About Us and Contact Information

Who is the GT Point of Contact at my Child’s School?

ALL schools in the district are responsible for meeting the needs of identified gifted and talented students. K-8 schools are supported through a GT teacher, charter schools are supported through a designated point of contact, and high school is supported through a site-based team and the Central Office. Please refer to the  Gifted and Talented Teacher/Point of Contact to find your school’s GT teacher and coordinator. Programming Plans for the 2019-2020 school year are also available.

About Us

Robert Frantum-Allen
Interim Director of SEO: Gifted, School Health and Nursing
ROBERT_FRANTUM-ALLEN@dpsk12.org

Some of you may know my background as the retired director of Special Education in DPS. Prior to working as the director I served as the Director of Special Education, Gifted and Talented, and School Health in Adams 14 school district. I am excited to return to the world of Gifted and Talented and hopefully use my skills in the area twice-exceptionality to assist with the development and the polishing of supportive systems in Denver Public Schools while we go through the process to hire a permanent director

Dr. Ellen Honeck
Department Manager
ellen_honeck@dpsk12.org

Ellen Honeck, Ph.D., has been involved in gifted education as a classroom teacher, administrator, gifted specialist, curriculum developer, consultant, adjunct professor, and Associate Director of a gifted education institute.  She is currently a member of the NAGC Board of Directors and presents at national, international and local conferences.  In 2016, Ellen received President’s Award from NAGC for her dedication and work in gifted education.  She is passionate about early childhood, curriculum and instructional strategies, and the whole child.

Coordinators and Support Staff

Brian Beard
Middle & High School Support
brian_beard@dpsk12.org

Brian Beard has a Bachelor’s Degree in English with an emphasis in Secondary Teaching and a Master’s Degree in Special Education with an emphasis on Gifted Education from the University of Northern Colorado. He has 16 years in 6-12 English and Language Arts classrooms having taught several classes at each grade level. He loves time in the mountains with his family. He is also the current program chair for the Global Awareness Network for the National Association for Gifted Children.

Nathan Burt
GT Coordinator
nathan_burt@dpsk12.org

Nathan Burt holds a Masters degree in Special Education with an emphasis on Gifted and Talented Education from the University of Northern Colorado where he is also an adjunct professor in Gifted and Talented courses for Masters-level students. He has been working in education for more than 8 years as a teacher of the gifted at the elementary level as well as a Gifted Coordinator for Denver Public Schools. In his free time, you can probably find Nathan in any of Denver’s several movie theaters or on a cruise ship traveling around the world with his family.

Sherri Creel
Elementary and HGT Site Support
sherri_creel@dpsk12.org

Sherri Creel has a Bachelor’s degree in Marketing from Oklahoma State University and a Master’s in Special Education with an endorsement in Secondary Math from the University of Texas at Dallas.  She has worked for DPS for 30 years, 12 years in the classroom and the rest of her tenure at the Gifted Education Office.  She is a 3^rd degree Blackbelt in Taekwondo and has been training for 15 years.  She loves to travel and hopes to spend the majority of her retirement traveling the world.

Maggie Culbertson
GT Coordinator
maggie_rowbottom@dpsk12.org

Maggie Culbertson has taught in DPS for over 8 years in many different areas. Her roles included elementary ELA-S instructor, ELA Academy mentor teacher, and Gifted and Talented itinerant. She has found passion in taking on and creating new leadership roles for herself to improve school culture. She has created and piloted classroom instructional models, materials and enrichment programs to promote equity, and ideas for school-wide GT collaboration with great success. She is passionate about learning and educating staff about culturally responsive gifted education to identify and support all students. In her free time, Maggie enjoys traveling, being active in the mountains year-round, and attending local community events and festivals.

Dr. Vanessa Ewing
Charter Support
vanessa_ewing@dpsk12.org

Dr. Vanessa Ewing holds degrees in educational psychology and curriculum/instruction.  Her experience includes 20 years experience as an instructor in teacher education programs, serving as a teacher and principal of gifted children, and doing cognitive assessments.  Vanessa works with charters in identification and programming for gifted children.  She also leads classes in gifted education.  She is passionate about varied educational models for student needs, twice-exceptional students, and creativity.  When not working, Vanessa enjoys time with her son, traveling, and painting.

Dr. Meryl Faulkner
GT Coordinator
meryl_faulkner@dpsk12.org

Dr. Meryl Faulkner holds a doctorate from the University of Denver in Curriculum and Instruction with a specialization in Gifted Education. Her masters degree is also in Curriculum and Instruction with a focus on Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Education. She has been a classroom teacher at the elementary level and a GT itinerant teacher in elementary and middle schools. Her passion is promoting equity within gifted education. She is an escape room enthusiast and gnome collector.

Jennifer McDonough, NCSP
Department Psychologist
jennifer_mcdonough@dpsk12.org

Michelle McKinsey
GT Coordinator
michelle_mckinsey@dpsk12.org

Michelle McKinsey has a Bachelor’s Degree in English Literature, as well as a Graduate Credential in Elementary Education, with an Early Childhood endorsement from San Francisco State University. She is licensed and endorsed in Gifted Education and Cultural and Linguistic Diversity. With over 20 years of experience in teaching grades K-8 in with diverse student populations, she brings her passion for equity in Gifted Programming to both charter schools and district-managed schools throughout DPS. She is passionate about providing equitable access in the identification of diverse learners and supporting them with culturally appropriate gifted programming. Michelle enjoys travelling, reading historical fiction, watching movies and volunteering in the community.

Greg Moldow
High School Support
gregory_moldow@dpsk12.org

After 18 years teaching high school English, Greg’s been teamed up on GT program building in DPS’s traditional high schools, close to 40 total.  Alongside school site teams and our own devoted central team, he’s training students to advocate for their academic needs, connecting them to professors and professionals to cultivate curiosity, mentoring them through some underachieving fog, etc., etc.  Anything to advance the cause of our youngsters.  Beyond that, larger DPS initiatives consume him: he’s knee deep in vertical teaming ventures between middle and high school teachers, building networks of community partners with real world problems to solve, reimagining the college admissions portfolio process with the help of colleges across the nation, and lots more.  He loves to hike with family, swim, read, obsess over his cats, . . .

Stacey Pendleton
Assessment and Technology
stacey_pendleton@dpsk12.org

Stacey started working in the GT office starting in November 2016. Prior to that time, she taught history courses at the University of Colorado Denver and Metropolitan State University, while simultaneously serving as the Director of Operations for the state affiliate National History Day program. She has worked with Jeffco School’s GT program in assessments and summer enrichment programming. Stacey also serves as an RCM for DI Colorado. Outside of the office, she is an avid cinephile, concert-goer, and traveler.

Nancy Schlee
Office Support
nancy_schlee@dpsk12.org

Nancy Schlee joined the Gifted and Talented Department in June 2018 as Office Support. She has a varied background of Director of Operations, Office Manager and Administrative Assistant with 7 years in schools. She is passionate about ensuring equity and support for all students and families. She is a Colorado Native, is fluent in Spanish and loves her puppies!