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Gatton Academy Seeks Applicants for Residential Counselor Positions

May 6, 2011 | News, Staff | No Comments

Western Kentucky University, The Carol Martin Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science in Kentucky, is seeking applicants for a Residential Counselor.  This is a 10-month position.  This position reports to the Residence Life Coordinator.  Anticipated start date is August 1, 2011.

This is an extraordinary opportunity for professionals who wish to make a true difference in the lives of young people who are gifted and talented and in the future of the Commonwealth.  In the fall of 2007, the Gatton Academy opened as the nation’s 14th state residential school with a focus on mathematics and science.  Located on the campus of Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green, KY, the program provides extraordinary academic and research opportunities for Kentucky High School juniors and seniors who are academically talented and interested in careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.  One hundred and twenty-eight students will earn at least sixty hours of college credit while completing their High School Diploma in both a residential and peer-supported living/learning environment.

Duties and Primary Responsibilities:

The following duties are customary for this position, but are not to be construed as all-inclusive.  Duties may be added, deleted and assigned based on management discretion and institutional needs:

  • Creates a safe, healthy, and nurturing living/learning environment on assigned wing of the building
  • Lives on student wing in the Academy and serves as a role model in all areas of personal, relational, and academic life
  • Develops and implements educational, cultural, social and recreational programming to promote social growth and involvement in the community
  • Intervenes and/or refers student to appropriate source during emotional or physical crises
  • Monitors and documents student progress
  • Communicates frequently with parents
  • Staffs the front desk during assigned shifts
  • Serves as a student advisor for clubs/activities
  • Other duties as assigned

Required Qualifications:

  • Bachelor’s degree
  • Experience with residential life or teaching
  • Must reside at the Academy
  • Must be 21 years of age and hold valid driver’s license
  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills

Desired/Preferred Qualifications:

  • Experience with gifted students

Salary Grade:  105

Expected Salary Range:  $22,500.00 -$25,008.00 annually, plus housing

Applications for employment will be accepted electronically only. Interested candidates must submit a cover letter describing qualifications and experience, a current resume, and names, addresses, and daytime phone numbers of three professional references using the on-line application process.  Transcripts may be requested at time of interview. Please refer to the following website to apply:  http://asaweb.wku.edu/sjobs or call (270) 745-5934 for assistance.  Reference requisition number S2911.   To ensure full consideration please submit all application materials by May 9th, 2011.  Position will remain open until filled.

Western Kentucky University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, disability, age, religion, or marital status in admission to career and technical education programs and/or activities, or employment practices in accordance with Title VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Revised 1992, and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.

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By Corey Alderdice

[New Year, New Staff] Meet Residential Counselor Laura Huff

September 1, 2010 | 5Q, News, People, Staff, Student Life | No Comments

With the start of a new year at the Gatton Academy comes several new personalities to the staff. We are excited about these passionate and dedicated individuals who have joined our team. They come to us from different parts of the country with a host of varied experiences. Over the last few weeks, the staff has had a chance to get to know each other. It’s now your chance to meet the new faces behind the Academy. Each day this week, we’ll profile a new staff member.

Academy Avatars sat down with each new staff member to post ten questions in hopes of getting to know them better. Avatars came up with five questions that we asked each person. Each Avatar also posed five unique questions of their own choosing to ask as well.

Up next is Residential Counselor Laura Huff.

Interview by Sydney Combs, Academy Avatar

1. Why did you decide to join the Gatton Academy staff?

I had been part of the Gatton Academy staff for two years as a night clerk before applying for a residential counselor position. I decided to go for the position because I wanted to stay with the Academy after graduating college. I love working here and love the atmosphere. It seemed like the perfect fit for me.

2. Where did you attend college and what subjects did you study?

I attended Western Kentucky University and studied English with a concentration in creative writing. I did droadcasting as a minor and did most of the Asian Studies courses as well as studied Japanese for the last three years of my college education.

