MSSD14

welcome to UPES staff page

UPES Staff Phone and e-mail list

Chris Briggs-Hale, Principal Ute Pass Elementary

Chris Briggs-Hale is the Principal of Ute Pass Elementary School. He has experience as a classroom teacher, principal, and an educational consultant.  He has served as a senior consultant at Mid-continent Research for Education and Learning (McREL), an associate with the Marzano Research Laboratory,  and a member of the National Board of Directors for Community of Caring in Washington, DC.  Chris has led and conducted numerous presentations and workshops on school improvement and reform for community groups, administrators, and elementary, middle, and high school teachers in more than a dozen states.  Chris received the 2004 Sally K. Lenhardt Professional Leadership Award from Lesley University and was named 2004 Community of Caring National Administrator of the Year.
Email Chris Briggs-Hale

 

 

Mrs. Mowery
Candy Mowery is the GATE teacher at Ute Pass Elementary School. She has taught in the Manitou School District for the last five years, and before that in Denver Public Schools for 35 years! Yes, you did the math right?this is her 40th year teaching! And still she cannot imagine life without her students! Candy is a native of Denver, graduating from South High School and attending the University of Colorado on a Shakespearean Drama Scholarship! Candy received her first education degree in English at the University of Western Washington in Bellingham, WA! She has received numerous other degrees in Elementary Education, Curriculum and Instruction and Gifted/Talented Education from the University of Northern Colorado! Her favorite subject to teach is Shakespeare, but she also loves writing plays, Destination ImagiNation, Greek, modern and classic theatre, and reading! Her husband, Loyd, teaches American Literature at Cripple Creek/Victor High School. She has four grown children, all teachers! And the two that are married, married teachers! Well, her oldest is a Principal now, after teaching Middle School English for many years! Candy is a huge volunteer: as the Regional Director for the Pikes Peak Destination ImagiNation, and she and Loyd are missionaries to the Honduras during the summer! Do you want to help/support her in either of these endeavors?
Email Candis Mowery

Mrs. Christensen
Staci has been teaching fourth and fifth grade multi-age for 14 years at Ute Pass Elementary. It is a pleasure for her to come to work each day to work with her students in all academic subject areas. She received her Teacher Certification from the University of Southern Colorado and her Masters degree in Gifted and Talented Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Colorado. She is a native to Colorado Springs, is married, and has three dogs. Staci enjoys the outdoors, running, practicing photography, and good books.
Email Staci Christensen

 

Mrs. Hitchcock
Randi Hitchcock has been teaching PE since 2004 and has been at Ute Pass since 2006. She loves all sports especially volleyball and running! Her favorite units to teach in PE are volleyball, cooperative games, HEART maze, juggling and field day! Randi is a graduate of Fountain-Ft. Carson High School and an Alumni of the University of Maine, Orono. Her coaching background includes volleyball and track and field. Some of her favorite things about Ute Pass is that she can name every student, students draw and color posters for her door, and she also likes learning about all of the after school and weekend activities that the students participate in!
Email Randi Hitchcock

 

Mrs. Haeseker
Kathryn Haeseker is currently a Reading Interventionist teacher at Ute Pass Elementary School.  She has a Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Nebraska and a Master’s Degree from Indiana University.  Kathryn loves to read, hike, and travel in her spare time.  Her husband, John, and Kathryn are avid Nebraska Cornhusker fans.
Email Kathryn Haeseker

Mr. Barbera
Michael Barbera is in his seventh year as first grade teacher at Ute Pass Elementary School. He enjoys the challenges and creativity of all of his students and can’t imagine life before first grade. He has a Bachelor of University Studies degree from the University of New Mexico and a Masters degree in Education from Regis University. Prior to teaching, Mr. Barbera was a custom goldsmith and co-owner of Barbera/Light Works, a design studio.
Email Michael Barbera

 

Mrs. Fryt
I am a Manitou Springs school district alumnus, K-12. After graduating from Manitou, I attended the University of Northern Colorado and Colorado State University seeking a degree in Art. In the pursuit of Art, I spent a semester over in Italy studying art and language near Florence. As a result of my studies, I ended up staying in Italy for 21 years, working as a graphic artist, tour guide, and starting a family. My return to Colorado came after my father passed away in ‘02. I have been working as a Paraprofessional both at Manitou Elementary and Ute Pass Elementary since ‘03. I am presently working at Ute Pass Elementary in the Title I department. My husband is a Manitou Alumni and classmate; my daughter Federica, is a sophomore at Manitou High School. I enjoy horseback riding, skiing, and traveling.
Email Lori Fryt

