Teacher Trees

I am beyond excited to be apart of the GreenWood family! I was born and raised in the flatlands of Kansas and have spent my entire life within the state. I received my bachelors degree in Elementary Education along with a math endorsement from Tabor College. While at Tabor I played football all four years. After graduating from Tabor College in May of 2015 I went on to teach at Peabody-Burns School District. I have been at Peabody for the past three years teaching 6/7th grade math, science, carpentry, and PE.

My fiance Taylor and I just recently moved to Ogden and she will be a professor at Weber State. After searching through pages and pages of schools in Utah, I came across GreenWood, and I knew it was the perfect fit for myself. I was always trying to achieve Expeditionary Learning while in Kansas, but was never in a setting that I was surrounded by like-minded teachers, parents, and staff.

Some of my passions and hobbies are golf, snowboarding, hiking, camping, and just about anything outdoors. One of my bucket list items that I am currently working on is to play a round of golf in all 50 states! When the snow starts to fly you can find me up on the mountain shredding the trees. There are two books that are my absolute favorite, and one comes from my childhood, Farm Team by Will Weaver. The second would be a book that I have revisited many times called Hard Work by Roy Williams.

A healthy habit that I want to work on this school year is riding my bike to work every day. It is a very big challenge, but is something that I think will make a huge impact in my exercise habits and maintaining a healthy body.

My name is Reuben Bennett.  I was born in Valdosta, Georgia. At eight years old, my family and I moved to a thirty-acre farm in Lakeland, Georgia, a small town nineteen miles north of Valdosta.  After graduation, I moved to Montgomery, Alabama and in 1990 I graduated with an Associate of Science degree from Faulkner University.  I returned to Valdosta and began a career in construction.  After working in construction for twelve years, I went back to school and earned a Bachelor of Science in Education with a major in Adult and Career Education from Valdosta State University while working full time and raising a family. I taught an apprenticeship class from 2009 to 2018 as I continued to work in the field. After 26 years in the industry, I was ready for a change and began teaching middle school math and science in January of 2019.

I fell in love with Utah in 2016 while on a visit out West to explore the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, Bryce Canyon and Zion with my wife Amber, who teaches online kindergarten, first, and second grade here at GreenWood. We knew one day Utah would be our home. In my spare time I love playing music, creating art, reading books, and playing golf with my wife. One of my greatest joys in life is to play instruments and sing. In high school, I played trombone for the concert band and won first-place male soloist at a regional literary competition my senior year. I play guitar, mandolin, tenor guitar, and harmonica and my wife and I have a duo called Entwined.

I believe the cornerstone of EL Education is authentic learning and practical application. I feel that students learn best when they know the information they are learning will be used for the rest of their lives. I am excited to be a part of the GreenWood Crew and am looking forward to using EL protocols that allow the students opportunities to gain practical application during hands-on experiments. My desire is that education will come to life in my students and my teaching philosophy can be summed up by one of my favorite quotes:

“The mind is not a vessel to be filled, but a fire to be kindled.”  Plutarch

My name is Amber Bennett.  I was born and raised in Valdosta, Georgia.  Growing up, I was the middle child of 5 kids and with two older brothers, I had to learn to be tough.  I loved sports and played basketball and softball during my years in school.  I went on to play basketball at Valdosta State University and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Geography with a minor in Geology.  While in college, I was able to travel to Italy to study the local geology, work as a wetland delineator at Moody Air Force Base, and spend a summer working for NASA using Global Positioning Systems as a cartographer. 

After staying home with my young children for a few years, I began teaching preschool, which affirmed my love for teaching.  After a few years of preschool and substitute teaching, I went back to school and earned my master’s degree in teaching with an emphasis on reading, language arts, and science. My husband, Reuben Bennett, who teaches seventh and eighth grade science and sixth grade STEM, and I are excited to be a part of GreenWood Charter this year.  

