Welcome New Magpies!
Miranda Beck
Miranda Beck will be teaching 1st Grade. She has a Master’s degree in Elementary Education and is a certified Orton-Gillingham Associate. She taught 1st Grade at a public school in Arizona and most recently taught 5th Grade at Denver Academy, an independent school in Colorado. Miranda grew up in Salt Lake City and is excited to return to the area.
Lauren Coffey
Lauren Coffey will be teaching Middle School Science in The Learning Center. Lauren recently completed her Master’s degree in Science Education and spent the last four years teaching in the Salt Lake City School District. Prior to that, she was involved in leading experiential education programs with an emphasis on outdoor education.
Moran Granvitz
Moran Granvitz will be teaching 8th Grade Hebrew. Moran is a native Hebrew speaker with a passion for working with youth and forming deep connections with children and families. She previously worked in the fields of architecture and interior design, and she is excited to share her knowledge of Hebrew and her culture, as well.
Katy Hastings
Katy Hastings is our new Director of Lower School. Katy recently completed a six-year tenure at Elizabeth Academy here in Salt Lake City, where she rose from Elementary Teacher to Inclusion Coordinator, and then from Behavior Specialist to Co-Director of the Primary Division. Prior to her time at Elizabeth Academy, Katy taught at Alexander Dawson School in Las Vegas, an NWAIS peer school, and earlier at Wujiang Taihu International School in China.
Katy holds a Bachelor’s degree in History from San Diego State University and a Master’s degree in Special Education from the University of Nevada Las Vegas. Katy has also been studying Behavior Analysis for the past two years at the University of Utah and will soon be taking the certification exam to become a Board Certified Behavior Analyst.
Belle Hopkins
Belle Hopkins joins our 3rd Grade team as a Teaching Assistant. Belle has been a familiar presence in our community for many years, working in our AfterSchool and Summer programs and serving as a regular substitute teacher. Last year, she took on two long-term substitute assignments, and she is excited to take on this new full-time role.
Suzanne Jeschke
Suzanne Jeschke will be our new Administrative Assistant working in the Front Office. Suzanne has a Master of Fine Arts degree in Writing and brings extensive management and administrative experience from working at a variety of organizations. She is the proud parent of two Magpie alumni—Ruby ‘19 and Sophia ‘20.
Cassi Lanie
Cassi Lanie is our new Director of Admissions. Cassi has embodied our values and contributed to the School for a total of 19 years. She began her formal teaching at McGillis as a P.E. teacher, and then spent time in elementary teaching roles out of state and at other schools in Utah. She returned to McGillis in 2008 and has taught 2nd, 3rd, and 5th grades during the past 17 years.
Cassi is an inspiring educator and a wonderful storyteller. She pursued the role of Director of Admissions due to her passion for independent school education and the opportunity to connect with prospective families and maintain connections with current and alumni families. Cassi has a deep history here that lends itself to sharing the strengths and uniqueness of a McGillis experience. She is personable, curious, and skilled at making people feel seen and welcome. Cassi is able to speak about McGillis from the perspective of a teacher, parent, and community member, making families feel supported and excited about their place in our McGillis kehilah.
Carleigh Kerr
Carleigh Kerr joined McGillis in 2022 as a Kindergarten Teacher, and this year will shift to a full-time Reading Intervention Teacher. Carleigh has a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from Utah State University with an emphasis in reading, as well as an ESL Endorsement from Southern Utah University. She is looking forward to the opportunity to continue working with children she has taught in the past three years, and to get to know new Magpies in her intimate Reading Intervention groups.
Eric Penn
Eric Penn has been a fixture at McGillis for over seven years, previously guiding kids in our AfterSchool and Summer programs, then as a full-time Teaching Assistant in 3rd Grade in 2024/2025. This year, he will support all of our students and teachers as our Technology Integration and Support Specialist. Among his responsibilities, he’ll be our go-to for Chromebook needs and classroom tech.
Tim Pettus
Tim Pettus joins our faculty as a full-time Physical Education Teacher. Coach Pettus has a Master’s degree in Teaching in Physical Education and has extensive teaching and coaching experience. He taught at Waterford School for 12 years before moving abroad and teaching internationally for the last seven years. He and his family are excited to return to Utah.
Rachel Slivnick
Rachel Slivnick will be teaching Kindergarten. She has a Master’s degree in Education and has taught K-8th grades in a variety of different settings, primarily public schools. Rachel most recently taught Kindergarten at Wasatch Elementary, and she loves teaching our youngest learners.
Jennifer Staniforth
Jennifer Staniforth joins our faculty as a part-time Physical Education Teacher. Coach Jennifer taught P.E. to K-6th graders at Bonneville Elementary School for 20 years and coached Girls on The Run for 8 years. She is deeply committed to nurturing students’ love of movement and promoting lifelong health through physical activity.
Mei Vetter
Mei Vetter joins our 5th Grade team as a Teaching Assistant. Mei has a Bachelor’s degree in Human Development and Family Studies and received her teaching license this summer. She knows our community well, having worked in our AfterSchool and Summer programs and regularly subbing for many different teachers last year.