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SOAR Denver

About

Who we are.

Founded in 2010, SOAR is built on the premise that we should “expect more” from our public schools. SOAR is a public charter school committed to providing exceptional educational opportunities to students in Far Northeast Denver.

OurTeam

Administrators & School Operations

Instructional Staff & Student Support

School Administration

Maria Burdine

Principal

About Maria

Maria is excited to join the SOAR community as principal! She grew up in the Denver metro area and has spent 25 years in leadership roles within diverse educational settings serving students, staff and families at the ECE-12 levels. Before joining SOAR, Maria has leadership experience as a Founding Principal of a K-8 Online Program, District Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CLDE) Consultant, Assistant Principal, Instructional Coach and Dean of Culture. Maria graduated from the University of Northern Colorado with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Speech Communication and Elementary Education (K-6). Maria pursued a Master's degree from the University of Colorado Denver in Curriculum & Instruction, Principal License in Administrative Leadership and Policy Studies and a Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Education (K-12) endorsement. She is an advocate for all students and believes in providing rigor, access and opportunity to improve instructional outcomes and educational experiences for all learners. Maria believes all students deserve a school experience that entrusts rigorous academics, positive relationships with staff and a supportive community. She is a culturally and linguistically diverse education advocate and served on the Colorado Association for Bilingual Education (CABE) Board and had the opportunity to network with colleagues across the state to improve programming, scheduling and post-secondary opportunities for multilingual learners in the state of Colorado. Maria is an advocate for all learners and focuses on ensuring that students receive an equitable learning experience that prepares them each day for school, graduation, college, career and life. She leverages her core values of equity, integrity and connection in improving academic, behavior and social/emotional outcomes for students. Maria is honored to serve the SOAR community as our next principal and invites the community to visit anytime.

About Maria

Rosalind Gullatt

Assistant Principal

About Rosalind Gullatt

Rosalind is excited to be SOAR’s Assistant Principal beginning this school year. She is a product of Denver Public Schools and graduated from George Washington High School. Rosalind is passionate about educating students in an equitable and compassionate manner. Rosalind attended Metropolitan State College and earned a BS in Secondary Mathematics. She earned her first Master’s at Denver University in Educational Leadership Policy Studies, a second Master’s in Coaching and Athletic Administration from Concordia University-Irvine and a Professional Principal’s License. Rosalind’s experience includes being an Athletic Director, Dean of Culture, Admin Teacher on Special Assignment (TOSA) and Assistant Principal. Her core values are in alignment with SOAR’s beliefs and values. Rosalind is relentless, honest, courageous and compassionate. She will do everything in her power to ensure that our students, staff, and families know how much we care about them and how much we believe in them at SOAR!

About Rosalind

Sonia Sisneros

Senior Director

About Sonia Sisneros

Sonia has been a part of the SOAR team since it was founded in 2010, starting as a community partner during the school’s planning year. Sonia has supported and led SOAR’s evolution from a small start-up to one of the highest performing community based elementary schools in far northeast Denver. Her work at SOAR has varied from supporting classroom teachers to managing the school’s budget, human resources and leadership in legal services. Sonia’s interest in education is based in child advocacy and comprehensive school operations. Sonia attended Daniels College of Business at the University of Denver earning her degree in Business and Financial Analytics. In 2015, Sonia earned her law degree from the University of Denver in Policy & Regulation. Later that year she was sworn in as a Court Appointed Special Advocate for Children (CASA). Sonia went on to finish her Principal Residency Program with Catapult School Leadership (CSL Colorado) in 2016. Sonia has an incredible family! Her son is an architect, CU Boulder graduate and her daughter is a floral designer in San Francisco, CSU graduate. Go Buffs! Go Rams! Sonia and her husband enjoy their time together, exploring the city’s art district and taking in the outdoors and traveling whenever possible.

About Sonia

Christi Goetz

Director of Academic Programming & Multilingual Education

About Christi Goetz

Christi has worked in education for over18 years. She has served as a teacher, coach and was an Assistant Principal for 7 years, before becoming Interim Principal in Aurora Public School.  Christi graduated with her B.A. from the University of Nebraska and started her teaching career in Omaha before moving to Colorado in 2006.  While teaching, Christi continued her post-graduate education to complete a Linguistically Diverse Endorsement and then Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership, from the University of Colorado.  In 2017 Christi joined SOAR to design and lead Multilingual Education and instructional programming.   All of her educational experience has been at schools serving students from diverse backgrounds. She is passionate about ensuring an equitable education for all students.

