Academics

The Gosselin Center for Teaching and Learning

Kimball Union is a school where students want to grow as learners, as thinkers, and as people, and as such the community embraces this pursuit regardless of where a student is in their educational path. The team at Kimball Union Academy's Gosselin Center for Teaching and Learning is passionate about helping students flourish in our college-preparatory curriculum. Our goal is to help students develop the skills they need so they can become independent learners in college and beyond.

We provide a variety of academic support programs to meet the needs of the rich variety of learners we serve. While some students utilize the Learning Center for specific needs, the entire school benefits from the Center’s work as our philosophy for learning, KUA Design, is infused throughout the Academy’s entire curriculum. The Center also offers professional development opportunities for faculty, knowing that the brain-based, research-supported strategies that work for Learning Center students work for all students.

Our Process

The first step toward unleashing each student’s potential is by getting to know them on an individual level. We are dedicated to understanding all facets of a student’s profile – from academic to social – to identify where support is most needed. Then, learning specialists work closely with families, classroom teachers, and a student’s advisor to ensure we have a 360-degree view of a student’s needs and a plan to chart their progress. Each student’s learning specialist becomes a trusted partner in their academic career. Our overarching goal is to help students identify and develop the skills to become independent and self-sufficient learners. As students gain greater levels of independence, academic support is scaffolded back and may even be eliminated entirely.

Our Team

Our experienced and professionally trained Learning Center staff is here to help you. Each specialist is specifically trained to help students identify what strategies they need to achieve their individual goals, and then help them practice those skills they need to succeed both in and out of the classroom.

The Learning Center faculty have a combined 130+ years of experience working with students and a variety of professional credentials, degrees, and certificates in:

Reading
Special education and learning differences
Educational leadership
Teaching English language learners

Explore Our Structured Support Programs

Learning Center support is integrated directly into a student’s academic day and into the academic space. Our structured support programs are individualized to help our students where they need it most. Some of the areas we serve include:

Executive functioning skills and strategy support (including organization, self-advocacy, time management, and test-taking strategies)
Direct curriculum instruction in academic disciplines
The nurturing of self-confidence and resilience

We offer a few options for the delivery of learning center support, so that students find what works best for them. Some students will work one-on-one with a learning specialist a few times each week, while others opt to work in a small group with other students and a teacher. In addition, we offer academic subject tutorials for students who need support in a specific discipline.

Please fill out this form if you are interested in any of our programs. You can also contact Julian Dormady, the Director of Student Support Services, at jdormady@kua.org or 603-469-2061

Additional KUA Support Services

The KUA Writing Center is available for all students who seek help with any stage of the writing process: brainstorming, organization, development, sentence structure, and revision. Peer writing tutors (typically Junior or Senior Students enrolled in Advanced Placement English) staff the Writing Center.

Peer Tutors are available in most subject areas to provide additional support. Peer tutors are students enrolled in advanced level courses, who demonstrate an interest in the subject and a passion helping others navigate our curriculum.

Office Hours are an ideal time for students to gain one-on-one or small group support from their classroom teachers. Available two times per week, office hours encourage self-advocacy and independence in developing learners.

Learning Center Specialists

List of 9 members.

Anne Peterson M.A., M.Ed.

Director of the Gosselin Center for Teaching and Learning

603-469-2062

Bio
Anne joined the Kimball Union Academy faculty in 2015. Her twenty-five years of experience teaching and working with students 1:1 at the secondary school level has a resulted in an enduring love for neurodiversity and the desire to help all students become more knowledgeable, strategic, and purposeful learners. Anne graduated from Wellesley College summa cum laude in 1993 with a BA in philosophy, St John's College (Annapolis) in 2002 with an MA in the liberal arts, and Plymouth State University in 2017 with an M. Ed in special education. Anne's current areas of interest include mindfulness practices and brain and research-based interventions to improve teaching and learning outcomes for all students.
Kim Burwick

603 469-2069
Jennifer Diamond

Learning Specialist

603-469-2312

Bio
After graduating from Trinity College (CT) with a degree in Classics, Jen earned a MA in Museum Professions from Seton Hall University (NJ). She began teaching Latin at an independent day school in NJ in 2006 where she also worked with students in Mock Trial, Model UN, and started a new faculty mentoring program. Jen has taught Latin, English, and is excited to be working with students in Structured Study Tutorial. She lives on campus with her husband, Bill, and their two sons.
Julian Dormady

