NEW FACES ON THE STAFF

Carolyn Borman

Communications Assistant

KAISER STUDIOS

This is a series of posts from new members of the Roeper faculty and staff sharing a little about themselves through their answers to our questions Please join us in welcoming them to our community

KIT NEW FACES ON THE STAFF

These new members of our community were nice enough to complete a questionnaire telling us something about themselves. Our two Directors — Lower School Meghan Stott and Interim Middle/ Upper School Susannah Nichols — added first person observations. Thank you all!

RACHEL BLUM-JOSE

From Megan: Rachel BlumJose is our new Stage III Head teacher who will be working closely with Ciaran McQuiston Rachel comes to us with experience teaching in Montessori schools, understanding the foundational elements of progressive education Rachel’s inquisitive nature and curiosity are what attracted her to Roeper Rachel shares, “I believe we are all lifelong learners and that my students teach me the most important lessons We all learn from one another as we build relationships Faculty, staff, students, families, community members, and other stakeholders are all connected at Roeper, and I envision us all lifting one another up in support ” We are so fortunate to have Rachel join our team!

Rachel’s responses to the questions:

What is your new position at Roeper — details like what courses you will be teaching; are you working with other faculty; who is your Roeper mentor?

I will be working with Ciaran in Stage III, teaching second and third graders I have already been welcomed via group chat by the Stage III team, and I consider all of them to be my mentors, as well as Meghan Stott! I’m excited to learn from them as well as from my students

What were one or two highlights of your life?

One major highlight of my life is music I often reminisce about my days in high school and college doing musical theatre, choir, and a capella Music is very important to me It helped me form an identity I was once told that I “always have a song in my heart ” I have pretty bad stage fright when performing by myself, but I love performing with a group My stepdad also sings and plays the drums, and my daughter is taking voice lessons now

If you could live anywhere in the world for a year, where would it be and why?

I want to visit the Arctic Circle — I would love to see the Northern Lights! I would do a tour of Norway, Finland, Denmark, and Sweden Reading so much about the school system in Finland has me intrigued — a school visit there would be a must! I would also like to visit the birthplace of my ancestors in Eastern Europe I just read a book that took place in Alaska, and now I want to go there and experience the beauty of the landscape The cold does not bother me at all! I would rather be cold than hot

What are some things you’d like to share about yourself, your family and birthplace?

I feel very fortunate to have grown up in one of the most exciting, diverse and artistic areas in the world — New York City! I grew up in Brooklyn and came back to the city after college graduation I was always an independent child and teenager and loved taking public transportation by myself I come from a family of educators My dad taught Middle School Social Studies, and my mom worked for the Board of Education’s budget department My husband’s family is also in education His aunt is a principal; his uncles are teachers; his mom was a school librarian; and his sister works for Rochester Community Schools

What are your hobbies and interests outside of work?

I love to read, watch movies and shows, sing, play piano, and discover new things about Michigan I enjoy trying new restaurants and love a good independent bookstore I love spending time with my family too! I have three children aged 11, 10, and 6 We go up north to Walloon Lake whenever we can I love being near water It is calming to me

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What is a topic or skill that you love to teach or share and why?

I love teaching math! I enjoy using handheld materials to illustrate and reinforce concepts I believe there are many ways to solve problems, and I like to give children different options Some love to use mental math and explain solutions Some like pencil and paper Some like to work with peers It’s best when they come up with methods on their own without prompting I also loved using technology to teach virtually during the 2020/2021 school year There are so many cool tools online now! I like using Screencastify or another screen recording tool to create a short how-to video for students, for example

What is it that appealed to you about Roeper when you took the job?

Everything! The campus is beautiful I felt so at home during my first visit In addition, the staff and faculty I met on that first interview day and beyond have been incredible! I feel like a valued member of the Roeper community already I know my individualism and creativity will be embraced here, and that will allow me to be the best teacher I can for my students

KARRIE CHAGNON

From Meghan: We are so fortunate to have Karrie Chagnon join the Lower School team this year Her expertise and experience working as a Special Education teacher will allow her to work closely with our educators and students to provide support in both literacy and mathematics Her passion for understanding how children learn can be seen in her teaching methods and through her interactions with children

Karrie’s responses to our questions:

What is your new position at Roeper — details like what courses you will be teaching, are you working with other faculty?

