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Mr. Disney
Mr. Disney dedicates so much time to Sierra between sports, academics, and Esports. He created an entire entity that recognizes and celebrates a group of kids that could often be overlooked. His dedication to students is so strong that when faced with possibly having to be away from them for a quarantine, he was saddened at the thought that he may have to be away from his students.His peers describe him as dedicated, passionate, driven.
Bio
Mr. Disney was born and raised in Colorado Springs. He graduated from Palmer High School in 2013. He is a University of Northern Colorado graduate with a bachelor's degree in criminal justice and has now been a teacher at Sierra High School for the past three years.Mr. Disney believes every student deserves a quality education and feels represented by their school somehow. They should feel proud to say they are a part of something at Sierra, whether it's basketball, esports, cross country, band, or anything offered by our school. Building relationships naturally with our students allows them the best opportunity to achieve their goals.
Outside of work, he enjoys spending time with his wife and two cats. He also enjoys playing video games, watching basketball, and cooking.
Mr. Baca
Mr. Baca always does his best to help his students, especially their OMI work. He is often seen working one on one with students and supporting them to become the best version of themselves. He is here every day, ready to help all kids. He is always professional, and he brings out the best in others. His peers describe him as kind, loyal, friendly.Bio
Mr. Baca was born and raised in Lake Charles, LA. He attended Louisiana State University (Geaux Tigers!), where he earned a BS in Accounting and an MS in Business Analytics. Mr. Baca and his wife loved growing up in the South, but they were ready for a change of scenery and moved to Colorado Springs in 2016.He joined Sierra in 2018 after stints in banking, consulting, and healthcare. He chose to be an educator to work with young people and help give them the tools to have brighter futures. Mr. Baca enjoys working with our students and staff at Sierra and believes that creating strong relationships is important in all that we do.
Outside of work, his favorite thing to do is spend time with his wife and dog while enjoying the great outdoors of Colorado. He enjoys hiking, fly fishing, and mountain biking while also keeping up with his favorite sports teams from back home.
Mr. Matt Gallo
Mr. Gallo ensures that everything is running smoothly and ensures there is a clean and safe environment for all. Mr. Gallo is always supporting others and is visible to students and staff. He keeps the building running for the students. He is dedicated to his job and is always pleasant.His peers describe him as dedicated, supportive, kind, and hard-working.
Bio
Mr. Gallo was born overseas in England, where his father retired after a career in the Air Force. After they moved back to the states, his father went back to work for the government and became a Cemetery Director for the national cemetery for veterans. That job moved them around the country quite a bit. He has had the opportunity to meet many people of different cultures and backgrounds. He has seen many sites of history that our country holds. So, when he tells people that he was born overseas, they respond, "Are you a military brat?" and he says, "Nope. A cemetery brat."During those travels, he fell in love with music and learned as many instruments as possible. His favorites are guitar and piano, but he still dabbles with others.
He moved to Colorado about 15 years ago to join a local band, and they put out two full albums and one EP and gigged all over town as well as surrounding cities in Colorado. He enjoyed every second of it and is proud of the work they did.
He has been a Harrison employee for 12 years and has primarily held a manager or supervisor position. Most of this time was spent at Harrison High but he has also managed Mountain Vista. He is now at Sierra and is very proud to be a Stallion.
Mr. Stephen Tsambarlis
Mr. Tsambarlis does a great job building relationships with students. When students have a hard time in his class, he takes the time to determine why they are struggling. His lessons are engaging, and he has excellent student participation. He is always upbeat and has an infectious laugh. His relationships with students and his willingness to do whatever it takes to make sure students succeed show his Sierra spirit.His peers describe him as outgoing, compassionate, and caring.
Bio
Mr. Tsambarlis was born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (Go Steelers!), and graduated from Baldwin Wallace University in Berea, Ohio, with a Bachelor of Music Education in May of 2020.Mr. Tsambarlis believes that education is one of the most important privileges of life, and everyone should have access to a free and quality public education system. Every child should have the right to be educated, regardless of race, gender, sexuality, disability, or any other factor.
He loves teaching high school because he gets to watch his students grow into mature, young adults, and he can help them figure out their passions and find ways to pursue them after high school.
Outside of school, Mr. Tsambarlis likes to spend time with friends and family, watch television, make music, go hiking, play video games, and lots more!
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Mr. Forquer is always willing to help. He has his kids experience what they are learning about...I have been in his room when they were eating bugs. Even when faced with a challenge, he is always looking for a thoughtful, useful solution. He is knowledgeable and willing to share his knowledge with anyone that needs help. He is a student-centered teacher and huge support for students. He has been hugely impactful in this new technology role. He is always willing to go out and find new tools for staff to use. His colleagues describe him as helpful, smart, student-centered.
Ms. Cantrell is a one-of-a-kind registrar who goes beyond her job description to help and advocate for students. She pushed a lot of students to do their best and take every opportunity given to them. She supports teachers. She has been instrumental in the success of SHS summer school and Night School because of her flexibility, dedication, and genuine care for students. She consistently responds to any requests that would help stallions succeed academically and in life through her support and structure she provides as a registrar. Her colleagues describe her as compassionate, excellent, and influential!
Mr. Delahoy's peers stated he exemplifies what great teaching should be. He engages all his students in the content. He makes learning Science interesting fun. He respects all cultures and backgrounds when teaching. He connects well with the students. He really does go above and beyond for his students. He is described by his colleagues as kind, fun, driven, and hardworking!
