Olivia Atlee, a 2019 Stuart graduate, has come full circle and returned to the place that helped shape her into the skilled woman she is today. Born and raised in Lawrenceville, NJ, Ms. Atlee now teaches French to Middle and Upper School students. Reflecting on her time as a student from seventh to twelfth grade, she recalls Stuart as a warm environment where she always felt “nurtured and cared for.” For this reason, when returning from college, Stuart was at the top of her list of places she wanted to work at.
Ms. Atlee is thrilled to return to her alma mater and mentor the next generation of students. She hopes to have the same impact on her students as her own teachers had on her. “The people that shaped the majority of my identity growing up were my teachers,” she said. “I found myself the most at school,” emphasizing how she learned more about herself, academically and personally.
Although she teaches French, Ms. Atlee is proficient in multiple languages, including French, Spanish, English, and Portuguese. She is also currently learning Japanese, a challenge she has eagerly embraced. Ms. Atlee enjoys learning new languages and appreciates their ability to connect her with other people and cultures, especially when traveling. She’s already visited Europe and traveled throughout the United States but wishes to explore Japan someday as well. Her favorite language so far has been Portuguese due to its accent and similarity to other languages such as Italian, Spanish, and French. Her love for the French language in particular, though, shines through her teaching methods. Using what she describes as her “math brain,” she considers the formula in her head when teaching French grammar to be very fascinating.
Outside of Stuart, Ms. Atlee explores creative outlets such as baking and dancing. As a dedicated baker, she delights in experimenting with Pinterest recipes, from cookie-cutter pizzas to “artsy food projects.” Ms. Atlee actively continues to develop her interests. At college, she became fond of psychology and now plans to take more psychology courses. Another passion of hers is figure skating, which she has done since high school.
In her classroom, she’s looking forward to fostering her students’ own creativity through various projects this year. The most recent one was a travel project assigned to her French 4 class in which they researched a region in France and made a presentation on the region’s culture, history, and economy. The opportunity to witness each student’s interpretation of the project excites her, and it is clear that both Ms. Atlee and her students are in for an enriching year as she continues to bond and reestablish herself within the Stuart community.
