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Your Bi-Monthly News & Updates
September 1, 2016
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School starts Tuesday, September 6. High school: 8 a.m., Early Childhood and Grades, 8:30 a.m. See you then!
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Hello Waldorf Families!
WSOC Faculty & Staff 2016
Welcome back!
Our lovely campus has been a veritable hive of activity over the summer. Our new playground is shaping up beautifully, and we are beyond grateful to our facilities manager and fixer-of-all things Chris Hammer, facility administrator Gina Illes who has poured countless hours into this project, our brilliant Grounds Committee (Catherine Averett, Johana Baird and Christie Hall), and the onsite crew from RBA, the construction company owned by Bob Anderson (father of McKenna in Grade 6), whose actions have been nothing short of miraculous, as they've been working nonstop to make up for time lost when our shipping container was delayed. Paul Conolly, owner of shipping company Oceanstar and father of Neve, Grade 9, was instrumental in expediting the customs process for us as well as providing free shipping services. And of course, we are so thankful to all of our wonderful families who donated to this vital project.
Special early preview! GATES WILL OPEN AT at 7:45 a.m. on Tuesday for Grades 1-8. Parents are invited to come view the new playground too!
If you haven't peeked on campus already, here's a hint. Is this picture of (a) a closeup of caviar (b) a buoy garden (c) an alien life form (d) none of the above (e) all of the above?
We can't wait for you to see the big picture on Tuesday!
Blessings,
Alyssa Hamilton WSOC Communications Coordinator
*not getting your full newsletter? Scroll down to the end and click "view entire message"
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An important message from our College of Teachers
Dear WSOC Families,
At the end of the 2015-16 school year, we shared with you that several of our valued and beloved teaching and administrative faculty colleagues are moving on - either temporarily for a much-deserved sabbatical, or to explore new opportunities. The College of Teachers has been meeting throughout the summer to either Iill the open teaching positions or implement program changes that offer our students an exciting alternative for the coming school year. We are pleased to share with you the following news:
Over the years, Gina Garrison has successfully worn many different hats as part of our administrative team. Her experience and qualiIications, including Waldorf teacher training, made her the ideal candidate for the Faculty Coordinator position, and we very much look forward to working with her in this pivotal capacity.
In lieu of Japanese lessons while Masami Inoue is on sabbatical, the Spanish program in Grades 5 - 8 will be augmented and intensified with additional weekly lessons and class splits. We are excited to offer this expanded booster program to prepare our middle school students for High School Spanish. Sandra Blanco, who has been bringing her expertise and enthusiasm to WSOC's Spanish program for many years, will teach in the upper grades while Rocio Levito will continue to teach Grades 1 - 4.
Ririko Oshiro will be teaching Japanese in Grades 1 - 4. Born and raised in Japan, she has earned her college degrees in the U.S. and is currently enrolled in the WISC Teacher Training program. Ririko is a Waldorf parent of two young children.
Matan Tsufim will carry the Woodwork program in Grades 3 and 5-8. He has an extensive Waldorf background as student, teacher, caregiver, and parent, and will bring his expertise in the realm of Woodworking and other practical arts to our students.
Elisabeth Beck has returned from her sabbatical, during which she expanded her artistic and geographic horizons even further! We are happy to welcome her back as she resumes teaching Eurythmy in Kindergarten through 6th Grade.
Lilith Dupuis joins our faculty to teach Eurythmy in Grades 7 - 12. Lilith has extensive experience teaching Eurythmy to adults and children; she has also been a Waldorf class teacher and member of travelling performance Eurythmy groups in the U.S. and throughout Europe.We are pleased to welcome back
We are pleased to welcome back Rusty Vail, a professional musician and trained Waldorf teacher, to strengthen our middle school music program with choir and recorder ensemble lessons. Rusty returns to Orange County and WSOC after holding the position of Music Director at an L.A. area Waldorf school for several years.
Maria Reynolds will hang up her Kindergarten apron and return to her calling as High School Spanish teacher. Maria has a B.A. in Spanish Literature, earned her California High School Spanish teaching credential at UC Irvine, and her Master's degree from Cal State Fullerton in Linguistics. We feel fortunate to have found such an accomplished professional with many years of teaching experience within our own community.
Jessica Bailey joins our faculty to teach Chemistry, PE and Art in the high school. Jessica attended the Santa Cruz Waldorf school through high school and went on to pursue a B.S. in Biology as well as a minor in Art. Jessica brings with her experience in the medical field and as a teacher in a Waldorf inspired program. She will participate in WSOC's Adult Education courses this Fall.
Paul Ullrich will be teaching Math and Physics in the high school. Paul has 13 years of teaching experience and most recently was teaching Physics, AP Physics and Algebra at PaciIic Academy. He earned a BS in Applied Mathematics at Montclair University and holds a CA single subject teaching credential in Math and Physics. Daniel Pitts has been teaching various High School Math main lesson and track classes (Pre-Algebra, Algebra 1 and 2, and Geometry) at WSOC since 2012; we are fortunate to count him among our full-time high school faculty going forward.
