---
title: "Celebrating Center Program Staff: Henry MS"
description: BLOG:A moment on Pride Rock
---

[HELIX FEED ](https://blog.dsstpublicschools.org/helix)

# [Celebrating Center Program Staff: Henry MS](https://blog.dsstpublicschools.org/helix/celebrating-center-program-staff-henry-ms)

 Written by [DSST Public Schools](https://blog.dsstpublicschools.org/helix/author/dsst-public-schools) | 03/12/21

This week, we’re heading down to Southwest Denver to visit Pride Rock, the Center Program at Henry MS. This team is dedicated to making every day exciting and filled with learning for the Pride members who learn in Center Programs. We’re excited to meet this exemplary team that includes Sophia Leung, Jae Berry, Natalie Thorsland, and Jerry Frangas (who also works at Cole HS!) 

**Sophia Leung, Center Program Co-Lead**

****

**Hometown: **West Hartford, CT

**Favorite Part of the Job: **Seeing the growth in students and working on case management tasks

**Favorite Quarantine Activity: **Biking** **

**Favorite Quarantine Treat**:  Chips

**Currently Reading: ***Wild* by Cheryl Strayed 

**Self Care Practices of Choice**: Taking a day to clean and reorganize myself, going out for fresh air, and spending time with friends both virtually and in person.

 

**Jae Berry, Center Program Co-Lead**

****

**Hometown: **Seattle, WA

**Favorite Part of the Job:** Connecting with students.

**Why Special Education is Important: **AN Center students are often cast offs; the students that have been labeled "bad kids" by teachers and family; who, even if they are not labeled as such, are too disruptive to be supported in our current mainstream educational system. These students struggle to trust and often have few examples of how to form positive relationships, but they want those relationships so much. Every time an adult can connect with them, every time an adult can show patience and care and that they matter changes that narrative, just a little, and gives our students greater opportunity to find ways to create the relationships they crave.

**Book Recommendation**: All teachers should read *Long Way Down* by Jason Reynolds.

**Currently Watching**: American Gods

**Favorite Quarantine Activity**: Hiking 

**Fun activity you’ve recently done in Center Programs:** We have had a lot of fun playing simple charades, which is easy to do hybrid or distanced.

 

**Natalie Thorsland, CP Support Specialist**

****

**Hometown:** Houston, Texas

**Favorite Part of the Job:** Building therapeutic relationships

**What brought you to this work?** I want to be a positive role model and trusted adult. I hope that I can make a positive impact on the lives of our students and their families

**Favorite Quarantine Treat: **Dried fruit

**Funniest thing a student has said:** "Miss are you being moody because of your menopause?" (I'm 24)

**Self-Care Practices of Choice:** Yoga

**Favorite Book**: *The Black Tattoo* by Sam Enthoven 

 

**Jerry Frangas, AN Center Social Worker

**

****

**Hometown: **Denver, CO

**Favorite Part of the Job: **Our students and families are really amazing. I have also had exceptional support from my colleagues and DSST Admin. -- Sam, Katy and Liz are amazing!

**Why Center Programs are Important:** I think they offer a great platform for support for our students in their pursuit of education and for pursuing general education goals and standard school activities. Sophia, Jae and Natalie are strong advocates for our students and I am proud to work with them.

**Favorite Quarantine Treat:** Pollo con chile colorado y nopales

**Currently Reading:** *Man's Search for Meaning* by Viktor Frankl

**Funniest Thing a Student Has Said: **A student asked me if the creators of the show *Those Who Can’t* (a comedy about teachers who do dorky stuff) got material from watching me 

**Favorite Vacation Spot**: Cleveland- I went to school there 

[View full post](https://blog.dsstpublicschools.org/helix/celebrating-center-program-staff-henry-ms)

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