STLinSTL 2024

Nelle Andrews worked as an English teacher and field hockey coach for 19 years at a public high school in CT before moving to Miss Porter’s School in 2018. At Porter’s, Nelle has served as English Department Chair and Director of Faculty Growth, in addition to coaching the field hockey and lacrosse teams and serving as an advisor. Nelle transitioned into the role of Dean of Curriculum & Instruction at Miss Porter's School in 2022, and she is leading the design and implementation of a competency-based mastery learning and assessment framework. An experienced educator, Nelle is particularly passionate abo... Read more

Patrice Ball serves as the Director of Secondary Learning in the School District of Greenfield where she facilitates the professional learning, curriculum, assessment, and instruction in grades 6-12. Previous roles include instructor of assessment courses in the graduate program at Alverno College, K-12 English language arts curriculum specialist, performance assessment specialist, and high school teacher in Milwaukee, WI. Currently a doctoral student at Marquette University, Ms. Ball’s areas of research include feedback, leadership, and academic buoyancy.

Dr. Tracy Bednarick-Humes serves as Lindbergh Schools’ Gifted Coordinator where she oversees the south location of the Metro Saint Louis Program for Exceptional Gifted Students and the LEAP gifted enrichment program. She has been on the Gifted Association of Missouri Board for the past five years and currently serves as the Executive President. With over 25 years experience in education, Dr. Bednarick-Humes is passionate about meeting the needs of all learners, especially the academic and SEL needs of gifted and 2E students. She earned a BA in English and Education from Hope College (Holland... Read more

I am a big Chicago Cub  and Notre Dame fan. I have been teaching mathematics for 40 years. I love to read during the summer.

Natalie Bolton is an associate professor at the University of Missouri-St. Louis within the College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership and Preparation. She earned her Ph.D. in educational leadership from the University of Louisville. She has an M.A. in secondary education with an emphasis in social studies education, and a B.A. in secondary education from the University of Kentucky. Currently, Dr. Bolton conducts research on assessment literacy, standards-based grading and reporting, program evaluation, cognitive sciences, and social studies/civic education. She teaches courses related to ins... Read more

Constructing assessments, Creating appropriate standards, Using proper pedagogy to helping students learn best, New ideas for science activities

A veteran of independent school education, Gwyneth Connell brings a breadth and depth of experience to her role leading academic innovation at Pomfret School. Over the course of her career, she has taught history at Millbrook School in New York and Packer Collegiate Institute in Brooklyn; served as dean of faculty at Berkshire School in Sheffield, Massachusetts; and worked as dean of teaching and learning at Blair Academy in New Jersey. She holds a master's degree in private school leadership from Teachers College, Columbia University and a bachelor's degree in American studies from Amherst College... Read more

Cindy Crenshaw is the math department chair and Shmerling Chair for Excellence in Teaching at the University School of Nashville. With experience teaching all courses from Algebra I through AP Calculus and Statistics, along with creating a course in Mathematics of Sustainability, she creates student centered classroom communities that encourage multiple perspectives and collaboration. Employing video analysis and interdisciplinary connections, her classrooms revel in thorough hypotheses and beautiful mistakes.

I particularly enjoy teaching mathematics through applications. I enjoy running, hiking, camping and, especially my family (including my dogs). I'm hoping to travel to Spain this summer, so any thoughts on that would be wonderful... Read more

Sam Cummins is the Upper School Learning Specialist for MICDS. He has a passion for promoting learning, systems, and practices that help schools embrace and celebrate neurodiversity and disability. He not only has a social studies and special education teacher background, but is also the father of three children who are disabled/neurodiverse.

Charlotte Dougherty is the co-author of Edie's Fairytale Theatre, Character Education Fairytales, and an accomplished actress, director, and teacher. She is currently a member of the Fine Arts Faculty, Dean of 7th grade, and Director of Camp Pegasus at Mary Institute & Saint Louis Country Day School. She has a BFA in Theatre from Otterbein University, a MAT with an emphasis in Educational Psychology from Webster University, and is certified in child development by the Saint Louis Psycholanalytic Institute.

Passionate about Gifted Education, innovation, creativity, and learning.

Erik M. Francis, M.Ed., M.S., is an international author, educator, and presenter, and professional development provider with over 25 years of experience in education. He is the author of Inquiring Minds Want to Learn: Posing Good Questions to Promote Student Inquiry and Deconstructing Depth of Knowledge: A Method and Model for Deeper Teaching and Learning published by Solution Tree. He is also the author of Now That’s a Good Question! How to Promote Cognitive Rigor Through Classroom Questioning published by ASCD. Erik is the owner of Maverik Education, providing professional development and support on how to develop and deliver rigorous and responsive teaching and learning experiences that are standards based, socially and emotionally supportive, and student centered. He is also consistently ranked as one of the World’s Top 30 Education Professionals by the international research organization Global Gurus... Read more

Patrick Huber is a theater and visual art teacher at MICDS. He has been doing scenery, lighting, and sound for high school theater productions (and professional theaters) for over 30 years.

Tim Jones is a thought leader, communicator, and author. Mr. Jones has found success in providing a context different from the expectation. He provides influence and perspective on leadership, motivation, and inspiration. He currently keynotes, hosts, and facilitates discussions throughout the city of Chicago and the nation.

