Sandy Pratt

I graduated from Clark University in December of 1971 and began teaching at Smithfield High School in RI in January of 1972.  Eventually I became the department chair of the science department and stayed in Smithfield for 30 years.  After taking a year off for surgery, I secured a job at Woodstock Academy in Woodstock, CT.  This is a public school that was many years back a private school.  After a couple of years teaching at this high school, I became an adjunct professor at UCONN (University of Connecticut) and started teaching early college enrollment classes for both honors chemistry and AP chemistry .  My students received 8 UCONN college credits for taking these classes with me while still in high school.  It was absolutely wonderful teaching these classes.  I also started something called Dry Ice Day while in Smithfield and continued this at Woodstock.  I always tell my students that this is a national holiday in chemistry and my students loved this day.  I did about 12 awesome demonstrations using the dry ice.  Students then hypothesized the cause of what they witnessed.  

Outside of school I am an avid hiker, dancer and cross country skier.  I participate in white water slalom racing in canoes.  Each year, I attend the National North American white water slalom race.  This past summer this race was held in Montreal, Canada at a beautiful white water venue.  It is very exciting paddling white water.  I paddle solo, but like it best when I am in the front of the canoe with my husband in the back, paddling tandem.  This is called OC-2 mixed and we have placed first twice at 2 different venues.

I have retired from teaching twice:  once from Smithfield, RI and then from Woodstock Academy, CT.  However, I absolutely love teaching chemistry and missed it tremendously.  Now I am back having fun teaching chemistry at Mount Snow Academy.