Department Chair

Andromeda Crowell

Extension: 20405

Email: andromeda.crowell@orange.k12.nc.us

College Attended: UNC-Chapel Hill

Why I am a Teacher: I love science and I think it has the power to change the world for the better, but I think there is also a misconception that it is too hard or confusing for most people. I teach because I want everyone to understand science and believe that they can do it!

Heroes: Rosalind Franklin, Ruth Bader Ginsberg, Malala Yousafzai. These women inspire me because they pursued their dreams and spoke their truth despite the obstacles.

Favorite Book: Impossible to choose, but I did really enjoy, "The Hate U Give" recently.

Classes/Weekly Instructional Plans

Block 1: AP Biology

Block 2: AP Biology

Block 3: Planning

Block 4: Honors Anatomy

Teacher

Geoffrey Bowman

Extension: 20408

Email: geoffrey.bowman@orange.k12.nc.us

College Attended: Virginia Tech

Heroes: My parents - both were educators and have been the most influential on my life.

Classes/Weekly Instructional Plans

Block 1: AP Chemistry

Block 2: Planning

Block 3: Honors Chemistry

Block 4: Honors Chemistry

Block 1: AP Environment

Block 2: Planning

Block 3: Honors Earth/Environment

Block 4: Honors Earth/Environment

Teacher

Rachel Fort

Extension: 20402

Email: rachel.fort@orange.k12.nc.us

College: UNC-Chapel Hill

Why I am a Teacher: I love being able to share my excitement of biology and environmental science with a new group of students every year!

Classes/Weekly Instructional Plans

Block 1: Planning

Block 2: Honors Biology

Block 3: Honors Biology

Block 4: Forensics

Teacher

Alexandra Geiger

Extension: 20506

Email: alexandra.geiger@orange.k12.nc.us

College Attended: Duke University

Why I am a Teacher: I have loved science all my life and I was so lucky to have teachers who recognized and fostered that love within me. Even if a student doesn't love science, I want to help ensure they love learning and feel that my classroom is a space where they are needed and welcome! Also, I am so lucky to get to go to work each day and spend time with the funniest, brightest, most inspiring kids I know! 

Heroes: My grandparents, the children of immigrants who lost family in the Holocaust, survived the Great Depression, served during in WWII, and taught me so much about love, life, and what really matters.

Classes/Weekly Instructional Plans

Block 1: AP Environment

Block 2: Planning

Block 3: Honors Earth/Environment

Block 4: Honors Earth/Environment

Teacher

Rachel Oliver

Extension:

Email: rachel.oliver@orange.k12.nc.us

College Attended: UNC-Chapel Hill

Why I am a Teacher: Two of my favorite teachers were my high school biology teacher and my Biology 101 professor at Carolina. They gave me a passion for biology that I want to pass on to students of my own!

Heroes: Mia Hamm and Michael Jordan -- Tar Heel legends

Favorite Book: Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden

Classes/Weekly Instructional Plans

Block 1: Planning

Block 2: Biology

Block 3: Honors Biology

Block 4: Honors Biology

Teacher

Kristin Riley

Extension: 20404

Email: kristin.riley@orange.k12.nc.us

College Attended: University of Connecticut (B.S.), Duke University (M.S)

Why I am a Teacher: I enjoy working with students and making science interesting and accessible

Heroes: Dr. Sylvia Earl- her lifelong quest to preserve ocean ecosystems is inspiring; Sir David Attenborough- I appreciate his desire to bring people to wild places through film in an effort to support conservation; Greta Thunberg- She represents the power of youthful idealism and how one person can make a huge impact when they are passionate about a cause

Favorite Book: Maybe not my favorite, but definitely one of the most impactful is Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee by Dee Brown

Classes/Weekly Instructional Plans

Block 1: Biology

Block 2: Biology

Block 3: Honors Botany and Zoology

Block 4: Planning

Teacher

Joey Risso

Extension: 89026

Email: joey.risso@orange.k12.nc.us

College Attended: Appalachian State University

Why I am a Teacher: I wanted to make a difference in the lives of students both in and out of the classroom.

Heroes: My parents are my heroes because they taught me all the skills and life lessons that made the person I am today: compassion, respect, manners, perseverance, hard work, kindness, and determination. I would not be where I am today without their support and guidance.

Favorite Book: The Martian by Andy Weir

Classes/Weekly Instructional Plans

Block 1: Chemistry

Block 2: Earth/Environment

Block 3: Earth/Environment

Block 4: Planning

Teacher

Sandy Trinh

Extension: 20403

Email: sandy.trinh@orange.k12.nc.us

College Attended: UNC-Chapel Hill

Why I am a Teacher: I had a great Chemistry teacher who made learning the topic really exciting.

Heroes: My parents. They immigrated to America from Vietnam with no English skills, no friends outside of one other, and 3 kids. They worked minimum wage jobs for years to support our family and worked on opposite schedules so that they didn't have to pay as much for child care, which meant they barely ever saw each other. My parents have made a lot of sacrifices throughout my entire life to make sure my siblings and I had food on the table and knew the value of a good education, hard work, and perseverance.

Favorite Book: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

Classes/Weekly Instructional Plans

Block 1: Chemistry

Block 2: Honors Chemistry

Block 3: Planning

Block 4: Chemistry

Teacher

Katie Unrue

Extension: 20401

Email: katherine.unruhe@orange.k12.nc.us 

Classes/Weekly Instructional Plans

Block 1: Physical Science

Block 2: AP Physics 1

Block 3: Planning

Block 4: Physical Science