The University of Toledo

Teacher Profiles

Michelle Bogue, Sylvania Northview
Email: sy.michelle.bogue@nwoca.org
CV 2010

 

I received Bachelor’s in Biology from The University of Toledo, after graduation I worked several years in the horticulture/parks industry.  I then went on to The Ohio State University for coursework to obtain my teaching licensure.  Originally, I taught three years, for Toledo Public Schools, as their Greenhouse Management teacher at the Agriculture Education Center.  I then move to Sylvania Schools where I have been teaching environmental and agriculture classes.

 I truly enjoy being able to share with students and watch their environmental awareness grow. One opportunity that helps bring that awareness to the classroom is having had my students involved in the Student Watershed Watch program for over ten years now.  A great new addition to bringing environmental awareness to my students has been facilitated for the past two year, by being part of the National Science Foundation- GK-12 “Building an Environmental Science Learning Community at the Land Lake Ecosystem Interface” program.  The first year of the program, I was able to have Olga Mileyeva-Biebesheimer, an Environmental Engineering PhD fellow in my classroom.  It was a wonderful experience as she was able to bring research and statistical methods to my students helping them prepare for local science fair programs.  I will say that I really learned quite a bit by watch her help them with their data and presentation material.  This second year, I have Betsy Scarbro an Aquatic Ecology PhD fellow working with my students and her readiness to jump right in, literally and figuratively, to the water quality lessons this fall was great; it brought many new details to our water quality unit. 

The GK-12 program summer sessions and monthly meeting/lecture sessions, have enabled me to network with teacher and university personnel, this is something that I truly value from the program, as everyone involved is a life long learner and it is a great framework in which to continue learning.  

 

Tim Bollin, TECHS
Email: tim.bollin@tps.org

I have been teaching in TPS for 20+ years, at DeVilbiss H.S, Woodward H.S., and now at Toledo Early College.  I have been involved in the Student Watershed Watch program almost every year since it began.  I received both my Bachelors and Masters degrees from the University of Toledo and continue to seek opportunities to involve myself and ultimately my students in challenging, hands-on science experiences, especially those that promote self reliance, awareness, and empowerment.  In my free time I enjoy fishing, hunting, hiking, camping, paddling, and exploring with my family in the cathedrals of the great outdoors. 

Dave Bourland, Bowsher High School
Email: david.bourland@tps.org

I received a Bachelor of Science in Geology with a specialization in Paleontology from Bowling Green State University. I worked for a short time in industry but returned to the University of Toledo to obtain my Ohio Teaching License. After being hired by Toledo Public Schools I began my teaching career at Libbey then Bowsher High Schools. For the last number of years my area of focus has been both Environmental and Earth Science. For the past three years Bowsher Science Interns along with the help of Hull and Associates have participated in the Student Watershed Watch. My knowledge of water quality issues is somewhat limited.  I am looking forward to increasing my knowledge in this field and working with future students to study and improve the environment.


Paulette Cole, TECHS
Email: paulette.cole@tps.org

I earned my Bachelor’s in Biology at Long Island University in Brookville, New York.  I worked for 10 years as a Medical Technologist with a specialty in Hematology/Oncology. In 1997 I moved to Toledo and started working as a substitute teacher for Toledo Public Schools. Somewhere along the way, I discovered that I enjoyed being in the classroom and decided to become a “real” teacher. 

As an undergraduate student I was not exposed to environmental science to the extent that I have been during the past year, and I am constantly amazed by the vast amount of information that our experts have to convey.

This coming school year (2010-2011) will be my third year participating in the GK-12 program. I learned a lot about the environment and even about the geology of our area. I had amazing experiences last year and I am looking forward to more wonderful experiences as I continue in this program. I have been in the woods communing with bugs and on the lake where we gathered soil that was approximately 10,000 years old!

Some of my students had the wonderful opportunity to conduct and present their research on how the salinity of water affects crayfish. The students who participated were excited to work with my fellow Betsy Bodamer and wanted to know when they would be able to “do this again.” It is my hope that by exposing my students to science outside of the classroom they may be encouraged to explore and consider science as a career.

Personally, I have been married for 15 years and I am the proud mom of an 11 year old daughter who gets frustrated when I ask “another science question.”

Ann Hajibrahim, Central Catholic High School
Email: ahajibrahim@centralcatholic.org

I received by B.Sc. in Chemistry from the University of Toledo and my M.A. in curriculum and teaching from Michigan State University. In 1971 I married and began my travels. I was overseas for almost 25 years: from 1975-1979 in Bristol, England; from 1979-1988 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; and from 1988-1999 in Cairo, Egypt. While overseas, I taught general science, chemistry, and computer science in private K-12 schools. I love experiencing new cultures and seeing new sights. It was challenging and enriching to teach in so many different school systems. It also gave me a deep appreciation of America. Also, while in Egypt, I worked for 3 years for the Fulbright Commission. This was a dream job. Four days per week I team taught with an Egyptian national. Then 1 day per week I developed and conducted professional development workshops for local high school science teachers. Since returning to the U.S. in 1999, I have been teaching at Central Catholic High School. During this time, I’ve taught primarily chemistry. In addition, I have also taught general science, environmental science, science research, and physics. Currently I’m teaching 3 levels of chemistry: standard, college prep, and IB (international baccalaureate). Teaching IB chemistry is exciting. We have several projects that we are working on. The main project is the Student Watershed Watch. We have four sites that we study. We are hoping to expand our data collection days and relate our results to the overall Maumee River watershed data. Next year, I’m planning on having my students design more analysis labs in general, expanding the scope to the science fair projects and improving their quality. I’m thrilled to join the GK-12 program. It’ll be such an enriching experience both for me and my students. In my spare time, I enjoy swimming, kayaking, hiking, and spoiling my grandchildren.

