Staff: Mark Thornton
Hello, I am Mark Thornton, Chemistry and Environmental Science teacher at Highland Prep West. I have 12 years of experience teaching science with 2 of those years teaching high school chemistry. I earned both my undergraduate degree and a Masters in Education from Arizona State University (Go Devils!). I love teaching both Chemistry and Environmental […]
Staff: Erin Zhang
Ms. Zhang joined Highland Prep in 2019 as a Math teacher. In her short teaching time here, he students have demonstrated tremendous academic growth on standardized assessments. She has been commended by parents and students on her above and beyond efforts in supporting students to achieve their goals. Ms. Zhang has also been the advisor […]
Staff: Alex DeDecker
I was born in Appleton, Wisconsin. My mother liked to move around a lot, so I have lived in many places around the country. I have resided in Wisconsin, Michigan, South Carolina, and finally, Arizona for the past 20 years. I was part of the first graduating class from Yuma Catholic High School and participated […]
Staff: Alexis Santander
Mr. Santander is a recent graduate of Ottawa University with a bachelor’s in mathematics. Born and raised in San Diego, CA, Mr. Santander moved to Arizona to be with his gorgeous wife of almost 3 years. Now, Mr. Santander is quite excited to be teaching for his first year, and with a specialty in Statistical […]
Staff: Karissa Ham
Hello, HPW community! My name is Karissa Ham, and I am excited to join the team as your Assistant Principal. I hold a Master’s in Education from Grand Canyon University. Currently, I am pursuing a Ph.D. in Cognitive Psychology, which deepens my understanding of how students learn and how we can better support their educational […]
Staff: Justin Cortes
Justin Cortes is a veteran of the United States Navy and is beginning his second year as a teacher in Arizona. He graduated Magna Cum Laude, with a B.A. in History with a focus on secondary education from Arizona State University. He has experience teaching history as well as teaching Special Education. His teaching methods […]
Staff: Trisha Carle
Ms. Carle has a Bachelor’s degree in Liberal Studies with an emphasis in Mathematics from Cal State Dominguez Hills. She has been teaching 7th through 10th grade for ten years here in Arizona. Her hobbies include reading, painting, doing arts and crafts, and spending time with her 5 children.
Staff: Christopher Dunn
Hello, I’m Christopher Dunn, I am the IED and Civil teacher here at Highland Prep West. I graduated from Arizona State University with a Bachelor in Biomedical Engineering (BME). I look forward to taking on projects with students, introducing them to CAD, and teaching them the fundamentals of engineering—with a sprinkle of BME along the way. In my […]
Staff: Michele MacLeod
STEM Coach, Michele MacLeod Michele MacLeod comes to Highland Prep Academies with 22 years of teaching experience. She taught high school business for 15 years in Minnesota before teaching STEM for 7 years in Phoenix. There she designed and developed coursework in robotics, coding, 3D design, drones, and architectural design, as well as advising the Math, Engineering, […]
Staff: Melissa Wilson
Hello, I am Melissa Wilson, and I am super excited to be a part of the Hornet Family. I am originally from New Jersey where I started my journey to become a teacher. I completed my Bachelor’s degree at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks, and eventually ended up in Arizona, where I pursued my first teaching position. I […]