Hi my name is Karin Gardner and I am the librarian at Ware Junior Senior High School. I have no computer science background and am very excited about learning and teaching ECS. I have been a librarian for the Ware School District for the past six years. Last year was my first year at the high school level and I found it very rewarding.
In my free time I like to bike, hike, kayak and of course read books! My husband and I are trying to go to all of the major national parks, and were able to go to the Smoky Mountains and to Shenandoah this year.
Hi, I am Matthew Zec. I have been teaching at Curie High School in Chicago for 12 years. My undergraduate degree is in Finance and somehow got into teaching Technology. My first 7 years I taught intro to programming teaching Visual Basic and C++. Then we started a new major called gaming. I will be teaching the ECS course for the first time this year. I have used some of the Units before in my other classes. I have used the Scratch program quite often.
My passion is sports. In fact I just got back from the White Sox game. I am also the sponsor of the Curie High School Key Club. It is a service learning club and we do many different events throughout the school year. I look forward to seeing you all.
Hi my name is Nick Spano. Iāve been teaching for 14 years at Lakeview high school in St. Clair Shores, Michigan. I started in business and technology, mainly teaching marketing courses and Microsoft office applications. Through that I took an interest in web design and taught myself HTML and CSS. Iāve been teaching a course in web design for seven years now as well. I started integrating More and more coding and technology using the hour of code and code.org as well as Scratch. I recognize the need for students to become more literate in computer science. I also want to make it less intimidating for them. I came across that ECS curriculum and knew that it was the right course to pursue.
In my spare time I enjoy playing and coaching soccer. I look forward to meeting some of you and working and learning from all of you.
Iāve also drifted away from my major, marketing and business, and toward technology. In addition Iām also a sucker junkieā¦ Coach and player. I donāt share your affinity for the buckeyes thoughā¦ Iām a Spartan! Go MSU.
I started as a History teacher and constantly had students creating projects on Macs with no hard drives, just dual floppies. Soon I was given my own classroom with computers and then started training teachers how they could effectively integrate computers into their curriculums. Over the years I have been jumping between helping teachers and teaching students. I am looking forward to taking this ECS course and presenting it to my students.
Hobbies: Backpacking with my kids. Also: Soccer, biking & running.
Iāve been teaching in CPS for 11 years. This will be my first year teaching ECS. Iāve been website admin for one year and I normally teach ESL.
Hi JB - I agree in the 20 years I have been teaching the curriculum has varied every year. It is great to have a standardized curriculum to work with.
Mary Rogers
Easthampton High School
Easthampton, MA
Hi Nick:
I am also a computer science and business technology teacher at Easthampton High School in Easthampton, MA . I also manage students working on the school page. Computer courses at my school have also changed every year and I look forward to teaching ECS.
Mary Rogers
My name is Kim Muenz. I am a CTE instructor at Stadium High School in Tacoma, Washington. I have taught Digitools-Exploring computer class, Web Design I and II, IT Academy, Financial Algebra. This will be my first year teaching Exploring Computer Scienceā¦I have a lot to learn!
In my spare time I coach distance runners, and still like to run myself. I will be running in the first USA halfathon in Seattle in Novemberā¦I say first, because is the first USA halfathon they are having where you have to qualify to participate - much like the Boston Marahon.
I will be attending the PD training in Seattle in a few weeks. I am pretty excited to come on board with ECS, and welcome and advise that will help me through it.
My name is David di Giammerino. Have been teaching technology for 10 years in HS and MS. trend is to move from literacy -video, animation, etc - to computational practices. Have done this in bits and pieces looking forward to adding scope and sequence.
Hi, my name is Therese and I have been teaching Language Arts for 8 years, most recently for Tacoma Public Schools, in a public Montessori middle school. This new opportunity to teach ECS presented itself and I jumped on it! I have hosted a āCoding Clubā after school for the last 2 years and am ready to bring it to the daily classroom. Looking forward to workingwith othersinthe same boat.
Hello, My name is Mark Cloud.
This will be my eighth year teaching. The core classes I have taught have been in mathematics but have taught a few classes in electives such as programing, and circus arts. This will be my first year teaching ECS.
My hobby is to be a dabbler. Currently, I dabble in cycling, woodworking, and music.
I am looking forward to PD in Seattle next week.
My name is Mike Stroh and I currently teach middle and high school students in Denver, Colorado. Iāve been teaching graphic design and media courses for about seven years but my undergraduate degree is in Computer Science and Iām looking forward to teaching the ECS course this year. For fun I like doing anything outside, especially hiking, biking and snowboarding.
Hello. My name is Leo. I am entering my 10th year of teaching at the high school level in Boston, MA. I have taught Algebra 1 & 2, Geometry, Advanced Quantitative Reasoning, Intro Physics, Financial Literacy and Intro to CS. Prior to teaching I had a decades-long career in electronics engineering - specializing in radio frequency based circuit design.
Iām a rabid hockey fan (go Bruins!) and am a trained weather spotter for the National Weather Service.
This will be my first year teaching ECS. The AQR course I teach is also an Inquiry-based course so I donāt feel totally overwhelmed.
Hi, My name is Smadar Bergman. I am currently a math teacher with CPS, and transition to CS. In a previous life I earned a PhD in computer science (artificial intelligence and robotics) and have 25+ years experience in government (NASA), higher ed teaching and administration, and corporate research.
Hi - My name is John Low. I have been teaching Business and Technology classes for close to 20 years. I have coached high school sports for 22 years and like to travel. I currently teach photography and web design. I believe the ECS curriculum will become a part of our web design curriculum.
Hello, my name is Mike Mullins. I currently teach 6th-8th grade Business and Information Technology classes in Henrico County, Virginia. The classes I teach are Exploring Business Computers (i.e. Keyboarding MS); 21st Century Computer Skills (i.e. Keyboarding Secondary); Introduction to Computer Applications; Digital Input Technology; IT Fundamentals; and Yearbook. I am starting my 17 year of teaching.
When I am not teaching/preparing to teach most of my free time revolves around my family-a wife, a son, and a daughter.
My interest is baseball and TV/movie comedies.
Greetings All! Iām Amy Ulen, a CTE teacher from Clover Park School District in Lakewood, Washington. I spent the first 20 years of my career as an English and Theatre teacher before moving into CTE. For the past 5 years, I have taught a variety of CTE courses, including Computer Applications, Technology Communications, Web Design, Video Production, Video Game Design, and Financial Math. I jumped at the chance to start a Computer Science program at Lakes High School, and this will be my first year teaching ECS.
Outside of school, I combine my passion for teaching and papercrafting as a Close To My Heart Consultant. I teach scrapbooking & cardmaking classes in person and online. Iām also passionate about Shakespeare and Star Trek (and Shakespeare as seen in the Star Trek universe!). I enjoy reading YA lit., fantasy and sci-fi. Other hobbies include web design, MMORPGs (LOTRO, SWTOR, STO), and I recently started taking coding classes online. Clearly, I need Hermione Grangerās Time Turner!
Hello All,
My name is Bob Truax and I have been teaching high school mathematics for the last 23 years. We currently do not have any CS classes and am looking to pilot one at my high school. I have been coaching football and track for the last 25 years and in my spare time, I enjoy riding my bicycle and working out.
My name is Paula Zandbergs and I teach in the Business and Technology department at Chelsea High School in Massachusetts. I am excited about learning more about this course. This will be my first year teaching Exploring Computer Science.