Private school announces teaching staff

By MICHELLE SALGADO MUÑOZ

MARFA – Four seasoned educators are now on staff at the new private school that opens Tuesday, September 4.

The Marfa International School will offer an “international” curriculum for grades 1-8. The school will focus on teaching in alternative forms driven by individual needs to invoke creative thinking that will attract both local and international children.

A meet-and-greet the teachers is set for 11:30am on Saturday, July 14 at the school.

Mark Brandin will assume the Founding Director position. Brandin arrived this week with his wife Meliza and their two daughters, Lindsay and Kasey, after a career spanning nearly 20 years in international education.

He has taught and held academic leadership roles in six different countries around the world including the Thailand, Myanmar, Peru, the United States and his most recent posting in Indonesia, where he served as the principal of a small international school.

In addition to teaching and administrative roles, Brandin has also been involved in the development of Information Technology programs in several schools and he has a passion for inspiring students to learn more effectively though the use of computers and New Media. Brandin will not only serve as the school’s Founding Director, but he will teach grades 3,4, and 5.

Johanna Nevares, an elementary teacher from the Austin area, will teach grades 1 and 2. She earned her BA in Interdisciplinary Studies, Early Childhood from Texas A&M University in December 2003. She worked as a second grade teacher in Smith Elementary from 2004-2006 then at Creedmoor Elementary from 2006 to present teaching grades 2-5 in Del Valle, Texas.

She also collaborated to develop 4^th and 5^th grade science curriculum for Del Valle ISD. Nevares has teaching experience in only the public school system, which is why she has developed a passion to teach in alternative forms to focus on student creativity, not solely on testing, which is a main goal for the curriculum in MIS.

Nevares is the granddaughter of the late Tomas and Tomasa Navarette of Marfa.

Local educators Linda and Kenneth Jones are also on staff.

Davis Mountains Resort residents, the couple most recently worked in the Marfa Independent School District.

Kenneth, a U.S. Air Force veteran, earned his B.A.T. in History and English from Sam Houston State University and taught multiple topics in grades 7-12 at Marfa. He will teach grades 6-8 at MIS.

Linda received her B.A.T in Elementary Education with a minor in English from Sam Houston State University.  She taught science at Marfa in grades 5-6. She will teach science and math in all grades at MIS.

Before coming to Marfa, Linda and Ken Jones taught in the Willis schools near Houston for many years.

MIS school renovation has commenced and is located in the former Iron Heart Body Building gym on Marfa’s southeast side.

About 15-20 students are expected to enroll the first year with tuition at $600 a month or $6,000 over a 10-month school year.

The master schedule is still in the works but the school year is expected to end mid-June with longer breaks during the holidays.

For more information, visit the MIS website www.marfais.org or email at info@marfais.org.