Woodland - Faculty

Faculty

Meet the Woodland School Staff:

Nathan Tarsa, Director	Nathan completed a Master of Arts in Education Administration and Community Leadership in May 2005 from Central Michigan University and began serving as Woodland School Director in the Fall of 2007. He has six years of teaching experience at East Jordan Public High School focusing on his major and minor of German and Mathematics. Nathan also taught Accounting, Manufacturing Technology, English and Business Management and Technology at East Jordan and instructs German at Interlochen Arts Academy for the summer music staff. While completing a Master of Arts in Rhetoric and Scientific Communications at Michigan Technological University 1991, Nathan taught German for one year at MTU and studied for one year at the University of Stuttgart in Germany. In 1988 he worked as an electronic technician for Siemens in Munich, Germany. He also earned a BA degree in Scientific and Technical Communications, an Associate's degree in Electrical Engineering Technology and an advance language certificate in German from MTU. His education along with occupational experience in the food, publishing and technology industries has allowed Nathan to bring real experience into the classroom and to his role as Director. A life long resident of Leelanau County, Nathan and his wife Tammy have four children, all of whom attend or have attended Woodland School.
Jean Pataky, Secretary	Jean has worked in the secretarial field since 1972, and has been the secretary at Woodland School since 1998. Her past work experience includes seven years as secretary in the Birch Run school district at both elementary and high school levels. She also served as Community Education Director for that district for three years. Since moving to Traverse City in 1991, she has worked as administrative assistant to the C.O.O. at Grand Traverse Resort and as consulting coordinator for RJG Associates, Inc. Jean and her husband Roger live in Williamsburg, and have two grown children and five beautiful grandchildren.
Sandy Bowen, Receptionist	Sandy has enjoyed working as Receptionist for Woodland School since 1999. Prior to joining the school staff, she ran a daycare, volunteered at various schools, and worked as an Administrative Assistant.
6-8 Teachers
Mae Debruyn	Mae was born and raised in California, but has spent the last 30 years living in Michigan. She graduated from Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan with a degree in secondary education. She is married and has three grown children. After receiving an elementary endorsement from Central Michigan University, she taught Kindergarten and first grade at Trinity Lutheran School for five years. She also developed and directed Great Adventures Youth Camp, a summer program for grades K-6, for five summers. Subbing in the Traverse City public school system led to a job offer with TCAPS, but she decided to accept the exciting offer to join the adventure of creating a new school. She has never regretted her decision and is enjoying the middle school. She is with the 6-8 Village, teaching language arts, social studies, and drama.
Ned Milne	A Woodland teacher since 2000, Ned graduated from Traverse City Central High School in 1993, after which he attended Michigan State University (Go Spartans!), earning a degree in Secondary Education with a major in Earth Science and a minor in Chemistry. While in college Ned married his wife Jessie, who is also a teacher at Woodland. Ned teaches Earth Science, Chemistry, Biology, Math and Ecology classes at Woodland. Along with his wife and their children, Ned enjoys music, gardening, and visiting the Sleeping Bear Dunes.
Chris Post	Chris teaches math, science, and computers. He originally graduated from the University of Michigan with a degree in Economics. He then went on to Oakland University, where he earned his degrees in physics and mathematics. He is now working on a minor in computers. Chris did his student teaching at Rochester Adams High School, where he taught physics and algebra. He has been working at Woodland since the opening of the school. His hobbies include Mazda Rx-7s and stereo equipment.
Amy Ruopp	Amy joined the Woodland staff in 2001. She graduated from Maryland Instructional College of Art in 1988 with a Bachelor's degree (Printmaking) and a 1991 Masters (Art Education). She taught in Baltimore County Public Schools for 10 years and started Magnet Art Programs there, the curriculum which is now being used in new schools. She was Department Chair at her previous school. Amy also taught 11 years at Maryland Instructional's Young People's program and coordinated a large-scale exhibit of children's artwork--the first ever exhibit of children's work at the college. She has authored many articles for publication in School Arts magazine, a national resource. Amy is a practicing artist herself, working primarily with hot glass and exhibiting in several galleries around the country . In her spare time, Amy also does set design for Traverse City Childrens theatre and dabbles with perfoming onstage.
