Classroom Teachers
Quick links: Kindergarten :: 1st Grade :: 2nd Grade :: 3rd Grade :: 4th Grade :: 5th Grade
For contact information, see your School Directory.
KINDERGARTEN
Aileen Clougherty comes from a long line of teachers; her mother, uncle, aunt, six sisters, and one brother have all taught. She has over 31 years of teaching experience and holds a master's in Education. Now that her two children are grown, she finds great pleasure in being in the creative presence of young children. Aileen feels that "children are our best teachers of what is truly important in life." Check out Aileen's class website.
Scott Larson, a graduate of the Bank Street College of Education, has taught kindergarten and first grade in New York City, the Dominican Republic, Chapel Hill, and Durham, North Carolina since 1990. He taught kindergarten at the City & Country School in Greenwich Village, where Caroline Pratt invented unit blocks nearly a century ago. Scott was chosen to be part of the Power of K: a state-wide teacher leader initiative sponsored by the NC Department of Public Instruction. Scott says, "I am excited to teach in a city school. Kindergarten children love to explore the community and see first hand how people do their jobs. We'll visit stores in the neighborhood, talk with people or just watch while workers fix a pothole. Kindergarteners take the real world experiences back to the classroom and make math, reading and social studies more meaningful."
When Tammy Macomson came to Central Park School in its first year, she had 20 years of teaching experience at the preschool, kindergarten, and college levels. She holds an undergraduate degree in Early Childhood Education and a Master's in Early Childhood Curriculum and Instruction from UNC-Chapel Hill. "I am guided in my teaching by a strong commitment to creating environments for young children that support creativity, problem solving, critical thinking, curiosity, and mutually-respectful relationships among children and adults."
FIRST GRADE
Sara Roscoe received a B.S. in Criminal Justice from Northeastern University and an M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction/Elementary Education from UNC-Greensboro. She is a former kindergarten and 1st grade teacher at C.C. Spaulding Elementary and interned with both Falkener and Kernersville Elementary Schools. She was an Environment Rating Scales Training Coordinator for the Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute and a staff assistant at Harvard University's Mind, Brain, and Behavior inter-faculty undergraduate program.
Evika Sturdivant came to Central Park with 16 years experience teaching kindergarten and first grade in Durham and Chapel Hill-Carrboro Public Schools. A Chapel Hill native, she graduated from UNC-Chapel Hill with a degree in Early Childhood Education. She has also trained and served as a Reading Recovery teacher and Literacy Coordinator. She strives to cultivate a "love of literacy that can integrate all subject areas and last a lifetime." She has three children.
Julie Janes is originally from Columbia, South Carolina, and grew up in Midlothian, Virginia. She is a graduate of East Carolina University with a bachelor's degree in Early Childhood Education and a master's degree in Elementary Education. Julie has taught K-2 in Orange County and Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools and began teaching at Central Park in 2005. She loves reading, skiing, and teaching at CPSC. Check out Julie's class website.
SECOND GRADE
Mark Hardy has been working in education for 18 years. He began his teaching career at the Bronx New School, an elementary school of choice with a mission, philosophy and pedagogy very similar to CPSC. After a four-year hiatus from classroom teaching, during which he worked as a literacy consultant for Teachers College Reading and Writing Project, Mark returned to the South and to the classroom, where he spent six years teaching 3rd and 2nd grade in the Wake County Public School System. In 2009, he published his debut novel for young adults, Nothing Pink.
Jill Ackerman moved to North Carolina three years ago after graduating from Michigan State University with a degree in Child Development. She taught in Wake County Public Schools before making the change to Central Park in 2010. Walking through the school and seeing the lofts, gardens, and “big recess” was all it took — she was hooked. Jill especially enjoys Central Park’s focus on educating the whole child and is always excited to see what projects her class will develop. Outside of school, Jill enjoys running, reading, and being outside.
Meg Millard grew up in Chapel Hill and has traveled and studied throughout the U.S. She has a bachelor's degree in Environmental Studies from the Evergreen State College. She is certified as an Environmental Educator, in literacy grades K-8, and in Mathematics grades 6-8, and she holds a M.Ed. in K-8 Mathematics. Meg has been an elementary school teacher for over 20 years. She has taught at the Duke School for Children and Frank Porter Graham Elementary School (in Chapel Hill), and she has substituted in both Alamance and Orange counties. Additionally, she has taught summer programs for teachers through the UNC Center for Math and Science, the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy, and the Thomas Day Education Project (in Durham). Meg began teaching at CPSC in 2006.
