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faculty & staff
The Grammar School’s faculty represents a cross section of highly qualified teachers with varied and unique life experiences and talents, which they bring to their classrooms every day.
Ginny Bianco (B.S. Rhode Island College) First Grade Teacher. Ginny
came to TGS in 1987 with 11 years of teaching experience. Before
joining TGS, she was head teacher at Athens Elementary School. Ginny
has also taught in Grafton, Westminster, Bellows Falls, and
Springfield. Ginny has taught at The Grammar School for the last 20
years.
Charlie Boswell (B.A. University of New Hampshire, MALS candidate
Dartmouth College) Fifth Grade Teacher. Charlie earned his B.A. in
English at UNH. Prior to coming to TGS in 1996, Charlie taught English
and sculpture at The Putney School. Charlie has served as the athletic
director at TGS and has coached cross-country running and cross-country skiing.
Ken Brautigam (B.A. Beloit College: candidate MAT Colgate University) Preschool Teacher. Ken brings to TGS a wealth of varied life
experiences, including work as a Peace Corps volunteer for 3 years in
Niger, West Africa. Prior to teaching at TGS, Ken taught pottery and
was the assistant librarian at Putney School. In 1994, Ken was the
preschool assistant and in 1995 he became the head teacher.
Email Ken
Amy Cann (B.Mus, Crane School Of Music, SUNY) 5-6 Chorus, 7-8 Chorus and Instrumental Studio.
Amy's experience includes 16 years of K-12 vocal teaching for the
Westminster, VT and Poughkeepsie, NY school systems. She performs as a
violinist, pianist, fiddler and dance caller. She teaches violin and
traditional music and dance at The Putney School, directs frequent
community and children's touring theater productions, and maintains a
private violin/piano studio in Westminster West.
Email Amy
William Chambers (B.A. Sarah Lawrence College; M.Ed. Antioch New England Graduate School) Art Teacher. William has over ten years experience teaching in a variety of elementary grades and his undergraduate degree concentration was Asia Studies and Sculpture. He is certified by the State of Vermont to teach art grades K-12. William is also Director of Summer Programs and teaches art during this time as well. Prior to classroom teaching, William taught puppetry and outdoor adventure skills to school groups in New England. William began at TGS in 2004.
Email William
Libby McCawley Cowan (B.A. Kirkland College, M. Ed. Antioch University
New England) Fourth Grade Teacher. Libby has previously worked in a
variety of capacities at TGS, most recently as an intern in the Second
Grade and as a long-term substitute in Kindergarten and First Grade.
Carol Cutts B.S. Nursing, University of Vermont) Music Assistant/Recorder and bells grades three through eight. Carol worked 18 years in the Townshend Elementary School as K-3 classroom assistant. She began working at TGS in 1999 as the preschool aide before taking the position as Assistant Music instructor.
Ponnie Derby (B.S. Education, University of Texas; M.L.S., Simmons College) Librarian. Ponnie previously worked as a librarian at the University of Texas. She has also served as a board member of the Moore Free Library and as a member of Windham County Reads. Ponnie has been the TGS Librarian since 1994.
Laurie Penfield Fichter (B.A. University of New Hampshire, M.A. Georgetown University), Eighth Grade homeroom, 7th and 8th grade English, 7th and 8th grade social studies, Upper School Coordinator, and Secondary School Advisor. Laurie’s previous teaching experience includes positions at the New Canaan Country School in Connecticut and at The Putney School. She began her career at TGS as the sixth grade teacher in 1997.
Email Laurie
Johanna Gardner (BA, Mount Holyoke College) French Teacher. Johanna has taught at World Learning, Kroka Expeditions and Greenfield High School. She grew up in Newfane, Vermont, but has lived in Norway, France, and California. Her love of French began at Leland and Gray Union High School and flourished into a career. She loves teaching at TGS and commutes to work from her home in Newfane, where she lives with her husband and three children.
Email Johanna
Darcy Gibney(B.A. Colgate University, MAT Manhattanville College) Kindergarten Teacher. Most recently, Darcy worked as a Kindergarten Aide at Chester-Andover Elementary school and the Children’s Librarian at Whiting Library in Chester. She began her teaching career in New Canaan Country School as an apprentice in a multi-age 1-2 class and in 3rd grade. She went on to teach third grade at The Town Hill School in Lakeville, Connecticut for 2 years and Second Grade at Rocky Hill School in East Greenwich Rhode Island for 4 years. Darcy started at TGS in 2005.
