Meet the Staff: Mrs. Kerri Sands

Inspired by the many great teachers that invested themselves in my life, I decided at a very young age that my true calling in life was to become a teacher. After graduating with my BS in Elementary Education from UCF in 2002, I began teaching in Seminole County, Florida. Since then I have also had the opportunity to teach in Duval and now Flagler.  In 2013 I graduated with my MS in Education Media Design and Technology from Full Sail University.  About 4 years ago I made the switch from elementary school to high school and I couldn’t be happier.  There is nothing quite like getting to be part of my students’ lives just as they are taking their first steps into the adult world. I currently teach 8 different technology classes at FPC; three levels of Web Development, 3 levels of PC Support, App Creation, and even Yearbook. Then after school, two days a week, the fun continues with Computer Club and Video Game Club. Over the years I have also taught countless professional development workshops for teachers, on everything from reading strategies to technology integration.

Along the way, I have also managed to marry my soul mate, Jason, who has put up with the insanity that is my life, for the past 13 years. We have two beautiful daughters, Zoe (11 years old) and Hailey (7 years old), who are both enrolled in Flagler County Schools.

I am one of those strange people that loves learning. I enjoy learning about the new trends in technology and ways to become a more effective educator. In the rare few moments of spare time that I have, you can find me enjoying a FPC football game, taking pictures of school events for the yearbook, writing letters of recommendations to businesses and colleges for my students, shuffling my two girls to and from cheer, dance, and track practices, enjoying a day at the beach, and if I’m really lucky, reading a good book.

I am super excited about the opening of the i³ Tech Academy next year and I am very much looking forward to my role as the program coordinator.  I have been part of a team in Flagler County Schools that has been working, for the last year or two, on rethinking education in Flagler.  We have been working on ways to harness the power of technology to break free from some of the traditional molds, in order to better prepare our students for life in the 21^st century.  We believe that the New Tech model is just what we have been looking for.  The New Tech Network has been working on this very same idea since the mid 90’s and has had fantastic results. So next year we will bring you the i³ Tech Academy at FPC, based on the best of both worlds; the New Tech model and top-notch educators from Flagler Schools.

Everyday I wake up and am thankful to be part of the FPC Bulldog family and now my new i³ family too!  I am very much looking forward to meeting all of you and beginning our year together.

Favorites: Music: The Killers, All American Rejects, Lindsey Stirling, Zac Brown Band, TV: I think I have one of those, Sports: I remember back in the day when I had time for that, Books: The Girl with The Dragon Tattoo series, The Infernal Devices Series, The Giver, The Host, Divergent (I could go on forever here), Movies: The Avengers, The Notebook, Despicable Me, Quote: “Be the change you wish to see in the world.” –Ghandi 

-Kerri Sands
i³ Tech Academy Facilitator and Program Coordinator

Meet the Staff: Ms. Kara Corkran

When I was 16, I moved to Palm Coast from New York and went to FPCHS; I graduated in 1990. When I was 23, I began my college career. I obtained an Associates degree in paralegal studies from Keiser University, a Bachelors degree in religious studies from Stetson University, and a Masters degree in reading education from Nova Southeastern University. After my Masters degree, I began teaching at FPCHS. For the last eight years, I have taught a variety of subjects: English, Creative Writing, and Reading. I am certified to teach Reading, English, Social Sciences, ESE, ESOL, and Elementary.

I am so excited to be part of the i³ Tech Academy. I know my students will also be very excited about our academy and what they will learn while they are there.

-Kara Corkran

i³ Tech Academy Bio Lit, World Studies, and Reading Facilitator

Meet the Staff: Mr. John Mastropierro

I grew up in Daytona Beach, Florida. I moved to Palm Coast in 2002 from DeLand, Florida. I received my Bachelor's Degree in Mathematics Education from the University of Central Florida. Originally, my major in college was Architecture and I found that Architecture was not something that interested me. So I turned to my favorite subject in high school and college, teaching math.

I enjoy all sports, watching and participating in them. I enjoy watching all movies and one of my favorite trilogies is Christopher Nolan's Batman series. The Office, The Big Bang Theory, and Prison Break are a few of my favorite television series.

This July, I will have been with my wonderful girlfriend for 2 years. Since I met her, she introduced me to "traveling." I really have enjoyed the states and cities that we have visited: Savannah, Charleston, the mountains in Bryson City, North Carolina and many more.

I look forward to a great year at Flagler i³!

Let's learn math together!!

-John Mastropierro
i³ Tech Academy Algebra I and Geometry Facilitator

Meet the Staff: Mr. Blake VandeBunte

I was born and raised in Michigan.  I attended public schools for my primary education and then attended a small liberal arts college, Hope College, in Holland, MI and majored in secondary education.  Following graduation I ran a teen center in East Lansing, Michigan for three years.  In 2009 I moved to Connecticut and worked at a therapeutic boarding school for a year and half before moving to Flagler County and began searching for work.  I started working at FPC in January of 2011.