Director of Student Support Services

603-469-2061

Bio
Julian joined the Kimball Union Academy faculty in 2020. He has fourteen years of special education and learning center experience and spent eight years teaching math and history, developing math and executive function curricula, and serving as a grade-level team leader at Carroll, a school for students with language-based learning disabilities in Lincoln, Massachusetts. Julian graduated from Claremont McKenna with a BA in History and Government and Lesley University with an M. Ed in Moderate Disabilities (5-12). His areas of focus include math pedagogy, higher-level academic skill development, and research-based instruction for students with specific learning disabilities.
Ursula Fries-Herfort

Learning Center Teacher, Ceramics Teacher, Taylor Gallery Director

603-469-2136

Bio
Ursula joined KUA in 2007 to head the ceramics program. Since, she has expanded her role to teaching jewelry making in the recently renovated metal studio and SST in The Learning Center. She holds a MA in American Studies, American Literature and Sociology from the Ludwig-Maximilians-University of Munich, Germany. A native of Munich she moved to Meriden in 1998. Before coming to KUA Ursula was involved at the League of NH Craftsmen studio in Hanover, NH as a teacher’s assistant and mentor, and has been a juried member of “the League” for clay since 2007. When not teaching KUA’s budding ceramicists, Ursula pursues her own work that has been accepted to national juried shows and can be found at local galleries, including the Taylor Gallery at KUA. Ursula has also completed several private commissions. She is passionate about her craft and loves helping students find their voice, both artistically and academically.

Her two sons have graduated from KUA and now pursue their higher education at the University of St. Andrew’s in the UK. Ursula lives in Meriden with her little dog “Rosie”.
Jonathan Knee

Learning Center Teacher

603 469-2360

Bio
Jonny Knee joined KUA in 2022, where he serves as a Structured Study Tutorial teacher and coaches Girls’ Basketball and JV Boy’s Lacrosse.
Jonny graduated from Macalester College in St. Paul, Minnesota, with a Bachelor's in Psychology and a minor in Education. During his time at Macalester, he worked in several different educational settings. After Macalester, he worked for two years as an education assistant at a charter school in Minnetonka, Minnesota specializing with students on the autism spectrum. In 2022, he moved back to the east coast to earn his M.Ed. at Merrimack College. While at Merrimack he was part of a fellowship program where he worked primarily with Merrimack students on academic probation on executive functioning skills.
Amanda Lighthiser

Learning Specialist

603 469-2361

Bio
Amanda Lighthiser earned her B.A. in Women’s Studies from the University of Georgia, an M.F.A in Creative Writing from the University of Oregon, and a J.D. from Northeastern University School of Law. Over the past twenty-plus years at both universities and independent schools, Amanda has taught a wide range of classes including Law, Culture, and Difference, various courses in English literature and composition, American Studies, creative writing, business communications, and yoga and mindfulness. For the past six years, as an academic coach and learning specialist, she has loved working with students individually, empowering them to develop their academic confidence and amplify their unique voices and skill sets. She lives on campus with her husband, Mark, two kids, two dogs, and two cats.
Connie Loescher

Learning Specialist

603 469-2064

Bio
Connie joined the Gosselin Teaching and Learning Center in 2015. After completing a BA in Biology at Colby College and an MA in Education from Stanford University, Connie spent the following 12 years teaching biology and coaching various sports at independent schools on both the East and West Coasts. Since arriving at KUA, Connie has become increasingly interested in the science of learning and how to help students who face a variety of obstacles in the classroom. She completed Landmark College’s certificate program in Learning Differences and Neurodiversity with a specialization in Executive Function in 2021. Connie enjoys working with students to help them unlock their potential and be the most successful learners they can be. When not at KUA, Connie lives in Etna, NH with her husband, two kids, and Goldendoodle, Wally.
Tucker Prudden

Learning Specialist

Bio
Tucker joined the Kimball Union faculty in September 2021. He graduated from Quinnipiac University in 2007 with a BA in Public Relations. After a year serving as a Local Development Officer for the English Lacrosse Association, he returned to school, earning an M.Ed in general education from New England College. Tucker began his independent school career at a peer Lakes Region school serving as a learning specialist and teaching in the Social Science department. After a decade of experience in academic support, Tucker now serves as a Learning Specialist at KUA and coaches hockey and lacrosse. He lives in Chellis House with his wife Chloe, who works as a College Advisor and soccer coach, their daughters Mija and Camryn, and the family dog Bruin.