Maria Masone, Manitou Springs Elementary School Principal
Maria Masone loves children and loves learning! She is a long-time Special Education teacher who believes all students can learn. She has a deep love of the Manitou Springs community and is proud to work alongside the talented staff at MSES. Maria spent her early years as an educational advocate for students with significant medical and educational needs as a Special Education mediator through the Arizona Department of Education. She has enjoyed her tenure at MSSD for the last 17 years as a Special Education teacher, Dean of Students, and Assistant Principal. Maria is committed to whole child education at MSES and leading with her heart!
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Jackie Powell, Ute Pass Elementary School Principal
Jackie
Powell grew up in Illinois where she attended Eastern Illinois
University for a bachelor’s degree in Special Education with a dual
endorsement in Early Childhood Education and Early Childhood Special
Education. After teaching for 6 years in Illinois, Jackie moved to the
Ute Pass area. She then obtained a Gifted Education specialist license
and a master’s degree in Culturally Linguistically Diverse Education
(CLDE) from CSU-Pueblo. She received the principal’s licensure through
Wester State University.
She has taught Special Education, General
Education, Title 1 Intervention, and served as a Literacy and Special
Education coach. In 2018, Jackie began her career in administration as
an assistant principal at Venetucci Elementary School. After two years
in that role, she became the principal at Sunrise Elementary in
Widefield School District 3, where she has served since 2020.
Jackie
is a strong advocate for environmental education and outdoor education,
while cultivating authentic relationships built on deep levels of trust.
Her own children have attended Ute Pass Elementary since 2017, and she
believes wholeheartedly in the benefit of children learning in the
beautiful Colorado sunshine as much as possible! With extensive training
in restorative practices, trauma Informed teaching, and instructional
strategies, Jackie is ecstatic to collaborate and grow with the Ute Pass
Elementary and Manitou Springs School District staff. When not playing
basketball at recess, spending time in classrooms, or appreciating the
incredible work educators do on a daily basis, you can find her reading,
hiking, or camping- sometimes all at the same time! Jackie looks
forward to using her core values and beliefs to extend the great work
already happening at Ute Pass Elementary.
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Dustin Cady, Manitou Springs Middle School Principal
Dustin is honored to serve as principal of Manitou Springs Middle School. He grew up in Boulder, Colorado. Dustin has a bachelor's degree in Spanish from the University of Oregon, a master’s degree in culturally and linguistically diverse education (CLDE) from CSU-Pueblo, and his principal licensure through Western State University. He began his education career teaching English internationally to middle and high school students in Seville, Spain. Since 2010, Dustin has been an educator in the Pikes Peak Region. Some of his past roles include 5th grade teacher, 3rd-7th grade CLDE teacher, and middle school boys and girls basketball coach. Most recently, Dustin served as an elementary school assistant principal in Harrison School District Two. Dustin’s core value of service to others is coupled with a deep sense of responsibility to help all students reach their full potential. When he is not at school, Dustin spends time with his toddler, Will, and his wife, Mary, who is also an educator. He loves to go trail running and fly fishing on the weekends. Dustin is a positive, connecting, committed school leader who strives to bring out the best in all members of the school community. Go Mustangs!
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Anna Conrad, Manitou Springs High School Principal
Raised in the mountains of Colorado, Anna Conrad is thrilled to return
to a small-town community as she transitions to the Interim Principal
role at Manitou Springs High School. After graduating summa cum laude
from Whitman College, Anna completed Teach For America and taught at
Harrison High School (HHS) for eight years. During her career, she has
taught six different English courses (including International
Baccalaureate) and two AVID classes (a college and career readiness
course). In 2016, Anna earned her Master of Arts in Curriculum and
Instruction with an emphasis in Critical Pedagogy in Urban Education
from the University of Colorado, Denver. Furthermore, she attended the
University of Denver Educational Leadership and Policy Studies program
to earn her Principal’s License in 2018. Throughout the last five years,
she has led curriculum writing and editing work as well as authoring a
social-emotional curriculum specifically supporting freshmen. In
addition to teaching students, Anna has deeply enjoyed partnering with
staff as the HHS Instructional Coach (two years) and the HHS AVID
Coordinator (three years). Anna is thrilled by the opportunity to learn
alongside Manitou staff, students, and the community in partnership of
pursuing Deep Learning, Relationships, and Opportunity, principles that
closely mirror her personal core values of leadership, learning, and
love. Outside of the classroom, Anna has been the Varsity Volleyball
Coach, Junior Student Government Advisor, and Minds Matter at Harrison
Site Director. In her free time, she loves backpacking, Nordic skiing,
doing yoga, and reading. Anna was honored with CSML Volleyball Coach of
the Year in 2018, HSD2 Teacher of the Year in 2019, and was a finalist
for Colorado Teacher of the Year 2021.
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Cathrine (Cat) Olimb, Director of Technology
Cathrine Olimb has been working at Manitou Springs School District 14
since 2005. She has a Business/Marketing degree from Wang Business
School in Oslo and a degree in Graphic Design. Cat have lived in Oslo,
Stockholm, Tel Aviv and The Hague. While living in Israel she was the
Director of The American Embassy School and in The Netherlands she
worked as the Technology Coordinator at the American School of The
Hague. Cat brings more than 20 years of experience in the field of
information technology and has a diverse background in both education
and private industry. Cat has two children both graduates from Manitou,
Anders graduated from CSU with a Business Degree and Emilie graduated
from Virginia Tech with an engineering degree. Cat is an avid skier,
mountain biker, hiker and she loves to camp.
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