St. Elizabeth’s Faculty
Teachers
Kindergarten Lead Teacher – Kim Gerlitz, Kim has been with SES since its inception in 2005. She is an experienced and certified elementary school teacher, mostly in kindergarten and preschool classrooms. She has a Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education from Northwestern College in St. Paul, Minnesota, and studied abroad in Sweden at the Vaxjo University. Kim has been active in various church volunteer organizations, as a summer camp counselor, and nursing home assistant, and was recipient of a prominent leadership award and the Aliss Scholarship grant. Kim holds a State of Colorado teacher’s license with endorsements in Elementary and Early Childhood Education.
Kindergarten Assistant Teacher – Tina Mitchell, Tina knows St. Elizabeth’s School as the mother of two students, Kyla in first grade and Nash in third. In addition to her assets as a parent, she has considerable experience working with children as a preschool teacher, youth counselor and substitute teacher at Washington Park Early Learning Center. Tina earned a BS degree from CSU in Human Development and Family Studies and, as we learned this past year, is a licensed message therapist. She is certified in many areas of child development.
First Grade Lead Teacher – Jodie Bratten, Jodie joined SES in 2008 as its first first-grade teacher. She graduated summa cum laude from Whittier College in California where she was awarded Outstanding Distinction in her child-development major. At graduation she was also awarded the President’s Scholar Athlete of the Year. She has studied abroad at the University of Wollongong in Australia and was Graduate Teaching Fellow at Broadoaks Children’s School in California. After returning home to Denver, she took additional training to become Colorado certified through the Stanley British Primary preparation program for teachers. At Graland, she taught kindergarten and second grade. Jodie finished her master’s degree in Educational Psychology in May 2008. Jodie and husband, Chad, welcomed their first child in July 2011, Charles Matthew Bratten (Charlie).
First Grade Lead Teacher (Maternity Leave Substitute) – Ellen Cahill, Jodie feels so fortunate to have the opportunity to work with Ellen Cahill, an extremely experienced, capable, and passionate teacher, both before and during her leave time. Ellen has experience as a substitute teacher at Saint Elizabeth/’s, so she is already familiar with our community. She is a thirty-year teaching veteran of Denver Public Schools, and has a master’s degree in Special Education. She has been a reading intervention specialist and has recently held long-term substitute positions for others on maternity leave.
First Grade Teacher Assistant – Dena Saleh, Dena joins us as first-grade teacher assistant. Dena has a BA in Writing from the New School University in New York City and is a self-taught multi-instrumentalist and song writer. She was a big hit with all the teachers during the long interview process and will be an excellent assistant to Jodie and Ellen. She is very interested in education, growing as a teacher and combining this profession with her passion for writing and music.
Second Grade Lead Teacher and Principal – Kim Frantz, Kim has years of successful classroom teaching. She left the classroom and stayed home for a number of years when her children were young and while they attended Colorado Academy. When in the classroom, she was nominated for Colorado State Teacher of the Year by the Littleton School District, and she was selected by her district to teach in-service classes to fellow teachers, selected as a master teacher to supervise student teachers, and served in many other impressive leadership roles. In addition to her teaching responsibilities, Kim works closely with faculty and parents and oversees the coordination of the curriculum and the social and academic progress of the students. Kim is the direct connection between faculty and students and the Head of School. Although a full-time second-grade teacher, Kim uses afternoon hours to assist and support teachers and students in areas of interest or need. Kim is second in charge in the absence of the Head of School.
Second Grade Teacher Assistant – Heidi Eckhoff, Heidi graduated from Colorado College with a BA in Art History and is in the process of earning a master’s in Education, Educational Psychology degree from the University of Colorado, Denver. She completed the Stanley British Primary School Teacher Training Program to obtain her Colorado teacher certification. This past semester she taught first and second grades at Steele Elementary. Heidi assumes the role of lead second- grade math teacher in the afternoon under the guidance of Kim Frantz.
Third Grade Lead Teacher – Stevens McClure, We learned a lot about Stevens this past year as he substituted for several grade levels. He graduated from the University of Missouri in 2002 with a Bachelor of Science in Marketing and went right into sales and fund-raising. In 2009 he found his calling to education and entered the Boulder Friends/’ School Teacher Preparation Program, which is similar to the one at SBPS. He’s currently pursuing a Master of Arts degree in Educational Psychology at the University of Colorado, Denver.
Third Grade Teacher Assistant – Kristina Young, Kristina recently moved back to Colorado after being a Kindergarten Teacher Assistant at the Shore Country Day School in Beverly, Massachusetts. She graduated Cum Laude from The Governors Academy in Byfield, MA, and then attended Pomona College in Claremont, CA, where she attained a degree in psychology. Kristina has been working with children in numerous capacities since she was fifteen years old.
