Miss Elizabeth Warren
Sixth Grade Teacher
Miss Liz Warren grew up in West Seattle, where she was active on the YMCA Swim Team. After graduating from West Seattle High school, Miss Warren followed her dream which was to teach school. She completed her education at Western Washington University, earning degrees in Interdisciplinary Child Development and in Education. Furthering her education, she attended the University of Washington, Bothell completing a master’s in teaching.
Miss Warren has taught in the Lake Washington School district since 2007 at Stella Schola Middle School. She has always enjoyed working with children. In the past, she has worked with school-aged children with the YMCA as a summer camp counselor and as an outdoor living skills instructor. Miss Warren was a member of a theater group called Pandemonium Players for ten years, and although she says she cannot sing, she enjoyed trying! Marine Biology has always been a passion of hers and Miss Warren was lucky enough to be chosen for NOAA’s Teacher At Sea program in 2010. She spent time on The Pisces in the Gulf Of Mexico learning and participating in the research on board.
Liz loves to read, go to yoga, cook big meals and spend time with her very large family. She has two kitties named Leelou and Cornelius and a dog named Kua. Her favorite colors are yellow, orange and pink, mostly because they are bright and sunny and life should be like that. She loves teaching at Stella Schola Middle School because it enables her to be creative, get messy, and challenge students.
Mr. Jake Cunnington
Seventh Grade Teacher
Mr. Jake Cunnington, a Redmond native, completed his education at Western Washington University where he earned his bachelor’s degree in English Literature as well as his master’s degree in education. Jake completed his student teaching at Mercer Island High School, and taught in Bellevue before joining the Stella team.
Mr. Cunnington brings enthusiasm and positive energy into the classroom, which is complemented by maintaining the high standard of learning that Stella Schola provides.
Jake loves to play soccer, paint, and go for hikes. He and his wife Alyssa share the best dog in the world, Cino. Jake also has plenty of family members around this area, including his parents, one of his sisters, and plenty of cousins. Mr. Cunnington believes in the power of creating hands-on, dynamic learning experiences that are meaningful to his students.
Mrs. Brigitte Tennis
Headmistress & Eighth Grade Teacher
Mrs. Brigitte Tennis is the founder and head teacher of Stella Schola. A product of the Lake Washington School District, Brigitte attended the University of Washington on an academic scholarship, completing her bachelor’s degrees in Violin Performance and in Education (K – 12). Her master’s equivalency is in Education.
Brigitte Tennis has been teaching in the Lake Washington School District for 29 years, three of which were in the full time gifted program. Mrs. Tennis has served as a FOSS science trainer in the district, as an official mentor for new teachers, and has been acknowledged as a distinguished educator in Who’s Who For American Teachers in 1998, 2002, 2004, 2005 and 2006. In 2004, Mrs. Tennis was selected as a DisneyHand American Teacher 2004 Honoree, and in 2006 she accomplished her National Board (NBCT) certification as a nationally recognized professional teacher of excellence in English. Mrs. Tennis contributed a chapter to a collaborative book Today I Made a Difference. Recently, Mrs. Tennis took 19 students to Rome, Italy as the culminating experience after four years of Latin.
Mrs. Tennis is married and has two boys, ages 21 and 22. She enjoys snow skiing, hiking, horseback riding, reading, music, dancing and spending time at the beach, as well as volunteering in the greater Seattle area. Her personal motto is “CARPE DIEM” because she says that we should live life to its fullest because we get out of life what we put into it! Don't waste any precious minutes!
Mrs. Margee Grein
Secretary
Mrs. Margee Grein is the registrar and secretary for Stella Schola Middle School. She grew up in Kirkland, attending schools in the LWSD. After high school she attended Western Washington State University in Bellingham, Washington.
Margee has worked in the banking and electronics fields before coming to Stella Schola. She has also been a very active PTSA volunteer, is active at Children's Hospital, and served three years on the Stella Schola Parent Advisory Board.
Mrs. Grein lives in Kirkland with her husband, teenage daughter, and their golden retriever named Khaki.