Welcome, New Faculty!

Br. James Dries by James Bauer '19

Br. James Dries, returns to Calvert Hall to serve in the dual roles of Science Department Chair and Chemistry teacher. He has served at many of the Lasallian schools on the east coast from Rhode Island to Washington DC. Additionally, he has served in East Africa as well as the West Indies. Br. James, born in New York, is a graduate of St. John’s University, and he has a Master’s degree from Loyola University. He has also done graduate study at SUNY Stony Brook.

Br. James became a brother in 1974, for he enjoys helping students work to their full potential as all the brothers do here at Calvert Hall. Br. James said that one of the biggest reasons why he joined the brotherhood was their heavy influence on him growing up. In his Catholic school, brothers were involved in their communities whether  it was a sporting event or club activity, and he recounts that the Brothers would cheer louder than the students.

Br. James Dries will play a great role in the Calvert Hall community, and he is more than excited for this upcoming school year, not only to help students reach their full potential but to lead them to become men of faith, intellect, and integrity.

Mr. Daniel Mulford '05 by Joseph Gately '21

Twelve years after he graduated from Calvert Hall, Mr. Daniel Mulford '05 is back. Mr. Mulford returns to The Hall as assistant director of admissions and defensive coordinator for the varsity Cardinals lacrosse team. He had starred as a defenseman for the Cardinals during his time here at Calvert Hall.  Mr. Mulford also helps direct the Leadership Institute, a three-year program that trains students to become leaders.

After he graduated from Calvert Hall, Mr. Mulford attended Robert Morris University outside Pittsburgh, where he earned his Bachelor of Science in marketing and Master’s Degree in educational leadership as well as sports management.  He started as a defenseman all four years for the NCAA Division I Robert Morris, serving as a captain for three years, and in 2008 he won RMU Defensive Player of the Year.  

After graduating from Robert Morris he worked as defensive coordinator for the university’s team for three years then as head coach of a Pittsburgh high school team.  He later worked as director and head of physical education and health at The Leadership Academy.?

Mrs. Aimee Briglio by Yianni Collector '18

Calvert Hall welcomes Mrs. Aimee Briglio to the La Salle program, where she will work as a learning specialist. Born in Mesa, Arizona, and raised in Atlanta, Georgia, Mrs. Briglio was always interested in education and, she pursued her degree at Northwestern College.  Mrs. Briglio has been working in the education sector for 20 years; she originally started teaching in Chicago, and she has since taught in five other states.  Before teaching at Calvert Hall, she worked at the Baltimore Lab School. While living in Baltimore she was impressed by the accomplishments of our students and heard about how great our La Salle program is, inspiring her to become a part of The Hall.

After several weeks of school, she loves it here, enjoys how friendly everyone is, and appreciates how well behaved our students are.  Outside of school, she takes care of her four daughters, enjoys sewing, completes crossword puzzles, and cheers on the Jacksonville Jaguars. During the summer she works at the Stoneleigh pool.  Her favorite music genre is pop, and she enjoys listening to Hits 1 XM radio.  When asked what she would bring to a deserted island, she said she would bring a library because of her love for books.  Mrs. Briglio is excited for the rest of the year and is eager to find a club to get involved in.?

Mr. Jacob Hodges by Cole Simms '21

Meet Mr. Jacob Hodges: world history teacher, football and basketball coach. Mr. Hodges grew up in Halifax, Virginia, a small town in the southern part of the state. Growing up, his biggest inspiration was his father, a teacher and coach. Mr. Hodges admired his father’s talent for mentoring both his high school students and players. He attended Mountain View High School and went on to attend the University of Virginia where he received a bachelor’s degree in history and a master’s in education.

He is now inspired every day by his wife, who is a cancer survivor. “She lives her life to the fullest," said Mr. Hodges. “A true inspiration,” he added. Mr. Hodges is a very interesting man; he loves the Harry Potter series, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Kenny Chesney. His favorite history movie is Remember the Titans.

He loves how the CHC community is diverse and welcoming to all. If Mr. Hodges could go back to any time in history, he said he would go back to the American revolution to see how the founders developed this country. His loyalties lie with the Atlanta Hawks (basketball) and Braves (baseball) as well as the Dallas Cowboys (football). His advice to the freshmen is to embrace opportunities. Finally, he would like you to know that he is a competitive guy and someday hopes to take a vacation to Italy or Hawaii.

Mr. Peter Susko by Tyler Lochte '21

I would like to welcome Mr. Peter Susko to the staff here at Calvert Hall. Mr. Susko was born and raised in Erie, Pennsylvania. There he went to Cathedral Prep High School where he joined the debate team. While there, his debate team traveled the United States going to all sorts of tournaments. His high school was ranked number two in the country.