3-5 Village Teachers
Lesley Goodrick	Prior to teaching at Woodland School, Lesley spent four years teaching at the junior high level and two years at the K-3 level. She graduated from Cleveland State University with a Master's degree in Elementary Education. She has experience in conflict resolution, peer mediation, integrated curriculum and multi-age teaching. Lesley was born and raised in Leelanau County. She and her husband Scott live there now with their sons Riley and Brady.
Shann Louis	Shann received her bachelor's degree and certification in Elementary Education and Language Arts from Grand Valley State University. She is currently a master's candidate through GVSU. Shann and her husband Tim are long-term residents of the area, with two grown children. Her personal interests focus on learning about the natural world and sharing her enthusiasm for discovery with her students. She enjoys the variety of experiences and topics covered in the classroom, and she considers Woodland School her "home" away from home.
Sarah Hadd	Sarah joined the Woodland School family in 2008 as a teacher in the 3-5 Village. She is a graduate of Grand Valley State University, and has taught almost exclusively in upper elementary. Her favorite thing about teaching is the moment when students “get it” and helping them to take pride in their work. Sarah is a lifelong resident of Traverse City. She and her husband Shane enjoy spending time with family, friends, and their two cats.

Primary Village Teachers
Moe Easterle	Moe is team teaching with Mary Gorney in the K-2 multi-age classroom. Over the past few years, she has attended several conferences and workshops to learn more about multi-age instruction. She is thrilled to have the opportunity to teach in a multi-age school. Before returning to her native Michigan, Moe taught Kindergarten for five years in Montana. She began at Woodland teaching in a self-contained Kindergarten, and then looped into first grade with the same group of students, an experience she found to be very rewarding. Moe continues to realize even greater benefits through team teaching and working with a broad range of students.
Mary Gorney	Mary teaches with Moe Easterle in the K-2 multi-age room, using the team teaching approach. She has an early childhood endorsement on her teaching certificate, and completed her Master's in Early Childhood Education in 1999. Before her experience at Woodland, Mary taught pre-school and Kindergarten for five years at Alphabet Soup pre-school in Traverse City.
Melissa Hoeppner	Melissa was born and raised in Alpena. After a period of traveling the U.S. she settled down in Boulder, Colorado, where she attended the University of Colorado and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in English and Education. While living in Boulder, Melissa had an opportunity to work with children and parents in a grade 1-2 multi-age classroom. Melissa has worked at Sabin Elementary School, where she taught a Kindergarten enrichment program for children with language deficiencies. She received her Master's degree in Early Childhood Education from Grand Valley State University, and has been teaching a K-1 multi-age classroom at Woodland School since 1998. Melissa, her husband Chad, and their son Eli live in Traverse City.
Kathy Kreykes	Kathy is team teaching with Jessica Milne in the 2-3 multi-age classroom and teaches Primary Art. She has been a swim instructor and lifeguard for 17 years, as well as a swim coach for 11 years. She graduated from Michigan State University with a bachelor’s degree in fine arts and elementary education. She received her Masters in Curriculum and Teaching from Michigan State University. Kathy enjoys sports, the arts, the outdoors, and traveling with husband Todd and their children Luke and Lainee.
Jessie Milne	A Traverse City native, Jessie is thrilled to be back "home" after completing her bachelor's degree in Elementary Education at Michigan State University ( also receiving minors in earth science and environmental science). Jessie spent a summer as Lead Teacher at Firm Footings Children's Center and one summer teaching for Munson’s school-age summer program. She received her Masters degree in Curriculum and Teaching through MSU in 2007. Her hobbies include singing, being out in nature, spending time on a family farm, and with her husband, watching their three children discover new things.
