MSSD14

the manitou springs middle school staff

Mr. Burr, Principal – Manitou Springs Middle School

Prior to coming to Manitou, Chris worked as an assistant principal at both the middle and elementary levels. He began his career as a middle school teacher, and was a 5th grade teacher just prior to becoming an administrator. He has enjoyed living in Colorado much of his life, with his wife and two children, and they enjoy all of the great outdoor activities one can do here in Colorado.
Email Chris Burr

 

 

 

 

Cameron Jones, Assistant Principal Manitou Springs Middle School

Cameron has been working at Manitou Springs Middle School since 2002. Graduating from the University of Northern Colorado, he has taught Physical Education, served as the middle school Athletic Director, and currently is the middle school Assistant Principal. Cameron has a beautiful family of three.  His wife Lindsay is currently a school counselor in Widefield District 3.  His two kids, Jeaden and Kaleena, attend Manitou Elementary school.  When not serving students his hobbies include playing sports, hunting, fly-fishing, and archery.  Cameron is also the 8th grade boy’s basketball coach. 
Email Cameron Jones

 

 

Mrs. Pearson – School Counselor

Serena Pearson has been the counselor at MSMS since 1997. Before that she was a counselor at MSHS for 4 years and prior to that she was a social studies and language arts teacher at the middle school. Her entire education career has been in District 14. Serena moved from New Jersey to Crested Butte, Colorado in 1969 where she lived with her father, brother and step-mother. In 1973 her mother moved from the East Coast to Colorado Springs and Serena went to live with her. She attended the Colorado Springs School 1973 – 1977 and then graduated from Cheyenne Mountain High School in 1978. She was also a member of the Broadmoor Ski Racing Club until she graduated from high school. Serena then attended Point Loma College in San Diego, CA for three years. After a semester off traveling in New Zealand, she moved back to Colorado Springs and finished her BA in Psychology/Sociology at UCCS. She worked at the Clarion Hotel while finishing college and then decided to go into education. She returned to Point Loma College to complete her teacher education program and then moved back to Colorado Springs. In 1989 she began teaching at Manitou Springs Middle School. She then decided to become a school counselor and received her MA in Counseling and Human Services in 1996. She is an active member of the American School Counseling Association. Serena and her husband have raised and trained 5 service dogs for people with disabilities and are currently acting as puppy sitters for puppy raisers who may need a break from the intense training and consult with service teams who may be having issues. Outside of school, Serena enjoys reading, scrapbooking, training for half-marathons with her Golden Retriever, Callaway, and spending time with family and friends.
Email Serena Pearson

Terri Dudley, Secretary

Terri Dudley has lived in Colorado since 1993, having moved from California. She has been a secretary off-and-on since 1982. She attended Los Angeles Baptist College for one year, and has taken numerous secretarial classes along the way. Prior to being hired as the middle school secretary, she worked as a Para-professional at the middle school for four years. She truly loves her job here – interacting with staff and students. Terri and her husband, Bob, enjoy living “up the mountain” in Cascade. They have two daughters, Brittany and Melissa, and one beautiful granddaughter, Jocelynn; along with their feisty Siberian husky, Blue. While not working at the middle school, Terri enjoys spending time with her family, reading, and cooking.Email Terri Dudley

Mrs. Myers – GATE

Cindy Myers joined the Manitou Springs Middle School staff in 2008 as the Gifted and Talented Education (GATE) Specialist. She earned her first degree from Oakland University in Psychology and Criminal Justice and later her certification in Education from Silver Lake College. Before entering the field of education, Cindy worked as a Police Service Officer in Pontiac Township, Michigan and a Systems Engineer with EDS at Pontiac Motors’ World Headquarters but considers her most important position ever held to be the 12 years she spent as a stay-at-home mother with her children. Cindy, her husband Rick, and daughter Erin – all former “flat-landers” from the Midwest, now enjoy the mountains, by hiking, camping and participating in various snow sports.


Email Cindy Myers

Mrs. Astley – Chorus

Stevie Kay Astley has been the director of choral activities for Manitou Springs Middle and High School since 1990. She teaches 6th grade, 7/8 grade choir and high school mixed choir. She has also taught beginning guitar for 3 years. In addition to her teaching responsibilities, Mrs. Astley directs the spring musical each year. She was born in Richmond, Va. and was awarded a degree in music education from East Carolina University in Greenville, N.C. and earned a master’s degree in Supervision and Instruction from the University of Colorado in Colorado Springs. Mrs. Astley serves as the Southern Governor for All State Choir as well as adjudicates at statewide festivals. She also performs locally with the group “In Harmony” when she’s not on the golf course. She and her husband, Don, are the proud grandparents of 9 grandchildren, the last two being twin girls.