With "Ms. Holly" Peterson Richards transforming herself into "Ms. Peterson" guiding the class of 2028 through the grades, Arieta Bizaro has stepped into the role of lead Kindergarten teacher. Arieta began her Waldorf journey as a student. She has been with WSOC for six years, working in the Early Childhood department Iirst as an assistant, then as a co-teacher, and now leading her own kindergarten class. Arieta is a parent of two WSOC students and completed her Early Childhood training at WISC San Diego in 2013.
Please also take note of a slight change in our weekly schedule for Grades 7 and 8: To support our excellent Orchestra/Band program, we have in years past had extended days on Tuesdays and Thursdays to give the students the experience of a full and unrushed lesson, despite the extra time needed for setup and tuning. In an effort to streamline the pick-up process after school, we adjusted the schedule last year to the same 2:50 p.m. release time throughout the grades, but this came at a cost. The middle school students ended up having an extremely shortened recess, which is simply not healthy. With quite a few changes in the makeup of our faculty and additional lesson splits to better serve the students and to keep their schedule breathable, it was decided to revert to our previous setup with a 3:15 p.m. release time for 7th and 8th grade on Tuesdays and Thursdays. For your convenience, siblings will be under the supervision of our Aftercare staff until that time on those days (reservations are not needed for this specific service, and the cost is included in your tuition). Pick up times for Monday, Wednesday and Friday remain at 2:50 p.m. Please join us in welcoming our new and returning faculty members who strive alongside all of us to offer an excellent, nourishing, and inspiring education for your children!
With warm regards,
Your College of Teachers |
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Welcome, new WSOC students!
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Indira
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Appleby
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Liam
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Arriola
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Kingston
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Baahmadi
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Sequoia
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Baird
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Lila
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Barba
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Buck
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Barnard
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Mara
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Barth
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Sidd
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Bauman
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Sora
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Bermejo
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Boden
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Brinkema
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Sirena
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Brooke-Colchester
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Darius
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Brooke-Colchester
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Skylie
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Bystedt
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Jackson
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Coffman
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Angelica
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De La Libertad
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Simon
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Doemer (returning from abroad)
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Blake
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Draper
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Aryana
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Esayian
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Peribeau
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Fabia-Bentley
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Katya
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Fakoor
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Elyssa
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Hayrapet
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Harper
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Heaney
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Hendrick
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Heaney
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Isabel
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Hopkins
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Aara
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Huda
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Isabel
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Johnson
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Evie
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Kantikovit
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Vincent
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Katcherian
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Tanner
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Krout
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Lucas
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Liang
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Jasmine
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Lopez-Powers
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Rosa-Maria
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Matamoros
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Cadyn
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Meyer
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Kai
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Milum
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Kate
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Nichols
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Willa
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Pendergrast
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Kaya
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Piazza
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Maia
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Pratt
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Corina
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Roscigno-Escalera
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Simon
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Salkowitz
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Thomas
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Shuman
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Olivia
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Tong
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Thomas
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Tupman
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Oliver
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Wang
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Cora
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Wickland
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Eli
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Wong
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Shangrong
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Yang
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Vincenzo
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Zeni
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Luke
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Zimprich
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Don't forget!
Hello Waldorf music family!
Just a reminder that our Strings and band classes begin Tuesday on the first day of school. Please be sure to arrive with your instrument, black 3-ring binder, pencil, and music book. String music books are for sale in the Company of Angels.
This is going to be a wonderful year of learning, growing, and creating beautiful music with you.
Warm regards,
Debora Wondercheck
New Family Orientation Wednesday, Sept. 7 7 p.m. Meadows Hall All High School Parent Evening Wednesday, September 14 7 p.m.
Back-to-School Night Friday, Sept. 16 5 p.m. |
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October sign-ups for after school art classes
Kindergarten: Wednesdays starting Oct 5th
!st Grade: Thursdays starting October 6th
2nd and 3rd Grade: Fridays starting October 7th
Mixed grades: Wednesdays 2:50 pm starting October 5th
Cost - $50 for 4 week October block
Email Ms. Joy with questions and sign-ups after September 7th!
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We're back...25 years of bringing Waldorf inspired treasures to you. The journey has been a delight for me. I have been involved in the store for 22 years, endeavoring to bring change year after year. Pam and I hope you will be happy with our paint and new products.
Our Slice Cafe has moved. We have expanded our snacks and location. Come on in and enjoy!
Help me to make this year a financial success for the school. It is only through your support that will we continue to succeed. I am consistently aware of my competition, and it is online sales! Please choose to shop in your store before hitting that button on your computer. Thank you so very much for your patronage.
Blessings,
Nona and Pam
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Why use Scrip?
A quick reminder that the new year for Scrip has begun! If you have a balance due from the previous year you will be getting a notice shortly. Each family has a contractual Scrip obligation of $275 per year, to be met by July 31 of the school year.
