Jana Bledsoe
I had the privilege of joining the Friends School community in 1998 as the Program Coordinator and continued in that capacity until 2005 at which time I moved to Denver for my daughter to attend the Denver School of the Arts. I am thrilled to be back at Friends working closely with our admin team. Prior […]
Gracie Gravely
I am so excited to be teaching STEM at Friends elementary and middle school! My favorite thing about STEM has to be developing creative approaches to problem solving and gaining those ever-useful critical thinking skills that help us to navigate understanding and interpreting the world around us. I was born and raised in the Bay Area of Northern California, […]
Farren Wyner
Nurturing the unique gifts of every child and designing lessons that are enjoyable, accessible, and engaging light me up! My 16+ years of elementary teaching experience in California and Colorado exposed me to a variety of school and classroom experiences, though I genuinely believe they have all led me to Friends School, and I am thrilled to be a part of this school community. Friends School’s […]
Erika Norman
My journey to Friends has been a decade-long one during which I taught 2nd, 3rd, and 4th grade, as well as gifted and talented students K-5. During this time I learned a great deal from many gifted colleagues and many wonderful students. Together we struggled, laughed, and learned about ourselves and learning. I am a […]
Erik Keithley
I’m from Maryland and attended Elon University in North Carolina where I received a B.A. in Journalism and Film. I worked for several years as a Communications Manager for Trinity Episcopal School in Austin, Texas, where I loved getting to visit classrooms on a daily basis and document the amazing stories of learning taking place. […]
Diane Bramble
I’ve taught at Friends School since 1989. I love teaching here because it’s a place where children are respected. I believe, as Plutarch did, that the mind is not a vessel to be filled, but a fire to be kindled. In my classroom I aspire to not only get students thinking and to challenge themselves, […]
Del Hebert
I graduated from Penn State in 2015 with a degree in Psychology and Statistics. I worked in educational research for 5 years at ETS, studying motivation, engagement, and emotions in learning and assessment. After co-teaching 5th grade at Friends for 2 years, I am starting a new role as the Associate Program Coordinator. I am […]
deana harragarra waters
I have been happy to be a part of the Friends School community since 1999. Many years ago, when interviewing for graduate school, I told the selection committee my goal was to be a children’s librarian on an Indian reservation. My desire to be a children’s librarian was largely influenced by my Kiowa grandfather who […]
Dani Pifer
I am beyond excited and grateful to be a part of the Friends School Community this upcoming school year as the lead Kindergarten teacher. I moved from San Diego to Colorado in 2008 to attend the University of Colorado at Boulder. As a student, I was a mentor and tutor at an educational nonprofit called […]
Colleen Weber
I’ve known I wanted to work with children since I was a kid myself. My first grade teacher was the most wonderful educator and she inspired me to become a teacher, too. Growing up, I was the go-to neighborhood babysitter. As a teen, I volunteered to coach youth basketball teams. Throughout college I worked in […]