Born into a heritage of community leaders on the south side of Chicago, Tim also provides leadership addressing the social issues plaguing the city of Chicago and Urban America in the areas of economic development, public safety/violence, and education equality. He holds a... Read more

Diane Kasparie is currently the Academic Dean of Curriculum and Instruction at Quincy Notre Dame High School in Quincy, Illinois. Prior to this position, Diane was dedicated to education as a teacher since 1979, with experience in nearly every grade from preschool through college. She holds a Bachelors Degree in elementary education and a Masters Degree in Education, with certification in reading diagnostics, secondary language arts and science. Diane is also a graduate of the National Institute for School Leadership.

Dr. Marberry is an educator with over 25 years of experience, most of which have been at the middle school level. As her educational philosophy is grounded in differentiation and constructivism, walking past her classroom, one might find the student interactions and activities to remind them more of a lab or a playground. Dr. Marberry deeply values the power of giving students the information and space they need to become more autonomous and self-aware of their learning. Therefore, she believes that for students to thrive, their teachers must also be willing to take risks and demonstrate resilience. Only t... Read more

Travis Menghini is a Computer Science teacher at MICDS (Mary Institute and Saint Louis Country Day School) in St. Louis, Missouri. He obtained his undergraduate degree in Applied Computing Technology with a concentration in Computing Education and later went on to earn a master's degree in Educational Technology.

Travis teaches several unique courses at MICDS, including AP Computer Science A and also Advanced Topics in Computing and Computer Science Research & Development which are unique courses to MICDS. Through his teaching, he aims to empower students with the knowledge and skills needed to... Read more

Charity Meyer serves as the Director of Elementary Learning in the School District of Greenfield. In her role, she works side by side with leaders and educators, delivering coaching and professional learning experiences, emphasizing deep implementation of modern curriculum, assessment and instruction in grades 4K-5. Prior to working in Greenfield, Charity served as a reading specialist and instructional coach in Waukesha, WI. Her educational passions include transformational coaching, collective ownership, and personalized learning.

Luis Morales is a first-generation Mexican-American educator with 19 years of teaching experience and holds a Master’s Degree in Instructional Technology. He is a key figure in the AI task force at Chadwick School, which is renowned for pioneering the integration of artificial intelligence in education. His expertise not only reflects a deep commitment to technological advancement in teaching, but combines traditional teaching values with a forward-thinking approach.

Chris Rappleye has taught English at MICDS since January of 1989, primarily in the Upper School, and has coached cross country and track and field for almost as long. He has consulted and presented for the ACT as well as for the College Board's Advanced Placement program in English Literature. He holds an M.F.A. in Writing, and for the past several years, he has pursued an interest in Mind, Brain and Education Science, Creativity, and Social and Emotional Learning.

Alex Rolnick has a M.S. in Curriculum & Instruction from University of Wisconsin-Madison, and has taught Social Studies for over a decade in both public and independent school contexts. Over the last five years, he has used, modified, and created curriculum that utilizes role play to deeply engage students in learning that helps them to understand and represent diverse perspectives in the classroom.

Tanya teaches a wide variety of upper school history classes at MICDS, and is always looking for new ways to help her students see what makes history so fascinating. She earned her Ph.D. from Washington University in St. Louis in 2011 with research on women’s integration into the US military, but may be better known for her Doctor Who obsession and her unwillingness to ever leave a historical topic alone. Find her on Twitter @DrTanyaRoth.

Mark Russo began as a naturalist at state parks and outdoor education centers before finding his calling as a middle and high school classroom teacher. He has worked in traditional, non-traditional inner city classroom settings in Saint Paul, Minnesota since 2000, combining his love for project learning with his passion for student growth. He now works in Saint Louis teaching integrated studies--a combination of science, engineering, and social studies--in a project-based learning model school.

I graduated from Northeastern State University with a degree in English Education in December of 2007. Since that time, I have worked in three different school settings and obtained a Masters Degree in Education and Innovation from Webster University. My career began at a Title One school in the heart of Tulsa, Oklahoma, where I learned the value of making meaningful connections to students who came from situations and backgrounds vastly different from my own. On the heels of my public school experience in Tulsa, my husband and I moved to Indiana where I had the opportunity to teach at a public... Read more

At STEP Up, we recognize systemic flaws in Missouri education, particularly in curriculum design. Amidst record-high teacher turnover, we advocate for replacing curriculum frustrations with curriculum innovation, and we're here to guide you through each step of this transformation!

Let’s talk about student leadership! What is your school currently doing to empower student leadership? What's working? What's not? Whether you are a seasoned student leadership pro or someone just getting into it, let's work through best practices in authentic student leadership, swap ideas, and learn how we can all raise the bar together.

I have a Masters degree in elementary education. I have been a classroom teacher for 31 years. I spent the first 13 years of my career teaching 5th grade in the Parkway School District. I have been teaching 4th grade at MICDS for the past 18 years. I feel very fortunate to have had experience in both public and independent school settings.

Robyn Williams is the MICDS Lower School Coordinator of Instructional Technology and Digital Literacy, bringing her passion for engaging pedagogy to this role. After 12 years of captivating middle school students with history, Robyn transitioned to educational technology, leveraging her Master's degree in the field. She thrives on collaborating with teachers and students, transforming curriculum into dynamic learning experiences.