Express yourself with clarity and force.

An introduction to film as a medium for storytelling, this discussion-based course will focus on the elements of filmmaking, including history, cinematography, sound, editing, acting, directing, and the methods by which one “reads” a film. The abiding purpose is to examine each film as a purposefully created universe, whose tone, color, language, framing and speed are all a product of specific and discernible choices. Thus we will study filmmaking and film theory in order to engage in informed analysis of cinematography, editing, and screenwriting. Selected films will cover a variety of genres including drama, comedy, thriller, documentary, and animation. In order to experience films as cohesive narratives, one class each week will extend into an attached “lab” period, allowing us to watch feature-length movies in one sitting.

This course will focus on two “classic” epic tales, Homer’s The Iliad from ancient Greece (ca. 750 BCE) and Beowulf from medieval England (ca. 1000 CE). In addition to examining the literary elements and associated texts for these works, we will also explore their historical and archaeological contexts, as well as their ongoing relevance to our own world and lives. Among other themes that will arise out of student interest, this course will consider the question of how humans draw upon different types of courage as they face tumultuous circumstances that are not always of their own making or in their control.

In addition to providing Cate students a taste of how writing workshops operate at the undergraduate and post-graduate level, this class is designed to permit as much creative freedom as possible to those students who will benefit from it, while at the same time providing clear objectives to students who may need more guidance. Each of the first seven weeks of the trimester is dedicated to examining one specific element of creative writing – stream-of-consciousness, dialogue, character description, etc. The expectation is that by trimester’s end, all students – whether working on longer, original pieces or shorter exercises — will be using these skills more judiciously, and in service of work that is both more substantive and personally significant.

English Department Chair
nicole_sintetos@cate.org

BA, American Studies & Science, Technology, and Society (STS), Colby College
MA, Public Humanities, Brown University
PhD, American Studies, Brown University
Appointed: 2022

Born and raised in Salinas, California, Nicole is thrilled to return to the west coast after more than a decade living and working in New England.  She began her career at Dublin School in New Hampshire, where she taught English and History courses, coached lacrosse, and spearheaded school-wide Diversity, Equity and Inclusion initiatives. In 2016, she took a hiatus from high school teaching to pursue a PhD at Brown University. There, she had the opportunity to design her own undergraduate courses in the American Studies and Ethnic Studies departments. Whether working with high school juniors or college sophomores, Nicole’s practice as an educator is grounded in the belief that the act of learning should be as rigorous as it is joyful— and cultivated in a classroom lighted by both introspection and bold curiosity.

On the Mesa, Nicole remains a practicing researcher and writer. She is currently the co-director of a National Park Service-funded digital project that draws on archival material, oral histories, and drone imagery to preserve the history of overlooked World War II Japanese internment sites in Arizona, New Mexico, Alaska, Idaho, and Montana.

English Teacher
Assistant Track and Field Coach

jeff_barton@cate.org / 805-684-8409

BA, University of California, Berkeley
MA, Princeton University
Appointed: 1983

Jeff came to Cate from Choate Rosemary Hall in Connecticut. Since arriving on the Mesa, he has taught English, Spanish, and art history, coached cross country, basketball, and track, and performed a variety of residential duties. He has also served as Dean of Faculty, head of the Foreign Language Department, and a member of numerous committees. Among his most important administrative contributions has been his work in the recruitment and hiring of teachers. In 1990 he and a former Cate colleague created a five-week summer program in Salamanca, Spain that operated successfully for many years, giving students from Cate (and other schools) a taste of Spanish life.

Jeff has three sons: Max (Class of ’99), Nick (Class of ’03), and Daniel (Class of ’21).

