by Ellie Warwick ’26, Contributing Writer for The Polygon

Enthusiastic, passionate, and devoted are words faculty and students use when describing Poly’s new Middle School history teacher and alumna, Saranicole Marino ’06.

Every day, Saranicole Marino makes a two-hour long commute from Long Island to teach six out of the eight sections of Grade 8 history. “I knew I wanted to teach eighth grade when I heard about the Capstone project and, specifically, the units that they were doing. I thought they were so interesting, diverse, and unique,” said Marino. “It’s also a crucial year for students to learn how to be better writers, which I wanted to be a part of.”

But this isn’t Marino’s first time at Poly — she was a student here from fifth grade until she graduated in 2006. She then attended George Washington University, earning a Bachelor of Arts in History with a minor in Art History and a Juris Doctor. However, Marino’s life after college wasn’t as easy as she thought it would be.

Marino decided to pursue a profession in law, but it didn’t go as planned. “I felt isolated. I would spend a lot of time, just by myself at my computer, writing… for hours and hours and hours and not talking to anyone.” As an extrovert, this was hard for Marino. She bounced between legal jobs, including a litigator, a lawyer at legal aid, and a plaintiff’s representative, as she searched for a more social environment. Despite her efforts, nothing seemed to fit. With juggling the added pressures of a demanding job at a law firm with long hours in person during COVID-19 and being pregnant, Marino eventually left her law career behind.

That was when she made a pivotal decision: to pursue teaching. “My aunt is a teacher, so I always had it in the back of my mind, but I always thought I wanted to be a lawyer more,” Marino said. “Looking back, though, I am happy that I was able to make that switch.” Marino attended Hofstra University, and according to the Poly website, in 2024, she earned an Advanced Certificate in Secondary Education. After getting her degree, Marino started working at a public school in her area, but her challenges were far from over.

“My classroom was crowded. I had 29 kids in my classes, sometimes as many as 31, and I didn’t feel like the kids were learning enough history,” said Marino. “I was stuck to their Regents curriculum, which is teaching to a test, so I found myself racing against the clock to cram as many historical facts in so students could fill in a multiple choice test, which I didn’t like.”

Sitting in her overly cramped classroom, crafting “Do Nows” and “Exit Tickets” that the school had her give out to her students, Marino remembered her days at Poly. Her experience here, specifically in history class, left a lasting impression on her, so when she saw that an eighth-grade history teacher’s spot was open at Poly, Marino seized the opportunity.

Virginia Dillon, Chair of the history department, looks back on how impressed she was when Marino came in for her job interview. “I was struck by how comfortable she was with the students, how the students responded to her, and how she was able to both ask them interesting questions and engage them in interesting topics and relate to them as people.”

“She values our determination and hard work in her class more than the grade that shows up on our report.” – Alessandra Lisk ’29

Marino’s journey back to Poly allowed her to correct her previous mistakes as a student and now as a teacher. Even after high school, she struggled immensely with proofreading and meticulous writing, which she now translates into her teaching. Alessandra Lisk ’29, a current student of Marino, stated that Marino pushes her to work hard and that “she values our determination and hard work in her class more than the grade that shows up on our report.”

The community and unique approach to teaching at Poly made such a difference in Marino’s education that she wanted to contribute to it. “I think what makes Poly what it is is the people. Not only is my schedule and curriculum interesting, but I also feel that the people here couldn’t be replaced. Even if I were to look at an independent school closer to my house, it wouldn’t be the same environment,” said Marino. “I knew I was going to be happier teaching at Poly.”

Marino inspires her fellow faculty members and students daily, particularly Middle School Dean and fellow alumna Alysa Delerme-Fletcher ’07. “Making a career change is hard. I respect that she jumped right into teaching after becoming a lawyer. I can’t imagine doing what she did, and I admire that about her,” said Delerme-Fletcher. She continued, “She also has a long commute to work every day, which wows me. It shows her dedication…and that she’s here and gives it her all.”

Delerme-Fletcher believes that the love that Marino has for Poly is so apparent in that she has a “never-ending bubbliness to her.” Marino hopes her journey back to Poly will impact her students beyond the classroom. “I want them to appreciate Poly because I don’t think I appreciated it enough when I was here.”

Her passion to give back is so strong that she envisions a future in Poly beyond herself. “I hope one day for [my daughter] to attend Poly and get to experience the wonderful Poly community like I did and still do.”

Note: This article was originally published in The Polygon’s January/February 2025 issue.