Within Wasatch Academy, there is a dedicated teacher named Ms. Emma Chiappetta. Despite teaching math, a subject many students consider their kryptonite, Ms. Chiappetta is both well-respected and adored by students and faculty alike. Many would characterize her by her cheerful attitude and willingness to work one-on-one with struggling students, regardless of whether they are in her class or not. She believes that the key to a successful education is through a strong relationship that is fostered every day, “I talk to [my students] about their lives, I learn what they like inside and outside of school. I try to connect what we are learning to their interests. More importantly, though, I just try to show them that I care about them! I want them to be happy and get the most out of their high school experiences”.
Ms. Chiappetta comes from the suburbs of New York, living there until the age of 18 when she moved to pursue her own education. Ms. Chiappetta received her undergraduate degree at Bowdoin College, Maine, where she had a double major for math and economics. Ms. Chiappetta also obtained a Master’s degree in math from Dartmouth before coming to Wasatch Academy, which she learned about from Dr. Zeb Engberg. “When we learned about Wasatch Academy, it’s amazingly diverse student body, and its unique approach to learning, we were sold!” Ms. Chiappetta has been with Wasatch for five years and has served as a teacher, advisor, and co-head of the math department.
Currently, Ms. Chiappetta not only is a teacher but is also the Curriculum Coordinator and is in charge of meeting with Wasatch Academy’s teachers and discussing education strategies. She says “my biggest goal is to help teachers learn from each other. Every teacher is talented and special. I want to help teachers find what sets them apart and help them bring those skills to the forefront so that they can engage with students in an even more impactful way,” Ms. Chiappetta also teaches several statistics, pre-algebra, and pre-calculus classes daily. When not in the classroom, Ms. Chiappetta can be found rock-climbing or baking her weekly from-scratch sweets for her students.