About Christi

Office/Operations Staff

Araceli Quezada-Rodriguez

Office Manager

About Araceli Quezada-Rodriguez

Araceli has worked with SOAR since 2012, initially as the Office Manager at SOAR@Oakland. She moved to SOAR@GVR in 2014 and immediately enjoyed her work with families, teachers, and students. Living and working in the community has enabled her to get to know many families in the area. She enjoys seeing students and their families when she is out with her own family.

Araceli is from Cd. Juárez, Chihuahua, Mexico. While visiting Colorado 30 years ago, she fell in love with the Mile High City and decided to make it her home. Araceli and her husband have two children and a grandson, and they are very proud to call the Far Northeast area home.

When Araceli is not at work, you can find her going to the movies, traveling, or once in a while enjoying a hike on the beautiful trails of Colorado just outside the city.

About Araceli

Andrea Macias

Receptionist & Attendance Clerk

About Andrea Macias

Andrea Macias has joined us as our Receptionist/Attendance Clerk. Andrea comes to SOAR from Aurora Academy Charter School, where she started as a Paraprofessional. After a short time, Andrea made her way into the office where she worked as an Office/Registrar Assistant. Andrea is a proud mom of two boys. She enjoys TV shows, usually action or superhero's because her boys. Andrea also enjoys the outdoors, embarking on activities such as going to the lake and hiking.
About Andrea

Pukar Kafley

Technology Support Coordinator

About Pukar

About Pukar

Download our family handbook.

SOAR encourages parents and students to consult the SOAR Family Handbook for guidance regarding school policies, procedures, and expectations. Parents and students should keep in mind, however, that the school is a constantly changing entity, evolving as circumstances require. The school may modify its procedures and expectations from time to time.
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OurBoard

Picture of Rona Wilensky

Rona
Wilensky

Board President
Picture of Jamita Horton

Jamita Horton

Board Secretary
Picture of Liane Morrison

Liane
Morrison

Treasurer
Picture of Michelle Tyrus

Michelle Tyrus

Board Member

Roddrick Marshall

Board Member

John
Kearney

Board Member

Board Meeting Information

The SOAR Board of Directors meetings are held at the school, Building 4 on the Evie Dennis Campus, and via Zoom Conference Call. Please check specific meeting date for details.

Meetings are open to the public and agendas are posted at SOAR in the vestibule of the entrance. Members of the public who want to address the Board by do so by emailing the SOAR Board of Directors at soar.board.of.directors@gmail.com by noon the previous day, giving their name and indicating the topic.

Board Meeting Agenda
Board Meeting Minutes
Board of Directors Oath of Office
Board Manual 2024
Board Bylaws 2024-2025
Financial Transparency

SOAR is a Kindergarten through 5th grade elementary school in far northeast Denver, serving students from the Green Valley Ranch and Montbello subdivisions in addition to Aurora . The school has one school building, and anticipates an enrollment of 454 students each year. SOAR currently rents 41,990 square feet of building space from Denver Public Schools. The school employs close to 50 staff as well as provides community resources for the families that we serve.

Contact information for SOAR: Sonia Sisneros, Director of Operations, (303) 895-5305

Contact information for the Colorado Department of Education: https://www.cde.state.co.us

Contact information for Financial Transparency for Colorado Schools: https://coloradok12financialtransparency.com

Picture of Rona Wilensky

Rona Wilensky

Board Vice President
Rona was principal and founder of New Vista High School in Boulder, Colorado from 1992-2009. Previously, she worked as an education policy analyst for the Governor of Colorado, the Education Commission of the States, and various education reform initiatives in Colorado. From 2014 – 2020 Rona was Director of Mindfulness Programs at Passageworks Institute and a member of the Equity faculty. Currently she is coordinating and teaching a variety of live online mindfulness and equity offerings for PassageWorks. Rona holds a B.A. and Ph.D. in Economics from Yale University and taught that subject at Williams College and the University of Denver in the early 1980’s. She has been a member of the SOAR Board of Directors since 2012.
Picture of Jamita Horton