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I will be working as an Academic Interventionist for the Lower School with the school support team I will be supporting students and teachers in various academic areas

What were one or two highlights of your life?

The main highlight of life is the family we’ve created I married my husband in 2014, and we had our son in 2016 We have created quite the team and love going on adventures together

If you could live anywhere in the world for a year, where would it be and why?

I am open to many places in the world to live for a year Initially, I imagined somewhere picturesque such as Switzerland or Austria I would love to have access to the mountains and the towns around them I love to spend time in small towns, getting to know the people, traditions and lifestyles But I am also drawn to many other European countries and cities as well as Asian countries and cities At the end of my college career, I spent two months in Ghana, teaching and exploring I would love to go back and spend more time there as well

What are some things you’d like to share about yourself, your family and birthplace?

I grew up on the east side of Michigan, at the base of the thumb, called the Blue Water Area It’s a small city named Marysville where much of my family still lives I frequently visit my friends and family that live there and now as an adult, am amazed at the area and the beauty of the river and lake

What are your hobbies and interests outside of work?

When I am by myself, I enjoy running, reading, watching TV and catching up with friends When I am with my family, we enjoy traveling, mostly to Northern Michigan We spend many weekends in the Traverse City area, as well as Standish The more we can be outdoors, the better! My family and I enjoy biking, golfing, hiking, ORV trail riding and playing games in the yard It has also been fun watching my son get involved in some sports and being part of a team

What is a topic or skill that you love to teach or share and why?

As an interventionist, I become excited and passionate about all the skills or subjects I teach I typically focus on reading, writing and math, and during each of these subjects separately, I enjoy the subject greatly Many times, during instruction and practice, I might feel like it is my favorite subject to teach But in the end, I think reading might be my favorite I love teaching the word reading skills, comprehension skills and the love of reading It is awesome to see it all come together for students!

What is it that appealed to you about Roeper when you took the job?

There is no question that Roeper holds great values and philosophies for the school and their community I could see from my research that students and staff are given great opportunities for learning But the main aspect that appealed to me about Roeper is the kind and caring community Each time I met with a team from Roeper, I felt welcomed and comfortable I knew that if I could feel that from the interview process, that I would feel that all year long

BEN FISHER ’17

From Susannah: We welcome Class of 2017 alum Ben Fisher back to teach in our English department Since graduating Roeper, Ben has received his degree from the University of Michigan (Go, Blue!) and received High Honors for his thesis — The Semiotic Sidequest: A Taxonomy of Poetics in Interactive Digital Narrative Ben has been teaching high school English at Lake Orion High School and is returning to Roeper in part so that he can forge more meaningful relationships with students and give them the attention and feedback they deserve Ben also plans to serve as a coach in our Forensics program alongside Dan Jacobs

Ben’s responses to our questions: What is your new position at Roeper — details like what courses you will be teaching, are you working with other faculty, who is your Roeper mentor?

I will be teaching Classical Literature and Expository Writing Keep your eye out for a multimedia literature elective (or some mutation thereof) I hope to offer in the near future!

What were one or two highlights of your life?

During college, I participated in the New England Literature Program, where I spent more than six weeks living technology-free with 39 other students and studying Transcendentalist and regional literature The immersive learning I did there helped shape how I teach and think about literature and texts

If you could live anywhere in the world for a year, where would it be and why?

Iceland I have a great interest in the Icelandic Sagas and visited Iceland briefly a few years ago I would love to see and visit the sites where the stories happened and experience the culture that one of the oldest literary traditions in Europe shaped The landscape (volcanoes, glaciers, hot springs, and lava fields) is also just incredibly beautiful and unique

What are your hobbies and interests outside of work?

