Faculty > Faculty Biographies

Faculty Biographies

Elementary School
Upper School
Student Services

Dr. Moore, Principal
Dr. T. O. Moore is in his seventh year as principal of Ridgeview Classical Schools in 2007-8. Originally from Texas, Dr. Moore studied history and political science at the University of Chicago and later earned a Ph.D. in history from the University of Edinburgh in Scotland. He served as a lieutenant in the U. S. Marine Corps and was an assistant professor of history at Ashland University in Ohio. Dr. Moore has delivered lectures on topics concerning liberal education in Edinburgh, Dublin, Munich, Washington, D.C., and Denver. His edition of George Turnbull's Observations upon Liberal Education (1742) was published by Liberty Fund in 2003. He wrote a weekly column on education for The Coloradoan for the school year 2002-2003. Many of these columns have been posted on the Ashbrook Center for Public Affairs website (www.ashbrook.org) and have subsequently appeared (in part) in The Washington Times and on various other websites. Besides his columns and essays on education, Dr. Moore writes frequently on the reform of contemporary manhood. Dr. Moore wrote the cover article for the winter 2003 edition of the Claremont Review of Books, called "Wimps and Barbarians: The Sons of Murphy Brown." This article was picked up by around a hundred different websites, and Dr. Moore has been a guest on national radio programs to discuss it, including The Laura Ingraham Show. This article and its sequel, "Heather's Compromise: Settling for Mr. Right Now," can be read at www.claremont.org. He also recently published an article in Touchstone on the character of today's students. Two years ago Dr. Moore was a keynote speaker at the Heritage Foundation's annual Resource Bank meeting. He occasionally acts as a consultant for classical charter schools elsewhere in the nation and has been an external reviewer for the Shimer College/Core Knowledge teacher education project. In addition to being principal of Ridgeview, Dr. Moore has taught several classes in the upper school, including Western Civilization II, Heroes, Moral Philosophy I: Thumos and Conscience, Moral Philosophy II: Love and Courtship, Moral Philosophy III: Aristotle and Austen, The Art of Rhetoric, and American Political Philosophy. Dr. Moore lives in Fort Collins with his wife, Jennifer, and their son, Samuel.

Mr. Carpine, Assistant Principal
Mr. Carpine, our Assistant Principal, has been at RCS since its inception. He received a B.A. in marketing and a minor in finance from UNC and went on to work in banking administration for eight years before joining the RCS family. In addition to his usual duties, Mr. Carpine teaches a class in personal finance for the seniors. He is a golf instructor during the summer, an avid hunter, and enjoys spending time with his wife and three children.

Mrs. Fennel
Mrs. Fennel returns for her seventh year as Ridgeview Classical Schools' student services coordinator, occupational therapist, and elementary special education teacher. She graduated from South Dakota State University with a B.S. in psychology, having a pre-occupational therapy emphasis. She moved to Colorado in 1997, earned her M.S. degree in occupational therapy from Colorado State University and graduated in 1999. Throughout her college career, as well as after graduating from CSU, she has worked with adults with developmental disabilities, having over seven years of experience in this field. This experience has proven to be wonderful for developing a rich sense of understanding for students who learn differently and need additional assistance in the school setting. She has been with Ridgeview Classical Schools since the school opened in the fall of 2001. Since joining Ridgeview she has also obtained an M.A. in special education from the University of Northern Colorado. Her focus is on developing a program that addresses the needs of students K-12 in becoming successful in all capacities of school. The majority of her instructional time is spent assisting readers and writers to improve their skills, as well as addressing any occupational therapy needs students may have during their school day. She lives in Fort Collins with her husband and their two young children; they enjoy boating, fishing, reading, going on bike rides, as well as a variety of sporting activities and events.

Elementary
Mrs. Bennett, Kindergarten
Mrs. Bennett is the Ridgeview kindergarten teacher. She is a native of Colorado. The Bennetts have made Ft. Collins their home for the last sixteen years. Mrs. Bennett not only brings her sensitivity and care of children to Ridgeview but also many years of teaching experience. Core Knowledge is not new to her. From 1998 through 2001, she taught Core at an academic preschool class of four-and-five-year-olds. She found the curriculum to be very educational and challenging. Mrs. Bennett jumped at the chance to take Core Knowledge on to kindergarten and is now entering her seventh year at Ridgeview.

