B.S. Education of the Deaf
and Hearing Impaired, MacMurray College B.S. Education Learning
Disabilities, MacMurray College; Social Emotional Disorders/Educable Mentally
Handicapped Western Illinois University
M.S. Instructional
Technology/Curriculum Design, SIUE National Board Professional
Teaching Standards, certified 2003 National Board Professional
Teaching Standards, recertified 2012.
Mrs. Carlson has been obsessed with reading and writing since she was a child. Her mother would not make her do chores if she would read to her younger siblings. Quite the deal for her! She lives in Edwardsville with her husband, John and her black Lab, Lucy (the sweetest and most intelligent dog on the planet). Her favorite activities are spending time with her children Megan and Sean, reading, writing, and walking Lucy on the trails.
Mrs. Robin Carlson
English Language Arts
rcarlson@highlandcusd5.org
Education:
Elementary Education, Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville, 1999 Masters - Education Administration, Southern
Illinois University-Edwardsville, 2006 Previous Assignments:Highland Upper Elementary-grade 5, Alhambra
Elementary-grade 4, Grantfork Elementary-grades 5 & 6.
Mrs. Dena Geiger loves to design and build most anything, so teaching math is a natural fit. She and her husband farm between Alhambra and Grantfork. Besides raising crops and hogs, they have raised three daughters – Sadie, a crop consultant with CPS, Claire and Olivia, who are both students at U of I.
Mrs. Geiger enjoys sewing, woodworking, gardening, and cooking, along with leading the Grant Prairie 4-H Club and volunteering at the Madison County Fair.
Mrs. Dena Geiger
Math
dgeiger@highlandcusd5.org
Education: B.S.,Elementary Education, Science Concentration, Eastern Illinois University Middle School Endorsement, McKendree University M.A.E.D., Teacher Leadership, Greenville College. Previous Teaching Assignments: 7
th
grade Science, Wesclin Jr. High, 5
th grade Highland Elementary Community Service: Relay for Life, Highland Hope
Praise Band Mrs. Karen Nave grew
up on a dairy farm near Trenton. This upbringing led to a love of science and
the outdoors. She and her husband have
two children, Jessica, and Troy. Mrs.
Nave’s free time is spent at soccer games, with her horses, and singing with
the contemporary praise band at her church.
Mrs. Karen Nave
Science
Recycling coordinator
knave@highlandcusd5.org
Bria Richter was raised in Marine, IL. She earned money for college whilevolunteering in the AmeriCorps program and attended SIUE to earn a BA in
Anthropology/Biology. She later attended McKendree and earned an MA in Special
Education in 2010. She is the mother of four children and the wife of a dairy farmer
in Clinton County. Her three teenagers are active in soccer, golf, tennis, basketball
and chorus, which keeps her very busy if she isn't teaching. Mrs. Richter loves the
outdoors and spends most of her free time doing something related to horticulture
and the natural world. She taught at the High School level for four years in Hillsboro,
IL before acquiring a position with HMS.
Mrs. Bria Richter
Special Education
brichter@highlandcusd5.org
Mrs. Courtney Taylor joins the Highland Middle School faculty as the new 6thgrade Social Studies teacher. She comes to HMS with 4 years junior high teaching experience from Breese Elementary District 12. In 2010, Mrs. Taylor graduated from McKendree University with a Bachelors of Science in Education, and in 2015 she graduated from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville with a Master of Science in Education. Mrs. Taylor also brings with her, experience as an Instructional Designer and Technology Specialist from Greenville College and McKendree University. When not teaching, she enjoys traveling with her husband, spending time with her two dogs, reading, and working with technology. She is excited to bring her passion for history and love of teaching to Highland Middle School.
Mrs. Courtney Taylor
Social Studies
cotaylor@highlandcusd5.org
