Krista Chiaravalle

Middle School Teacher
She, Her, Hers
krista@septemberschool.org

“Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire” - WB Yeats

Krista is our new lead middle school teacher. With over 15 years of experience in education, she wholeheartedly believes that children are hardwired to learn and need to be given a safe space to explore their passions and interests. Like our students, Krista was also educated in a nontraditional setting at the Jefferson County Open School in Lakewood where she attended kindergarten to 12th grade. It was at the Open School where she discovered a true passion for learning and the importance of community.

She began her teaching journey in the San Luis Valley where she helped disadvantaged students in the Upward Bound Program. From there, she moved to the Front Range where she taught biology at Niwot High School. Most recently, she was the STEM coordinator and instructional coach at Sunset Middle School teaching students coding, robotics, and engineering skills.

Krista lives in Lyons with her husband and two teenage daughters. She loves being outdoors, so on any given day you may find her rock climbing, boating, fishing, hiking, or skiing with her family. She also adores traveling and has plans to go to Uganda next summer to help a secondary school set up a STEM lab.

Sarah DeSouza

Assistant to the Head of School
She, Her, Hers
sarahd@septemberschool.org

Sarah has doctoral degree in Education Administration and Policy Studies from George Washington University. She also holds a master of science in Health Fitness Management from American University and a bachelor of Physical and Health Education from the University of Toronto.

Sarah joined the September School staff in 2020 after spending 25 years working as a policy analyst in Colorado municipal government. She is thrilled to be able to follow her passion by joining the incredible staff at September School where she works in administration.

When she is not at school, Sarah loves to ride horses, hike, and spend time with her husband, dogs, and three boys.

Morgan Ferraro

Middle School and ELA
She, Her, Hers
morgan@septemberschool.org

Morgan Ferraro is a Graduate student at Regis University working towards getting her Master's and teaching degree. Her education background is in English/Language Arts but she also has experience tutoring multiple subjects and coaching students of all ages. She is originally from Nebraska but has spent almost a year now in Boulder and has been loving it. She enjoys hiking, running, playing soccer, and just generally being outdoors. As an animal lover she has had many interesting pets over the years.

Eitan Fire

Social Studies Teacher
He, Him, His
eitan@septemberschool.org

Eitan earned his undergraduate degree in liberal arts at St. John’s College, the nation’s third-oldest school. He lived in Israel, where he had the opportunity to solidify his understanding of Hebrew. Eitan pursued his interest in teaching by working first at The Santa Fe Children’s Museum and then at a Boys and Girls Club in Portland, Oregon. He gained critical tools to become the best teacher possible by earning his Masters in Teaching at Lewis & Clark College. Since then, Eitan has returned to his hometown of Boulder and spent five years teaching in the public school system including three years in the Boulder Valley School District.

“I strive to ensure that all of my students feel supported and valued by me regardless of where they are in terms of understanding, their values, and/or beliefs. I work with all of my students to help them grow into confident adults and positive role models.” —Eitan Fire

Lindsey Gillette

Social Studies Teacher
She, Her, Hers
lindsey@septemberschool.org

At 5 years old, Lindsey set up her stuffed animals (and little brother) so she could play teacher. Teaching has always been her calling. She earned her Bachelors of Arts in History and Education from Colorado State University. Shortly after graduating from CSU, she embarked on a new adventure and moved to South Korea where she spent a year teaching English and experiencing life abroad. Lindsey returned home to teach for ten years in Denver Public Schools. Her experience teaching has included Math, Student Council, History and Civics, AP Psychology, and Economics of Social Issues.

In August of 2020 Lindsey began teaching at Sept School and despite all the challenges of the 2020/2021 school year, she feels September School is exactly where she belongs.

Lindsey's passions outside of teaching are giving her two dogs and two cats the absolute best life they could imagine and working and fighting for Social Justice, Animal Justice, and Environmental Justice.

Jeff Hamilton

PE, Health and Performing Arts Teacher
He, Him, His
jeff@septemberschool.org

Jeff backs up his Bachelor of Arts in Psychology/Anthropology with a black belt and 25 years teaching martial arts. Our performing arts instructor since 1993, Jeff also teaches basketball and weightlifting along with classes like Chi Kung, Art of the Sword and Human Issues. Jeff’s wilderness and leadership trips often prove to be life changing for our students, and his daily all-school community class is part of the fabric of our school program. “I have the freedom to be who I really am here,” Jeff says, “and I love that I have the opportunity to form real, authentic relationships with my students.”

“September School offers the chance to help students establish and solidify their values at a time when they’re questioning the reality of everything in their lives.” —Jeff Hamilton

Aimee Herman-Durica

Music and Writing Teacher
They, Them
aimee@septemberschool.org

Aimee studied at Naropa University, where they earned a BFA in Writing and Poetics. They followed that with an MFA in Creative Writing from Long Island University in Brooklyn with a creative focus on queerness, gender and the body. Aimee has taught writing and literature for over ten years in higher ed, building curriculum and being blown away by the beautiful young minds in every classroom they taught. Their favorite part of teaching is watching students find the writer inside them.

