Ms. Durkan teaches AP Environmental Science, Biology, and Geography. She lives on campus with her two children and husband Josh Smullin who works at the Winter Sports Club. We connected with Ms. Durakn and spent some time in the field with her class.

What inspired you to teach Science?
Teaching science allows me to keep exploring my environment, simultaneously sharing understanding and learning alongside my students.  I enjoy designing hands-on research projects where students can help drive the inquiries and understand how truly wondrous our natural world really is. Science is a creative endeavor and my job satisfies that need for me.

Why teach at SMS?
This campus is truly special and I think many of our staff appreciate the magical moments we find in the surrounding forests.  Exploring and sharing our campus with students, friends, and now my own family brings me joy! That and high schoolers are fun!  I appreciate and am ever grateful for the humor they bring to my day.

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Ms. Durkan’s Geography class spent a morning last week at a SnoTel Weather Station near campus. Students met with resource management professionals along with Yampatika to learn about the data collected at SnoTel sites, how the data is used to allocate water throughout the region, and to practice some of the data collection methods.