Melissa Bartoli

First-year science teacher Melissa Bartoli is bringing a fresh perspective to Portland High School, where she teaches Biology, Anatomy and Physiology, and the increasingly popular Forensic Selective.

Bartoli, a Thomaston native from Litchfield County, studied biology at the University of Hartford. Coming from a small high school herself, she never had the opportunity to take a forensics course—something she’s now excited to offer her own students.

“It’s kind of just something that interests me in my personal life, like I like to watch a lot of true crime shows or listen to true crime podcasts,” Bartoli said. “So it’s just been an interest of mine… there was a pretty heavy interest in this student population, so I worked over all last summer to create the curriculum for it.”

Though she spent half a year student teaching forensics, this is her first full school year leading the subject at Portland High. Her enthusiasm is fueled by her students’ excitement and curiosity.

“I think my favorite thing about teaching it is seeing their excitement, which makes it exciting for me to teach,” she said.

For Bartoli, forensics is a gateway to discussing murder cases and the scientific process of collecting and analyzing evidence. She enjoys revisiting old cases and examining how evidence could have been handled better.

She also aims to clarify misconceptions. “People often think forensic scientists can prove or disprove innocence—that’s not really their job,” she said.

Outside the classroom, Bartoli is also a dance teacher with experience in jazz, ballet, contemporary and preschool programs. But her biggest accomplishment, she says, is becoming a mother—she’s expecting a baby girl later this year.

Bartoli’s energy and dedication are helping to shape aspiring forensic scientists in Portland High school.