I love camping, archery, story-based video games, knitting, and improv

What is a topic or skill that you love to teach or share and why?

I love looking at the ways stories are told differently through different media Literary theory — thinking about how, why, and what happens when we tell stories — is my jam

What is it that appealed to you about Roeper when you took the job?

I graduated from Roeper and am excited to be returning to the community I am energized by Roeper’s dedication to teaching for a better world and helping its students become self-realized

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and conscientious individuals and community members

ADAM DERINGTON

From Susannah: Adam hails from Oakland University and UMass with a BA in Political Science and Masters in Public History Adam’s deep passion and expertise in American History will be invaluable as he takes over 7th grade social studies and Middle School electives Previously a member of Seaholm’s notable flex program, Adam’s students will be treated to his wonderful story-telling and ability to make connections between wide-ranging historical themes

Adam’s responses to our questions:

What is your new position at Roeper — details like what courses you will be teaching, are you working with other faculty?

I’m happy to be joining Roeper as a Social Studies/ Humanities teacher in the Middle School I’ll be primarily responsible for leading 7th grade American History and teaching a selection of electives as the year goes on

What were one or two highlights of your life?

Between 2017 and 2020 I lived and studied in Boston, Massachusetts, where I was a graduate student and museum professional It was an amazing opportunity to live in such a vibrant community and meet thousands of people who come to learn about the incredible history of such a revolutionary city

If you could live anywhere in the world for a year, where would it be and why?

A dream of mine would be to spend a year living and travelling in the British Isles As a lover of history, I’m drawn to the vast and interesting histories on offer from all periods of history From the prehistoric to the modern, it would be a dream come true to spend so much time on such a historical pilgrimage

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What are some things you’d like to share about yourself, your family and birthplace?

I was born and raised in Berkley, Michigan, and I have a big mixed family I’m one of five siblings, an uncle three times over, and have dozens of cherished cousins My partner Andrea, our cat Raisin, and I currently live in Auburn Hills

What are your hobbies and interests outside of work?

Outside of work, I enjoy video and board games, kayaking, swimming, reading, film, theatre, and community activism I’m very thankful for the incredible group of friends I have who help ease my challenges and celebrate my successes with their camaraderie and solidarity

What is a topic or skill that you love to teach or share and why?

I’m incredibly passionate about the power of history and the narratives we tell each other To me, history is not about just putting interesting things in a case and admiring the view History can be an ethical practice of self and collective reflection that gets us to ask questions about who we are, where we come from, and challenges us to create a better world

What is it that appealed to you about Roeper when you took the job?

Roeper is a unique community I’ve found myself drawn most to the values and principles embedded in the philosophy and ethos of the school I value the efforts at shared decision making that includes students and other members of the community which transforms the relationship between those who help guide our learning and those who learn into one of collaboration and deliberation To me, those efforts align with what I think being in a learning community is all about

MEGAN LASSERE

From Susannah: Megan is a graduate of Louisiana State University and University of Holy Cross She holds a BA Political Science and Secondary Education Megan’s versatility and authenticity proved that she has what it takes to thrive at Roeper She’ll be taking over the 8th grade social studies curriculum as well as electives of her own design

Megan’s responses to our questionnaire:

What is your new position at Roeper — details like what courses you will be teaching, are you working with other faculty, who is your Roeper mentor?

I will be joining the Social Studies department teaching 8th grade Global Studies as well as some electives

What were one or two highlights of your life?

This is a tough one I would say seeing my first group of students graduate, and knowing I had some small role in their journey was a great feeling I don’t think I will ever forget Another would probably be following through on the decision to move across the country because I never thought I would be brave enough to do that

If you could live anywhere in the world for a year, where would it be and why?

I’ve always wanted to at least visit New Zealand and Patagonia for their natural beauty, so either one of those would be great

What are some things you’d like to share about yourself, your family and birthplace?

