This is Mrs. Preusser’s sixth year at Prospect Ridge Academy (go Miners!). A National Writing Project fellow with 17 years of teaching experience at both the middle and high school level, she is excited to work with freshmen at PRA. She double majored in English and art history at Williams College, earned an M.A. in secondary English instruction and curriculum from the University of Colorado at Boulder, and received an M.F.A. in creative writing through the University of Southern Maine’s Stonecoast program. Her debut picture book, A Symphony of Cowbells, was released in 2017 by Sleeping Bear Press. The first book in her chapter book series, Hedgehog Whodunit, was published in October 2024 by Andrews McMeel. When she’s not teaching, reading or writing, Ms. Preusser enjoys telemark skiing, rock climbing and learning ridiculously long German words, such as Formfleischvorderschinken.
High School Course Catalog
Language Arts
Heather Preusser
Laura Cecil
Ari Finkelstein
I'm Mr. Finkelstein, and this will be my 7th year at PRA. I currently teach 11th-grade English and a Creative Writing elective, as well as coaching Boys Tennis in the fall and Girls Tennis in the spring. I moved back to Colorado after living (and teaching) in New York, Los Angeles, and Austin. Originally from Colorado Springs, though, I'm thrilled to be back in my home state. As T.S. Eliot puts it: "In the mountains, there you feel free."
I earned my Bachelor's Degree at Stanford University, where I majored in English and took classes in history, theater, philosophy, IR, and film. I then went on to receive an MFA in Screenwriting from USC's School of Cinematic Arts. I always knew that in addition to writing, however, I wanted to teach, and I've spent the last ten years sharing my passion for literature, film, and history with middle and high school students.
This year I'll be teaching two AP Language & Composition classes, three American Lit classes, and one Creative Writing elective. You can always find assignments, syllabi, and other class documents on my individual course pages below.
Outside of school, I enjoy reading, skiing, movies of all types, rare first editions, Scrabble, poetry, screenwriting, photography, vinyl (records not floors), camping, Oxford commas, and tennis. Go Miners!
Email: afinkelstein@prospectridgeacademy.org
Work phone: 720.399.0300 (ext. 2216)
Tom LeCarner
Math
Students must take four years of math.
Victoria Lish
Gregory Locker
Welcome to your 2023/2024 school year! This year will be my 10th year teaching and my first year at PRA. I have a Bachelor's degree in Biology from the University of Montana and a Masters in Education from the University of Colorado, Boulder. During the last 9 years I’ve taught science and math for grades 7th grade through 12th at several schools throughout Colorado. I’m thrilled for my new role at PRA where I can help students develop their math skills and create connections between math, science, and their education more broadly.
In addition to my work as an educator, I’ve been a dedicated rock climber for over 22 years. I find rock climbing to be surprisingly complementary to mathematics–a type of kinesthetic problem solving equally fit for developing mental abilities as physical abilities. I live in Lafayette with my family, who are also dedicated rock climbers.
Meredith Hughes
Welcome PRA Miners! If you are taking Algebra 2, Algebra 2 Honors or AP Calculus AB this year, I am excited to guide you in your learning experience. Together, we will dive deep into mathematics and problem solving. I have always loved math and I am excited to share my passion with you. A little about my background is that I have a Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics with an Emphasis in Secondary Education from the University of Northern Colorado and a Master's of Science in Mathematics Education from University of Colorado - Denver.
My other passions include spending time with my family while we travel, hike, bike and explore. My husband Jeramy and I have 3 teenage kids. They keep us busy and loving life through their curiosity, sports and many activities. On my own, my favorite thing to do is sit on a beach and read or get together with friends.
I am also the sponsor of PRA's Asian Student Union. I am half Chinese/half Caucasian and I was born and raised in Hawai'i. I love sharing my culture with others and learning about others from around the world. If you have an interest in Asian culture and feel like you could help share that with others at PRA, I encourage you to join us and even run for a leadership position in our club!
