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Welcome New Faculty & Staff

Welcome New Faculty & Staff
Christina Coffman

We are pleased to welcome the following new member of the Highlands team for the 2022-2023 school year. 

Aimee Curfman, 1st Grade Associate Teacher

Hi, my name is Aimee Curfman. I grew up in Germantown, TN and attended the University of Tennessee, Knoxville for both undergraduate and graduate studies. I received a Bachelor of Science in Education and a Masters in Special Education. I have taught for over 15 years in the field of education. My family moved to Birmingham 7 years ago from Atlanta, GA. My husband, Brad, and I live in Vestavia Hills and have a 16 year old son, Sam and a 10 year old son, Jack. We enjoy going to the movies, watching football together, exploring new cities and the beach.

I love being a teacher and helping each student find the best way that they learn. I enjoy finding what strategies help each student to be successful and gain confidence in themselves. I chose Highlands to further my career as a teacher for the community and ability to connect with students, teachers and parents. I look forward to working with the first grade team and meeting everyone at Highlands.

 

 

Jessica Lewis, Learning Specialist

My name is Jessica Lewis and I love educating young learners. I am entering my 11th year of teaching. I'm originally from Birmingham, Alabama, but I've lived in New Orleans for the past 8 years. I earned my bachelor's and master's degree in education from Howard University. A few of my favorite things include spending time with my son, Dakota, listening to music, baking, eating popcorn, and going to the beach. I'm so happy to be back in Birmingham and a part of this community at Highlands School.

I’m honored to be working alongside Shara Kernan as the Learning Resource Specialist team at Highlands. Let's have a great year!

 

 

Ellen Mitchell, 2nd Grade Teacher

Hi, my name is Ellen Mitchell. I grew up in Anniston, AL then attended Samford University for both undergraduate and graduate school. I received my Bachelor of Arts in Theatre and Dance in 2014 and then obtained my Master of Science in Education in 2018. My husband and I live in Birmingham and have a daughter, Lillian, who just turned one. We also have an energetic Brittany Spaniel named Leaf and an orange Tabby cat named Tubby. We enjoy going to Pepper Place Market on Saturday mornings, attending Barons games, and serving with Canterbury United Methodist Church.

I decided to become an educator because of the impact my teachers had on me. I love participating in students' academic and personal growth. This will be my fifth year teaching and I am very excited to be at Highlands School. I have previously taught 4th and 5th grade Language Arts and have spent the last two years teaching 1st grade. I chose to begin a career at Highlands for the high standards and excellence they expect from their faculty and students. As well as for the community and relationships between Students and Teachers. I look forward to meeting everyone and making Highlands School my home.

 

 

Rachel Mixon, Registrar & Admissions Assistant

I am a Birmingham native and recent graduate of Birmingham-Southern College where I studied studio art and world religions. I have two years of experience in Higher Education as a Housing Director at Birmingham Southern where I implemented programming that promoted health and safety as well as academic success. I also worked as an Admissions Representative for Collegiate Admissions and Retention Solutions (CARS) connecting prospective students with schools and programs that match their interests. I am excited for new beginnings at Highlands and look forward to working with families to ensure that they have the resources they need to be successful in this new school year!

 

 

Lyndsey Plymon, Spanish Teacher

Hello, my name is Lyndsey Plymon. I attended the University of Alabama at Birmingham and received my bachelor’s degree in Spanish and International Studies in the spring of 2022. In my free time, I like to paint, find new fun things to do in Birmingham, and play rugby with the Birmingham Steel Rugby team. I live with my roommate, who I met through playing rugby, and we have a hairless sphynx cat named Neptune who we often lovingly refer to as our little goblin.

Spanish language and culture have always greatly interested me, but after getting to teach English to children in Seville, Spain during my junior year of high school, I knew that I was passionate about Spanish and would dedicate my life to learning and teaching about languages and cultures. My incredible experience teaching in Spain has stuck with me ever since, and now has inspired me to become an educator so I can hopefully spark the passion for language learning in students that was sparked in me by my teachers. I chose Highlands School because of its incredible sense of community and unwavering dedication to fostering growth in its students and faculty. I believe that to its core, this school deeply cares for its students and wants to see them reach their greatest potential, which is something that I am excited to be a part of!

 

 

Kerri Singley, School Nurse

I am a native of Georgia and moved to the Birmingham area in 2006. I knew I wanted to be a "school doctor" from the age of 5. I completed nursing school in 2010 and gained experience in many different areas of nursing. I left the corporate nursing industry and entered the school setting in 2021. Now that I’m at Highlands, I look forward to assisting students with any health issues that may arise, maximizing learning potential, and giving parents an ease of mind. I have an amazing daughter entering the 5th grade in Homewood and she enjoys family, friends, and competitive cheer. I enjoy volunteering, antique automobiles, and dabbling in the stock market. 

