Southside Elementary School
Fine and Performing Arts
Tessa Cockrell
Tessa Scanlan Cockrell has been teaching dance for twenty years, and specializes in dance performance art forms; such as, ballet, contemporary, jazz and composition. Tessa received her BFA in Dance from Florida State University, attended the Maratha Graham School, and is Floor-Barre certified. Dance and choreography opportunities have taken her internationally to Europe and Japan as a performer and teacher. She has taught professional dancers, young children and adult classes alike. She is a founding member of The Pineapple Tree Dance Company and has danced professionally with Dance Repertory Theatre, Tallahassee Ballet and the NWA Ballet Theatre. She has choreographed over sixty original staged works in prestigious venues as The Walton Art Center, Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Nancy Smith Fichter Dance Theatre, Asolo Theatre, Sarasota Opera House, and a Youth America Grand Prix choreographer Finalist. Tessa is the mother of five children and believes movement is the best educator of self.
Christine Mattern
Christine Mattern has been teaching in Florida for 25 years. Born in Miami, Florida, Christine is a true native of the Sunshine State. She earned her Bachelor of Arts at the University of Florida and went on to earn a Master's Degree with an emphasis of in Reading Education at the University of South Florida. This year is Christine's eighth year of teaching drama at Southside. Prior to that, Christine taught Language Arts, Science and Social Studies at Brookside Middle School. She also taught third grade at Gulfgate Elementary and Samoset Elementary in Bradenton, FL. Christine enjoys reading and it is that love of quality literature that lured her into a career in teaching young children. When she is not teaching Christine enjoys yoga, the theater, swimming and travel. Christine has an eight year old son named Skyler who also attends Southside. She has been married for 15 years to her wonderful husband who happens to be an amazing cook. Christine looks forward to many more years teaching at a school that celebrates all of the arts - Southside Elementary.
Sergei Glushonkov
A fourth-generation educator, Sergei Glushonkov is a native of Ukraine. He began playing classical piano at the age of 5. Soon after, Sergei found himself performing with a local pops orchestra. There he first got exposed to Jazz. Sergei's passion for music continued in the New World as well. Here he had fortune to study with Per Danielsson, Jack Wilkins, and Sarasota's own Mike Markaverich. Meanwhile he had countless opportunities to perform solo and with local bands, playing a variety of genres and events. Sergei graduated with Ed degree from University of South Florida (Tampa) and began teaching at Lamarque Elementary. Being there for 6 years, he formed and developed multiple performance groups such as Jazz Combo, Marimba Magic Percussion Ensemble, and Flamenco Guitar Group. Success of the students has earned Sergei Lamarque's Teacher of the Year award. Sergei feels very fortunate to become a part of Southside Elementary. Inspiring the next generation of young musicians while working hand-in-hand with utmost collective of Arts-driven staff has now become a thrilling task at hand.
Angela Caine
Angela Caine is an artist with a love of the arts and learning. Having first moved to Sarasota in 1985, she started her K-12 education at Bay Haven, Southside’s sister school, where she has fond memories of her first arts classes that inspired her to begin to learn and practice outside of school. Before joining the Southside team Angela taught art for six years in North Port. Prior to teaching art she also had the opportunity teach a classroom of 3rd graders for several years, gaining a general education background as well. This has provided the background for integrating other core subjects into the art curriculum, including reading and math. Angela earned a bachelor’s degree in Art, with a minor in Psychology, and then went on to get her master’s in Teaching, all from the University of South Florida. With the combination of her arts and education background, along with her love and appreciation of the subject-matter, she is delighted to have the honor of teaching the students of Southside with the goal of instilling a life-time enjoyment and appreciation of the visual arts for all students. Some of the things Angela enjoys doing in her spare time include making art in various mediums including paint, learning musical instruments such as the guitar and cello, gardening, and spending time with her Gordon Setters.