 

Mrs. Hainds
As secretary, Dani has had the privilege of working and watching over the students of Ute Pass Elementary for 17 years. She is a Colorado native (with the exception of 7 years in Alaska) and graduated from CU Boulder with a degree in Political Science and Sociology. She has three daughters, all Manitou graduates, Chandra (2000), Christa (2000), and Katelyn (2004). She and her husband Mike are avid runners and love living in the mountains with so many great trails right out their front door.
Email Dani Hainds

 

 

 

Mr. DiFiore
Mr. DiFiore is in his seventeen year of teaching fourth and fifth grade students at Ute Pass Elementary. He attended the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs where he earned a  Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology and his teaching certificate in 1995.  He loves teaching and working in our wonderful small school where the students call him Mr. D.  He has lived for nineteen years in Manitou Springs with his wife and two children.  He loves to travel and share those experiences with his students.  His other interests are hiking, biking, gardening, and reading
Email Greg DiFiore .

 

 

Mrs. Romano
Beth Romano is currently in her ninth year teaching art at Ute Pass Elementary School.  She is a thirty- year veteran in the teaching field, having taught in both private and public schools in elementary education, gifted, and art education before joining the Ute Pass team in 2001. She is married to Jim Romano and has four daughters, all graduates of Manitou High School. Beth and Jim have a two-year-old granddaughter and love spending time with her. Beth loves painting in her free time, as well as singing and playing the flute and cello. She is involved in music ministry in her church and working with a local organization for adolescents, in the arts. She loves teaching at Ute Pass Elementary School and finds the small school setting a perfect environment for getting to know families in the Ute Pass and Manitou communities.
Email Beth Romano

Mrs. Grieb
Lynn Grieb has been teaching at Ute Pass Elementary since 1994, with a couple breaks to have children of her own. Lynn was born in Virginia, moved to Colorado to attend Colorado State University, fell in love with the Colorado mountains and never left.  Lynn has taught kindergarten, 1st, 2nd and 3rd grades and now has settled into pre-kindergarten, which she really enjoys.  She is married and has two wonderful children who attend UPE.  Lynn loves the outdoors and enjoys spending time with her family, friends, and dog, hiking, running, biking, skiing, camping, and reading.
Email Lynn Grieb

Mrs. Rockwell
Mary Kay has been teaching elementary school for 8 years. She received her B.A. in History from the University of Kansas and her J.D. from Gonzaga University School of Law. After spending nearly 20 years in legal publishing, as an editor and publisher, she decided to return to school to become a teacher. She attended DePaul University’s Teacher Education Program in Chicago while working for the American Bar Association, and became certified in Colorado in 2001. After teaching third grade in Harrison School District for one year, she joined the staff of Ute Pass Elementary School where she has taught both second and third grades. She is committed to making the entire Ute Pass staff and student body dedicated Kansas Jayhawk basketball fans.
Email Mary-Kay Rockwell

Mrs. Nimz
Kathy Nimz is in her 15th year serving as School Counselor for Ute Pass Elementary School. Kathy attended Manitou Schools, and graduated from MSHS. She went on to graduate from Colorado State University with a B.S. in Occupational Therapy. She loves school so much she also has two Masters Degrees, one from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee for a Masters in Social Work, and one from Bridgewater State College for a Masters in Education in Guidance and Counseling. Prior to working at Ute Pass Elementary she has worked in Counseling and in Hospital Social Work. Working with the kids at Ute Pass is a pleasure. She also enjoys hiking, reading and family trips. She is married, and has two wonderful daughters who also attended Manitou Schools.
Email Kathy Nimz

 

Mrs. Ferguson
Kym Ferguson has been teaching kindergarten at Ute Pass Elementary for 10 years. She taught for her first three years in Texas after graduating from the University of Houston. She grew up in Colorado and has two daughters one at Manitou Springs H.S. and the other in college. Kym likes to hike, cook, read and has too many pets to count! She loves teaching in such a wonderful small school.
Email Kym Ferguson

 

 

