The Priestley Team

Administration and Office Staff

 

Michelle Biagas
Principal/CEO

Michelle Biagas was born in New Orleans, Louisiana. The only girl amidst brothers, she grew up in a very athletic household. Mrs. Biagas had many opportunities to experience different cultures because she was born of a Belizean mother and an American father. There were always people of various nationalities in her home and, because of this, she gained a great appreciation for the uniqueness individuals bring with their personalities, and the importance of being exposed to an array of people, cultures and life experiences. As a very young person, Mrs. Biagas moved from New Orleans and lived in the Boston area with her parents and older brother. Boston is where her formal education began. Shortly thereafter her family moved back to New Orleans where she attended elementary school, high school and college, graduating with an undergraduate degree from Loyola University New Orleans, and a M. Ed from the University of New Orleans. Mrs. Biagas then began her career in the service industry, working with Boy’s Town USA and Youth Alternatives (which was a group home for children on probation from the state of Louisiana). At the insistence of her father, who had just recently returned to teaching after working in private industry, Mrs. Biagas began her career in education as a middle school English teacher. After completing an alternative certification program, Mrs. Biagas went on to complete her masters in Education Administration after her 13th year in the education profession. She is currently in her 17th year and serves as the principal of the Priestley Charter School in New Orleans.

 

Kim Winder
Assistant Principal/COO

Mrs. Kim A. Winder is the Chief Operating Officer (COO), curriculum and instruction specialist, and technology facilitator of Priestley Charter School. Mrs. Winder was born and raised in New Orleans, La. She is married with two children and two grandchildren. Mrs. Winder is a graduate of St. Mary’s Academy. She did her undergraduate work at Southern University of New Orleans, achieving a B.S. degree in Elementary Education. Mrs. Winder has taught kindergarten first, second, fourth, and fifth grades during her 18 years in the Orleans Parish School System. Mrs. Winder gained an interest in computers and computer technology. She began facilitating InTech (an intensively structured staff development program designed to implement the INtegration of TECHnology for classroom teachers) and office programming software to teachers for the technology department of the school board system. She attended Northwestern State University and earned a Specialist degree in Educational Technology. Some of Mrs. Winder’s accomplishments include Teacher of the Year, Ranking Teacher, UTNO Representative, Lower Grade Chairperson, Playground Booster President, Dean’s List and Technology Advisor. Mrs. Winder enjoys books, technological tools, nurturing others, creative endeavors and is always willing to help others.

 

Edward Brown
Assistant Principal

Bio pending

 

Andre Harris
Curriculum Coordinator/Dean of Students

Bio pending

Doris Kimble
Director of Special Services

Doris was born in New Orleans, Louisiana and has spent most of life there. She is a graduate of McDonogh 35 High School. At Xavier University, she earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Education. Later, she received a Master of Education Degree from Southeastern Louisiana University in Hammond, Louisiana. Currently the Director of Special Services at Priestley Charter School for Architecture and Construction, Doris has been an educator for thirty four years. She teaches Introduction to Business Computer Applications and Business Computer Applications. Her educational experiences include twenty years at Xavier Prep where she began as a teacher and later became a member of the administrative team. After leaving Prep, she joined the New Orleans Public Schools system. She spent one year at George W. Carver Middle School and, at the time of Hurricane Katrina, had begun her twelfth year at Fannie C. Williams Middle School. Doris loves education and looks forward to continuing her work with children until retirement.

Laticia Barthé
School Counselor

Laticia Barthé received her Master’s degree in Counseling from the University of New Orleans and a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Southern University in Baton Rouge, LA. Ms. Barthé is a National Certified Counselor (NCC), National Certified School Counselor (NCSC), American Counselor Assn. (ACA) member and Louisiana Counselor Assn. (LCA) member. She was born in Baton Rouge, LA but New Orleans has been her home since 1991, thus she is considered a transplant native.

 

Leslie Johnson
Business/Financial Manager

Leslie Johnson is Priestley's business and financial manager. A lifelong resident of New Orleans, she is a tireless and dedicated member of the Priestley family, and serves as the economic engine that keeps Priestley efficiently working. In her spare time, Ms. Johnson enjoys opera, ballet, and professional wrestling.

Angela Raglin
Parent Liaison

Angela Raglin is the Parent Liaison for Priestley School of Architecture & Construction. She has always wanted to be part of the school system here in New Orleans. She is a lifelong resident of New Orleans, where she graduated from L.E. Rabouin Vocational High School. She resides here in the city with her husband of 20yrs and their 15yr old daughter. In her spare time, she enjoys shopping, cooking, and spending quality time with family.