Mrs. Jhones, First Grade
Mrs. Jhones will be starting her third year as a first grade teacher at Ridgeview. Mrs. Jhones graduated from Colorado State University with a B.S. in equine science. She has enjoyed working with children throughout her life. Her experience is varied and ranges from working with a boys' home instructing juvenile delinquents and children in need to giving horseback-riding lessons. Outside of school Mrs. Jhones enjoys spending time with her family in various activities including hiking, working with horses, reading, and watching movies.

Mrs. Moessner, First Grade
Mrs. Moessner received her Bachelor of Science in human development and family studies at Colorado State University and her teaching license in elementary education at the University of Denver. She will begin her seventh year teaching first grade at Ridgeview this fall. She believes Core Knowledge is a wonderful curriculum and enjoys teaching it to her students. Along with the curriculum, Mrs. Moessner feels that having the children learn good character traits is invaluable. When Mrs. Moessner is not in the classroom, she can be found spending time with her Golden Retriever, Rookie, and with her husband, Brandon. She also likes camping, golfing, skiing, and competing in NHRA drag racing events at Bandimere Speedway.

Mrs. Binder, Second Grade
Mrs. Binder is returning to Ridgeview for her second year teaching second grade. A Missouri native, Mrs. Binder graduated from Concordia University in 2002 with a major in theology and minor in theatre. In addition to teaching, Mrs. Binder is pursuing study in American Sign Language and Japanese. In her spare time she enjoys travel, languages and cultures, film, theatre, and reading.

Mrs. Kiely, Third Grade
Mrs. Kiely returns to Ridgeview to teach third grade for her seventh year. Mrs. Kiely earned her B.A. in elementary education and graduated with honors from the University of Wyoming in 1999. She has been working with elementary-aged children since her eleventh-grade year of high school. Mrs. Kiely has an emphasis in cultural diversity. She is excited about this year and is ready to embark on the adventure!

Miss Starnes, Third Grade
Miss Starnes is very excited about her second year at Ridgeview. She graduated with high honors from Wesleyan University in Connecticut with a B.A. in music and English and later studied folklore through the M.A. program at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She has previously taught music to K-6th graders for Dallas Public Schools, academic writing to university freshmen through the UNC-Chapel Hill Writing Program, folklore to university juniors and seniors at UNC-Chapel Hill's Albemarle Ecological Field Site, documentary skills to Bronx, NY, teens at Mind Builders Creative Arts Center, and Colorado history to 2nd and 3rd graders through the summer camp program at the Longmont Museum & Cultural Center. Outside of teaching, she likes to read, cook, hike, and sing.

Mr. Freeborn, Fourth Grade
Mr. Freeborn is very excited to begin his second year teaching the fourth grade. Before coming to Ridgeview he attended Covenant Theological Seminary in Saint Louis, MO, where he received a Master of Divinity. Before seminary he was an officer in the U.S. Navy for eight years. He graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD, in 1995 with a B.S. in physics and a minor in Spanish. In the Navy he served on two different ships and was an instructor at the Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps (NROTC) Unit at Iowa State University. Mr. Freeborn loves spending time with his wife and two-year-old son and has a growing interest in epistemology.

Mrs. Sharp, Fourth Grade
This is Mrs. Sharp's third year of teaching fourth grade and she is very excited at the prospect of again doing what she loves. She has been with RCS in many capacities since January of 2001. Mrs. Sharp was a member of the Board of Directors from March 2003 to June 2005. She earned the status of "100-hour volunteer" prior to Ridgeview Classical Schools' opening. She has been the school's volunteer coordinator and a member of the hiring committee. She graduated with honors from the University of Idaho with a B.S. in biology and a minor in Spanish. She was employed as an undergraduate at the University of Idaho Genetic Studies Laboratory. She has had many other positions, including working at a bakery and as a bank teller, and working for her husband's business; but she most treasures being a wife and a mother to her three boys, who are all students at RCS.

Mrs. Busek, Fifth Grade
Mrs. Busek received her IB diploma from the American School of Paris and then attended the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia, where she received a bachelor's degree in Medieval and Renaissance studies and history. She is a member of Alpha Delta Gamma, a medieval studies honor society. She has been teaching at RCS since 2003. In addition to teaching fifth grade, she will also be teaching composition in the high school. She is a yearbook coordinator, teaches a fifth-grade Latin club, and contributes to the Madrigal Choir performance. She is fluent in French and enjoys creating medieval costumes, embroidery, cooking, and reading.

