Class Notes

Anastasia P. Maines is pursing a doctoral degree in Ecology examining factors that affect population dynamics of the invasive plant spotted knapweed.  She participates in the development of outreach material to teach middle school and college students about the research.

Katie Gallagher is a middle school Physical and Health Education teacher in BVSD. Katie additionally serves as the secondary district level teacher leader for Physical and Health Education teachers and as a yoga instructor for The Wellness Initiative.

Rebecca Dzick is teaching English as a Second Language in Suwon, South Korea. 

Laura Cook is teaching 2nd grade at Sopris Elementary School in Glenwood Springs, Colorado.

Brad Bartels (PhDEdu) has entered the semi-retiree world after 35 years as an educator, a lawyer for educators and as executive director of the Colorado Education Association and the Utah Education Association. He continues to consult and advise other National Education Association state affiliate executive directors.

Sean Smith, an elementary education licensure graduate, is living and working in Singapore as a fifth-grade teacher and is wrapping up his fifth year. He enjoys spending time with his wife and three children as well as exploring Singapore when they can. Last year, he completed his MA degree in leadership for international educators from the University of Northern Iowa.

Dana Ripperton is the Karen M. Gil Internship Manager in the Department of Psychology at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. She was hired to develop and run this program from the ground-up when it was launched in February 2014, and has already seen the program flourish.

Mary Butler is teaching AP Literature and World Studies at Legacy High School in Broomfield, Colorado.

Graham Slater is pursuing a PhD in Education, Culture & Society at the University of Utah. He studies how neoliberal schooling produces student subjectivities through human capital ideology and standardized curricula and testing. Using critical theory, he also seeks to rethink educational collectivity and autonomy. His work is forthcoming in the Journal of Education Policy and Educational Studies.

Brad Bartels is currently the Deputy Executive Director and General Counsel of the Colorado Education Association.

Carlee Easton is a 5th grade teacher in Tulsa, OK. She is there through Teach for America, an organization committed to closing the achievement gap for minority and low-income students.

Nikki Tobias is teaching 9th and 12th grade Language Arts at Fort Lupton High School.

Marcia Thurston is a substitute teacher in three Colorado school districts in addition to coaching cheerleading, gymnastics, and skiing.

M. G. Saldivar is an NSF-funded post-doctoral researcher at the Learning Systems Institute at Florida State University. His research focuses on STEM teachers' use of digital resources for teaching and assessment.

Jessica Romero is teaching 7th Grade Core Plus and Language Arts at Fox Ridge Middle School in the Cherry Creek School District.

Megan Powers is becoming certified to teach K-12 Art.

Jaime Passchier is the Master Teacher for the K-8 Expeditionary Learning School, Homestake Peak School, in Avon, CO.  She is responsible for on-site professional development and coaching and leads the Adventure program.

Ryan O’Block is teaching Physics, Earth Science, and Robotics at Overland High School in the Cherry Creek School District.

Laura Mirabito is a Reading Specialist in the Special Education Department for Jefferson County Schools.

Whitney Millikin is teaching 9th grade Language Arts at Manual High School in Denver Public Schools. She is thrilled to return to DPS, where her interest in education was initially sparked as an AmeriCorps*VISTA.