Middle School
From the first day of sixth grade all the way through eighth, Clariden Middle School students are immersed in an environment that fosters creativity, real-life problem solving, and technological skills that will serve them throughout their lives.
From Physical Science to Earth and Life Sciences, students engage in hands-on learning through exciting labs and projects. Students don’t learn through reading and memorization; they dive in and learn through challenging and hands-on enjoyable experiences. This philosophy holds true throughout all core subjects, whether it be Math, English, or Social Studies: our Middle Schoolers learn through tactile experiences and exploration.
Students tackle modern problems through their STEAM projects and have an extensive selection of electives that expose them to a wide array of subjects including robotics, photography, dance, rocketry, and more. Clariden students come out of Middle School ready and able to meet any challenge that awaits them in Upper School and beyond.
Fairbanks, Eileen
Middle and Upper School Lead Educator
Eileen Fairbanks is a graduate of Houghton College, Houghton, New York with a BA in Mathematics and Minors in Business and History. She has been teaching for 35 years including 7 years at The Clariden School. She loves mathematics and strives to instill that passion for mathematics in the students. Pickleball is a new passion.
Thrash, Heather
Director of Teaching and Learning
Heather Thrash graduated from Stephen F. Austin State University with a Bachelor's and Master's degree in Early Childhood Education. She has worked in a wide range of capacities within several schools over the past 20+ years, from teaching Kindergarten, first grade, and third grade, to University Early Childhood courses and conducting professional development workshops for teachers. This will be Heather's third year at Clariden. In her spare time she loves to spend time with her husband and 3 children, travel, and read.
Barnes, Brittany
Brittany Barnes is proud to be a Clariden Cougar since 2023! She received a Bachelor’s Degree in Education from Texas Woman’s University. This will be her eighth year as an educator, and she will continue to serve in Clariden’s middle school program. She and her husband and have two beautiful children of their own who are 9 months old and 2 years old. In her free time, she enjoys accompanying her children to activities such as swimming and gymnastics and being outdoors.
George, Charmaine
Middle School and Upper School Educator
Charmaine Denison-George is a U.S.-based, Sierra Leonean-born English Language and Creative Writing educator. She holds a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing degree from Texas State University. In her free time, Charmaine enjoys writing short stories and poems, cooking, and hosting dinner parties.
Griffin, Alexander
Alex Griffin graduated in 2017 from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a B.A. in Classical Archaeology and Minors in History and German. He also holds Master’s Degrees in Archaeology (2019) and Teaching (2022), from the University of Cincinnati and UNC respectively. His time as an archaeologist allowed him to work on a number of incredible excavations across the Aegean, and provided him with a global perspective on social studies education. Prior to joining Clariden in 2022, he completed his student teaching at Hillside High School in Durham, North Carolina. Today, Alex teaches a wide range of courses in the humanities and is the head coach of the Clariden basketball team.
Lewandowski, Cory
Cory Lewandowski is excited to join The Clariden School as our newest Middle and Upper School math and science teacher. Since 2014, he has taught in various settings around the world, which includes spending five wonderful years living in Taiwan. He holds a Bachelors in Biology, a minor in Chemistry, an AMI certificate for teaching Montessori to Upper Elementary students and a CELTA to teach abroad. Outside of the classroom, he is passionate about running and competing in marathons, ultramarathons, and triathlons. He enjoys playing and teaching chess and soccer and is the proud parent of a 2-year-old daughter. He looks forward to bringing his enthusiasm and experience to the Clariden community.
Simmons, Marcus
Marcus holds a BA in Physics Education from Western Governors University and has completed engineering coursework at The University of Texas at Arlington. He has been teaching at Clariden since 2017, instructing both Middle and Upper School students in physics, math, engineering, robotics, and manufacturing. Marcus brings a diverse professional background in automation, manufacturing, and engineering design, with experience across industries such as aerospace, automotive, energy, agriculture, and amusement parks. Additionally, he serves as the Technical Director of the Drama Club and the assistant basketball coach.
Westerfield, Rissa
Rissa Westerfield has been a Clariden educator for 8 years. She brings a love of science to students, especially dinosaurs and crocodiles! She received her Master of Science degree from Texas Tech University and is also a member of the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology. Her educational background and experience have given her the opportunity to partner with Crocodile Encounter to bring either a crocodile or alligator into the classroom each year. In addition to being an educator, Rissa has contributed to research in paleontology in museums such as the Perot Museum (formerly the Dallas Museum of Natural History), Dallas Historical Society, Shuler Museum of Paleontology (SMU), and the Smithsonian Institute. In her free time she loves spending time with her family, playing games, sewing, and traveling.