I was born and raised in New Orleans, Louisiana I can be living anywhere, but New Orleans is always home No matter where I’m living, I like to think I bring a bit of New Orleans flavor with me What are your hobbies and interests outside of work?

I love playing video games, and I’ve also recently started playing Dungeons and Dragons!

What is a topic or skill that you love to teach or share and why?

This past year, my favorite lessons happened to be about the period of time between the World Wars, which came as a bit of a surprise, but I very much look forward to teaching about that time period again

What is it that appealed to you about Roeper when you took the job?

I love that this school helps to mold good people and not just good students That has always been my own philosophy when it comes to teaching

CAT GALLIGAN ’13

From Meghan: Cat Galligan is a Roeper alum, Class of 2013, with recent experience working as a substitute teacher in the Lower School and as a camp counselor at the Roeper Summer Camp Her passion and love for working with gifted students is clearly seen in her interactions and lessons with our students We are so grateful to have her return to Roeper while pursuing her graduate degree in Education

Cat’s responses to our questions:

What is your new position at Roeper — details like what courses you will be teaching, are you working with other faculty, who is your Roeper mentor?

I am a Stage III Team Teacher; I am working with Lori Talbott I will get to teach my own math and reading groups, and support Lori for social studies and language arts lessons My mentor is Stage II teacher Elizabeth Stayer, Class of 2000

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What were one or two highlights of your life?

When I was six, I watched a space shuttle launch in Florida Pretty hard to beat that

If you could live anywhere in the world for a year, where would it be and why?

Marquette, Michigan I fell in love with the UP while attending Michigan Technological University Marquette is the biggest city in the UP — so I could experience the rugged charm while still having creature comforts (like Starbucks) within reach

What are some things you’d like to share about yourself, your family and birthplace?

My younger siblings, Gina and Griffin Galligan, recently graduated from Roeper (Class of 2021) I am currently living in the same town I grew up in (Clarkston), and I have a fluffy black cat named Juno

What are your hobbies and interests outside of work?

I love to make all sorts of art: watercolor paintings, character designs, digital art I also enjoy narrative video games

What is a topic or skill that you love to teach or share and why?

With my background in materials science and engineering, I am looking forward to running STEAM activities with my students I learned to think like an engineer, and I hope I can impart some of that engineering/scientific perspective

What is it that appealed to you about Roeper when you took the job?

I’m a Roeper alumna In fact, I started at Roeper as a first-year student in Stage III I feel very lucky to work at the school that made such a supportive environment for me

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ANGIE MANN-WILLIAMS

From Susannah: Angie is an incredible mental health practitioner She’s most recently been serving as an Associate Professor of Social Work at Eastern Michigan University It’s clear that Angie gets people — her effusive and thoughtful demeanor with both students and staff wowed us, and her unflinching dedication and work toward meeting the needs of gifted children and advancing initiatives of diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice make her an absolutely invaluable member of our Birmingham team Angie also joins the ranks of us staff parents — she’s the mom of Lower School students Blyden, Isla, and Emery

Angie’s responses to our questions:

What is your new position at Roeper — details like what courses you will be teaching, are you working with other faculty?

I am the Student Support Counselor for the Birmingham Campus I look forward to supporting Middle and Upper School students, their families, as well as faculty and staff in my role

What were one or two highlights of your life?

Becoming a mom was one of the greatest highlights of my life (in addition to meeting my amazing husband!) Another highlight was defending my dissertation and completing my Ph D

If you could live anywhere in the world for a year, where would it be and why?

Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco Mexico Puerto Vallarta is beautiful I love and appreciate the collectivist nature of Mexican culture

What are some things you’d like to share about yourself, your family and birthplace?

I was born and raised in small town in Southwest Virginia If you talk to me long enough, you will

likely pick up on my accent I moved to Michigan in 2015 with my husband and three children (also our 120-pound Newfoundland and two orange cats)

What are your hobbies and interests outside of work?

Does attending too many soccer practices and soccer games every week count as a hobby? When I’m not spending all my free time at soccer practice or at games, I love watching movies, connecting with friends, and traveling

What is a topic or skill that you love to teach or share and why?

