From the Principal
4th Grade Self-Contained HA Update
New HSE High Ability Coordinator
I am proud to tell you that our very own Meg Strnat has been asked to be the new HA Coordinator for HSE Schools. This is an exciting opportunity for her and she will impact the lives of many HA students and teachers in her new role. While I am sad to see her make the move, her passion and expertise make her the perfect person for the job.
Meg will coordinate the HA program for all K-12 students. This includes supporting HA teachers with professional development and coaching, writing grants, meeting with parents, scheduling assessments, and many other tasks in the HA world.
Fortunately for us, we will still benefit from all of her instructional expertise as she will be right next door. Leaving the classroom is not an easy step, and I know she'll be in and out of our buliding as she continues to support our teachers and learners.
The really great news is that an outstanding teacher joined our staff and will be stepping into Meg's 4th grade HA position. I want you to hear extreme confidence in my voice as I tell you, that without a doubt, Mr. Murch will be able to carry the torch that Meg is passing on.
I have watched Mr. Murch teach, have had hours of conversations with him about instruction, and find him to be incredibly enthusiastic, creative, and collaborative. His classroom practice reminds me very much of Meg's.
Below you will learn more about Mr. Murch. I believe we are privileged to have him here in Roadrunner land. He and your students are going to learn in amazing ways with each other. I'm excited to watch things unfold.
Meet Johnny Murch
Dear Cumberland Road Elementary Staff,
I cannot express how excited I am to be joining the Roadrunner Team! A little background for you: While completing my Bachelors at IU several years ago, I started my own rock climbing business. As a professional rock climber, teaching others to climb was a fun way to make money, and it afforded me the opportunity to travel and experience the world. By the time of my matriculation, I had a pregnant wife and a client-base large enough to sustain a decent living; consequently, graduate school was postponed.
My wife, Amy, and I have been married nine years and have a seven-year-old daughter, Isabella. Amy has been teaching at Brooks School Elementary for ten years, and I can honestly say that her enthusiasm and passion for teaching has precipitated my own career change.
Last year I was fortunate enough to secure a maternity leave at Brooks School Elementary teaching 4th Grade HA, and it has been one of the most amazing experiences of my life! I have been growing exponentially as both teacher and student—a demarcation that has always escaped me. It has been my experience that learning and teaching are reciprocal, something my time at Brooks School has further corroborated. I am truly astonished by how much we learn by interacting with one another through inquiry and the amalgamation of our experiences. We all have a story. The magic happens when the stories of our lives intersect and the dialogue between student and teacher becomes filled with such wonderful role-reversals that the distinction dissolves entirely, leaving behind but a narrative—the story of learning!
I am very much looking forward to continuing this story with you at Cumberland Road Elementary!
Cheers!
Johnny Murch