Our Team
Nora School teachers have one thing in common - a unique take on life. By bringing their individual perspectives to the classroom, our team of educators builds compelling cases for all the subjects that they teach. With classes that average only 8 students, it’s easier for us to connect on a deeper, more fundamental level with each one.
What’s more, our “first-name” policy allows for a comfort level rarely seen outside of small schools like Nora - bonds build quickly without formalities, and camaraderie between teachers and students is the norm, not the exception.
All of our faculty members have degrees in their primary teaching area, and more than 80 percent hold advanced degrees. Our staff also includes administrators who teach, a college counselor, a learning disabilities specialist, an athletic director, a psychological consultant, and tutors. And our Board of Directors lends support with the sustainability and vision of our community always in mind.
Chris C.
Assemblies Coordinator, Literature & Composition, Academic Writing, Fiction Into Film, Comprehensive Writing, Dystopian Fiction
B.A., English, Humboldt State University (California)
M.A., Literature, University of Maryland, College Park
Chris Conlon joined Nora in Fall 1995
While Nora has changed in some ways during the more than thirty years I’ve worked here, the school’s focus on the individual—the unique qualities and needs of each student—has remained constant. Originally from the central coast of California, I came to Nora after stints teaching in Botswana with the Peace Corps as well as in DC Public Schools. Literature is my first love, and I try to communicate that passion to my students.
Scott
Senior & College Advisor, Social Justice Travel Coordinator
SOCIAL STUDIES: American Studies, World History, U.S. History, Political Science, Street Law
B.A., Economics and History, University of Maine
M.A., Education, University of Rhode Island
Rhode Island Teacher’s Certificate in Special Education
Scott Madden Joined Nora in 1995
What I most enjoy about The Nora School are the close relationships that teachers can develop with their students. The Nora community provides a relaxed, friendly environment that challenges the students while looking out for their best interests and offering support for that extra step. Before joining The Nora School family in 1995, I taught at the Sheridan School, Washington, DC, and directed their Wilderness Experiential Education program in the Shenandoah Valley. Prior to that I taught in the public schools in Newport, Rhode Island, and worked as an Instructor for the Hurricane Island Outward Bound School for seven years. For the past 20 years I have been enjoying the opportunity to teach, coach, and work with young people for nine months of each year. I live with my wife and our three boys in Washington, DC. I am an avid bicyclist and enjoy triathlons and road races.
Nisaa
Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II/Trigonometry, Precalculus & Business Math
National Honor Society Advisor
B.S. Accounting, Lincoln University (PA)
M.A.T. Special Education, Trinity University (DC)
Certification in Non-Categorical Special Education/K-12
Nisaa Abdus-Sabur joined Nora in Fall 2015
The Nora School is a very special and safe place. The school community is made up of a diverse group of learners with a very supportive and caring staff that I am happy to be a part of. Students always ask, “Why do we have to learn Algebra?” In order to effectively teach and make math more approachable you have to show its connection to every day life. Most importantly, before the teaching can even happen, you have to get to know and empathize with your students. I attended undergrad at Lincoln University in Pennsylvania and did my graduate studies at Trinity University in DC. I have taught Math for more than ten years to high school students in public charter schools in DC. I am a mom of four teens and reside in Silver Spring, MD.
Chrissy
Community Service Coordinator
ARTS: Art History Art, Studio Art, Illustration, Sculpture, Drama
B.A., Visual Arts – Animation & Interactive Media (Minor: Anthropology), University of Maryland Baltimore County
Chrissy Jarina joined Nora in 2016
I am a working artist with a broad range of interests. My early artistic influences as a child were 2-D cartoons and Michelangelo sculptures and paintings. Since then, I have studied drawing and painting, including acrylic painting techniques. I earned an animation degree at UMBC where I studied both 2-D and 3-D animation and where I helped produce a full length independent film with the film group Blue Duck Studios. My current interests are cartoon portraits for engagements and weddings, lyric writing, and further advancing my artistic craft in a number of genres.
