Mr. Dunn joined Parker School in 2020, with fifteen years of independent school leadership experience. He served as Upper School Head at The Nueva School which is internationally known for cutting-edge, inquiry-based learning in Silicon Valley and as Assistant Head and Interim Head of School at The Ethel Walker School, a 108-year-old girls’ boarding school in Connecticut. Prior to his work in Independent Schools, he served as an administrator for student development programs at Texas A&M University and also spent a decade in leadership positions at software development and project management companies in Massachusetts. He earned an undergraduate degree in business administration and an M.Ed in educational psychology, both from Texas A&M University. Stephen and his wife, Dr. Sheri Lyn Schmidt, have a son who lives in Bozeman, Montana. Sheri and Stephen fell in love with Waimea during their numerous trips to visit Sheri’s family in Waikoloa and Kohala. In his free time Mr. Dunn enjoys entertaining friends and sharing a good meal. When time allows he likes to work with his hands around the house or in the woodshop. He further enjoys exploring the beauty of Hawaiʻi island. "In a school where students are known, valued, and nurtured, we must also ensure that they have the skills and knowledge to face the dynamic, rapidly changing world around them. Parker School is uniquely able to provide the support todayʻs students need for tomorrow, and for their future."

Mr. Rogers joined Parker School in 2020 bringing with him more than 24 years of teaching and school administrative experience after serving as Secondary Principal at International School of Turin in Italy, Head of Middle and Upper School at Khan Lab School in California, and Head of Secondary School Languages at Atlanta International School. Mr. Rogers holds a bachelor of science in education from the University of Georgia and a master of arts degree in English literature from Georgia State University. Additionally, Mr. Rogers received a certificate of International School Leadership from the Principal Training Center, completed an accreditation training from New England Association of Schools and Colleges and is a workshop leader for Approaches to Teaching and Learning for the International Baccalaureate Organization. Mr. Rogers grew up in a military family and has lived all over the world, but calls Atlanta home after marrying his wife, Melissa, a Georgia native. Mr. Rogers has one son who attends Parker School. In his free time, Mr. Rogers enjoys reading, watching movies, listening to music, traveling with his family, playing soccer, and walking around aimlessly. He believes, “Positive relationships are key to a learning environment. Our aim should be to foster curiosity, independence, critical thinking, creativity, and open-mindedness, and empathy in students. And we do that by modeling these qualities as teachers and administrators at school and as parents at home.”

Melinda comes to Parker School with more than 15 years of experience in non-profit development and donor communications. Originally from northern NJ, Melinda has lived in Hawaii for 28 years and has called Hilo home for 20 of those. She has a BA in anthropology from Pitzer College in Claremont, CA and an M. Ed. in educational technology from the University of Hawaii at Manoa. Melinda and her husband Harold have a daughter attending American University and a younger daughter, Chiara, in Parker School’s class of 2022. She says, “At Parker School, we’ve watched our daughter thrive because she is valued, known and nurtured and we couldn’t be more grateful. I am excited to work with people whose passion is to ensure Parker thrives for generations to come."

Ms. Duggan joined our Parker School ‘ohana in 2020. Ms. Duggan brings with her nearly 30 years of music and dance experience serving as a music director at Calvary Hillside Church in Waimea, substitute teacher at Parker School and Hawaii Preparatory Academy, glee and ballet instructor at Prince Dance Institute in North Hawaii, music and drama teacher at Morning Star Christian School in Bend, Oregon, as well as a private piano and voice instructor. Ms. Duggan holds a bachelor of science degree in music composition from Valley City State University in North Dakota. Additionally, Ms. Duggan was a lead soprano for Juniper Opera Company in Bend, Oregon for four years, is still involved in musical theatre productions at Kahilu Theatre in Waimea and has composed and directed two original children’s musicals. Ms. Duggan moved to Hawai’i Island from Ashland, Oregon in 2003 with her husband and three children. In her free time, Ms. Duggan loves to watch British movies and television, and making quilts. She believes, “Music, drama and dance build confidence and self-expression in students like nothing else can. I believe that everyone has a unique and wonderful song in their heart, they just need to be taught how to find it and develop the courage to share it with the world.”

Mr. Pogreba joined the Parker School ‘Ohana in 2020 after teaching for more than 20 years in Montana high schools. He holds two bachelor of arts degrees, one in English and another in secondary education/English-history from Carroll College in Montana. Mr. Pogreba has been named PLATO Philosophy Teacher of the Year, Montana Speech and Debate Coach of the Year, as well as a Distinguished Educator by Students in his previous district 15 times. Originally from Montana, Mr. Pogreba enjoys traveling and writing. He loves to see a new city for the first time and wander aimlessly for hours. Mr. Pogreba shares, “We have an almost infinite capacity to see what we can’t do; the role of a teacher must be to strip away those limits students impose upon themselves. I am deeply committed to rigor in the classroom, in writing, thinking, and discussing, because it is only when students accomplish things they never thought they could that they see truly what their possibilities are.”

Ms. Futrell joined Parker School in 2020 and brings with her more than 20 years of classroom teaching experience, most recently as the technology coordinator at Oregon Episcopal School in Portland. Prior to teaching, Ms. Futrell was a marketing specialist and realtor in Sunriver, Oregon. Ms. Futrell carries a bachelor of arts degree in economics from Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, New York and a master of arts in teaching from Oregon State University. She is also a teacher-presenter at the Hawai’i Schools of the Future conference which showcases students’ computational thinking with the BBC micro:bit, a tiny computer that makes coding tangible and promotes digital creativity. Originally from Seattle, Ms. Futrell has lived on the West Coast for most of her life and first visited Hawai’i in 1979. She has two sons, one in college, and one attending Parker’s upper school. In her free time, Ms. Futrell is learning to paddle outrigger; likes to swim, bike and run; and enjoys early morning sunrises over the mauna. She shares, “I want students to think of computer science as a playful, engaging way to interact with and be curious about the world. Integrating Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts and Math (STEAM), I champion empathy-based and culturally responsive learning that encourages students to be active change makers in their communities.”

Ms. Buscher joined our Parker School ‘ohana in 2020. She has a bachelor’s degree in exercise science and a master’s degree in education with a focus on physical education and health both from Willamette University in Oregon. Prior to joining Parker, Ms. Buscher taught middle school physical education and health at Hawaii Preparatory Academy for nearly eight years. Born and raised in Hawaii, Ms. Buscher has lived in Waimea since she was four years old. She has three boys, two of which attend Parker, and in her free time enjoys surfing, swimming, hiking, running, doing yoga and going to the beach with her family. Ms. Buscher shares, “My goal for physical education is to help students build the skills necessary to feel comfortable and confident participating in a variety of physical activities leading to a lifetime of being active and healthy.”