Park Hill
Meet our 2024-25 school year staff members
Principal
Ken Burdette
Originally from Maryland, I have been fortunate to call Denver my home since 2007. Over the years, I have served as a classroom teacher, an Assistant Principal in a K-8 school, and a Principal at both the high school level and elementary level. I was hired at Park Hill Elementary in the Spring of 2015, and began my first year as Principal at PHE in the 2015-2016 school year. Since then, we have created a school environment that is joyful, and is inclusive and welcoming to all students and families. Overall, it is a true honor to serve the community in which I live.
Principal Resident (Assistant Principal)
Maggie Bixby
My name is Maggie Bixby, and I am the proud Principal Resident at Park Hill Elementary. I have been in education for over 20 years; this is my 6th year at PHE. I started in education as a kindergarten teacher, where I stayed for many years. As my family grew, my job shifted. I worked as an English Language Development Teacher, a Social Emotional Learning Coordinator, and an Instructional Coach. All of these experiences led me to where I am today. My hope is to lead a school where every student and staff member is seen and honored for exactly who they are.
Teaching Staff
Hello, I’m Belle Newman, and I am the ECE-PreK teacher here at Park Hill. I have been teaching for 13 years in DPS and I came here to Park Hill Elementary in the fall of 2017. I have lived just across the blvd for 22 years with both of my children graduating from East High. My goal as an educator is to provide a loving, safe, and respectful environment for all students and their families. I believe that all cultures, life experiences, identities, and belief systems should be honored and cherished. I am honored to and love teaching in such a wonderful and caring school community. When I’m not teaching I love to spend time with my family and friends in our beautiful state. We love to camp, ski, and partake in all that our Rocky Mountains provide us.
Early Childhood Education Teacher
Michelle (Belle) Newman
Hello! I have been in education for 7 years with three of them being a teacher at Park Hill. Before moving back to Colorado, I had been working in outdoor education working with students on recreation skills like backcountry skiing, rock climbing, and more. My classroom works off of a mutual love and respect for learning, with a focus on positive relationship building each day. My favorite part about teaching is being present for the tremendous growth in which our students go through in their academic careers and personal lives; they bring such creativity and light to every interaction and it is genuinely inspiring. Outside of school you will mostly find me playing in the mountains and rivers with my dog, cooking, or going to shows. I am so grateful to be a teacher at PH and have the opportunity to work with such wonderful families and their students.
Kindergarten Teacher
Louisa (Lulu) Kennedy
Hello! I'm Gabrielle Hurley and I am a Kindergarten teacher at Park Hill Elementary! I have been a kindergarten teacher for 7 years! In my opinion, there is nothing better than that! My goal every year is to create a classroom of community, kindness, and to instill the love of learning. I am originally from Knoxville, Tennessee but moved to Denver 3 years ago with my husband, Cody! In my free time, I love to explore the beautiful mountains with my dog, riding bikes, or cooking a new meal! I am always up for all of the adventures! I am so excited and grateful to work at PHE and to invest in this incredible community! I can not wait for a very special Kindergarten year!
Kindergarten Teacher
Gabrielle Hurley
Hello! I’m Natasha Gulley. I have been teaching for 15 years, 7 of which have been in Kindergarten. I love teaching Kindergarten because it is chance to grow a love of learning in my students as well as my families, who may be experiencing school as a parent for the first time. I see school and home as a fluid connection, a fruitful and constant interchange of learning. One of my passions is inviting families into my classroom to learn alongside their child. Kindergarten is a magical year where children are at their purest. My role is to enhance each child’s unique gifts and ways of being so that they remain true to themselves throughout their educational experience. I am a mother to two girls, Rumi and Nour. I am also bilingual (Spanish-English), and a Registered Yoga Instructor. In my spare time, you can find me at the gym lifting weights, on the ski slopes, hiking in the mountains, or painting and drawing the world around me. Some of my life goals include: publishing a children’s book, doing a pull up, contributing to a strong and successful public education system for generations to come, and ensuring that your child has an amazing kindergarten experience.
Kindergarten Teacher
Natasha Gulley
Hello! I feel blessed to be a part of our school community and to live in the same community where I work. I have been an educator for 24 years, and this is my eleventh year at Park Hill Elementary. I love teaching kindergarten, watching the joy of learning, and utilizing each child’s individual gifts to help them be the best they can be. I have a M.Ed. in Integrating Arts into Education and have also been trained as a classical singer. My classroom is filled with lots of opportunities to make art, sing, and be creative. I believe that the arts are a powerful tool for learning, creating, and bringing our community together. In addition, I love learning about other cultures, creating an inclusive classroom and teaching students about the world around them. In my spare time, I enjoy singing, cooking, hiking, and spending time with my husband and children.