Mr. Binder, Fifth Grade
Mr. Binder, a Chicago native, received his B.A. in English from Concordia University in River Forest, IL, and an M.A. in the liberal arts from St. John's College in Annapolis, MD. He is very excited about his second year teaching fifth-grade students at Ridgeview. He enjoys living in Fort Collins and exploring Rocky Mountain National Park. Mr. Binder is interested in traveling, studying foreign languages, and learning to ride a bicycle. In his spare time, he enjoys watching movies and reading.

Mr. Collins, Sixth Grade
Mr. Collins passionately begins his fourth year with more understanding and questions about the nature of education through concept development. Aside from an interest in the role of abstraction in education, Mr. Collins continues his master's degree in American history and government at Ashland University. His interests include landscape architecture, literature, writing, music, the outdoors, athletics, and family. Mr. Collins is a member of Phi Alpha Theta history honorary society since 2000.

Mr. Brown, Sixth Grade
Mr. Brown earned his B.A. in political science from Colorado State University. He finished a rigorous honors curriculum and thesis, graduating cum laude and as University Honors Scholar. With his wife's support, he later returned to CSU and completed a B.S. in mathematics. He then served as a mathematics tutor and taught a year of courses in mathematics, including calculus. He has completed graduate level courses in American history, economics, political science, mammalian physiology, and mathematics. His spare time is devoted to his family and independent study. He is currently researching and writing a biography of William Howard Taft, who served his nation as both president and chief justice and, earlier, won a prize in mathematics at Yale.

Mr. Murillo, Spanish
My name is Luis Murillo; this is my first year at Ridgeview Classical Schools. I was born in Cali, Colombia. I graduated from La Universidad del Valle where I obtained my B.A. in modern languages (French and English as a Foreign Language). I worked in several language institutions in Colombia as well as in La Pontificia Universidad Javeriana as a research assistant. I worked as a bilingual paraprofessional and French and Spanish teacher for Poudre School District from 2005 to 2007. I am doing a M.A. in Spanish at the University of Northern Colorado which I expect to finish next summer. Ever since I moved to the U.S. in 2004, winters keep on amazing me, given that I was raised in the tropics. I enjoy sports like basketball, tennis, and ping-pong, and I love to ride my bike with my wife.

Mrs. Martinez, Spanish
Mrs. Martinez was born in Fort Collins. This will be her fourth year teaching at Ridgeview. She graduated from Colorado State University in 1978 with a B.S. in psychology and a second major in Spanish. During her time in college she studied for a semester at La Universidad de los Andes in Bogotá, Colombia, and traveled in Costa Rica and Nicaragua. She has taught in a variety of settings with students of all ages, including positions at Fort Collins High School, Escuela John F. Kennedy in Querétero, Mexico, and the International English Institute in Nashville, Tennessee. She lived for six years in Mexico, the native country of her husband. Mrs. Martinez looks forward to sharing with her students the special enrichment that is brought to life through learning another language.

Mrs. Nichols, Music
Mrs. Nichols is returning to Ridgeview Classical Schools for her fifth year of teaching core music to students in kindergarten through fourth grade. After studying vocal performance at the Wheaton College Conservatory of Music, she transferred to the University of Northern Colorado, where she studied piano performance, psychology, and Spanish. She received her Kodály certification over the summer and is currently working toward a master's degree at CSU. Mrs. Nichols believes strongly that music has the power to unite people and can enhance understanding in other academic subjects. She enjoys spending time with children and values life-long learning. Outside of school, she sings with the Larimer Chorale and sings and plays piano elsewhere in the Fort Collins community. A native of Colorado, Mrs. Nichols loves to ski, hike, camp, and ride horses.

Mrs. Wyns, Art
Mrs. Wyns will be teaching art at the elementary level. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Arizona, where she majored in psychology and minored in German. After living one year in Germany, she returned and completed a master's degree in art history at the University of Delaware. She interned at the National Gallery of Art, as well as the Smithsonian American History Museum. She enjoys traveling and learning about different cultures. She is excited to be able to use her background in art history and her love of art to teach and inspire her students.

