Brad Gust, Math Shantae Streeter, Social Studies Brad Gust is new to the teaching profession, having spent the previous 17 years working in PR/Communications for various college and professional sports teams. He worked in the athletic departments at Drake University (four years), Michigan State University (four years) and Auburn University (six years), and for the last three years worked with the Atlanta Dream of the WNBA. Gust received his bachelor's degree in psychology from Indiana University, and earned a master's degree in higher education from Drake. He met his wife, Katie, while at Auburn, and they reside in Roswell with their two children: Lydia (age 5) and Harrison (10 months). Mr. Gust will be teaching Math at all levels. He is excited to begin a new chapter of his life teaching at Elkins Pointe! Mrs. Shantae' Streeter comes to EPMS with teaching experience in 6th, 7th and 8th grade Social Studies in the private school setting. Additionally, she has certifications in Middle Grades Social Studies and Middle Grades ELA. During her travels and support of her husband as a military spouse, Mrs. Streeter graduated from the University of Maryland University College with a B.S. in Social Science in 2009 and in 2011 she earned a Master s in Education Specializing in Instructional Technology also with UMUC. Most recently, Mrs. Streeter has completed all coursework for the MAT (Masters of Arts in Teaching) program with Mercer University and will graduate this Fall 2015. In her free time, Mrs. Streeter enjoys reading, watching the History Channel, cruising, cooking with her family as well as attending cultural events in the community. Mrs. Streeter is thrilled to be a part of the Titans family and looks forward to working with everyone. Ms. Streeter will be joining the 7 th grade team as a Social Studies teacher.
My name is Kate Laurens, though I prefer to go by my middle name, Allison and I am the new Drama/Debate teacher. I graduated with my Bachelor s degree in creative writing with a minor in theatre from Georgia College and State University. I took a year off, working in a church nursery and as a nanny and copywriter before starting my master s program. I just finished my master s degree, a Master of Arts in Teaching from Georgia State University, this summer. I have loved theatre ever since middle school and I am very excited to foster that love in new students. This is my first teaching job and I am thrilled to be starting out at Elkins Pointe. Kate Lauren, Drama Ali Striggles, Language Arts Ali Striggles has recently returned to Georgia after living in Hoover, Alabama for the last two years. She is a graduate of Georgia Southern University where she earned her Bachelors of Business Administration degree. After she worked in business for several years she decided to change careers and enrolled at Georgia State University to earn her certification in Interrelated Special Education. Her teaching career began in Fulton County Schools where she taught 6th, 7th and 8th grade IRR for six years at Webb Bridge Middle School. She also gained valuable experience in a team-taught kindergarten class for one year at Mountain Park Elementary. After staying home with her children for the last three years she is very excited to return to a middle school classroom at Elkins Pointe! Ali enjoys spending time baking with her three daughters and staying active with her husband.
Carolyn Ingram, Social Studies/ELA Mrs. Ingram was raised in Norcross, GA and received her undergraduate and graduate degrees from Georgia State University. As a lover of literature, grammar, history, and the state of Georgia, she is excited to share her enthusiasm about reading, writing, and learning with the students at Elkins Pointe Middle School. She and her husband have been happily living in Roswell for over 14 years, and she is delighted to be teaching in this wonderful community. An avid animal lover, you will often hear her speak affectionately about her dog and cat. In her free time, you can find Mrs. Ingram running and walking on the greenway or in 5Ks supporting local charities, practicing yoga, or at a football or basketball game cheering on the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, the Atlanta Hawks, or the Atlanta Falcons. Douglas LeGette, Social Studies My name is Douglas LeGette and was raised in East Cobb. I attended St. Plus X Catholic High School. I went on to study Communications with a focus on Mass Media at Kennesaw State University. After college I moved to Washington DC and obtained a Master in the Art of Teaching degree. My graduate studies focused on Special Education and I worked with students on the Autism Spectrum. I worked as a Special Education Teacher in a non-public high school. My final year in DC I was a Curriculum Specialist and assisted the behavior management team with creating and following the student's FBA/BIPs. I am very excited about returning home and having an opportunity to work with the students and staff of Elkins Pointe Middle School.
