Where Are They Now - Former Faculty?

Ben Ortiz (Math Teacher 2002-2007)

My name is Ben Ortiz, I worked at Camelot from 2002-2007 as the Upper School Math teacher. I relocated to my home state of Texas in 2007 after my wife took a job in Austin. I am now teaching Algebra II and Pre-AP Geometry at St. Michael's Catholic Academy in Austin. Switching North Carolina for Texas also meant switching basketball for football - I am the defensive backs coach for the SMCA varsity football team, which made the playoffs this year for the first time in over 10 years!

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Lynn Wartski (Science Teacher 1993-1997)

College Attended: University of Massachusetts, Amherst
Degree Received: B.S.- Natural Resource Management and Environmental Studies, Certification- Secondary Biology and General Science Education
Occupation: Sculptor
Spouse/Kids: husband-Bert, daughter -Alexcina

Hi, I am Lynn Wartski. I was the Upper School science instructor, and Science Coordinator from fall 1993 to spring 1997. I left teaching to pursue my artistic interests and open a studio. An early commission led me back to my love of creating 3-dimensional art, and introduced me to a new medium, copper. I created primarily garden art for several years, and then took an extended “mommy leave” following the birth of our daughter Alexcina in 2001. Over the past two years, I have returned to my artwork. I create mainly botanically themed pieces in copper and art glass. I am an exhibiting member if the Orange County Artist guild. I was the Chapel Hill Public Art Commission’s Artist in Residence for 2006. I am an artist/owner in the Art & Soul gallery in Mebane, NC. My work can also be found at the Focal Points gallery in Greensborough, NC. I reside in Hillsborough, with my husband Bert, our daughter Alex, and Ginger the St. Bernard.

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Linda (Merritt) Ford (Lower School Teacher 1998-2004)

I worked at Camelot from 1998-2004, teaching downstairs, grades 4-5-6 my first year and then teaching Sr. MAPP, grades 2-3-4 until I left. My first year away from Camelot I taught in Wake County before moving to Massachusetts. On June 25, 2005 I married a long time friend, Michael Ford. We had a beautiful wedding at Stratton Mountain, Vermont. My first two years in Massachusetts I worked at Brookfield Elementary School teaching 6th grade science and 4th grade. Currently I am teaching at New Braintree Grade School, grade 5 & 6 English Language Arts and History & Social Science. New Braintree is great. It is a small school in Central Massachusetts with about 100 students in grades K-6. My experience at Camelot has helped me tremendously in my teaching, especially teaching in a multi-age classroom and using differentiated instruction (the new buzz word in public education) in everything.