Upper School
Miss Gephart, Mathematics
Miss Gephart is a Colorado native who grew up in Colorado Springs. Miss Gephart earned her bachelor's degree in mathematics, teaching license, and coaching certificate from Colorado State University in 2006. She completed an internship with ITT Industries Space Systems Division, a defense contractor, working with space surveillance site statistics. In her spare time, she loves to read, travel, hike, ski, snowboard, dance, and play sports. Miss Gephart loves teaching and is happy to be returning for her second year at Ridgeview. She will be teaching basic and advanced Singapore mathematics.

Mr. Yu, Mathematics
Mr. Yu has been in the Fort Collins area since 1985 after growing up in Denver. He obtained his degree in mathematics in 1992 from Colorado State University. Mr. Yu taught in the Poudre School District for five years, including three years at Fort Collins High School. Now Mr. Yu is about to embark on his seventh year of teaching at Ridgeview. He will be teaching Algebra 1, Algebra 2, and Calculus 1 this year. He also acts as the advisor for the elementary math program. Mr. Yu has brought his expertise to charter schools across Colorado, helping them build better mathematics programs. Mr. and Mrs. Yu have two children: Zoe is two years old and Ethan is zero.

Mr. Luce, Mathematics, Economics
Originally from Iowa, Mr. Luce earned a master's degree in economics from Colorado State University and is a Ph.D. candidate in economics there, having completed all but his dissertation. He also has an extensive background in mathematics. Mr. Luce taught economics for six years at Colorado State University and for one year at the University of Northern Colorado. Prior to his graduate studies, Mr. Luce worked at Hewlett-Packard for thirteen years where he was responsible for failure analysis of state-of-the-art computer chips. He also has a B.S. degree in anthropology from the University of Colorado. His first two years of college were spent as a National Merit Scholar in mathematics and astrophysics at Michigan State University. Mr. Luce's primary interests include the history of science and technology, the economic impact of technological revolutions, and general (world) economic history. He enjoys playing computers in chess and supervises Ridgeview's very successful chess club. This will be his seventh year teaching at Ridgeview, where he teaches several different levels of calculus, pre-calculus, number theory, and a wide range of economics and current events courses, including the required junior economics course.

Mrs. Prevedel, Mathematics
Mrs. Prevedel is returning for her second year at Ridgeview as a mathematics teacher. She graduated with honors, earning a B.S. in electrical engineering from the University of Wyoming in 1990. She worked for Texas Instruments in the Military Products Division. After that, she was a stay-at-home mom with her three children, who all attend Ridgeview. When she is not shuttling her children to their activities, she enjoys reading, bicycling, and playing the piano.

Mr. Nazeck, Mathematics, Literature
Born and raised in the deserts of southern California, Mr. Nazeck later moved to the coast where he earned his B.A. in the liberal arts from Thomas Aquinas College. After working as a contractor for the Department of the Navy and realizing that a cubicle is not where he belongs, his love of mathematics and all things classical drew Mr. Nazeck to RCS. Returning to Ridgeview for his third year, he will be teaching geometry and eighth-grade literature.

Mr. Andrews, Mathematics, Science
Originally from Massachusetts, Mr. Andrews earned a bachelor's degree in mathematics from Dartmouth College this past spring. He has also studied jazz guitar for a number of years. In his free time he enjoys outdoor activities such as skiing, snowboarding, and whitewater kayaking. Mr. Andrews will be teaching algebra, eighth-grade science, and statistics this year.

Mr. Hayhurst, Science, Mathematics, Composition
Mr. Hayhurst came to Fort Collins a couple of years ago, having grown up in the Colorado Springs area. He attended St. John's College, Santa Fe, where he was awarded a B.A. in liberal arts. This is Mr. Hayhurst's second year of teaching at Ridgeview Classical Schools. He will be working with the elementary school in mathematics and composition and with the upper school in science and composition. If he is not in his office or in class, you will probably be able to find Mr. Hayhurst buzzing around the laboratories.

Mrs. Petterson, Science
Mrs. Petterson is in her sixth year of teaching at Ridgeview and teaches seventh-grade science, ninth-grade biology, and Advanced Placement Biology. Prior to her family's move to Fort Collins she taught science for more than sixteen years and was science department chair for more than four years at an independent school in New Jersey. She received her bachelor's degree from Harvard/Radcliffe and her master's degree from the University of Pennsylvania, both in biology. Beyond the classroom, Mrs. Petterson enjoys reading, quilting, and spending time with her family.

