Our Wonderful Staff
Principal - Mr. Kendrick White - kendrick.white@thompsonschools.org - 970-613-5603 - His wife Michelle and him have been married for 20 years. They have a daughter in 9th grade adn 6th grade. They live in Berthoud and enjoy being in Colorado. He loves to play basketball, go fishing, hunting even though is is not very successful. In addition to his girls keeping him busy - between volleyball, play practices, hip-hop dance, and church he likes to read, write children's poems and almost anything outdoors. His favorite color is pink.
Secretary - Mrs. Debi Rom - deborah.rom@thompsonschools.org - 970-613-5601 - She has been with Big Thompson since 2005. She started as the Faculty Assistant and was also volunteer co-cordinator for the IR program. Before moving to Colorado she was the attendance clerk at a large high school in Michigan where all 3 of her kids graduated. She was born in Ohio, has an older brother and a younger brother. She has 2 dogs, Rita and Louise, who are her daily walking buddies. She has lived in 5 different states. Loves to read AND is a fan of the Detroit Red Wings!! She has been fortunate to work with great people at jobs that she loves.
Faculty Assistant - Mrs. Stephanie Densborn - stephanie.densborn@thompsonschools.org -970-613-5605 - She was born in Colorado, and has recently (2009) moved back to her home state after spending 27 years in Michigan. She attended college in Michigan and has two Assoc. degrees. She is married and has three children (all girls!). She enjoys spending time camping, skiing/snowboarding, and fishing with her family. She also enjoys painting, reading, hiking and running. In 2007 she had a children’s book published.
SHOA - Mrs. MaryAnn Zweigle - mary.zweigle@thompsonschools.org - 970-613-5602 -
Head Nurse - Donna Conde - donna.conde@thompsonschools.org - 970-613-5600 -
Kindergarten - Mrs. Laura Edwards - laura.edwards@thompsonschools.org - 970-613-5610 -
1st Grade - Mrs. Anne Messerli - anne.messerli@thompsonschools.org - 970-613-5623 -
1st Grade/2nd Grade- Mrs. Lisa Coalwell - lisa.coalwell@thompsonschools.org - 970-613-5629 - She joined the Thompson School District in 1995. She moved to Big T in 2008, and was thrilled to teach at her "neighborhood" school (she lives near Pinewood Reservoir). Big T's emphasis on science and nature fit right in with her interests -- she has been a middle-school Earth Science teacher, a National Park Service education ranger, and a volunteer naturalist. In her free time, she likes to hike, raise alpacas for their fiber, and do freelance environmental writing. She is married to Gib, and has three grown children.
2nd Grade - Ms. Karla Leonard - karla.leonard @thompsonschools.org - 970-613-5630 -
3rd Grade - Mrs. Leslie Hyland - leslie.hyland@thompsonschools.org - 970-613-5609 - She loves teaching third graders, but in the past has also taught 2nd grade, 3rd/4th mulitage and gifted education, K-12. Her educational background includes a Bachelor's Degree in Elementary Education with a focus on Early Childhood, and a Master's Degree in Gifted Education, K-12. She is a wife, mom and grandmother. Her son is a rancher in Kansas, and a daughter who is finishing a graduate deree in dance at the University of Oregon. Spending time outdoors is her favorite. Her husband and her like to hike and snowshoe in the mountains. She enjoys family, ready, eating out, decorating and making jewelry. The rural setting, the outdoor educations area, and especially the people drew her to Big Thompson. She has taught gifted education as an itinerant teacher in 15 different schools in two states. Among them all, Big Thompson is her favorite place to be!
3rd Grade/4th Grade - Mrs. Mary Kay Farrer - marykay.farrer@thompsonschools.org - 970-613-5622 - She has been teaching at Big Thompson since 1987 and this has been the only school she has taught at. She has taught every grade except Kindergarten including 6th grade which was in the room where the library currently is. She also is a big Nebraska fan (Go Huskers). She went to college at Kearney State and was a nanny in Boston for a year where she took a year off of college to do and had an awesome experience. She has a husband Paul and 3 children: Michaela 16, Austin 14 and Lauren 12. They all go to school in Windsor. They live on a farm east of Fort Collins. She loves to read, ride bikes with her kids, scrapbook when time allows, sew and just being with her kids.
4th Grade/5th Grade - Mr. Jim Cooper - james.cooper@thompsonschools.org - 970-613-5633 -
5th Grade - Mrs. Becky Bice - rebecca.bice@thompsonschools.org - 970-613-5621 - Since 1999 she has been helping students at Big T. learn inside and outside of the classroom. Although she is a Colorado native she has spent time in many different states and countries expanding her life and education. She enjoys traveling, reading, hiking, camping and spending time with her family. All of these experiences have helped make her a better teacher and learner. She is looking forward to many more years with the Big Thompson Elementary community. "I am proud to be a teacher at Big Thompson Elementary."