He graduated from Cathedral Prep in 2008 and decided to go to the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, Virginia. There he was on the debate team and again his team was very successful. They too got to travel the US and won many debates. They made it to the semifinals of the National Debate Tournament at the University of California, Berkley, upsetting prestigious Harvard University along the way.

While at Mary Washington, he studied political science. He graduated from Mary Washington in 2012. After that, he attended George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia, which offered to pay for his education as long as he helped with their debate team. He studied to get his Ph.D. in communications and worked there as a graduate assistant. He was at the university for five years, and he was the head of the debate team for four of the five. He finished his studies earlier this year and came to Calvert Hall.

Here he has started a debate team to compete with nearby schools such as Loyola, City, and McDonogh. He is also teaching presentation skills. Mr. Susko said, “What I’d like students to see is how public speaking can be reflected in their lives.” He is very excited to be here at The Hall.?

Dr. Jeremy Eaton by Henry Zhao '19

Dr. Jeremy Eaton teaches AP Physics I & II. He studied at the University of Maryland for his B.S. degree, majoring in physics and astronomy. After graduating, Dr. Eaton attended the University of California, Irvine, which is ranked among the top 10 public universities in the United States, for his master's and doctorate degrees. He decided to shift his majors from astronomy and physics to chemical and material physics, which he believed to be closer to people’s daily lives and experiences.

During his four-year tenure as a teaching assistant while studying for his Ph.D., Dr. Eaton discovered his passion for education. This passion was what drove him to become a physics teacher, so that he may spread his knowledge to many.

Dr. Eaton began teaching at Claremont College in California, where he gained significant teaching experience. Although he has only been teaching at Calvert Hall for a brief period of time, his students are already praising him. One of his students, Rishi Biswas '19, states, “The AP Physics class is challenging, but he teaches well to help us understand.” Also, Dr. Eaton augments the core material of his courses with other related information helping his students to fully understand the ideas of the course.

While talking about his goals, Dr. Eaton states, “I’d like everyone in the class to get at least a 3 on the AP test, but more clearly, I wish that they can comprehend and apply the physics they’ve learned to their daily lives. For example, when they are watching a superhero movie, they would know how physical things happened.” AP Physics courses are always challenging, both for the students and the teacher, but it is certain that Dr. Eaton will be a wonderful teacher.?

Ms. Lauren Urban by Matthew Tao '19

Each year, Calvert Hall is blessed with new faculty members, and this year is no exception. A new addition to the science department at Calvert Hall is Ms. Lauren Urban. Ms. Urban is a graduate of Creighton University with a master’s degree in atmospheric science and, she has also been teaching for 8 years.

She has taught a variety of sciences which include physics, environmental science, marine science, biology, and anatomy. Ms. Urban has a passion for the sciences, and this year at Calvert Hall she focuses on teaching physics. “I love the problem-solving aspect of physics and how physics can be applied to the real world,” she remarks.

Teaching at Calvert Hall also forms a sense of community between students and teachers. Around campus and in the classroom, Ms. Urban feels very welcomed by the students and witnesses the students striving for excellence. “All the students are friendly and welcoming. I also love the sense of community and brotherhood they display,” she states.

Many students have already experienced the zeal of her teaching through physics class. “Ms. Urban is a nice teacher and adds lots of character to her classes,” John Mirarchi ’19 says. Another student, Jake Bukosky ’19 states, “Ms. Urban is a very friendly teacher. She genuinely puts effort into knowing her class and creating a class that interests her students. Her class is one that flows well and gives information out at a pace that’s manageable for students.” In the short time that Ms. Urban has been at Calvert Hall, she has become a respected teacher among the students, and thus the students ecstatically welcome Ms. Urban to the Calvert Hall community.

Mr. Daniel Maloney by CJ Borne '21

Mr. Daniel Maloney, a first-year teacher at Calvert Hall, was gracious enough to have an interview with me about his first couple weeks here and his drive to become a teacher.

Q: What made you want to come to Calvert Hall?
A: Coming from a Lasallian college, I was very interested to be part of a similar learning community. Calvert Hall really seems to meet and respect each individual where they’re at, which is a key to my understanding of Lasallian education. On first visit, everyone seemed friendly, respectful and community-oriented, so it seemed like a great place to be, and I’m very glad I have the opportunity to be here.

Q: Have you felt overwhelmed at times because of the unique schedule Calvert Hall has?
A: Well at times, yes, but I have grown accustomed to it.

Q: What was the one thing that stood out about becoming a teacher at Calvert Hall?
A: I attended a coed high school, and many aspects, especially social aspects, of day-to-day school life at an all-boys school are very different than my own experiences. A few things really stand out to me as unique and different. First, many students support each other and seem to work on creating bonds of “brotherhood.” Also, the diversity of talent and involvement is very impressive. People seem to be able to find their niche and excel, which I believe is such an essential part of high school. So, overall, the supportive and well-rounded student body continues to impress me.