Email Stevie Astley

Lisette Casey – Educational Technology

Mrs. Lisette Casey is the Educational Technology teacher at Manitou Springs Middle School. She has taught in the Manitou Springs School District for the past 17 years at the elementary and secondary levels. Lisette received her Bachelor of Science Degree from the University of Delaware, her teaching certificate from the University of Colorado and her Masters in Education from Lesley University. Mrs. Casey currently teaches sixth and eight grade computer technology and exposes students to office productivity software such as Google Docs and Microsoft Office, Web 2.0 tools such as wikis and blogs, 3D drawing with Google SketchUp, digital responsibility and collaboration. She feels it is essential to be a role model for her students in the digital world. Additionally, Mrs. Casey coaches high school girls swimming and enjoys gardening, cooking, traveling and spending time with her three children when they are home from college. She and her husband Mike, a local realtor, live in Manitou Springs.
Email Lisette Casey
Casey's Website

Mr. Johannsen – 7th grade Mathematics

Mr. Johannsen has been with the Manitou District, teaching at the Middle School, for 33 years.  He has also coached middle school basketball, both boys and girls, during this time.  Starting as a 6th grade teacher, he moved to teaching just math when the school changed from a junior high to a middle school.  Currently, he teaches 7th grade math.

Mr. Johannsen went to Southwestern College in Kansas, played basketball for "Moundbuilders", and was their Sports Information Director.  After graduation, he returned to his hometown of Lawrence, Kansas, and worked for a year at the University of Kansas.  Getting his teaching certificate a year later, he started his teaching career in a small Kansas town for three years before moving to Colorado.  Married since 1979, Mr. Jo (as he is usually called) has a married daughter and a married son (who graduated from MSHS).  He is blessed with two grandsons.

He states, "I thoroughly enjoy teaching math, teaching 7th graders, and being in Manitou.  It's a perfect combination!  So, I'll keep at it for a few more years."
Email Rodney Johannsen

Mr. Schultz – 8th Grade Social Studies

Mark Schultz is a 1996 graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay with a BA in Geography, minor in Urban and Regional Studies. He completed his MAT in Southwest Studies at Colorado College in August of 2010. Mr. Schultz is in his thirteenth year of teaching and his tenth as a social studies teacher at MSMS.

Prior to teaching, Mr. Schultz was an Outdoor Environmental Education instructor at the Green Bay YMCA’s Camp U-Nah-Li-Ya and the Director of Specialty Services at the Pueblo YMCA’s Camp Jackson.

He and his wife, Kim, enjoy a number of outdoor activities, travel, food, music, and spending time with their border collie, Bodhi.
Email Mark Schultz

Mrs. Seitz – GATE/FIRE/Reading Specialist

Karen Seitz is the Reading Specialist and GATE/FIRE teacher at Manitou Springs Middle School. She received a BS in Elementary Education (minor in English/psych) from Charleston Southern University and an M.Ed in Reading (cognate in Middle School Curriculums) from the University of South Carolina. She has taught and held certificates from SC, GA, FL, and AL where she was nominated for the JSU Teacher Hall of Fame before teaching in CO. While staying home with her children for twelve years, she held part-time positions as an Adjunct Instructor of Reading at Jacksonville University in FL and as a Director of Development for Hendricks Methodist Day School in Jacksonville, FL. She also co-wrote a technical manual for defined benefit plan instruction. Karen is married to Tom Seitz, a college athletic administrator, and has two children. Her daughter Taylor is now a junior at CU and son Brad is a junior at Cheyenne Mountain High School. Karen enjoys reading, overseas teaching and mission work, as well as hiking and sports of all kinds.
Email Karen Seitz

Mrs. Gaunce – 7th Grade Life Science

I currently teach 7th grade life science and absolutely love working with middle school students.  I am thankful to have been with such a great district since 1988.
 
Through hands-on activities and real world connections, it is my hope to provide students with the knowledge of their body systems so they can make positive choices and to understand the important role they each play in the environment.
   