Third/Fourth Combination Lead Teacher – Kristen Foster, Kristen has been teaching grades three/four/five at Steele Elementary and has been a long-term substitute at Kent Denver. Kristen is also excellent lacrosse player. She received her teaching license through the Stanley British Primary Teacher’s Preparation Program, an excellent training ground. She holds a Master of Arts degree in Educational Psychology from the University of Colorado (Denver) and a Bachelor of Arts degree in American Studies from Franklin and Marshall College in Lancaster, PA. She had superb references from Paddington Station, British Primary, Kent Denver, St. Anne’s Episcopal and Steele.
Third/Fourth Combination Teacher Assistant – Lori Schippers, Lori will join Kristen as the third/fourth grade teacher assistant. Lori graduated with honors from Connecticut College in 2008 with a major in mathematics and spent a spring semester studying at the University of Auckland in New Zealand. She spent the next two years teaching students ages eleven-twenty in Andara, Namibia, as a Peace Corp volunteer. While attending high school at Cushing Academy in Ashburnham, MA, Lori became quite the soccer player and has coached successful soccer teams. She’s proficient in Spanish and can converse in Thimbukushu.
Specialty Teachers
Music and Choir Director – Jackolyn Ives, Jackie joins us as music teacher and choir director beginning in August 2011. Jackie has taught music for ten years in Adams County elementary schools and has been the Director/Teacher of the Early Childhood Music Program at Trinity United Methodist Church for the past fourteen years. She is also Director of Trinity’s Joyful Voices Choir, grades 1-2. Jackie has a BA in Human Development, Psychology from the University of Wisconsin and has done graduate work at the University of Colorado, Denver leading to her teaching certificate.
Art – Karen Kelly, Karen is a gifted artist and teacher and is ideally suited to foster our mission and focus on the arts. She has extensive experience teaching art to students age three through adult. She has established highly successful art programs for over twenty public and private schools in the metro Denver area. Karen has created and implemented art curricula and age-appropriate art projects around famous past and current artists, cultural studies, architecture, landscapes, animals, still life, etc. For seventeen years, Karen was the owner/director/instructor of a fine arts school in Littleton, which she sold in 2007. She has an undergraduate degree from Colorado State College and a graduate degree from the University of Northern Colorado and has studied ancient architecture and sculpture in India.
Physical Education – Cari Thompson, Cari joins us as our new PE teacher. Cari received a BA degree in Human Performance in Sport with a concentration in K-12 Physical Education from Metro State University. She attended college on a full softball scholarship. She has student-teacher experiences with elementary and middle-school students.
Chaplain / Faith Studies – The Rev. Susan Greenwood, Mother Susan came to Colorado in 1969 to begin a teaching career. She has a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education and a master’s in Reading for Second Language Learners. She retired from her career as a bilingual elementary art and reading teacher in 2006 in order to follow her calling to the Episcopal ministry. She attended the General Theological Seminary in New York City where she discovered that grandmothers could learn new tricks and earned a master’s of Divinity Degree. She was ordained priest in the Diocese of Colorado in 2006. Mother Susan loves spending time with her family, playing with her two pet bunnies, reading and sometimes dressing in a gorilla suit.
Enhanced Learning Program – Patricia Mulligan, Patricia had a distinguished career in education before retiring from Eugene Field International Baccalaureate Elementary School in Littleton in 2008. She holds BA and MA degrees in Special Education from the University of Northern Colorado and Denver University, respectively. Prior to that, she worked at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Department of Child Psychiatry, Day Treatment Program. Patricia works with a handful of students in our Enhanced Learning Time, which meets for an hour or so three days a week. She is wonderfully helpful with our students and is a great resource for the faculty.
Character Building – Sue Johanning, Sue is a graduate of Colorado State University, with a BS in Commercial Physical Education. She has a master’s degree in Physical Therapy from the University of Colorado, Health Science Center and is a certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist through the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM). Sue has developed and implemented numerous exercise and sport-specific programs for adults and children, emphasizing injury prevention. After three years of teaching physical education at SES, Ms. Jo, as she is widely known, will lead students, parents invited, in a new “character-building” program once a month.
Spanish – Meghan Epstein, We/’re delighted to have Meghan stay with us in a new capacity as Spanish teacher. Meghan graduated from Colorado College with a BA degree in biology and a minor in Spanish. Being fluent in Spanish, Meghan served as intern for Fundacion ABEL, a Higher Education Consortium for Urban Affairs, in Quito, Ecuador, where she worked with children ages six months to six years old. While a kindergarten teacher assistant at SES last year, she spent her afternoons as a bilingual paralegal assistant to a Boulder law firm. Meghan’s experience with Kim Gerlitz in kindergarten and her association with Mother Susan will very much benefit her in the classroom.
