June 29, 2016
Dear CSS Community,
2016-2017 Hiring Announcements
I am pleased to announce new faculty and Board of Trustee appointments and positions for the 2016-17 school year at The Colorado Springs School. Our school is a special place - defined by the rigor and relevance of our programs and the relationships our master teachers forge with our students and families. Please join me in welcoming new members of our Kodiak team and celebrating returning faculty and trustees serving in new capacities.
Familiar faces in new roles
As many of you know, Vicki Vaughan, who officially re-joined the CSS team as our Girls’ Basketball coach this winter, will return to the teaching faculty this August as our K-9th Physical Education (PE) teacher. A former CSS faculty member with experience leading seminars and teaching PE, Vicki brings both great continuity and innovation to this important CSS program.
Margaret Rich, a former CSS English teacher for several years in the Middle School, will return to CSS next year as a part-time teacher, teaching two sections of 7th grade English. Margaret brings many strengths to this appointment; a deep knowledge of English grammar and usage, a love of both classic and progressive literature, and firm grasp of the programs that make the Middle School unique. Welcome back, Margaret.
In addition to teaching 7th grade science and AP Biology in the Upper School next year, Andrew Julian will assume the role of school-wide Technology Integrator at CSS. In this role, Andrew will utilize his cutting-edge knowledge and skills to help students and teachers at CSS continue to pursue student-centered learning in each and every class.
In a planned transition to accommodate the largest class in Children’s School, current first grade teacher Julie Hamilton will be “moving up” with next year’s 2nd grade class to work with Lori de Juan. We are thrilled to have Julie continue her relationship with her current students and to work with Lori in 2nd grade.
New to CSS
Relocating from California, Amanda Abrahams will join us as the Children’s School and Middle School French and Spanish teacher. Amanda is a former third grade teacher, is fluent in both French and Spanish, and her education includes two undergraduate degrees and a recently completed Master’s degree in teaching international languages with an emphasis in French from California State University at Chico.
Most recently from Florida, Natalie Hanson will join the CSS faculty as our new Upper School science teacher. Natalie is a biologist with an undergraduate degree from Concordia College in Minnesota and a Master’s degree from American University. She has worked as a scientist for several governmental agencies and also comes to us with science teaching experience. No stranger to working with kids, Natalie has extensive experience leading programs at summer camps and coaching students in track and field.
For a complete Faculty & Staff directory, visit our website.
I invite you to join me in welcoming these new faculty members to the school at the upcoming Ice Cream Social on Friday, August 12th!
Gratitude
I have the privilege of working with and for a hard working, volunteer Board of Trustees. I would like to offer my congratulations and appreciation to Jennifer Bain and Morane Kerek for their re-elections as president and treasurer of the Board, respectively. Dr. Mary Coussons-Read will replace Dr. Diane DeMallie Weidman as secretary, as she and Jocelyn Terwilliger Murphy ‘88 complete their terms of service to the school. New trustee, Dr. Mike Edmonds, Colorado College’s Vice President for Student Life and Dean of Students, will begin his term on The Colorado Springs School Board of Trustees this September.
At the end of the school year we had many celebrations and honored the veteran careers of two teachers as they bid farewell to CSS in their retirement. Thank you, again, to Sam Johnson and Will Biedermann for their purposeful contributions.
Security at CSS
As we know from recent local, national, and international events, all institutions must do their best to prepare for the unlikely but catastrophic events that occur with disturbing regularity. This past year, a hard working and knowledgeable group of faculty, parents, administrators, and trustees has been working with me to ask and answer the hard questions facing our school as we seek to improve risk management and school security at CSS. As I shared with parents at the coffee presentation on school security this spring, this group has recommended and fully funded a security guard from one of the leading firms in the city (Raven Security) at CSS for the 2016-2017 school year. My sincere thanks to the generous donors who are supporting this security enhancement.
Three very concrete benefits of having a uniformed and armed security guard on campus emerged from the research of this group:
The presence of a security officer at CSS will:
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Decrease the response time in the event of an incident on campus.
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Increase the training of students, faculty and staff.
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Lastly and perhaps most importantly, create a more concrete visual and physical deterrent for those who have malicious intent.
Please know that our new security guard will not be responsible for regulating student behavior, as is the case in some public schools in the city. We hope to finalize the placement of an officer from Raven Security in the next few weeks and to introduce the officer to our community at the opening of school.
My thanks for all you do to support our fine school. As always, please feel free to reach out to me if you desire to know more about any element of the school and its mission. Thank you for being part of the CSS community.
Every Kid. Every Class. Every Day. CSS - It is what we do!
All the best,
Aaron Schubach
The Colorado Springs School
Head of School
