Middle School Faculty

Mr. Robert Ross – Middle School History, Geography, & Latin

This will be Mr. Ross’ first year as part of our Middle School team. Rob received his Bachelor Degree from the University of Connecticut and his Master of Education in Education Leadership from Bridgewater State College. He taught high school Spanish and French in Massachusetts, and was House Administrator (Vice Principal) at Falmouth High School, Falmouth, MA.

Mrs. Jennifer Wojcik - Middle School Language Arts & Literature

This will be Mrs. Wojcik’s fourth year at RPA. In addition to teaching middle school Literature & Language Arts, Mrs. Wojcik coordinates our annual Poetry Contest, Spelling Bee, and Speech Contest, and she is co-coordinator of our middle school Scholar Bowl. Also, as our Writing Program Coordinator, Mrs. Wojcik teaches monthly writing lessons in grades 2-8 and mentors the grade-level teachers to better implement our writing program, Structure and Style. Mrs. Wojcik earned her B.S. in Secondary Education Language Arts, graduating Magna Cum Laude, and a Master’s Degree in English, graduating Summa Cum Laude from the University of Alabama. Before joining RPA, Jenn was an English instructor at Florida Gulf Coast University for nine years, teaching composition, business writing and American Literature.

Miss Lisa Gorda - Middle School Math

This will be Miss Gorda’s fifth year at RPA. She graduated from Kean University with a Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics and has 25 years teaching experience in math. Before joining us, she was head of the Math Department for five years at St. John Neumann High School. Prior to moving to Florida, Lisa worked at Union Catholic High School in New Jersey and transferred to Seton Hall Prep School for 12 years. Miss Gorda moderates our Royal Palm Academy Math Team, Florida Math Team, Continental Math League, and is co-coordinator of our middle school Scholar Bowl. Three years ago she was honored being named the 2007 “Golden Halo Award” winner and has been nominated four times into “Who’s Who of America’s Teachers.”

Mrs. Linda Rinaldini - Middle School Science, Exploratorium & Enrichment

Mrs. Rinaldini, with us for her third year, will be teaching the Middle School Science program at RPA as well as the Neuroscience Exploratorium and the Lower School Science Enrichment. Originally from Connecticut, she holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Biology and Psychology from Marymount College (now Fordham), NY and a Master’s Degree in Biology Education from the State University of New York at New Paltz. Mrs. Rinaldini has 35 years teaching experience in Catholic high school education. Prior to joining RPA, she served for 9 years as Science Department Chair at Mercy High School in Middletown, CT. Most recently, she has been an adjunct faculty member at Barry University and FGCU. In the past, she has been a Teacher Research Fellow at the Boehringer Ingleheim Pharmaceuticals and the recipient of the University of Connecticut Excellence in High School Teaching Award. Recently being asked to serve as contributing guest at NIH Blueprint for K-12 Neuroscience Curriculum Conference in Bethesda, MD, she continues to promote her interest in Neuroscience to students in all age categories.