While I am not in a formal teaching role at Roeper, I am actively working to expand the knowledge that social work professionals have regarding gifted children Social workers, including school social workers, do not receive any training on how to identify and support the needs of gifted children, which is a significant gap in our training My hope is that through presentations, professional development, and other opportunities that social workers will begin to understand how to identify and support the needs of gifted children

What is it that appealed to you about Roeper when you took the job?

I deeply appreciate The Roeper School’s commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice The Roeper community, including faculty and staff are incredible, and I am so grateful to be part of the team!

REBECCA NELSON

From Susannah: We are so fortunate to have Rebecca Nelson join us for the first semester, as Katie Quinn is on leave after recently giving birth to triplets Rebecca comes to us with a wealth of experience in teaching, communications, and publishing Rebecca has returned to her roots in Michigan and has found great joy and success in teaching, most recently at Hart Middle School in Rochester Her compassionate nature, alignment with Roeper’s philosophical ideals, and contentarea expertise make her an ideal fit for our school, and we are thrilled to have the chance to partner with her

Rebecca’s responses to our questions:

What is your new position at Roeper — details like what courses you will be teaching, are you working with other faculty?

I’m teaching three sections of ninth grade American Literature and two sections of Creative Writing this semester

What were one or two highlights of your life?

Bearing witness to my only child’s life (he’s now 20 and a junior at The New School in NYC); what a privilege to guide him and watch him grow! Also, living in Mexico City for four years during my youth It was difficult to be away from all that was familiar back in Michigan, but it was an enriching experience that continues to inform my daily life and worldview

If you could live anywhere in the world for a year, where would it be and why?

I’d head straight to Spain and tour the whole country, maybe walk the Camino Santiago pilgrimage route I’m lucky to have traveled in Europe, but I didn’t get to Spain, despite my eagerness to go (fueled by my college studies)

What are some things you’d like to share about yourself, your family and birthplace?

I’m an editor and writer with a background in publishing and communications Born in Grosse Pointe and raised mostly in Michigan, I lived in a northern Chicago suburb for 21 years, returning home to the Great Lakes state a year ago I’ve been teaching since January, including a long-term assignment in an English Language Arts resource room at Hart Middle School in Rochester Hills

What are your hobbies and interests outside of work?

Reading (mostly novels and memoirs), walking our dog in the woods near our home, cooking, and spending time with my siblings and their children, as well as reconnecting with longtime friends

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What is a topic or skill that you love to teach or share and why?

Teaching English gives me the opportunity to encourage young people to become lifelong readers and help them polish their writing skills, preparing them for whatever they go on to do in their lives

What is it that appealed to you about Roeper when you took the job?

Hailing from around here, I knew Roeper to be an excellent and progressive school, and the more I looked into the philosophy and the Roepers’ background and outlook, the more interested I became I feel lucky to be part of this learning experience

SOSHA HAYNES ’96 (hired November 2021)

From Elisabeth Stayer: We are elated to welcome Sosha Haynes, Roeper alumna (Class of 1996) and current parent (Jaxson, Stage IV and Addi, Stage II), to The Roeper School faculty as the Lower School Science teacher for Stages I to III Sosha brings with her years of experience as a science educator with particular strengths in curriculum development and implementation of the NGSS national science standards Most importantly, as evidenced in her interviews and sample lessons, Sosha understands gifted children, the importance of nurturing creativity, and how to engage young scientists

Sosha’s responses to our questions:

What is your new position at Roeper — details like what courses will you be teaching, are you working with other faculty?

My position is Lower School Science teacher I will be working with the students in Stages I, II, and III I look forward to collaborating with homeroom teachers and other specialists to show how science intersects with many other areas

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What were one or two highlights of your life?

I would definitely have to say the births of my two children, Jaxson and Addi are the highlights of my life Being able to watch their wonder and curiosity makes me want to explore with them and continue learning

If you could live anywhere in the world for a year, where would it be and why?

