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Division I East - Jennifer Baker
Jennifer Baker's great love for children is exemplified in her experience
and her education! She brings to Division l sixteen years of teaching
experience in early childhood education, specializing in children five years
and younger. Her work with young children emphasizes creating fun, hands-on
learning, and she has masterfully coordinated and developed her own
experiential curriculum, individualizing the needs of children at all
levels. She has a BA in Psychology form the University of Colorado,
and a
Masters Degree in early childhood education. She has a State of Colorado
Early Childhood Professional Credential (Level 5), as well as Colorado State
director-certification for Childcare Centers. Jennifer loves to hike and
camp with her two sons, and welcomed a granddaughter, Kirah, on August 1,
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Division I East - Peggy
Priest
Peggy
Priest joined the Division I team at Renaissance Academy as
Division I West teacher in 2006. Peggy came to Colorado Springs from California
in 2001 with her husband and two daughters. She holds a B.S. in Human
Nutrition from California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly) and a
California Multiple Subject Teaching Credential from San Jose State
University. She has taught preschool, pre-Kindergarten, kindergarten and
third grade. Early childhood education is her passion, as she believes
strongly in education at such a positive, creative, and exciting time in
children¹s lives. She has experience in curriculum development, and in both
lead and team teaching. During her free time Peggy can be found singing alto
in a local choir (Abbey Singers), quilting, or being taken for a walk by her
enormous dogs. |
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Division I West - Nikki Myers
Picture and bio coming soon. |
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Division II - Lauren
Myers
Lauren is a graduate of Northland College in Ashland, Wisconsin, where she majored in Art
Education. A recipient of the Leadership Award Scholarship, Lauren graduated
Dean’s List and operated as a Hall Director for Residential Life. Lauren
considers her ideal classroom to be the outdoors and she demonstrated her
commitment to environmental awareness daily in her role as Director of the RAEC
summer program at Renaissance Academy.
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Division II - Bethany Stegman
Bethany
came to Renaissance in 2007 after 4 years of teaching K-8 Physical Education,
Health, and Science in Omaha, Nebraska. She graduated from Hastings College
in 2003 with a Bachelor's Degree in K-12 Physical Education, and from the
University of Nebraska in 2006 with a Master's Degree in Elementary
Education. Bethany loves to learn from her students in all ways possible
and loves how the children in DII always keep her smiling! Bethany and her
husband, Brandon, love to spend time with family, travel, and attend
sporting events and concerts. They have 2 dogs, a Golden Retriever named
Cally and a Shih Tzu named Gabi.
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Division III -Del Hokanson
Del graduated with a Bachelor of Education from ACAE in South Australia,
majoring in Physical Education and Biology. After teaching high school for 7
years in South Australia, involvement in the International Teacher's
Exchange program brought her to Denver for 1983. She returned to Colorado 4
years later and married Peter, who teaches at Palmer High School. During
that time Del initiated a Kindergarten through High School Field Hockey
program, which became a role model developmental program for the United
States Field Hockey Association in over 40 schools in the Colorado
Springs area. The Hokanson family, having added two daughters, then returned
to Australia for 5 years, where Del taught high school and implemented and
directed a program for potential elite athletes that focused on setting
goals, mentoring, and building self esteem.
Del has
been with Division III since 2005. Prior to 2005, she was involved with Renaissance
as a substitute, as a Division V PE teacher, and as a teacher on several
divisional overnights. One of Del's passions is
traveling with her husband and two daughters. She loves any and all
physical activities, but especially dance and camping with her family. |
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Division IV and V math teacher and Division IV teacher - Melinda Harder
Melinda received a
Bachelor of Science degree from Kansas State University in 1976, cum laude.
After teaching secondary math in high school, she decided to pursue her own
education and received a Juris Doctor from Washburn University of Law in
1980. After 20 years in the forum of international law, she returned to her
first love of education and, in 2001, became part of the instructional team
in the math curriculum for District 11. In 2003, she was selected to
participate as an integral member for the pilot Everyday Mathematics program
for the District, which introduced alternative computing methods to
elementary students. Participating in the math tutoring program for middle
school students through the spring of 2006, Melinda was excited to join the
Renaissance faculty as the math educator for Divisions IV and V in April of
2007.
She enjoys spending time with her husband and her five children, ranging in
ages from 10 – 24 years, attending sporting events, and reading. She has
lived with her family in Colorado Springs since 1986. |
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Division IV - Kara Ring
Kara
Ring is pleased to join the Renaissance Academy from Connecticut. Her 5+
years experience in both traditional and non-traditional classrooms,
combined with her ability to design and implement differentiated learning
opportunities translates into an exciting and enriching classroom
environment. She is a 2003 graduate of Roger Williams University (Bristol,
RI) where she earned a duel Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education and
Developmental Psychology, as well as her initial teaching certification.
While in Rhode Island, Kara worked as a curriculum evaluator for the
Tennessee Board of Education, served as a teaching assistant for the course
"Teaching Elementary Science Through Inquiry," and later taught children
with autism as an in-home behavioral therapist. Kara has enjoyed learning
more about her new home through pursuit of her Colorado State teaching
certification. Kara has experience teaching grades 1 through 12, having
served as Literacy and Mathematics teacher in schools in Rhode Island and
Massachusetts, as well as curriculum coordinator/English and Civics
instructor serving the Special Education population of Connecticut. When
not in the classroom, Kara shares her love of culture and travel, frequently
leading students on ambassadorial excursions to Europe, Australia, Central
and South America. It was through these journeys that Kara discovered a
love of surfing, yoga, art, kayaking, language, and rock climbing. A
perpetual learner, Kara's current pursuits include studying the intricacies
of her mountain bike, learning to play the flute, and reading the Harry
Potter series en español. |
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Division V - Dan Avery
Picture and bio coming soon. |
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