Head of School Dr. Mike Davis joined faculty and staff colleagues on April 25, 2024, to celebrate the winners of annual grants and service awards and honor departing and retiring employees.
“No matter our specific job, we are all educators, admission and advancement officers, and protectors of our students,” Davis said. “Your diligence and commitment to the Colorado Academy mission are essential to the goal of our institution: providing extraordinary opportunities for our students.”
2024 BENSON SUMMER FELLOWSHIP GRANT
The Benson Summer Fellowship was established in 2022 to support opportunities for Upper School faculty. Through an annual competitive process of proposals, Upper School faculty members receive a portion of the total $20,000 grant, to cover professional development and engagement related to their subject matter. Faculty are encouraged to seek out creative and innovative opportunities, and are required to share their experience with other faculty and/or students through a post-fellowship presentation.
The recipients of the 2024 Benson Summer Fellowship award are:
- Laura Farmer, Educational Technology
- Suzie Jekel, Upper School Science
- Madison Slater, Upper School Spanish
FRANCES NEWTON OUTSTANDING FACULTY AWARD
Named in the spring of 2003, and endowed by an anonymous donor, the award recognizes those who have modeled teaching excellence, who render exemplary service on behalf of students and colleagues, and who, in their teaching practice, provide examples of the multiple talents and values that are mirrored in the school’s mission.
- Dr. Camille James, 9th Grade Dean & Culturally Responsive Instructional Coach
- Kathleen Kirkman, Middle School Science
- Cheryl Amador, K-2 Literacy Support Coordinator
- Deb Fenton, Grades 3-5 Literacy Support Coordinator
CONNIE ADCOCK AWARD FOR INSPIRATIONAL TEACHING
The Connie Adcock Award for Inspirational Teaching was created in 2011 to recognizes a teacher who ignites in students a lifelong love of learning and creative expression through the use of innovative teaching methods, who ensures a nurturing classroom environment that encourages risk taking and appreciates individual style, and who plants within children that seed of confidence that hard work and perseverance will take them far in life, and that their successes are worthy of celebration!
- Julie Wei, Upper School Chinese
- Stashia Taylor, Upper School Studio & Digital Art
- Jessica Ohly, Fifth Grade Instructor
ALANNA BROWN STAFF AWARD
Honoring of our past CFO and Business Manager, Alanna Brown, this award recognizes those staff members who have provided extraordinary services to the students, faculty, staff, and administration.
- Christina Garza, Upper School Administrative Assistant
- Devon Sisneros, Middle School Administrative Assistant
- Elena Yoder, Lower School Administrative Assistant
HEAD OF SCHOOL AWARD FOR DISTINGUISHED SERVICE
This award recognizes extraordinary service to the school.
- Katy Wood Hills, Director of Visual & Performing Arts
YOEMAN FISHER TEACHING EXCELLENCE AWARD
The Yoeman Fisher Teaching Excellence Award was instituted in 1980 in memory of a beloved retiring Lower School teacher. This award was established to recognize a long, outstanding teaching career at CA. The criteria to receive this award include:
- Being recognized as a creative, inventive, inspiring, and knowledgeable teacher.
- Being seen as a role model who displays in his or her own life the qualities of invention, curiosity, and intellectual discipline which we seek to instill in students.
- Being seen as a source of sound advice and an intelligent critic of teaching strategy.
- Allison Peters Jensen, Director of Libraries
- Beth Folsom, K-12 Physical Education & Head Golf Coach
DEPARTING & RETIRING FACULTY & STAFF RECOGNITION
Departing Faculty & Staff
- Savannah Adams, Upper School Science (1 year long-term sub)
- Katie Schneider Assaf, US Computer Science & Engineering (2 years)
- Gabe Bernstein, US Academic Counselor, 12th Dean, Boys’ Soccer Head Coach (11 years)
- Erin Carlson, Middle School French & Spanish (10 years)
- Forbes Cone, Outdoor Education & Middle School Social Studies (13 years)
- Lissa Cullen, Upper School English (1 year long-term sub)
- Ali Elkins, Grade Three (5 years)
- Allison Gordon, Upper School Social Studies (2 years)
- Alex Kogstad, Asst. Director, Early Childhood Education (1 year)
- Jason Koza, Middle School Mathematics (10 years)
- Randall Martinez, Upper School Social Studies, Speech & Debate Coach (3 years)
- Daniela Meltzer, Horizons Executive Director (6 years)
- Kristen Hume, Controller (7 years)
- Margit Patterson, Kindergarten (10 years)
- Elena Yoder, Lower School Administrative Assistant (1 year)
Retirements
- Becky Burchfield, Violin & Viola Instructor (46 years)
- Sue Counterman, Middle School Science (34 years)
- Cathy Nabbefeld, Co-Dir & Assoc. Dir, College Counseling (30 years)
- Rory Butler, Network Administrator (24 years)
- Rita Vera, Lower School Spanish (7 years)