Thaddeus Stevens School

     Thaddeus Stevens School

Faculty and Staff

JULIE HANSEN

Director of School and Teacher, English/American Studies

 

  Julie Hansen founded Thaddeus Stevens School in 1999. She established the school’s global vision early on and has sustained it by creating travel programs for students. In addition to Boston, New York, and Washington DC travel for seventh and eighth grade students, Hansen developed a partnership with Modern Schule in Hamburg, Germany that includes student exchange during the school year. 

 

Julie ensures that the curricular offerings at Thaddeus Stevens School reflect current trends in methodology and in content. She has built multicultural history and literary curricula. Her commitment to creating knowledgeable citizens for full participation in our democracy is exemplified by the annual mock trial. The trial uses cases from the National Mock Trial Competition and culminates at the Caledonia County Courthouse. Students also participate in Model UN, which sharpens their critical thinking skills and expands their ability to see another person’s point of view.

 

B.A. University of California at Berkeley, Anthropology

 

M.A. Middlebury College, Bread Loaf School of English, focus on African-American literature

 

EMMA HANSEN

Kindergarten, Administrator

 

Emma has developed the Life Skills program and started Rosie’s Girls at TSS. She graduated from the Vermont Leadership Institute in 2019 and has used that knowledge to develop the Dean of Students position which she now holds. 

 

TSS allows her the freedom and opportunity to curate her course offerings that emphasize the ways in which historical events resonate in current issues. That she has the rare opportunity to work with her mother, Julie Hansen, in a professional and collegial capacity is an added bonus that brings her great joy. Emma is an alumna of Thaddeus Stevens School.

 

B.A. English Literature, University of Vermont, focus on African-American literature; minor ALANA U.S. Ethnic Studies

 

Graduate Vermont Leadership Institute, class of 2019

 

LIZ BOLLMAN

Director, Kingdom Montessori Preschool 

I am the Director and Lead Teacher here at Kingdom Montessori at Thaddeus Stevens School. 


We are a five-star licensed Preschool Center that focuses on the Montessori method of learning. Ms. Amber Coburn works along beside me during the day and we make a great team. Our program is child-led and we provide materials and work based on the children’s needs and wants.


I have worked in Early Education for more than 15 years and have experience with ages 6 weeks to 13 years. I have been the Director for two years and with Thaddeus Stevens School for 4 years. 


My goals are to provide the best quality care for our students, a comforting environment to learn in, and to build lasting relationships with our families.


I was born and raised in Vermont with my family and our sled dogs. I have two daughters (13 and 7) who enjoy Burke Mountain on skis or bikes. During the summer months I work at an In-Home family childcare focusing on an older group of children.

GARY BURNHAM

Expedition Science

 

Gary has been working with youth in the wilderness since 1994, running educational and therapeutic adventure programs for White Mountain Mental Health, Northeast Kingdom Youth Services, and others. He is a guide and certified canoe instructor. 

 

His science background consists of organizing and leading scientific research expeditions throughout the Northern Transitional Forest of the United States and Canada. He has co-written wilderness surveys and studies working with groups such as the Audubon Society, The Sierra Club, the James Bay Defense Coalition, and the Cree and Inuit First Nations of the Lower Hudson Bay and James Bay watersheds.

 

ANDREW DEFRIES, PhD

Teacher - Science, Humanities, Math

Andrew came to the North East Kingdom to explore sustainability through farming and homesteading.


Early in his academic career he went to an independent school and it was a formative experience that lead to the pursuit of science.


B.Sc. Zoology, University of Toronto

PhD Botany, University of California Riverside


MARY THOMAS

Teacher, Third and Fourth Grades

Mary Thomas graduated from Smith College in 1990 with a BA in French Language and Literature. Since then she has worked at a variety of private and independent schools, including The Putney School, Vermont Academy, Burke Mountain Academy and Lyndon Institute, usually on the administrative side. After moving to the NEK from southern Vermont, she has taken 20 plus Masters credits in Education at Lyndon State College. In addition to French, she has long-standing interest in literacy and literacy support.

KANA SENSEI

Teacher, Japanese

 

Kana hails from Osaka, Japan, where she was a certified full-time teacher of English. She also conducted tours throughout Osaka and worked as a translator in Manchester, England. She moved to Hartland with her Vermonter husband where they are raising their three children.

 

Kana enjoys teaching and sharing her country and culture with the TSS community. She loves cooking, exercise, musicals, and spending time with her family.

 

B.A. Kyoto University of Foreign Studies

 

Dual degree: Teaching License and English Language Education

 

AMBER COBURN

Teacher, Kingdom Montessori Preschool

I began my career in Early Childhood Education with internships while in Highschool and have worked with children for more than 14 years. 


I have experience in childcare centers, in home daycares and Preschool classes ranging from ages 6 weeks to 13 years.


I joined Kingdom Montessori at Thaddeus Stevens School and have learned a tremendous amount about the Montessori style of teaching.


I have two boys of my own, ages 10 and 7. We stay active in the winter with snowmobile racing and in the summer you can usually find us near a body of water. I have adapted the Montessori style and language with my own children leading to positive changes in them.

LINDA WARNAAR

Teacher, Music

Grew up listening to Grandfather and Father listening to swing jazz.


Studied trumpet and guitar in her formative years.


Went on to study percussion in Cuba and the States.


Currently leading two Women's groups and playing in three other North East Kingdom bands.

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