My name is Laquanda Bruce, and I am super excited to start a new experience at Elkins Pointe Middle School! I have 12 years of teaching experience, 9 years in the elementary classroom and 3 years in middle grades. I earned my Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary/Early Childhood Education from Alabama A&M University, Master s degree in Elementary Education from the University of Phoenix, and Ed.D. in Teacher Leadership from Walden University. In my spare time, I enjoy photography, shopping, and spending time with my family and friends! Laquanda Bruce, Language Arts Willie Jones, Counselor Mr. Willie Jones earned his Bachelor s Degree in Psychology from Georgia State University. After developing and operating his own youth empowerment program Mr. Jones earned his Master s in Education in School Counseling from American Public University. As a counselor with diverse experiences, knowledge and passion in his role, Mr. Jones feels that everyone has their own unique contribution to offer all children in helping them achieve their dreams and goals. Mr. Jones has served students and their families in many different roles, committing himself and every resource he has to helping children succeed. Mr. Jones loves to travel, watch movies, play sports and spend time with his family, while always looking for opportunities to expand and grow in every aspect of his life. He comes to the Titan family with the motto, Hard work beats talent, when talent fails to work hard, and he is proud to be a Titan!
Marissa Martin is excited to be a new reading teacher for 7th grade Titans! She comes to Elkins Pointe from Holcomb Bridge Middle where she taught reading, ELA, and social studies over the past few years. Mrs. Martin recently completed her Masters of Teaching in Middle Grades from the University of North Georgia and holds a BA in History with a minor in Educational Studies from Wesleyan College. Mrs. Martin enjoys reading, listening to a variety of music, and spending time with her husband, 2 cats (Simba and Garfield), and 1 dog (Ziva). Marissa Martin, Reading Shanovia Daniels, Language Arts It's a pleasure to meet you. My name is Shanovia Daniel and the upcoming school year will be my 10th year as a public school teacher. I started my career in Meriwether County where I spent 2 years as a 6th grade Language Arts teacher and team leader. I then moved on to Troup County Schools and taught 5 years as a 6th grade Language Arts teacher and team leader. After that, I decided to take a position with the same county as an ESOL teacher for 2 years. It has been very rewarding to see my students learn, grow, and enjoy gaining knowledge. My family and I decided that it was time to leave our hometown and try something new. So, here I am in North Fulton, and I must say that I am enjoying it! I'm looking forward to a new school, great colleagues, and my students.
Dr. Deitra Duncan, ESOL Meet our new Titans! Dr. Deitra L. Duncan, educator with 12 years of experience serving first as a Math teacher, then ESOL Lead Teacher. She's a native of Atlanta, Georgia. She's happily married to the love of her life (Larry) and together they have 3 children (Gabriel, Garrison, Gisele). She has a BBA in Logistics from Georgia Southern University, Masters in Educational Leadership Kennesaw State University, Specialist & Doctoral Degree from Argosy University. In her free time she enjoys horseback riding, Atlanta Falcons Football, and consignment shopping. She's a proud member or Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. She doesn't view teaching as a job or career, but as an opportunity to have a positive impact on our children and our community. Jennifer Newman, Language Arts Jennifer Newman is beyond ecstatic to join Elkins Pointe Middle School, and promises to wear a big smile each morning, as she no longer will commute an hour each way! She is a new resident to Roswell and believes in serving the students and families who reside in this spirited community. Jennifer is a graduate of the University of Georgia and holds a degree in Child and Family Development. She also attended Brenau University where she completed her teaching certification in Middle Grades. Once she obtained her diplomas, she and her best friend moved to Hollywood, California where she taught first and second grades in a Title I school. While Jennifer is a Georgia Peach at heart, she returned to Atlanta and has been teaching in Gwinnett County until this school year. This will be her fifteenth year serving in education as both a Language Arts and Social Studies teacher. Jennifer loves biking, swimming, writing, traveling, and reading anything she can get her hands on. She and her husband, Matthew, and their furry Cocker Spaniel child, Coco Puff, are busy enjoying the wonderful parks Roswell offers. Most importantly, Jennifer values spending time with friends and family, and is looking forward to making new friends at Elkins Pointe!