Mr. Morse, Science
Mr. Morse is in his fourth year at Ridgeview, teaching physics, chemistry, and 8th grade science. Before joining Ridgeview, he taught physics and 9th grade physical science at Longmont High School in Longmont, Colorado. Prior to that, he worked for many years at Hewlett Packard in a variety of marketing and management positions. Before working at HP, Mr. Morse served in the U.S. Air Force. Mr. Morse lives in Fort Collins with his wife and two sons. He has been involved in school accountability activities for a number of years. Outside of school he serves as a Boy Scout troop leader and enjoys outdoor activities such as skiing, fly fishing, and camping with his family. Mr. Morse holds an M.S. in electrical engineering from Colorado State University and a B.A. in physics from Dartmouth College.

Dr. Deus, Science
Dr. Deus received a Ph.D. from Colorado State University (CSU) for his research on the mosquitoes that transmit West Nile virus. He has authored and co-authored several scientific publications stemming from his laboratory work in molecular biology and genetics with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Previously, while earning a B.S. in biology at CSU, Dr. Deus conducted laboratory work with insects, plants, and fungi. Before his scientific explorations, Dr. Deus received a B.A. in film and television from the University of California in Los Angeles, where he made experimental films and taught photography and video.

Mrs. Collett, AP Chemistry
Mrs. Collett joins Ridgeview part-time this year to teach a new course in advanced chemistry. She holds a bachelor's degree in chemistry from Davidson College and a master's degree in environmental engineering science from the California Institute of Technology. A native of Pennsylvania, Mrs. Collett has lived in Ft. Collins since 1994 with her husband and two sons. She enjoys reading, skiing, yoga, and Pilates.

Mr. Busek, History
Mr. Busek received his Bachelor of Arts degree in May of 1996 from the College of William and Mary, where he majored in history and minored in medieval studies. He then attended the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., on the Roy DeFerrari scholarship and received an M.A. from the School of Medieval Studies in 2000. Before coming to Ridgeview, Mr. Busek was an adjunct professor of history at Marymount University in Arlington, Virginia, and a SAT verbal and literature enrichment instructor at College Prep in Annandale, Virginia. In his sixth year at Ridgeview, Mr. Busek will again be teaching both Western Civilization I and II at the high-school level. At the middle-school level, he will be teaching modern history from the mid-eighteenth century up through 1945.

Mr. Herndon, History
Mr. Herndon, who will be teaching upper-school history for his fourth year at Ridgeview Classical Schools, is a native of Jacksonville, Florida. He completed three degrees at the Florida State University in Tallahassee: a B.S. in government, a B.A. in history, and an M.A. in modern European history, with secondary emphasis on twentieth-century United States history and American foreign policy. He was an adjunct faculty member at the Florida Community College at Jacksonville, teaching Western civilization, United States history, and American federal government courses, as well as holding a full-time position teaching honors world history, Western civilization, and Advanced Placement Modern European History at the Bolles School. Mr. Herndon returned to graduate school in the doctoral program in history at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where his fields of specialization were modern Europe and dependencies since 1815, history of science and technology, and military history. His dissertation topic and area of principal research is in modern Germany, specifically during the National Socialist period. Mr. Herndon's family came to Fort Collins from Illinois when his wife Cheryl was hired as a software engineer at Hewlett-Packard. Here, he taught courses in humanities and history at the Front Range Community College, Larimer Campus, for four years immediately before coming to Ridgeview Classical Schools. Mr. and Mrs. Herndon have two sons.

Mr. Anderson, Government, History, Literature, Political Philosophy
Mr. Anderson moved to Fort Collins just this August, and this will be his first year teaching at Ridgeview. He will be teaching government, eighth-grade history, seventh-grade English, and an elective entitled “Freedom, Equality, and Authority.” Mr. Anderson was born in Montana and attended high school in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. He obtained a B.S. in political science and international relations from the University of Denver, and an MSc from the London School of Economics (LSE) in political theory. Additionally, he has undertaken courses at Harvard, Oxford, and Cambridge, as well as at universities in Northern Ireland, France, and Switzerland. He has worked as a policy analyst at the Colorado State Legislature in Denver, and as a political consultant in Washington, D.C., and Colorado. His principle fields of interest are political philosophy and intellectual history, focusing most recently on the works of Isaiah Berlin, R.G. Collingwood, F.A. Hayek, and Michael Oakeshott. Topically, his cardinal interests are individual liberty and virtue ethics.