This is my 14th year in education and my sixth year as a teacher with EL Education.  I have seen how the protocols of EL Education have deepened students’ learning, thinking and collaboration.  I believe that it is imperative to teach students how to think for themselves, have a growth mindset, and create a learning environment that makes learning fun and authentic.  I am passionate about purposefully integrating the arts into my classroom environment and feel that arts integration allows students of different learning styles an opportunity to create an artistic representation of their learning.  I believe this helps them to appreciate high quality work and  learn the art of critique and self-reflection.  

When I am not teaching, I enjoy spending time with my husband, 5 kids and fluffy golden doodle, Gigi.  Together we enjoy traveling, the great outdoors, sports, reading, being creative, making music and dabbling in a variety of visual arts.  

A quote that inspires me is:  “There is more to us than we know.  If we can be made to see it, perhaps for the rest of our lives we will be unwilling to settle for less.” --Kurt Hahn, Outward Bound Founder

Hello!

My name is Ryley Carlson. I was born and raised in Plain City, Utah. I graduated with my bachelor's degree in Early Childhood Education in May 2015. I grew up playing competitive soccer where I earned a full ride athletic scholarship to Weber State University. I played four years all while earning a degree in a career that I love. I am recently married to the love of my life and just got a puppy named Nelli. My other interests include bowling, reading, golfing, and spending time with friends and family.

This will be my third year at GreenWood. Before coming to Greenwood I worked as a Registered Behavioral Interventionalist where I learned a lot about children with different behaviors and needs. I love teaching and working with children. They inspire me to be the best teacher I can be. Seeing them each and everyday grow and learn brings so much joy to my life. I am looking forward to developing relationships with my new students and families this year. 

Kotie Ellis hails from the Eastern United States, having made Utah home about seven years ago. She pursued her Bachelor's of Arts in English Literature with a focus in Russian Literature from Oglethorpe University in Atlanta, Ga and her Master's of Education in Montessori Education, with a thesis focused on multi-sensory reading curriculums, from Loyola College in Baltimore, Md. She has furthered her Utah license through a graduate program at WSU. Her teaching experience spans K to 12.

Kotie has been in education all her life. She taught dance for many years while also tutoring in Math and Reading. Then, she switched gears, teaching in special needs, high school language arts, and secondary school testing arenas. When her first child was born, she remembered her love of Montessori's philosophies and pursued teaching in the elementary grade levels. It is clear from her present and past endeavors Stephanie loves multi-sensory learning styles, teaching, and learners of all ages.

When not teaching, she explores the world through books, movies, seminars, further collegiate study, outdoor expeditions and travel. Her two children, Rowan (15) and Tenzin (7), keep her active as well. Together, they enjoy animals of all kinds, nature, and laughter. Most of all they love learning and exploration. Kotie truly believes curiosity sparks the joy of learning's adventure, and hopes to bring that day-in and day-out to her classroom. She is excited to join the collaborative team of children and adults at Greenwood Charter.

I was born and raised in Utah. I attended Early College at Weber State University, where I received my Associates Degree during high school. I then continued my education at the University of Utah Honors College, where I studied Political Science and History. I LOVED school which helped me develop a true passion for education. After college I moved to Washington, DC to work for a US Senator, assisting primarily on work pertaining to their position on the Senate Judiciary Committee. After moving back to Utah, I then began a career in the finance industry, working as a High Networth Securities Trader. Lacking a sense of fulfillment and meaning after several years in this field, I once again made a major life pivot, quit the finance industry, spent seven months exploring several different countries, cultures, and ways of life, and finally settled into a position as a middle school math teacher. Since then, working with my students has become the most challenging and fulfilling thing I've ever done in my life.

When I'm not in the classroom I enjoy anything and everything outdoors. You can usually find me running trails throughout northern Utah, camping wherever I can hang my hammock, caring for my hundreds of plants, and knocking doors for political campaigns and social causes I believe in. I grew up playing competitive sports, primarily soccer and basketball, and continue this passion by playing indoor soccer during the winter and running an educational program for refugee youth through the Baseball Hall of Fame during the summer. I also love to explore new places as often as I can. I have lived in Barcelona, traveled to Spain many times in addition, and visited dozens of other countries as well as most of the states. I hope to continue to add to this list and explore new places in the future.