Darrell
Academic Coach, Athletic Director
Music, Yearbook
B.A., Music – Jazz Performance, Towson University
M.A., Music – Jazz Performance, University of Maryland
Darrell Reddix joined Nora in 2021
I am a lifelong musician dedicating the remainder of my life to a pursuit of self-expression and enlightenment through listening to, performing, and teaching music. As a child growing up I found confidence in my own individual personality through learning how to accept my unique approach to my instruments. Through music and performance, I have traveled to different states, out of the country, and have played venues such as Blues Alley, as well as done tours like Vans Warped tour. At the Nora School, I hope to impact the students through these experiences and help them to develop and further understand their own unique personalities through a musical lens.
Calder
Registrar
US Foreign Policy, Environmental Science, Contemporary Issues, Soccer Coach, Administrative Assistant
Calder Sett joined Nora in 2023
Though I was born in DC, I moved around a lot as a kid before ending up in Colorado for high school. I went to Clark University in Massachusetts to study conservation ecology and, shortly after graduation, moved to Ha Noi, Viet Nam where I lived for six years. While living in Viet Nam, I got a job at a bilingual school and fell in love with education. I found my niche teaching history and academic literacy as well as volunteering for student clubs. I've just recently moved back to the States and am lucky enough to find myself at the Nora School. I try to view every lesson as a story with drama, mystery, and character development for each student. History, in particular, makes no sense to me as a series of dates with names attached, but becomes exciting when seen as a great story with questionably reliable narrators. Outside of teaching, I love to play music, ultimate frisbee, and dungeons and dragons.
Eric
Student Government Association Coordinator
SCIENCE: Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Organic Chemistry
Eric Schweiger joined Nora in 2024
Passionate about science and committed to teaching teenagers, Eric graduated from UMBC with a BA in Chemistry. He taught two classes of Chemistry at Sandy Spring Friends School as a long-term sub, and has strong experience as a professional math and science tutor. He will be teaching Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Organic Chemistry, and has already met the Beau Kaplan mark of having the annual (controlled) explosion in class.
Gus
Spanish I, Spanish II, Spanish III, and Spanish Literature
B.A., Spanish; International Business and Management, Dickinson College
Graduate Certificate, Nonprofit Management & Leadership, University of Maryland School of Public Policy
Agustin “Gus” Umanzor joined Nora in 2026
After working in real estate and property management in the DMV, I realized I wanted a career with more purpose. In 2017, I bought a one-way ticket to Georgia and hiked the entire Appalachian Trail, where I decided to become a Spanish teacher. As a first-generation Latino, Spanish is an essential part of my identity, and I love bringing that culture into the classroom through music, dance, and cooking. Outside of school, you'll usually find me fly fishing local trout streams or camping with my wife, our two boys, and our dog.
Adjunct Staff
Chris P.
School Counselor; Psychology
M.Ed. Clinical Mental Health Counseling, Clemson University
B.S. Recreation Management / Experiential Education, Appalachian State University
Chris Peckham joined Nora in 2022
I believe nature and hands-on experience have healing power and that is something I try to bring to all of the work I do. I've been working with teens and young adults for over 18 years. I enjoy helping adolescents successfully transition to independence. I bring a strength-based approach to my clients with training in cognitive behavioral therapy, motivational interviewing and solution-focused therapy. I help clients reconsider themselves and their value, empowering them to develop self-efficacy, motivation and self-confidence. I am Licensed in Maryland as an LCPC and a Nationally Certified Counselor. I love dogs, skiing, hiking and gardening.
Naomi
Japanese I, II, III
B.A. English with Creative Writing Concentration, Reed College
Naomi Hunter joined Nora in Fall 2024, Nora School Alumni c/o 2012
As a 2012 Alum of the Nora School, I’ve been connected to Nora since I was in 9th grade. The trajectory I started at Nora took me to my first choice of Reed College to earn a degree in English with a focus in Creative Writing, where I also began to develop foreign language skills in Japanese. I now work as a game designer in addition to teaching at Nora, developing video and board games for international markets. I believe that passion is central to learning, and I structure my classes in such a way that students can select their own lens through which to develop important skills in critical thinking and analytical expression. In my free time, I play tabletop and video games with my friends, develop creative projects, and go on cool adventures. I’m fond of humor, wordplay, and making lists that contain three items.