Aimee is the author of two books of poetry: meant to wake up feeling (great weather for MEDIA) and to go without blinking (BlazeVOX books). Their first novel, Everything Grows, was published in 2019 by Three Rooms Press, and received a Golden Crown Literary Society Award for best young adult debut novel. Aimee is also a performance artist and ukulele player and enjoys creating spaces for others to feel wild and free on stage. Aimee is committed to community service and currently hosts a monthly open mic called Queer Art Organics and co-facilitates a bi-weekly writing workshop called Queer Creatives at Out Boulder County.

In their spare time, Aimee can be found walking their dog, going on hikes, writing poems, embroidering, and writing letters to their many pen pals.

Michelle Merz

Science and Math Teacher
She, Her, Hers
michellemerz@septemberschool.org

Michelle is a self-declared nerd and life-long learner with eclectic interests that took her on a roundabout journey to teaching. Michelle started at Michigan State University and
followed her passion for animals and biology to earn a Bachelor of Science in Zoology with a concentration in Neurobiology and Animal Behavior. Michelle decided that she didn’t want to
work in a lab studying effects on animal subjects and got her second degree at Northern Illinois University in Law. After several years of coaching various sports as a hobby, she decided to
turn that interest into a career and moved on to Concordia University to earn a Master’s of Education in Curriculum Design in Math and Environmental Science.

Michelle’s journey has let her and her four children live in some amazing places. She has been lucky enough to teach in Colorado, California, Hawaii and China. She is a Star Wars fan along with all things Disney. She loves to ski and has recently gotten certified as a scuba diver; she can’t wait to go again.

Michelle Mullin

Spanish Teacher and Mind, Body, Wellness
She, Her, Hers
michelle@septemberschool.org

Michelle earned her Masters in Education with a concentration in Spanish from DePaul University in Chicago and her BA in Spanish from John Carroll University. Throughout her studies, she traveled, worked, and volunteered throughout Mexico, Central America, and Spain. She looks forward to incorporating her love for travel and culture at September High School.

She has taught Spanish in middle school, high school, and most recently 5 years at DePaul University. Her personal mission as an educator is to develop traits in students that will carry them beyond their coursework and aid their personal development. Aside from teaching, Michelle enjoys being outdoors with her family and trying new restaurants.

Deion Nabors

Math
He, Him, His
deion@septemberschool.org

Deion earned his undergraduate degree in Communication Studies with a concentration in Interpersonal Communications at Bridgewater College in Bridgewater, Va. He worked as the lead teacher and co-creator of the alt-ed program and girl’s basketball coach at his former middle school in Virginia while pursuing a master’s degree in Industrial Organizational Psychology. He moved to Colorado with his wife while she pursues a PhD. in Theater and Performance studies at CU. Inspired by her spirit, Deion began to chase down an Ed.D in Organizational Leadership in January of 2022. He hopes to bring together his experience and education to prepare his Sept. School students for the next part of their journey.

Liz Rhodes

English Teacher
She, Her, Hers
liz@septemberschool.org

Liz Rhodes earned her Bachelor of Arts in English Language and Literature from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and completed her Masters in Education at the University of Colorado Boulder. Prior to finding a home at September School, Liz taught secondary English in St. Vrain Valley School District and in Mapleton Public Schools. Liz chose to teach English because she believes studying literature has the power to help readers contemplate diverse points of view and explore new ways of viewing and living in the world. While she believes that the ability to read and write effectively is crucial to students’ future success, Liz’s primary reason for becoming a teacher is to be a positive, reliable, and deeply caring presence for students fighting through difficult school years. She loves teaching at September School because of the community’s focus on meeting each student where they are and because of the close, genuine student-teacher relationships. In addition to teaching, Liz loves to travel, read, and go on outdoor adventures with her dog.“Students learn best in an accepting environment that allows them to explore, take risks, and try new ways of living in the world. September School community members give one another permission to show up as their authentic selves, allowing deep learning and personal growth to occur." —Liz Rhodes

Julia Sitko

Guidance Counselor and Bilingual Social Worker
She, Her, Hers
eve@septemberschool.org

Julia is a native of Boulder and grew up within the Buddhist community here. She has worked in education for her entire career, first as a teacher and later as a social worker. Julia lived and worked in Oakland, California for the first decade of her career as a social worker and relocated back to Colorado with her son AJ during the early phase of the pandemic to be closer to family. Julia is passionate about working with youth and has dedicated her career to both supporting them and learning from them; young people have always been her greatest teachers. Julia enjoys watching her son play baseball and going to MLB games. She and her son are also avid travelers and have made it to all but two Central American countries. Julia also loves animals and believes that they are powerful healers (true social workers). Julia hopes to bring humor, joy, unconditional love and support to the students of Sept school.

Angela Beloian

Administrative Support and Newsletter Designer (Art Teacher 2007-2020)
She, Her, Hers
angela@septemberschool.org

Angela Beloian received her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Studio Art from the University of California, Santa Barbara and has exhibited her work throughout the United States. Her paintings are included in public and private collections and her work has been displayed on the exterior of the Performing Arts Complex in Denver, Colo. She served on the Visual Arts Committee for the Dairy Center for the Arts in Boulder and the Teacher Advisory Committee for the Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art. Her involvement in September School includes teaching Studio Art and Yearbook as well as leading students on trips to Santa Fe, Chicago, and Patzcuaro, Mexico. Angela also started our Visiting Artist Program.

“During my 13 years teaching art, it brought me an immense amount of joy and inspiration coaching students in their studio practice.” —Angela Beloian

Our Team