Kindergarten Teacher
Erika Neale
Hi! I am Deb Peterson and this will be my 28th year teaching at Park Hill. I love teaching reading and writing to first grade students, and sharing my love of books with them. I enjoy building relationships with Park Hill students and families, and the strong sense of community at our school. When I’m not reading, I like to hike, travel, watch movies and hang out with my husband Andy and our two chiweenies, Chloe and Stella!
1st Grade Teacher
Debra Boetel Peterson
Hi Panthers! This is my 17th year at Park Hill and my 23rd year in education. Whew! As a first grade math teacher, I encourage you to try to do the math on that one!
My favorite part of teaching is supporting kids to learn to persevere through hard things both in and out of the classroom.
Outside of school my life is full with traveling to visit my two older kids in college and keeping up with our 4th grader on the volleyball court.
1st Grade Teacher
Kelly Boyer
This will be my fourth year teaching, all of which have been at Park Hill!
My favorite part of my job is spending my days with my students and seeing the joy of their learning. I also love making memories as a class to cherish forever.
Outside of school I love to spend time with my husband and son. We usually spend our weekends outdoors - hiking, camping, rock climbing, or skiing!
1st Grade Teacher
Kristyn Harris
Hello! Let's get the burning question out of the way first: I'm 6'7" and yes, I played basketball in high school! Beyond that, I have been teaching first grade at Park Hill since 2010. My talents (if you ask my first graders) are shooting dried up markers in the trash can from across the room, touching the ceiling, punting a soccer ball to the clouds, and (most importantly) being the tallest person in the school. I am so fortunate to work at such a great school with such amazing, supportive families and staff! When I'm not shooting markers into trash cans I can be found hanging out with my family, writing music, playing basketball, working out, and eating Lamar's donuts (in no particular order).
1st Grade Teacher
Jeff Wiant
I am excited to be starting my 20th year teaching and my 3rd year on this amazing 1st grade team. I grew up in Colorado and went to Marquette University (I’m a huge MU basketball fan and my claim to fame is that I tutored Dwyane Wade!) I started my teaching career in Milwaukee, WI in 2004 then taught in Washington, D.C. before starting at Park Hill in 2007. The community here is so special to me, both personally and professionally, and I am constantly amazed at the magic that happens inside our school. Broadway musicals, walking my dog, public libraries, and cheering on my girls in all of their various sports and activities are a few of my favorite things.
1st Grade Teacher
Meghan Wren
Hi, I am Holly Castle. I have been teaching for 3 years and have been at Park Hill that whole time! I even did my student teaching here as well in 3rd grade. I really love being a part of a strong community and something I deeply love about this job is seeing the growth kids have from the start to end and having the opportunity to learn from them as well! Kids bring such a pure joy with them that is so special to be around.
Some things I enjoy doing outside of school are really anything outdoors. I enjoy camping. biking, climbing, hanging out with family and friends. I am so excited and grateful to have the opportunity to teach here at Park Hill!
2nd Grade Teacher
Holly (Bauchert) Castle
This is my 14th year teaching and my 9th year teaching second grade at Park Hill. Before coming to Park Hill, I taught in Nashville (where I’m from) and Honolulu. I have been calling Denver home since I moved here in 2015. I enjoy working with children and seeing the world through their eyes; they are curious, enthusiastic, and confident. I have a passion for children's literature and believe there is a picture book for anything and everything. Outside of school, I enjoy spending time with my husband Daniel and our two sons, George and Sullivan.
2nd Grade Teacher
Sara Goodwin
My name is Sharyn and I go by Ms Kline in the classroom. This will be my 9th year teaching 2nd grade at Park Hill and my 24th year in DPS!
I live in Denver with my family- my son is 16 and my daughter is 14. They are both DPS students. I also have 2 dogs that I adore, Samson is a 11 year old black lab and Luna is a 4 year yellow lab.