Miss Quammen, Literature
Miss Quammen is thrilled to return for her second year at Ridgeview. This year she will be teaching American literature, British literature, and Core English 8. A Colorado native, Miss Quammen graduated from high school in Greeley before earning a bachelor's degree in English and French from Doane College in Nebraska and a master's degree in the humanities from the University of Chicago. Also, she has spent time teaching English and studying in France. When she's not engrossed in a good book, she enjoys dancing, swimming, hiking, and spending time with her family and friends.

Mr. Wicke, Literature, Latin
Mr. Wicke was home-schooled in the classics through high school, while also being involved in athletics, debate, and children's day care, sports, and education. He earned his B.A. in liberal arts from Thomas Aquinas College in southern California, where he met his wife of four years with whom he has one child and another on the way in September of 2007. This will be Mr. Wicke's fourth year at Ridgeview, where he will be teaching seventh- and ninth-grade literature and Latin in the upper school.

Mr. Hild, Literature, German
Mr. Hild grew up in Bad Hersfeld, Germany, where he received his Abitur in 1992. After 15 months of civil service in a school for disabled children and as a geriatric nurse, Mr. Hild moved to the United States to study philosophy and run track and field for Ashland University in Ashland, Ohio. Mr. Hild received a B.A. in philosophy, political science, and English and also earned All-America honors as a runner. After working for L'Arche Cleveland as an assistant for disabled adults, Mr. Hild entered the English department at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland and received an M.A. in 2000. Before beginning at Ridgeview Classical Schools, Mr. Hild was employed as an adjunct professor of the German department at CWRU. Mr. Hild returns to teach literature and German for Ridgeview Classical Schools for the seventh year.

Mrs. Pichel, Latin, Composition
Mrs. Pichel is in her sixth year of teaching Latin and composition classes at RCS. She is also the faculty advisor for the fifth edition of Veritas, Ridgeview's student journal of literature and art. Born and raised in Baltimore, MD, she attended Valparaiso University in Indiana, where she earned a bachelor's degree in classics with a minor in teaching English. She now lives in Fort Collins with her husband and their fish. Other interests include traveling, reading, watching great movies, and learning new things.

Mr. Smith, Latin, History
Mr. Smith grew up near Philadelphia and attended the Jesuit high school, St. Joseph's Prep. The Prep required three years of Latin for all students, but Mr. Smith chose to study Latin and Greek during all four years. After high school, he attended the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, MA, and majored in classics, translating Latin and Greek. Mr. Smith spent his junior year studying abroad in Rome. After graduating from Holy Cross in 1996, he earned a master's degree in humanities from the University of Chicago. Mr. Smith credits his passion for the classics to the knowledgeable and enthusiastic teachers who have instructed and influenced him over the years. Before coming to Ridgeview, Mr. Smith taught for three years at a small private school in Rhode Island where he discovered his love for teaching. Drawn by the thrill of adventure in the mountains, he moved to Colorado Springs in 2000 and taught Latin in charter and public schools. He has taught Latin, classical literature, and ancient history at Ridgeview since 2002. Besides teaching Latin, Mr. Smith likes to spend his time in the outdoors, mountain biking, rock climbing, hiking, and snow boarding. He also enjoys gardening, cooking, reading important books, and playing the mandolin. Mr. Smith is married and his wife has a master's in interior design from CSU.

Mr. Locke, Latin
Mr. Locke is a native of the mountains of West Virginia who loves studying ancient languages for the insight that they provide into the nature of civilization before the arrival of Christ. He attended Ohio University not far from those mountains and studied Greek, Latin, and Philosophy there before migrating to Northern Virginia. He taught in a large public school outside of Washington, D.C., for three years before moving to a much, much smaller classical school in North Carolina. He enjoys fishing, reading the Church Fathers, riflery, and spending time with his large family. He is looking forward to working with RCS students as they mature in their knowledge of the ancient world.

Mr. Halseide, P.E.
Mr. Halseide is a native of Ft. Collins. He studied in Canada and graduated from Prairie Bible College with a B.A. in inter-cultural studies. Along with his degree, he received his private pilot's license as well as his coaching certification. For the two years prior to teaching at Ridgeview, Mr. Halseide taught physical education at Heritage Christian School. Among other things, Mr. Halseide enjoys photography and dance. Mr. Halsiede loves teaching and is pleased to be returning to Ridgeview for his sixth year.

