Advisory Council
Dr. Peggy Kelly
Dr. M.G. Kelly is the retired Dean of the College of Education and Integrative Studies at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, and Chair of the California State University System’s Council of Deans. As such, she is the liaison between The Harbour School and the largest teacher preparation program in the United States. Dr. Kelly has received several awards recognizing her achievements in integrating technology and education, most recently the Outstanding Leadership Award from the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE).
Dr. Kelly is also the former President of the International Society of Technology in Education (ISTE) and co-director of the National Education Technology Standards for Students, Teachers, and Administrators, the ISTE NETS series. She is the author of many books including: NETS Resources for Student Assessment. Prior to her work in educational technology, Dr. Kelly was active in the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics holding multiple positions in the organization and developing the original NCTM standards. Dr. Kelly says that she finds “the work of The Harbour School Advisory Board to be invigorating in that it stimulates conversations about how children learn and how to create the best environment to support their learning.”
Dr. Stephen Pompea
Dr. Stephen M. Pompea is the National Optical Astronomy Observatory’s first Observatory Scientist and serves as head of its Education and Public Outreach program serving the United States and Chile. His leadership in major national education projects sponsored by the National Science Foundation has helped shape many recent astronomy education innovations nationally and internationally.
He chaired the U.S. Telescope Kits and Optics Challenges Working Group and also served as the U.S. Director for the International Year of Astronomy 2009. He has authored more than 125 publications, mainly in science education, edited nine science education books, and has developed numerous science education kits and instructional materials. He has also been a leader in national programs combining art and science, including Project STEAM: Integrating Art with Science to Build Science Identities among Girls.
Dr. Pompea served as instrument scientist for the Hubble Space Telescope NICMOS project, the Gemini 8-meter telescopes project, and as a Senior Engineer at Martin Marietta. Dr. Pompea has consulted widely in the development of science education programs and facilities as well as in telescope and instrument design. He is an Affiliate Professor of Astronomy at Steward Observatory of the University of Arizona and an Adjunct Professor in the College of Optical Sciences at the University of Arizona, the world’s premier optical institute.
Dr. Pompea believes that The Harbour School is an ideal environment for progressive science education approaches and for immersive programs where students pursue science using authentic and powerful instruments, such as the telescopes and facilities found at Kitt Peak National Observatory in Arizona. The Harbour School’s interdisciplinary approach allows the development of science curiosity and creativity as well as practical problem solving and engineering design skills.
Dr. Frank Withrow
An early Advisor to the THS program was Dr. Frank Withrow, the “father of Sesame Street” who passed away in October of 2019. Dr. Frank Withrow was the Senior Learning Technologist for the US Department of Education from 1966 to 1992 and was the Program Manager for Sesame Street, Footsteps (a series on child development), and The Voyage of the Mimi (a multiple media elementary science and mathematics series). He has also served as Director of Development for the NASA Classroom of the Future and was the Director of Technology for the Young Astronaut Council.
Dr. Withrow has edited several books, written over 300 professional articles, and has over 200 video and film credits. He was a Board Member of the Consortium on School Networking (CoSN), and in fact the CoSN annual educator award is named the Frank Withrow Award for Excellence.
Dr. Lynne Schrum
Dr. Lynne Schrum is the past president of the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) and has just finished a ten-year stint as editor of the Journal of Research on Technology in Education (JRTE). She is the Dean of the College of Human Resources and Education at West Virginia University, and also works with the US Department of Education on a program that provides grants to support innovative educational reform projects that can serve as national models for reform. She has written and edited ten books and numerous articles, including Evidence-Based Strategies for Leading 21st Century Schools and Leading 21st Century Schools: Harnessing Technology for Engagement and Achievement.
Her most recent book, Learning Supercharged: Digital Age Strategies and Insights from the EdTech Frontier features THS as a model school. Dr. Schrum feels that “the students at The Harbour School have opportunities to gain an exemplary educational experience. The philosophy, global perspectives and high standards are models. The school is designed to promote 21st Century citizens by blending technology, core competencies, and the arts.”
