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Ms. Maria Savini
Room: A-135
Email: msavini@umasd.orgClassroom phone #: (610) 205-3944Social Studies Teacher and Interact Club Advisor- College Prep American Cultures
- Advanced Placement United States History
- Government & Politics Elective
- Women's Studies Elective
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A bit about me...
-My parents were born in Italy and I speak fluent Italian.
-I have no children; however, I am thrilled to be an aunt! My brother Franco and his wife, Yvonne, have four children named Julian, Giada, Guinevere and Kailey. I adopted two kitties named Milo and Finn who enjoy chasing bird toys and waking me up each morning at 4:30 am so they can eat.
-I enjoy drawing/painting with watercolors, collecting Early American antiques, period decor, reading and traveling to historic destinations/art museums.
-I am a lifelong learner, always on the lookout for new learning opportunities! I have been selected to participate in a number of competitive professional development programs over the years:
-2022, Albert H. Small Normancy Institute Head Teacher. In my final year in my capacity as head teacher (a two year stint), my student Audrey McCollum and I researched the life of PFC Harry M. Thoraldson of Bridgeport who lost his life during the D-Day Campaign. Audrey presented her briefing topic and delivered her eulogy for her soldier at his grave in Normandy, France.
-2021, Albert H. Small Normandy Institute Head Teacher. We spent a week studying World War II at George Washington University and visited the National D-Day Memorial in Bedford, VA (Covid restrictions did not allow us to travel to France).
-2020, HistoryQuest Fellowship for Teachers. The program usually takes place on the Princeton Campus, but this year, we participated virtually. This in-service focused upon integrating games into the History Classroom.
-2019, Albert H. Small Normandy Institute. Had the opportunity to research the life of a local soldier who lost his life during the D-Day invasion with my student, Noor Bukhani. We spent a week at George Washington University learning about Operation Overlord with other teacher/student teams from around the country. Afterwards, we embarked upon our trip to Normandy, France. There, we were able to visit the sites associated with the D-Day campaign. The experience culminated with Noor eulogizing our soldier at the American Cemetary in Normandy. A moving and life changing experience to say the least.
-2018, George Washington Teacher Institute Summer Residential Program, "Leadership and Legacy: Lessons From George Washington." (Mt. Vernon)
-2017, Gilder Lehrman Institute: "The Kennedy Presidency" (Boston University).
-2017, Scholarship to attend the Colonial Williamsburg Institute for High School Teachers (Williamsburg, VA).
-2016, National Endowment of the Humanities Workshop: "Demon Times: Temperance, Immigration and Prohibition" (Columbus, OH).
-2015, Gilder Lehrman Institute: "The Story of World War II" (The National WWII Museum in New Orleans).
-2014, National Endowment of the Humanities Workshop: "America's Industrial Revolution at the Henry Ford" (The Henry Ford Museum in Detroit, Michigan).
-2014, scholarship to attend "The Medal of Honor Legacy at the Freedom's Foundation" (Valley Forge). In 2014, I received The Sons of the American Revolution Teaching Excellence Award.
-2013, National Endowment of the Humanities Workshop: "Living on the Edge of Empire: Alliance, Conflict and Captivity in Colonial New England" (Historic Deerfield, Massachusetts).
-2012, Gilder Lehrman/National Endowment of the Humanities Workshop: "Empire City: New York from 1877-Present" (Columbia University, NY).
-2011, National Endowment of the Humanities Workshop: "Abolitionism, Women's Rights and Religious Revivalism on the Rochester Reform Trail" (Rochester & Seneca Falls, NY).
From 2008-2011, I participated in the Montgomery County Intermediate Unit's "Teaching American History Grant Program." TAH provided lectures from distinguished scholars and modeled new pedagogical approaches to history education. I also attended the capstone, "Teaching the American Civil Rights Institute" in 2011.
During the summer of 2010, I spent four weeks studying Constitutionalism at Georgetown University as part of my James Madison Memorial Fellowship for Teachers. In 2008, I was awarded this fellowship (representing the State of Pennsylvania) which provided a scholarship to attend Villanova University. In 2014, I graduated summa cum laude from Villanova with a second master's degree (American History) and was inducted into the Phi Kappa Phi (Graduate) and Phi Alpha Theta (History) Honor Societies.
-2009, National Endowment of the Humanities Workshop: "Lowell and the Industrial Revolution" (Lowell National Historical Park, MA). I investigated the origins and implications of the Industrial Revolution on American society.
-In 2008, I was awarded the James Madison Memorial Fellowship for the State of Pennsylvania (one Fellowship being awarded to one teacher from each State). As part of the Fellowship, received $24,000 to obtain a Master's Degree in American History at Villanova University. In 2010, I took part in a month long intensive study of Constitutional History at Georgetown University.
-In 2007, I was selected to take part in the Monticello-Stratford Seminar for Teachers. As part of this month-long program, I explored Virginia's many historical landmarks, while taking graduate coursework at Jefferson's University of Virginia. I was even given the honor of staying "On the Lawn." Between meeting William Kelso at Jamestown, attending the July 4th Naturalization Ceremony at Monticello and shearing a sheep...it was truly a memorable experience!-2006, Gilder Lehrman Institute: "The Colonial Era: Structure & Texture"
(Yale University). I had the opportunity to study with the foremost Social Historian of the Colonial Era, Dr. John Demos.
-In 2006, I was also selected to represent the State of Pennsylvania during the first ever Presidential Academy for American History and Civics. During this fourteen-day seminar, we explored the Declaration of Independence, Gettysburg Address and "I Have a Dream" Speech in the cities associated with their inception (Philadelphia, Gettysburg and Washington D.C.).