In 2012 I bought a house in Bunnell and got married to my wife Courtney, who also works at FPC, in the spring. Our first daughter, Magnolia, was born on April 27, 2013.  We also have two dogs and four chickens.

I am excited for all of the new opportunities here at i3 and am looking forward to the adventure.

Favorites:  Singer: Jason Molina, Author: Erik Larson, Actor: Jason Schwartzman, Sport: Baseball  Baseball Team: Detroit Tigers, Football Team: Every team without Tim Tebow. Hobbies: Traveling and Gardening, Movies: Anything by PT Anderson or Wes Anderson. 

-Blake VandeBunte

i³ Tech Academy World Studies, World Cultural Geography, and Journalism Facilitator

Meet the Staff: Mrs. Kim Saltmarsh

I am originally from the state of New Hampshire. I was born and raised in the largest city north of Boston, Manchester. I have been married to a wonderful man, Mark for 25 years who works as a Sr. Programmer for the district and have three grown daughters: twins-Megan and Jillian and our youngest: Kelsey. Our real baby is our 13 year old shih tzu: Buster.

I earned my undergraduate degree from Notre Dame College and my graduate degree from Lesley University in Cambridge, Massachusetts. I have been teaching science for 16 years and I continue to love it!

We moved to Palm Coast in 2005 after one of the biggest ice storms in New Hampshire history. We had had enough! I worked at David Hinson Middle School the first year it opened and then moved to Matanzas to work in the city I lived.  But, with my three children now on their own, it is time for me to make a change.  I recently accepted a new position at FPC’s i³ Tech Academy and I am extremely excited about it.

Favorites: Singer: Kenny Chesney, Author: Diana Gabaldon, Actor: Tom Cruise, Sport: Swimming, Baseball Team: Boston Red Sox, Football Team: The team who picks up Tim Tebow. Hobby: Taking cruises, Movies: Transformers, Harry Potter, Twilight series. Food: Anything organic. We are flexitarians….if you don’t know what that is, ask me.

-Kim Saltmarsh
i³ Tech Academy Bio Lit, Biology, and Physical Science Facilitator

Moving Foward

Life has been moving at about a mile a minute, even though the i³ Academy hasn’t opened yet.  During the past few weeks we have hired a talented team of teachers and the program coordinator that will help turn our dream into a reality.  Blake VandeBunte, John Mastropierro, Kim Saltmarsh, and Kara Corkran will all be bringing their years of teaching experience, expertise and love of learning to the i³ Academy.   Kerri Sands has been hired as the i³ Program Coordinator and will be directing this innovative endeavor.  They will all be working hard over the next few months in order to get everything ready for our i³ Academy opening in August.

As part of this preparation, the New Tech Network requires that all teachers receive over 600 hours of professional development within the next few years.  Last week our team had the opportunity to travel to Ruston, Louisiana to visit New Tech @ Ruston High School.  During the two days that we spent at this innovative school, we were able to see how important the foundation of trust, respect, and responsibility truly is.  This strong foundation is the key to fostering high student engagement and continued growth.  We were also immersed in a Project-Based Learning unit to help guide our understanding of the core principles and practices of the New Tech Model. We were even able to observe classrooms, talk to the staff and students at the school, and learn about the New Tech collaborative learning environment called Echo.  This was definitely a worthwhile, fun-filled two days.  We have returned to Florida with tons of new insights, tips, tools, and ideas that we hope will take our new i³ Academy to the next level. 

We believe that all things are possible through our three New Tech tenets: a culture that empowers, teaching that engages, and technology that enables.  It is our mission to create students that become reflective, self-directed, goal-oriented, and responsible citizens.  Our students will be ready to graduate with the skills necessary to be aware, eligible, and prepared for the college and career path of their choice.

Building The Foundation

We had the opportunity to spend the past four days with coaches from the New Tech Network and peers from all over the country who are also beginning their journeys.  Our ah ha moments were the depth of the culture of trust, respect, and responsibility.  These three themes emerged over and over, whether it was the sayings on the wall, the conversations with the students, or the student created contracts for project work.

The training took place in two different high schools who have implemented New Tech Academies.  This was a great setting as it allowed us to interact with students and teachers who are living this experience now.  We know that to prepare students for the 21st century workforce they have to be able to collaborate, think critically, and problem solve.   We saw this in abundance in both schools.  This project based learning curriculum and academy environment fostered a belief in the students that they would be ready for the real world once they graduated.  One student said, "We get up everyday and its like going to work.  We have to operate on a professional level." 

We are very excited to get back and start putting together the team that will continue the work of building the culture of the Flagler i3: New Tech Academy.  An informational meeting will be held on Monday at 4:30 in Flagler Palm Coast High School Media Center for any teachers that are interested in learning more about the beliefs, philosophies, and structure of the New Tech schools.

We are also excited to return to the Sunshine State where 8 inches of snow will not fall overnight.  Check out the picture of Ms. Sands teaching Frosty, our first student, how to use the new Hype Hub app that was created by FPC students, so if he ever comes to visit he will have a schedule for all the great events in Palm Coast.