Ms. Carroll: Saloni Bhatia
Ms. Carroll is the new Associate Athletic Director. She will teach gym and coach soccer this year. Ms. Carroll began coaching eight years ago at Shipley, and she exclaims that “the best part about coaching is the bond that you get to build with your students.” She has coached high school varsity girls soccer, middle school volleyball and softball, and has taught Health & Wellness. So far, Ms. Carroll “loves being at GA” and “[she] loves the campus and in person teaching.” During her spare time, she likes to work out, do yoga, spend time with her family, and play soccer. This year she looks forward to spirit week and meeting the students. Welcome Ms. Carroll!
Mrs. Soffer: Alan Liu
Mrs. Soffer joins GA as the Middle and Upper School Learning and Reading Specialist. She has taught students for the last fifteen years. As an educator, she developed a passion for reading, prompting her to become a reading specialist. She is eager to begin helping students of all ages read and write. In her free time she loves traveling, watching Game of Thrones, and reading books by her favorite author, Daniel Silva. A fun fact is that she met her husband at a sleepaway camp at eleven years old. Welcome, Mrs. Soffer!
Mr. Elliser: Alan Liu
Mr. Elliser, a new guidance counselor, comes to GA from Tredyffrin/Easttown Middle School. He has been a teacher for eight years. Mr. Elliser now teaches ninth-grade seminar and is looking forward to meeting and working with Upper School students. He is excited to support and connect with everyone. Outside of school, he likes to run, read, spend time outside with his family, and practice cooking skills. Welcome, Mr. Elliser!
Julia Downs: Angie Wang
Ms. Downs joins the GA faculty as an Upper School lab assistant and a part-time teacher. She greatly enjoys nature, exclaiming, “Whether it be hiking, walking, jogging, or camping, anything outside I love!” Surprisingly, for the past ten years, she has never owned a TV. Her favorite part about her job is embracing daily challenges and “figuring out new ways to help the people around me be their best selves.” She looks forward to an in-person school year in the future, saying that being in person is “more organic when we’re together; we can learn from one another.” Welcome Ms. Downs!
Mr. Bratton: Adah Kaplan
Walking into Mr. Bratton’s room, you immediately notice the grid of shelves filled with different-sized plants, which all grew from two tiny plants taken from a restaurant! Mr. Bratton came to GA after teaching at Tabor Academy for seven years, stating that he likes to take on “seven-year challenges.” He loves the attitude of the GA students, and he appreciates his colleagues in the history department, who made his transition seamless. One of Mr. Bratton’s absolute favorite things is humor, and he believes that “if you don’t laugh once in my class, I’m not doing my job!” Welcome Mr. Bratton!
Ms. Johnson: Adah Kaplan
Ms. Johnson has loved her first few months at GA, both teaching history and coaching high school volleyball. After taking a year off of teaching to travel the world (she has been to 80 countries!), she chose to teach history because of how it intersects with her various interests, including sociology, psychology, and culture. In this coming year, she looks forward to playing some games with the volleyball team and teaching students to “express their ideas clearly, have well-founded world views, and know what they’re passionate about.” Welcome Ms. Johnson!
Mrs. Mahnkopf: Kate Cooper
Mrs. Mahnkopf, a new math teacher for Geometry, Algebra 2, and Pre-Calc grew up in Singapore, where she discovered her passion for math from her success in the subject. She obtained her bachelor’s degree in engineering in Singapore, her online master’s degree in Australia, and her teaching certification in Nevada. Over the years, she has progressed from teaching at the elementary level to the high school level. In her free time, she enjoys camping and indulging in Boy Scouts activities with her family. At GA, she is excited to “make a lot of great experiences and create more life-long connections and memories with students and faculty.” Welcome Ms. Mahnkopf!
Mr. Koziol: Kate Cooper
Mr. Koziol has been at GA for eight years, working as a swimming unit instructor and Boys Water Polo coach in grades Pre-K through 8th grade. This year, he has also taken the position of an Upper School Assistant Teacher, proctoring study halls. During his first year working in the Upper School, he looks forward to “getting to know more of the community, both teachers and students in a different setting.” He enjoys “working with young people and helping them become a better version of themselves.” His favorite memory at GA thus far is the boys water polo teams’ first win on GA/PC day, which was a special moment for the senior boys because it was their last game together as Patriots in their home pool. Welcome Mr. Koziol!
Mr. Evans: Harry Bradley
Mr. Evans, a new college counselor, made the switch from Penn Charter to GA. He described the challenges of his transition due to the global pandemic and that his “Penn Charter friends teased him” about the change of schools. Nonetheless, he is excited to join the GA college counseling team and school community. He hopes to see GA traditions return to normalcy, so he can explore the house system and experience the Harkness tables, exclaiming that they are “such a distinctive feature of the GA Upper School.” Mr. Evans’ cheesesteak of choice is Dalessandro’s, and he had a gorgeous mullet in the 1970s and 80s. Welcome, Mr. Evans, to the GA faculty!
Mr. Houptley: Kate Cooper
Mr. Houptley, a new Upper School Assistant Teacher and the yearbook advisor, describes himself as “a life-long learner with a passion for helping students.” He recently graduated from West Chester University with a Masters in Higher Education Policy in Student Affairs. During the past two years, he worked as a graduate assistant at West Chester and aided in large scale event planning for the University. This year, he plans to help students with their transition from high school to college and “is available to be an advisor, an educator, and to lend a hand to those who need it.” He is most excited about “capturing this interesting year through the yearbook, tastefully and respectively because this year looks different than any other year.” Welcome Mr. Houptley!
Dr.Vanderstar: Saloni Bhatia
Dr. Vanderstar, a new addition to the GA language department, teaches Latin. Dr. Vanderstar has taught for twenty-three years at schools such as Penn Charter, where she taught Latin and History; the University of the Arts, where she taught Ancient World History; and St. Georges in Newport, Rhode Island. Before teaching, Dr. Vanderstar worked as a Greek and Roman archeologist. She recalls, “I spent ten years living in Europe doing fieldwork and used to live in Cyprus.” Dr. Vanderstar previously taught GA Latin in 2008 and is “so excited to be back.” Some of her hobbies are gardening, biking, and reading Latin poetry. This year she is looking forward to getting to know all of her students and exploring the Latin program. Welcome Dr. Vanderstar!
Mr. Hunt: Cam Moore
Mr. Hunt joins GA once again as an Upper School guidance counselor. Having previous experience as a teacher in Special Education as well as in Early Childhood Development and Education, he looks forward to “continuing good relationships” with the students he sees. In his office (which is open from eight to three every Friday), he hopes to create a safe space to help people address their concerns and work towards resolutions. He was asked by Dr. Maurer, who he considers a good friend of his, to rejoin the counseling team due to the cultivated and complex requirements of this new school year. He and his wife enjoy traveling and seeing live performances such as Jazz, Blues, the Orchestra, and Dance. Welcome Mr. Hunt!