Mrs. Cydney Custalow

Mrs. Custalow is currently in her second year of teaching at St. Margaret’s School. She began her college education journey at Virginia Tech, where she studied for three years in Biochemistry before transferring to Arizona State University. She completed her degree in Biochemistry, with honors, in 2023 and decided to focus on science education. Mrs. Custalow's dedication for teaching stems from a lifelong passion for science that began when she was just six years old and received her first microscope.

Before joining St. Margaret’s, Mrs. Custalow gained valuable experience working with children at Kindercare Learning Center, where she taught children aged six weeks to five years. Additionally, she contributed to academic research, while pursuing her undergraduate degree, on the fear of negative evaluation (FNE) within science classrooms for minority groups, reflecting her commitment to creating inclusive and supportive learning environments.

Mrs. Custalow is eager to start this year as the Science Chair, bringing ideas for how to continue to push for young women to enter STEM fields. Teaching AP Biology, HS Biology, and AP Calculus, she hopes to encourage students to try to do their best and to show them that, much like Mae Jemison, they can truly do anything they put their minds to.

Having lived in Richmond for most of her life, Mrs. Custalow relocated to Tappahannock in 2020 and fell in love with the community. She discovered St. Margaret’s School in 2023 and is eager to remain at the school indefinitely.

Outside of her professional life, Mrs. Custalow is a dedicated parent to two children and to several plants. She enjoys doing lots of reading on sharks, keeps up with the latest research in cell biology, and can always be found wherever coffee is closest!