I am beginning my third year as the 7th-8th grade math teacher and could not be more excited to continue to grow GreenWood! 

Julia Gee grew up trying to keep up with four brothers in Murray and later three more sisters in Mapleton Utah. Her parents both were educators. She married her High School track star. As a high school graduate she was accepted to the UVU nursing program which was never a dream goal, but the volleyball and basketball team needed players. Consequently, these college years were satisfying in spite of the goal confusion. After receiving an LPN license and working at Utah Valley Hospital, she enrolled in her dream at BYU in PE. With 30 credit hours left a new baby and a job in Brigham City, college was discontinued until her sixth child went to kindergarten.

After receiving a Bachelor's of Science in Elementary Education from Utah State, she competed for numerous teaching positions. With the competition difficult, the choice was made to take a PE position at Box Elder School District. When better opportunities to give came open at Maria Montessori the leap of faith was made. Montessori education captured her heart. But changes necessitated a move to Green Wood Charter School where she is passionate about their philosophy. She is excited for the journey at Green Wood, and will continue as long as her service entices children and teens to have foundational sports skills, fitness for life, friends, and fun. She is currently finished with those last 30 credit hours for PE and Health receiving her bachelors from Weber State.

Hello, I am Mrs. Guzzetti. I am so excited to be a part of GreenWood Charter School as a 4^th and 5^th grade math and science teacher. I love math, reading, science, and social studies which is the reason I became an elementary teacher; I just couldn't pick one subject to settle down with. I graduated from Weber State University with a bachelor's of science degree in elementary education. I have been teaching since 2012.

I live in Ogden with my family and 2 dogs. I love sitting on my back porch with a good book in my hand while I watch the birds at their feeders. Other activities I enjoy are going on walks, cruising through the farmer's market, knitting, shopping at local shops, and finding ways to reduce my use of plastic products. I am thrilled to join a like minded community here at Greenwood. My family enjoys traveling together and watching movies together. I am at my happiest when I am preparing food for the people I love and my kitchen table is surrounded by family and friends.

I am a huge fan of EL Education (formerly known as Expeditionary Learning). Diving deep into a topic is the way I fuel my inner life-long-learner. A few of my favorite aspects of EL Education is the idea of crew. Getting to know my students well and having a tight knit crew of students that work together and look out for each other is extremely important to me. We practice "We are crew, not passenger" every day. Another piece of EL Education that I am passionate about is the idea that all students can be leaders of their own learning. Teaching at an EL Education school allows me to celebrate student achievement, to build a love of learning in young people, and to help children realize they have the ability to make the world a better place.

"Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world." -Nelson Mandela

"It is our choices…that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities." -J. K. Rowling

My name is Skyy Hagen, and I couldn't be more excited to be part of the Greenwood Crew! My family and I just moved here from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and this will be my seventh year teaching. I completed my Bachelors at Louisiana State University, and I am finishing my Masters in Early Childhood Education at Arkansas State University.

When I was exploring schools and places to move, I fell in love with what Greenwood values. I cannot wait to spend time encouraging my students to practice mindfulness and discussing healthy habits. I look forward to providing them with the tools they need to be active contributors when it comes to their learning and the community around them.

When I am not working in my classroom, I love to spend time with my family! My husband David is a fantastic cook, so we are always in the kitchen. Our 4-year-old daughter Hope is creative, outgoing, and always keeps us on our toes!
We are looking forward to getting active outdoors and exploring all the awesome adventures Utah has to offer now that we are out of the Louisiana humidity.

I am incredibly lucky to have a career I love, in a beautiful school where I get to watch my students grow and learn each day. I look forward to developing authentic relationships with my students and their families. We're going to have a great year exploring and thriving in First Grade!

