Teachers and
Administration
Students
Parents
Alumni
Gatherings
Administration
Students
Parents
Alumni
Gatherings
Teachers and
Administration
Core teachers
Alina Lipnick,
K-2 Lead Teacher
Josie Warner, K-2 Lead Teacher
Katy Ramig, K-2 Teacher
Merrill Becker, K-2 Assistant Teacher
Jim Riley, 3-5 Lead Teacher
Kyra Canfield, 3-5 Teacher
John Ervin, 3-5 Teacher
Specialty teachers
Claire Heineman, Art
Mary K. McNeill, Vocal Music
Fred West, Marimba (1st–5th grades)
Merrill Becker, Spanish (K–2nd grade)
Felipe Cañete, Spanish (3rd–5th grades)
Christian Swensen, Movement (1st and 2nd grades)
Administration
Jeanne Garland, Operations Manager
Teacher profiles
Alina
Lipnick, K-2 Lead Teacher
Alina is a University Cooperative School alumna and was first at University Co-op as a kindergarten student in 1976. Alina received her elementary education teaching certificate and bachelor of science degree in environmental studies from Western Washington University. She taught at University Co-op from 1995–2001. She then rejoined the staff in 2006 after taking a break to raise her two boys. Alina enjoys kayaking on Puget Sound and backpacking along the Washington Coast.
Josie Warner, K-2 Lead Teacher
Josie has been teaching Kindergarten, 1st, and 2nd grade students for the past 12 years. She is passionate about creating respectful, creative environments which center around children's thoughts, ideas, and questions. Josie received her degree in elementary education from Pacific Oaks College and has also attended two summer literacy intensives at Columbia Teachers College. When she isn't teaching, Josie enjoys spending time with her family hiking and riding bikes. She also enjoys taking quiet time for herself to read, think, and write.
Katy
Ramig, K-2 Teacher
Katy is University Co-op's Kindergarten Teacher and a University Co-op parent. She graduated with a masters in elementary education, specializing in early childhood education, and received a bachelors in Human Development. Katy is an experienced kindergarten teacher and has also been a parent educator for Lake Washington Technical College, and was the director of a preschool for five years. Katy is mother to two sons, both happy University Co-op kids. She makes caring relationships with students her first priority.
Merrill Becker, K–2 Assistant and Spanish Teacher
Merrill grew up in Costa Rica and, in 1975, moved to Seattle where she attended the University of Washington, earning master’s degrees in English literature and librarianship. Merrill has been affiliated with University Co-op since 1989 when her son started attending the school. For her co-op parent job, Merrill taught Spanish for four years and later served on the Advisory Board. Merrill and her husband have two grown children. She loves doing things with her family and especially enjoys playing guitar and singing, canoeing, camping, hiking, and water skiing.
Jim Riley, 3-5 Lead Teacher
Jim has been teaching for twenty years. He started the third through fifth grade program at University Co-op in 2000. Prior to that, Jim taught in the Shoreline school district for ten years and started the multi-age 4th-5th-6th-grade program at Shoreline. Jim worked in advertising and social work before pursuing teaching. He has a degree in communications from Gonzaga and a master’s degree in elementary education from the College of St. Rose in New York. He has two sons who attended University Co-op. During his free time, Jim coaches soccer and enjoys traveling, fishing, birding, and the outdoors with his family.
Kyra Canfield, 3-5
Teacher
Kyra began teaching at University Co-op in 2005, after five years of teaching in California. Kyra has a master’s in teaching and an undergraduate degree in physical anthropology from San Francisco State University. Prior to teaching, she worked as a primate keeper at the San Francisco Zoo. Kyra has two children who attended University Co-op. She enjoys reading, music, and good food.
John Ervin, 3-5 Teacher
Although John attended Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania, he grew up less than two miles from U Coop and is excited to be teaching so close to home. He has taught science through Pacific Science Center, Woodland Park Zoo, Camp Orkila, and the Issaquah Salmon Hatchery; and general subjects in South Korea, Spain, and here in Washington. You can catch him many evenings by Greenlake running, reading, or playing board games.
Specialists
Claire Heineman, Art
Claire has a B.S. in design and commercial photography. She earned a master's degree in art therapy and counseling and worked as an art therapist at public elementary schools and homeless shelters in San Francisco and Seattle. Her favorite part of the job was doing art with elementary-aged kids. Says Claire, “I feel that art should be about how the child feels when creating and not about how others judge the finished product.” Claire enjoys painting and getting messy outside with her two children and also works in black-and-white portrait photography.
