Mike Apele, Track
A graduate of the University of Hawaii with a B.S. in health and physical education, Mike has coached the SGS varsity sprinters and jumpers for the last three years, as well as the MS girls basketball team (6th/7th grades) for six years now.
Julianne Clark, First Grade
Julianne’s hometown is Bonners Ferry, Idaho. She moved east to work as a nanny for several years in Boston. While in Boston, Julianne received her B.A. from the University of Massachusetts and her M.Ed. from Lesley College. Julianne enjoys gardening and knitting. This is Julianne’s sixth year teaching first graders at Saint George’s School.
Travis Cullitan, Technology
Travis is the Technology Specialist for Saint George's. He graduated from SGS in 2004 and from Gonzaga University in 2008 with a B.S. in Computer Science. This will be his fifth year running the Lego Robotics camp.
Rick Deford: Upper School Physics
A native of eastern Washington, Rick was raised on a wheat farm before venturing out into the world where he worked in management for several different corporations large and small for 12 years before returning to the farm. He built a wheat farming operation and volunteered as an aide and coach in a local school where he decided to become a teacher after 15 years of farming. He received his Bachelors in physics from Eastern Washington University and has taught for 7 years, 5 at SGS and 2 in Austin, Texas. He also coaches the SGS FIRST Robotics team where he brings the classroom together with the real world. His passion is traveling the less beaten paths where he can enjoy the parks and the local flavor.
Judy Hafso, Lower School Music
Judy graduated with a B.A. in Education from Pacific Lutheran University. She has taught classroom music in Alberta, Washington, and Iowa and prior to coming to Saint George’s enjoyed a career in health care as a Recreation Therapist. She developed intergenerational programs with school districts and long term care facilities and practiced music therapy with groups and individuals. This summer Judy served as a choral clinician for a music week at Concordia University in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada conducting a 30 voice children’s choir and working with 16 other elementary music educators. This is Judy’s seventh year at SGS. She is married to Marc and is a proud parent to a son and three daughters.
Tyler Hartanov, Middle School English & History
Tyler holds a B.A. from Montana State University and teaches sixth graders at Saint George's. He also coaches the 5th/6th grade cross country team. A Spokane native, Tyler taught history courses at North Central H.S. before joining the SGS Middle School faculty in 2008.
Josh Hayes: Upper School History & Economics
Originally from Oregon, Josh worked as a wildlands helicopter firefighter during summers while in college and graduate school. He received his B.A. in Political Science and German from Saint John’s University and his M.A. in Political Science from Duke University. Josh also serves as Saint George’s cross country and track coach. Josh and his wife travel extensively, having visited over 30 different countries. His most notable upcoming adventure will be the Paris International Marathon this spring.
David Holte: Upper School History
Dave Holte is a Spokane native who attended Saint George's School from 1995-2001. After graduation he attended Bowdoin College in Maine and studied abroad at the University of Otago in New Zealand. He graduated from Bowdoin with an honors degree in United States History and a minor in Geology. Most recently, Dave spent over three years at the University of Maryland getting his Master’s degree in United States History. He is an avid fly-fisherman and spends his free time in the streams and mountains of north Idaho and western Montana.
Kathy Johnson, Kindergarten
Kathy graduated from Washington State University with a B.A. in Education and a M.A. in Guidance and Counseling. She received her Administrative Certification from Whitworth College. Kathy has taught many years in Washington public schools. This is her 19th year at SGS. Kathy enjoys family activities, skiing, reading, traveling, and spending time with family. She enjoys her days with children discovering the world of learning.
Shane Kangas, Middle School Mathematics
Shane has a B.A. in education (K-8) from Eastern Washington University. He previously taught mathematics at Sylvan Learning Center and served as a site director at a before and after school elementary school program in Federal Way.
Paul Lamontagne: Middle/Upper School Spanish/French
Overall Paul has 30 years of teaching French and Spanish in independent schools. He recently moved to Spokane from Miami, Florida where he was the Foreign Language Chair at Palmer Trinity School. He holds two master’s degrees, one in Spanish from Middlebury College and in Education from Harvard. He teaches a course on World Language teaching methodology as a adjunct at Whitworth. He is the Exam Leader for scoring the Advanced Placement Spanish Language Exam. Paul runs a conversational Spanish class for SGS colleague sand parents. He is also an excellent cook and loves to do stained glass.
Kelsey McGee: Volleyball
Kelsey McGee was a four-year varsity and twice all conference volleyball player in high school in the Chicago area. At Bellevue Community College she was team captain, team MVP, and named to the NWAACC first team all conference. After a string of injuries ended her playing career, she became assistant coach for three years with the U-16’s team at Northwest Juniors Volleyball Club in Bellevue, Washington, then was assistant coach for Edmonds Community College. She holds a B.A. from EWU at Bellevue in Children’s Studies, and most recently was the assistant coach with Diane Pascua for the successful U-18 Spokane Splash volleyball team. Kelsey currently holds a National Certification in Personal Training and strives to make strength and conditioning a vital aspect of her coaching strategies. She is extremely excited to start working with Saint George’s this season and can’t wait to get in the gym with the team!
Melanie Mildrew, Director of Outdoor Activities and Community Service
Melanie Mildrew joins us from Ketchum, Idaho as the Director of Outdoor and Community Service Programs. Originally from Virginia, she has her psychology B.A. degree from the University of Virginia. Discovering a passion for the outdoors, she attained her masters in Outdoor Leadership and Wilderness Education from Prescott College.
