As Schreiber re-opened for this school year, many new teachers, including Ms. Millicent Le Claire, have been seen roaming the hallways.  Joining the social studies department, Ms. Le Claire teaches AP World History and psychology, and is also an advisor for the Model UN club.

“Ms. Le Claire has a unique way of teaching where she makes her classes very enjoyable,” said sophomore Gaby Gorczynski.

This is Ms. Le Claire’s first full-time teaching job after graduating from Stony Brook University, where she received a Bachelor of Arts degree in history and a MAT degree for social studies. 

“I could not think of another school I would want to be at.  Schreiber is exactly where I want to be.  I have enjoyed getting involved in the school as much as possible through advising clubs and attending sports games,” said Ms. Le Claire. 

Growing up in Huntington, Ms. Le Claire attended South Huntington High School.  She still lives in Huntington and has about a thirty minute commute each morning to arrive at school. 

An interesting fact about Ms. Le Claire is that many people have accidentally called her Maleficent, a Disney villain, stemming from the similarity of her first name, Millicent. 

From an early age, Ms. Le Claire enjoyed school and learning which is likely what developed her passion for teaching.  However, at one point, she considered becoming a speech pathologist.  She eventually had a change of heart, due to her interests in history, political science, and government. 

“I always loved school even though that makes me sound nerdy,” said Ms. Le Claire. 

One of Ms. Le Claire’s favorite parts about being a teacher is the camaraderie and immediate acceptance by the amazing faculty; this has been a huge help in her adapting to a new school environment.  In addition, she finds that an amazing part about being a teacher at Schreiber is the enduring connections she is making with the students and seeing them excited to learn new material.  She hopes to be as supportive as she can with her students. 

“She is able to create a fun environment where I also learn a lot.  Her lessons really stick with me,” said sophomore Bella Militana. 

Alongside her focus on social studies, Ms. Le Claire has many interests outside of school.  She loves to travel and recently took a trip to Boston to visit Lexington and Concord, where the Revolutionary War began.  She also plans to visit several national parks this coming summer.  Hiking and baking are a few of her other leisure activities.  Furthermore, Ms. Le Claire enjoys spending time with her two dogs, Stella and Simon.  One of Ms. Le Claire’s largest struggles this year has been time management, a problem  her students may also share.  She copes with this issue by taking time out of the day for herself. 

Ms. Le Claire hopes to accomplish several things in her first year of teaching, including getting more involved within the school.  Another hope she has is for each of her students to be able to earn a passing grade on their AP exams.  Lastly, she wants kids to have fun while learning in her class. 

“The best advice I have been given is to keep an open mind with everything,” said Ms. Le Claire. 

Ms. Le Claire believes in accepting advice from not only her colleagues, but also her students.  Listening to constructive criticism from others is something that she truly values and understands its importance for growth.  

“Even though it is her first year, I think she is doing a great job teaching,” said sophomore Blake Eustace.