Thank you to the district, students, and parents for the opportunity to work with these students and I look forward to many years ahead with Manitou.
Email Viola Gaunce

Mrs. Roberson - 8th Grade science Teacher

Jaclyn Roberson joined the Manitou Springs Middle School community as the 8th grade Science teacher in 2009, having previously taught in local Colorado Springs high schools. Jaclyn studied biochemistry and dance at Alma College in Michigan, and completed her biology studies as a laboratory instructor at UCCS. She earned her certification in Education at UCCS, and is currently studying to complete her Masters in Science Curriculum and Instruction. Jaclyn is an active long distance runner and is proud to be the assistant cross country coach at the high school. In addition to running, Jaclyn spends most of her free time doing yoga, whitewater rafting, climbing mountains, camping and living green.
Email Jaclyn Roberson

 

Andrew Bruggeman, 7th Grade Math Teacher

Andrew Bruggeman joined Manitou Middle School in 2010 to teach math.  Prior to that he taught math and science for 7th and 8th grade for 3 years.  He graduated from the University of Arizona where he met his beautiful wife Kelly.  Sick of the heat they picked up and moved to Colorado for the outdoors and cooler temperatures. Andrew's hobbies include snowboarding, sand volleyball, fishing, hiking, and cooking. 
Email Andrew Bruggeman

 

 

Shaunda McQueeney, 6th Grade Math Teacher

Hailing from a Century Farm in the great state of Iowa, Mrs. Shaunda McQueeney holds her B.S. in Agronomy from Iowa State University. After many happy years of full-time parenting, which produced a family of proud Manitou Mustangs!, Shaunda earned her M.A. in Curriculum and Instruction at Colorado University - Colorado Springs. After teaching two years at Ute Pass Elementary, Shaunda now thoroughly enjoys teaching 6th grade math and science at Manitou Springs Middle School. "I highly value the strong sense of community that Manitou provides for my family and for my students." Shaunda also works closely with her husband, Jack, at Eagle Lake Camp, and their favorite things in life are camping, playing games with their kids, reading C.S. Lewis, and looking for any excuse to play outside!
Email Shaunda McQueeney

 

Denise Gibbons, Special Education Teacher

Denise Gibbons has worked at Manitou Springs Middle School as a Special Education Teacher since 2007. Denise grew up in Colorado Springs and attended Western State College in Gunnison, CO. She received a BA in Political Science with a teaching endorsement in Secondary Social Studies and Special Education. She is currently working toward a teaching endorsement in Secondary Math and plans on pursuing a MS in Applied Mathematics. Denise enjoys spending time in the mountains and skiing with her husband, Jake. She feels privileged to be a part of Manitou.
Email Denise Gibbons

 

 

Jodi Wilt, Special Education Teacher

Jodi Wilt has worked as a Special Education Teacher at Manitou Springs Middle School since 2000. Before that, Jodi worked in treatment facilities for 6 years. Jodi has a BA in Elementary Education from Cameron University in Lawton, OK and a MA in Special Education from University of Colorado, Colorado Springs. Jodi's daughter, Ashley, attended Manitou Springs Middle School, graduated from Manitou Springs High School in 2009, and attends college at PPCC/UCCS. She is interested in working in education, like her mom. Jodi loves to ride the sand in her free time.
Email Jodi Wilt

 

 

Tom Bruszewski is the co-Director of Bands at Manitou Springs High School and Middle School.  He studied Music Education at the University of Northern Colorado, and was a performing member of multiple performing ensembles, including the Concert and Symphonic Bands, multiple Jazz ensembles, the Trombone Choir, and the Pride of the Rockies Marching Band.  He currently plays trombone for the Fountain Creek Brass Band.  Tom is married to his beautiful wife, Jessica, and has two wonderful sons- Anthony (2007) and Carson (2010).
Email Tom Bruszewski

Mike Adams, 8th Grade Math Teacher

Email Mike Adams

Anne Collopy, 7th Grade Language Arts Teacher

Email Anne Collopy

 

Jenny Burnell, Secretary

Email Jenny Burnell

 

Karen Hillman, 6th Grade Science Teacher

Email Karen Hillman

 

Racquel Knapp, 8th Grade Language Ar's Teacher

Email Racquel Knapp

 

Noli Morath, 6th Grade Language Arts Teacher

Email Noli Morath

 

Betsey Niebuhr, 6th Grade Social Studies Teacher

Email Betsey Niebuhr

 

Peter Stickler, Custodian

Email Peter Stickler

 

Pat Ryer, Library/Media Specialist & Buidling Tech

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Sarah McCaman, 7th Grade Social Studies Teacher

Email Sarah McCaman

Joann Wagner, Teaching Assistant, Special Ed

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Joleen Schnake, PE Teacher

Email Joleen Schnake

Vallarie Buffa, Language Arts Teacher

Email Vallarie Buffa

 

Wendy Harms, Drama

Email Wendy Harms

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