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Hello, I am Christopher Snyderbrown(he/him), MLC's high school Social Studies and Health teacher.

The courses I teach vary slightly year to year. I craft my courses to teach my students typical social studies and health skills, with the intention that these skills will serve students beyond high school. I teach with the belief that study of history is not an exercise in trivia but an avenue to empower people to positively impact their communities and futures. I strive to teach students to think analytically, follow their passions for learning, connect to historical figures with empathy, and find ways to act.

I was born and raised in California  and moved to Portland after I graduated with a History degree from Occidental College. I spent much of my 20s teaching at Outdoor school, after school programs, and teaching English in Italy. Eventually I earned M.A.T. at Lewis and Clark and then began teaching at MLC. I have been joyfully teaching at MLC since 2007-08.

Outside of school I enjoy getting out into nature, reading and playing with my two kids, basketball, music, movies, eating, and following the news. 

Feel free to contact me with any questions. I am most easily reached via email at csnyder1@pps.net

Hi! My name is Catherine Ordway and I like to spend time hanging out with my family, friends, and my cat (Six). I love listening to music (one of my go-to artists is Taylor Swift) and I like wandering around outside to find flowers that are blooming. Right now I'm working on wrapping up my Master's in Math for Math Teachers at PSU, but when I'm able to I like to kayak, crochet, cross stitch, and bake.

One word to describe Catherine: Sincere

Hi, I’m Kelly. As you know, we’re all here to see to it that our kids grow and thrive. We all recognize the value of experiential learning and storytelling to unlock various modes of literacy, and I know I have learned more from the MLC community than I could ever teach. So let’s step up together to make this another fabulous year!

One word to describe Kelly: Tall

This is my 2nd year at MLC, but my 31st in the Portland metro area.
I was born and raised in Minneapolis, MN.
Interests include listening to music, solving sudoku puzzles, non-power walking, playing fantasy football, and identifying birds.
Teaching math is in my comfort zone.

One word to describe Dave: Consistent

Hello, nice to meet you, my name is Liz B (there are two Liz’s, so it’s important to know this). This is my sixth year at MLC and I’m so thrilled to work in such a vibrant location in a community that cares deeply about our kids. I have been a high school Language Arts teacher for twelve years now and love nothing more than to engage in discussion about Oxford commas (pro), and the passive voice (against). I live in NE Portland with my son (10), husband (45), and two dogs who like to bark all night at a family of raccoons housing themselves in the oak tree next door. I love making bulletin boards, hate wearing socks, and am coming around to boba tea. Looking forward to another great year at MLC!

One word to describe Liz B: Adaptable

I've been at MLC almost 20 years! There are so many reasons I enjoy working and being here, but number one is probably having the freedom to weave into my teaching my various interests, particularly in Friday Focuses and electives. It's always a pleasure to watch (and assist) my students as they develop and mature as math people, problem solvers, and teammates. Please feel free to contact me at any time by email.

One word to describe Andy: Enthusiastic

I have worked in education since 1998 and love working in the alternative school environment. I am a single mother of a beautiful 17-year-old daughter and we live in SE Portland. I love music and dance, swimming, snowboarding, gardening, and thrift shopping. I look forward to working with you this year!

One word to describe Sharon: Resilient