New Faculty & Staff: 2012-2013
Please join us in welcoming new members of the faculty and staff to Laurel for the 2012-2013 year.
Marguerite Christensen—Development Office
Marguerite is the new Annual Fund Assistant working in the Development Office. She comes to us with nonprofit administrative experience having worked with the Cleveland Foodbank, Playhouse Square, Hathaway Brown School and Lakeside Association. Marguerite received her B.A. from Baldwin Wallace College and a Certification in AYA Integrated Language Arts.
Wakaba Futamura—Upper School World Language Teacher
Wakaba joins us as an Upper School French Teacher. Her experience includes teaching at Northeastern University in Massachusetts, Susquehanna University in Pennsylvania, Bennington College in Vermont, and Rice University in Texas. She also has taught in Rennes, France. She received her Ph.D. in French Studies from Rice University as well as in Rennes, France; her M.A. in French is from Middlebury College and her B.A. in biology and French is from Bowdoin College. Wakaba has taught students of diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds in Japan, France and the U.S.
Kirsten Rosebrock-Hayes—Crile Librarian
Kirsten joins us as the Upper and Middle School Crile Librarian. She comes to us from Cleveland Heights-University Heights Public Library where she had worked since 2001. She also provides online reference for Know It Now 24x7 for students seeking homework assistance. Kirsten holds a B.A. from Wittenberg University, an M.A. in English literature from the University of Akron and an M.L.S. from Kent State University.
Sarah Jones—Pre-Primary Assistant
Sarah has extensive experience working with young children at John Dewey Elementary School, Early Childhood Enrichment Center and KinderCare Learning Center. Sarah was graduated from Cleveland State University with a B.S. in education.
Margaret Juergens—Middle School Language Arts and Social Studies Teacher; Varsity Lacrosse Coach
Margaret joins us as a Fifth Grade language arts and homeroom teacher, a Sixth Grade social studies teacher and a varsity lacrosse coach (co-head). She is familiar to Laurel girls, having been a JV lacrosse coach and a substitute teacher. She received her B.A. from Lehigh University.
Kirsten Karakul—Upper School History Teacher
Kristin comes to Laurel from Gilmour Academy where she completed her student teaching in social studies. Kirsten received an M.A. in education from Ursuline College, an M.A. in art history from Case Western Reserve University and her B.A. in art history from Kenyon College. Kirsten was also an intern at The White House.
Dan McGee—Director of Information Resources and Technology
Dan joins us from Our Lady of the Elms School in Akron, where in addition to overseeing the Technology Department, he taught fifth and sixth grade technology classes and Introduction to German, blending technology with traditional pedagogy. He holds a B.A. from Mount Union College, an M.A. in German studies from the University of Cincinnati and is currently enrolled in a Master’s program in education in instructional technology at the University of Akron. Dan is a member of the Technology Advisory Group for the Diocese of Cleveland as well as the International Society for Technology in Education. Ohio Magazine named Dan an “Excellence in Education” Honoree for 2011.
David Redding—Upper School Mathematics Exchange Teacher
David comes to us from St. Mary’s Anglican Girls’ School in Karrinyup, Western Australia. As part of a new Passport Program exchange with St. Mary’s, David is trading teaching assignments for the year with Upper School math teacher Kelly Winkelhake. A native of Great Britain, David has taught math in Australia since 2006 and before that was at St. James’ School in Grimsby, England. In 2003 he was a Fulbright Exchange teacher at Solon High School in Solon, Iowa. David has a B.S. in math from Teesside University and a Post-graduate Certificate in mathematics education from Sheffield University, both in England.
Carrie Ruhrkraut—Middle School Mathematics Teacher
Carrie comes to Laurel from St. Dominic School where she taught fifth through eighth grade math and sixth grade study skills. She recently completed an M.A. in environmental science from Cleveland State University. She received her B.A. in middle childhood education, with a concentration in math and science, from the University of Dayton.
Michael Smith—Biology and Environmental Science Teacher
Mike comes to Laurel from Wilmington Friends School in Delaware, where he recently held the position of science department chair. Mike’s strength as a science educator is in earth/environmental science with experience teaching biology, chemistry and physics. Prior to joining Wilmington in 2005, Mike was an Adjunct Professor/Instructor at the University of Pennsylvania and he has coached cross country and basketball. He received a bachelor’s degree from The College of Wooster, a master’s degree from Rice University and doctorate from The University of Pittsburgh.
Kimberly Soeder—Primary Assistant
Kimberly worked as a student teacher with Laurel’s Second Grade last year. She also has supervised in our After School program and has taught in Summer at Laurel. We are delighted that she will now be with us as an assistant in the Primary. Kim has worked at Lauree P. Gearity Elementary as a literacy tutor and is currently a book club leader. She received her B.A. in early childhood education from John Carroll University.
Jim Spittle—Middle School Substitute
Jim will teach language arts in Sixth Grade for the first semester. He has experience working as a short- and long-term substitute for Cuyahoga Valley Career Center, Hathaway Brown School and Mayfield City Schools, as well as for schools in Michigan and New Mexico. Jim completed his B.S. in theatre from Eastern New Mexico University and his teaching certification in secondary social studies from Madonna University in Livonia, Michigan.
Cara Tweed—Middle School Music Teacher/Music Academy Coordinator
A member of Laurel’s Class of 1999, Cara returns to her alma mater where she was a member of Glee Club, Choir and New Laurel Singers. In addition to being involved with several orchestras as a violinist, Cara was with The Music Settlement as an instructor and string department chair since 2008. Her B.M. is from the Cleveland Institute of Music and her M.M. in violin performance is from Cleveland State University.
Deva Walker—Lake Librarian
Deva will oversee the Lake Library, which serves Laurel’s Pre-Primary and Primary School students. Deva received a B.S. from Eastern Michigan University and M.L.I.S. from Kent State University. She has over ten years of experience in various library settings, including time as a Children’s Services Librarian in Cleveland Heights and a Young Adult Librarian and Branch Manager at the Cleveland Public Library. She has played an active role in organizations such as the Ohio Library Council and American Library Association.
Sarah Wilson—Dean of the Upper School
Sarah joins us as Dean of the Upper School. Sarah, her husband, Trey, and their young daughter, Sophie, come to us from New York City where both Sarah and Trey completed master’s degrees in independent school leadership through the Klingenstein Center, Teachers’ College at Columbia University. Prior to working toward her M.A. in private school leadership, Sarah was at Asheville School in North Carolina as a humanities teacher, ninth grade service program coordinator and assistant to Dean of Faculty. She has also served as a consultant for the Harlem Academy assisting in the development of secondary school placement programs.
Trey Wilson—Dean of Learning Beyond the Classroom
Trey holds the position of Dean of Learning Beyond the Classroom and will direct Laurel’s Passport and Protégé programs. Trey holds a B.A.in political science from Davidson College and received an M.A. in independent school leadership through the Klingenstein Center, Teachers’ College at Columbia University. In his 12-year tenure at Asheville School, Trey served as a humanities teacher, admission associate, faculty chair of the Honor Council and coach for both tennis and basketball.