All in all, I hope that your high school experience at Prospect Ridge Academy is incredible. I hope you are able to build strong friendships, feel connected academically, and set meaningful goals for your personal growth during your time here. We are here to support you!
Simi Frost
My name is Simi Frost and have been at PRA since 2015. I love this school because of our amazing students, great parent community, and dedicated staff. My daughter is a Miner as well and I get to enjoy being a part of this school as a teacher and a parent.
My teaching philosophy is to teach not only math but how to be a successful learner. Whether that is teaching younger students how to become responsible for their own learning and engaged in the process or working with older students to develop balance, time management, and other skills they will need in college. When teaching our math content I focus on developing problem solving skills, being a critical thinker, and understanding math not only procedurally but conceptually.
When I am not at school I am hanging with my little family of three plus our two dogs, reading, cooking, traveling, snowboarding, hiking, going to see live music, and generally enjoying wonderful Colorado.
Kelsey Miner
I have been happy to call Prospect Ridge home since 2017! I have taught a variety of classes during my time but I have the most experience with AP Statistics, Statistics, and FST (Functions, Statistics, and Trigonometry). Here is a little more about myself so that we can know each other better:
1. I am a native of Lyons, CO and a proud Lyons Lion.
2.I have 10+ years of experience in tutoring/teaching Algebra 1, Algebra 2, Geometry, Trigonometry, Pre-Calculus, College Algebra, AP Calculus, College Calculus 1, AP Statistics, College Intro to Statistics, and College Linear Algebra.
3. I am a proud graduate of Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa.
4. While in Iowa, I ran track and cross country for Wartburg. GO KNIGHTS! My favorite track event is the Steeplechase. Now I work as a Track and Cross Country official for high school meets. You can find me in bright orange cheering on the PRA XC & T&F teams.
5. I am the proud owner of a very special puppy named Desi. His favorite hobbies include destroying junk mail, morning cuddles, and preventing me from doing any work.
Science
Students must take four years of science.
Anna Paschke Levy
I graduated from Washington University where I studied Anthropology and Biology, worked in a genetics research lab, and spent a summer assisting with botany fieldwork in Central America.
I joined PRA in 2014, as a founding member of the high school team and continue to help grow the science department as department chair. Prior to that, I worked in Denver Public Schools in both teaching and leadership roles, helping to open two different "turn around" schools and to design innovative math and science programs. I believe that all students are capable of mastering challenging science content and that, above all, learning should be a positive, hands-on experience!
Eileen Miller
Hello, Miner Families! I have been teaching at PRA since 2017, and feel so grateful to be a part of such a passionate, talented, and collaborative learning community! I received a B.S. in Biology (with a minor in Chemistry) at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, then went on to get a Masters degree in Ecology & Evolutionary Biology at the University of Colorado, Boulder. Following graduate school, I taught secondary science for five years (four in Colorado, and one in Monteverde, Costa Rica) before taking a break while my children were preschool-aged. In my free time, I love trail running, playing bluegrass music with friends, and being outside with my family.
Sara Ferber Kliewer
I love sharing my passion for science with my students. In our class we will explore the world at the atomic level to explain the things we see around us everyday!
When not at school I enjoy spending time with my husband and daughter. I love skiing. In the summers, I try to spend as much time outdoors as possible - jogging, hiking, swimming, camping and traveling. I also enjoy speaking Spanish (which you may catch me doing here and there during class), I have lived in Spain and spent time in Buenos Aires and Nicaragua.
I look forward to getting to know you this year!
Jonah Kliewer
Michael Bennett
Social Studies
Steve Cutillo
Hi everyone! My name is Steve Cutillo. I'm 33 years old, and have 12 years of experience teaching history. I have a wife, Rachel, and two beautiful daughters: Aurora (5 years old) and Stella (3 years old). Before coming to PRA, I taught 6th grade World History at Summit Middle School, and before that I taught at Grace International School in Chiang Mai, Thailand. I believe that history is so important to us, because it shapes who we are as individuals and a society. History is not just about memorizing facts, but understanding why people do the things they do, and what that means for me. I hope to instill a sense of greater purpose and understanding, a larger Worldview that takes us beyond our small lives and into a greater story! We are part of this world, and we should want to understand it, and see that we matter as a part of it!
