
Sandy Pratt
44+ graduate credits
Adjunct professor UCONN 2006-2016
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.