If I could live anywhere in the world for a year, it would be in New Zealand I traveled there as a high school senior for a month and would like to return with my children It would be interesting to take them somewhere where the seasons are reversed There are so many wonderful natural areas to explore It would give me an opportunity to visit old friends and introduce my children to their children

What are some things you’d like to share about yourself, your family and birthplace?

I was born in Colorado, though I grew up mainly in Michigan I attended Roeper for Middle and High School (graduating in 1996) My three siblings also attended Roeper (for various numbers of years) My mother taught at Roeper for many years at the Upper School I knew when it was time for my two children to go to school, I had to look at Roeper Both of them instantly fell in love We make the drive from Dearborn daily because we believe in the Roeper philosophy It is so important to have them learn at a school that fosters their curiosity and understands that the students should be the center of the classroom

What are your hobbies and interests outside of work?

As a family, we love exploring outside We get out into nature as much as possible We are looking forward to the snow falling to get back to our favorite sledding hill We also love playing card and board games and having family movie nights I enjoy baking, running, working out, and learning I like to keep up with the advancement in science by reading articles and listening to podcasts

What is a topic or skill that you love to teach or share and why?

I’m most excited to nurture curiosity Seeing students wonder about nature and phenomena brings me joy I love seeing their eyes light up when they discover science on their own I look forward to guiding the students and pushing them to think deeper about the observations they make of the world around them

What is it that appealed to you about Roeper when you took the job?

I would like to say everything!! Being able to bring to life science for students starting in the youngest grades is so exciting Being able to watch students grow throughout their years at Roeper is something I look forward to I hold the Roeper philosophy dear to my heart I look forward to working with the entire staff to make sure the children are excited about learning

HANS MUER (Hired April 2022)

From Carolyn Borman: Hans is an enthusiastic and energetic teacher who respects children and understands that Roeper students need to understand the reasons behind what they are told He also commands respect from his students who appreciate his love of music and in turn are eager to learn He moves through his lessons quickly to keep up the interests of even his most active students while at the same time knowing when it’s time to stop to focus on a particular piece of information like what to do when you have a sticky key! Hans came to Roeper in Spring of 2022 with the skill and knowledge to teach both instrumental and vocal music!

Hans’s responses to our questions:

What is your new position at Roeper — details like what courses will you be teaching, are you working with other faculty?

Music Teacher PreK through Stage IV / General Music / Band / Chorus / Keyboarding / World Music What were one or two highlights of your life?

My wife, stepson and grandchildren Drums!

If you could live anywhere in the world for a year, where would it be and why?

Scotland It looks so incredibly beautiful

What are some things you’d like to share about yourself, your family and birthplace?

Music has become my life and greatest love I am very proud of my family’s history here in Detroit with my father’s business having lasted for three generations I was born in Detroit

What are your hobbies and interests outside of work?

Recording music at home, writing music, practicing piano and beating on my drums

What is a topic or skill that you love to teach or share and why?

I love the history of music and teaching children about origins of where much music came from, particularly, African music European music is also quite vast and deeply rooted I love rock music and its origins as well related to jazz music

What is it that appealed to you about Roeper when you took the job?

My initial views of Roeper’s website were what I first noticed, that it immediately stated its focus on social equity and focus on the child Roeper is not only a school designed to enhance the learning of the gifted child, but to help every child here to become a healthy and happy contributing citizen of the world Everyone here at Roeper has shown the highest standard of excellence from their human resources to teaching staff Also, the music room here is amazing! I’m so very happy to be here

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STEVEN McGHEE

From Susannah: Steve comes to us with a wealth of experience in helping people grow into their best singing selves, both individually and within ensembles In getting to know Steve, we loved hearing about the innovative and justice-oriented ways he’s approached performances in the past and his ability to see music as a vehicle of growth for both the performer and the audience Despite entering Roeper — and our music program—in a time of turbulence, Steve has been able to be a steady presence: self-assured yet humble, determined yet patient We are thrilled to welcome him to our faculty

Steven’s responses to our questions:

What is your new position at Roeper — details like what courses you will be teaching, are you working with other faculty?