Caine Kolinski, Clay High School
Email: ckolinski@oregoncs.org

I teach science at Clay High School in Oregon, Ohio.  Under the direction of Dr. Hans Gottgens and Dr. Rebecca Schneider I earned a Masters of Science and Education (ecology) degree from the University of Toledo where my project involved using wetlands in the curriculum for transformative educational experiences in students that result in greater conceptual understanding and longer term retention.  I am currently involved in a wind energy project here at Clay High School where we will be erecting wind turbines with an interactive interface that will be used for research.

 

My interest in being part of the GK-12 grant stems from my desire to expand use of the Lake Erie Watershed into the curriculum.  The district of Oregon City Schools is especially well situated to being impacted by the quality of the Lake and streams.  By monitoring water quality and understanding what factors effect the quality of water students can be more responsible citizens of their community.



Kathleen Singler, Ottawa Hills High School
Email: ohhs_kss@nwoca.org

I had the pleasure of growing up in Sandusky near the bay.  I spent my youth fishing, boating, swimming at Cedar Point, and sailing to the islands.  One of my first jobs was working at Battery Park Marina at the time when Lake Erie was declared “dead”.  I remember algal blooms that looked like someone had thrown green, thick paint into the bay.  During college, I majored in biology and graduated with a B.S. from BGSU.  During the summer, I taught sailing in Sandusky Bay and sailed as part of crew on the sailboat, “Reverie”. 

My first teaching assignment was at Notre Dame Academy.  I left there to raise a family of three before being hired by Ottawa Hills High School.  For the past 21 years I have taught biology as well as zoology, botany, and physical science.  I earned my M.S. in Biology and Education from UT in 1988 and became a National Board Certified Teacher of Science in 2004.  I am an avid traveler, photographer, gardener and student of nature. 

During my tenure at Ottawa Hills, I have had the opportunity to create, with my students, a courtyard learning space, complete with pond, outside of my classroom. I have also been able to take groups of students to study in Costa Rica during an alternative learning week, held every other year, at our school.

In 2008, an opportunity arose to work with the NSF Gk-12 program.  We had been early participants in the Student Watershed Watch, and want to get involved again.  I also wanted to expose my students to more inquiry-based projects and saw the placement of a doctoral fellow in my classroom as a perfect opportunity to do so.

The program has allowed me to get updated on water quality assessment and the biology and geology of the land/lake interface of Lake Erie.  I have heard lectures from many experts on the subject and have taken part in field studies that have equipped me with information and experiences to share with my students.  In addition, I have had the pleasure of working with Doctoral Fellow, Ms. Kristen DeVanna, in teaching my students.  Ms. DeVanna brings her research expertise in her role as mentor for my students interested in scientific research.  My students have gotten involved in the Watershed Watch and district and state science days and have been quite successful in their research.  Several have earned superior ratings and college scholarships.  I plan on continuing this relationship with the GK-12 program throughout the upcoming school year and hopefully my students will be as involved and successful at scientific research as they were this past year.

Wendy Wilson, Start High School
Email: wendy.wilson@tps.org

I have a B.S.in education from Bowling Green State University and a master's degree in social work from Case Western Reserve University. I have taught science for 15 years, 9 of those at Start High School.
 
During the construction of the new Start High School, I expressed a desire to have a pond that I could use to teach biology. Since then, my efforts to actualize that desire have propelled me on an interesting journey through storm water science and community orgainizing and have culminated in my changed perspective on science education. I would love for my students to experience science thematically, ideally as part of an interdisciplinary approach involving social studies. The school's proximity to an urban watershed and the Great Lakes, plus on-site storm water management structures make 'water quality' a relevant connection to science content standards. I hope my students will increasingly be involved in applying science concepts to environmental aspects of their schoolyard/neighborhood. For more information on the environmental project at Start, google 'Start High School Urban Watershed Habitat'.
 
When not teaching (and thinking about teaching!), I enjoy kayaking, riding my bike, roller blading, and cross country skiing. I have an extensive perennial garden. And I like to play the piano. I also like to visit urban areas where my children reside and shop.

I am looking forward to my third year in the NSF GK-12 program. The time has gone so quickly!  I am excited at the prospect of working with my new fellow, Hannah West, on incorporating more student driven research into the classroom. I know that both my personal and professional growth will continue as the result of participation in this outstanding program.