Welcome to Hope Crew! I am originally from Logan, and after spending junior high and high school in Illinois, it was easy to decide to come back to Utah for college. I graduated from Utah State University with my bachelors in Elementary Education. In my free time I love to spend time with my family and friends- especially spoiling my almost one year old niece! Together we play games and enjoy the outdoors- as long as we are in Utah and not in humid Illinois.

Reading is one of my great passions, I love to get lost in a good book. Picking a favorite book is hard for me since I love so many, but I choose a favorite author ever month or so. As a teacher, it is so rewarding to watch as students find books they like and start to enjoy reading. I am excited to be focused on 4/5 Language Arts this year and hope to show students the worlds that are opened up when you read.

Hello,

My name is Anna Milder, and go by Ms. Milder. I just moved to Utah, and am very excited to be a part of Greenwood Charter School in Middle Grove! I'm originally from Pocatello, Idaho and taught 5th grade at Inkom Elementary last year. I received my Bachelor's Degree from Idaho State University in Mass Communications-Public Relations/Marketing in 2014. I then received my certification in Elementary Education from the American Board for the Certification of Teaching Excellence in 2017.

I believe students are "drivers" of their own academic success. This year, I'm eager to instill Greenwood's H.E.A.L.T.H. Value Character Traits in my classroom while encouraging mindfulness as well.

Healthy Habits

Environmental Stawardship

Achievement

Leadership

Thinking Creatively

Honoring Diversity

In my free time I like to spend time with my french bulldog-Bear, and class guinea pig-Spud. I also like to run, bake, read and am learning how to play guitar. I am currently training to run a half marathon, and I have my own spray tan company called Tantastic Spray Tans by Anna.

Very excited to get this year started! 

Lauren Mkina has over 10 years experience in elementary education. She enjoys art, traveling with her family and gardening.

As long as I can remember I have been interested in helping to positively shape the future of the world and being an educator is really a way to be right on the front-lines. I really look at educators as people who help to create all other jobs, you cannot learn to do anything in life without someone showing you the ropes. There were quite a few things that drew me to Greenwood; mostly the focus on Healthy Habits, the sense of community, and the "different" things that are offered here and not offered other schools (e.x. school garden, mindfulness, a project based approach to education).

I consider myself a very transparent teacher. I plan to engage families and the community through the use of my classroom website and the ClassTag app, I will be posting about activities and expedition work so that parents can see what is happening inside the classroom. I also believe that through scheduled service days, our use of Expeditionary Learning, and Celebrations of Learning we will make an impact on our local community.

When I'm not at school I enjoy spending time with my little family, sewing, drinking coffee, and traveling. I enjoy all animals (although pigs and bats are some of my top favorites). I also have a passion for all things mid-century.

I received both my Associates and Bachelors degrees from Weber State University and will remain a student there while I work toward my Masters of Education.

My name is Cristel Romero. I am a wife to my high school sweetheart and a mom to three crazy and fun boys (7th, 4th, and 1st). Being a mom is my favorite thing and that is why I love being a teacher. It is like I get 22 extra kids each new school year! 

I received my undergraduate in Communications from Weber State University in 2007. I worked for 12 years in Public Relations and decided I wanted to make a change and find a career I can make a difference in. Teaching was always something I wished I had done, so I went for it! I recently graduated with a Graduate Degree in teaching from Weber State University. I have been so happy with my decision to teach. I feel blessed to be in the classroom with so many wonderful minds. I truly feel that kids are capable of far more than we give them credit and I want to help them find those capabilities. I love making learning fun, and since I teach math, it can sometimes be a challenge that I happily accept! Here is a fun video we watch in class as an example of the fun we have learning a tough subject! 

My favorite HEALTH Value is Honoring Diversity. I believe if all students can master the skill of honoring diversity, they can do anything they set their mind to. Honoring Diversity means to work well with others, show respect, and listen to others in order to truly understand them. These skills are the foundation for all communication and relationships. Teachers teach more effectively and students learn better when each feels accepted for who they are! 