I’m the new vocal music teacher for the Middle and Upper School I’ll be leading our four existing vocal groups and teaching a course on vocal technique this semester I’ll also be the music director for Roeper’s musical theatre productions starting in the new year, working closely with Alex Pedica

What were one or two highlights of your life?

Graduation days are very significant milestones for everyone, and finishing my doctorate at the University of Michigan felt like a huge one for me Another memory was much more unexpected: two years ago, my friend Brian Giebler called me with the news that our first album was nominated for a Grammy As it was during the pandemic, we weren’t able to attend the ceremony in person, but it really was thrilling to be nominated!

If you could live anywhere in the world for a year, where would it be and why?

I’d love to live in Sweden for a year, both in populated and rural areas Some of my ancestors came from there, and I’d like to learn more about the land they inhabited, their language and culture, and how environmental activism and conservation efforts have been so successful there

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What are some things you’d like to share about yourself, your family and birthplace?

I was raised by my single mom in Chester County, Pennsylvania, which is outside of Philadelphia As an only child in a mostly rural area, my life at school made up most of my social life And within each school, “in” was within musical groups, plays, and musicals where I discovered a deep and lasting feeling of belonging That has remained true ever since I have an expansive “chosen family” of great friends and colleagues I also have a cozy household with my two-year-old cats, Milo and Sven

What are your hobbies and interests outside of work?

Music takes up a lot of my time and bandwidth, even outside the classroom; I attend a lot of performances and give many myself I also enjoy baking, craft projects, board and video gaming, reading, and walking/hiking

What is a topic or skill that you love to teach or share and why?

I think of music as a language, and I enjoy helping others learn to understand and communicate with it, developing fluency in singing, reading, writing, and playing instruments I’m especially passionate about developing musical ability without allowing shame to take over while building the skill

What is it that appealed to you about Roeper when you took the job?

The commitment to the student’s individuality and freedom while working to increase their abilities was the first thing that I appreciated about Roeper I think self-knowledge should be a big part of education and can increase everyone’s quality of life Artistic development is an individual path, even as we work together on building skills and enjoy lots of collaboration

LOGAN PARKISON

From Susannah: When you enter Logan’s classroom, you instantly smile He is the dynamic kind of teacher who is rock-solid in his content area and pedagogy -- especially helpful when stepping into a class mid-stream -- and who also brings a caring and fun demeanor to the work In interviewing Logan, we quickly came to see that the only thing that excites him more than teaching science is being part of a thriving community We look forward to seeing all the ways that Logan will become a mentor and leader in the lives of our students

Logan’s responses to our questions:

What is your new position at Roeper — details like what courses you will be teaching, are you working with other faculty?

Biology Teacher Intro Biology, Advanced Biology, and electives like human anatomy and physiology

What were one or two highlights of your life?

Graduating Wayne State University at the top of my class (Summa Cum Laude) and getting engaged to my longtime partner Noa Chandler

If you could live anywhere in the world for a year, where would it be and why?

Japan I would like to work at a school in Japan to learn about their educational philosophies, see the countryside, and experience the cultural differences

What are some things you’d like to share about yourself, your family and birthplace?

I am a native of Oakland County and attended Walled Lake Schools My grandparents have a home in Leland, MI that the family travels to for gatherings What are your hobbies and interests outside of work?

Traveling or “mini-adventures” are one of our favorite things to do I enjoy quality time outdoors biking, paddle boarding, and hiking Japanese animation is a hobby of mine

What is a topic or skill that you love to teach or share and why?

Teaching itself is my love with the best part being that any lesson on any given day can become special Some lessons that I have enjoyed teaching are the suturing practice lab or the microbe cultivation lab The students are the engine that drive great lessons

What is it that appealed to you about Roeper when you took the job?

The community, reputation, and positive remarks from family members F