Biography: Simon Mangiaracina (he/him) is excited to be joining SAAS in the 2024 school year. Collaborating with a large math department and fostering interdisciplinary connections across content areas is especially appealing. Simon grew up in Buckingham, Pennsylvania, and has lived in Maine, Oregon, and Texas, before settling down in Des Moines, Washington. Simon has taught 7th and 8th grade mathematics at the Westside School in West Seattle, 6th grade STEM at the Ann Richards School for Young Women Leaders in Austin, Texas, and served for two years with Communities in Schools through the AmeriCorps program, for a total of 16 years of experience in education so far. During that time, he also coached math competitions, robotics, and track and field teams. Simon earned a Masters of Arts in Teaching from St. Edward’s University in Austin and a Bachelor's degree from Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine. His academic studies and efforts as a teacher focus on finding the intersections between history, art, and mathematics. When not at school, Simon can be found with his family and friends, playing board games, reading, running, or out on a neighborhood photo safari with his son.