PHS welcomes four new staff and faculty members into the building for the 2025-2026 school year.
Emily Hartzell, a Student Services teacher, is a case manager. From the plants scattered around the room to the air purifier tucked in the corner, Hartzell strives to cultivate a peaceful environment.
“My passion is to try and create an environment where people feel safe, so they can learn and grow,” Hartzell said. Hartzell understands the importance of meeting students’ needs by incorporating their passions.
She deeply advocates for the incorporation of passion into the classroom, as she was a part of an initiative 25 years ago to bring tech and art to the students of New York City.
Madison Kohlhase, a former student, made it clear the impression Hartzell left on her.
“I had a really good experience with Mrs. Hartzell. It always felt like she cared, and she really went out of her way to form a connection with me, said Kohlhase. “She remembers the little things,” continued Kohlhase.
The nurse’s office welcomes a new nurse, Kim Jenlink. After three years of sub-nursing for PHS, she decided to go all in and transfer to full-time.
When asked what she liked about PHS, Jenlink enthusiastically replied, “The students are fantastic, and I actually went to school here; it’s kind of home to me.”
After graduating from PHS in ‘97, Jenlink is no stranger to the welcoming environment that PHS has to offer, as she continues to carry on this legacy- hopefully leading others to call the school home as well.
When faculty members who work close to Jenlink were asked what presence she brought to the nurses’ wing, the word pleasant came to their minds.
Erica Law is spending her first year at PHS in the math department. She currently teaches Algebra I and is also working with the girls’ field hockey team.
Before coming to PHS, Law worked at Wilton High School and was then at Timberlane for eight years.
“The students have been so welcoming,” Law said. She displays her passion for teaching by letting students contribute to the “dog wall,” where students can show pictures of their dogs.
Kristen Swann is an Italian and French teacher spending her first year in the PHS language wing. Not only does she add to the passion the wing exudes, but her story is one of perseverance and an ode to those who don’t know where their career may take them.
At fifteen years old, Swann took her first exchange trip to Italy- despite her lack of Italian. From then on, the Italian culture infatuated her, but she wasn’t always a language teacher.
Swann worked at an Italian bank in New York City, but eventually left, leading her to get her doctorate at Columbia University.
While in school, she majored in Italian Literature and minored in French, only to have twins in 2004- but that didn’t stop Swann from pursuing her education. She graduated from Columbia University in 2012 and secured a job at the University of New Hampshire as a professor, where she taught for 12 years.
In the short time that Swann has been at PHS, she is already getting involved. In fact, the Italian program here at PHS is what enticed Swann. Kristen Artinano, head of the World Language Dept. and an Italian teacher at Portsmouth, had only positive things to say about her neighbor.
“It’s really exciting to have her deep knowledge of Italian studies,” Artinano said, welcoming Swann with open arms.
The PHS community is excited to welcome this new group of educators and faculty. This group is filled with excitement and passion, eager to share this with those in their community.