THIRD GRADE
Judy Compton came to CPSC in 2008 from Durham Public Schools. Before teaching, she spent more than 13 years as a newspaper reporter and copy editor in Maine, Pennsylvania, and North Carolina. She has an M.Ed. in elementary education from Edinboro University in Pennsylvania, and a B.A. in International Studies from Austin College in Texas, where she was born. She also has a certificate in technical communication from Duke's Continuing Studies Program. When Central Park opened, Judy knew it was where she wanted her then 1-year-old son to grow up. Now that he has been a CPSC student for a few years, she's even more certain. Judy loves being part of a staff committed to helping create thoughtful, intelligent children.
Chanel Carrell began teaching at CPSC in 2007, but she has been involved in many ways with the school since it opened in 2003, ranging from volunteering as a class parent to creating the secret elves birthday for teachers. Chanel is an Elementary Education graduate with certification in K-6 from Converse College in Spartanburg, South Carolina. She also holds AIG and ESL certification from Duke University. Chanel enjoys traveling with her family and finding peace with nature. "I believe in the constructivist approach to learning and providing unique learning experiences to enhance each child's personal goals."
Sarah Schafbuch was born and raised in Michigan. She earned her B.S. in Written Communication and Psychology at Eastern Michigan University and her M.A. in Elementary Education from the University of Michigan. Sarah came to CPSC from Wake County Public Schools, where she taught 4th grade. "I hope to build my students' confidence and build on their natural curiosity to learn and grow." In addition to teaching and learning with students, Sarah loves to coach and play soccer. She has 10 years of coaching experience at various competitive levels. Sarah also enjoys traveling, reading, writing, and spending time with friends and family.
FOURTH GRADE
Cheryle Pope began teaching at CPSC in 2005. She taught for many years at the Duke School for Children and held the position of Curriculum and Staff Development Director. She has over 20 years of experience teaching grades pre-K-8, consulting with schools across North Carolina, tutoring privately, and leading staff development with teachers and undergraduates at UNC. Cheryle has a master's degree in education from UNC-Chapel Hill. She thoroughly enjoys project-based teaching and experiential learning techniques. Check out Cheryle's class website.
Amy Scott started her teaching career at PS 125 in Harlem. As part of the New York City Teaching Fellows Program, she taught full-time at the school while getting a Master of Science in Elementary Education degree at the City College of New York. She learned a ton and enjoyed her time in the Big Apple, but having been born and raised in Boone, she was eager to get back south. In 2005, Amy began teaching in the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools. Though she loved her previous school, she was inspired by the mission and vision of Central Park School for Children and is excited to be a part of this community. Outside the classroom, Amy enjoys hiking with her dogs and swing- or salsa-dancing. She is also an avid traveler and has spent time living in both Mexico and Italy.
Aaron Sebens was excited to put down roots in Durham after teaching in Japan, Boston, and Honduras. Aaron graduated with a B.A. in History and Education from the College of William and Mary and holds an M.Ed. in Special Education from Simmons College. Aaron grew up in the Blue Ridge mountains of Virginia and plays a variety of music from Old-time, to Jazz, to Ska. He also makes and eats a lot of food, and loves to be in the woods or in his wooden kayak on the water. Aaron believes strongly that all learners are entitled to creative and engaging education and enjoys exploring the world with students in a supportive, challenging, and caring community.
FIFTH GRADE
Heather Cook is a Minnesota gal, who traded in her snowshoes for sandals after moving to NC with her husband and his bandmates in 2004. Heather began teaching in 2002 and has taught 2nd grade, 5th grade, junior high, high school ESL and adult education. Heather is totally in love with Durham! When Heather is not teaching, she can be found supporting the local music scene, digging in her garden, licking a Locopop, crafting, or collaborating and event planning throughout Bull City. "My motto for teaching is best put by the words of another great teacher, Mahatma Gandhi: 'The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.'" Check out Heather's class website.
Kerry Howard enjoyed her school years and her aim is to give all of the students that pass through her class the opportunity to say the same! She comes here by a very convoluted route beginning with her elementary and high school education in the tiny Caribbean island of Barbados. After graduating from high school, she went to Nipissing University in North Bay, Ontario, and completed a Bachelor of Education degree in Primary/Junior Elementary Education. She taught in Barbados for six years before moving to North Carolina in 2007. She has taught every grade from K-5 and served as an interventionist in the primary department and a science specialist in the junior department. When not in teacher mode, she is in student mode and will graduate from Elon University with a Masters of Education in Special Education this August. When she removes both of those hats, she then becomes Kerry the performer, she LOVES the stage… especially dance.
Alex Madrigal started his teaching career in southern California teaching in an English language immersion class and a special day class for students with autism. For three years, Alex taught in Honduras at an International School as a learning resource teacher. He returned to the states for one year to teach 5th grade in the District of Columbia and then returned to Honduras to teach 4th through 6th grade for three years prior to joining the CPSC faculty. Alex earned a B.A. in Anthropology at UC Santa Barbara and his M.A. in Education from Framingham State College in Massachusetts. Alex enjoys running and loves playing a variety of Indonesian musical instruments.