“Garbology,” the term coined to describe Rathje’s research, is now in the Oxford English Dictionary and the Encyclopædia Britannica. Rathje has published widely in academic journals and in such popular media as National Geographic, The Atlantic Monthly, and Smithsonian. In 1991 Dr. Rathje won the prestigious AAAS/Westinghouse Award for Public Understanding of Science and Technology and in 1992 the AAA Solon T. Kimball Award for Public and Applied Anthropology. Rubbish! the Archaeology of Garbage (co-authored with Cullen Murphy) was a national bestseller and has just been republished by the University of Arizona Press. Dr. Rathje is host of the computer-interactive video “Our Garbage Dilemma,” which is a permanent exhibit in the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History.

Dr. Rathje’s latest book, USE LESS STUFF!: Environmental Solutions for Who We Really Are, is co-authored by Robert M. Lilienfeld and published by Fawcett.
 

Lisa Floyd-Jefferson  assumes the shared responsibility of designing a systemic approach to the teaching and learning of Mathematics at Metro High School. She will be the instructional leader responsible for the research and development of a standards-based curriculum and one of the classroom instructors responsible for the implementation of the curriculum.  Ms. Floyd-Jefferson became a computer systems programmer / analyst after receiving her B.S. in Mathematical Sciences from The Ohio State University.  She taught Mathematics for fourteen years as a part-time Proficiency Intervention Specialist for Hamilton Township High School. She became the full-time Math teacher for the school's severe-behavior handicap unit.  Mrs. Jefferson studied the teaching and differentiation methods of Maria Montessori.  She completed a yearlong practicum experience as a Montessori teacher at the Columbus Montessori Education Center. While at CMEC,  she coordinated special events and led fund raising efforts.  She has been awarded grants for special events, summer programs, parent education and after-school technology training.  As a Mathematics teacher at the Leadership Institute of Brookhaven High School, she was part of a grant-writing team that received KnowledgeWorks funds for the Ohio High School Transformation Initiative.  She assisted Columbus Public Schools design an effective small school program.  In 2006, the Leadership Institute’s tenth graders passed the OGT with at least 60% receiving advanced and accelerated scores in Mathematics. She has appeared before the Ohio Senate’s Committee on Education fighting for a mandatory college-prep curriculum for all students. She will receive her Masters in Educational Administration from Ashland University this year.
 

Ellen Hogue serves as the Spanish teacher.  Miss Hogue has fifteen years education experience in both urban and rural settings.  She has taught Spanish grades K through 12.  Following one year as an exchange student in Costa Rica, Ellen earned her Bachelor of Arts at The Ohio State University in Communications and Education Certification from Baldwin-Wallace College in Berea, Ohio.  She has completed course work in Spanish at Cleveland State University, Akron University and La Universidad Internacional Menendez Pelayo in Santander, Spain.  Additionally, she has served as a guest teacher in Cartago, Costa Rica.  Miss Hogue has worked as a liaison and coordinator for intranational and international exchange programs for nine years.  She is currently pursuing a master’s degree in Curriculum and Supervision at Otterbein College. Her work and philosophy reflect a desire to create an environment where academic learning is linked to real world issues in today’s global community.  She is very excited to have the opportunity to develop a language curriculum that integrates with and supports the challenging core curriculum at Metro High School. 
 

Jacob Johanssen teaches Math at Metro High School. He is a recent graduate of Ohio Northern University, where he majored in Math and Spanish. Mr. Johanssen is excited to teach in a school that is devoted to success for every student. He looks forward to providing the students opportunities to collaborate and grow as mathematical thinkers. Mr Johanssen hopes that his passion for Fibonacci numbers, prime numbers, and The Golden Ratio add a unique element to the classroom. Over the past few years, Mr. Johanssen has led and participated in several mission trips to impoverished areas in Mexico. In the summer of 2005, he had the opportunity to study in Cuenca, Ecuador, time he regards as an immeasurable learning experience. Mr. Johanssen looks forward to continuing such work, and he plans on working with the Metro High School community to make these opportunities available to Metro students. As an educator, his goal is to provide a first class learning experience to students that emphasizes connections between Mathematics, Science, and culture.