Mrs. Slocomb, P.E. Electives, Kindergarten P.E.
Mrs. Slocomb is a Colorado native. She grew up in Wellington on a small farm. Mrs. Slocomb received her B.S. from Colorado State University, where she majored in health and exercise science with a concentration in health promotion. She graduated in May 2006 and was married two weeks later. Mrs. Slocomb coaches the Fort Collins High School gymnastics team, a sport which she loves and has been involved in since she was four. In her spare time she enjoys watching movies with her husband and their three dogs. Mrs. Slocomb is thrilled to be teaching P.E at Ridgeview.

Mr.& Mrs. Orchard, Karate
Mr. Orchard has 20 years of martial arts experience. His expertise includes Karate, Jujitsu, Aikijutisu, Ne-Waza (ground work), and traditional weapons systems (i.e. Bo staff, sward, and sai). Mrs. Orchard has 15 years of martial arts experience. Her expertise includes Karate, Jujitsu, Aikijitsu, Ne-Waza (ground work), traditional Weapons systems (Bo staff, sword, sai). Mr. and Mrs. Orchard own and operate Total Ryu Traditional Martial Arts, currently located at 1420 Riverside Ave. They instruct police officers, City of Fort Collins code enforcement officers, adults, teenagers, and children in Jujitsu, Karate, weapons disarming, and weapons systems.

Mrs. Faust-Frodl, Music
Mrs. Faust-Frodl is returning for her seventh year at Ridgeview Classical Schools. She teaches sixth- and eighth-grade core music in addition to an upper-school music history, theory, and composition class. She directs the elementary, intermediate, and high-school choirs. Mrs. Faust-Frodl also directs Ridgeview's select choir, the Ridgeview Madrigal Singers, as well as Ridgeview's musical and Renaissance banquet. Mrs. Faust-Frodl is originally from Mayville, Wisconsin. She earned a B.A. in music from Luther College in Decorah, Iowa, where she studied choral conducting techniques with the world-renowned choral conductor, Weston Noble, and vocal development with Dr. David Judisch. She also spent one year in England studying vocal performance and music history at the University of Nottingham. Mrs. Faust-Frodl came to Colorado in the fall of 2000 so she and her husband could enjoy the activities a mountain state could provide. She is a mother to two daughters.

Mr. Davis, Music
Mr. Davis is excited to be at Ridgeview Classical Schools for his second year. Mr. Davis is the band director and also teaches the 7th grade Core Music class. As a graduate of the University of Northern Colorado, Mr. Davis has a degree in music education. In his spare time, he likes to play various saxophones, hike around various parks, root for his favorite baseball team, the Cincinnati Reds, and most importantly, spend time with his wife and year-old son.

Miss Bigelow, Music
Miss Bigelow is a Fort Collins native. She attended Fort Lewis College in Durango where she earned her B.A. in music education and played in the Fort Lewis College Concert Band, the Fort Lewis College Percussion Ensemble, and the San Juan Symphony. Miss Bigelow teaches the 5th grade Core Music classes and all orchestras at Ridgeview. In her spare time she volunteers in a fair trade store in Old Town Fort Collins and teaches piano and violin lessons. Miss Bigelow enjoys studying classical history and mythology and learning about all of the different peoples and cultures of the world.

Miss Weiss, Art
Miss Weiss is starting her seventh year of teaching art at Ridgeview. She will be teaching art to a wide variety of grades in both the elementary and upper school. Miss Weiss received her B.F.A. in painting from Carnegie-Mellon University in Pittsburgh. There she did extensive coursework in both art history and studio art, including painting, drawing, and printmaking. In her spare time, Miss Weiss enjoys sports, traveling, hiking, gardening, visiting museums, and experiencing the great outdoors.

Mrs. de Munsuri, French, Spanish
Mrs. de Munsuri was born in France and raised in Madrid, in a French-Spanish bilingual home. She graduated from the Monterey Institute of International Studies, in Monterey, California, with a master's certificate in Conference Interpretation. Mrs. de Munsuri has been a professional translator for over 10 years, translating technical documents for major companies in the Silicon Valley, Washington, D.C., and Arizona. She has lived in several states. She has 3 boys in RCS in the 3rd, 5th, and 7th grades. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, watching movies, and traveling abroad. Mrs. de Munsuri is very excited to begin her fifth year teaching French and Spanish at RCS.

