Featured Teachers Colorado Academy teachers have a passion for their subjects and their students. Here, a few of them share their reasons for teaching at CA.Lisa Boes, Upper School Chemistry Teacher (click for photo)Lisa Boes says the one thing that makes CA so special is its students—specifically, their individualism and curiosity. “Each student here is unique. Each has some special interest or talent or personality trait. It’s so exciting, over the course of a student’s high school career, to watch all these attributes unfold.”
Lisa, who has been teaching chemistry at CA for six years, says the school’s small class sizes and friendly atmosphere are particularly conducive to developing strong teacher-student relationships. “There are mornings, especially in the dark of winter, when I’m not so energized about coming into work,” the young teacher admits. “But then I get there and the kids drop by to chat or ask a question and suddenly the day is much brighter.
“The kids here are also very accepting of each other and each other’s differences. They want to learn about each other, about their teachers, about their extracurriculars and about the subjects they are studying. When they leave here they are ready and able to work with all types of people, doing just about anything they choose,” Lisa says.
An avid marathon runner and outdoor enthusiast, Lisa earned her bachelor’s degree in chemistry from the University of Notre Dame and a master’s degree in chemistry from Colorado State University. She is a published author and, never one to sit idle, spends her summers working at the National Renewable Energy Laboratories in Golden as a researcher and teacher. This summer she will be focusing specifically on ethanol production.
Lisa says she considers herself lucky to be teaching at CA, and to be teaching a subject she loves. And when asked about the best part of her job, she quickly replies, “That’s easy—when students come back and tell us about all the exciting things they are doing!”
Liston Hills, Middle School Core & English (click for photo)
Liston Hills ’95 has the distinction of being a CA teacher who spent his entire pre-college life being taught by CA teachers. He returned to his alma mater because he believes in paying it forward.
Liston’s association with CA goes back a full quarter century: first as a student in grades K-12, then as a summer camp employee, an assistant varsity lacrosse coach and now as a middle school teacher and coach. He says he is frequently asked why he has remained so committed to CA. The answer, he says, can be explained in one word: teachers. “No where else on my journey did I encounter educators that had a greater impact on my life’s path and the person I am today.”
Liston, who has been honored for his teaching excellence, is now in his fifth year of teaching at CA. In addition to Core and English, he is a middle school house leader, a member of the admissions committee and a soccer and lacrosse coach. When not at CA, Liston and his wife, Katy, can be found running, skiing, hiking and biking with their dog, Homer. Liston recently completed his first marathon.
The CA student-turned-teacher has strong thoughts about what makes this school so special: “Colorado Academy is not a place in which students are sheltered; it is a place in which students are encouraged to seek out life’s lessons and meet them head on. It is a place that pushes you until you stumble but always extends a helping hand.
“This community has always looked out for its own, and in doing so it has created generation after generation of students that leave campus, go out into the world and pass on the gifts bestowed upon them by caring teachers. And sometimes, a few of them even come back.”
Suzanne Kolsun-Jackson, 4th Grade (click for photo)
Suzanne Kolsun-Jackson is a Master Teacher who teaches fourth grade and is now completing her twenty-sixth year at CA. Along the way, she has taken a year to teach in Scotland as part of an exchange program, she has received numerous awards for teaching excellence, and she has seen her own two daughters start CA in kindergarten and proudly become CA graduates.
Suzanne’s interests and background are varied; in addition to Scotland and Colorado, she has taught in places as diversified as the Pine Ridge Reservation in Porcupine, SD, inner-city London and small-town Connecticut. She was educated primarily in England and is a true fan of Beatrix Potter and the Miss Marple mysteries. Clearly, this veteran CA teacher loves to travel, to read and to write.
Another thing Ms. Kolsun-Jackson loves is CA. She values its family-friendly environment, its academic excellence and its commitment to educating the whole child. She also values the school’s respect for its teachers. “The opportunity for professional growth is one of the key aspects of school life that has kept me here for 26 years. Curriculum development isn’t an interpretation of materials we read; at CA we bring in renowned experts who have authored books and trained faculties throughout the world to work with us right here in our classrooms. Teaching is a dynamic field, ever moving forward, and it is essential to keep up with current thought and research. CA knows how to make this happen.”
Guy Garcia, Director of Middle School Athletics (click for photo)
Guy Garcia wears a lot of hats at Colorado Academy, but his favorite is as coach. This year alone, he coached six teams in both middle and upper school: varsity volleyball, 6th grade girls’ basketball, 8th grade girls’ basketball (both the A and B teams) and varsity women’s tennis. He has been named coach of the year by the Metro League four times—once for volleyball, and three times for tennis, including this year. He also captured his 150th win this year as CA’s varsity volleyball coach.
As Director of Middle School Athletics, Guy does everything from teaching P.E. to developing sports curriculum. This year, in his spare time, he also managed to lead the upper school interim, “South Dakota Adventures,” and additionally, he runs CA’s summer golf program. In his 11th year at CA, Guy says the thing he likes best about his job is getting to work so closely with both middle and upper school students. “It’s so much fun I really don’t even think of it as a job.”
Guy says CA is that rare school where it’s considered “cool to be smart,” where there is equal appreciation for academics, athletics and the arts. The emphasis is on the whole child and it works so well, he says, because of the school’s attention to detail. “Everyone does the little things so well; the faculty is professional and the kids are determined and committed.”
A Denver native, Guy is a graduate of West High School, where he played tennis and baseball, and he holds a bachelor’s degree in human performance, sports and leisure studies. He is an avid golfer, volleyball player and tennis player and he also enjoys visiting as many major league baseball stadiums as he can.
If you visit CA, Guy will be easy to recognize. He can be found sporting a CA athletic jacket or shirt, energetically interacting with students and colleagues and always with a huge smile on his face. Guy is an educator and coach who truly loves his work—and it’s easy for all to see.