I am originally from Minnesota. SKOL! I started Kindergarten and graduated from college in my hometown. My mom still lives in the house I grew up in. I moved to Colorado the day after I graduated from college and haven't looked back. I enjoy doing just about anything outside, but I don't love water sports. I had some pretty traumatic boating/ water skiing/tubing/canoeing incidents as a child and prefer to stay away from freshwater. Ha!
I love working with the students and families at Park Hill. I am honored to be a part of such a strong community.
2nd Grade Teacher
Sharyn Kline
I have been teaching in DPS for 21 years and this is my fifth year at Park Hill. Teaching has been my passion ever since I was a kid. I love watching the students grow as learners, foster deep and meaningful connections, and maintain a sense of community as we grow together. When I'm not teaching, traveling and getting outdoors are some of the things that I value and try to do as much as possible. I also enjoy camping, hiking, attending music festivals, and spending time with my 3 kids and dogs.
2nd Grade Teacher
Jennifer Oxman
I have over 20 years of experience in education. I was a Paraprofessional at Park Hill for 2 years then went to get my teaching license. I taught in Aurora for 10 years, and then finally came "home" to Park Hill Elementary in 2015. I live in the neighborhood and am excited to be a part of this amazing community. My favorite part of my job is creating meaningful and trusting relationships with our students. Also, I always tell the students that if I didn't make them laugh that day, then I didn't do my job. Before teaching I had a 15-year career in the music business. I worked in San Francisco, Los Angeles, New Jersey and Colorado in publicity, marketing, artist relations, talent buying, radio DJ, and concert promotion. Music will always be a big part of my life. I love to go to as many concerts as I can around Colorado. In the late 1990s, I was also able to be a stay-at-home mom (who somehow never stayed at home) to my son who attended Park Hill, Polaris, Morey, East High, and CU Boulder.
3rd Grade Teacher
Lori Gates
I’m looking forward to a wonderful school year ahead! This is my 27th year teaching and my 14th year at Park Hill. I love being part of this amazing community. This year my son, Kiran, will be a 9th grader at Northfield High School. Some of my favorite hobbies include biking, running, snowboarding, and cooking. My favorite aspects of teaching are developing positive relationships with students and their families as well as working together to help all students succeed!
3rd Grade Teacher
Beth Connelly
Hi, I'm Katie Main; I teach reading and writing. I love seeing students be creative and meet their goals. My passion is in reading instruction, so students have the tools they need to accomplish anything they dream of. With the gift of literacy, the sky's the limit.
Before working in the Denver Public Schools, I was a children's ski instructor in Steamboat Springs, CO. I still love going to the mountains every chance I can, especially with my dog Libby. I also love traveling to new and exciting places.
"The more you read, the more things you know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go" - Dr. Seuss
3rd Grade Teacher
Katie Main
I'm Meredith Strumor and this is my 8th year teaching at Park Hill Elementary. I will be teaching 3rd grade math and science this year. I have been teaching for 15 years and feel so grateful to be a part of the Park Hill community.
I love working with students and strive to support them in reaching their goals and aspirations. Outside of school I like to read and travel!
3rd Grade Teacher
Meredith Strumor
I started teaching in 2019 at Park Hill. Teaching has so many perks and joys, and I believe that the students can be so inspirational for us as adults. They have creative thoughts, can work hard, and are able to be flexible when needed. I love to teach and live for those "Ah-Ha" moments. The moments in which the learning clicks for the students and they know they have grasped the material. The joy on their faces make it worth it! I love being a part of a close knit community such as Park Hill and find happiness each day I am at the school. One other thing I love is building relationships, not only with my current students, but their families and siblings too! Outside of teaching, I love to attend concerts, enjoy arts and crafts, reading, and when the weather is nice, a good little hike to enjoy our beautiful state. I am so happy for another year at Park Hill, and know it will be great!
4th Grade Teacher
Adrianna Demos
I love watching students grow and learn in all areas- academically and socially. I enjoy building relationships with students and helping them succeed in the real world.
I have been a teacher for 18 years and have taught 2nd-5th grade. I have been at Park Hill for seven years. Before that I was at Swansea Elementary for two years and started my teaching career at Side Creek Elementary in Aurora for eight years.
I enjoy spending time together with family and friends, Going to the mountains- my family owns a 150+ year old Victorian home in Fairplay that has been written up as one of the most haunted houses in Colorado. I love to go to concerts and enjoy all types of music! I garden, crochet, and do diamond painting!
