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Mischelle Brown, Principal

A Denver Native, a product of Denver Public Schools and a graduate of Regis University here in Denver lend themselves to my deep Denver roots and connections in and around Denver specifically and Colorado in general.   Making my way through life as a basketball player, coach and student of the game lands me in places like Paris, France with a competitive high school girl’s basketball program and non-profit I co-founded, Girlsports International.  I played professionally for the Colorado Xplosion in America’s second professional women’s basketball league, the American Basketball League and coached the 1st ever State Championship Girl’s Basketball team from a Denver Public High School. I have worked, volunteered or mentored youth in organizations like AmeriCorps, Lookout Mountain Youth Corrections Facility, The YMCA, Third Way Center, MicroBusiness Development, Urban Peak or Young Americans Bank.  And as a social entrepreneur, I have forged lasting relationships with folk in industries like pro sports, retail, restaurant and hospitality, automotive, farming, real estate, banking and the list goes on. In a word, PASSIONATE about youth success is my identity and that's why i am stoked to be the new Principal of Denver Big Picture High School. 


Cindy Chavez, Business Manager

Cindy was working in the medical field when a brilliant principal, along with her former high school principal, asked her to help start a charter school in her home town. One school quickly grew into three schools. Then in 2002, just by chance, she was filling in for her principal at a principals’ conference in Estes Park, and she met Elliott Washor (co-director of The Big Picture Company), two students from the Met (a Providence Big Picture school), Jeff Park (the founder of three Big Picture schools in Denver) and many people from the Colorado Children’s Campaign. Watching the Met students talk about their passions and how the Met worked for them was just like a light going on in her head, and Cindy knew she wanted to be part of the Big Picture movement.  And the rest, as they say, is history. Cindy has three grown, wonderful children. Now that the kids are all on their own, she will be enjoying traveling, cooking, playing with her big gray dog, and reading lots and lots of books. Cindy loves the students at Skyland and often refers to them as ‘my kids.’  Recently, Cindy was talking about Skyland to someone she had just met, and she kept referring to ‘my kids at Skyland.’ He finally asked her with a puzzled look, “How many kids do you have?” “About 130,” Cindy answered. “We are all a family here.”

Sean McClung, MA, Advisor – Senior Institute

Last year, Sean McClung joined the DBPHS staff after returning from Beijing, China where he was the Founding Director of Ivy Academy, an international school using Multiple Intelligences theory to recognize and develop the unique gifts of each student.  While living in Asia, Sean took advantage of the opportunity to study Mandarin Chinese and also traveled to Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam and Japan.  Sean loves to eat, which happens to be a great way to learn about other cultures.  He also used his travels to continue his study of the religion and literature of the region, which he began at Boston University, where he earned his bachelor’s degree. Born in California to parents who are also teachers, Sean has been involved in education since high school when he volunteered as an exhibit explainer at the Tech Museum of Science and was hired as a summer camp counselor helping students write business plans and web pages.  He went on to manage an after-school learning center in Oakland, tutor math at Juvenile Hall in San Francisco, teach middle school English in New York, and then earned his master’s degree from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Ever since meeting the Big Picture School founders at the Met in Providence, Sean has been eager to get involved with this unique and innovative movement to make learning relevant through real-world experiences and relationships.  He is grateful to have the opportunity to learn and teach alongside his students and colleagues in the Denver Big Picture Community.


Thomas Absalom, Advisor – Senior Institute

Thomas is a person who likes to be challenged, and in his past he has learned much from other people – people who are not afraid to make change or be honest in hard situations.  As an educator/learner, Thomas thoroughly enjoys being around young people who are constantly pushing boundaries.  As we grow older, we thrive on “norms” and things that give a false sense of security.  Children quickly break down these barriers in a wonderful way.  His short nine-year career in teaching led Thomas from the Bronx to the shores of northern Maine to Wisconsin to the high deserts of Albuquerque to this beautiful mountain guarded city.  One thing that is the same everywhere is that people/children want to be happy.  Thomas sees it as his calling to facilitate conversations around freedom and peace within the mind.  How are my decisions and words affecting my children’s children?  What can I do today in order to make my world – our world – a place in which we feel healthy and free?  These are the types of questions Thomas asks himself, and ideas that he expects his students to ponder.  So who is Thomas Absalom?  He is a Red Sox, music, new fatherhood, dirt, fun, Alahna, sport, Armando, mountain, spruce tree, family, cooking, dessert, game, spirit, book, competition and life-loving type of person: a person who only talks about what comes from the heart through experience.

