College & Career Readiness
MHS believes that one of our primary goals is to prepare students for the very important transition from high school to higher education, employment, or military service by providing opportunities to take greater responsibility for their learning and time management. The courses in the College & Career Readiness Program enable students to pursue in-depth areas of personal interest, to develop independent learning techniques, to become involved in a service learning experience, to engage in teamwork and consensus building, to connect to the community, to demonstrate learning in their
32 own way, to engage in moral, ethical and philosophical reasoning, to improve presentation skills, and to grow in independence, dependability, and intellectual curiosity so that they may find success and become lifelong learners.
The following courses comprise our College & Career Readiness program:
ACT Readiness Preparation
Analytical Development and Strategic Reading
AP Research
College Success
Internship/Independent Project
Senior Transition
Socratic Inquiry
Strategic Reading
ACT Readiness Preparation Teachers
Steve Koontz
My name is Steve Koontz and I believe every student can learn, but they need to be pushed to reach their full potential. I expect students to come prepared each day to class ready to learn.
Education:
Bachelor's degree in Mathematics from the University of Tennessee
Master's degree in Accounting from the University of Tennessee
Education Specialist Degree in administration and supervision from Lincoln Memorial University
Experience:
1985-1986 Knox County Schools
1986-1996 Maryville High School
1997-1998 Davis Newman Public Accounting Firm
1998-1999 Brown, Jake and McDaniel Public Accounting Firm
1999-present: Maryville High School
Professional Organizations:
National Coucil of Teachers of Mathematics
Current treasurer of MEA
RRPOA Director
Nate Lee
Hello, my name is Nate Lee. I am a mathematics and ACT Prep teacher at Maryville High School. It is an honor to teach your students. I strive to serve them well and always treat them with the highest respect. All students can learn to high levels, and I strive to provide a variety of instructional approaches and interventions to help students. The goal is for students to first experience success with surface learning with foundational material. We then move students to deep levels of learning about the most critical concepts. Finally, we strive to help students make connections between concepts and transfer their learning to new situations. It is a calling to help students grow into better math students and better citizens.
Education:
Bachelor of Science: Mathematics for Teacher Licensure, Maryville College (2004)
Master of Science: Secondary Mathematics Education, Western Governors University (2010)
Educational Specialist: School Leadership and Administration, Lincoln Memorial University (2011)
Doctorate of Education: School Leadership and Administration, Lincoln Memorial University (2016)
Experience:
Student Teaching: Maryville High School (2004)
Teacher: Maryville High School (2004-2013)
Assistant Principal: Maryville Junior High School (2013-2017)
Teacher: Maryville High School (2017-Present)
Jill Pope
elcome to the homepage for our reading classes Strategic Reading and Analytical Development & Strategic Reading! The first thing I tell students is that reading is more than knowing the words on the page. We will work together for 45 days to try and learn what it really is and how to think critically about what they have read. Students will be given the opportunity to practice skills that will be invaluable in the workplace, college classes, and adulthood.
Education:
Bachelor of Arts in Spanish from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Elected to Phi Beta Kappa
Master of Science in Curriculum & Instruction from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville
ED.S in Administration & Supervision from Lincoln Memorial University
Experience:
1993-1999 Knox County Schools
1999-present Maryville City Schools
Professional Organizations:
ILA; ASCD; Learning Forward; MEA,TEA,NEA
AP Research Teacher
Edward Mendence
My name is Eddie Mendence. As an educator, my goals include challenging students to become stronger thinkers, guiding students to establish a firm foundation for written and oral communication, and encouraging them to develop an appreciation for literature. I expect students to be prepared for class, motivated to learn, and willing to seek help when needed.
Education
Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction from Lincoln Memorial University
Bachelor of Arts in English from Maryville College
College Board Endorsed Advanced Placement Summer Institute at UGA - English Literature (June 2009) and English Language (June 2007)
Experience
2005-2008: Floyd County Schools (Rome, GA)
2008-Present: Maryville High School
College Success Teacher
Internship/Independent Project Teacher
Robin Burchfield
My name is Robin Burchfield, and I love teaching Independent Project, English 4 and organizing dual enrollment. Assisting students in becoming responsible and organized students, analytical readers and thinkers, and skilled and creative writers are goals for my students. While I will demonstrate a strong worth ethic in class and show respect toward my students, I expect students to do the same by working hard and respecting their peers and their teacher.
Education
B.S. Degree in Education from the University of Tennessee - Knoxville
M.S. Degree in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Tennessee - Knoxville
30 Additional Hours in Curriculum and Instruction
Experience
1978-1987 - Blount County Schools
1987-Present - Maryville City Schools
Professional Organizations
MEA, TEA, NEA and NCTE
Reading Teachers
Clarissa Feldt
Hello! My name is Clarissa Feldt and I am the drama instructor and reading teacher at MHS. It is my belief that as an educator in the arts my role in your child’s education is to support creative expression, expose them to different aspects of the production process, and create an environment for them to be as successful as possible. I choose to emphasize the collaborative nature of theatre in my courses and productions, therefore, my focus is on building a theatre team. Students who excel at working in groups and collaborating find significant more success as an adult, particularly in the workplace.
Experience
Before coming to MHS, I was an adjunct instructor in theatre arts for 5 years. I taught at multiple campuses for Pellissippi State and Roane State Community Colleges. From the Fall of 2015 until the Spring of 2017, I directed the mainstage productions at Roane State’s Roane County Campus including a 50 person cast in the musical Oliver!. At 21, I received my first Actor’s Equity job and have worked professionally as a director, actor and dramaturg for over a decade.