4th Grade Teacher
Brooke Euser
Graduated with a BS in Education/Psy in 1999
Started teaching at Park Hill in 2001
My favorite part of my job is working with such great people and seeing the older kids come back to visit.
I love 9/10-year-olds!!!
Outside of school, I love to snowboard and roller skate. I'm back on a Derby team!!!
4th Grade Teacher
Stephanie Goloskewitsch
13th year in education, all at PH. Started in 2012
- I love building a classroom community that works and plays well together. I love teaching math and introducing students to new concepts. The staff at PH is fun, silly, and a group of extremely talented, passionate teachers.
- I love that my students from previous years still give me all the hugs and love when they did when they were in my class. These little humans are exactly the reason I come to work every day.
- I love watching my son and daughter compete in gymnastics, playing with my feisty dog Kane, camping and playing outdoors, and snowboarding with the whole family! Freshie pow pow bro brah!
4th Grade Teacher
Julie Orth
With thirty years of education under my belt, twenty of which have been at Park Hill as a 5th-grade teacher, I am a true member of the Park Hill community. Astronomy/Astrology are my passions along with birding. Although I still use a chalkboard, I am proficient in White Board. As assistant to the team lead, I am always looking for new avenues of exploration to keep the students engaged. When I am not teaching, I enjoy fishing, gardening, skiing, and spending time with my two awesome kids. I look forward to partnering with you and although I prefer carrier pigeon or a handwritten note, emails work as well.
5th Grade Teacher
Roger Ash
13 years in education/Started at Park Hill in 2017
My favorite subject to teach is math and I am always trying to improve my practice in restorative justice. I love building students' confidence in themselves and building a great classroom community. My favorite part of the job is partnering with my 5th grade team and parents to make sure that every student thrives.
My family and I spend a lot of time in our backyard enjoying the Colorado weather and watching the NFL and scary movies. Also, I recently started playing hockey again and really enjoy playing a round of golf at City Park.
5th Grade Teacher
Eric Cowen
I have enjoyed 23 years working as an educator. This is my 6th year at Park Hill, although I also taught for two years here 16 years ago.
Lucky to be working with such an amazing, supportive Park Hill community. Love building a class that values creativity, critical thinking and inquiry. Favorite part of my job is getting kids out into the community to see all the amazing opportunities we have in Denver, and Colorado.
Outside of school you will find me hanging out with my family, taking advantage of the Colorado mountains by camping, mountain biking, fishing and hiking. If not, I'm home reading, cooking or trying somewhere new and delicious for a meal out.
5th Grade Teacher
Craig Ferguson
Teaching for 10+ years at Park Hill Elementary continues to fill my soul. With 22 years of education under my belt, I could think of no better place to add to my notches. The families, students, community, and fellow educators make this elementary school the BEST place to work! Whether, working, dancing, collaborating, or actively listening, my students and I fill our days with active learning. Although math tops the charts, I also enjoy teaching reading, writing, and mindfulness. When not teaching I thoroughly enjoy, reading, gardening, traveling, photography, and hanging out with my three awesome kids!
5th Grade Teacher
Serri Mills
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Hello! My name is Jesse Bott and I’m excited to join the Park Hill team! This will be my 12th year teaching elementary visual art. Over the years I have developed a philosophy that centers on the student’s and their amazing ability to communicate ideas and experiences in various expressive forms. I believe that art begins with finding a good problem to solve, then trusting the process to develop a response. Within the creating space, students engage with contemporary art and focus on the conceptual to highlight their own unique evolution of thought through the art making process, which over time yields meaningful works of art. I am extremely excited and eager to begin the year and to be a part of the Park Hill community!
Art Teacher
Jesse Bott
Hi, I am Mrs. Horeis (pronounced “Hor-ice”)! I have taught PE for 21 years in Denver Public Schools and 12 of those at Park Hill. I love to be teaching only 10 blocks from home in my own community. I have a Master of Science: Sport Pedagogy and a National Board Certification for teaching. I love to be active and have participated in a wide variety of sports and physical activities over the years. Current interests are skiing, paddle boarding, hiking and biking. My husband is the STEAM teacher at Montclair Elementary and I have one son attending Park Hill Elementary and one son at McAuliffe. I love to travel and spent 17 months working for the U.S. Antarctic program (played in a sweet dodgeball league down there) and spent 5 months at sea, crewing on a sailboat. I also worked a ski season at Breckenridge ski resort, which caused me to uproot and leave my home state of Oklahoma to move to Colorado!
