PERPICH

Everyone | Board | Leadership | Faculty | Staff

Sandra Woodhull
Visual Arts Instructor High School

Sandra Woodhull

Visual Arts Instructor

High School

sandra.woodhull@pcae.k12.mn.us

763-279-4297

Sandra Woodhall provides classes in watercolor, illustration-drawing, advanced drawing, ceramics, jewelry and animation. She taught in the Wayzata and Anoka school districts before coming to Perpich. Woodhull has a B.A. in studio arts from St. Cloud State University and an M.A. in art education from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. In 2011 she received a grant from the Minnesota Education Association, "Celebrating Our Similarities and Differences in Our Life and Learning Styles" with artist-in-residence Ta-coumba Aiken.

vcard
Wesley Wallace
Science Instructor High School

Wesley Wallace

Science Instructor

High School

wesley.wallace@pcae.k12.mn.us

763-2794296

Wesley Wallace has been on the faculty of the Perpich Center for Arts Education since 2001, teaching physics and environmental science. Wallace has a B.S. degree in chemistry and recently received an M.A. in sustainable development. In addition to 16 years experience as a high school science teacher, Wallace has worked as both an industrial chemist and an environmental chemist. He has recently returned from a professional development leave in London, where he completed his graduate degree and studied a new model of sustainable/urban agriculture being developed by an organic grower's cooperative just outside the city.

vcard
Glazell Toledo
Math Instructor High School

Glazell Toledo

Math Instructor

High School

glazell.toledo@pcae.k12.mn.us

763-279-4291

Glazell Toledo, who was teaching probability and statistics in the Anoka Hennepin school district, joined the faculty at Perpich in late 2013. Toledo holds an undergraduate degree in mathematics from the University of California-Santa Barbara and a master's in mathematics education from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. In addition to experience at Anoka, Toledo has taught at several grade levels and in public, charter and private school settings and has extensive experience in math tutoring and in IT support at the university level.

vcard
Sun Yung Shin
English Instructor High School

Sun Yung Shin

English Instructor

High School

sunyung.shin@pcae.k12.mn.us

763-279-4294

Sun Yung Shin has a B.A. in English from Macalester College and an M.A. in teaching from the University of St. Thomas. She has also taught composition and creative writing at the University of Minnesota, the University of St. Catherine, the Loft Literary Center and elsewhere.

Shin is a working artist in multiple writing genres and has four books to her credit: "Rough, and Savage" (poems, Coffee House Press 2012); "Skirt Full of Black" (poems, Coffee House Press 2007); "Outsiders Within: Writing on Transracial Adoption" (essays, South End Press 2006); and "Cooper's Lesson" (bilingual illustrated book for children, Lee and Low Books 2004).

She is the recipient of various honors including an Asian American Literary Award and has received artist grants from the Archibald Bush Foundation, the Minnesota State Arts Board and the Jerome Foundation. Shin is a frequent panelist at academic and writing conferences; she presents her work and lectures around the country.

vcard
Peggy Rader
Communications Director Administration

Peggy Rader

Communications Director

Administration

peggy.rader@pcae.k12.mn.us

763-279-4168

Before coming to Perpich, Peggy Rader served in leadership communication positions at the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities, primarily in the College of Education and Human Development. Prior to that, she was a freelance writer for magazines and newspapers nationally. She began her career as a newspaper reporter, working at papers in New York, Ohio, Kansas and Seattle, WA.

vcard
Todd Pierson
Education Specialist - Arts Integration Outreach

Todd Pierson

Education Specialist - Arts Integration

Outreach

todd.pierson@pcae.k12.mn.us

763-279-4197

vcard
Brian Pickerell
Science Instructor High School

Brian Pickerell

Science Instructor

High School

brian.pickerell@pcae.k12.mn.us

763-279-4293

Brian Pickerell has a B.A. in chemistry from St. Olaf College. Prior to coming the arts high school, he taught physical science and chemistry to 6th- through 9th-graders at The Academy of Bioscience. In addition to this experience, he has been a reserve teacher in the Hopkins school district and taught honors chemistry at Wayzata High School.

vcard
Tory Peterson
Theater Instructor High School

Tory Peterson

Theater Instructor

High School

tory.peterson@pcae.k12.mn.us

763-279-4292

Tory Peterson has been an instructor at the Perpich Arts High School since 1993. He was a curriculum designer for Perpich's 2000-2001 Frameworks for Arts Curriculum Strategies and EdStar Curriculum Repository. Peterson has led teaching workshops and presented at state and national conferences on classroom collaboration and interdisciplinary curriculum development. He received a B.A. in theater from Moorhead State University and M.A. in theater from Arizona State University. Peterson was recipient of the 2001 Animating Democracy Grant, 2003 SURDNA Foundation Grant and 2007 Gilder Lehrman Teachers Institute.