Mr. Shubert, Technology
Mr. Shubert teaches computing technology classes in high school and keyboarding classes for younger students. Born in Illinois, he graduated from Illinois Wesleyan University in Bloomington with a degree in physics, then took a master's degree in computer science from Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. After coming to Colorado, he worked for Hewlett-Packard and others as a systems administrator, programmer, and software engineer. He taught mathematics at Front Range Community College and computer programming at Aims Community College and has taught undergraduate and graduate courses in computer programming and mathematics at Regis University since 1991. He has attended the Graduate Institute at St. John's College in Santa Fe since 2004 and is working toward a master's degree in the liberal arts. He looks forward to further reading in great books as he begins his fifth year at Ridgeview, teaching keyboarding, basic computing, computer fluency, and Java programming.

Student Services
Mrs. Pait
Mrs. Pait is starting her seventh year at Ridgeview Classical Schools in the Student Services department. She attended Baylor University and received a B.A. in English literature with an emphasis in British literature. She completed her M.A. in special education at the University of Northern Colorado. As the special education teacher, Mrs. Pait provides support and instruction for 7th-12th-grade students with academic needs and administers academic diagnostic testing for students in all grades. In addition, she is teaching two junior-high composition classes this year. Mrs. Pait is a parent of two Ridgeview students and one Ridgeview graduate and had the privilege of helping to establish the school. Although much of her free time is spent taxiing her children from activity to activity, when she can steal some personal time, she enjoys reading and going on long walks in the evening with her husband.

Mrs. Hitchman
Mrs. Hitchman is eager to begin her third year as a paraprofessional in the Student Services department at Ridgeview Classical Schools. She received a bachelor's degree in elementary education and deaf education from the University of Northern Colorado, then taught first, third, fifth, and sixth grades in Fort Collins. After earning a master's degree in elementary reading, she married an Aussie and spent three years down under, where she taught adult literacy and pre-GED classes. Back in the States, she attended workshops by Lindamood-Bell Learning Processes and about teaching reading through phonograms. For the past seven years she has worked as a private reading specialist, helping students improve their reading, writing, speech, and math. She lives with her husband and their three sons (sixth, tenth, and twelfth graders at RCS). In her spare time, Mrs. Hitchman enjoys long bicycle rides, reading, and watching her husband raise corn snakes.

Miss Prewett
Miss Prewett is entering her sixth year working at Ridgeview. She is the literacy coordinator, math teacher, track coach, and elementary paraprofessional in the Student Services department. She has a B.S. in psychology from Colorado State University. Miss Prewett finished her M.ed. in education with a concentration in literacy from Lesley University in Cambridge, MA. She also works with adults with disabilities in the community as well as tutoring children. A Fort Collins native and a super sports fanatic, she loves shooting hoops, playing softball, competing in highland games, and coaching for Special Olympics.

Mrs. Houdesheldt
Mrs. Houdesheldt is beginning her fourth year at Ridgeview Classical Schools as an elementary special education paraprofessional in the Student Services department. This year she will also have secretarial duties in the Student Services department. She earned a bachelor's degree in social work from the University of South Florida. Mrs. Houdesheldt and her family have lived in Fort Collins since relocating in 1991 from Tampa, Florida.

Mrs. Riott
Mrs. Riott is beginning her second year at Ridgeview as a special-needs paraprofessional. She received her bachelor's degree in French from CSU and a master's degree in special education from UNC. She is a licensed teacher in the state of Colorado. She spent one year studying language and cinema at the Institut Catholique de Paris. Mrs. Riott has three sons attending Ridgeview this year in grades K, 2, and 5.

Miss Bosch
Miss Bosch returns to Ridgeview for her second year teaching in the Student Services department. She has experienced life in a dozen different places around the United States, most recently Virginia, where she attended Patrick Henry College. After earning her bachelor's degree in classical liberal arts literature, she moved to Colorado to be with family and friends. Last year, she taught a variety of ages ranging from third to seventh grade and is thrilled to begin the new school year. In her spare time she loves to read, bake, entertain friends, drink mochas, and travel.