Valia M.Palaia
Valia has been teaching as the Special Education teacher at Ute Pass Elementary since September 2007. She has a bachelor’s Degree in Human Resources and Dietetics from the University of Delaware and a Master’s Degree in Special Education from the University of Wilmington. Valia began her teaching career as a
long-term substitute primarily for Special Education in Pittsgrove Township, New Jersey. Being inspired by the students she applied and became an emergency certified Special Education teacher while going to graduate school for her Masters degree. In 2006, she and her family moved to Steamboat Springs, Colorado and then moved into the Colorado Springs area in early 2007. After a long-term substitute
position at Manitou Springs Elementary School in the Special Ed department, she was hired as the UPE Special Ed teacher.
Email Valia M.Palaia

Sarah Mortensen is a new teacher thrilled to be starting her teaching career at Ute Pass Elementary School teaching second grade. She has fallen in love with the community, its school, staff, and students. She is a graduate of Sand Creek High School in Colorado Springs and an alumni of Chadron State College in Chadron, NE where she graduated with a degree in Elementary Education. She is now pursuing a Masters Degree through Chadron State in Elementary Curriculum and Instruction. Her passions are teaching, education, children, traveling, and the outdoors. She played volleyball for her college and hopes to coach someday. Running became a passion of hers after finishing her volleyball career and she has now run two marathons and hopes to do more. She comes from a military family and has one brother, Ross, who is also attending college hoping to go into education.
Email Sarah Mortensen

 

Nick Noland and his wife are still new to Colorado (and Manitou) Springs, but they have really enjoyed getting to know this area and the community over the past year. Nick had the privilege of working at the Manitou Springs Public Library, where he helped with everything from checkout to children’s programs. He also led the first ever Teen Summer Reading Program at the library. Nick likes to read, play guitar, and spend as much time in the mountains as he can!
Email Nick Noland

 

Jacob Sampson is in his first year teaching at Ute Pass. This year he is working with First and Second Grade students in a 1/2 continuation class. Jacob has taught for ten years in Greeley, Colorado where he was born and raised. Proud to be a Colorado native, Jacob graduated from University of Northern Colorado in 2000.  He has a daughter and son both attending Ute Pass and is thankful to be a part of the Ute Pass community. When he is not helping his students realize their potential, he enjoys all the wonderful outdoor activities this area has to offer with his family.
Email Jacob Sampson

 

Honoree Pouly has been teaching Music since 2009 and joined the Manitou Staff last year in November.  She completed her B.M. in Music Education from Heidelberg University in December 2008.   Before she came to Manitou she held multiple long-term substitute positions, and has taught music for students from Elementary to High School.  Honoree loves coming to school and spending time with all of the students, they just brighten up her day.  Honoree loves to sing, read, dance, and spend time outdoors.   
Email Honoree Pouly

 

Cindy Luna has been working in the public school system for 20  years. She started as a Special Needs Para Educator in Pinedale California, where she worked for 10 years. She then moved to Walsenburg, Colorado and worked as a substitute teacher for 8 years there as well as LaVeta and Agular schools. She since moved to Colorado Springs and has been a part of the great Ute Pass team since 2008. She still loves what she does!
Email Cindy Luna

 

Jessica Theis is a Para Educator in Special Education at Ute Pass Elementary School. She grew up in Green Mountain Falls and is an alumna of Ute Pass Elementary and of Manitou Middle and High Schools. After graduating from Manitou High School, she attended Cornell University in Ithaca, NY and received a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychology. Jessica loves volunteering, especially with kids. She was a Key Club member during high school and a member of Cornell Tradition, Cornell’s main volunteer organization, serving as a member on its Student Advisory Council. Jessica loves to take her dog for walks around the lake, hike, play/sing music, knit, bake, and snowboard. Jessica is excited to come back and serve her community by working at Ute Pass.
Email Jessica Theis

 

Michelle Starr is a Ute Pass Elementary Para Educator. She has experience working with developmentally disabled adults in group homes and has worked as a para educator at Fountain/Ft. Carson Elementary. She has also worked in home health care and has numerous years of experience working with preschoolers. She and her husband, Jonathan, have 5 children together. She is on her 7th year as a UPE parent. She treasures family time, loves camping, Bluegrass festivals, and volunteering, She eventually wants to pursue a degree in Early Childhood Special Education.
Email Michelle Starr

 

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