We’ve talked a lot lately about the exciting new simulators that are popping up all over and rapidly approaching their launch dates, but today we want to step back and spotlight a few of our resident miracle workers—our Flight Directors—who are the wizards behind the scenes making the magic happen.
Heather Oros
Also known as Admiral Perseverous, Heather Oros joins Mike Penn as a Flight Director of the IKS Titan at Shaler Area Elementary School. Heather has been teaching since 2001 and at Shaler Area School District since 2006. Over the years she has taught 5th Grade, Reading Intervention, and currently serves as the Teacher of the Gifted and the 5th Grade Chairperson.
At Shaler Area Elementary School her role is to develop and provide enrichment opportunities for 4th-6th grade students in the classroom. To enhance the learning experience some of her time is spent as Flight Director for the IKS Titan where students take an active role in their learning by being immersed in an engaging and exciting learning environment.
Melissa Tamburrino
Going by the alias of Admiral Yonce Summer Perry, Melissa Tamburrino is the Flight Director of the IKS Dreamcatcher at Penn Hills Elementary School. Melissa has worked at the Penn Hills School District for 12 years, has taught a variety of grade levels, and is currently the gifted coordinator at Penn Hills Elementary. When she was in elementary school, her favorite subjects were science and social studies. As a child she enjoyed cooperative learning activities that involved problem solving and science experiments.
Now, as an adult she has the opportunity to be a Flight Director in the Imaginarium. In this role she will use her creative side and become part of a virtual world. Melissa is looking forward to this wonderful opportunity and is excited to share in these flight adventures with her gifted students. She is looking forward to what lies ahead as she embarks on this wonderful journey.
Three of Melissa’s colleagues—Jeff Dervanik, Matt Bilinsky, and Jeremy Rega—are still in hiding… but fear not, their secret aliases and photos will not elude us for long.
Brian Colgan
Also known as Admiral Octavius, Brian Colgan is the Flight Director of the IKS Buccaneer at Stewart Elementary School. Brian has spent the last 18 years teaching in the Burrell School District, where he grew up and attended school. He spent the first 15 years of his career coaching high school baseball for the district. He started as a personal care assistant working with autistic children for 2 years, then taught Kindergarten -5th grade science for 12 years.
Brian is currently the Elementary Science Specialist at Stewart Elementary School, a 4-5 STEM building, where he models/coaches/instructs inquiry based education, teaches robotics using Lego Mindstorms, and organizes the school’s 4th/5th grade Science Olympiad.
Brian is also a K-3 Gifted Support Teacher for Burrell School District’s primary building, Bon Air Elementary. He feels honored to have been chosen to be the Flight Director of the IKS Buccaneer and is very excited to begin flying missions for his students at Burrell School District.
We’re thrilled to have these incredible educators on our team, bringing magical experiences to the students they serve. Welcome aboard!
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