Physical Education Teacher
Kitty Horeis
This is my 20th year teaching music in the Park Hill neighborhood. I'm very excited to start my ninth year at Park Hill Elementary School and I look forward to creating music with all of you! I am an Orff-Schulwerk certified teacher through the University of Northern Colorado and Metro State University, which means I will teach music in a way that is fun and natural for children. This approach seamlessly integrates music, movement, drama, speech, play, and collaboration in Music instruction. My primary instrument is the piano which I studied at Butler University in Indianapolis. My love for the arts goes far beyond music, inspiring my master's degree in arts integration in instruction from Lesley University. I am a mother of 2 beautiful boys and 2 crazy dogs. My husband and I enjoy doing fun activities as a family, especially if it involves sports or the mountains. I'm looking forward to a musical year with all of you!
Music Teacher
Lauren McClelland
I have been teaching for 20 years (I was an elementary school classroom teacher before I started teaching Dance and Drama. My first teaching job was teaching fifth grade in India!)
7th year at Park Hill
Interests in Teaching: Dance, Drama, Yoga, Cultural Competence and learning about World Arts and Cultures, Healthy Lifestyle
Favorite part of my job is that I get to teach creativity, storytelling and movement. I love working at Park Hill. The staff, students and parent community are just the best! The building is also beautiful! I especially love the stage and the auditorium!
Interests outside of school: East Indian Classical Dance (Odissi), singing, sewing, yoga, being in nature, traveling
Dance/Drama Teacher
Lauren Nonino
This is my 10th year at Park Hill, 14th year of teaching.
I love the spirit and collaboration at Park Hill and my favorite part of my GT role is time spent directly with my students/teaching my pull out groups.
My interests apart from school are spending time with my family, being outdoors and sunshine.
Gifted & Talented
Mary Lauth
Hello! My name is Maggie McCaffrey and I am thrilled to be joining Park Hill as a Special Education teacher. I have been teaching for 17 years, with 8 of those years in Special Education. I am proud to be a part of the Park Hill community!
I grew up in Ithaca, NY, a beautiful, small town in upstate New York. I have wanted to be a teacher since I can remember and still feel that it is the best job in the world. I have taught in Charlotte, NC and Austin, TX, and Denver where I have lived for a little over 2 years. I strive to create a learning environment that makes my students feel empowered and valued. My favorite part of teaching is seeing the academic and social growth in all students, especially in students with diverse learning needs.
When I am not at school, you can find me hanging out with friends and family, enjoying the beautiful parks Denver has to offer, exploring the mountains, and spending time with my 12 year old Boxer mix, Gatsby.
Special Education
Maggie McCaffrey
This will be my 18 year of teaching, 4th year at Park Hill Elementary. I enjoy teaching as it is fun and rewarding to be part of the learning journey with students.
I grew up in Incline Village, Nevada, a small town on the north shore of beautiful Lake Tahoe. I graduated from the University of Nevada in Reno and earned my masters degree from UNLV. I've taught in Nevada, Arizona and now Colorado.
When I am not at school, you can find me coaching and watching sports of all sorts. I also love pulling weeds and working in my garden. I have a wonderful husband, James, a rambunctious 7 year old, Owen, a sassy 2 year old, Adeline, and two very active dogs who love to run.
Special Education Teacher
Erica Atchison
I’m Monica Serianni and I am proud to be a Special Education teacher at Park Hill. For the past eight years here, I’ve watched the students in my small groups and in my classroom grow more confident, self-assured, and more courageous. Witnessing that transformation is why I became a teacher and I feel so lucky to be a part of my students’ journey. I try to make each day joyful, as well as an opportunity to learn and grow. When I’m not explaining to Ms. Natalie the difference between a numerator and a denominator, I coach our Girls on the Run team. You can also find me right here in the neighborhood chasing down my three kids, my husband, and our adorable pup. Sometimes all at once. We love to ski, play sports, go to concerts, frolic in the mountains, and travel. I love sushi, my favorite movie is The Goonies, and I am obsessed with crossword puzzles.
Special Education
Monica Serianni
Hi I’m Jenny Higgins I am one of the special education teachers here at Park Hill. I am a native of Denver and have lived in this part of Denver for most of my life. I started teaching a little over 25 years ago and have had the privilege of working all over the Denver area. I started working as a special education teacher 11 years ago. This work brings me a lot of joy and happiness. I have twins who graduated from East High in 2023. Since then my husband and I keep ourselves busy with traveling, listening to music, hiking and walking the neighborhood with our dog Enda. This is my second year at Park Hill and I am so happy to be here.