Music Teacher - Mr Mark Kubichek - mark.kubichek@thompsonschools.org - 970-613-5600 - He is the music teacher for Big Thompson, Garfield and Monroe. He has a wife Raenell and a son Noah. He like to relax with his family and spend tie with friends. He directs the church choir at Faith E. Free in Fort Collins and will be the announcer for the CSU Marching Band for three of the home games in 2011. He also has a collection of legos with more then 10,000 pieces.
Gifted and Talented - Mrs. Diana Ritschard - diana.ritschard@thompsonschools.org - 970-613-5624 - - She is excited to be the Gifted Talented teacher here at Big T. Previously she taught Reading in Pennsylvania. She is married to Mark, has four children and has lived in Colorado 11 years. She enjoys tennis, hiking, gardening and generally being outside with my family.
Instructional Coach, Interventionist - Ms. Amanda Washburn - amanda.washburn@thompsonschools.org - 970-613-5627 - 2011 is the first year for her at Big Thompson. She comes from a long line of teachers. She is a fourth generation educator on her dad's side. Grandparents, great grandparents, aunts, uncles and parents have all worked in public schools so she is carrying on the family tradition.She does a lot of kayaking and in the winter she plays kayak polo. She loves to ballroom dance and singing. She enjoys taking her dog for hikes and ride her bike and just being outdoors. Her mom and stepdad live in Fort Collins and ther sister, dad and stepmom and family live in Michigan.
Speech-Language Pathologist - Ms. Kristina Newby - kristina.newby@thompsonschools.org - 970-613-7553 - She is a graduate of University of Northern Colorado for both her B.A. and M.A. in Communication Disorders and Speech-Langauge Pathology, repsectively. This is her third year of being a speech-language pathologist for Thompson School District, she is blessed with the assignment of being a part of Big Thompson Elementary. It was a bit like coming home. She grew up in a small town in Wyoming so small in fact that her sister who was a senior in high school at the time was her art teacher. "Big Thompson has that same feel." One of the first things she noticed was that most of the staff that worked here had a love for the outdoors, and that students would randomly disappear to the outdoor education center to explore and learn. Over the years that love of nature and science has found its way across the street and into the classroom in various ways from planting flowers to growing worms. Sheis proud to be part of a school who teaches their students to be earth friendly, energy conscious and conservation minded!! Many of her hobbies include the outdoors. She enjoy fishing, camping and hiking. Her house is littered with rocks inside and out. She also enjoys attending concerts and festivals, and walking her rescued greyhound.
Counselor - Ms. Laura Taritas - laura.taritas@thompsonschools.org - 970-613-5626 - - She is the counselor for both Big Thompson and Van Buren. She lives in Fort Collins with her boyfriend Tim and their sweet dog Titus. She enjoys the outdoors and tries to be outside as much as possible. She likes to run, bike, kayak, camp, hike, and snowshoe. She also enjoys swimming, yoga, reading and seeing live music, gardening, photography and travel. She is learning to play the guitar. She has a goal to participate in the 1/2 Ironman by 2014.
PE - Ms. Dawn Fertitta - dawn.fertitta@thompsonschools.org - 970-613-6632 -
Art - Susan Hunt - susan.hunt@thompsonschools.org - 970-613-5600 -
Computer - Mrs. Cheryl Shell - cheryl.shell@thompsonschools.org - 970-613-5640 -
Library - Mrs. Joanie Pettigrew - joanie.pettigrew@thompsonschools.org - 970-613-5604 - She has worked in the Thompson School District since 1997 in various capacities at two schools. She worked three years at Erwin Middle School as a receptionist and library assistant before transferring to Loveland High School, briefly as a faculty assistant, then in the library where she spent eight years before coming to Big Thompson Elementary. Some of her hobbies include; running, hiking, swimming, biking, and knitting. She love reading so working in the libraries at all levels is the perfect fit for her.
Technologist - Mrs. Kay Hall - kay.hall@thompsonschools.org - 970-613-6607 -
Resource - Mrs. Melissa Stapf - melissa.stapf@thompsonschools.org - 970-613-5637 -
O/T - Mrs. Karen Harmon - karen.harmon@thompsonschools.org - 970-613-6055 -
Psychologist - Mrs. Erin Proctor - erin.proctor@thompsonschools.org - 970-613-7121 -
Cafeteria - Mrs. Meg Gordley - mary.gordley@thompsonschools.org - 970-613-5606 - She has a husband Dan and three children, a 19year old going to UNC, a sophomre and a 7th grader. She enjoys watching her children participate in sports. Her son plays baseball, football, basketball and track. Her daughters both do very well in track and one also plays softball. She also likes working with plants, and walking her dog. She has been working with Nutrition Services for 7 years and enjoys providing healthy, appetizing breakfasts and lunches for the kids.
Cafeteria - Mrs. April Hill - april.hill@thompsonschools.org - 970-613-5606 -
Lead Custodian - Mr. Mike Cramer - mike.cramer@thompsonschools.org - 970-613-5607 -
Night Custodian - Mr. Steve Sims - steve.sims@thompsonschools.org - 970-613-5607 -
Big Thompson Elementary School • 7702 West Highway 34, Loveland, Colorado, 80538 • (970) 613.5600 • email us
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