vcard
Eric Nelson
Math Instructor High School

Eric Nelson

Math Instructor

High School

eric.nelson@pcae.k12.mn.us

763-279-4289

Eric Nelson has been on the arts high school faculty since 2003. He has a degree in math education with a minor in the science of coaching from the University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire. Previous to coming to Perpich, he taught four years in Colorado at the high school level, including instruction in the International Baccalaureate program.

vcard
Virginia McFerran
Education Specialist Outreach

Virginia McFerran

Education Specialist

Outreach

virginia.mcferran@pcae.k12.mn.us

Virginia McFerran is the Perpich theater education coordinator, who works with K-12 school teams throughout Minnesota to infuse theater strategies into the school curriculum. In collaboration with theaters, teachers and educational associations, she organizes statewide workshops and presents sessions for school districts and educational conferences. Each year, she assists the Minnesota Department of Education as co-director of the Theater Scholars program. She has taught theater, speech and language arts at the secondary and college levels and directed numerous school productions. She has also served as director/playwright/actor with Teatro Latino, Teatro del Pueblo and other local theaters. McFerran holds B.A. degrees in English and speech, and a Ph.D. in theater arts from the University of Minnesota.

vcard
Trina Keller
French Instructor High School

Trina Keller

French Instructor

High School

trina.keller@pcae.k12.mn.us

763-279-4286

Trina Keller came to the arts high school after teaching French at Richfield Senior High and the University of St. Thomas. She has also worked at Gustavus Adolphus College where she taught the language methods classes and supervised student teachers. She has a B.A. in French from St. Olaf and a M.A. in education from Hamline. Keller studied in Aix-en-Provence, France, and has led more than 30 student groups on trips to France.

vcard
Thomas Johnston
Interim Director of Finance Administration

Thomas Johnston

Interim Director of Finance

Administration

763-279-4162

thomas.johnston@pcae.k12.mn.us

vcard
Janice Hunton
Music Instructor High School

Janice Hunton

Music Instructor

High School

janice.hunton@pcae.k12.mn.us

763-279-4283

Hunton has been a member of the music faculty since 1990. She coaches instrumental and vocal ensembles, directs the Perpich choir and teaches seminars in theory, vocal harmony and arranging, African music, European history and counterpoint.

Hunton received a bachelor's degree in music theory and composition from the University of Wyoming and a master's in music theory from Indiana University. She has performed as a member of the Dale Warland Singers, the Santa Fe Desert Chorale and the University of St. Thomas African Music Ensemble. In 2004, she participated in a national video project through the Corporation for Public Broadcasting entitled Instructional Practice Across the Arts: A Workshop for High School Teachers, which became available in fall 2005.

Hunton received a SURDNA Foundation Arts Teachers grant in 2004 and participated in the Wesley-Balk Music Theater Institute and workshops hosted by the Minnesota Opera. Janice's passion for the past ten years has been the study of African music specifically from Ghana, and has begun a program of leading student travel to Ghana with the first trip in the summer of 2013. In 2012 Janice was hired as the new artistic director of the Twin Cities Women's Choir.

vcard
Jeremy Holien
Education Specialist Outreach

Jeremy Holien

Education Specialist

Outreach

jeremy.holien@pcae.k12.mn.us

763-279-4185

Jeremy Holien serves as the Perpich visual and media arts education outreach education specialist. He works in professional and curriculum development, state standards implementation and assessment practices. He is responsible for statewide initiatives in visual and media arts education. Holien has specific expertise in technology integration, visual and media arts education curriculum design, distance learning, standards-based education and assessment and arts integration.

vcard
Mary Harding
Dance Instructor High School

Mary Harding

Dance Instructor

High School

mary.harding@pcae.k12.mn.us

763-279-4281

Mary Harding has been head of the dance program at the arts high school since 1990. She created the curriculum for the current program and teaches the dance majors as well as elective courses. She has also worked on the Minnesota FACS (Framework for Arts Curriculum) project, the Minnesota Arts Standards and has presented at the Minnesota Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development conference, Minnesota DAPE conference, national and state AAPHERD conventions and at the Minnesota Dance Educator's Coalition workshops.

In her dance career she has performed professionally with ballet, jazz and modern companies in repertory ranging from Pas de Quatre to works by Bebe Miller. While a member of the Zenon Dance Company, Harding taught master classes and dance residencies in schools across the nation. In addition to her work at the arts high school, she continues to freelance as a choreographer, performer and teacher in the Twin Cities.

She received the SURDNA Arts Teachers Fellowship for 2002 and studied at Bates Dance Festival as a result of this fellowship. The National Dance Association and Sportime named her the National Dance Teacher of the Year for 2002 and she was a featured teacher in the Annenberg Foundation's video series "The Art of Teaching the Arts" which premiered in 2005.

