Arlene Schwartz
Arlene Schwartz was born in Passaic, New Jersey, to Jeanette and Sol Eigen. Arlene’s home was a caring, loving home with the emphasis on learning, hard work and being kind to others. Her mother was an English and mathematics teacher whose love of teaching inspired Arlene. Her father came from Europe as a young boy and became a practicing attorney. Her siblings are Dr. Michael Eigen and Hugh Allen Eigen, who passed away at a young age. Arlene was a graduate of Passaic High School. She attended the University of Vermont for two years. The summer of her junior year, Arlene lived in Mexico and took classes at the University of Mexico City. She received her Bachelor of Science Degree from Boston University with a major in Spanish and a minor in History. Arlene then attended the Middlebury College Summer Language Institute and completed her Master of Arts Degree in Spanish Literature from New York University.
Arlene is a life-long learner. She completed certification programs in French and Latin through the Summer Language Institute and Special Student Program at Yale University. Arlene participated in many workshops and summer institutes at PIER (Programs in International Educational Resources) at Yale University. She completed her 6th Year Degree in Administration and Supervision at Southern Connecticut State University. While at New York University Arlene met Peter, a medical student at Albert Einstein College of Medicine and, in 1966, they married. Her first employment was as a full-time instructor in Spanish at the University of Kentucky. After moving to Connecticut, Arlene taught at Amity Junior High School in Orange, and was a part-time instructor of Spanish at area universities. From 1971 through 1975, Arlene and Peter lived in California and Texas and their three children were born. They returned to Connecticut as Peter joined the faculty at the Yale University School of Medicine and Arlene returned to teaching. In November 1984, Arlene began teaching Spanish at Branford High School.
Arlene was passionate about bringing the world to Branford and in turn, bringing Branford to the world. Students loved sharing her travels which included countries in Europe, South and Central America, Asia and Africa. When visiting these countries, Arlene often was a guest lecturer in the high schools talking about the academic programs and student life at Branford High School. Arlene brought back to her students at Branford her experiences and at times even pen-pals from the schools she visited. In this way, the world outside of Branford became real to her students and students became interested in exploring it.
Arlene had high expectations for her students and always looked for new ways and different instructional strategies to reach each and every student and to make learning meaningful to them. Classroom discussions were student-centered and often based on their interests. Grammatical constructions were often taught through Spanish songs and international and national news, including presidential elections which were taught through the use of the Smartboard. Outside of the classroom, Arlene enjoyed being a part of the student life at Branford High School. She supported her students at their games and meets and at their concerts and plays, for as she said, she was always driven by a true love of her students and each classroom was a family to her.
Professionally, Arlene was a part of numerous committees such as the National Honor Society, Faculty Council, the Academic Standards Committee and the World Affairs Seminar Selection Committee. She was a member of many professional organizations such as Phi Delta Kappa, the Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese and the Connecticut Organization of Language Teachers and has been recognized with a Celebration of Excellence Award in Creativity in the Classroom for the State of Connecticut for her project, “Communicating Spanish Through Art”. Arlene was also a Branford Public School Teacher of the Year Nominee in 2008-09.
Arlene and Peter will be celebrating fifty years together. Their greatest gifts are their three children, Bruce, Andy and Ken, their wives, Anne, Kelly and Michelle and their four grandsons, Paul, Josh, Toby and Judah. After Arlene retired in 2014, she has been pursuing her many interests, including taking courses, outdoor activities, volunteering for the Discovery to Cure Program and, most importantly, spending time with family, grandchildren and friends.
Arlene is a life-long learner. She completed certification programs in French and Latin through the Summer Language Institute and Special Student Program at Yale University. Arlene participated in many workshops and summer institutes at PIER (Programs in International Educational Resources) at Yale University. She completed her 6th Year Degree in Administration and Supervision at Southern Connecticut State University. While at New York University Arlene met Peter, a medical student at Albert Einstein College of Medicine and, in 1966, they married. Her first employment was as a full-time instructor in Spanish at the University of Kentucky. After moving to Connecticut, Arlene taught at Amity Junior High School in Orange, and was a part-time instructor of Spanish at area universities. From 1971 through 1975, Arlene and Peter lived in California and Texas and their three children were born. They returned to Connecticut as Peter joined the faculty at the Yale University School of Medicine and Arlene returned to teaching. In November 1984, Arlene began teaching Spanish at Branford High School.
Arlene was passionate about bringing the world to Branford and in turn, bringing Branford to the world. Students loved sharing her travels which included countries in Europe, South and Central America, Asia and Africa. When visiting these countries, Arlene often was a guest lecturer in the high schools talking about the academic programs and student life at Branford High School. Arlene brought back to her students at Branford her experiences and at times even pen-pals from the schools she visited. In this way, the world outside of Branford became real to her students and students became interested in exploring it.
Arlene had high expectations for her students and always looked for new ways and different instructional strategies to reach each and every student and to make learning meaningful to them. Classroom discussions were student-centered and often based on their interests. Grammatical constructions were often taught through Spanish songs and international and national news, including presidential elections which were taught through the use of the Smartboard. Outside of the classroom, Arlene enjoyed being a part of the student life at Branford High School. She supported her students at their games and meets and at their concerts and plays, for as she said, she was always driven by a true love of her students and each classroom was a family to her.
Professionally, Arlene was a part of numerous committees such as the National Honor Society, Faculty Council, the Academic Standards Committee and the World Affairs Seminar Selection Committee. She was a member of many professional organizations such as Phi Delta Kappa, the Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese and the Connecticut Organization of Language Teachers and has been recognized with a Celebration of Excellence Award in Creativity in the Classroom for the State of Connecticut for her project, “Communicating Spanish Through Art”. Arlene was also a Branford Public School Teacher of the Year Nominee in 2008-09.
Arlene and Peter will be celebrating fifty years together. Their greatest gifts are their three children, Bruce, Andy and Ken, their wives, Anne, Kelly and Michelle and their four grandsons, Paul, Josh, Toby and Judah. After Arlene retired in 2014, she has been pursuing her many interests, including taking courses, outdoor activities, volunteering for the Discovery to Cure Program and, most importantly, spending time with family, grandchildren and friends.