Email Darcy
Paul Hopkins (“Hop”) (B.S., University of Oregon; M.S. Antioch University New England) Seventh Grade homeroom, Science Teacher (grades 6, 7, and 8), 6th grade social studies, and PSD. Prior to coming to TGS in 2006, Hop taught health at Bellows Falls High School and Lynch Middle School in Holyoke, Massachusetts. He has also taught science in Bogotá, Colombia, and in rural North Carolina, where he was a charter member of Teach For America. He lives in Saxtons River with his wife and two daughters.
Email Hop
Linda Kosiba(B.S. Speech Pathology, SUNY Albany, M.Ed Deaf Education, Western Maryland College) Third Grade Teacher. Linda was a speech and
language therapist in Colchester, Vermont, and she taught in a
mainstreamed deaf education classroom in Marlborough, New Hampshire.
For several years, Linda was an upper elementary teacher at the Austine
School for the Deaf and then she taught third grade at the Green Street
School, both in Brattleboro. When Linda arrived at TGS in 1993, she
provided Academic Support for two years before becoming the third grade
teacher. In 2004, Linda assumed the job of Assistant to Head of School
for curriculum development as an additional responsibility. For
several years, she has also enjoyed the job of soccer coach for the TGS
third/fourth grades soccer team.
Email Linda
Alli Lubin (B.A. Barnard College) Head of Music Department and
Technology Administrator. For the past 37 years, Alli has been a
performer and teacher of music in Vermont. She has taught elementary
school music in Manchester, Wardsboro and Winhall, as well as special
classes and projects at Flood Brook, Burr and Burton Seminary, West
River Montessori School, Springfield Community College, and Putney
School. Alli came to TGS in 1993 and has been Technology Administrator
since 1998.
Email Alli
Eve McDermott(B.A. University of Vermont; M.Ed. Boston College) Second Grade Teacher. Eve taught third grade in Wilmington, VT for several
years and then taught fourth through sixth grades in the Brattleboro
elementary schools. Prior to teaching, Eve worked at the Museum of
Fine Arts in Boston as director of the publications exchange program
and library assistant. Eve began teaching at TGS in 1994.
Email Eve
Tara Meinhard (B.A. Haverford College) Sixth Grade English, Eighth Grade math, bookkeeping. Tara has been at TGS since 2001. A Vermont native and TGS graduate, Tara worked at The Pew Charitable Trusts in Philadelphia before returning to Vermont. She teaches 6th grade English, a section of 8th grade math, works in the business office, and coordinates the school schedule.
Mary Heller Osgood (B.A. Dartmouth College)Mary Heller Osgood - Communications and Alumni Development. Mary Heller Osgood will work with our administrative staff on
communications including web site management and publicity, alumni
development and the planning of our fiftieth anniversary celebration.
Mary will also teach 7th and 8th grade PSD and is the After School
Sports Coordinator.
Kathy Richardson
(B.A. Sonoma State College, California; C.M.A. Laban/Bartenieff Institute for Movement Studies, New York; M.Ed. in math education from the University of Vermont) Kathy is the Sixth Grade homeroom teacher and teaches sixth, seventh, and eighth grade math as well as being one of the middle school PSD co-teachers. She leads the student council and helps to run the alpine skiing program. As part of her recent graduate work in mathematics with the Vermont Mathematics Initiative, she received a grant from the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. An alumna, former parent and teacher, Kathy has been connected to TGS in many ways from its first years to now.
Email Kathy
Tracy Rodriguez (B.S. Education, University of Texas) First grade social studies,
science and physical skills development. Tracy has 10 years of teaching experience, the majority of which have been at the preschool and Kindergarten levels. Early in her career she was a 4th grade bilingual teacher and also spent some time working with preschool aged children in Houston, TX. After moving to Austin, she taught Kindergarten for four years at St. Matthew's Episcopal Day School before moving to New England. Tracy was an assistant in a special needs preschool classroom at Deerfield Elementary and, most recently, taught Kindergarten at The Bement School in Deerfield, MA.