She received a master's degree in curriculum and instruction from the College of St. Catherine. Her research, "Peer Coaching in the Arts Classroom," received the Sister Ann Harvey Action Research Award in 2008 and was published in the June 2009 edition of Journal of Dance Education. Her article, "Assessment in the High School Technique Class: Creating Thinking Dancers," was published in the September 2012 issue of the Journal of Dance Education.

vcard
Shannon Hannigan
Literary Arts Instructor High School

Shannon Hannigan

Literary Arts Instructor

High School

shannon.hannigan@pcae.k12.mn.us

763-279-4280

Shannon Hannigan has taught literary arts to arts high school juniors since 1994. Prior to this, she worked in publishing and book sales, editing and photo composition. She completed the coursework for an M.A. in liberal studies, creative writing emphasis, at Hamline University, and earned a B.A. in English and secondary education at Macalester College.

vcard
Kathy Grundei
Education Specialist - Arts Integration Outreach

Kathy Grundei

Education Specialist - Arts Integration

Outreach

kathy.grundei@pcae.k12.mn.us

763-279-4181

vcard
Todd Goetze
Accounting Finance

Todd Goetze

Accounting

Finance

todd.goetze@pcae.k12.mn.us

763-279-4166

vcard
Bob Frey
Social Studies Instructor High School

Bob Frey

Social Studies Instructor

High School

bob.frey@pcae.k12.mn.us

763-279-4279

Bob Frey began teaching at the arts high school in 2002. Prior to teaching, he worked in the Twin Cities legal community. He has a B.A. in political science from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio and a J.D. from Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio. He completed coursework for his teaching certification at the University of St. Thomas in Minneapolis. He's performed in Minneapolis as a singer-songwriter since 1993 and continues to write, play and perform.

vcard
Craig Farmer
Art History Instructor High School

Craig Farmer

Art History Instructor

High School

craig.farmer@pcae.k12.mn.us

763-2794278

Craig has been teaching art history at the high school level since 1992. He started his teaching career at the Field School of Washington, DC. He recently participated in the National Endowment for the Humanities’ "Empires of the Wind" Workshop in San Diego. In the summer of 2015, he received a College Board Scholarship to attend an Advancement Placement Art History Exam Redesign Workshop in Miami. Since 2008 he has been an adjunct instructor in The University of Minnesota’s Curriculum and Instruction Department. Craig holds a B.A. in art history and history from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and an M.A. in teaching from the University of St. Thomas. He was the graduation speaker for the classes of 2002, 2011, and 2015.

vcard
Elaine Drivas
Spanish Instructor High School

Elaine Drivas

Spanish Instructor

High School

elaine.drivas@pcae.k12.mn.us

763-279-4277

Elaine Drivas teaches Spanish at the arts high school. She received an undergraduate degree in Spanish from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She participated in a junior year abroad program at the Universidad Complutense in Madrid, Spain. She received an M.A. in teaching (secondary Spanish) from the University of St. Thomas. She also has licensure in bilingual education and ESL from Hamline University. Before coming to Perpich, she taught middle school in Minneapolis Public Schools.

vcard
Karla Donner
Front Desk/Attendance Clerk High School

Karla Donner

Front Desk/Attendance Clerk

High School

karla.donner@pcae.k.12.mn.us

763-279-4200

vcard
Anne Dennison
Librarian Library

Anne Dennison

Librarian

Library

Anne Dennison graduated from The College of St. Catherine with a master's degree in library and information science. She joined the Perpich Library staff in the fall of 2010. Previously, she taught English in Bratislava, Slovakia for two years and worked at Hennepin County Library. She loves reading young adult literature and playing drums.

anne.dennison@pcae.k12.mn.us

763-279-4170

vcard
John Colburn
Literary Arts Instructor High School

John Colburn

Literary Arts Instructor

High School

john.colburn@pcae.k12.mn.us

763-279-4276

John Colburn, who teaches seniors in literary arts, is an editor and co-publisher for Spout Press as well as an adjunct faculty member at Hamline University. He has an M.F.A. from the University of Minnesota. He has published a book of fiction, "Invisible Daughter" (firthFORTH Books, 2013) and a volume of poetry, "Psychedelic Norway" (Coffee House Press, 2013).

vcard
Kevin Clark
English Instructor High School

Kevin Clark

English Instructor

High School

kevin.clark@pcae.k12.mn.us

763-279-4275

Kevin Clark earned a B.A. in German and speech communications from Westmar College and taught English in Francophone West Africa (Chad and Senegal) with the Peace Corps. Upon completion of his foreign service, he attended the University of North Dakota, where he completed graduate coursework in German literature with a minor in French. He helped to create, and currently teaches, a course with the University of Minnesota/College in the Schools program in communications. Clark was a leader for a trip to Berlin and St. Petersburg with the Perpich Arts High School Study Tour class in 2008. He also has led Perpich class trips to China in 2011, 2012 and 2013. He received a Fulbright Award in 2013 to travel to Germany for studies there.