Professional Organizations to which you belong
Maryville Education Association, Tennessee Education Association, National Education Association
Education and Training:
University of Oklahoma – Master of Arts in Drama (focus Dramaturgy) in 2010
University of Texas at Arlington – Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre Performance in 2008 Cum Laude
Penny Ferguson
Today, the only place where all the women are strong, all the men are good-looking, and all the children are above average is Garrison Keillor's mythical Lake Wobegon, but teaching in the Maryville City School System is close. In our mythical kingdom excellent teaching is the norm, motivated students abound, and intellectual curiosity is alive and well. I am a product of the Maryville City School System, and I have spent my career teaching here.
I have a vision of what education might be, and I am committed to helping students achieve these goals:
1)Our children learn to think--clearly and with respect for the evidence--for themselves.
2)Our children come to know the marvelously rich and varied and colorful cloth from which our culture has been cut.
3)Our children come to understand how to turn facts into tools and how to tell the difference between knowledge and wisdom.
4)Our children enter the world believing that they can make a difference and are equipped with the means to do so.
5)Our children catch the sustaining joy of learning.
Sponsor:
National Honor Society
Maryville Scholars
Junior Class
Education:
University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN Doctor of Education
University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN Educational Specialist
University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN Master of Arts
Maryville College, Maryville, TN Bachelor of Arts
Experience:
1970‑present Maryville High School, Maryville, TN 11th grade English
1991-present Maryville College, Maryville, TN Teacher Education classes
1969‑1970 John Sevier Elementary, Maryville, TN 7th grade English
2006-present National School Reform Faculty National Facilitator, Tennessee Center of Activity Director
Professional Organizations and Appointments:
Certified by College Board in AP Language and AP Literature
MEA, TEA, NEA, TCTE, NCTE, Gilder Lehrman
2011-present Tennessee Curriculum Center English Language Arts Appointee
2010-present Advanced Placement Advisory Board National Level, Pearson Group
2008-present Starlight Awards Committee Maryville City Schools Foundation
2006-present Chair of Teacher Awards, Tennessee Council of Teachers of English
Edward Mendence
My name is Eddie Mendence. As an educator, my goals include challenging students to become stronger thinkers, guiding students to establish a firm foundation for written and oral communication, and encouraging them to develop an appreciation for literature. I expect students to be prepared for class, motivated to learn, and willing to seek help when needed.
Education
Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction from Lincoln Memorial University
Bachelor of Arts in English from Maryville College
College Board Endorsed Advanced Placement Summer Institute at UGA - English Literature (June 2009) and English Language (June 2007)
Experience
2005-2008: Floyd County Schools (Rome, GA)
2008-Present: Maryville High School
Senior Transition Teachers
Steven Feather
I am a firm believer that all kids can excel academically at their appropriate level and that English can be enjoyable if both the teacher and students commit to an appropriate amount of energy and seriousness each day. In English III CP, students will experience challenges in grammar and language, logic and rhetoric, writing, media, and literature. I expect students to arrive to class fully prepared and to complete daily assignments that are designed to help meet gains on both the End of Course Test and TCAP writing.
Education: Bachelor's degree in English and Education (Bucknell University)
Master's degree in Administration/Education (LMU)
Experience: Newton-Conover Middle School (2003-2004)
Newton-Conover High School (2004-2006)
Maryville High School (2006-present)
Professional Organizations: MEA, TEA
Natasha McMurray
My name is Natasha McMurray and I teach Senior Transition, Spanish Levels 1-3 and Foreign Language Teaching Ambassadors. Helping students recognize the need for and importance of learning another language is one of my goals as a teacher. I also love seeing students accomplish something that they often feel is impossible. I expect students to achieve to their highest potential.
Education:
Bachelor's degree in Child Development with a minor in Spanish from Maryville College
Master's degree in Educational Leadership from the University of Illinois at Springfield
ED.S degree in Administration and Supervision from Lincoln Memorial University
Experience:
2000-2001: Sevier County High School
2001- present: Maryville High School
Professional Organizations:
CEIA and TFLTA
Jacqueline Stryker
My name is Jackie Stryker and I teach Senior Transition. I believe that ALL students are capable of learning. As an educator I feel as if it is my job to discover the pace, rigor, and content at which the students will be most successful. I enjoy the challenge of trying to explain concepts in a way that assists students in their understanding. I expect students to come to class prepared to learn with a positive disposition, a willingness to put forth their best effort, and to face challenges with an "I can do it" attitude.
Education:
Bachelor's degree in Mathematics from Maryville College
Master's degree in Guidance & Counseling from Lincoln Memorial University
Experience:
2003-2006: Sevier County Schools
2006-Present: Maryville High School
Professional Organizations:
SACAC
Socratic Inquiry Teacher
Jill Pope
elcome to the homepage for our reading classes Strategic Reading and Analytical Development & Strategic Reading! The first thing I tell students is that reading is more than knowing the words on the page. We will work together for 45 days to try and learn what it really is and how to think critically about what they have read. Students will be given the opportunity to practice skills that will be invaluable in the workplace, college classes, and adulthood.
Education:
Bachelor of Arts in Spanish from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Elected to Phi Beta Kappa
Master of Science in Curriculum & Instruction from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville
ED.S in Administration & Supervision from Lincoln Memorial University
Experience:
1993-1999 Knox County Schools
1999-present Maryville City Schools
Professional Organizations:
ILA; ASCD; Learning Forward; MEA,TEA,NEA