Heidi Melville: Soccer
Heidi Melville started her soccer career playing Olympic developmental for Washington State while in high school. Her first two years of college soccer were played at Community Colleges of Spokane under coach Cor Van der Meer. There she was Conference MVP her sophomore year, and All League both freshman and sophomore years. She then played Division 1 soccer at the University of Montana, earning the Conference MVP honor and the Golden Boot Award her senior year for the player with the most points, goals and assists in the conference. That year Heidi was chosen as an All American for Division 1 women’s soccer and the Grizzlies won their conference, taking the soccer program to its first ever national tournament. She graduated with a B.A. in interdisciplinary studies and has been involved in coaching since her college days. "I love the beautiful game of soccer… playing and teaching others its many wonderful elements!"
Bob Pate, Baseball
Bob Pate has been involved in baseball his entire life. He grew up playing the game in the Spokane Valley. His passion for baseball carried him to the University of Washington where he enjoyed playing baseball while pursuing a degree. He is currently the head baseball coach at Saint George’s School.
Ryan Peplinski, Basketball
Ryan Peplinski just finished his 11th season as the Saint George’s varsity boys basketball coach, and previous to that coached and taught at Mt. Spokane High School. He has three children in the Lower School and also serves as Saint George’s Athletic Director.
Rachel Peters, Fourth Grade
Rachel grew up in the Inland Northwest living in a number of cities including Eugene, Bonners Ferry, Ellensburg, Wenatchee, and Coeur d’Alene. She graduated from the University of Washington with a B.A. in philosophy and later earned her M.Ed. from Eastern Washington University. Just recently she completed her library media specialist endorsement, and plans on becoming an elementary or middle school librarian. Rachel taught 1st and 5th grade during her five years in Las Vegas, Nevada before moving back to the Northwest. This is Rachel’s tenth year at SGS. Rachel enjoys reading, road biking, gardening, kayaking, and most of all spending time with her husband Brad, son Tobias, and their many four-legged housemates in their 1928 Tudor house on the South Hill and their Dover Bay condo.
Rick Petrini, Second Grade
Rick has enjoyed teaching for twenty-two years, with the last five here at Saint George’s School. He has earned a B.S. from Loyola Marymount University, teaching credentials from the University of California at Santa Barbara, and a M.A. from Chapman University. Rick enjoys inspiring his students, leading Lego League, playing the piano, gardening, skiing, and trying to keep up with his three teenage children at home! He and his family also love to camp and hike. He spends too much of his free time chasing deer out of his vegetable garden!
Mark Rickard: Upper School Health, Admissions
Currently in his fifth year at SGS, Mark is very diverse in his responsibilities. He currently teaches Upper School Health. Beyond the classroom, Mark coaches MS and US softball, girls basketball and is the ASB advisor. This year he is also working as an assistant in the Office of Admissions. Mark originally comes from Republic, Washington and graduated in 2003 from Eastern Washington University with a B.A.E. in Health and Fitness. Mark and his wife of 10 years, Nichoel, have 3 children, Braxton, Cambrie and Maximus. Braxton, Cambrie and Maximus are current students in the Lower School at Saint George's.
Sherry Shoemaker, Third Grade
Sherry has lived her whole life in Spokane. It suits her personality of loving the outdoors, having four distinct seasons, and just the right size for convenience and culture. Sherry graduated from Washington State University with a B.A. in Education. She earned her Master’s in Curriculum Development from Eastern Washington University. Most recently she achieved her National Board Certification as a Middle Childhood Generalist. She has taught many years for Spokane Schools, mostly at Hutton and Hamblen Elementary teaching third through sixth grade classes. This is Sherry’s second year at Saint George’s. She continues to be excited about the traditions and closeness of the Saint George’s community and all the outstanding opportunities that the students get to experience.
Linda Smith, Lower School Art
Linda recently earned a M.A.T. in Gifted and Talented Education from Whitworth University. She also holds a M. Ed. in Curriculum Design and Development from SUNY Oswego, and a B.S. in Art Education from SUNY Buffalo. She taught art for several years in NY state before moving to Houston, TX where she taught, sold, and exhibited her work. Linda holds permanent WA state teaching certification and will be starting her ninth year at SGS. She enjoys sharing her love of art and recent travels with her students. In her free time, she loves to paint, travel, take classes, read, bike, and go for long walks.
Sara Smith, Middle/Upper School Librarian
A Pacific Northwest native, Sara received her B.A. from Gonzaga University and her M.Sc. in Information and Library Studies from Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen, Scotland. Sara loves to read and travel and spend what few free moments she has with her husband Josh and her six-year-old daughter. She is in her fourth year as the Middle and Upper School Librarian at SGS.
Nancy Spencer, Head of the Lower School
Nancy holds a Master’s Degree in Gifted and Talented Education from Whitworth College and a B.A. from the University of Iowa. She completed her administration certification program through Eastern Washington University. Nancy came to Saint George’s from the Mead School District, where she coordinated gifted and talented programs K-6th grades. This is Nancy’s eleventh year as head of the lower school after many years at SGS as a parent. Nancy loves art, reading, hiking, working with children and adults, traveling to China, Priest Lake, and spending time with her husband, Don, and growing family - which now includes eight grandchildren, one ferret, and one dog.
Terry Templeton, Track
Terry has served six years as head track and field coach for Saint George's School. He also is an assistant coach for the cross country team and has coached the 8th grade boys basketball team. He holds a bachelor's degree from California State University.