Jamita Horton

Board Secretary
For the last 10 years, Jamita has worked as an educator, advocate, and leader. Most recently, she worked as an assistant principal in Southwest Denver. Prior to that, she taught third grade and kindergarten. Jamita holds a bachelor’s degree in International Studies and Women studies with an Education Policy Certificate from the University of Wisconsin. After graduating, she worked as a Teach for America corp member, while she earned her masters degree at Cardinal Stritch University. Currently, she’s a doctoral candidate in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies at the University of Denver. She also works for Public Education & Business Coalition. She became a member of the SOAR Board of Directors in 2023.
Picture of Liane Morrison

Liane Morrison

Treasurer

Liane Morrison is a nonprofit entrepreneur, economist and advocacy expert. She co-founded the grassroots nonprofit organization – Great Education Colorado (greateducation.org) 11 years ago, to harness the power of grassroots activism to advocate for permanent change in how our state invests in its schools and children. She left the Executive Director role in 2015 and now works on a new initiative at Mile High United Way called United Neighborhoods, currently focused on the Globeville, Elyria-Swansea communities of north Denver.

Liane is a graduate of Colorado College and has a Master’s Degree in economics from George Washington University. Her focus on the public sector has included developing new international markets for environmental technology, serving as an international economist at the U.S. Department of Treasury, and working as a bank analyst for the Federal Reserve. Liane’s concerns about Colorado public education and its impact on the economy and local communities resulted in her co-founding Great Education Colorado. She lives in central Denver and enjoys Colorado’s outdoor treasures on a bicycle or skies.

Picture of Michelle Tyrus

Michelle Tyrus

Board Member

Michelle is the proud mother of two wonderful boys aged 9 and 19. The family has two pets, a cat named Lucky and a bearded dragon named Butterscotch.

Michelle was born and raised in Kansas and moved to Colorado after undergraduate school. Michelle holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Sociology, a Master’s degree in Organizational Management and a Doctorate in Philosophy with a specialization in Clinical Psychology. Michelle also holds a Post Master’s Certification for online teaching in psychology. Michelle has worked in the mental health field for over 10 years.

Michelle worked as a diagnostic assessor for youth with mental health issues. Additionally, she worked in a crisis stabilization facility for adults with serious mental health issues. Michelle also worked for the Department of Corrections as a crisis assessor and therapist for the mentally ill incarcerated population. Currently Michelle has a private practice and is a Life Coach and Certified Hypnotherapist. Michelle facilitates workshops and seminars designed to assist clients with finding their
true-life purposes by identifying thinking errors.

Roddrick Marshall

Board Member

Roddrick is originally from Columbus, Georgia. After living in several states, in 2019, he decided to make Colorado home. His household consists of his beautiful wife Danielle, and their five lovely children ages 9 (boy), 8 (boy), 7 (boy), and a set of 3-year-old twins (a boy and a girl). Fun fact. His birthday zodiac sign is a Gemini (sign of the twins), and his twins were born on his birthday.

Roddrick has a natural love for photography; he’s a compassionate public speaker; he’s an avid reader and writer; he loves family time so he can often be found at a playground with his children or traveling as time and budget permits; he is an active mentor with Denver Public Schools and a dedicated volunteer with several organizations.

Roddrick earned his G.E.D. in 1999. Followed by a few certificates from Columbus Technical College and Tacoma Community College. As a high school dropout, he has always dreamed of earning a high school diploma. He is a current student at The Excel Center (Goodwill) in Aurora, where he is studying for his high school diploma. His deepest educational goal is to earn a PhD in psychology.

John Kearney

Board Member

John Kearney is an education leader with more than 15 years of experience serving students, educators, and schools across Colorado. He currently serves as Senior Director of School Partnerships at the Public Education & Business Coalition (PEBC), where he partners with schools and districts to strengthen teacher recruitment, professional learning, and workforce sustainability.

John began his career as a middle and high school social studies teacher in Aurora Public Schools and remains grounded in the belief that every student deserves a high-quality, supportive learning environment. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Elon University and a master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Colorado Denver.