Sage Parker
Sage Parker is a stage actress and writer who has also appeared in films such as Songwriter (1984), Robocop (1987), and The Legend of Billie Jean (1985), as well as numerous television appearances. Today, she is working as a Visiting Lecturer at the University of California, Santa Barbara. She has also served as Guest Artist at The Harbour School for a portion of the academic year, teaching individual classes in drama and in particular directing vignettes to be performed at the Renaissance Faire.
What Ms. Parker appreciates most about THS is that it encourages children to “find their voice”, through the Oracy to Literacy storytelling and Junior Great Books programs that begin at age four and continue through 8th grade. “Whether or not these children go on to perform in the arts, the fact that they can confidently, eloquently and logically express themselves is something that is extremely valuable for their futures. This school is unique in that it values this ability and encourages it throughout the curriculum, and I am proud to be able to assist in this project.”
Dr. Kirsten Refsing
Dr. Kirsten Refsing is a retired Professor in the Department of Regional and Cross-Cultural Studies, University of Copenhagen. Prior to holding this position, Dr. Refsing was Dean of the Faculty of Humanities at the University of Copenhagen from 2006-11 and Professor and Head of the Department of Japanese Studies at the University of Hong Kong 1996-2006.
Dr. Refsing has a total of 35 years of successful teaching experience at all levels and has authored many professional publications including Scholarly books and monographs, book chapters, journal articles and historical novels. Dr. Refsing’s expertise as an educator, historian and cultural anthropologist have helped guide the development of programs at The Harbour School.
Nancy Regens
Nancy Regens is the former Research Coordinator and Program Manager for the National Science Foundation’s Collaboration to Advance Teaching Technology and Science (CATTS). As such, she was responsible for providing training in inquiry, classroom teaching pedagogy and methodology and science education research. The CATTS program trained more than 130 graduate students in collaboration with four school districts, one of the largest and most successful GK-12 science education programs in the United States.
In addition to her work with CATTS, Ms. Regens was a teacher from 1971 to 1980, and a school/university librarian (with an MA in Library Science) from 1980 to 2000. She has published numerous articles related to library sciences and science education, and is currently a National Science Foundation Reviewer for Transforming Undergraduate Education in Science and Technology.
Wendy Campbell
Wendy Campbell has more than 30 years of experience in teaching and has been a teacher trainer in hands-on, experiential history for over ten years. She was a Master Teacher for Gifted and Talented in Fairfax County, VA. She was a Disney Teacher of the Year Finalist and won Washington State’s Golden Acorn Award for Service to Children and Youth. She currently serves on the Board of the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at George Mason University. She has taught numerous inservices and training courses for teachers in both Fairfax and Arlington Counties, as well as teaching History Education at the university level.
Ms. Campbell’s classes may include medieval reenactment of Viking times, writing skaldic poetry, making mud bricks, or living the life of a pirate. At The Harbour School, she has helped every teacher to craft hands-on, experiential components to the history program.
Dr. Teresa Kennedy
Dr. Kennedy has a joint faculty appointment as Professor of International STEM and Bilingual/ELL Education in the College of Education and Psychology and the College of Engineering at the University of Texas at Tyler. She currently serves on the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Non-Governmental Organization Liaison Committee.
Dr. Kennedy’s research interests include online teaching and learning; content-based second language teaching and learning focused on science, mathematics and social studies; brain research in relation to second language acquisition and bilingualism; and Earth science, space science and engineering education. She has presented at more than 300 events, authored/co-authored eight book chapters, over 30 journal articles and features, and over 50 proceedings and reports.
Dr. Elizabeth Micci
Elizabeth received her Doctor of Education Leadership degree from Harvard Graduate school of Education, with a research emphasis on building structures to support innovative academic programs. Beginning her career in education with Teach For America, Dr. Elizabeth Micci taught secondary English before going on to co-found and administrate a college preparatory academy in Houston, TX. Elizabeth joined The Harbour School in 2017 as a member of the high school humanities faculty and served as THS's high school principal from 2018-2020. She was drawn to the school's long-standing commitment to and delivery of student-centric, experiential learning programming and featured its innovative approach in her capstone research.