When I am not teaching I am usually at one of my boys basketball, football, or lacrosse games. On Saturday mornings when we aren’t at guitar lessons, we usually can be found hiking, swimming, sledding, or playing at the park. For fun, I love to garden, paddle board, read a good book, or snuggle up watching a movie!

I love being at GreenWood and I know I have found the right place to make a difference. I fully believe in GreenWood's mission and vision. It is an honor to be a part of the GreenWood family!

Diana Sciandra, PE/Holistic Coach, I grew up in Fredericksburg, Virginia. After High school I high tailed it for San Diego where I obtained a Forest Management Certification from Citrus College. From there I moved to ZigZag, Oregon and began my 11 year career as a United States Forest Service, Wildland Firefighter, ultimately working On the Mt. Hood, Arapahoe-Roosevelt and Inyo National Forests, working in every aspect of Fire. During the winters I successfully competed nationally as a competitive snowboarder, also working as a Snowboard/Skateboard coach for Windells Snowboard Camp and Mammoth Snowboard Team. Thank fully I traded one body beating for another and became an at home mother to my amazing son, Tosh in 2010;)

As I raised my son, I also worked to build an all-female snowboarding Non-Profit and Online Magazine called "Shred Betties", a non-profit geared towards empowering females through action sports. Not to mention the number one new source for woman's snowboarding in the United States! www.shredbetties.com.

My love for my son and the Shred Betties girls lead to me to want to be a better coach and all around healthier person. I obtained a certification from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition because I believe health and wellness starts with what we feed our bodies. Becoming a Holistic Health Coach changed my world for the better and I only hope to keep the ripple effect going here at GreenWood helping the teachers, students, parents and staff reach for optimum health and wellness to ensure our children can grow to be their best self! I am so excited to be working aside Lisa Begely as she gets your children excited about physical fitness and I help them "find their fun" with skills that will better their everyday lives and the activities they love

In my free time I love to snowboard, skateboard, practice yoga, stand-up paddle board, cook, be present with my son, be a successful imperfect mother and partner, and just all around like to MOVE and have FUN, to me that's what life is all about. Our higher power gave us this amazing life, I plan to "shred" every inch of it!

My name is Jessica Scott (Mrs. Scott or Ms. Jessica). I have 2 boys that have been attending Greenwood for years and we love this school! I have been working at Greenwood for a while now helping out Early Grove classes with reading and math, as well as, working with the Early Grove Special Education Department. I love working with students and helping them to reach their potential. I am very excited to be working with your children and getting to know them even better!

BTSALP Art Specialist

As an Idaho farm girl, and a proud graduate of BYU-Idaho, I learned early on what it means to set goals and work hard to achieve them. I graduated as an honor student with a Bachelor degree in Elementary Education. I discovered how to be a successful student though persistence even when learning did not come easily for me. Along the way, I developed a passion for the Arts. Participation in choirs, theater, dance, and visual arts deepened my education and allowed me to make discoveries and connections that I could not have made in any other way. I agree with Picasso that, "Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life." I recently completed my Visual Art Endorsement, and have been inspired by the power of an Arts Integrated Education. I love deepening the students Expeditions through art exploration.

I have been a longtime advocate for charter schools, and proudly stand behind GreenWood's amazing core values. I feel passionate about the 'Expeditionary Learning' model and the school's holistic approach to education, health, and living a balanced life. Example is the most powerful teaching form, and I work hard to model an active, healthy life-style for my students. I have seen firsthand the unique success achieved by an EL Education, and I love contributing to the amazing learning environment offered through Visual Art at GreenWood.

I've enjoyed over six years of educational practice, either serving on a school board or teaching 1st and 2nd Grade, Preschool, Art, and Music. This experience has reinforced my firm belief that parents play a vital role in the success of a school and classroom. Parent involvement in "Growing Greenwood" is both essential and greatly appreciated in the art room. I welcome parent communication, cooperation, and art discovery. Come paint with us or volunteer in the art room!

