Football fans across the country are gearing up for the excitement of the Super Bowl, but Melinda Oliveri Sheehan finds her thrill in something entirely different—math! "Participating in math in a classroom and helping students improve is like sports for me! It’s very exciting," says the new K-5 Math AIS teacher at George Grant Mason Elementary. For her, every problem solved and every breakthrough moment in the classroom is like scoring a touchdown.
Melinda knows firsthand the joy of overcoming a challenging problem. As a once-reluctant student with limited academic support at home, she credits a seventh-grade teacher for recognizing her untapped potential and transforming her academic journey. Inspired by that experience, she dedicated her career to helping students uncover their own strengths and abilities.
“I know what it’s like to feel lost in school, and I want to make sure my students never feel that way,” she shared. “I want them to know their questions matter, their growth is celebrated, and they are capable of amazing things.”
Now in her 20th year of teaching, Melinda brings a wealth of experience, from identifying students’ unique needs to helping them close learning gaps and develop independence. Her teaching style combines systematic instruction with creativity, often incorporating games, collaborative projects, and interdisciplinary activities to make math engaging and accessible.
Beyond the classroom, Melinda’s background is as diverse as her interests. After graduating from Boston University with a focus on design and computer science, she worked in marketing and architecture before discovering her passion for teaching. She earned two master’s degrees from Manhattanville University. She is also an artist who enjoys drawing, painting, and sculpting—talents she weaves into her teaching to help students see math in creative and unexpected ways.
Melinda is already impressed by the welcoming culture at George Grant Mason Elementary. “There’s such a welcoming energy here,” she said. “The students are eager to learn, the staff is incredibly supportive, and there’s a strong sense of community. It’s refreshing and inspiring to be a part of this environment.”
For Melinda, a great day in the classroom is one where her students are actively engaged, communicating, and experiencing those “aha!” moments when everything clicks. "I love when a student uses a strategy we’ve been working on and can notice and explain the shift in their understanding. Goosebumps every time!"
As the countdown to the Super Bowl begins, Melinda is already coaching her own winning team in the classroom. After all, math might not have cheerleaders or halftime shows, but when the buzzer sounds on a successful lesson, the excitement rivals anything on the field!