Intermediate

Camille Callner, Third Grade

• B.A. in Early Childhood Education from Central Washington University
• Certified Teacher
• With The Meridian School since 1979

Camille Callner has taught first, second, and third grades during her time at Meridian. She is passionate about weaving the arts throughout the classroom curriculum. In Camille’s class, students learn about famous artists and create biographies that feature a visual and performance component. Camille has received Ellen Toole Professional Development Grants to attend the Teachers College Reading and Writing Project at Columbia University and the Lincoln Center International Educator Workshop in New York City. Camille has completed Responsive Classroom training, parts I and II. She traveled to China with a delegation of 26 Washington state educators as part of the People to People Ambassador Program. A graduate of Seattle Repertory Theatre’s “Bringing Theater Into the Classroom,” Camille is an avid supporter of local arts organizations and was a board member for the Seattle International Children’s Festival (Giant Magnet).

Lori VanEtta, Third Grade

• B.A. in Liberal Studies from San Francisco State University
• Certified Teacher
• With The Meridian School since 1990

Lori VanEtta taught third grade in San Francisco before moving to Seattle. She is passionate about teaching and loves to infuse the arts into her lessons. She worked with the Seattle Repertory Theatre for several summers to integrate theater and movement into her curriculum. Students in Lori’s class have written and performed a play related to our Global Studies theme. She received an Ellen Toole Professional Development Grant to study the arts and culture of Bali, Indonesia. She also traveled to China to collaborate with and learn from Chinese teachers. Lori recently co-taught English to 20 teenagers from China who hope to attend local universities. In addition to her Meridian teaching, Lori tutors dyslexic students and volunteers to teach English to adult ESL learners. She has taught art in both public and private school settings. Recent professional development includes Responsive Classroom and Bridges math training. Lori is a national champion rower and currently rows with Montlake Rowing Club.

Laura Schaut, Instructional Assistant, Third and Fifth Grades

• B.A. in Elementary Education from Western Washington University
• Certified Teacher
• With The Meridian School since 2010

In 2010-2011, Laura Schaut’s roles at Meridian included being the instructional assistant for third and fifth grades, a long-term fifth grade substitute teacher, and a substitute in each grade. Prior to Meridian, Laura student-taught fifth grade for the Bellingham School District and had additional experience of teaching practica in first through sixth grades in both the Bellingham and Burlington-Edison school districts. She is passionate about integrating subjects. Laura has had training in the Bridges math curriculum, Responsive Classroom, and Love and Logic, and she is always pursuing new learning to incorporate in the classroom. Personally, Laura and her family enjoy traveling to state and national parks during the summer to camp and enjoy the outdoors.

Charlie Burkland, Fourth Grade

• B.A. in Communications from the University of Washington
• Teaching Certification from the University of Washington, Bothell
• Certified Teacher
• With The Meridian School since 2009

Charlie Burkland has been teaching since 2008. Mr. Burkland joined the Meridian staff as a kindergarten teacher; this will be his second year in fourth grade. Education is a second career for Charlie; prior to teaching he spent 23 years in the business world, primarily in marketing and supply chain management. Charlie enjoys drawing upon his experiences as a businessman, a father of two teenagers, and a coach to spark his students’ interest in a wide range of subjects, such as using math to create optical illusions and three-dimensional calendars or making self-portraits and illustrations to enhance creative writing. Charlie has received training in Responsive Classroom and Wired for Reading. A youth basketball coach for 10 years, he also enjoys cooking, gardening, and reading.

Ben Mohr, Fourth Grade

• B.A. in Elementary Education from Montana State University
• Certified Teacher
• With The Meridian School since 2005

Ben Mohr has taught fourth and fifth grades primarily in the Seattle area since 1997. Ben spent six years teaching fifth grade at an independent school in south King County before joining Meridian, where he has taught both fourth and fifth grades. Ben loves the energy, excitement, and natural wonder of his students. He infuses his classes with his love of the outdoors, music, and art. Ben enjoys utilizing technology to provide students with numerous opportunities to represent their learning. For Global Studies in 2011, Ben’s students researched the animals of Oceania, met with local zoo officials, and designed zoo habitats. The project culminated in the creation of the replica of a real zoo built to scale. Ben has taken many professional development courses at the Woodland Park Zoo, as well as courses on implementing technology in the classroom, differentiating instruction, and Responsive Classroom. Ben is guitarist and a singer-songwriter. He has performed in several area bands.