3. What are you looking forward to the most about the coming school year?

I’m looking forward to getting started and getting into a routine first of all. I’m also looking forward to getting to know not only the girls on my floor but the other students as well.

4. What do you think makes the Gatton Academy a unique educational experience?

There is no other high school in Kentucky like Gatton Academy. It’s a place where students from all sorts of different places, backgrounds, and cultures can come together and work toward their dreams. They learn more about the world, especially being on a college campus, where the atmosphere is entirely different.

5. What contributions do you hope to make to life at the Gatton Academy?

I hope to bring together people from different groups and different floors and to introduce some new things to the students that they may not have otherwise tried.

6. Do you have any unique hobbies?

I watch a LOT of Japanese dramas. In the past three years, I’ve seen over 250. They’re just so addicting and so many new ones keep coming out.

7. If you had a couple of hours to waste in an airport, what would you be doing?

Since I rarely travel, airports are a novelty for me. Whenever I do somehow get to be in an airport, I love just walking around looking at the stores and the strangely expensive things they sell there. It fascinates me that you can buy so much stuff in an airport.

8. What clubs are you interested in starting or sponsoring this year?

I think I’m going to be the Japanese Culture Club sponsor this year, but other than that, I’m free. If anyone has a club for which they need a sponsor, then come see me.

9. Why did you choose to major in your field?

I chose Creative Writing because I got to write. Writing stories is something I’ve done since childhood when I learned how to write, and it was all I had ever wanted to do up until I got in college. Things have changed a bit, but I still love writing and loved being able to just sit in class and write a random story.

10. In a fierce battle, who would win: Unicorns or Zombies, and why?

Hmm…unicorns have the advantage of being alive and faster, but zombies are already dead and develop superhuman strength to rip things apart once they are undead. Definitely zombies that would rip apart the unicorns.

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By Corey Alderdice

[New Year, New Staff] Meet Residential Counselor Ian Oliver

August 31, 2010 | 5Q, News, People, Staff, Student Life | No Comments

With the start of a new year at the Gatton Academy comes several new personalities to the staff. We are excited about these passionate and dedicated individuals who have joined our team. They come to us from different parts of the country with a host of varied experiences. Over the last few weeks, the staff has had a chance to get to know each other. It’s now your chance to meet the new faces behind the Academy. Each day this week, we’ll profile a new staff member.

Academy Avatars sat down with each new staff member to post ten questions in hopes of getting to know them better. Avatars came up with five questions that we asked each person. Each Avatar also posed five unique questions of their own choosing to ask as well.

Up first is Residential Counselor Ian Oliver.

Interview by Brandon Kerr, Academy Avatar

1) Why did you decide to join the Gatton Academy staff?

I knew coming out of college I wanted to work with students in a college environment. Having attended a residential high school for gifted children myself, the Gatton Academy seemed a natural fit.

2) Where did you attend college and what subjects did you study?

I attended college at Clemson University (in South Carolina) and studied Physics and Astronomy.

3) What are you looking forward to the most about the coming school year?

I’m looking forward to getting to know the students and see what you do with the opportunity you’ve been presented. I’ve heard and read a lot of amazing things students have done in the past or are working on now.

4) What do you think makes the Gatton Academy a unique educational experience?

I don’t know of any other school that provides so much support and autonomy in allowing students to pursue their academic interests.

5) What contributions do you hope to make to life at the Gatton Academy?

I’d like to be a valuable resource for the students, and maybe share some outside experience.

6) What’s your favorite type of foreign food?

Burritos. Burritos count as foreign right?

7) If you could travel to any country, where would you go, and why?

England. A lifetime of English sentiment means traveling to England always feels like coming home.

8) How did you first find out about the Academy?

Representatives from the academy were at a residential life conference I attended.

9) What is your favorite TV show/movie?

I’m not much of a TV/Movie guy, but probably The Daily Show for TV and Grave of the Fireflies for movie.

10) If you could have any animal as a pet, which would it be, and why?

I was asked this the other day in an icebreaker and answered “Goliath Frog,” but honestly I think I dog is pretty hard to beat.

