Beverly Rase founder, Chairman of the Board of Directors, Director and donor of Kirby Hall School, is the wife of U.T. Professor of Chemical Engineering , Dr. Howard F. Rase, and the mother of two Kirby Hall graduates. Victoria is a cum laude graduate of Wellesley College, received an M.D. with honors from U.T. Medical School in Houston and is a pediatrician in Dallas. She is the mother of two daughters who attend Hockaday School in Dallas. Howard entered U.T. with a National Merit Scholarship and two U.T. Merit Scholarships, graduated with Highest Honors, and is presently living in California, working with Alpha Therapeutic Drug Company. A native of Fort Worth, Mrs. Rase graduated from Dana Hall Preparatory School and Wellesley College. She taught at the Fort Worth Children's Museum, edited the West Side Post, and organized the Fort Worth Wellesley Club. She served four terms as president of the Austin Wellesley Club and was founding co-chairman of the Wellesley Children's Art Show. Mrs. Rase served as the Wellesley Fund Director for the Texas-Louisiana District and organized the Eastern College Parents Committee. She helped organize the Laguna Gloria Women's Art Guild and the first Laguna Gloria Fiesta. She also served as the first vice-president of Laguna Gloria Art Museum, Inc. and president of the Texas Fine Arts Association. Mrs. Rase was the leader of a Camp Fire group and was Program Director of Austin Area Camp Fire. She founded the Elizabet Ney Museum Guild and was its first president. Her community work has included serving on the Good Shepherd Altar Guild and, in 1970, a term as the president of Casis School PTA. In 1971, she began work on the formation of a private school for college-bound students. Since Kirby Hall School's opening in 1976, she has served as Director and Chairman of the Board, working without salary until 1985 and donating summers until 1996. She served as Secretary-Treasurer on the board of the Accreditation Commission: Texas Alliance of Accredited Private Schools and is listed in Who's Who in the South and Southwest and other biographical volumes.

Helen Roberts, Kirby Hall School's Administrative Assistant, was born and raised in New York City. She joined the Internal Revenue Service in the Treasury Department in 1967 and enjoyed a 19-year career. Helen and her husband left New York in 1984 and moved to New Hampshire. Helen transferred to the Boston District Office of the Internal Revenue Service where she worked as a Security Analyst and Assistant Chief of the Publishing Services Section until the birth of her daughter Sasha in 1986. Helen and her family relocated to Austin Texas in 1986 where Helen was a stay-at-home mom. When Sasha turned 5 years old, she entered Kindergarten at Kirby Hall School. Helen then began to take on many volunteer tasks at the school. Besides acting as homeroom parent and party planner, she has acted as Chairperson of the Silent Auction, Sally Foster Gift-Wrap, Magazine Drive, Christmas Bazaar, and many other fundraisers over the years. She gave birth to her second daughter Emily in 1992. In 1998, when Emily entered Kindergarten, Helen was offered the position of Administrative Assistant at Kirby Hall. She gladly accepted this position, and has successfully made the transition from mother of two to the adopted mother of  approximately 200 students. Sasha graduated from Kirby Hall in 2004 and was valedictorian of her class.  She joined the Long Horns at the University of Texas at Austin, and earned sophomore  standing in mid-year of her first year at     U. T.  and is now a Senior. Sasha holds the distinction of being the first Kirby Hall student to go all the way from Kindergarten through the 12 grade. Emily entered the 10th grade in August 2008.

I look forward to joining the Kirby Hall community and sharing my love of literature with a whole new group of students. I cannot remember a time when I did not read and write. After earning my BA in English from the University of Dallas I knew for certain that literature had to be more than a hobby for me. Teaching not only allows me to share what I know, but also to help young people develop, examine, and express their own ideas. I cannot imagine myself in any other profession. I spend my summers in Vermont, escaping the Texas heat and working on my MA in English from Middlebury College. When I am not teaching or studying, I enjoy gardening, hiking, canoeing, or sharing a good meal with friends.

Heather Bonikowski teaches Spanish  to Primer through 4^th  grade.  She has been teaching Spanish, English, French, and Italian since 1998, as an instructor with the University of Texas, the Austin Independent School District, and most recently, Austin Community College. She holds a B.A. in English and one in French, with an M.A. in Linguistics.

Heather fell in love with the wonderful students and families at Kirby Hall while substitute teaching here in 2005. She joined the faculty in 2006.

“Mrs. B” and her husband are animal lovers who are active in several animal rescue and placement programs. The Bonikowski humans and canines are always welcoming foster animals in need to share their little home. In her free time, Heather enjoys reading, camping, and playing games of all kinds.

After two years staying home with my two young daughters, I am eager and honored to join the Kirby Hall faculty as the pre-kindergarten teacher. I moved to the Austin area almost two years ago from Maryland, where I taught Kindergarten for four years. I graduated from Syracuse University with a journalism degree and an early childhood education minor. After working in the journalism field, I realized I truly missed teaching young children and pursued my career in education. I have a MD teacher certification for pk-3 and 1-8, and am in the process of obtaining my Texas certificate. Since moving to Austin, I have enjoyed spending time exploring the area with my family, organizing a local mother’s group, and meeting new friends.

