Carleen Ventre, a new math teacher here at PHS, initially attended college to become a stage manager, a career that she had experience in from high school; however, quickly realized it was not something that would be realistic for her, but what did attract her was being able to impact and influence a future that was being built, being able to positively impact children while also conveying to them that even if the world pulls them down, there are adults who are always going to uplift and guide them when they need it.
For Ms. Ventre, math literally ran in her genes–a fear to many, but a joy to her–with her father as an electrical engineer, her brother as a civil engineer, and her grandmother as an accountant. However, the shift into the territory of math only came a lot later in life when she decided to go back to school. Along with that, directly and indirectly, Ms. Ventre had always been a teacher of some sort, wherever she worked. From being ‘the trainee’ to the person who explains how things work to showing people around. The teacher in her always stood by her side, and bringing together the two aspects she loved the most–math and teaching–felt like the perfect puzzle piece finally falling into place, completing the picture that fulfilled her.
Then, math being such an enormous and vast concept, with some things coming easily while others making students want to fling their calculators across the room, Ms. Ventre states that “there is still math that challenges [her],” reminding us that we are not alone in this unfamiliar land of calculations, but despite it being such a difficult subject, Ms. Ventre has been constantly working on making it something that “even the students who don’t love math” are at least able to “follow along” with learning in a way that is free from resentment.
Other than being a wonderful math teacher, she is an amazing mom to two beautiful daughters, whom she adores very much and has the “best time watching them grow.” Along with that, coming off in surprise, if there is one thing she cannot stand, it is coffee; however, will 100% “fall asleep without it,” so when she does make it, creamer is her lifesaver as well as anything in relation to cinnamon.
Going on the same lines, she also enjoys reading, one of her childhood favorites being Haroun and the Sea of Stories by Salman Rushdie, describing it as a “ magical book.” Furthermore, Ms. Ventre hopes to start becoming more involved here at PHS along with being part of the community in general. She also is looking forward to the end of this year to celebrate how far her students have come as well as to reflect on what she can do to help make her space as warm and welcoming as possible.
Additionally, she imparts her students with a heartfelt message, reminding them that “comparison is the thief of joy,” emphasizing that it is quite difficult to be proud of what you have accomplished while being comfortable in your own skin when you are incessantly focusing on what is happening around you. Moreover, she talks about how getting into a rut is something that is completely normal, but pulling oneself out of it starts when they show up for themselves before anyone else, and the first step of that being “is striving to [be the] best version of [who they are].”
Lastly, recognizing how much stress high school can bring, Ms. Ventre concludes with one last reminder to all of her students that “this is high school; it’s a chapter in your story, [however], this too, shall pass.”
Welcome to PHS Ms.Ventre!
