Administration
Next Generation School operates as an independent private school. We do not receive any federal or state funding. Our programs, activities and facilities are funded by tuition dollars.
We work in partnership with our families to sustain a nurturing, engaging learning environment that provides rich academic and extra-curricular opportunities for our students.
The Administrative Team and faculty determine Next Generation School policy. Our Parent Council provides a forum for an ongoing conversation between parents and the administration; meetings are an opportunity to share ideas that help to sustain and build our school community.
Erin Tarr, Associate Director
Ms. Erin Tarr is the Associate Director of Next Generation School. She has been working closely with Founder/Director Ms. Barb Sullivan since the school was established in 2004.
Ms. Tarr has been instrumental in fostering Next Generation School's nurturing, engaging learning environment. She works closely with our faculty and staff, helping them to collaborate effectively so that they can best help students. Ms. Tarr's leadership enables everyone to work toward the shared goal of providing unparalleled educational opportunities for our students.
Ms. Tarr also gives tours of the Primary and Middle School. She is always happy to share information about our programs and to answer any questions you may have.
Kristin Weatherford, Administrative Assistant
Ms. Kristin Weatherford is our Administrative Assistant. She works closely with our faculty and our families, handling day-to-day and long-term logistics and scheduling for our many programs. Prior to joining the Next Generation School staff, Ms. Weatherford taught in our Early Education program and assisted with our After School Enrichment and Summer Camp programs. Ms. Weatherford has also been involved with our athletic program as a coach for the girls' competitive volleyball team.
Chris Bronowski, Primary School Coordinator
Ms. Chris Bronowski serves as our Primary School Coordinator. She reviews the Primary School curriculum and collaborates with her colleagues regarding curriculum implementation and teaching methods.
Ms. Bronowski taught in our Primary D classroom for several years. She earned her B.S. in Liberal Arts for Professional Education from Christian Brothers University in Memphis, TN and has endorsements for teaching grades K -- 8. Before joining the Next Generation School faculty, she taught second and third grade in a Tennessee elementary school for nearly a decade. During that time, Ms. Bronowski also served as the Assistant Principal and chaired the School Improvement Team, a committee focused on curriculum improvement.
Barb Thoma, Middle School Coordinator
Ms. Barb Thoma is our Middle School Coordinator. She works closely with her colleagues in the Middle School to ensure that the curriculum maximizes student potential and learning. Ms. Thoma has over thirty-four years of teaching experience in the areas of English, middle school Reading and Ancient History. She earned her M.A. in Education from Kansas State University and has her B.A. in Italian and French from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Ms. Thoma taught at Urbana Middle School for fifteen years. She served as the Language Arts Coordinator for thirteen years and as co-chair of the Building Leadership Team for five years. For ten years, she assisted the district with teacher training through "Project CRISS," a nationally recognized program that teaches strategies to maximize student learning. Ms. Thoma also co-chaired the committee that wrote and edited the district Language Arts curriculum for students in grades five through eight.
Maria Gillombardo: Communications Coordinator
Ms. Maria Gillombardo is our Communications Coordinator. She collaborates with our families, faculty and administration as we continue to build the Next Generation School community. Ms. Gillombardo also coordinates the Next Generation Parent Council and maintains the school website.
Before joining the Next Generation School staff, Ms.Gillombardo taught writing and literature courses at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where she earned her M.A. and completed advanced coursework in English Literature. In addition to her teaching, she served as an advisor and mentor for her teaching colleagues and as the Assistant to the Director of Freshman Rhetoric.
Christie Martin: Chief Financial Officer
Ms. Christie Martin is our Chief Financial Officer. She has been with Next Generation for several years, managing the finances for both Early Education and for Next Generation School and our after-school programs.
Prior to becoming a member of the Next Generation staff, Ms. Martin worked extensively in commercial banking and was also a business analyst at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. She is an active member of the Champaign West Rotary Club.
Administration
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