New Year, New Faces

In one week, the hilltop will once again come to life with the energy and excitement that only students can bring. As always, the School’s dedicated faculty and staff will be there to teach, inspire, and support them every step of the way. Among the many familiar faces who are excited to welcome students back to Canterbury, nine new faculty and staff members have already begun settling in on campus. They bring experience, enthusiasm, and diverse talent to the School and are eager to meet our Saints.

The 2026–2027 academic year is full of promise and possibility, and we can’t wait to see everything our Saints, faculty, and staff will achieve in the coming months. Please join us in welcoming some of the newest members of our community!

Joseph Barowski
Mathematics Teacher
Assistant Coach, Girls’ Varsity Cross Country
Sheehan House

Mr. Barowski holds a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics from Villanova University and a Master of Science in Mathematics from Fairfield University. Before arriving on the hilltop, he taught upper-level mathematics and physics for four years at South Kent School, where he introduced Computer Science classes to the school’s course catalogue. In his spare time, Mr. Barowski enjoys strategy games like bridge, chess, and Catan.

Matt Butcher
Dean of Faculty
Assistant Coach, Girls’ Varsity Soccer
Havemeyer House

A seasoned educator and leader, Mr. Butcher has over two decades of experience in independent schools. He joined Canterbury from Brewster Academy in Wolfeboro, New Hampshire, where he served as Academic Dean for nearly a decade. Beyond the classroom, he has coached Girls’ Varsity Soccer for more than twenty years, leading teams to multiple league and NEPSAC championships, and has been recognized at both state and regional levels for excellence in coaching. Mr. Butcher holds a Bachelor of Arts in English from Boston University and a Master of Arts in English Literature from the University of New Hampshire. An avid skier and “lapsed poet,” he lives on campus with his wife Alicia, youngest son Luca, and Labrador Clark.

Hanna Rose DeMarco
Visual Arts Department Chair

A fine artist and educator, Ms. DeMarco is trained in painting, drawing, mixed media, printmaking, illustration, manual animation, and experimental arts. She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Stockton University and an MFA from The New York Academy of Art. As the Director of Artistic Advancement at The Art Effect, she developed and managed all Art Institute courses, taught portfolio development for the program’s advanced students, and curated numerous art exhibitions. Previously, she served as an art teacher for a wide range of age groups at Wildwood Catholic Academy and Roxbury Prep Dorchester Campus. Ms. DeMarco has a dog named Seamus.

Kate Ginsburg
English Teacher
Carter House

With a strong focus on college readiness and standardized test prep, Ms. Ginsburg has served as an English teacher at tutoring companies and public and private high schools—including St. Margaret’s in Virginia and the Pingry School in New Jersey—for a decade. In addition to serving as a member of Canterbury’s English department, she will work with students in the Donovan Center for Learning to help them become more skilled, confident writers. Ms. Ginsburg holds a Bachelor of Arts in English from Dartmouth College, a Master of Arts in English Language and Literature from the University of Virginia, and a Master of Arts in Teaching from Drew University. Originally from a small town in northeastern New Jersey, she now lives on campus in Carter House with her cat, Stella.

Sheila Hodges
Performing Arts Teacher

Ms. Hodges has nearly two decades of experience teaching music, specializing in vocal training, choral ensembles, piano instruction, sight-singing and ear training, and music theory. She previously served as a voice and piano instructor at Kent School and as a music teacher at Trinity Christian School in Windsor, Connecticut; Grace Academy in Hartford, Connecticut; and Riverview School in Middletown, Connecticut, where she was named District Teacher of the Year. Outside the classroom, Ms. Hodges enjoys live music, performing, reading, and spending time with her husband and three children.

Yefferson Julio Auza
World Language Teacher
Assistant Coach, Boys’ Varsity Soccer

Before arriving at Canterbury, Mr. Julio Auza was a Spanish teacher and dorm parent at The Berkshire School in Sheffield, Massachusetts, where he also coached Varsity Soccer, JV squash, and JV golf. While teaching in China and Colombia, Mr. Julio Auza played semi-professional soccer, representing his district in national tournaments. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Modern Languages from the Universidad Libre de Colombia and a Master of Arts in Educational Technology & Digital Competences from Universidad de La Rioja. Additionally, he earned a Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) certificate at the University of Toronto, Ontario, and is certified as a Level 1 Squash Coach.

Doug Poskitt
History and Social Sciences Department Chair

An educator with more than 30 years of experience, Mr. Poskitt previously served as a history teacher and Dean of Faculty at Tower Hill School and Worcester Academy; Dean of Academics and history teacher at Cape Cod Academy; History Chair, Upper School Head, and Dean of Faculty at Rocky Hill School; and History Chair and Associate Dean of Students at Westtown School. He has worked as a researcher, author, and presenter for the National Association of Independent Schools and created curriculum with the Teacher Leader Institute and the National Business Officers Association. He and his wife Krista live in New Milford and have four grown children.

Ron Rameika
Strength & Conditioning Coach

Mr. Rameika has served as a trainer and coach for professional, college, and high school athletes across Connecticut for nearly 20 years. He is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist and Certified Personal Trainer through the National Strength and Conditioning Association and is a USA Weightlifting Level 1 Coach and USA Powerlifting State Referee. Before joining the Canterbury community, he served as Throws Coach for the Boys’ Track team at Watertown High School and Head Powerlifting Coach and Youth Strength and Conditioning Coach at Steel Beach Gym in Oakville, Connecticut. He has competed in the Highland Games and has a three-legged cat named Nicodemas.

Sarah Stewart
Senior Associate Director of Admissions

An experienced admissions and financial aid professional, Ms. Stewart holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Chinese from Drew University and spent a year studying abroad in Harbin, China. Before arriving on the hilltop, she was the Director of Financial Aid and Associate Director of Middle School Admission at Pace Academy in Atlanta, Georgia, where she also served as a sixth-grade advisor and lacrosse coach. Ms. Stewart lives in New Milford with her cat, Wilson.