Council. This recognition inspires me to strive for excellence each time 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 experiences possible this year. We will face any challenges together, becoming more resilient, creative, and knowledgeable as a result. I'm approaching this year with a positive attitude and a tenacious spirit, and I look forward to making it the best year ever!