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By Corey Alderdice

Academy Staff Learn About Gifted Student Strategies at Leadership Retreat

August 26, 2010 | News, People, Staff | No Comments

Gatton Academy Staff at the Annual Retreat
Gatton Academy Staff at the Annual Retreat

by Kelsey Wagner, Academy Avatar

The staff members of the Gatton Academy met for two days at the All Saints Center in Leitchfield, KY, on the Rough River for their annual Staff Retreat earlier this month. The retreat, held on August 12th and 13th, featured three sessions with Dr. Tracy Cross, the Director of Gifted Studies at William and Mary University.

Dr. Cross, a former director of the Indiana Academy of Mathematics and Science, provided the staff with a “deeper understanding of high-ability students, in terms of social-emotional needs as well as academic needs,” noted Tim Gott, director of the Gatton Academy and attendee of the staff retreat.

Dr. Christopher “Pokey” Bowen, Assistant Director of Counseling Services, described Dr. Cross as “humble, knowledgeable, and down-to-earth.” Dr. Bowen also said that meeting Cross was the highlight of the trip, which also included open discussions and a concert performance by Sean Giddings, musician and Academy Residential Counselor.

This year, the annual trip wasn’t as much of a team-building experience between staff members given the majority of the staff was returning, although it did “build connections and camaraderie” among them according to Gott. Its focus was placed more on the students and gaining a better understanding of the best way to communicate with gifted/talented students. The sessions were a learning experience, with information gleaned about suicide prevention and the traits of such students.

Staff members participate in a workshop focusing on the social and emotional needs of gifted students.
Staff members participate in a workshop focusing on the social and emotional needs of gifted students.

The retreat was somewhat of a turning point for the direction the staff of the Academy heading  into this new year in terms of the staff-to-staff and staff-to-student relationships. Bowen spoke of how meeting structure and communication between staff will become more inclusive. Also reported by Dr. Bowen were the staff’s plans for an “increase of communication with parents, students, and each other.”

After hearing Dr. Cross present his own research at the Staff Retreat, the staff and administration made plans to research gifted strategies themselves. In addition, Cross gave the Academy an informational binder full of resources and articles about teaching and fostering gifted students.

Of course, the retreat wasn’t all work and no play. Despite storms on the first day, Laura Huff, a new face this year and second floor RC, said that they also “hung out at the lodge, stayed up late, played cards, and went down to the river, and sat on the docks.”

Huff also met some members of the Academy personnel those two days. It was her first encounter with Pokey Bowen, Derek Strode, April Gaskey, and the coordinator for study skills, Keely P’Pool. Huff comments that she is “glad to be here,” and that she is looking forward to the upcoming school year. Gott agrees, reporting that the trip promoted “energy and synergy” and was a “good way to start a great year.”

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By Corey Alderdice

[New Year, New Staff] Meet Residential Counselor Rachel Stewart

August 27, 2009 | News, Staff, Student Life | No Comments

Ami KarlageWith the start of a new year at the Gatton Academy comes several new personalities to the staff. We are excited about these passionate and dedicated individuals who have joined our team. They come to us from different parts of the country with a host of varied experiences. Over the last few weeks, the staff has had a chance to get to know each other. It’s now your chance to meet the new faces behind the Academy. Each day this week, we’ll profile a new staff member.

Academy Avatars sat down with each new staff member to post ten questions in hopes of getting to know them better. Avatars came up with five questions that we asked each person. Each Avatar also posed five unique questions of their own choosing to ask as well.

Up next is Residential Counselor Rachel Stewart.

Interview by Katie Rush, Academy Avatar

1.  Why did you decide to join the Gatton Academy staff?

I wanted to be a part of the Academy because I really enjoy being a mentor and a role model. I could do that many places, I guess, but I chose the Academy in particular because I enjoy math and science and working with gifted youths.

2.  Where did you attend college and what subjects did you study?

I graduated from Western Kentucky University with a degree in Music Education.