 

Faculty

 

Kim Broderick
Teacher, Geometry

Kim Broderick was born and raised in Chehalis, Washington, a small farming community halfway between Seattle, WA and Portland Or. She attended the University of Washington right out of high school and received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Administration. Years later, she attended St. Martin’s College to obtain a teaching certificate for Mathematics, History and Social Studies. Before moving to New Orleans in August of 2007, she had taught all levels of high school mathematics for 16 years, at two different schools. She has three grown sons and many family members scattered across the Pacific Northwest.

 

Tia Crowley
Teacher, Inclusion

Tia J. Crowley is a resident of the lovely, soulful and culturally diverse city of New Orleans. She graduated from Warren Easton Senior High, home of the “Fighting Eagles,” before attending Louisiana Tech University in Ruston, Louisiana, where she earned a Bachelors degree in Sociology and a minor in English. She also earned a Master's of Arts Degree in Urban Education from Southern University at New Orleans. She is married to her high school sweetheart, Wendell M. Crowley, Jr. They have two children -- both are American Pit bull Terriers: Blade & Sheba Crowley. Mrs. Crowley enjoys going out with friends and having personal spa days at her favorite place: Belladonna Day Spa on Magazine Street.

 

Hazim Dayeh
Teacher, Civics/Free Enterprise
Webmaster

Born in New Jersey, Hazim Dayeh moved to New Orleans in 1987. A longtime resident of the Crescent City, he considers himself a New Orleans native. Mr. Dayeh attended the University of New Orleans, where he earned a B.A. in Sociology, Social Studies Teaching certification, and a M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction. He is a proud charter member of the Priestley staff and is dedicated to the success of his students and continual improvement of the school.

 

Karen Frazier
Teacher, Biology

Ms. Frazier moved to New Orleans from the great state of Hawaii on December 12th, 2005. As a recent New Orleans resident, Ms. Frazier has come to appreciate many new experiences unique to New Orleans. Says Frazier, "I love the food, the music, and most of all – the people and the wonderful spirit that is ONLY found here in New Orleans!"

 

Allen Green
Coach/Teacher, Physical Education

Coach Allen Green is a product of the New Orleans school system.  Born and raised in Algiers, Coach Green completed high school at Edna Karr where he excelled in both basketball and football, winning state championships in both sports.  He continued his education at Southern University in Baton Rouge, LA. where he developed a passion to give back to kids and earned a degree in Health and Physical Education.  Coach Green's main goal as an educator is to help build productive citizens.

 

Ruben Johnson
Teacher, Computers/Business

Mr. Johnson is a teacher, leader, entrepreneur, and tireless worker who has been teaching in New Orleans for several years now.  He is celebrating his fifth wedding anniversary this year.  Mr. Johnson firmly believes that the best way to educate children is through a hands-on, active classroom.  He believes that such an approach breeds curiosity and produces lifelong learners.  Mr. Johnson's adheres to the Malcom X quote that "Education is the passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today."

 

Justin Jones
Teacher, English I

Justin Jones is a native of New Orleans.  He is a McDonogh #35 Senior High School alumnus (Class of 2001) who completed his student teaching at Warren Easton High School and graduated from Dillard University with a B.A. in Secondary English Education. Mr. Jones is a dedicated educator who strongly believes in educating all students academically as well as socially. He strives to make his classroom a great, semi-democratic learning environment for all of his students. He focuses on all learning modalities when planning lessons to make sure each student has an equal opportunity to learn the information that is being taught. He is happy to take on the responsibility of helping the entire faculty at Priestley reach the ultimate goal of providing learning experiences that will enable students to respond intellectually, aesthetically, emotionally, and independently.

 

Justin Levy
Teacher, Algebra I

Justin Levy is a first year math teacher, born and raised in New Orleans, Louisiana. He is an Edna Karr High School alumnus, Class of 2002. Mr. Levy is a recent graduate of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. He enjoys football, track and basketball, and hopes to one day coach at the college level.

 

Curtis London
Coach/Teacher, Physical Education

Curtis London is a graduate of De La Salle High School and Southern University at New Orleans.  Mr. London has been teaching since 2000 and has taught elementary, high school, and adapted physical education.  He has also coached basketball at every school for which he has worked.  Mr. London currently teaches physical education and coaches basketball at Priestley Charter School.

