From student to teacher, Caldara found her way back to Colonie

By Sandscript Staff

February 6, 2024

In 2008, an ambitious high school freshman, Julianna Caldara (Gigliello), confidently handed in a summer reading essay to her 9th grade Honors English teacher, Ms. White. She was quickly humbled days later after receiving a disappointing 70, displayed in bright red pen.

“I hated Ms. White at first because of that. But she quickly became my favorite because she pushed everyone to be our best,” Caldara says. 

Sixteen years later, Caldara is now an English teacher at Colonie High School, where she tries to inspire her students daily with the dedication, valued criticism, and passion Ms. White instilled in her years earlier.

White’s class inspired Caldara with a variety of creative, yet challenging lessons. From mock witch trials to creating board games, Caldara remembers loving English class, even if her initial 70 made her hesitant at first. She credits White for inspiring her current teaching style.

Upon graduating from CCHS in 2012, Caldara earned a bachelor’s degree in English from Siena College; she then proceeded to go on to graduate school and earned her master’s degree from The College of St. Rose in Special Education. While studying to become a teacher, she was influenced by another CCHS teacher, Kevin Ruane. 

Caldara completed her student teaching experience with Ruane, putting her on a career path that would bring her back to her alma mater. While Ruane was tough and pushed her everyday, he trusted her and allowed her to make the experience fully hers.

Prior to this, she never intended to land a full time job at CCHS, but her positive student teaching experience at the school made her realize how much she wanted to return.

 “I knew I wanted to make my way back,” she said.

Caldara was fortunately able to return to the school when she took a long-term substitute position which ultimately led to a permanent position that she says she “couldn’t be happier with”. 

As a mentor, Ruane always encouraged her to be “involved as more than just a teacher” constantly reminding her just how much she loved Colonie. She lives by this advice today. An important part of the Colonie community, Caldara not only teaches English 11, English 12 and SUNY Speech and Composition at CCHS, she also advises clubs such as Executive club and iCare. Her involvement and love for her job shines through to all of her students, and her dedication has proven that teaching is what she is meant to do.

Caldara admits that Colonie Central High School has changed over the years and is different in many ways from the time she was in high school.  One of the biggest and more positive differences that Caldara notices is the influx of elective courses that are now available to students. She says that there are more courses that cater to student interest and that she would’ve loved to have been able to take these classes when she was in high school.

With the celebration of 75 years, members of the South Colonie School community have communicated how much the school means to them, whether they are staff members or former students. For Julianna Caldara it is even more special because she got to go here as a student and come back and work here. The Colonie Community, as Caldara describes it, is “so strong”, and everyone looks out for each other.

“There are days that I leave defeated, tired, and worn, and there have even been a few days where I questioned if teaching was truly what I’m meant to be doing. But those days are significantly outweighed by all of the positive experiences, relationships, and days that I have,” she says.

High school can be tough, Caldara admits, but, at a place like Colonie, there's a special environment that makes it all worth it. 

“There isn’t a place I’d rather be than Colonie,” she says.