Nicole Tarullo shares a warm smile in her classroom, where her passion for teaching and dedication to her students shine every day. photo by Emanuel Morales-Gomez
From small-town roots to classrooms around the world, Nicole Tarulo’s story is one of resilience and a passion for teaching.
To many, finding a place to belong is essential. For Nicole Tarullo, a math teacher with a deep love for education, that place turned out to be a journey across the country—taking her from quiet beginnings in the rural northwest of Connecticut to her teaching career in the nature-filled state of Colorado.
Tarullo grew up in a part of Connecticut that was just two hours from both Boston and New York City. “It was rural enough to be quiet, but still has influence from major cities,” she recalled. Growing up, Tarullo loved school, especially during her high school years. She attended high school through a vocational agriculture system, which, despite being something Tarullo was uninterested in, provided her with unique opportunities to explore subjects beyond traditional coursework. The agriculture program required her to take additional classes, but Tarullo thrived in the environment. Even though her career path eventually led her toward math education, she still cherishes those formative years of hands-on learning and the sense of responsibility this instilled in her. Her love of learning, along with being a first generation college student with a strong sense of community and dedication, set the foundation for the various twists and turns her career would take.
Tarullo went on to study at Springfield College in Massachusetts, where she majored in Math. However, it was not just her math coursework that left a lasting impact on her, but an unexpected lesson in philosophy as well. “I still remember this day, sitting on the hill at Springfield, and somebody was talking about the humanities of philosophy,” she recalled. “It was about the idea of giving back to humankind, and it stuck with me a lot.” That lesson became a guiding principle for her life. This shaped her view of teaching as not just a profession but as a way of giving back to society. After college, Tarullo was offered a rare opportunity to teach abroad—an experience that would change her life in many ways. She accepted a teaching position at St. Croix, a Catholic school in the Caribbean. There, she taught middle school math. “I had the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to go teach in St. Croix,” she said. Living in the Caribbean was a rewarding yet challenging experience, filled with cultural immersion and opportunities for personal growth. Tarullo’s love of education grew as she embraced her role as both a teacher and a learner in a new environment.
After her time in the Caribbean, Tarullo moved to Miami, Florida, where she taught at an all-girls Catholic high school. During her ten years there, she also earned her Master’s Degree in Mental Health Counseling from the University of Miami. For Tarullo, balancing her roles as both a teacher and a graduate student was demanding but rewarding. “While in Miami, I got my master’s degree,” she explained, noting how her experiences in both teaching and counseling gave her a deeper understanding of the diverse needs of students. Despite her love for Miami’s vibrant atmosphere, after a decade, Nicole found herself yearning for a change. “I got sick of the heat and missed nature and the great outdoors,” she explained. One of her close friends at the University of Miami suggested she move to Colorado, where she could explore her love of nature whilst enjoying the mountain air. That advice led Nicole to apply for a teacher position in Littleton, Colorado. She was hired, and packed up to make the move across the country. “I got it, and I moved to Colorado. Great place, love it, never leaving,” she said with a smile.
Though Tarullo’s journey has taken her to different parts of the country and even beyond it, her love for education and community consistently guided and shaped her path. The experiences she gained along the way shaped her teaching philosophy, which is grounded in empathy, open-mindedness, and an unwavering commitment to her students’ growth. In each environment, Tarullo saw the potential to make a difference, embracing cultural and educational challenges with enthusiasm. When she finally found her place in Colorado, she knew she had found a community that resonated with her passions and values. “This is a special place,” she said, smiling. “I spent years searching for a public school where I felt the level of connectedness, and here, it’s second to none.” Tarullo’s role at Thomas Jefferson allows her to empower students to explore their strengths and chase their aspirations just as she did.
Looking back, Tarullo offered a piece of advice to students: “Remember that grades don’t define you. Give your best effort in everything, but don’t be afraid to take chances and explore paths that may not be a part of your original plan. Sometimes the unexpected turn leads to the most rewarding destination.” As she stands in front of her classroom each day, Nicole Tarullo brings along not only a wealth of knowledge but a lifetime of lessons from her journey; a reminder that life’s path is rarely straight, but often the twists and turns make all the difference. With a warm heart and open mind, she inspires students to find their own paths, confident that they too can create lives of purpose and fulfillment.