3.  What are you looking forward to the most about the coming school year?

I’m looking forward to meeting and working with the new juniors and returning seniors!

4.  What do you think makes the Gatton Academy a unique educational experience?

For Kentucky, it is very unique to be in high school and college simultaneously. Also, it is very unusual to attend a residential high school where your classmates are also your roommates.  I think these make the Academy one-of-a-kind and a very special experience.

5.  What contributions do you hope to make to life at the Gatton Academy?

Since I was identified as gifted, I feel that I can relate to gifted students and all that being gifted entails. Also, I am excited to be an RC so I can help students with the high school to college transition.

6.  If you were an astronaut, to which planet would you like to travel?

Pluto, since it is the farthest away from the Earth and the Sun. I would like to see what the galaxy looks like from that totally different perspective. Pluto is still a planet to me!

7.  What are your hobbies and interests outside of being an Academy RC?

I love to read, and I’m a little bit obsessed with the German language. I play clarinet and piano, and sing, in addition to just hanging out with friends and making music.

8.  Who are your favorite authors?

C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkein, and Jane Austen

9.  What song could describe your life?

Probably “Bonjour” from Beauty and the Beast, because I’ve never been content with staying in the same place and not pursuing new experiences and adventures.

10.  What is one of your favorite quotations?

“Many that live deserve death. Some that die deserve life. Can you give it to them? Then be not too eager to deal out death in the name of justice, fearing for your own safety. Even the wise cannot see all ends.” Gandalf from The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring

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By Corey Alderdice

[New Year, New Staff] Meet Study Skills Coordinator Ami Karlage

August 24, 2009 | Academics, News, Staff | No Comments

Ami KarlageWith the start of a new year at the Gatton Academy comes several new personalities to the staff.  We are excited about these passionate and dedicated individuals who have joined our team.  They come to us from different parts of the country with a host of varied experiences.  Over the last few weeks, the staff has had a chance to get to know each other.  It’s now your chance to meet the new faces behind the Academy.  Each day this week, we’ll profile a new staff member.

Academy Avatars sat down with each new staff member to post ten questions in hopes of getting to know them better.  Avatars came up with five questions that we asked each person.  Each Avatar also posed five unique questions of their own choosing to ask as well.

Up next is Ami Karlge, the Coordinator: Study Skills.

Interview by Ballard Metcalfe, Academy Avatar

1.  Why did you decide to join the Gatton Academy staff?

I wanted to take a break from graduate school, where I am studying the history of medicine and the history of bioethics. I wanted to stay close to the teaching profession. I found out about the Academy through my brother, Sean, who attends here.

2.  Where did you attend college and what subjects did you study?

I attended Harvard University in Cambridge, MA. I studied History of Science with a focus in 20th Century Biology and Medicine.

3.  What are you looking forward to the most about the coming school year?

I am looking forward to being surrounded by the students. In graduate school, you do some teaching, but that is only a few days a week. Here, I am looking forward to being around the students all the time.

4.  What do you think makes the Gatton Academy a unique educational experience?

I believe that everyone’s dedication makes this unique. The students are not necessarily just focussed on doing homework or taking an exam, but they are truly dedicating to learning and have a passion for doing so.

5.  What contributions do you hope to make to life at the Gatton Academy?

I will be facilitating the study hours, making sure that there is a quiet environment suitable for everyone to study. However, I do not want to look at this through the lens of “sucking the fun out.”

6.  If you could be a superhero, who would you be or what superpowers would you have?

I do not know of many superheroes, but I would choose Wonder Woman. If I could have any superpower, I would have the ability to go without sleep. It always seems like there is not enough time to do everything that I would like to do, and having some extra time could allow me to pursue some hobbies that I have been neglecting.

7.  From whom do you get your inspiration?

I get most of my inspiration from my teachers. There are even some teachers that I have kept in touch with for 10-12 years! For example, I will still get together and have dinner with my high school teacher who taught me how to write. She was such an inspiration to me.