 

Adele Mangipano
Librarian, Grant Facilitator

Adele Mangipano is a native New Orleanian who has lived here most of her life.  She received her B.A. and M.Ed. from UNO and then spent a year commuting to LSU to earn her MLS.  She has been an educator for over 30 years teaching English for 6 years before becoming a librarian. Growing up in a typical New Orleans neighborhood gave her a chance to meet people of many different backgrounds and experiences.  This background enriched her childhood and gave a lifelong appreciation of each individual.  She also feels privileged to remain friends with people she has known since her childhood.  She likes reading, gardening, bicycling, and dancing and tries to spend some time each week doing all of them.  She thinks that one of the great things about living in New Orleans is that cycling and gardening can be done almost any time or day of the year. One of her passions in life is to connect students and teachers with books or magazines that will turn them into life-long readers and seekers of knowledge.

 

Kelly McCullough
Teacher, Physical Science

Kelly McCullough teaches Physical Science at Priestley. She has lived in New Orleans for five years now but is originally from Philadelphia. She received her B.S. from Tulane University in Environmental Biology. Before Priestley she taught Chemistry at Douglass and assisted in Life Science classes at Banneker Elementary. She has also worked with Audubon Zoo's Educational Department in the Discovery Walk.

 

Timothy McGary
Teacher, Art

Timothy McGary - father, educator, lover of the simple pleasures in life - takes pleasure in eradicating ignorance in our society and developing hope and understanding in all who cross his path. He has been in his field for almost 30 years and continues to challenge those he calls his kids. Mr. McGary loves to scuba dive and relax on the beach. He believes in putting God first, then family, and everything else will work out. One of his favorite lines is "Road Trip!"

 

Colin McLelland
Coach/Teacher, Sp.Ed.

Colin McLelland was born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio. He was a 2 time All-State Miler which awarded him a Scholarship to Edinboro University of Pennsylvania. At Edinboro, Colin studied Health and Physical Education and Special Education and was a 4-Year Student Athlete. Arriving in the “Big Easy” in September 2007, Colin can be found playing soccer or running at Audubon Park as well as visiting the many entertaining sites around Uptown and the French Quarter. Colin, also known as “Mr.Mac,” also enjoys teaching Special Education, Coaching Track & Field and Basketball, and socializing with the wonderful staff at Priestley Charter HS.

 

Jennifer Molina
Teacher, Spanish

Jennifer Johnson Molina, a native New Orleanian, graduated Magna Cum Laude with a BA from Boston College. She also has an MA in English Teaching from the University of New Orleans. She holds Louisiana teaching certification in Secondary English and Spanish. She has taught Creative Writing, Journalism, Speech, and Study Skills at McDonogh 35 High School and Spanish I and Spanish II at Mount Carmel Academy. She facilitated the student-written newspaper at McDonogh 35 as well as the publication of several anthologies of students’ writing. She has also worked as a journalist and published her own writing in Sojourners, Nine to Five, and New Orleans magazines. She is the former director of the Learning Center at My House, Inc. and the co-founder/past president of the Infancy to Independence Spanish immersion program. She served as a delegate to a conflictive zone during the Salvadoran civil war and as an international observer of elections there. Mrs. Molina teaches Spanish I at Priestley and lives with her husband and two sons in Mid-City.

 

Nick Scramuzza
Teacher, World Geography

Mr. Scramuzza teaches World Geography at Priestley School of Architecture & Construction. He has been teaching Social Studies for the Orleans Parish School Board for many years. In past years, he has taught at the University of New Orleans, McMain Magnet, McDonogh 28, and Abramson High School. He has a lifetime teaching certificate with the Louisiana State Department of Education. He also holds Master's degrees in Gifted Education and in History Teaching, a B.A. in Drama and Communication, Certification in Gifted Education, and Certification in Secondary Social Studies. Mr. Scramuzza grew up in New Orleans and has spent most of his life here. When he is not traveling the world, he is active in the community, the arts, and the music industry.

 

Kim Sentmore
Teacher, Mathematics

Kim Sentmore in currently a 10th grade Math Lab teacher at Priestley Charter School. She has been teaching for four years. Sentmore received her undergraduate degree from Tulane University and is currently enrolled in a mater’s degree program at Our Lady of Holy Cross College. She was inspired to teach because she felt that she could help make a difference in students’ lives. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family, watching movies, running, and playing volleyball.

 

Caroline Vanek
Teacher, English II

Caroline Vanek is a native New Orleanian who graduated from Loyola University and is currently enrolled in the Master’s of Fine Arts program at University of New Orleans. She spent one semester abroad in England and spent 5 months in Africa teaching for the Peace Corps. She participates in many activities including Brazilian jiu jitsu, kick boxing and photography.

 

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