Rowan
American Sign Language I, II
B.A. Independent Major in Fine Arts, Deaf Studies, and Creative Writing, Bryn Mawr College
Rowan Smith joined Nora in Fall 2026
As the American Sign Language teacher at Nora, I bring my experience with this rich language and my love of Deaf culture to share with students. I started my career in education at Pennsylvania School for the Deaf, where I supported students one-on-one across daily learning challenges, helping them develop socioemotional skills, life skills, and much more. Later on at Lower Merion High School, I developed a strong rapport with my students through supporting their learning needs via sign language, where I realized that I wanted to pursue teaching ASL. Outside the classroom, I spend my time drawing, reading, writing creative fiction, boxing, and going on long hikes.
Administration
Mara
Head of School
B.A. English, Dickinson College (PA)
M.A. American Literature, George Washington University
Mara Nicastro joined Nora in 1991, Re-joined Nora in 2020
A life-long teacher and educator who found my true calling in small school administration, I am thrilled to be back at The Nora School. In 2014, as Head of School, I led Friends Meeting School in Ijamsville, MD through a major transition into an established K-12 program. These two schools have similar missions which allow for every person to be seen and heard. We value the importance of real-life learning through adventure, experience, and discussion based classroom curricula. I currently serve as Coordinator on the Washington Small Schools Association and on the Board of Directors of the Association of Independent Maryland and DC Schools (AIMS). I live in Maryland with my husband, Richard, and our sweet dog, Russell. Richard and I have three grown children. Together we enjoy biking, hiking, and reading in our empty nest.
Christina
Asst. Head of School
Academic Dean, Anatomy, Physiology, Photography
B.A., Africana Studies, Dickinson College (PA)
M.A., Learning, Design, and Technology, Georgetown University
Christina Mullen joined Nora in 2015
I started my Nora career as a frequent substitute in 2015, when I returned from my Peace Corps service in Burkina Faso. Since then, I have worked with students in a variety of subjects in the classroom, ranging from Animation to Anatomy, and plenty of subjects in between. In 2020, I transitioned to the role of Academic Dean, which has allowed me to keep one foot in the classroom and one foot in administration. Outside of school, I enjoy cooking, photography, volunteering with a local dog rescue, and being as active as possible with my growing family.
Terah
Director of Admissions
Introduction to Composition, College Writing, Global Literature, World History
B.A. Education, Towson University
M.A. Educational Technology, Loyola University (MD)
Terah Richardson joined Nora in 202
Finding ths school has been an act of fate for me. I remember passing The Nora School everyday to go to my elementary school down the street. I never noticed it then, but now I can say I see The Nora School and I am happy to be part of the community. I’m a graduate of Towson University and I majored in Middle School Education concentrating in English and History. I also graduated from Loyola University Maryland with a Master’s degree in Educational Technology. When I’m not in school, I enjoy reading and being with my family and friends.
Jeff
Director of Organizational Systems; Medication Technician
World History, Civic Engagement, Sports & Society
B.S., Systems Engineering, University of Virginia
M.S. Energy and Environmental Technology Policy, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Jeff Goldman joined Nora in 2024
I've had a winding life path: classroom teaching and leading experiential education programs in the U.S. and abroad; directing non-profit organizations, working and living 13 years in Latin America, Asia and Africa. After growing up in Baltimore County, I became a health nut. My main life partners are my spouse, and 2 kids born 2008 and 2011. I’m often found hiking in the wilderness, playing tennis, biking, volunteering and phoning friends.
Norman
Finance & Business Manager
B.S., Architecture, Catholic University
M.A., Writing, University of San Francisco
Norman Maynard joined Nora in 2009
I have been a teacher, upper school principal, and interim head over the past 14 years. Before entering the educational field, I was an architect, writer, sheep farmer, and asbestos inspector, to name but a few. The 2026-27 school year will be my 32nd - and final - year in education. My wife (who I met at Nora 17 years ago) and I live in semi-rural Pennsylvania, where a life of photography, painting, bocce, and weeding the gardens awaits. I am very happy to be spending this year as part of this amazing and precious community.
Board of Directors
The Nora School Board of Directors is focused on strategic planning, financial stability, and support of the faculty & staff.