TCS Student Ambassadors New to The College School

By Milana H., Eighth Grade student

Written for TCS News, produced by Eighth Grade Language Arts students, December 2022 of the TCS ambassadors,” says Seventh Grade Norah N., “I love helping people and helping the community.”

Earlier this school year, Brie Alley, the Director of Development and Communications, and Jill Pampel, the Director of Admissions and Marketing, created a committee to provide students with opportunities to give back to their community. With this idea in mind, the TCS Student Ambassadors Committee came to be. During monthly meetings, Brie, Jill, and a select group of Middle School students that make up the TCS Student Ambassadors, meet to discuss the next steps in contributing to TCS. “I love being a part

5-9 and Library Media Specialist K-12. Scott brings his love of literature to The College School, previously serving in library management and administration at schools in North Carolina, Tennessee, and Missouri, including Webster Groves High School. He also served the Boy Scouts of America, partnering with schools and organizations to provide outdoor education. In recent years, Scott has spent increasingly more time in classrooms. Scott is an Americorps alumnus, an Eagle Scout, a fiddler, a road-trip planner, a husband and a father, and a seeker of good swimming holes.

Becky Ritter-Loos

Second Grade Teacher

Becky’s 18 years of teaching experience include Community School, Maplewood Richmond Heights School District, Special School District, and Central Institute for the Deaf. Becky holds certifications in several areas, including Early Childhood Education, Elementary Education, Special Education, Art Education, and Deaf Education. She has a Bachelor of Science in Education and Special Education from the University of Missouri - Columbia, and a Master of Science in Speech and Hearing and Deaf Education from Washington University. Becky brings both Reggio Emilia and Experiential Learning practices to her new role at The College School. She and her husband have two children. Becky loves to create art and spend time outdoors hiking and biking with her family.

This year, student ambassadors have participated in various events and activities like acting as open house spokespersons or afterschool volunteers. Still, a crowd favorite of the members has been prospective-student buddies. Committee members are paired with a prospective student for a half-day visit and tour of The College School. The buddies attend class-

Gerald Williams

Fifth Grade Teacher

Gerald has a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education as well as a Master’s degree in Educational Administration from Lindenwood University. He also holds his Ed.S. in Educational Administration/Organizational Development from Grand Canyon University. He previously held faculty and administration positions in the Ferguson-Florissant, Hazelwood, and Rockwood School Districts. Gerald has leadership and classroom experience in outdoor education, social-emotional learning, instructional development, and curriculum development with a focus on math and science. In his free time, Gerald enjoys spending time with his four teenage children (Olyvia, Lucas, Mykaela, and Avery) and his wife (Dawn), exploring the St. Louis Region.

Jim Wood

Physical Education Specialist es and lunch with the student to better understand what school life is like at TCS. Sixth grader Sam S. notes, “A bunch of other ambassadors who are in my grade and I have been buddies and that was really fun, and we all enjoyed it.”

Jim was first a part of TCS when he attended years ago as a student. For the last several years, Jim has been a part of our teaching community through substitute teaching and trip support. He previously served TCS as a long-term substitute teacher for PE and is excited to work with students across the grades. Jim has a strong background in Adventure Education and previously owned his own landscape business. Jim is married to his wife, Emily, and they have a son, Roman.

Brie explained that although the program has gone just as expected, if not better, there are many areas she wants to expand. One is making the committee more student-led. Brie says she wants student members to spot areas they can promote and expand on to better the committee. She also mentioned that she wants the committee to become well known within The College School community. “One of Jill’s and my goals is to make students aware of the program and when entering middle school, excited to join it.”

Both Brie and Jill agree that the TCS Student Ambassador Committee has become a success and cannot wait for what the future holds for the group.