Specials [TeamMastermind, Art, Music, Physical Education]

Specials

TeamMastermind

Mindy DeGraff, TeamMastermind

Mindy DeGraff, TeamMastermind

Learning is about more than just the three R's. It's about thinking outside - way outside - the box. That's why we developed TeamMastermind, an innovative curriculum that not only fosters critical thinking, teamwork, and self-evaluation skills but also empowers kids to use their heads, hearts, and hands - the three H's - to learn. Over the past 6 years, thousands of students have benefited from TeamMastermind.

Available as an 18 or 37-week curriculum, TeamMastermind is appropriate for any student in grade 1 - 8. Each highly experiential session introduces a theme that students explore through discussion, reading, and hands-on problem solving in small groups. The session ends with a Mindwinder so kids can practice thinking on their feet. For more information about TeamMastermind, click here.

Art

Hello! This is my 4th year at Mountain School and I am so excited to teach art this year. I believe that Art encourages individual expression and creative problem solving as well as introducing tools, skills, and techniques that students may use throughout their lives. I'm looking forward to an amazing year.

Jacquie Kortas, Art Teacher

Music

Kim Spotts, Music Teacher

Music is fun and should be accessible for all. I believe in creating an environment that allows every child to gain life long appreciation for music. My goal for the Mountain School Music program is to allow the students to experience music through a variety of hands on experiences with instruments, movement, singing, and listening exercises.

Physical Education

As a Physical Education instructor, it is my goal to teach the students to understand the importance of a healthy lifestyle, and how physical fitness will help them today as well as in the future. My classes foster an environment that teaches students self discipline in a safe and caring manner. Students will develop balance, coordination, self esteem and creative movement in a non-competitive approach.

KC Hershey, PE Instructor

Spanish

Michelle Galloway
Spanish Instructor

¡Holá! ¡Aquí se habla español! Bienvenidos. Welcome to Mountain School's Spanish Program. Learning to communicate in Spanish and attaining a passion for learning a foreign language and culture is our goal. Learning a foreign language is not only exciting, increases your cultural sensitivity and future job possibilities, it also develops classification skills, concept formation, analogical reasoning, visual-spatial skills, creativity, and other cognitive gains!

I am Señora Michelle and I am delighted to work with Mountain School's faculty and families to create a culturally diverse Spanish curriculum. I welcome experience in Spanish language and foreign travel and/or a Hispanic family heritage you would like to share. I am a NAU graduate with a major in French, a minor in Spanish and complete course work in secondary teacher certification. I have studied, traveled and lived in Spanish speaking countries, primarily Mexico and Spain. However, I feel it is important to broaden students' knowledge of numerous Spanish-speaking countries, focusing on one country a month. Lessons will be thematic, often branching off of what the class is currently studying in order to increase their knowledge base and vocabulary. ¡Ándale!