
Joel W. Dixon
Executive Director
Leadership Development
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Working with a group of people to make a difference in students’ lives is one of the most meaningful and rewarding experiences you can have in life, and I feel so privileged to have joined this community of learners. Having lived in Fort Worth when I was little, grown up in Spain, got my first degree in Oklahoma, and worked in Kenya and the UK (where I also got my Masters in Educational Leadership), I am so pleased to now be back in the US working at this fabulous school!
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Throughout my career I’ve had the privilege of seeing a variety of educational models and been a part of various schools but I have always found that the best schools are those that are small and caring, where relationships matter and students are valued uniquely for who they are, where students’ best interests are at the center of decision-making, and where community is important. When schools value their students and promote a culture of appreciating differences and broadening perspectives, then rich learning experiences flow naturally from that. This is exactly the type of school that I feel Northstar is.
I am a firm believer in the fact that we are life-long learners, and we need to model this passion for learning and knowledge to our students in real ways. Over the years I’ve been involved in a multitude of extra-curricular activities, lead and organized a number of overseas trips, coached students and organized tournaments for both soccer and chess, played in the orchestra with students during a musical performance, and gotten involved in fun activities to raise money for charity. These have been invaluable events for students, further strengthening relationships of trust and highlighting the importance of enriching life experiences that can take students out of their comfort zones and teach them something new about themselves.
It is through observing and appreciating the differences between us that we are able to broaden students’ perspectives and truly give them a holistic education that prepares them for the complexities of our modern world. I am passionate about developing students' ability and desire to learn through our leadership class. Our aim and purpose at Northstar is that students will develop a sense of agency in their lives and discover both the world and their identity in the process.
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Lisa Odom
Mission Advisor/Program Development
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I am a passionate educator with over 30 years of experience in many public and private school settings. I was fortunate and proud to be the second executive director of Northstar School and am now serving as the Mission Advisor. I am a graduate of Arlington High School and attended Texas Tech University earning a degree in education with a reading specialization. Later, I earned a Master’s Degree in Educational Administration from UTA.
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At Northstar School, it is my goal to help ensure an environment where students can be themselves and achieve their academic and personal best, exposing them to many different subjects, experiences, and activities, encouraging them to try new things to discover their passions and talents. Each student should feel completely comfortable to be who they are and follow their own individual paths, while still feeling a part of the student body as a whole.
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I am married to my high school sweetheart, Scott Odom, and together we have two adult children, Garrett and Ashley. I am very passionate about many things in my life, but teaching has always been near the top of my list. Even though I am the only educator in my family, I have always known I wanted to teach. I am thankful and honored to be a part of the students’ lives at Northstar School. I strongly believe that the high expectations in Northstar’s small, nurturing environment are the keys to success and make Northstar a fabulous place to teach and learn. Together, with the most talented staff and mentors around, it is my sincere hope to make a positive influence on the development of all Northstar students!
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Northstar Staff
Kala Batts
Executive Administrator, Yearbook, STUCO Sponsor
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English
Tammy Taylor
English Department Head
7-8 English, Culinary, Survey of Languages
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Jacob Guidry
9/10, 11/12 English,
High School Foreign Language Lab,
11/12 Psychology, 9 Speech
Math
Cheryl Moddrell
Math Department Head
Pre-Algebra, Calculus I & II, Geometry, Math Team Sponsor
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Katherine Lambert
Algebra I & II, Precalculus
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Robin Leming
Economics
Science
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Gary Spaulding
Science Department Head
Life Science, Physical Science, Yacht Club Sponsor
gspaulding@northstarschool.net
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Celeste Gray
Biology II, Health, Health II
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Kim Ramirez
Biology 10/11
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Maya Herzog
Environmental Science 7-10
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Byron Appelt
Technology Department Head
Applied Physics (SRD I, II, III), Computer Programming, Introduction to Programming
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James Davis
Physics
History
Sarah McConnell
Government, Medieval History, World History, Human Geography, NHS Sponsor
smcconnell@northstarschool.net
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Payten Boyd
Ancient History, Presentation,
Computer Literacy I & II
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Sarah Dixon
Latin I & II, World Religions
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Fine Arts
Daniel Taylor
Fine Arts Department Head
Drums
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Saul Sanchez
Keyboard, Music Theory
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Emily Ledesma
Ukulele, MS and HS Choir
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Jeh Horton
Bass Guitar, Guitar I & II
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Sola Akinola
Fiddle
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Simone Horton
Drama
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Paula Currie
7-12 Art, Introduction to Graphic Arts, Art Club
Lucy Bartholomee
International Travel
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P.E.
Ashley Wickes
Athletics Department Head
PE, Volleyball Coach, Senior Sponsor
ahall-wickes@northstarschool.net
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Michael Battenfield
Equestrian Coach
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Jacob Guidry
Basketball/Tennis Coach
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Regan Wickes
Golf Coach