Administration

Shaysann Kaun, Principal
Ms. Shaysann Kaun, the middle school principal, was born in Burbank, California. She has lived in Washington State, Denmark, Japan, and in Brazil. She has two important college degrees, they are: a BA in English from Washington State University, and a master’s in Educational Administration from the College of New Jersey.  Before coming to EARJ, she was a middle school teacher in Japan.

Ms. Kaun came to Brazil to teach English and Social Studies in the Middle School. Before becoming a principal she was a team leader and social studies department head. Ms. Kaun became the middle school principal in 1998. She chose to work in this field of study because she loves to work with teachers and to help them teach students in the most effective way as possible. She would like parents and students to know that she is always willing to hear suggestions about how to make the middle school the best place possible. She isn’t only the middle school principal; she is also the affiliate director for Destination Imagination.

She has a lot of hobbies and interests; they are hiking, rock climbing, reading, sewing, working on her scrap book, and cooking. She also likes to play with her kids. She loves having her children here at school. Kenai, her oldest son, is in first grade and Denali, the younger, is in kindergarten. Because of this she has learned a lot about early childhood education. Ms. Shaysann Kaun is a very interesting person! 

Written by Rafael Hansen

Grade 8
E-mail Ms. Kaun

Penny Mello e Souza, Counselor

Ms. Penny Souza is the middle school counselor. She was born in Pennsylvania, but has lived in Mexico, Holland and Brazil. When she finished high school she studied at Harvard University where she earned her bachelor’s degree in biochemistry and romance languages. She later earned a master’s degree in counseling at the University of Michigan. She also has a second BA degree in Clinical Psychology from PUC in Rio de Janeiro.  Before coming to EARJ, she taught in the schools of education of two Brazilian universities.

Ms. Penny has worked at EARJ for 36 years. In addition to being a middle school counselor, she has been a high school counselor and a college counselor.  Ms. Penny can help students to resolve social or academic concerns.   She coordinates the bullying prevention program, the leadership conference, and the peer counseling program.

Ms. Penny has two sons, one daughter and five grandchildren. In her free time she enjoys reading, swimming, horseback riding, spending time with family and friends, traveling, watching movies and being outdoors.

Written by Sigrid Østmo da Costa

Revised by Penny de Mello e Souza

Grade 8
E-mail Ms. Penny

Sonja Carruthers, Principal's secretary

Ms. Sonja Carruthers was born in Rio de Janeiro, but has lived in several places such as Recife, Salvador, São Paulo, Belo Horizonte, and Vienna, Austria. She studied at Notre Dame School and went to college at Secretariado Maria Lins in Rio de Janeiro.  Before coming to EARJ,  she took care of her children  and her family.

Ms. Sonja has worked at EARJ for 17 years and loves her job.  She hasn’t only been the middle school secretary; she was a lower school secretary before as well. She enjoys being a secretary because she likes to help people and to work on the computer. She is the one who distinguishes who is on the honor roll and headmaster’s list, but that is not all, she also works on Power School to make our lives easier.

Ms. Sonja likes to play tennis and to windsurf. She says that windsurfing is relaxing and tennis makes her more athletic. She also likes photography, which is like a hobby for her. She would like parents to know that they can come to the Middle School Office anytime to request her help on anything.

Written by Gabriel Resende

Grade 8
E-mail Ms. Sonja

Ms. Carol Carvalho was born in Volta Redonda in the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and moved to Rio de Janeiro city in 1982 to study languages at UERJ.

Since coming to EARJ twelve years ago, MS. Carol has had different jobs.  She started as a telephone operator; then she worked in the Admissions Office; after that she was the headmaster’s secretary; and now she is working in the MS Office as the Middle School counselor’s secretary. She has also been involved with the school magazine design; she edited the school newsletter for ten years (Extra Edition); and she helps to coordinate the Framingham Master Program during vacation.

Outside the school, MS.Carol loves to travel, to dive, to read and to do anything that is near the sea. 

Written by Kevin Ortiz