Email Tracy
Patty Stickney 6th-8th Grade Social Skills Counselor
Patty is the new sixth, seventh and eighth grade social skills
counselor. Patty began her career as a nurse in a pediatric office.
Patty coordinated and facilitated the Nurturing Parent and Family
Programs for many years at HCRS offering education about parenting,
normal child development as well as tools to build healthy families.
For the past 13 years Patty has worked as a Masters Level Licensed
Clinical Mental Health Counselor at Vermont Academy as a school
counselor and in a private practice in the Saxtons River community.
Email Patty
Jared Stolper (B.S. Music Theory SUNY Geneseo, Biology SUNY Geneseo, M.A Music Norwich University) K-1-2 Chorus, 3-4 Chorus and 7-8 Instrumental Studio. Jared has taught music in New England since 1976 on levels that range from Kindergarten to college. Jared enjoys outdoor sports and has a passion for traveling and enjoying the music found throughout the world. Jared presently sings in two world music groups, House Blend a small vocal ensemble and his acapella trio Triptych.
ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF
Sara Dunbar Nurse/Health Consultant
Sara will be our Nurse/Health Consultant for the coming year. Last year Sara led an all day First Aid/CPR training session with our entire staff and faculty. In the coming year, Sara will lead us in a refresher course in these same areas. Other duties for Sara will include checking, updating, and reviewing our health forms, health protocols, student records, and Parent and Student Handbook. She will be on call for consultation for all medical questions.
Sara has been an athletic trainer and is an RN. She has served as a nurse at Vermont Academy and Springfield Hospital. She is currently employed part time at Brattleboro Memorial Hospital.
Sara lives in Putney with her husband, Jon, and their three children.
Email Sara
Deb Gray (B.A. University of Vermont) Business Manager, Physical Skills
Development Teacher and Athletic Director. A Putney native and
graduate of Putney School, Deb has helped coach numerous sports at TGS
in addition to her administrative duties. She has taught PSD since
1998. Deb was the TGS bookkeeper in 1988 and has been Business Manager
since 1990.
Mark R. Green (A.B. Hamilton College, M.Ed. Antioch NE) Director of
Development. Mark has nearly 20 years experience working in independent
schools. He has served as a teacher and Director of Development at the
Greenwood School, as Associate Director of Admissions and Director of
Financial Aid at Putney School, Director of Admissions at the Verde
Valley School in Sedona, AZ, and Associate Director of Alumni Relations
and the Annual Fund at the Thayer School of Engineering at Dartmouth
College. Prior to his role at Thayer, Mark served for four years as
Director of Development at TGS.
Email Mark
Chris Harlow(B.A. Plymouth State College) Plant Manager, bus driver, and PSD
Instructor. Chris has been in charge of transportation and buildings
and grounds since 1990. He has been coaching the Upper School soccer
team since 2000. Chris also teaches PSD classes, and is a certified
instructor for ropes course and orienteering classes.
Email Chris
Tammy Holt Office Manager, bus driver. Tammy cares for the day to day running of The Grammar School for faculty, staff, students, and parents. Tammy started at TGS in 2004.
Meg Lyons (B.S. Elmira College, M.A.T. Colgate University) Director of Admission, Financial Aid and Marketing. Meg began her TGS career during the summer of 2009. She brings to this position more than twenty years of independent school experience working coast to coast at Northfield Mount Hermon School in western Massachusetts, The Collegiate School (NYC), the Buckley School (LA), and Noble & Greenough School (Boston). She has been a history and world cultures teacher for grades 7, 8, and 9 and more recently, an administrator in the areas of philanthropy, communications, and community relations. Meg was the recipient of a Fulbright summer grant to study and travel throughout India, an event she describes as a highlight of her teaching career and an important turning point for her personally.
Email Meg
Steve Lorenz Head of School (BA University of Dayton, MS C.W. Post College, LIU). With over 25 years experience in education, Steve, of
Chester,VT has most recently been the executive director of a museum
and environmental education center in Grafton,VT and previously served
as the principal of the Saxtons River School in Saxtons River,VT. He
has taught in first, fourth, sixth, seventh and eleventh grade. Steve
began as the Head of School at TGS in September of 2006.
Email Steve