My life is rich and full with opportunity! I am an active mother of four beautiful children, 3 of whom attend GreenWood. Needless to say, I am heavily invested in the school's success. I've enjoyed almost 15 years of marriage to my best friend and biggest supporter. I stay busy serving in my church, baking, picking blackberries, and up-dating an older home. In my spare time, I love to draw and paint, read, quilt, write poetry, and illustrate children's books. I integrate healthy living through family bike rides and hikes, tennis, and as a member of a co-ed volleyball team. Team sports have always been my favorite, because I feel that "the whole is greater than the sum of its parts." Similarly, the GreenWood "forest" is superior because of the combined efforts of each individual "tree."

Brittanië "Britta" Stumpp is a mother, wife, dancer, yogi, graphic designer, teacher, and poet. She has a background in web design, programming, broadcasting and journalism. She worked for several local radio stations, for the 2002 Olympics news coverage teams, and at two universities in web development. She is also a yoga instructor who enjoys the outdoors and loves animals. She has a passion for environmental appreciation and creating a sustainable future for all. She is a seventh generation Ogdenite going back to the founder. She has lived in CA, OR, NM, NV, and WA. She currently resides in Ogden with her son and her husband.

I am Mrs Thornock. This is my 7th year teaching and my first year at Greenwood. I love reading books, writing, and outdoor adventures with my family. We like to go whitewater rafting and hiking. I enjoy watching movies and playing games with my family. I am a mother of 4 children 15, 19, 21, and 23 years old. I love being a mom! My family and I have recently purchased two horses, and we are learning a lot about taking care of and riding our horses. I love being a teacher and finding creative ways to help my students to learn. I love when my students learn and grow and achieve their learning goals. I am passionate about the Greenwood values focused on a holistic education. I love how students here at Greenwood are focused on creative and critical thinking, and high quality work. I am so glad I have joined the Greenwood community!

I believe in having fun and doing things well. As an individual, I am very passionate about what I do in life and always try to have fun doing it. I have wanted to be a teacher for as long as I can remember. My two youngest brothers can attest to this due to countless hours of getting to play school with me. I believe that we should not be afraid of failing and making mistakes. It is part of what helps to grow. I want to be there for my students as they succeed, make mistakes or even fail. I believe that those can be the most powerful teaching moments.

I have been working in schools since 2005. I have worked with a wide range of disabilities and behaviors, as well as worked with students ranging in age from 4-22 years old. This will be my 7th year at an Expeditionary Learning School. I love EL. Incorporating mastery of knowledge and skill as well as character and high-quality student work, all into how you approach education is amazing! I constantly feel pushed and so my students. The culture and aspect of being a crew aligns with some of my core beliefs.

Having the opportunity to take my love for EL learning and use it with the mission at Greenwood is so exciting! GreenWood provides quality holistic education to all students by providing opportunities for them to be active, knowledgeable, creative, and conscientious individuals. GreenWood inspires a healthy balance in life through healthy eating habits, exercise, personal discovery, service learning, and environmental stewardship. I feel that all of these things are truly important and am looking forward to combining it with Expeditionary Learning.

I was born in Utah but quickly moved to Santa Cruz, CA as a baby. My family moved back to Utah, where I finished high school. I love both states and consider both to be my home. Volunteer work is something that I am very passionate about. I have been a volunteer Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Advocate with a women's shelter for 7 years. Prior to that I helped to run a summer camp for kids with cancer and their siblings, Camp Hobe. I have been a Big Sister with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Utah. I spent two years working to pilot a 12 step program for loved ones with someone struggling with addiction. I have enjoyed every opportunity I have had to volunteer and help make our world a better place. I also have a fluffy friend named Charlie. Charlie is my dog and he goes to GreenWood too!! Having my best friend come to school and help provide student support is something that he and I love.

I LOVE GreenWood and love being a part of helping to make it grow.