As an autumnal crispness creeps into the air and students begin to readjust to school routines, that September sense of change is in the air—including in Commonwealth’s own halls. This year, we’re thrilled to welcome a new crop of faculty and staff members who come to Commonwealth from an expansive variety of backgrounds, having lived and worked in regions from the Netherlands to the Arctic Circle to right here in Boston. Their expertise is equally as diverse, covering French language, chemistry, a host of visual art forms, and DEI work. 

Read on to get to know these newest members of our faculty and staff and learn more about what makes them tick.

Yann Dardonville, French Teacher

Mr. Dardonville joins Commonwealth School following four years in Europe, where he taught English in Ancenis primary schools for TAPIF (Teaching Assistant Program in France) in 2021 and 2022 before completing a two-year research master’s degree at Leiden University in the Netherlands. During his time in graduate school, Mr. Dardonville studied Arts, Literature, and Media and specialized in documentary film studies. Prior to those years in Europe, he obtained a B.A. from Whitman College in Politics and Hispanic Studies. In his spare time, Mr. Dardonville plays guitar and piano, sings a cappella, prepares fresh pasta, and enjoys the occasional crafting project.

Shoshana Dym, Chemistry Teacher

Ms. Dym earned her M.S. in Chemistry from Boston College, where she performed research on the polymerization of sugars to synthesize native polysaccharides. She also worked as a teaching assistant for college-level introductory chemistry courses, organic chemistry laboratory, and chemistry for nursing students. Before her time at Boston College, Ms. Dym attended Brandeis University, where she researched the behavior of an oscillatory chemical reaction system and earned her B.S. in chemistry. Ms. Dym spends her free time hosting friends, reading, and at the theater.

Kelsey Miller, Visual Arts Teacher

Ms. Miller is a multi-disciplinary artist from Antigua, West Indies. Her work is guided by everyday cycles—the rapid pace of weather, the slow build of archives and observations—toward an iterative practice of recording, responding, and altering that manifests in the form of prints, cyanotypes, graphite rubbings, large-scale installations, and ephemeral wall drawings. In recent years, Ms. Miller has participated in artist residencies in the Arctic Circle and Buenos Aires, Argentina. Her work has been exhibited in venues in Italy, Argentina, and throughout the United States in solo, juried, and small-group shows. Ms. Miller is a 2019 recipient of the MacColl Johnson Fellowship from the Rhode Island Foundation. 

Clinton Williams, Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

A native of Chicago, Mr. Williams earned a B.A. in History and Religion from Oberlin College, a master’s in Theological Studies from Harvard Divinity School, and an M.A. in history from Harvard University. Prior to Commonwealth, Mr. Williams was the Assistant Vice President for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at Williams College, where he provided strategic direction and leadership in the development of initiatives and the coordination of programs that assisted students as they moved in and through the academy. Mr. Williams comes to Commonwealth as the Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, a role in which he works closely with all members of the community, including students, senior leadership, faculty and staff, families, trustees, and alumni/ae, to develop strategic initiatives that promote a welcoming, diverse, and equitable experience at the school. This includes coordinating professional development for faculty and staff, working with departments to ensure a diverse curriculum for students, assisting with the hiring of a diverse faculty and staff, supporting the recruitment and retention of students from diverse backgrounds, and developing diversity programming.

Meet More Commonwealth Faculty and Staff