Staff

Martha J. Cook, Ed.D.
Consultant, Executive Director of all Rise Schools
• Doctorate in Early Childhood Special Education, University of Alabama.
• Director of the Rise School, University of Alabama.
• 26 years in early childhood special education.

The Rise School of Denver employs 7 full time and 9 part-time staff members and utilizes 2 paid consultants.  Below is a short description of our Key Staff.

Mark Graham
Executive Director, The Rise School of Denver

• Master’s Degree in Human Development, University of Kansas, 1980. Bachelor’s degree in Education, Iowa State University, 1975.
• Twenty-two years at Father Flanagan’s Boys Home, Boys Town, NE. Worked directly with children and adolescents as Family-Teacher for six years. Managed numerous mission driven programs including the National Resource and Training Center that developed and delivered behavior management training and consultation services to public and private schools, shelters, residential treatment centers, foster parents programs and adolescent psychiatric hospitals.
  
• Co-developed the prototype program for Common Sense Parenting®, a highly successful parenting program taught throughout the United States and internationally.
• RIMC Certified in Interactive Metronome Therapy, a non-medication treatment for children and adults with ADD/ADHD.

Kelly Waanders
Occupational Therapist

• BS Occupational Therapy, Colorado State University, 1991
• Over 14 years of experience Pediatric Occupational Therapist with strong background in multidisciplinary, early intervention
• Occupational Therapist at Rise School of Denver since August 2003
• Interim Director at Rise School of Denver Nov. 2004-September 2005

Terry Hall
Speech Therapist

• MA, CCC-SLP, Speech-Language Pathology
• 22 years experience practicing speech-language pathology
• Faculty at JFK Partners of The University of Colorado Health Science Center
• Certified PROMPT instructor

Mary Pritchard
Physical Therapist

• Certificate in Physical Therapy, Mayo Clinic 1972
• 35 years of experience in Physical Therapy field, 25 years working exclusively with children birth-21 and specializing in children 0-3 for the last 10 years
• NDT (Neuro-developmental treatment) certified, including for infants
• Member of the Denver Interagency Coordinating Council

Amanda Bryant
Music Therapist

• BM in Music Therapy and Musical Theatre
• Board certified Music Therapist since 1993
• Over 14 years of experience working specifically with children diagnosed with Down syndrome
• Certification in Sensory Integration, Advanced Training Neurological Music Therapy
• Owner of Colorado Music Therapy Services (Indiv. Families School
• Sits on Board of Directors for Adam’s Camp

Lead Teachers(4): The Rise teachers are all master level teachers, or in the process of obtaining their masters in Early Childhood Education often with a Special Education endorsement. 

Teachers Aides(8): Most of our Teachers Aides have obtained or are working on competing their undergraduate course work in areas such as education, nutrition, and human services.  In addition they have several years of demonstrated experience in similar preschool settings.

Supported Employment Classroom Assistant:
The Rise School provides supported employment opportunities to people with disabilities.  Jonathan Dorwart has worked to support all of the classrooms at The Rise School for the past 3 years.  He plays an enormous role at our school and is an inspiration for parents and teachers.