English Teacher

tracey_calhoun@cate.org / 805-684-4127

BA, Ithaca College
M.Ed., UCLA
Appointed: 2017

Tracey studied English and anthropology at Ithaca College and spent a year abroad at the University of the West Indies in Kingston, Jamaica. In 2001, she served in AmeriCorpsVISTA* working with the LA Gay & Lesbian Center on anti-violence programs in LA-area schools. After earning an M.Ed. at UCLA, she taught all levels of high school English for twelve years in East Los Angeles and La Cañada. At Cate, Tracey is a member of the English department faculty, coaches in the Outdoors program, and assists with the spring musical theater production. She is dorm head for Long House where she lives with her daughter and their dog, Scout.

English and Humanities Teacher
Assistant Cross Country Coach

alicia_hammond@cate.org / 805-684-4127 x302

BA, Colby College
MALS, Dartmouth College

A fourth-generation Californian, Alicia’s educational foundation and passion for teaching were cultivated during her childhood on the Monterey Peninsula, where she developed a love of the outdoors, a tie to the Pacific, and a fervor for backpacking in the Los Padres National Forest.

Alicia has spent her entire adult life living on boarding school campuses, including over a decade on campuses in northern New England. At Colby, Dartmouth, and Dublin School, she learned to love the rigors and traditions of New England educational communities. As Maya Angelou so wisely wrote, however, “The ache for home lives in all of us,” and she felt her roots in California tugging her gently yet firmly back to the west coast.

In her time outside of the classroom, Alicia enjoys running, reading, hiking, camping, and traveling with her family.

English and Humanities Teacher

brooks_hansen@cate.org / 805-684-4127 x297

BA, Harvard University
Appointed: 2010

Born and raised in New York City, Brooks Hansen is a screenwriter, essayist and celebrated author of seven books. In 2008 he released his first memoir, The Brotherhood of Joseph, prior to which his novels – The Monsters of St. Helena, Perlman’s Ordeal, The Chess Garden, and Boone were all New York Times Notable Books. The Chess Garden was also selected as a PW Best Book of the Year in 1995. He has written one book for Young Readers, Caesar’s Antlers, which he also illustrated, and he was awarded John Simon Guggenheim Fellowship in 2005 for his most recent book, John the Baptizer, which was published by W.W. Norton in June of 2009.

BA, Colby College
MS, University of Pennsylvania
Appointed: 2021

A familiar face to the Mesa, Randy Person – a member of the Class of 2010 – returns to Cate as an English and Humanities Instructor following stints at St. George’s School in Middletown, R.I. and St. Paul’s School in Concord, N.H. After graduating from Cate, Randy went on to receive his bachelor’s degree in sociology from Colby College in Waterville, Maine, and earned his master’s of science in education from the University of Pennsylvania.

A standout student-athlete for the Rams, Randy will return to the sidelines to coach football, basketball, and lacrosse, in addition to his duties as an advisor and dorm parent in Savage.

Born in New York City and raised in Los Angeles, Randy‘s hobbies include pottery, thrifting, and adding to his sneaker collection. He is looking forward to meeting the students, participating in new and old traditions, and of course, every opportunity to BEAT THACHER!

MBA, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
MA, Claremont Graduate University
BA, Pitzer College
Appointed: 2023

Michael Szanyi joins the Cate community as an English and Humanities Instructor, with excitement to contribute to the dance and musical programs. Michael was previously at The Webb Schools in Claremont, Calif. for 12 years. During his time at Webb, he held roles such as Dean of Faculty, Assistant Director of the Summer Program, Head of Dorms, Lead Class Advisor, and Dance Program Director. Michael loves diving into new classes and has had the privilege of designing courses such as Literature and Psychology, Honors LGBT American Stories, and Advanced Studies Experimental Literature. With experience as a Lecturer, Adjunct, and Choreographer in Dance at Pomona College, Michael has had the opportunity to perform domestically and internationally with the Pennington Dance Group, Laurie Cameron and Company, and the Inland Pacific Ballet. In his free time, Michael loves traveling and learning about the world, listening to Britney Spears, enjoying fashion blogs, and sharing his excitement for “experimental” novels.