Ms. Cuprill is very caring towards her students and wants the best for them. One can also see the dedication in her job and how she wants to learn more and become more effective as a teacher. She always has a smile on her face (it is evident despite masks!). She engages her students with humor and helps make them feel comfortable. She is always willing to work with others and to learn from them. Her commitment and care for the students encourage others to do the same. Her colleagues describe her as kind, fun, goofy (in a good way!)
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Mr. John Lauron
Mr. Lauron does a phenomenal job of taking care of his students. Mr. Lauron wants to challenge all of his students, but he does this in a very caring way. Many of his students have made significant academic improvements due to his case management and assistance. He teaches math with high energy while overseeing our SPED department and assisting with Night School. He shows outstanding leadership and is always willing to help.
His peers describe him as Dedicated, empathetic, persistent, is Simply the Best!
Bio
John is an immigrant from the Philippines. Before joining Harrison School District 2 in November of 2015, he taught Science and Social Involvement. He now serves as a Special Education Math teacher.
John obtained his Bachelor of Science in Physics for Teachers from the Philippine Normal University in 2001. He finished his Masters of Physics in 2011. He also has a Master's degree in International Studies, a Master of Arts in Special EducationHe is currently, he is taking Education Specialist (EdS) in Educational Leadership and SPED Administration. John is indeed a lifelong-learner and genuinely enjoys studying.
When he is not in school, he travels around the USA with his wife, Marcelle. He has visited about 35 states in the United States of America and more than 40 major cities.
Ashley Hewitt
Ms. Hewitt has played a huge part in assisting our staff with technology this year. She always makes herself available to staff. Her willingness to aid the staff is expanding the tools available to teach students. She gives a lot of her time to students and staff and always does so with kindness. Ms. Hewitt shows her Stallion Pride by displaying her willingness to support the staff and advance the school. She is an all-around super stallion.
Her peers describe her as…. Nice, Dependable, and Knowledgeable.
Bio
She is the child of a miner, so she spent most of her childhood moving from small town to small town before landing in Central New York. She studied Math and Physics Adolescent Education at SUNY Cortland and has a master's in Instructional Design. She has worked her whole career at Sierra High School, except for a tiny stint as a third-grade teacher.
She believes in providing students with educational experiences that teach them content and personal responsibility. She also believes that building and improving the school culture requires staff that is willing to work through a troubled time.
She currently lives on a small farm, and she spends most of her time tending to her chickens, goats, and llamas. Ashley, her husband, and dogs like travel and camp in their camper van during breaks.
Megan Noone
Ms. Noone is a positive light at Sierra High School. She is solution-oriented and helps the students to learn to do the same. Ms. Noone works hard every day to build relationships with her students and never lets them give up. Ms. Noone prides herself on encouraging others to be their best by always being her best. She looks out for her fellow teachers and tries to keep everyone in good spirits, which is much needed this year. She will talk to anyone and try to make their days better, regardless of how her day is going. She's a great teacher and an even greater person.
Ms. Noone's peers describe her as a positive, inspiring, dedicated, and the most amazing person.
Bio
Megan Noone was raised in North Augusta, SC. She attended the College of Charleston in Charleston SC, where she earned a BS in Physical Education and a BS in Athletic Training in 2012. Megan also earned her MS in Health Promotion in 2014. She moved to Colorado in July 2015 to be with her husband, who is stationed at Fort Carson. She began working at Sierra High School as the Athletic Trainer in 2015 and transitioned into teaching health in 2018.
Since beginning her time at Sierra, the students, staff, and community have found a special place in her heart, and Sierra feels more at home than anywhere else she has worked. Ms. Noone believes that creating relationships is one of the most important parts of teaching because students need to know that they matter and that they are important. She also believes that every student wants to learn and deserves the opportunity to learn something new.
In her spare time, Megan enjoys spending time with her husband, Isaac, and her daughter, Raegan. She loves snowboarding during the winter and camping the rest of the time. Megan also loves crafting and surprising people with small gifts to brighten their days.
Walt Johnson
Mr. Johnson has stepped in as a long-term substitute in a difficult year. Despite some obstacles, he to be here to support our students. He is great at communicating with students and has established so many relationships with students that have motivated them to do their work. He brings positivity and humor to build up morale. His ability to develop relationships with people makes him an asset to our school. Mr. Johnson is very involved with all that goes on at Sierra. Each day he comes to school, he brings out the Sierra Spirit. His peers describe him as affable, dedicated, and Humble.
Bio
Walt Johnson was born and raised in Newark, New Jersey. He holds a Master of Arts degree from the University of Phoenix, a Bachelor of Arts degree from Colorado Christian University, and two Associate of Arts degrees.
He is a proud Air Force retiree with over 20 years of service to our country. He has served as a guest teacher for seven years.
He is a firm believer in giving back to his community, which is why he chose to become a guest teacher. He believes that today's young people will be well equipped to take on tomorrow's challenges if people like himself will teach them what they know so that they don't have to learn as many lessons from the school of hard knocks he had to learn. His favorite motto is "Good, Better, Best. Never let it rest. Until the good gets better and the better is the best!!!!!
Outside of work, his favorite thing to do is spend time with his wife, who he has been with since they were both teenagers. He also enjoys his part-time profession, photography, and part-time work as a journalist for the military newspapers in Colorado Springs.
