Our Faculty and Staff

I have been a classroom teacher for 16 years and have been with Burris since 2008. My education research interests include secondary education curriculum and instruction with emphasis in project-based learning and student-centered activities; stakeholder and community involvement in schools; professional development as adult learning; student ambassadors and school discipline.

Within my first week at Burris I realized I needed to be in an educational environment for the rest of my life. I am currently a sophomore at Ball State working on my undergrad in elementary education. It took a long time to get here but it’s worth it. I cannot wait to have my own classroom and only dream of being half as amazing and dedicated to my students as our teachers at Burris.

Dr. Marra holds a Doctorate of Education from Ball State University, a Masters of Science degree in Education from Indiana University and a Bachelor of Science from Buffalo State College. He has over 30 years of experience advocating for children services.

My goal as the Burris Library Coordinator is to provide a friendly, encouraging, and informative library experience for our students, plus striving to provide updated materials that support our teacher’s curriculum. I have been with Burris nearly 24 years. I am the school Notary and an Indiana Certified Librarian. I am a member of the Indiana State Literacy Association, American Library Association and National Notary Association. I feel very honored to work with one of the best schools in Indiana!

I have taught high school social studies for 15 years.  Since 2005, I have taught Economics, U.S. Government, and U.S. History at Burris.  I enjoy giving students hands-on experiences through field trips.

I started in health care in 1996 and became a nurse in 2002.  I have worked at IUBMH in critical care, progressive care unit, medical/stroke unit, outpatient dialysis, served on the hazmat team and worked pediatric triage for a pediatric office.  I have been a Burris parent since 2000 and started on staff in the health clinic in 2013.

This is my second year at Burris as well as my second year of teaching overall. I enjoy finding new ways to incorporate technology in the classroom and to present old concepts to students in new ways. I love the educational environment here at Burris. It is a privilege to work with such great teachers and administration: it makes my job much easier!

I have been an educator for 20 years, teaching at primary, upper elementary, and university levels. The majority of my career has been spent in elementary grades 1 and 2 teaching high ability and general education students at several schools in Muncie.

I am an alumna of Burris Laboratory School and it is such a gift to come back and serve the current students here. I have a passion for helping all students find their talents and strengths. My role is to support students academically, social-emotionally, and to encourage them to think about and prepare for their futures. I love helping students achieve their goals and beyond!

This is my 6th year teaching at Burris. I enjoy working with students through Math Bowl, Japanese Exchange Program, Camp Crosley, and on a daily basis in fourth grade. I am proud to be Burris Owl and I am looking forward to many more years teaching at such an awesome school!

I am a graduate of Indiana State University with B.A. in Music Education. I have been an educator for 18 years and have taught Choral, Band, Orchestra and Elementary classes in my tenure. I enjoy playing piano professionally in different bands in Central Indiana and am grateful for my daughter Viola. I believe that embracing music will create a lifelong joy and discipline in all facets of life.

I have taught 5th grade for seventeen years. In my classroom, students “own their own learning” by engaging in hands-on experiences as often as possible.

I have been teaching math at Burris for almost 5 years now, and there is no place that I would rather be. I love working with an amazing group of colleagues to provide our students with an exceptional learning experience. I enjoy creating a positive classroom environment and helping students build their confidence with mathematics.

As a former research scientist, my approach to teaching science is to integrate the lab experience in every situation possible. I believe that students learn through hands-on experiences and become more engaged when given the opportunity to do science. My goal is to have students leave my classroom as capable science learners possessing critical lab skills needed at the next level.

Since joining the Burris Faculty in 2014 as a member of the Mathematics Department, I have loved being in an environment where students and faculty support and encourage each other through both struggles and successes! Some of my most rewarding experiences in teaching have been watching students push through their mental block when it comes to understanding mathematical concepts. It is a privilege to be a part of the moment when a student realizes they can put into practice the skills we have learned together to solve what used to be an unsolvable problem, building confidence in their own abilities.

I have been an educator for over 20 years. My experience includes teaching Special Education, Reading Recovery, grades 1-4, technology literacy specialist and math coach.

I have worked with students in a variety of capacities for the past 30 years of my life, and I can’t imagine anything else I’d rather do for work. Being an advocate for and learning in collaboration with LGBT+ and BIPOC students is the most exciting part of my profession. When I am not teaching and learning at school, I am usually outside trail running, cooking delicious vegan food, playing with my dog, or reading nonfiction texts about random subjects. Being back at Burris is an unexpected, yet very fortunate turn of events in my life.

I have been teaching elementary for many years. I feel all students can learn and excel when given challenges and high expectations.

I have been teaching visual arts for 18 years. I am honored to teach students from grades K-12 visual communication and to work closely with the David Owsley Museum of Art.

I have a variety of teaching experiences from rural to urban, from small town advanced placement to city alternative schools. One thing all students have in common is the desire to be cared for. This premise is always in the forefront of my mind.