Mary K. McNeill, Vocal Music, K-5
Mary K. has been teaching singing at University Co-op since 2004. She is a “song catcher” in the true sense of the word with a special knack for selecting songs that engage children’s hearts, minds and spirits. In addition to directing youth choirs at several Seattle area schools and El Centro de la Raza, Mary K. runs the Children of Peace Choir which performs intergenerational concerts with groups like the Raging Grannies. Mary K. teaches each summer at the Middle East Peace Camp. Her true passion is giving children a voice through music to spread the message of peace.
Fred West, Marimba (1st–5th grades)
Fred began teaching marimba at University Co-op in 2008. He uses a “music literacy” approach to marimba, teaching the kids to hear and know the notes, thus giving them a leg up for learning other musical instruments. Fred serves as music director at Seattle’s Shoreline Unitarian Universalist Church, music director of Seattle Peace Chorus, and is founder, artistic director, and conductor of the City Cantabile Choir. He studied composition with Edwin LaBounty, choral conducting with Robert Scandrett, and instrumental conducting with William Cole at Western Washington University. He has pursued studies in advanced conducting with Weston Noble, Doreen Rao, Rodney Eichenberger, and Robert Shaw.
Felipe Cañete, Spanish (3rd–5th grades)
Felipe is a native Spanish speaker and has been teaching Spanish since 2003. Felipe started teaching Spanish in the 3–5 pod in 2008. He has an extensive background in theatre and is a talented musician, performing regularly in the Seattle area.
Christian Swensen, Movement (1st and 2nd grades)
Chris has been University Co-op’s movement specialist since 1998. He has a B.A. in theater and dance from the University of New Hampshire and has been teaching creative movement and dramatics in Seattle and throughout the country for over 20 years. As a performer, Chris has pioneered a new fusion of vocalizing, dance, drama, mime, body slapping, and song that he calls “human jazz.” Chris’s international appeal has taken him on tour in Europe, Japan, and Nepal. He studied with the late Pakistani master singer Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. He has performed with Seattle Symphony Orchestra, Jim Nollman of Interspecies Communication Inc., the Flying Karamazov Brothers’ “New Old-Time Chautauqua,” and on National Public Radio.
Administration
Jeanne Garland, Operations Manager
Jeanne joined the University Co-op staff in 2007. She has worked in non-profit management for nearly 20 years. Jeanne was the director of the PAWS Wildlife Center. She has also worked as a grant writer, program manager, and has served on several non-profit boards. She has a degree in Communications and Journalism from Michigan State University. In her spare time she enjoys traveling, reading, and spending time on the beach with her family.
Core teachers
Josie Warner, K-2 Lead Teacher
Katy Ramig, K-2 Teacher
Merrill Becker, K-2 Assistant Teacher
Jim Riley, 3-5 Lead Teacher
Kyra Canfield, 3-5 Teacher
John Ervin, 3-5 Teacher
Specialty teachers
Claire Heineman, Art
Mary K. McNeill, Vocal Music
Fred West, Marimba (1st–5th grades)
Merrill Becker, Spanish (K–2nd grade)
Felipe Cañete, Spanish (3rd–5th grades)
Christian Swensen, Movement (1st and 2nd grades)
Administration
Jeanne Garland, Operations Manager
Teacher profiles
Alina
Lipnick, K-2 Lead TeacherAlina is a University Cooperative School alumna and was first at University Co-op as a kindergarten student in 1976. Alina received her elementary education teaching certificate and bachelor of science degree in environmental studies from Western Washington University. She taught at University Co-op from 1995–2001. She then rejoined the staff in 2006 after taking a break to raise her two boys. Alina enjoys kayaking on Puget Sound and backpacking along the Washington Coast.
Josie Warner, K-2 Lead Teacher
Josie has been teaching Kindergarten, 1st, and 2nd grade students for the past 12 years. She is passionate about creating respectful, creative environments which center around children's thoughts, ideas, and questions. Josie received her degree in elementary education from Pacific Oaks College and has also attended two summer literacy intensives at Columbia Teachers College. When she isn't teaching, Josie enjoys spending time with her family hiking and riding bikes. She also enjoys taking quiet time for herself to read, think, and write.
Katy
Ramig, K-2 TeacherKaty is University Co-op's Kindergarten Teacher and a University Co-op parent. She graduated with a masters in elementary education, specializing in early childhood education, and received a bachelors in Human Development. Katy is an experienced kindergarten teacher and has also been a parent educator for Lake Washington Technical College, and was the director of a preschool for five years. Katy is mother to two sons, both happy University Co-op kids. She makes caring relationships with students her first priority.