Specialty Areas
Kristine Giem , Special Services Teacher	Kristine was born and raised in northern Michigan. She graduated from Boyne Falls Public School in 1998. Kristine received her bachelor's degree and certification from Grand Valley State University. She is certified in language arts and literature, elementary education, early childhood developmental delay, and cognitive impairment. She is currently working on her master's degree through Grand Valley. Kristine lives in Buckley and has two children, Rylan and Addisyn. She enjoys the outdoors, scrapbooking, and spending time with her family.
Julie Terhune, Band	Julie was born and raised in Dayton, Ohio. She graduated from Centerville High School in 2000 and Miami University (OH) in 2004 with a Bachelor of Music Education. She taught elementary music and band for two years in Baraga, Michigan before moving to Traverse City in 2007, after falling in love with the area during four summers of employment at White Birch Lodge in Elk Rapids. Julie plays french horn with the NMC Concert Band and teaches private french horn lessons. At home she enjoys playing with her two dogs and cheering on the Pittsburgh Steelers! She also fishes and hunts with husband Mitch and loves to take pictures. Julie, who joined the staff in 2007, is very excited to be in Traverse City and teaching the band students at Woodland!
Marilyn Tilley, Theater Production & Choir	Marilyn received her Bachelor's of Music from the North Carolina School of the Arts and her Masters from the Cleveland Institute of Music, with honors. She has performed in theaters throughout the eastern United States. Her credits include starring in such productions as Brigadoon, Oklahoma, The Student Prince, and Don Giovanni. She was also a regular national anthem soloist for the New York Rangers and the Knicks. After the birth of her first son, she became interested in teaching, and taught in the Early Childhood program at the New York City Westside YMCA, where she created and taught her own music curriculum for young children. Marilyn moved to Traverse City in the fall of 1989, and began teaching in Head Start's 4's At-Risk program. She served as Children's Music Director for the First Congregational Church and for the Central Methodist Church. As a member of the music faculty at Northwestern Michigan College since 1994, she taught voice and founded the Opera Workshop Festival. She recently directed Rodgers and Hammerstein's South Pacific at Traverse City Central High School. Mrs. Tilley has been a frequent soloist with the Traverse Symphony Orchestra. She is married to local attorney John Tilley and has two sons, Brian and Alan.
Stephanie Rancour, Physical Education	Stephanie graduated from Northern Michigan University in 1988 with a Bachelor's of Science degree in secondary education. She has a Health (K-12) major and Psychology minor. She returned to NMU in 1990 and earned her elementary endorsement (K-8 all subjects). After student teaching at Southwest High School in Green Bay, Wisconsin and Powell Township School in Big Bay, Michigan, she taught pre-school in Big Bay, then moved to Baraga, Michigan and taught second grade one year, and fifth grade the next. She returned to the lower peninsula in 1994 and taught in the Grand Rapids Public Schools until beginning at Woodland School the first year the school opened. Stephanie has more than 25 years of coaching experience and has worked with students of all ages in a variety of settings including camps, YMCA programs, NMU Outreach, Parks and Recreation programs for the cities of Traverse City and Marquette, and many different school settings. She is a former competitive gymnast and springboard diver and enjoys teaching the importance of maintaining a fit and healthy lifestyle. She teaches K-8 Physical Education and Health classes. Stephanie is excited and grateful to be part of such a wonderful school community and to be back in her hometown, where she is now raising her three daughters Savannah, Sierra, and Sage.
Julie Opsasnick, Library	Julie was born and raised in Detroit, graduated from Kendall College in Grand Rapids and later settled in northern Michigan, which has been her home since 1982. Julie started volunteering in Woodland’s library during the 97’-98’ school year when her 3 children began attending. Prior to that time she home-schooled her children. She was hired as Librarian the next year. Julie’s experience at Woodland has been very rewarding helping students find their way around the library and pick out just the right book.