Tiffany Campbell

Tiffany Campbell teaches Art to Primer through High School. She has made Austin her home since graduating from the University of Texas at Austin with a B.A. in Art History. Tiffany also studied in Florence, Italy, with the University of Syracuse and was subsequently awarded a scholarship to study Italian Art at the University of Siena. She has traveled world-wide observing works of art first hand and worked both at the Peggy Guggenheim Collection in Venice, Italy and at the Kimball Art Museum in Fort Worth, where she helped design the education programs.
Prior to studying art, Tiffany was for many years an established professional ballet dancer with the American Ballet Theater in New York City under Baryshnikov and at the Fort Worth Dallas Ballet.

Cari Collett has taught  3rd grade since 2005 and is is thrilled to be returning to Kirby Hall for her fourth year teaching Kindergarten.  Cari grew up in Victoria, Texas and attended school at the University of Texas where she graduated from the College of Education with a Bachelor of Science in Applied Learning and Development.

She cites her love for children and dedication towards enriching their lives as her motivation towards teaching. Cari enjoys spending time cooking, walking her dogs, reading, and being around family and friends.  Cari loves being a part of the Kirby Hall family.

Born in Austin, Jared Dailey spent his childhood near the Texas coast in the small town of Winnie near Beaumont.  He attended the University of Texas and received a B.A. in Mathematics in 2003.  After graduating, Jared spent three years working (and living) at the Austin Zoo, where he performed various duties, including zookeeper and Education Coordinator.  He left the zoo to pursue a teaching career, beginning as a substitute teacher at various local private schools.  As a result, he was introduced to and fell in love with all aspects of Kirby Hall School, and was fortunate enough to be chosen as one of our second grade teachers.  He is extremely excited about  teaching such an exciting age, and is eager to start another year with a bang.

Some hobbies of his include traveling, softball (every Thursday evening), and spending time outdoors (unless it’s TOO hot!).

Kathy Darr

Kathy Darr is Kirby Hall's Middle School science teacher and has always liked science. She is a native of El Paso and takes great delight in leading kids in their own discoveries about the wonderful world of science. She earned a B.A. in Psychology with a specialization in neurophysiology in 1980 and went on to get an M.A. in Radio, Television and Film. She moved to Austin six years ago from Dallas where she was lower school science coordinator at the prestigious Hockaday School. Kathy has three children, Zack who is an English Major at the University of Texas, Katy an Art Major who will be transferring to California College of the Arts, and Chloe a Neuroscience Major at Boston University and a husband, Ned, who teaches Latin at St. Mary's Hall, two cats named Thor and Suzy and a Jack Russell named Max. She loves to read, watch movies, and talk to people. Currently she is co-writing a book of fiction and hoping to sell screen rights soon.

Julio de la Llata

Julio de la Llata teaches Spanish, and served as Faculty Administrator at Kirby Hall for six years, where he has worked since 1984. He attended Universidad de las Américas in Puebla Mexico, where he received his B.A. in Spanish Language and Literature. At U.T. he earned an M.A. in Spanish Language and Literature, and has pursued further post-graduate studies at U.T. and Southwest Texas State University. At Kirby Hall and Austin Community College he teaches all levels of Spanish. He received the Excellence in Teaching Award from A.C.C. in 1997. He has also taught Spanish for Business Professionals at U.T.'s Thompson Conference Center. Mr. de la Llata is married and is the father of two sons and a daughter.   He has been honored at Kirby Hall after his 20th  year of service to the school and its students.  He is now entering his 24th year with Kirby Hall.

Michelle Escuder holds a B.A. in Theater from Florida State University, where was active in both the University’s theater and opera programs. While at FSU she was cast in her first operatic role at the collegiate level as a first semester freshman. She was subsequently   cast in an opera each year until her graduation. Michelle was the 1999 winner of the Florida Suncoast Opera Guild and also acted in many additional plays and musicals, winning honors and scholarships for acting as well as for voice. She has been a private theater instructor and speech coach in Florida as well as in Austin. Ms. Escuder is excited to be a part of the  Kirby Hall School this upcoming year where she  will teach drama and music.

Barbara Horan
Barbara Horan teaches math to grades five through eight at Kirby Hall where she has been a distinguished member of the faculty since 1989. Formerly, she taught GED classes, English as a Second Language, and Competency-Based High School Diploma classes at Odessa Junior College. Mrs. Horan earned a B.S. degree in math and science with high honors from The University of Texas. She also completed her Master of Education degree from Texas A&M University. Mrs. Horan has three children and two grandchildren, Abigail and Corbin, and a third, Daniel,  who will be born August 2008.  

Kirby Mason is joining the Kirby Hall School staff and will be teaching high school and elementary math. Before coming to Kirby Hall, he taught high school math in public schools for 3 years and is fully certified. He earned a B.A. in Linguistics at the University of Oklahoma and a minor equivalent in mathematics at the University of Texas.