Special Education
Jenny Higgins
Hola! My name is Lorena Otrera and I've been teaching in DPS since 2014. I have been the English Language Development (ELD) teacher here at Park Hill since 2018. Before moving to Denver, I worked for 7 years in North Carolina as an ESL teacher, and another 7 years as an English Teacher in Buenos Aires, Argentina, where I am originally from.
What I love most about my job is connecting with our multilingual and multicultural students and families, and ensuring they are supported academically and that they can access all the resources they need. I am passionate about bilingual education and heritage language preservation!
In my free time I like to relax by going on walks and traveling, but I also enjoy staying at home and playing board games and video games with my kids. I love doing jigsaw puzzles and collecting indoor plants, too!
Multilingual Education
Lorena Otrera
My name is Mary Hanisch and this will be my 6th year at Park Hill as a reading teacher. I am originally from Chicago, and have lived in Colorado now for 22 years. I have three kids and love to bake, travel and spend time with my family.
Literacy Support
Mary Hanisch
My name is Jenny Hekkers and I am a reading support teacher and a Senior Team Lead at Park Hill. This is my 13th year teaching, and my 9th at Park Hill. I am excited to support our students in reading, and to support our teachers to be the best teachers they can be! My favorite part of teaching is empowering students to master the tricky parts of the English language so they can read, write, and hopefully use their voices to advocate for themselves and others. In addition to teaching, I love to read, travel and am learning to play the guitar.
Literacy Support
Jennifer Heckers
Hello! Welcome to Park Hill. I am Dorsey Davenport and I'm hoping to inspire the next generation of bookworms! I am the Kindergarten Reading Teacher and a Senior Team Lead, coaching and supporting teachers. I love working with teachers and students to foster a love and confidence for reading in our youngest learners. I have been a teacher since 2008 and have been a part of the Park Hill team since 2013. I've taught ECE through 1st grade. My own two kiddos attend Park Hill and we are proud to call this neighborhood home!
Literacy Support
Dorsey Davenport
I have been a teacher in DPS for 14 years now, spending the majority of my time in kindergarten, first, and second grade. This is my third year at Park Hill, and I feel so grateful for this supportive, caring community. I have the best job ever as a reading teacher for first grade.
When I'm not reading with PH first graders, you can find me chasing around my own first grader and third grader along with our two dogs. My husband and I control our chaos by taking advantage of all the wonderful things the Colorado outdoors has to offer.
Literacy Support / 504 Coordinator
Natalie Keane
Support Staff
This is my 24th year working for DPS and 23rd year at Park Hill Elementary. Our goal in the office is to keep things running smoothly for our teachers, students and parents.
In my free time I enjoy gardening, genealogical research, road trips with my daughter and being outdoors.
Hi! My name is Wendy Harper and I've been a nurse for the past 20+ years. Fourteen of those years were spent in hospital on a general pediatric floor and in the pediatric ICU. Working with kids over the past (and best) 7 years at Park Hill has been such a gift! My favorite part of being a school nurse is getting to know students so that I may meet them where they are at, encourage them to become their own best advocate, and encourage self empowerment when it comes to learning about their own health. In my free time, I enjoy spending time with my husband and my two teenage sons. We love snowboarding, exercising, traveling to far away places, and the Denver Nuggets!
I’ve been a nurse for 17 years. I have experience caring for many different populations including ICU, hospice, adolescent and young adult psych mental health. I wanted to become a school nurse to positively influence the health and wellness of the youth in the community where my children are growing up. Outside of work I love running, cycling, sewing/knitting, cooking, and most of all, adventuring with my wonderful family.
I have been with DPS for over 9 years and I am so excited to join Park Hill Elementary this year. I am originally from Ohio, but I have lived in Colorado for almost 30 years. I live in the Central Park neighborhood with my family. With 2 high schoolers at home, I spend a lot of time at soccer games and cross country meets. When I do have extra time I love to read and bake.
This is my 4th year at Park Hill. I get the pleasure of walking to school with my kiddos each day to school. In past careers, I've been a physician assistant and engineer. I really enjoy being part of the team at PHE and get to work on a wide range of activities each day.
