Meet the Explorers' Teachers

Ryan Glover, Mathematics

This will be Mr. Glover's  12th year at MSP.  He lives with his wife and their three kids Rowan (4 yrs old), Molly and Maeve (two year old twins).  He has coached the MSP soccer, cross country and track and field teams for several years. He also loves anything in the outdoors, including yard work and fishing. He enjoys spending time with his family going to Kennebunkport, Maine, Rhode Island and Cape Cod. He is also the Instructional Leader for the math department. Please feel free to contact him through the school email system if questions arise. gloverr@plainvilleschools.org

Karen Baleshiski, Social Studies

Mrs. Baleshiski has been teaching at MSP for 19 years. Mrs. Baleshiski is married and has 3 children: son Steven (27 years old), and daughters Sam (22 years old) and Elizabeth (13 years old). She has 1dog, a German shepherd named Jethro. This summer, Mrs. Baleshiski and her husband took their youngest daughter to Typhoon Lagoon at Disney World and visited with family on Cape Cod. 

Karen Miller, English-Language Arts  

Mrs. Miller has been teaching in Plainville for 27 years - 20 in 5th-grade at Wheeler.  This is her sixth year at MSP, and she is very excited to continue this middle school adventure!  Mrs. Miller lives in Avon with:  her husband, Scott; 21-year-old daughter, Chloe; her hound/retriever dog, Clyde & shepherd/Austrailan Cattledog dog, Willow.  Mrs. Miller loves to:  read, practice yoga, play guitar & ukelele, walk Clyde & Willow, spend time at the beach, and watch Chloe play lacrosse at ECSU. She also loves all things Marvel!! :)

Amanda Ferrucci - School Counselor

Mrs. Ferrucci is new to MSP this year. She comes to us from Har-Bur Middle School in Region 10. 

Julie Slowik, Science             

Mrs. Slowik has been teaching at the Middle School of Plainville for 18 years.  She lives in Harwinton with her husband, Mark, and their daughter, Mary Rose, who will be turning 11 years old in September.  They have:  one dog, Cici; one cat, Queso; chickens (10 hens and 1 rooster named Grits II); and thousands of honeybees.  In her spare time, Mrs. Slowik enjoys: spending quality time with her family, friends, and pets; gardening, beekeeping; and doing home improvement projects.  

Tess Murphy - English-Language Arts

Ms. Murphy has been teaching at MSP for 4 years now! She used to teach 8th grade and has just moved down to 6th. She lives in Southwestern Connecticut with her 14-year-old cat named Tiggy.  Ms. Murphy loves to spend time outdoors, especially in the woods or at the beach! She also loves to read all types of books. Her life motto is:  "Do good, be kind."