Meet the Staff

My Educational Horizons

Expanding your academic horizons

Tad Johnston

Tad Johnston is currently a mathematics specialist and regional representative for the Maine Department of Education. Prior to this he taught mathematics and science at the middle and high school levels in public and private schools and spent five years working for a National Science Foundation project in Maine. He received the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics Teaching in 2000. In Maine all students take the PSAT and SAT tests and Tad has worked extensively with College Board item writers developing the Maine mathematics test that supplements the SAT.

He earned his B.A. in Mathematics from the University of Dallas and his M.Ed. in Integrated Science and Mathematics Education from the University of Maine. He has been President of the Association of Teachers of Mathematics in Maine and currently serves on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) Mathematics Standing Committee.

Tad is very happy to be the husband of Kim Johnston and is eager to ride her coat tails and become involved with Beach Week. While he enjoys outdoor rambling and fly-fishing, he also finds mathematics and mathematics education recreational. Tad thinks the following quote attributed to James Michener best describes his life attitude; "the master in the art of living makes little distinction between his work and his play, his labor and his leisure, his mind and his body, his information and his recreation. . .He hardly knows which is which. He simply pursues his vision of excellence at whatever he does, leaving others to decide whether he is working or playing. To him he's always doing both."

Charity Cayton

Charity Cayton received her B.S. in Mathematics at East Carolina University where she was a Teaching Fellow for the Class of 1996 and acquired a M.A.Ed. in Mathematics Education at that institution in 2007. An expert educator for 12 years in public schools she is presently a teacher at D.H. Conley High School. Lucky students!

She earned her National Board Certification in Mathematics during 2001. In 2005 Charity was one of two finalists in North Carolina for the National Science Foundation’s Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching. Go Charity!

During Beach Week 1999 Charity spent one day with students and staff as an observer of our unique mission. She was invited because Linda had learned from several clients at D.H. Conley High School in Greenville that she was a both a phenomenal Math teacher and personal encourager. Linda wanted to expand SAT staff for the next summer from 2 to 4 in order to provide even more individual attention. That day we all immediately realized that Charity would be “a match made in Heaven” to compliment our teaching philosophy. Since Beach Week 2000 she has been a dynamic Math Team leader. One-on-one afternoon Sessions with Charity usually occur on the beach!

She has been married for a decade and is mother to a precious son and daughter who have absolutely stolen our hearts over the years. You’ll likely meet her family at least once during an evening’s free time if you attend Beach Week.