Merrill Becker, K–2 Assistant and Spanish Teacher
Merrill grew up in Costa Rica and, in 1975, moved to Seattle where she attended the University of Washington, earning master’s degrees in English literature and librarianship. Merrill has been affiliated with University Co-op since 1989 when her son started attending the school. For her co-op parent job, Merrill taught Spanish for four years and later served on the Advisory Board. Merrill and her husband have two grown children. She loves doing things with her family and especially enjoys playing guitar and singing, canoeing, camping, hiking, and water skiing.
Jim Riley, 3-5 Lead Teacher
Jim has been teaching for twenty years. He started the third through fifth grade program at University Co-op in 2000. Prior to that, Jim taught in the Shoreline school district for ten years and started the multi-age 4th-5th-6th-grade program at Shoreline. Jim worked in advertising and social work before pursuing teaching. He has a degree in communications from Gonzaga and a master’s degree in elementary education from the College of St. Rose in New York. He has two sons who attended University Co-op. During his free time, Jim coaches soccer and enjoys traveling, fishing, birding, and the outdoors with his family.
Kyra began teaching at University Co-op in 2005, after five years of teaching in California. Kyra has a master’s in teaching and an undergraduate degree in physical anthropology from San Francisco State University. Prior to teaching, she worked as a primate keeper at the San Francisco Zoo. Kyra has two children who attended University Co-op. She enjoys reading, music, and good food.
John Ervin, 3-5 Teacher
Although John attended Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania, he grew up less than two miles from U Coop and is excited to be teaching so close to home. He has taught science through Pacific Science Center, Woodland Park Zoo, Camp Orkila, and the Issaquah Salmon Hatchery; and general subjects in South Korea, Spain, and here in Washington. You can catch him many evenings by Greenlake running, reading, or playing board games.
Specialists
Claire Heineman, Art
Claire has a B.S. in design and commercial photography. She earned a master's degree in art therapy and counseling and worked as an art therapist at public elementary schools and homeless shelters in San Francisco and Seattle. Her favorite part of the job was doing art with elementary-aged kids. Says Claire, “I feel that art should be about how the child feels when creating and not about how others judge the finished product.” Claire enjoys painting and getting messy outside with her two children and also works in black-and-white portrait photography.
Mary K. McNeill, Vocal Music, K-5
Mary K. has been teaching singing at University Co-op since 2004. She is a “song catcher” in the true sense of the word with a special knack for selecting songs that engage children’s hearts, minds and spirits. In addition to directing youth choirs at several Seattle area schools and El Centro de la Raza, Mary K. runs the Children of Peace Choir which performs intergenerational concerts with groups like the Raging Grannies. Mary K. teaches each summer at the Middle East Peace Camp. Her true passion is giving children a voice through music to spread the message of peace.
Fred West, Marimba (1st–5th grades)
Fred began teaching marimba at University Co-op in 2008. He uses a “music literacy” approach to marimba, teaching the kids to hear and know the notes, thus giving them a leg up for learning other musical instruments. Fred serves as music director at Seattle’s Shoreline Unitarian Universalist Church, music director of Seattle Peace Chorus, and is founder, artistic director, and conductor of the City Cantabile Choir. He studied composition with Edwin LaBounty, choral conducting with Robert Scandrett, and instrumental conducting with William Cole at Western Washington University. He has pursued studies in advanced conducting with Weston Noble, Doreen Rao, Rodney Eichenberger, and Robert Shaw.
Felipe Cañete, Spanish (3rd–5th grades)
Felipe is a native Spanish speaker and has been teaching Spanish since 2003. Felipe started teaching Spanish in the 3–5 pod in 2008. He has an extensive background in theatre and is a talented musician, performing regularly in the Seattle area.
Christian Swensen, Movement (1st and 2nd grades)
Chris has been University Co-op’s movement specialist since 1998. He has a B.A. in theater and dance from the University of New Hampshire and has been teaching creative movement and dramatics in Seattle and throughout the country for over 20 years. As a performer, Chris has pioneered a new fusion of vocalizing, dance, drama, mime, body slapping, and song that he calls “human jazz.” Chris’s international appeal has taken him on tour in Europe, Japan, and Nepal. He studied with the late Pakistani master singer Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. He has performed with Seattle Symphony Orchestra, Jim Nollman of Interspecies Communication Inc., the Flying Karamazov Brothers’ “New Old-Time Chautauqua,” and on National Public Radio.
Administration
Jeanne Garland, Operations Manager
Jeanne joined the University Co-op staff in 2007. She has worked in non-profit management for nearly 20 years. Jeanne was the director of the PAWS Wildlife Center. She has also worked as a grant writer, program manager, and has served on several non-profit boards. She has a degree in Communications and Journalism from Michigan State University. In her spare time she enjoys traveling, reading, and spending time on the beach with her family.