New Faces & Familiar Faces In New Places

Ms. Kathryn Balobeck will join the SEA Upper School as a Health and Physical Education Teacher. Ms. Balobeck has served as a PE and educational support teacher at Detroit Country Day School since 2020, and also has worked as a middle school volleyball and lacrosse coach. She received a BA in psychology with a minor in education from La Roche University, and a masters in school counseling from Oakland University.

We are happy to welcome Ms. Akudzwe Chiwa as our new Upper School Instructional Associate. In this role, Ms. Chiwa will work with students and teachers in all Upper School grades, providing coverage and small group support across the school. Ms. Chiwa grew up in Zimbabwe, then earned a bachelor’s and master’s in Fine Arts from the Michaelis School of Fine Art at the University of Cape Town in South Africa. With experience as a lecturer, adjunct instructor, and music teacher, she brings a passion for global learning to our community.

Ms. Suzanne Kingsley joins the SEA community as our School Counselor, responsible for providing counseling services and advising on best practices for social, emotional, and physical wellbeing in our community. Ms. Kingsley has experience in several local institutions including Children’s Hospital of UPMC, The Discovery School of Pittsburgh, and The Children’s Home. She has a bachelor’s degree in human development and family studies from Penn State University, and is a licensed social worker with a masters in social work from the University of Pittsburgh.

Mr. Matthew Gibson will again be part of the PreKindergarten and Jr. Kindergarten team, this year as a Lead Teacher! In addition to his time at SEA, Mr. Gibson has taught in several early childhood classrooms across different Pittsburgh Public Schools. He worked as a chef for many years before receiving his BS in elementary education from Robert Morris University. Having lived abroad for many years, he brings a passion for SEA’s commitment to the UN SDG program.

 

Mr. Gibson is joining Mrs. Morris as our PreK/Jr. K Lead Teachers, along with Ms. Terry Orr and Ms. Rachel Wilson rounding out the PreK/Jr. K Team as Associate Teachers.

Mr. Clint Kasperowski will move into a new role in the IT Department as Manager of Technology. Mr. K will continue to provide students and employees with IT support, and will take on additional responsibilities for technology infrastructure. We’re grateful for his leadership in ensuring our school is equipped to educate students for the world ahead.

Mr. Reid McAllister has been a member of the Maintenance and Facilities Team during the summers for several years and joined the team in a permanent role mid-year in early 2024. We’re excited to have him working with Mr. Don, Mr. Vitaliy, and Mr. Dwayne.

Ms. Fiona McClorey will serve as Manager of Business Operations, taking on the management and oversight of our education management system through Blackbaud – known in our community as SEA Port. She will continue to support the Business Office with her work in accounting and benefits.

Ms. Terry Orr joins the the SEA PreKindergarten and Jr. Kindergarten Associate Teacher this year! Ms. Orr has served as a Preschool Associate Teacher and as the Early Childhood Instructional Associate, as well as an Extended Day Counselor in prior years. Ms. Orr received a BA in social psychology and visual arts from Bennington College.

 

We’re excited to have Ms. Orr join the PreK/Jr. K Team of Lead Teachers, Mr. Gibson and Mrs. Morris, as well as her fellow Associate Teacher, Ms. Wilson.

Ms. Elisa Rodriguez joins the SEA Upper School as a Math Teacher and 6th Grade Advisor. Ms. Rodriguez has been a valuable member of the Upper School faculty for over a year, having served as the Upper School Instructional Associate, a long-term sub, and providing lots of 1-on-1 support to students. Ms. Rodriguez holds bachelors in pure mathematics and French from Ursinus College, outside of Philadelphia.

Ms. Laura Stumpf joins the SEA Preschool classroom as a Lead Teacher this year! Ms. Stumpf has been a familiar face at SEA for a long time, having joined SEA’s faculty in 2019 after working with our students in Extended Day and Summer@SEA prior to that. In her work as both an Associate Preschool Teacher and PreKindergarten Lead Teacher at SEA, Ms. Stumpf has shown her passion for early childhood education, as well as a commitment to continued professional development, having completed her Masters in the Child Psychology program at Duquesne University this past spring.

 

Ms. Stumpf is excited to join her friends and colleagues in the Preschool classroom again! We welcome back Mrs. Keira Horner as an Associate Preschool Teacher, as well as Ms. Jen Losego, who after many years as our Lead Preschool Teacher, has asked to step into the role of Associate Preschool Teacher. This team of educators has worked closely as colleagues for many years, and we’re excited to see their work this year with our youngest learners.

We are thrilled to have Ms. Isabel Tashima serving as a Learning Specialist, joining Ms. Tisa Schuitt to expand our Learning Support Team. Ms. Tashima spent last academic year as a long-term substitute on the Kindergarten Team. She brings a background in developmental psychology, along with specialized training in accommodating the varying learning needs of children. Prior to joining SEA, Ms. Tashima worked as a Long-Term Kindergarten Substitute at Pittsburgh Lincoln PreK-5, and received her BS in applied developmental psychology and her MA in education from the University of Pittsburgh.