 An important component to ensuring the success of each student is to have a faculty who fully understands the developmental characteristics and unique learning needs of middle-school students. It is also important to develop and implement a curriculum that addresses the unique needs of individual students. Gately Academy is fortunate to have a professional, creative, knowledgeable and caring staff.
David Ball is the director of Providence Youth Services. He has extensive experience and background in all aspects of middle school education. He has taught elementary and middle school students as a Title I Reading/Mathematics specialist, as well as middle school language arts/social science. Additionally, he has served as a middle school activities director and as an elementary school assistant principal. Mr. Ball completed the prestigious two-year Leadership Training Program at the California Schools Leadership Academy. He joined Gately Academy in Dec. 2003. When Mr. Ball is not at work he loves to travel and often spends time at his home on the Oregon coast.
Ce'Anne Currie has spent the past 10 years working with students in and out of classrooms. Her focus has been primarily in literacy and special education. Before coming to Gately, Ms. Currie served in an AmeriCorps program in New Hampshire. There she did a variety of activities working with both middle school and high school youth. She also spent time in Boston teaching in an intense summer literacy program for elementary students. She has recently added her reading endorsement to her licensure. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, playing volleyball and many outdoor excursions including hiking, rock climbing and dragon boating.
Susan Decker is the academy's administrative assistant and general "go to" person for staff, parents and students alike. When she is not at school, Mrs. Decker enjoys singing, spending time with her family, running marathons and reading.
Heather Hofeld is in her second year with Gately Academy and currently teaches Diversity and Careers. Mrs. Hofeld has several years of experience teaching students with unique learning challenges in the Portland area. When not teaching, she enjoys a variety of outdoor activities and spending time with her husband and infant son.
Abby Houston received her M.A. in Art Therapy and Counseling from Marylhurst University and composed her thesis on using Art Therapy interventions with school age children with ADD/ADHD. She has a rich history of working with middle school students to help them see their creativity as an asset in the classroom and in the community. Abby is currently completing the criteria needed for her counseling license (LPC) with the Oregon Board of Counselors and Therapists and for her Registered Art Therapist (ATR) license with the American Art Therapy Association. When not teaching, Mrs. Houston enjoys playing and coaching soccer, going to the movies with her husband, creating art, garage sale shopping and rearranging furniture.
Craig Lowery has been in education for seven years, several of which were spent in the Peace Corps teaching English in the distant Pacific island archipelago of Kiribati. Mr. Lowery completed his M.S. in school and clinical counseling at Portland State University and works as both a teacher and counselor at Gately. He is an avid reader, enjoys all the sports that the Pacific Northwest has to offer (including snowboarding and hiking), and can often be found toting his son Jack around on weekend adventures.
Megan Nealis has been a teacher at Gately for eight years. Her focus and love is in language arts and literature, and she recently completed the Reading Specialist certification at Portland State. Ms. Nealis enjoys reading (which she has the opportunity to do when she's standing up and chasing a toddler), portrait photography, urban agriculture, culinary experiments, bumper stickers that say "Speak your mind even if your voice shakes," and spending quality time with her family.
John Pank is the assistant director of PYS. Mr. Pank teaches Social Thinking Class and is clinically educated and focused. He is the administrator of Providence Youth Services’ Adolescent and Family Clinic. He has the longest tenure of all the staff, having been at Gately since it began in 1986. He has a remarkable reputation for working collaboratively with teachers, students and parents. He is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and helps students gain self-confidence in their ability to be successful in interpersonal issues. Mr. Pank enjoys time with his family and hosts Asian exchange students.
Desi Pritchard graduated from Concordia University with a B.S. and M. Ed. in 1998. Since then, she has taught in public and private venues, including owning and being the head teacher of the biggest martial arts school in Oregon. She has personal experience with raising an ADHD child and comes to Gately with both a parental and professional perspective. She has traveled extensively, loves her husband and nephew, as well as her dogs and cats.
Markelle Sams is Gately’s lead teacher. She has been teaching science and math for twelve years, the last eight of those have been at Gately. Ms. Sams taught high school biology and anatomy in New York and Idaho before returning to her roots in notheast Portland. She studied cellular biology at the University of Oregon and loves sharing the mystery and the logic of science with the curious, developing minds of middle-schoolers. She is currently finishing her master’s degree in special education. Ms. Sams enjoys spending time with her three children, gardening, hiking and cross-country skiing.
Matt Walker teaches math, fitness and health. Mr. Walker, who hails from White Salmon, Wa., is new to education and to Gately. He completed his Masters in Special Education in 2005. Prior to becoming a teacher he worked in several different fields, including athletic event planning, health telecommunications and social services. When not teaching, Mr. Walker enjoys reading, cycling and spending as much time as he can with his wife, Kay, and two young daughters.
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