After graduating from Oglethorpe University with a Masters of Arts in teaching, I taught elementary school grades 1 st, 2 nd, 3 rd and 5 th for 6 years, was a substitute in middle and high schools for 3 years and have 2 years experience tutoring elementary, middle school and adults one on one. I enjoy teaching so much I am a volunteer instructor for the Cobb County Emergency Management Agency (CEMA), Kennesaw State University and the Knights of Columbus for CERT (Community Emergency Response Team). I assist with disaster simulations for CERT trainees and for first responders both as a victim and as a makeup artist recreating injuries. Susan Harlow, Earth Science My father was in the U.S. military my whole life so I spent close to 11 years growing up in Germany, Spain, Greece and Iran and attended elementary, high school and 2 years of college abroad and studied 4 different languages. Walking into the entrance of Elkins Pointe feels like a homecoming and I am very excited to be a science teacher in such a diverse community. Teaching science has long been a dream of mine and I participated in The Northwest Georgia Science Education Partnership at KSU to help me develop better hands-on teaching techniques. I am looking forward to a great beginning! After graduating with my teaching degree in 2000, I immediately moved to Roswell and began teaching. I've spent thirteen years in Fulton County and taught STEM math in North Georgia for one year. Now, I'm very excited to be teaching math at Elkins Pointe Middle. I really enjoy helping kids understand it and believe all kids can do it. I can't wait to get everyone excited to learn. Grey Sartin, Math
Georgia Bickel comes to Elkins Pointe fresh from earning her MAT in Language Arts and Social Studies from Georgia State University. Ms. Bickel has a love of language and the stories of people and cultures and is thrilled to be sharing her enthusiasm with middle school students. Nothing is more exciting than watching kids think and grow! She has spent an undisclosed number of years teaching and directing youth theatre and dance, as well as raising her own four children, and is thrilled to be a Titan! Georgia Bickel, Social Studies Mr. Isaiah Tyus is a graduate of Emmanuel College where he received his Bachelor's degree in Kinesiology. Pursuing a passion of his, he began athletically training sports teams as well as individuals seeking a better lifestyle. However, Mr. Tyus has always loved working with youth in all aspects of life and has finally accepted the challenge of working with youth in a school setting. He plans on moving forward with his education by pursuing a Master's degree in his selected field at Georgia State University. Mr. Tyus loves to play sports, spend time with family, exercise and go to the movies. He is excited to be a part of this great TITAN family! Isaiah Tyus, Behavioral Support
I earned my Bachelor's degree in Psychology from Case Western Reserve University. After graduating, I moved to Beijing, China for a couple of years, teaching a wide range of grades in various environments. It is there where I developed my love and passion for teaching and realized it was my next step. I graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a Master of Science degree in education, specifically middle years science, and received additional certification to teach grades PreK-4, 4-8 Math and 4-8 English. I enjoy spending time with my family and friends, listening to music, reading, and traveling. Ahra Cho, Math/Science Jennifer Evans, Math Jennifer Evans is a veteran teacher. She spent the last 10 years teaching second grade in Douglas County. She received a bachelors degree in criminal justice from University of Central Florida. She went on to earn a masters degree and was the first person in her whole family to do so. She is certified in the areas of elementary education, middle school math and middle school social studies. She met her husband in a Michael's craft store in Marietta, Georgia shortly after graduating. They just celebrated their ninth anniversary and have a three-year-old son named Finn. She is very excited to be taking on this new challenge teaching seventh grade math at Elkins Pointe
William Brust, Language Arts Meet our new Titans!