Foreign Language Department

Our program emphasizes the oral skills early in language learning. After the students have mastered a given concept and are able to apply it correctly in speech, the skills of grammar, reading, and writing reinforce this oral ability. Upon completion of this language sequence, Pingry students can comprehend the spoken word and communicate in the foreign language with relative fluency.				Norman LaValette Department Chair German 3, German 5 AP G. Gail Castaldo Faculty French 1, French 3 Ann Meigs Dickerson Faculty German 2, German 4, German 6 Margi Dillon Faculty Spanish 1, Spanish 2, Spanish 4 Susan C. Forrester Faculty Latin 2, Latin 3 Lydia Geacintov Faculty French 6 Honors Malla Godfrey Faculty Spanish 3, Spanish 4 Kelly B. Jordan Faculty French 2, French 4, French 5 AP Frances Mecartty-Dunlap Faculty Spanish 2, Spanish 4 Pre-AP Victor A. Nazario Faculty Spanish 5 AP, Spanish 6, Spanish 6 Honors, Spanish 7 Melinda Schlehlein Faculty French 2 Thomas G. Varnes Faculty Latin 1, Latin 4, Latin 5 AP Gerardo Vazquez Faculty Spanish 3, Spanish 5 Randy Velischek Faculty German 1 Norman LaValette Department Chair German 1A Jeanine M. Carr Faculty Spanish 1A Ann Meigs Dickerson Faculty German 1B Laura Mila Faculty Spanish 1B Susan C. Forrester Faculty Latin 8 Margaret Kelleher Faculty Latin 7, Latin 8 Susan B. Ortner Faculty Spanish 1B, Spanish 2 Jane S. Roxbury Faculty French 1A, French 1B, French 2 Melinda Schlehlein Faculty French 1B Kristine Spano Faculty Latin 7, Latin 8 Thomas G. Varnes Faculty Latin 8 Randy Velischek Faculty German 1B Matilde J. Yorkshire Faculty Foreign Language, Grades 1-5
They have an in depth understanding of different cultures through the study of geography, history, literature, the arts, and civilization. The students develop an open-minded attitude toward alternative ways of viewing today’s world and should be able to see themselves and their own culture from different perspectives.