 

 

Angela Stiefel, 2nd Grade Teacher

My name is Angela Stiefel and I am incredibly excited to join Highlands School. I am married to my husband of 6 years, Elijah, and we have one little girl (Eleanor), who will be joining the 4K class this fall. After moving around the southeast for the last several years supporting my husband's medical training, we are excited to come home to Alabama, where he will begin his career as a physician. This fall, I will begin my 10th year of teaching. My breadth of experience includes both independent schools and public schools in a variety of grade levels. After a few years in upper elementary, I am very excited to be heading back to second grade, where I will be teaching all subjects again. Nine years of teaching in a variety of locations has made very clear to me the qualities that a school needs to be successful, qualities that Highlands exemplifies through its strong sense of community and dedication to rigor and excellence. Our family cannot wait to join your community and be part of something great at Highlands.

 

 

Rebecca Thompson, Kindergarten Teacher

Hi! I am Rebecca Thompson, and I am very excited to join the Highlands family as a kindergarten teacher. Primary grades are my passion and I have taught kindergarten for 18 of my 21 years in the education field. I have been fortunate to have wonderful experiences as a classroom teacher here in Alabama, as well as in Germany and California. I earned my bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood and Elementary Education from Samford University and my master’s degree in Elementary Education from UAB. I also earned an Early Childhood Generalist Certificate from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards in 2011 and recently renewed this certification in 2021. As a lifelong learner myself, I love sharing knowledge with others. Getting to see students light up with excitement daily because they have learned or discovered something new fuels my passion and is why I became an educator. Because Highlands values student-centered learning and strives to teach the whole child, I knew that it would be an amazing place to continue my career.

When I am not teaching, I spend time with my family, my husband of 20 years (Clay) and my 5-year-old son (Rhys). I love to travel and have visited at least 9 countries, but there are so many more on my wish list! Photography is a hobby of mine, and I enjoy trying to capture the uniqueness and beauty around me through a camera lens. When I cannot travel, I read books or take classes to explore new things (violin, photography, and German to name a few). I can’t wait to start the next part of my journey at Highlands!

 

 

Ashleigh Wolfe, Middle School Math Teacher and 7th Grade Homeroom Teacher

Hello, my name is Ashleigh Wolfe. As a parent to a rising first grader, I have grown to love and appreciate the unique learning environment and community that so many people contribute to here at Highlands. I am thrilled for the opportunity to share my passion for mathematics with the students of Highlands. I teach math because it is beautiful and meaningful in its own right. Math challenges how students perceive, communicate, and think about the world around them. The most gratifying experience is to see the excitement in a student’s eyes when they have achieved a greater understanding of their world and widened the breadth of their perception of universal truths. Being a middle school math teacher is delightful challenge. Each student sees math from a unique lens, which is often very different from my own. Finding agreement in how others view mathematics is one of the most powerful and exciting aspects of mathematics. Teaching middle school math challenges me to be creative so that my students engage with the world around them in meaningful ways, that push them to think critically and become resilient problem-solvers.

When I am not in the classroom, I enjoy getting lost in the beautiful Alabama outdoors hiking or swimming with my daughter, Emma, and husband, Hunter. We can frequently be spotted dancing in the kitchen, watching premier league soccer, or taking our dogs to explore Birmingham. 

 

 

Internal Promotion          

Laurie Watson, 4K Lead Teacher

You may know me because I have been a part of the Highlands community for many years. I have worn many hats: a guardian/parent, substitute, Library Associate, Kindergarten Associate, First Grade Associate and Summer Camp Instructor. Now I am ready and excited for a new opportunity as the Lead Teacher in 4K.

My husband, Ben, and I have 3 grown sons. Jim lives in town and works for Southern Company. Nicholas lives in Colorado and is a teacher. Daniel lives in Michigan and works with computers. Tristin, my nephew, lives with me and is going into sixth grade here at Highlands. When I am not teaching, I enjoy reading a good book on my back porch or baking something sweet for my family.

I found my home at Highlands after teaching 25 years in other schools and positions. I am bringing those years of valuable experience to my new class. I am a life-long learner. I earned a business degree from Auburn University, a bachelor's and master's degrees in education from UAB, and master's in library science from the University of Alabama. I also earned National Certification from National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. As a life-long learner I want to instill the love of learning and discovery in my students. I love that Highlands sets high academic standards while supporting a nurturing and loving environment. I am honored to work at Highlands.