Jason Profit, Fifth Grade

• BA in English from Gonzaga University
• Masters of Initial Teaching from Gonzaga Graduate School
• Certified Teacher
• With The Meridian School since 2011

Jason has been teaching for over nine years. He has taught a range of students from first to tenth grade. At his previous school Jason taught in a first and second grade multi-age classroom for five years while running a black and white photography club for third through fifth graders. Jason loves teaching science to fifth grade students. In his class students build scale landscape models where students create rivers and look at how water forms land. Of special interest to students was the connection made to the Elwa Dam removal project. He recently took classes in Wired for Reading, Bridges Math Curriculum, Responsive Classroom I and The Center for Inquiry Based Science in Port Townsend. Prior to Meridian Jason took a two year hiatus to work in the wine industry. Jason is passionate about outdoor sports including skiing, backpacking and running.

Meredith Ward, Fifth Grade

• B.A. in Sociology from the University of Washington
• Certified Teacher
• With The Meridian School since 1982

Meredith Ward has been teaching the fourth, fifth, and sixth grades since 1982. Exposing students to learning opportunities in the community is something she values. Meredith takes the fifth graders to Astoria, Ore., each year as a culminating adventure to the Corps of Discovery studies. Students have the opportunity to kayak on the Columbia River in the path of Lewis and Clark. They also explore other local Lewis and Clark attractions such as Fort Clatsop, Cape Disappointment, and the Columbia River Maritime Museum. For Meredith’s class, reaching out to those in need in our Wallingford community is a service learning passion. The fifth graders work at the Solid Ground food bank located in our neighborhood. The students go to the food bank on a bimonthly basis and always leave with a sense of accomplishment, knowing that they have done something to make our community a better place in which to live. Meredith received a Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation grant that allowed her to more fully integrate technology into her lessons and projects. Recenty, she continued the development of her teaching practices by completing Responsive Classroom II training, Bridges math training, and Approaches to Inquiry Science. Meredith and her husband take frequent road trips to visit relatives in southern Utah and enjoy rock hounding and fossil digging along the way.

Drew Whittemore, Instructional Assistant, Fourth and Fifth Grades

• B.A. in History from Western Washington University
• Master in Teaching in Elementary Education from University of Washington (expected December 2011)
• Certified Teacher
• With The Meridian School since 2011

Before joining Meridian’s staff, Drew Whittemore was a student teacher at Lowell Elementary in Seattle, where he worked in an APP first grade classroom and was responsible for all planning, instruction, classroom management, and assessment for two months. Prior to Lowell, Drew served as a classroom assistant at various local elementary schools in the Seattle region. In addition to having a passion for teaching and supporting all students, Drew is a musician and has played with a band, releasing music and performing live. Other dominant interests include photography, hiking, and traveling.

Extended Day Staff

Sandra Shore, Extended Day Staff

• B.A. in Vocal Performance from Pacific Lutheran University
• With The Meridian School since 2008

Sandra Shore loves working with kids at The Meridian School! She has completed the STARS child-care provider basic training. Sandra is currently singing in two choirs around the Pacific Northwest, Bel Canto Performing Arts Society in Seattle and Choral Union in Tacoma. Sandra is also a practicing yogi and an activist for food education.

Sean Donoghue-Neider, Extended Day and Supervisor of the Summer Quest program

• Attended Western Washington University
• With the Meridian School since 2007

Sean has worked in Extended Day for four years. This has instilled in him a passion for teaching that embodies the “learn by doing” perspective. Most recently he was part of the staff team that designed and completed a King County Metro bus shelter mural with the art work of Meridian students from the Extended Day program. Sean is certified in adult, child and infant CPR/First Aid and has 20hr basic S.T.A.R.S training (State Training and Registry System). When he is not starting or ending the day with kids, Sean has a passion for music and has created a new style of playing the harmonica that blends this traditional instrument with more modern electronic sounds and music.

Sir Stephen Daniel Hunt, Extended Day and Summer Quest

• With The Meridian School since 2010

Stephen is a recent Seattle transplant from the East Coast. His experience with children dates back to his work with children at his church in North Carolina, and his time as a full time baby sitter for his nieces, nephews, young cousins, and neighborhood kids. Stephen enjoys interacting with children and hearing about their perceptions in life, what they like to do for fun in this new tech age, and their opinions about world events. Stephen’s hobbies include traveling, reading & writing, chess, and volunteering in the community.