Ponderosa Elementary Instrumental Music
Ponderosa Elementary Instrumental Music
About the Instructors/Admin
Ms. Anderson
Video introduction
Ms. Anderson graduated from Bringham Young University with a degree in Linguistics, with a focus on Chinese. Much of her professional career has been spent in that field: teaching language classes and helping international students. Thanks to her showtune-loving parents, she has always had a passion for music: the truly universal language! She started playing the piano in Kindergarten and the violin in 5th Grade - just like many of you will be! She is currently a substitute teacher, and enjoyed subbing for an Orchestra Teacher so much, she loved the idea of doing that for herself!! She loves spending time with her four kids, exploring all the natural beauty of Colorado. She has only lived her a year, so be sure to share with her your favorite places to go!
Ms. Davidson-Stanfill
Ms. Davidson-Stanfill is a veteran teacher with an expertise in beginning instrumental instruction. She has been teaching for over 25 years in various combinations of subjects, always including beginning instrumental instruction. Ms. Davidson-Stanfill started this program, originally in the Rock Canyon feeder area in 2009, in response to the District budget cuts and in response to many people requesting that a band and orchestra program continue. Her program grew to include the Castle View and Chaparral feeder in 2010, won the Macaroni Kids Best Music Lessons Award in 2014, expanded to include the Ponderosa, ThunderRidge and Mountain Vista areas in 2014, and won the Macaroni Kids Best Music Lessons Award in 2016 and again in 2019. She is excited to continue her collaboration with the Colorado Chamber Orchestra at to bring a quality program into the Chaparral feeder area again this year. Keeping the opportunity to play an instrument available to our kids is her top priority.
d.davidsonstanfill@comcast.net
Ms. Harris
Ms. Harris is excited to be joining the PEIM program as a band teacher at Franktown, Northeast, and Legacy Point Elementary Schools. She started playing the clarinet in fifth grade, and began teaching a few private clarinet and saxophone students while still in high school. She continues to find joy and satisfaction in working with her students. She grew up in Cheyenne, WY, and then attended the University of Kansas, where she earned a Bachelor of Music Degree. Ms. Harris began teaching beginning band classes in 2012 and has enjoyed doing so since then. She has been playing Principal Clarinet with the Lakewood Symphony since 2010, has been playing with the Donald Ambler Clarinet Choir since 2006, and is active in music ministry at St. Luke's United Methodist Church. She also performs regularly as a freelance musician. Outside of playing and teaching music, Ms. Harris is a mother of four, enjoys her 2 dachshunds, and learning to cook new things.
Ms. Petersen
Ms. Petersen is excited about being a part of the CHEIM program. She has a Bachelor of Music Education degree from the University of Northern Colorado and a Masters Degree in Creative Arts in Education from Lesley University. She has taught private violin, viola and cello lessons for thirty years, and recently retired from Northeast and Mountain View Elementary Schools, where she taught for 23 years, teaching General Music, Orchestra and Choir. Her passion is the viola and playing in the Jefferson Symphony Orchestra. When not working with wonderful students, Ms. Petersen loves to spend time in the mountains and traveling with her husband and her two grown children.
About Ms. Petrie
video introduction
Ms. Petrie is a music teacher and board-certified music therapist in the Denver metro area. She has taught private music lessons on all instruments to students ages 3 to over 50 and has taught beginning and intermediate band for several years. She has also practiced music therapy with special needs children, nursing home residents, and psychiatric patients. A Connecticut native, Ms. Petrie attended Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA, where she completed a rigorous dual Bachelor of Music program in Music Education and Music Therapy. Ms. Petrie has had a passion for teaching music and helping others through music as long as she can remember. She believes that it is important to always focus on her students as individuals while keeping in mind their possibilities and limitations.
Ms. Petrie and her husband have two beautiful children, a 6-year old son and a 2-year old daughter. When she's not teaching, she enjoys fishing, hiking, camping and snowboarding adventures with her family. Ms. Petrie is excited to begin her 6th year with the PEIM programs!
stephanie.petrie@lemanacademy.org
About Ms. Tate
Ms. Tate is so excited to be teaching at Franktown again! She used to teach General Music, Band and Orchestra there. Both her own children were Franktown students as well. She began teaching in 2003 and have spent the majority of my career teaching middle and high school band and orchestra. Her biggest passion growing up was marching band. Anyone who says it's not a sport is wrong! But even better than playing in a marching band was leading my own marching band. My High School marching band won most improved twice and repeatedly placed at the top of the local league. My oldest son (James, 13) was almost born at Disneyland while I was there leading that same band down Main Street. During her career, she won Student Teacher of the Year from the Colorado Bandmasters Association (2003), Teacher of the Year-Valley High School (2007) and, nominated for a Douglas County Apple Award (2018).
Changing to elementary music a few short years ago was a big shift but it surprised me by being the perfect fit. She was lucky enough to be the elementary music teacher, band director, and choir director for both of my kids when I switched over. My younger son, Will, is now 11 and just started middle school this year -- yikes! Both my boys are talented musicians. I have a singer and a percussionist. One of my biggest joys is seeing the kids I taught as youngsters progress in their musical journey and keep playing their instruments into middle and high school.
When not teaching, Ms. Tate can be found hanging with her sons in Parker and loving on the world's best pets: George (dog), Mike and Melvin (cats).
About Mr. Whincop
Mr. Whincop has been doing music for nearly 16 years, starting with the saxophone when he was nine. He recently graduated from Colorado State University with a degree in Music, and went right on to teach. Music has has a big impact on his life, so much that it inspired him to teach music to future generations! Mr. Whincop has had the honor of playing in many wind ensembles, jazz bands, and marching bands as well, and is looking forward to inspiring your kid through music as well.