An independent private school in Birmingham, Alabama
serving infants through 8th grade
Welcome New Team Members!
Welcome New Team Members!
Meet our new team members for the 2024-2025 school year! We’re excited to introduce you to five new Highlands School team members – you will probably recognize these familiar faces.
Mark Eaton, School Resource Officer
I attended the University of Alabama at Birmingham and studied Criminal Justice. After that, I worked for 30 years with the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office, holding various positions in the jail and patrol division, and also worked as a Detective for the last 21 years. My wife, Leane, and I have one son, Luke who is attending Belmont Abbey College this fall on a bowling scholarship. My hobbies included my bowling league, playing golf, kayaking, and fishing.
Alora King, Front Desk Receptionist
I attended UAB and received a bachelor’s degree in Theatre in 2015. Since then, I have worked with several theatre companies- most notably the Second City in Chicago! My work has allowed me to compose and arrange music, design theatrical sets, direct, and teach workshops to both adults and children.
In 2020, I moved back home to Maryland to help take care of my grandmother and discovered a love of teaching. I worked for two years in elementary schools up north before moving back to Birmingham. My pursuit of a career in education led me to Highlands School and the rest is history! I am delighted to officially join the Highlands School community.
In my free time, I enjoy nature, cooking, and yoga. My partner Jeff and I love to snuggle up with our animals and a good movie. I also work outside of school with local theatres as a scenic painter and designer.
Kyla Reynolds, 3rd Grade Associate Teacher
Hello! I’m Kyla Reynolds, and I’m thrilled to be a part of the Highlands family this year. I’m originally from Childersburg, Alabama, and have been teaching for about six years. Alongside my teaching career, I own a cheer and tumbling gym, which reflects my passion for cheerleading—a passion that was also a big part of my time at the University of Montevallo, where I was a cheerleader. I am currently working towards my Bachelor’s in Elementary Education at the University of West Alabama (UWA) and have previously studied at Jefferson State and Montevallo.
In my free time, I love spending time with family and friends and engaging in all things cheer. I have a special connection to Highlands School because a family member attended here a few years ago, and I was so impressed by the wonderful things I heard about the school that I knew I wanted to be a part of it. I’m looking forward to a fantastic year with your child and becoming part of our Highlands community!
Noah Schinasi, Maternity Leave Substitute - Chinese Teacher
It is with great anticipation and joy that I return to Highlands School to teach Lanlan Cohn’s Chinese class once again. Having covered Mrs. Cohn’s class a couple of years ago, I can say for sure we will all have an exciting journey learning the Chinese language of Mandarin together.
Having taught and lived in China for a year and a half, I have hands-on experience with both the Chinese culture and language. Since Mandarin is a tonal language (having four distinct tones or pitches), both pronunciation and inflection are paramount in learning it. This gives Mandarin an almost musical quality, which makes it fun for the students, as many enjoy both singing and listening to music.
I look forward to sharing my Chinese-learning journey with all the students at Highlands, as well as anecdotes and cultural highlights from my travels in the vast land of China. With a history as rich as China’s, we will engage in many Chinese stories, study how pronunciation works, and look into how Chinese characters work. We will also engage art in expressing popular Chinese phrases and characters through calligraphy.
While the Chinese language is brought to the forefront in all of our lessons together, I always encourage students to explore this amazing world we live in. I always make it a point to remind them all of the amazing opportunities Highlands presents to its students. At the end of the day, I try and make the complex nature of Mandarin Chinese interesting and relevant.
Having seen past Highlands’ students enjoy the process of learning Mandarin, I’m excited to return once again and motivate them to become fellow language learners, world travelers, and, yes, even world changers!
Eleanor Walter, Enrollment Assistant
I am excited to join the Highlands school staff as Enrollment Assistant & Registrar. My husband, Whitten Walter, and I are also the parents of Highlands students, 1st grader Lavinia Walter and 3rd grader Charles Whitten (“Charlie Whit”) Walter.
I had a 22-year career in marketing/advertising and development, beginning in advertising for movie studios in New York City, and most recently completing a 14-year tenure with Opera Birmingham as Director of Marketing & Community Engagement (and formerly Director of Development). I am eager to use those promotional skills gained over the years to promote Highlands School to prospective families!
In my spare time, I enjoy music, concerts and performing arts, and take joy in cheering on my kids in sporting activities and extracurriculars. On summer weekends, my favorite place to be is lounging and boating at the lake with my family.
My entire family has a soft spot for animals. I previously served as vice president of the Greater Birmingham Humane Society Auxiliary and as a foster for pets being readied for adoption. Rounding out the Walter family are Casanova (senior cat & boss of the family), Oliver “Ollie” (Australian Cattle Dog, a.k.a. “Red Heeler”), and littermates Love and Lightening Speed (adolescent cats whom we affectionately call our “foster failures” because they got attached and became permanent family members).
My family attends Saint Luke’s Episcopal Church.
![Highlands School Hosts Annual Boarding School Fair on October 8th]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1693936844/highlandsschoolorg/sfpzqhd19zzq65dx9oe3/DSC_60521.jpg","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1693936844/highlandsschoolorg/sfpzqhd19zzq65dx9oe3/DSC_60521.jpg","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_3/v1693936844/highlandsschoolorg/sfpzqhd19zzq65dx9oe3/DSC_60521.jpg","width":800},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_4/v1693936844/highlandsschoolorg/sfpzqhd19zzq65dx9oe3/DSC_60521.jpg","width":1200},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_5/v1693936844/highlandsschoolorg/sfpzqhd19zzq65dx9oe3/DSC_60521.jpg","width":1600},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_6/v1693936844/highlandsschoolorg/sfpzqhd19zzq65dx9oe3/DSC_60521.jpg","width":2200}])
![Introducing Debate at Highlands]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1726670475/highlandsschoolorg/noxkp6lpvusslzqirzgv/CrystalWinslettDebateTeacherlandscape.jpg","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1726670475/highlandsschoolorg/noxkp6lpvusslzqirzgv/CrystalWinslettDebateTeacherlandscape.jpg","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_3/v1726670475/highlandsschoolorg/noxkp6lpvusslzqirzgv/CrystalWinslettDebateTeacherlandscape.jpg","width":800},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_4/v1726670475/highlandsschoolorg/noxkp6lpvusslzqirzgv/CrystalWinslettDebateTeacherlandscape.jpg","width":1200},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_5/v1726670475/highlandsschoolorg/noxkp6lpvusslzqirzgv/CrystalWinslettDebateTeacherlandscape.jpg","width":1600},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_6/v1726670475/highlandsschoolorg/noxkp6lpvusslzqirzgv/CrystalWinslettDebateTeacherlandscape.jpg","width":2200}])
![Introducing our Student Council]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1724266020/highlandsschoolorg/bpcaeknauzspnzei6ogw/officerslandscape.jpg","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1724266020/highlandsschoolorg/bpcaeknauzspnzei6ogw/officerslandscape.jpg","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_3/v1724266020/highlandsschoolorg/bpcaeknauzspnzei6ogw/officerslandscape.jpg","width":800},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_4/v1724266020/highlandsschoolorg/bpcaeknauzspnzei6ogw/officerslandscape.jpg","width":1200},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_5/v1724266020/highlandsschoolorg/bpcaeknauzspnzei6ogw/officerslandscape.jpg","width":1600},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_6/v1724266020/highlandsschoolorg/bpcaeknauzspnzei6ogw/officerslandscape.jpg","width":2200}])