8.  What three words describe you best?

Thoughtful, Teacher, and Learner
I am thoughtful by being both considerate and deliberate in my actions. I have been a teacher for so long, from my beginnings as a swim instructor, to now how I teach study skills. This has been a big part of my life. Being a learner is also something that I have been for my whole life, and it is an integral part of who I am.

9.  What is your favourite place to eat?

Christopher’s. This is a pub in Cambridge, MA. They have a great dish called Yuppy Nachos, which are nachos smothered with things one may find in a whole foods store, such as sun-dried tomatoes, olives, and goat cheese.

10.  Is there anything that you know now that you did not at our age that you wish now you had?

Education is worth it; keep putting in the hard work and it will pay off.

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By Corey Alderdice

[New Year, New Staff] Meet Assistant Coordinator: Residence Life Melissa Schultz

August 22, 2009 | 5Q, News | No Comments

Melissa Schultz

With the start of a new year at the Gatton Academy comes several new personalities to the staff.  We are excited about these passionate and dedicated individuals who have joined our team.  They come to us from different parts of the country with a host of varied experiences.  Over the last few weeks, the staff has had a chance to get to know each other.  It’s now your chance to meet the new faces behind the Academy.  Each day this week, we’ll profile a new staff member.

Academy Avatars sat down with each new staff member to post ten questions in hopes of getting to know them better.  Avatars came up with five questions that we asked each person.  Each Avatar also posed five unique questions of their own choosing to ask as well.

Up first is Melissa Schultz, the Assistant Coordinator: Residence Life.

Interview by Ryne Weiss, Academy Avatar

1.  Why did you decide to join the Gatton Academy staff?

I decided to join the Academy because of the unique experience of working with gifted students. Once I interviewed with the academy staff, I knew it would be a good fit because of the dedication and passion the staff  exhibited for the students. I’m also excited to have an experience different than my past experiences of working with traditional aged college students–I hope to focus on providing learning opportunities outside the classroom to bring education to life!

2.  Where did you attend college and what subjects did you study?

I did my undergraduate work at Michigan State University. I have a Bachelor’s of Science in Apparel and Textile Design with minors in Applied Arts, Interior Design, and Business. My Master’s Degreee is in Higher Education and Administration.

3.  What are you looking forward to the most about the coming school year?

I am most looking forward to meeting and getting to know each student, and being a resource for those students, in terms of not only providing opportunities for education and community service but also in providing help in their transition to the Academy.

4.  What do you think makes the Gatton Academy a unique educational experience?

I think that it is the ultimate living and learning experience. Students living at the academy experience similar classes and have opportunities to participate in activities together outside of the classroom. This togethernness makes the Academy a true community; with the focus being on math and science, it gives students an opportunity to explore their interests with their peers and in an in-depth way.

5.  What contributions do you hope to make to life at the Gatton Academy?

I come to the Academy with four years experience in residential life. I am an involved professional in student affairs, and I believe these expereinces have prepared me to bring intentional and exciting programs that adhere to the mission of the academy.  I am genuinely interested in being a resource to help foster students’ success, development and enjoyment at the Academy.

6.  What is your favorite CD, movie, and book?

Supply and Demand by Amos Lee is my favorite CD. My favorite book is Composing a Life by Mary Katherine Bateson. My favorite movie is Sleepless in Seattle.

7.  If you were only allowed to bring one personal item to the Academy, what would it be?

It would have to be my laptop; it keeps me connected to all the important people in my life.

8.  If you and the Academy staff were trapped on an island, who would you eat and why?

(shock and horror) Sue, because she just volunteered.

9.  If you and the Academy were a famous couple, who would you be and why?

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie because they are fierce philanthropists, and they seem to be dedicated to bringing active young citizens into the world…. and I am not very up to date with pop culture, they are the first famous couple to come to mind. (laughs)

10.  Is the Academy more like a crucible or the TV show The Real World?

Based on what I’ve seen so far, I’ll go with The Real World! (laughs)

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By Corey Alderdice