During his years of teaching high school math in the public school system, Kirby planned and taught AP Calculus, Pre-calculus, Algebra II and Geometry, and prepared students for the AP Calculus exam for university credit. Under his tutelage a significant improvement was experienced in student standardized test scores. Kirby was also instrumental in setting up a math department mastery program responsible for raising math performance standards dramatically.

Kirby also has taught English overseas in China, Russia, South Korea, Taiwan and Indonesia for 8 years. In his free time, Kirby enjoys being with his children, and especially going swimming. He has two daughters and one son. His hobbies include oil painting and reading about history and geography.

Kirby’s love is math and he is looking forward to sharing this love  with Kirby Hall students.

Joe Rumrich

Joe Rumrich teaches history to Grades five through eight. Born in Niagara Falls, New York, he earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Purdue University in Restaurant and Hotel Management. He then spent ten years in management positions with Ponderosa Steakhouse and the Marriott Corporation. He moved to Austin in 1988 and received his teaching certificate from the University of Texas. Joe has taught at Kirby Hall since 1993. He enjoys playing softball every Monday and Wednesday night in the Austin City league.

This Kelly Smith's first year to teach at Kirby Hall School, and she is looking forward to getting to know the students and families of Third Grade! Kelly earned a B.A. in Psychology, with a minor in Sociology, from Texas State University. Additionally, she is a certified teacher in Early Childhood through the 4th Grade, as well as ESL Certified (English-as-a-second-language). She and her husband, Cary, have an 8-year-old daughter [Makenzie], a 7-year-old son [Parks], a dog, a cat and a hamster. Kelly loves spending time with family and friends, reading, traveling, shopping, and outdoor activities. She truly feels blessed to be a part of the KHS family!

I have been teaching in the science fields for almost 25 years. The past seven years were in public high school. I hold a Master of Science in Biology from the University of Texas and a Bachelor of Science in Zoology from Michigan State University. I was doing hands on inquiry science since before it became a buzzword. As a matter of fact, while working for the Austin Nature Center, I did several programs for Kirby Hall. I was very impressed by the students and look forward to being part of such a wonderful school.

I have a love for photography and will be seen around the school taking pictures for various news articles about the many different events at Kirby Hall.

Kelly loves being Kirby Hall's Librarian. Kelly grew up in Dallas and received a B.A. in Children's Literature and Child Development from Hampshire College in Amherst, Massachusetts. Since moving to Austin in 2002 she has enjoyed being a writer, editor, nonprofit consultant, and most of all a teacher at Kirby Hall. Kelly's husband Henry works for the University of Texas library while getting his library degree at UT's School of Information. Kelly and Henry have two cats, Wyeth and Audrey, who are not librarians but do enjoy sitting on books.

Shawn Toler is very excited to be returning to Kirby Hall School this year. A native Chicago girl and die hard Bears fan, Shawn spent many years in the mid-west, but was very excited to re-locate to Austin over 10 years ago. Shawn has attended Joliet Jr. College, Purdue University, National Lewis University, North Central College, and Motorola University. She holds numerous achievements: degrees, certifications, and awards: an AA in liberal arts, a B.S. in Child Development and Family Services, and advanced study degrees in Business, Psychology, and Paralegal Sciences.  She has served on numerous boards, co-authored and assisted on several research publications, articles, and materials, pioneered several child advocacy projects, and is a longtime member of the NAEYC. Most notably Shawn has worked to establish educational programs Pre-K-5 for the U.S. Department of Energy (Fermi-lab) and The Girls School of Austin (K-8), studied under Dr. T Berry Brazelton-leading the implementation of Harvard University's Touchpoints' Project within Bright Horizon's Schools (Boston), and worked with Motorola's World Wide Child Initiatives.  In short, Mrs. Toler is an avid educationalist!  Shawn has demonstrated an intense interest in varying educational areas, from preschool to high school Mrs. Toler has selected and formulated curriculum, trained and mentored teachers, and served on a variety of school boards to advocate for success in education.  Mrs. Toler recently received the prestigious honor of publication in the Cambridge 2008 "Who is Who" in American Education. She is a licensed Director of programming in Texas and Il. Shawn first discovered Kirby Hall as a parent, enrolling her daughter Chelsea (now entering her Sophmore year at KHS) as an enthusiastic kindergartner.  She has been involved with Kirby Hall from that day on (over 8 years ago).  Prior to working for KHS she worked as the Principal of Westlake Bible Church's School.  Mrs. Toler is thrilled to apply her knowledge, skills, and love for education with the 4^th graders of KHS.

Jenifer Wiese

This is Jenifer Wiese's Sixth year at Kirby Hall.  Jenifer graduated from the University of Texas at Arlington.  She has taught at both private and public schools to children of all ages.  Jenifer and her husband Robert are busy with three children - Hannah -7, Alec -5, and Joe - almost 2.  In her spare time, Jenifer enjoys reading, cooking, and scrapbooking.  Jenifer loves her Kirby Hall kids and thinks second grade is the best grade in the whole world.