vcard
Tom Carlson
English Instructor High School

Tom Carlson

English Instructor

High School

tom.carlson@pcae.k12.mn.us

763-279-4274

Tom Carlson teaches literature and writing. He earned a B.A. in English from the University of Minnesota, an M.A. in teaching from the University of St. Thomas and has completed coursework toward licensure in secondary administration at St. Mary's University. Carlson received a National Endowment for the Humanities grant to participate in a month-long summer institute in Ashland, Oregon, focusing on Teaching Shakespeare through Performance. During the spring of 2012, he was the recipient of an EdMN Foundation for Excellence in Teaching and Learning Technology grant, and has integrated iPads into his classroom instruction. His students have performed on KFAI through the W.A.V.E. program and on the stage at the Walker as part of Teen Art Council's "Bad Art Night."

vcard
Alina Campana
Turnaround Arts: Minnesota Director Outreach

Alina Campana

Turnaround Arts: Minnesota Director

Outreach

Turnaround Arts director

alina.campana@pcae.k12.mn.us

763-279-4183

vcard
Suzanne Bursh
Administrative Assistant Outreach

Suzanne Bursh

Administrative Assistant

Outreach

Suzanne Bursh is lead administrative specialist and budget coordinator for Perpich Arts Outreach. She has helped to host numerous Perpich agency events, workshops and receptions. She studied elementary education at the University of Minnesota and pursued culinary training in hotel and restaurant cooking at the St. Paul Vocational and Technical School and baking at Dunwoody Institute.

suzanne.bursh@pcae.k12.mn.us

vcard
João Bichinho
Social Studies Instructor High School

João Bichinho

Social Studies Instructor

High School

joao.bichinho@pcae.k12.mn.us

763-279-4271

João Bichinho received a B.A. in history from New England College, New Hampshire and an M.A. in teaching from Mankato State University. He has taught at Perpich since 1992. He previously taught at the American International School in Lisbon, Portugal; Mounds Park Academy in St. Paul, and - while on leave in 2008-09 - at Quest Academy (a charter school) in St. Louis Park. He is originally from Mozambique, and has also lived in South Africa, Portugal and England.

vcard
James Allen
Music Instructor High School
James Allen
Music Instructor

High School

james.allen@pcae.k12.mn.us

763-279-4269

James Allen has a B.A. in music performance and a diploma of education. He joined the faculty in 1999 as a guitar specialist and also teaches jazz/rock theory, improvisation and history and styles. In addition to teaching at the arts high school, he is on the guitar faculty at MacPhail Center for Music. Allen has previously taught at a number of high schools and colleges in Minnesota and Australia. He has performed as a professional musician throughout the Twin Cities and the Midwest for the last 18 years both as a solo artist, a member of a number of bands and as a freelance musician. He is featured on several recordings, including a duo album with local jazz singer Vicky Mountain.
vcard

About Perpich Center

Board

Sandra Woodhull

Sandra Woodhull

Visual Arts Instructor

Wesley Wallace

Wesley Wallace

Science Instructor

Glazell Toledo

Glazell Toledo

Math Instructor

Sun Yung Shin

Sun Yung Shin

English Instructor

Peggy Rader

Peggy Rader

Communications Director

Todd Pierson

Todd Pierson

Education Specialist - Arts Integration

Brian Pickerell

Brian Pickerell

Science Instructor

Tory Peterson

Tory Peterson

Theater Instructor

Eric Nelson

Eric Nelson

Math Instructor

Virginia McFerran

Virginia McFerran

Education Specialist

Trina Keller

Trina Keller

French Instructor

Thomas Johnston

Thomas Johnston

Interim Director of Finance

Janice Hunton

Janice Hunton

Music Instructor

Jeremy Holien

Jeremy Holien

Education Specialist

Mary Harding

Mary Harding

Dance Instructor

Shannon Hannigan

Shannon Hannigan

Literary Arts Instructor

Kathy Grundei

Kathy Grundei

Education Specialist - Arts Integration

Todd Goetze

Todd Goetze

Accounting

Bob Frey

Bob Frey

Social Studies Instructor

Craig Farmer

Craig Farmer

Art History Instructor

Elaine Drivas

Elaine Drivas

Spanish Instructor

Karla Donner

Karla Donner

Front Desk/Attendance Clerk

Anne Dennison

Anne Dennison

Librarian

John Colburn

John Colburn

Literary Arts Instructor

Kevin Clark

Kevin Clark

English Instructor

Tom Carlson

Tom Carlson

English Instructor