Gretchen Ferrazza, Advisor - Senior Institute

Gretchen comes from a long line of teachers, and has been teaching professionally in various capacities since she was fifteen. A veteran of both the Theater and the Army, Gretchen brings a natural and infectious enthusiasm to her work. She got her first job at the age of 12 working as a nanny for concert pianist, Samuel Sanders. She interned at Circle Repertory Theater Company (Off-Broadway) when she was 16 and was a student at Emma Willard School. After she graduated from High School, Gretchen spent a year studying in England on an E-SU scholarship.  She graduated Suma Cum Laude with honors from Metropolitan State College of Denver with a degree in Creative Writing, and currently studies education through the University of Colorado, Denver.  Gretchen’s extensive travels in eastern and Western Europe and her intense love of the arts weave together with her respect for both the individual and the community to make her someone who sees opportunity everywhere. Her stand is for all people to live fulfilled and satisfied lives and it is her greatest joy to assist her students in developing a strong voice with powerful expression in the world. Gretchen cannot believe how lucky she is to get to work in partnership with her amazing and talented students, and the brilliant and committed staff at Skyland Community High School.  In her spare time, Gretchen raises her two fabulous teens, sings and dances with the Empire Lyric Players, writes poetry, and shamelessly promotes the Big Picture model of education and Denver Big Picture High School.

Crystal Foltz, Advisor – Junior Institute

Crystal’s life thus far has been a serendipitous adventure. She graduated from the University of Denver in August of 2006 with a BA in English Literature and International Studies. She spent some time interning at the United Nations and dining with ambassadors from many parts of the world. She has been apart of the New Teacher Project and Miami Teaching Fellows which led her to Miami where she discovered her passion for education. Crystal taught Language Arts and Drama at an alternative high school in Miami but decided that she wanted to return to Colorado, in order to give back to her community.In her free time Crystal enjoys experiencing, creating and appreciating all aspects of life. Some of her interests include loving, laughing, spending time with her family and friends, meeting new people, attempting to sing, reading, writing, music, the theatre, opera, gallery openings, concerts, skiing, kayaking, dancing, debating, cooking, dreaming, relaxing, traveling, taking on new projects but most of all learning new things. She is looking forward to this new adventure at Denver Big Picture Schools.

Tim Kelly, Advisor- Junior Institute

Tim is one of the newest members of the Skyland Community. Tim was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico but spent most of his childhood on Colorado's western slope and in Northern California. Tim obtained two bachelor's degrees in 1992 from Saint Mary's College of California in Economics/ Spanish. He obtained his teaching license through Metro State College of Denver via the Teachers-In-Residence Program and by the end of the summer, he will have completed his Masters in Education for teaching culturally and linguistically diverse students from the University of Colorado in Boulder. Tim's teaching experience encompasses having taught students ranging in ages from 5 to adults and has most recently worked in the Montbello neighborhood of Denver teaching at Marie L. Greenwood Elementary. He looks forward to working with the students that comprise the next generation of Skyland graduates.

Susan Siebert, Ed.M., Special Education Coordinator

In her years as an educator, Susan Siebert has experienced many different roles. She has been a babysitter, hamster-sitter, fish-hatcher, "godmother", "bails bondsman", principal, nurse, secretary, therapist, and counselor.  She has been a history teacher; and has taught science, math, English, health, reading, and sex education.  She has harvested Black Widow spiders and been an exterminator, all in the same year.  Siebert has been accused of being too nice, too tough, too perky, and too involved.  But in all of her experiences, all 32 years of education, she would not change a minute of it. Growing up in a suburb north of Chicago, Mrs. Siebert can't remember a day that she didn't want to be a teacher.  She went to the University of Denver and received her Bachelors in education and a Masters in special education.  She’s raised two wonderful children, including one aspiring teacher.  When Susan is not in the classroom, one can find her on the golf course, on the ski slopes, or behind a book or knitting needles. Throughout all of her various roles in teaching, Susan has always felt like special education is her passion and she enthusiastically brings her passion to Denver Big Picture High School.


Donna Garnett, Science Teacher

Donna Garnett is the science teacher for the school. Her classroom is a 23 acre farm located about 15 minutes from the school. Ms. Garnett co-founded The Urban Farm and developed natural sciences programming for students from kindergarten through high school. She has a B.S. and an M.S. in human development and completed PhD all but dissertation in Education at the University of Denver. Ms. Garnett ran the Center for Human Investment Policy in the Graduate School of Public Affairs at the University of Colorado at Denver for 10 years. While there, she spearheaded diverse projects aimed at assisting organizations at the local, state, regional, and national levels in developing policies, programs, and systems of care aimed at improving the quality of life for children and families. She served as director of Governor Romer’s First Impressions initiative and Deputy Director of his Office of Policy and Research. During that time she also served as the Governor’s national education staff advisor and chaired the Staff Advisory Committee on Education at the National Governor’s Association.

Gayle Beckman, QR/Math Advisor

Before completing a BA degree in Sociology at Regis University, I attended the University of Wisconsin; University of Maryland Eastern Shore (a historically black college); and the State University of New York. The majority of my experience has been preparing students for the GED exam, including teaching at a homeless shelter, jail, drug rehabilitation center and a halfway house.  I have also tutored math and writing at the Community College of Denver and taught College Algebra classes at the Denver Women's Prison and a correctional center for youth in Buena Vista, Colorado for Naropa University. However, last year (2007-2008), I taught math at Denver Big Picture High School and realized how much I enjoy working with high school students.  I especially appreciate the energy and spirit of our students.