Extended Day Program Assistant – Jamie Linnie, Jamie has assisted in the SES Extended Day Program since 2009. She is certified in early childhood development and has tutored children at Smiley Middle School in math, reading and Spanish. Jamie previously worked as a paraprofessional in grades ECE – fifth at Phillips Elementary.
School Administrators and Staff
Head of School, C.E.O. – Walter McCoy, Walter began teaching in Orleans Parish Public Schools, taught history at Jesuit High School in New Orleans, chaired the History Department at Casady School in Oklahoma City, was Headmaster of the Wightwood School in Branford, Connecticut, and Head of School at St. Francis Episcopal Day School in Potomac, Maryland. Walter has two Bachelor of Arts degrees in History and Secondary Education in Social Studies and a Master of Arts degree in History Teaching from the University of New Orleans. He has accomplished postgraduate studies in Latin American History at Tulane University. Walter’s wife, Carolyn, also an experienced independent school educator, served St. Elizabeth’s as school principal during the early start up years
Principal, 2nd Grade Lead Teacher – Kim Frantz, Kim has thirteen years of classroom teaching. She left the classroom and stayed home for a number of years when her children were young and attended Colorado Academy. While in the classroom, she was nominated for Colorado State Teacher of the Year by the Littleton School District, and she was selected by her district to teach in-service classes to fellow teachers, selected as a master teacher to supervise student teachers, and served in many other impressive leadership roles. In addition to her teaching responsibilities, Kim will assist the Head of School as a support mentor for teachers and students.
Development Director – Ramsay Stabler, Ramsay has worked in independent schools since 1979, as a teacher of history, math, and English; coach of various sports; head of the middle school; headmaster of St. Anne’s Episcopal School in Denver from 1994 until 2006. He received his BA in history from Williams College (MA) and his Masters in School Administration from Teachers College, Columbia University (NY). He has served on the board of a variety of local non-profits, including St. Elizabeth’s School. He and his wife, Holly, have been married for 29 years, and they have four sons.
Office Manager / IT /Communications and Assistant to the Developent Director – Joseph Schwairy, Joe has a Bachelor of Science degree in Human Services in counseling, mental health, and non-profit administration from Metropolitan State College in Denver. He is an experienced and skilled graphic designer, computer guru, impeccable organizer, and humorist extraordinaire. Joe joined Walter and Carolyn at SES in 2006.
Librarian, Administrative Coordinator, and Director EDP & ASEP – Danice Giles, Danice came to us from Marietta, Georgia, where she taught for nearly 30 years at Holy Innocents’ Episcopal School in Atlanta. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Kansas University in Elementary Education with a major in Special Education. Danice holds Georgia and Colorado teachers’ licenses with endorsements in Middle, Elementary, and Early Childhood Education. She was formerly the Director of the Horizons Student Enrichment Program in Atlanta, and is continuing that commitment with the Colorado Academy Horizons Program in Denver.
Admissions Assistant - Diane Grove, Diane Grove spent her elementary and middle-school years in a private Episcopal school in Houston, Texas. She graduated with Honors from Texas A&M University with a BA in History and Geography. After graduating, she worked in marketing for the telecommunications and medical industries. She is a published illustrator of children’s literature, and author of a number of essays on parenting stepchildren. Diane is an experienced event coordinator, group leader, and fund-raiser in the areas of environmental sustainability and education. As the mother of four, she has many years of experience in navigating the admissions and education process for her own children.
School Accountant - Amy Coombe, Although working out of her San Francisco office, Amy, an international tax accountant and board member, maintains the important role of school accountant.
Sandra Walton, With her experience as Executive Assistant to two Heads of School at St. Anne’s Episcopal School, Sandy volunteers one day a week to assist the Head of School with accounts payable and other miscellaneous and important tasks. In the absence of a school Business Manager, Amy and Sandy provide immeasurable value to the business end of school operations.
School Counselor – Rachel Harmon, Dr. Susan Shamos, a good friend of SES, has instituted a school-counseling program through the Centus counseling group (http://centus.org/), and we are the first beneficiaries! Rachel will be on campus approximately eight hours a week to offer testing services and clinical counseling. She earned her BA degree and her Master’s of Social Work with clinical concentration from Kansas University and has counseling experience in Kansas City inner-city elementary schools. She moved to Colorado in 2009 and began working for Centus this summer.