Hans Manske
Appointed 1998
Assistant Head of School
Math Department Chair
Science Instructor
hmanskeREMOVETHISBEFORESENDING@vermontcommons.org
Undergraduate Degree
- B.A., Earth Science and Environmental Studies, Dartmouth College
Graduate Degree
- M.S., Environmental Geochemistry, Dartmouth College
- Teaching Credential, Humboldt State University (CA)
Activities
- Ultimate Frisbee team
Honors or Awards received
- 1998 recipient of Gary Malone Award, given to one Earth Science MS student per year.
- 1989 recipient of the Upham Geology Award for best senior geology thesis.
Best VCS moment
Three come to mind: First, during my interview and shadow day with Pete and others finding out that Pete used The Lorax in his classes. Right then I knew VCS was the place for me. Second, taking a group of VCS students on a week long backpacking trip in the Yosemite backcountry. It was awesome exposing that group to one of my favorite places in the world as they experienced it for the first time. Finally, the class of 2002 senior overnight trip. The sharing circle on top of Buck Mountain that day was one of the most powerful and fulfilling experiences I have had in my 15 years as a teacher.
Inspirational Quotation
"If you get confused, listen to the music play."
-Robert Hunter
Interests and Hobbies
- Running and endurance athletics; enjoying Burlington's live music scene; spending time with my kids; backpacking, hiking, skiing, and just getting outside.
Before returning to graduate school in New England ten years ago, I spent the bulk of the 90s teaching middle-school and high-school natural science programs in the Sierra Nevada of California, including four years at the Yosemite Institute. I have led wilderness trips and taught field science courses in the Sierra Nevada, the Coast Range of Northern California, the lakes region of northern Wisconsin, Montana's Beartooth Mountains, the White Mountains of New Hampshire, Rocky Mountain National Park, and Costa Rica. While in graduate school, my research focused on the effects of acid mine drainage on the water systems in the Northeast Yellowstone region and the effects of acid rain on the forests of Vermont and New Hampshire and has been published in Geology and Environmental Geology. Surprisingly enough, Burlington is by far the biggest city I have ever lived in and I have to say I am enjoying all the benefits city life has to offer. On a family note, my wife, Sabrina, and I are fully enjoying the joys of parenthood. Avena, our six-year-old daughter, is now in first grade at Champlain Elementary and recently finished her third soccer season. Ryder, our four-year-old son who throws and bats lefty, is bemoaning the end of baseball season. We’re all looking forward to the fun that winter in Vermont brings.