Vanessa McCowin is new at Fossil Ridge High School, teaching biology and Biology, Microbiology, and Zoology. Mccowin was born in Mineola, New York, which is on Long Island, and at the age of 13, her family moved to a farm in Camden, Tennessee. She has two masters in plant and soil and educational leadership. The first she received was in 2000 from the University  of Tennessee-Knoxville. The second degree was from Colorado State University in 2004. Mccowin decided to teach while  studying for a Ph.D at the University of Maryland to become a professor. “My full intention was to become a professor. My love of teaching came when I taught undergraduate students… I changed my mind and decided to get my teaching license.” McCowin has been teaching at a high school level for 11 years.

McCowin loves how Fossil feels like a community, even though it is a large school. In an interview, she said that everyone was so welcoming and made her feel at home. She was also impressed with how polite the students are. McCowin has been looking forward to several things this year, one of which is getting to know her students and developing a relationship with them. She is also looking forward to is getting to have a fresh start at a new school and  is excited to get to know the other teachers.

When she was two years old, McCowin had a rare cancer. She had to get one of her kidneys removed and chemo for a year because of it. “I made it through that experience and it made me one strong little girl!”

Rebecca Black is a new visual arts teacher here at Fossil. She teaches painting, sculpture, advanced painting, advanced drawing and foundation of design. Black grew up here in Fort Collins, Colorado. She got her Bachelors degree from Colorado State University.Through teaching, Black hopes to provide support and knowledge for students who are now making similar life decisions as she did. “Growing up I was constantly faced with decisions, big and small. Many of these decisions molded who I am today.” She wanted to teach art specifically to provide an outlet for many people to express their ideas and opinions in a unique and new ways. Black said “Students who have a hard time finding their voice can thrive in the art room.”

When Black arrived at Fossil, she was very impressed with the other teachers and all of the opportunities that are provided. Once she met the other faculty members and students, she knew for sure she had landed the right job in the right building. Black said “everyone was so welcoming, so helpful, and so ready to take on the school year as a team.” This is Black’s first year as teacher, and she is looking forward to soaking in as much as she can. She is also looking forward to being involved in the Fossil culture and community. She said that one unique thing about her is that she is genuinely weird. She was raised in a very eccentric and family and acquired a piece of every one of her family members personality. Black said “This allows me to connect with many personalities, but also catches most people off guard when they first meet me.”