Kris Galoci

I was raised and have lived in Traverse City for most of my life and I love it – from the smells and sounds of northern forests and lakeshores, wild rice grown in the sloughs of Lake Superior, art and stories of local artists and authors to the lore and mystery of shipwrecks and the structural feat that spans the Mackinac Straits!

Our culture springs from abundant water resources; we are the water people. I enjoy all sorts of nonmotorized means of getting on and around the water: swimming, kayaking, sailing, biking and hiking, nordic skiing, and snowboarding. I am in constant pursuit of hexagonaria, rocks, and the perfect skipping stone. I spend as much time outdoors, on and around the lakes with my family, as I can, in all seasons and all elements. Teaching here presents an opportunity and a responsibility to foster stewardship and build a collective conscience for the good of our unique natural resources.

I discovered my passion for place and planet while attending NMC in Traverse. I completed my undergraduate degree at Michigan Technological University and grew to realize that my passion was less in practice but rather in sharing my love of STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) pursuits. I was diverted away from an environmental engineering degree and earned my teaching credentials and a degree in geology instead. I have always been an early adopter and love the application of new technologies to learning.  I later completed a Masters in Educational Technology through Michigan State University.

In my role as an educator, I have long embraced constructivism and project-based learning.  I can’t imagine teaching or learning any other way!  I have 19 years in STEM education and I am thrilled to be a part of Greenspire’s fabulous learning adventure and to have the opportunity to teach in this very special place.