GRCS Staff

Please select a Gold Rush Charter School staff member from the list to read a little about them, get their contact information and the subject(s) they teach. For student grades and assignments visit www.mygradebook.com. Contact the student's teacher to obtain the user name and password to access this site.

KATHLEEN HANSEN

Phone (209) 533-8644 ext. 217
Fax (209) 588-9988
Email khansen@goldrushcs.com

Principal

About Me

Immediately after graduating from the University of Minnesota, I taught 2^nd and then 3^rd grade. However, my total experience includes classroom teaching in elementary, high school, as well as middle school. I also spent one year on an emergency Special Ed. Credential as a Special Day class teacher in the Mt. Diablo Unified School District. After moving to the Sonora area, I gained much experience in Independent Study/Home School while working with Twain-Harte Elementary as teacher for numerous Home-Schooled students. Later, I was an Independent Study teacher for high school students in the Alternative program in Stanislaus County and spent 3 years working at Valley Community School (Merced) as an Independent Study teacher. This is where I learned about Independent Study law and record keeping. So when it was decided to make Gold Rush an IS (Home School) program, I already knew the requirements and forms needed.

From the 1970's onward I have been interested in alternative education and the idea of starting a school. When in conversation with other educators the topic would frequently come up and I would describe my dream school – a farm or ranch school. When I met Jim Gallno, he also envisioned hands on, or outdoor education. After some discussion, we decided to seriously pursue creating a charter school. It took a full year of hard work, making contacts, and writing a charter. Gold Rush became a reality in September 2001. Most of the students we started the year with were people who came because they knew me or I had talked with them in grocery stores and around the community. We ended the year with 57 students and 1 high school graduate. I taught the Kindergarten workshop for the first two years. That was very fun. Gold Rush has continued to grow and now in year 9, we started with an enrollment of close to 250. I am very pleased that students in our area now have a choice, we can offer small sized classes, a farm school program, and a place where students feel safe and cared about.

My Administrative Credential was completed during the summer of 2009 after a few years of classes, exams and many practicum hours.

I continue to stay involved with students by teaching occasional classes, having students assigned to me, and getting to know the young people who attend Gold Rush.

I am also the proud mother of a son and daughter, as well as 4 beautiful grandchildren. So, my interaction with children and learning has a long future as I believe does Gold Rush Charter School.