For those who are new, Scrip is like a gift certificate. You purchase it in advance and use it like cash at over 700 retailers who participate in our Scrip program. It's available at the Scrip store in Company of Angels, Mon.- Fri. 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. The BEST, easiest, 24/7 way to order your Scrip merchant cards is to use your online account at www.shopwithscrip.com . Come in and Scrip coordinator Pam Lusk will be happy to assist you!
Why do we do this program? Any profit generated above the required $275 per family is equally split between the school's operating budget and your child's classroom account. This boosts your class fund by a significant amount and can help with many outside expenses including the 8th grade trip.
Not a huge shopper? Not a problem. Even choosing a couple of items (gas and groceries, for example) and regularly using Scrip for these retailers can get you to your requirement by July 31 -- and often, well above it.
Please contact Pam Lusk with any questions, and, if you haven't already, get your Shop with Scrip account activated next week!
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Parent Education
Featuring "The Boy Whisperer" Ted Braude!
Please join us for an evening lecture and morning workshop with Ted Braude.
No one knows boys, their challenges and their inner-workings like Ted Braude. As a psychologist and therapist for over 30 years, Ted is a highly sought-after speaker and author. His engaging style connects with boys of all ages as well as their parents, teachers, and other staff who all participate in the boys becoming young men. For boys to develop as passionate, productive, purposeful and potent young men, a change is required in what they encounter with parents and other adults. Ted shares a new understanding and experience of power, conflict and love that is crucial for boys to transition into young manhood.
"The Boy Whisperer" Ted Braude
October 14, 7 p.m. lecture
October 15, 8:30 a.m. to noon workshop
Meadows Hall
Free
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Seeking volunteers for the Festival of Children
School is just around the corner and so is the Festival of Children at South Coast Plaza! WSOC has a booth at the Festival and we are in need of six more volunteers for the table.
What is the Festival of Children? It's a community-wide charity outreach event held every weekend in September, in conjunction with National Child Awareness Month. Children of all ages are invited to enjoy the month-long festival, offering free family activities and events, including live music and dance performances, arts and crafts, animal shows, face painting, and more, while showcasing over 75 youth-serving organizations.
This volunteer commitment only last two hours on a weekend in September and greatly helps spread the word about Waldorf in our community (it's indoors and air conditioned)! The task is
Thank you for your help and support!
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Big and Little Aftercare Forms due
Friday, Sept. 2
Forms can be dropped off at the front office until 2:30 p.m. on Friday, faxed to 949-574-7740 or emailed to Tiesha (Big Aftercare) or Michaela (Little Aftercare).
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Parking by the bluffs-don't get a ticket!
Parking by the bluffs is now prohibited from dawn to dusk Monday through Sunday. This means that once the sun goes down, if you are parked in the lot facing the bluffs the city of Costa Mesa will issue you a parking citation. Make sure to park in our school lot or appropriate side streets for all school functions and meetings that take place in the evenings.
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Community News
We are sad to announce the passing of Joseph Chilton Pearce, a very well-known figure in the Waldorf world and author of Magical Parent, Magical Child, The Heart-Mind Matrix: How the Heart Can Teach the Mind New Ways to Think, and many other wonderful books. He once said that "play is the only way the highest intelligence of humankind can unfold," and our students are certainly proof of this truth. Rest in peace Joseph!
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Upcoming events and parent evenings at-a-glance- Click here for school calendar
* Pick up time for Early Childhood is 12:55 p.m. Kindergarten gate opens at that time.
*On early pickup days for Grades 1, 2 and 3, gates open at 1:10 p.m. Feel free to shop at Company of Angels or hang out with friends on the bench out front until that time. To ensure the safety of our students, the campus will be closed prior to 1:10 p.m. And a loving reminder, we are a cell phone-free and dog-free campus! Thank you for your understanding.
September 5 Labor Day, no school
September 6 First day of school
September 6-8 High School bonding trip
September 7 New Family Orientation
September 9 Adult Education
September 10 Adult Education
September 13 Adult Education
September 14 All High School parent evening
September 16 Back to School night
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College of Teachers
Catherine Averett
Christiane Bohr
Eden Boric
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| | Work day in the WSOC kindergarten |
Jenell Carlson
Barbara Cubanski
Francesco De Benedetto
Gina Garrison
Yvette Fabian
Andrea Hubert
Angie Meier
Holly Peterson (Chair)
Naqib Shifa
Robin Theiss
Brooke Trudeau
Lorri Valenzuela-Mier
Deb Waring
Board of Trustees
Megan Brown
David Burnett (Chair)
Joe DeMichele
Gabe Frisby
Leslie Morrison
Holly Peterson (College Rep)
Colin Severn
Olivia Slutzky
Abril Turner
Wende Zomnir
Adminstrative Rotation:
Jeff Barth
Carolyn Gregg
Gina Illes
Linda Timmons
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