MEET OUR WONDERFUL EDUCATORS
Alexander McCormac
Global Education Director
Alex is an award winning Senior Teaching Fellow at University College London (UCL), one of the world’s foremost institutions of learning. With a background in Earth Sciences and Minerals Engineering, his primary responsibility is for the development and delivery of teaching for the MSc in Global Management of Natural Resources; a specialist, multi-departmental intercontinental integrated postgraduate program, which considers socioeconomic and environmental factors in the development, responsible operation and stewardship of non-renewable resources and sources of energy worldwide. In addition, Alex conducts research into process and resource optimization, is responsible for a number of postgraduate research students and undertakes outreach and community engagement in STEM.
Dr. Darren Benson
Principal
Blaine Middle School
Dane Ulrich
Blaine Middle School
My teaching philosophy has two parts. The first is that every student can learn science. Science education has put too much emphasis on learning and memorizing facts instead of focusing on scientific thinking and scientific literacy. The second part of my philosophy is that for there to be any real change, we need a society full of scientifically literate people.
Jessica Wilkinson
Jessica graduated from Western Washington University with a BA in Education and an
additional endorsement in Reading. Jessica has been teaching in the Nooksack Valley
School District since 2011. She has taught 4 th , 5 th , 1 st , and currently 2 nd grade. She has
taught at both Nooksack and Sumas Elementary. While teaching she earned her Teacher
Leadership Certificate from the University of Washington and has been a teacher leader in
her school district since 2013. She enjoys mentoring new teachers, helping students reach
their potential as life long learners, and instilling a preserving attitude that will carry students
beyond the walls of the classroom.
Jessica’s passion for teaching through experiences has deepened over the years, knowing
how many students lack accessibility to enriching experiences. She enjoys creating a
community of learners in her classroom that build their experiences together and think
about how they can better themselves and the world. She believes that all students can
thrive and is committed to the learning of all.
Outside of education Jessica enjoys spending time with her family, cooking, playing tennis,
and visiting Seattle where she grew up.