Hello there! I am so excited to join the Park Hill team for my seventh year as a school psychologist in Denver Public Schools! I am originally from Oklahoma, where I grew up spending summers on the golf course and winters playing basketball. I am a proud alumni of Baylor University (sic 'em Bears!), and on the weekends you can usually find me exploring Denver with my dogs, Charlie (pictured) & Tobin (has never held still long enough for a picture), or watching a game with friends. I cannot wait to get to know you all and do everything I can to support this amazing Park Hill community!
I am so excited to join the Park Hill team for my second year as a school psychologist! Two years ago, I had the honor of completing my internship at Park Hill as well. Prior to school psychology, I was a special education assistant and special education teacher in Massachusetts. I am an alumni of University of New Hampshire and Northeastern University! Outside of the school day, I love going for hikes with my dogchild, rock climbing, camping, and gardening.
Hello! My name is Delaney Hurst. I am the new speech-language pathologist at Park Hill Elementary. I am excited to start the new year with such a passionate group of educators, students and families. This will be my 6th year serving the DPS community and my 7th year since completing my degree at Michigan State University and relocating to this beautiful state. On the weekends, you can find me and my dog, Ziggy, hiking in the foothills or hunkering down with a good book. Let’s have a great year!
I am Susan Fortney and this will be my first year at Park Hill as an occupational therapist! I have been an OT for 23 years, with the last 16 mostly as a school-based therapist. I am also the parent of a Park Hill graduate and current student, and I love this community! I love to see all students participate and grow as learners. Outside of school, I love to read, enjoy the outdoors, and walk my dog.
Hi, my name is Thomas Byars but the kids call me Mr. Corey. I started at Park Hill 11 years ago in 2012. I started out as a paraprofessional in the MI program. After several years doing that I transitioned to being a Kindergarten Para and the enrichment coordinator. Most recently I have taken over as the school's computer technician.
Park Hill is an amazing school full of amazing staff. I have been fortunate enough to get to spend my days here helping the wonderful students and staff, as well as being a parent of a Park Hill student.
I lead up the custodial staff at Park Hill. We are responsible for the care and maintenance of the school and property. Our goal is to provide a safe, clean, and maintained property so that students and staff have a welcoming start to each day.
I'm Susie Seawell, a para in the Gifted and Talented program here at PHE. I've been in education for over 20 years, with positions ranging from teaching first grade to being a consultant for a teacher preparation program. After taking some time off to focus on my own 3 girls, I started working at Park Hill in 2017. I love working with small groups that focus on building critical thinking skills. Seeing kids learn from each other is one of my favorite parts of teaching. Outside of school, travel is my passion - Antarctica is the only continent I have yet to visit!
Bio
Name
Paraprofessional
@dpsk12.net
I started at Park Hill 2017-2018.
My first year with DPS was 2015-2016.
I love working in Pre-K/ECE with curious, energetic students. It is so wonderful to see their growth through the year. My favorite part of working at Park Hill is that we can continue to see that growth as they progress through elementary school. The community is amazing and I enjoy getting to know our students' families.
I really enjoy living in Denver and have been here since 1990. I like to spend time outdoors with my family and our 2 dogs. I have 2 grown up children. My son is working and attending trade school at Emily Griffith. My daughter is in her second year of college and transferred this year from Metro to UNC Greeley.
Hello! I'm Erin Green. I've been working at Park Hill since 2010. My own kids, Samantha and Jeremy, were Park Hill Panthers many years ago. After volunteering at the school while they were students, I decided to join the staff. I like working in the classroom with first graders. They surprise us every day, and they bring joy to the room. I was originally in the field of social work, with an M.S.W. degree, but after raising my kids I turned to the world of education and I haven't looked back! Outside of work, I enjoy hiking, biking, movies with my husband, 1000 piece jigsaw puzzles and writing poetry.
Hi, I'm Jaclyn! I've been working at Park Hill since November 2022. I live with my husband and two kids. Our son Gael is in 1st grade at Park Hill and our daughter Esme is 4 years old and goes to a different school. I love being able to come to work with my son and look forward to having my daughter here someday also. When our kids aren't keeping us busy we have 3 small rescue dogs making life even more chaotic. My family loves to hike and be outside, travel when we can, and enjoy our families who all live nearby. We're big on the Lowrider scene in Colorado and anything art related! I look forward to this school year and strive to be a happy and friendly face in the office!
Bio
Name
Special Ed Paraprofessional
@dpsk12.net