Mrs. Maria Ryan, the newest member of the science department, can be found in room 206 teaching any of her four classes: Honors Biology, AP Biology, Genetics, and Health and Medicine. After going to Temple for her undergraduate degree, earning her bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology, and attending Gwynedd University for her Master’s in Education, she taught for thirteen years at various schools in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia including Neumann Goretti, West Catholic, and Archbishop Ryan. Now, she is joining the Mount with excitement.
“I always knew of the reputation of the Mount, so when the opportunity appeared, and I started looking more into the school, I was really excited for the chance to work with all girls and encourage them to become founders and the future leaders of tomorrow. I feel like the mission of the school aligns really well with my passions,” Mrs. Ryan said.
The students are by far Mrs. Ryan’s favorite reason for teaching. She is looking forward to seeing her students grow and learn this school year, and she appreciates their creativity.
On some level, Mrs. Ryan always aspired to be a teacher; she recalls setting up a classroom for her dolls when she was a child and is delighted to have made her way to teaching.
When asked her favorite part of Honors Biology, Lauren Montgomery 25’ immediately replied with, “all of the fun activities we do, and they really help me understand the concepts.”
Biology concepts and material can be difficult, so Mrs. Ryan advises her students to ask questions and explore, and if they do not get the answer they are looking for, to try something else. She encourages every student to embrace exploring different options because the most growth is within the mistakes that are made and learned from.
Outside of the classroom, Mrs. Ryan spends almost all of her time with her family. She and her husband have been together for 15 years and married for nine, following his proposal at the top of the Duomo Cathedral overlooking all of Rome.
They also have two children and a dog: Patrick who is seven, Sean who is four, and Buzz Lightyear, who was named by Patrick when he was three. Right now her children are busy with soccer and travel hockey, and Mrs. Ryan loves watching their games.