I'm sorry, I could go on and on, but hopefully, that gives you a small glimpse of me as a history teacher. I see myself as a man who tries to be real. I want to model integrity, honesty and "genuine-ness" to my students. Teaching character is such an important part of school, and although I am just as flawed as everyone, I hope to be a good example in my everyday life. Outside of school, I love playing board games and video games. I love hiking, running and working out. I am a Christian, and my faith plays a big role in my life. I'm a nerd, and love Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, competitive card and board games like Magi
Michael Storer
Hello Miners! My name is Michael Storer and I have been at PRA since 2017. I teach AP and on level United States Government and Politics to sophomores. I am the staff sponsor of the Miner Athletic Leadership Training (MALT) club, the JV basketball head coach and the varsity football head coach. I am very passionate about PRA's vision of creating academic, social, and ethical leaders and our athletic mission to provide social and physical development through athletics. The combination of our outstanding academics and successful athletic programs make PRA a fantastic place to call home! Teaching is a second career for me. I worked many years in the private sector in customer service, management, and construction. I decided that I wanted to pursue teaching and received my BA in history teaching from Montana State University - Billings and a Masters degree in American History from the American Military University. I started teaching in 2009 at a small rural school in Montana. I moved to Colorado with my wife Traci in 2015. We have four children. My wife is an accounting manager for a local oil and gas company. My oldest daughter Diana has a Masters degree and works at the University of Utah in Salt Lake with stem cells and cancer treatment. Eric, our oldest son, is a master mechanic and maintains a fleet of commercial vehicles for a company in Denver. Our youngest daughter, Kendall, has a BS in biochemistry from CU Denver, works at a testing lab and is studying for the MCAT's to pursue medical school. And finally, our youngest son, Owen, is a sophomore at the University of Colorado Boulder and is in the aerospace program. When I am not teaching or coaching you can find me on the golf course, fishing, hunting, or rooting on my favorite pro teams the Stars, Orioles, and Seahawks!
Kelly Feinstein-Johnson
Mark Nuss
Mr. Nuss has been at PRA since the high school opened in 2014. Before that, he taught in Jefferson County Public Schools for four years at both the middle school and high school levels. Mr. Nuss has a B.A. in U.S. History and an M.A. in Curriculum and Instruction, both from the University of Denver (go Pioneers!).
Outside of school, Mr. Nuss spends most of his free time with his 4-year-old son and 7-month-old twins (fraternal, a boy and a girl). When he's not chasing three kids around, he enjoys disc golfing, cycling, and playing the drums.
World Language
Carissa Stancer
Profesora Stancer (she/her/hers) has taught at PRA since the opening of Prospect Ridge Academy High School and is the World Languages Department Chair. She previously worked at a charter school in Colorado Springs for 4 years teaching 6th grade for one year and HS Spanish for three. As a child she lived with her family in Central America, first Antigua, Guatemala for six months to learn the language and then Tegucigalpa, Honduras for five years. Her family returned to the states for her 9th grade year. She has a B.A. in Spanish from the University of Northern Colorado and a M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction from Western Governors University. Outside of school, Profa. Stancer enjoys singing in her community choir, crafting, going to musicals, and of course spoiling her two cats.
Kathy Rimmasch
Mikaela Filson
Janela Karlson
Karen Stansifer
Elective Courses
Fine Arts
Krista Hwang
I am Krista Hwang, and I teach Theater and Choir here at PRA. I teach the middle school theater class, direct the middle school musical, co-direct the high school musical, and direct the Middle School and High School Choirs. I also direct an elementary school choir for grades 3-5. I have been teaching since 2000, and have taught at PRA since 2013. I have two sons who attend PRA. When I'm not at school, I enjoy singing, reading, and Irish Dancing. My family and I enjoy getting into the mountains in every season, camping, hiking, skiing, and relaxing
Mary Vogelsberg
