San Tan Charter School Guidance Counselor
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 20, 2020
Contact: Kristofer Sippel
CEO/Superintendent of Schools
San Tan Charter School Inc.
480-222-0811
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San Tan Charter School’s Guidance Counselor Has Been with the School Since the Very Beginning
Brooke Taylor Began Her Career with San Tan Charter School in 2007 as the After-Care Teacher
GILBERT, Arizona—In 2007, when Brooke Taylor was 16 years old and looking for work, she reached out to family friends Kristofer and Rita Sippel, the founders of San Tan Charter School in Gilbert.
The Sippel’s hired Taylor to be an after-care teacher at the school’s original location at Mission Church off of Elliot Road. When the school moved to the location on Higley and Ray Roads, Taylor stayed on with the after-care program and was also hired as a classroom assistant for the preschool, kindergarten and first grade classrooms.
Fast forward 13 years, and Taylor’s career with San Tan Charter School is still going strong.
Granted, there was a short break along the way; after working for the school for four years, Taylor transferred to the University of Oregon in the fall of 2011 from a local community college. Two years later, after earning her Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology, Taylor knew she wanted to return to Gilbert and continue to work at San Tan Charter School.
“When I returned from Oregon in 2013, I underwent training for the Motor Cognition²® program which is a program created by Beljan Psychological Services and is designed for children who struggle with inattention, impulsivity, planning and organization, as well as fine and gross motor skills,” Taylor said, adding that she was the program lead and facilitator from 2013 to the summer of 2018, just before San Tan Charter School moved into its current Power Campus building.
“Overlapping with that time frame, I was also the Art Department lead and teacher from 2015 to summer of 2018. I also started my counseling role, part-time, during the same time frame.”
Since fall of 2018, Taylor has been a full-time guidance counselor at San Tan Charter School’s Power campus.
Interestingly, while Taylor definitely loves her job and is thrilled to have been at San Tan for so long, she admits she never saw herself getting into education or working as a school counselor.
“I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to explore this career path because it truly is one of kind and is very rewarding and humbling,” she said.
Through her work as a guidance counselor, Taylor is available for the 380-plus students who attend the Power campus. In addition, Taylor started the school’s swim program and has been the director and head coach since 2017.
Whether she is counseling a student or cheering on the members of the swim team, Taylor said the students at San Tan Charter School are truly the highlight of each and every day.
“I love building relationships with them and helping them along their journey to becoming a successful person,” she said.
“Whether it’s helping them plan their future, just chatting with them about their upcoming game, or helping them through a tough situation, I enjoy spending time with them.”
As Rita Sippel, San Tan’s Chief Customer Officer and Assistant Superintendent noted, Taylor’s dedication and devotion to the students make a tangible difference in the overall atmosphere of the school.
“Brooke exudes a love and pride for the students and families that is priceless and contagious,” Sippel said.
“She is an old soul with a young spirit; this allows her to understand and be compassionate with many different people and viewpoints while staying diplomatic. Inspiring and encouraging others is truly her legacy and is also a founding goal of San Tan so we are grateful for her living legacy and the positive impact she makes on our school community.
***ADDITIONAL PHOTOS AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST***For more information about Guidance Counselor Brooke Taylor and her work at San Tan Charter School and/or to interview her or other staff members about her work, please contact Kris Sippel at 480-222-0811.
About San Tan Charter School:
San Tan Charter School is a Kinder-12th grade public non-profit tuition free charter school with two campuses in the East Valley within minutes of each other. The Power campus is a Junior High/High School serving students in grades 7-12 and the Recker campus is an elementary school serving students K-6 including a private Montessori preschool infant, toddler, and PreK. The school uses a Love and Logic® approach to classroom management that is focused on building relationships and communicating with respect. The school focuses on “Education with a Purpose,” which means the teachers encourage their students’ love of learning, which enables them to face challenges and develop critical thinking skills. San Tan Charter School also offers a championship athletics experience, individualized learning plans, and college and career ready programs. The school is focused on maximizing each student’s intellectual development with Gifted & Montessori classrooms, Honors/AP classes, Concurrent/Dual Enrollment classes and robust elective choices including career and technical education (CTE). For more information, please visit https://santancharterschool.com/
