OUR STAFF
Constanze Heitkoetter
GIS Director
Born and raised in Hagen, Germany, I received my Master of Business Administration at the University of Bamberg and worked in the IT industry in Munich before starting a family and moving to Austin in 2003. Here, I reconnected with my first love, the German language, teaching in the Saturday School Program at GTHS for 10 years before becoming a German instructor for teen, homeschool and adult classes and obtaining my certification from the federal Goethe Institut.
I found great joy and purpose in teaching young children during my full-time employment at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church Early Childhood Center in Cedar Park and - recognizing the importance of the formative years in early childhood education - opened a small child care program in the nurturing setting of our home and beyond.
With two bilingual children of my own, I understand the many wonderful opportunities and benefits as well as the challenges of raising children bilingually in our modern and diverse society.
As GIS Director, I am excited to put my experience and passion to work while serving the families in our program and building a safe and loving learning community in which each individual child can grow and flourish.
In my personal life and at work, I enjoy books, art, music, nature, and the great outdoors.
Annette Barrada
Pre-K Teacher
Hallo und Guten Tag, my name is Annette and I am a German native.
I have been working with children ages 3 to 6 in a preschool setting since 1998 and teach German to preschool students at the German Texan Heritage Society in Austin since 2006. For 7 years, I worked in a Special-Education classroom for Pflugerville ISD with children of different ages and various disabilities.
I am a mother of two bilingually raised children who are all grown up now. I get to relive the experience of when they were little by giving my love to the toddlers and children that I take care of.
I am excited to teach the German Pre-school class at the German International School of Texas at Austin.
Bradley Barr
GTHS Academic Director
I have been teaching German classes to all ages with GTHS since 2011, and I’ve worked as the Academic Director since 2019. I was born in Austin, and besides the few words my grandparents taught me as a kid, I began learning German at Westlake High School. I completed my master’s degree in German studies in 2014 at the University of Kentucky. I’ve taught as a middle school German teacher, currently also teach German classes at Austin Community College.
I’m grateful to be a part of the great team behind the German International School, and look forward to working together with the community to grow and develop the school.
Pearl Gardner
Teacher (K - 1st)
I'm Pearl Rabiaa Gardner.
I was born in Morocco and grew up in Germany. So my German language skills are that of a native speaker. I also speak Arabic.
I taught German and Arabic for Texas Central College in Germany and have been an educator for many years.
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Through my work as a RDI Extender ( Relationship Development Intervention) a program to assist parents with their children, with ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder), I've learned to handle many difficult situations and feel apt to handle anything life throws at me.
Kerstin Stewart
Teacher
My name is Kerstin Stewart. I am from Germany and I have lived in and around Austin for the past 20 years. I live in Georgetown with my husband and our two teenagers.
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I have worked with children for many years, as a nanny as well as in a childcare setting, and I am happy to work at the German International Preschool since January 2023. I think it's fantastic and fun to teach children a different language at a young age. Their understanding of different cultures and traditions as well as teaching them so many more words and grammar gives them greater freedom and opportunity later on in life!
"Learning another language isn't only learning different words for the same things, but learning another way to think about things."
-Flora Lewis
“Bilingualism is an incredible gift to give to a child. It goes beyond just learning another language. It broadens mental development, thought patterns, and world perspective.”
Carola Lofton
Teacher
I’ve taught since March 2022 adult and teenager classes for the GTHS, and serve clients also as a private tutor. I have also taught younger kids at the German Preschool in Austin.
My teaching style is motivating and encouraging with my own enthusiasm for the German language. I supplement the current course books with original material and offer my students authentic German sources including videos, podcasts, songs, and literature.
I grew up in Southern Germany and earned a Master’s Degree in German linguistics and literature from the University in Heidelberg, Germany. After university, I worked for 6 years as an editor, copywriter and proofreader. I studied Latin, French and Italian, and I’m excited about learning new languages. I have traveled for several years and worked with people all over the world, before finding my current home in Texas in 2019. Being an expat myself, I understand the cultural differences between the US and Germany and bring this awareness into my lessons. I also know from personal experience the benefits of language immersion and surrounding yourself with authentic sources from the beginning while diving with curiosity into the beauty and richness of a new language and culture.
Ines Mosley
Teacher
Ines is excited to be a part of the German-Texan Heritage Society and the German International School of Texas.
She moved to Austin in 2009 and now lives in Hutto with her 9 year old daughter. She loves teaching the German language, the German culture and its traditions. She started teaching the Samstags Vorschule in 2017 and now teaches the PreK class at the German International School of Texas.
Ines was born and raised in East Germany and moved later to Hamburg and Munich where she worked for Euler Hermes Kreditversicherung for more than 10 years.
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Ines also owns a Catering business, which has been growing over that last decade.
Monica Roglic
Teacher
Born in Frankfurt Germany to Croatian parents, I moved as a seven year old bilingual child with my family to Zagreb, Croatia. In addition to the regular elementary school, I attended a music school for piano. After finishing high school for preschool teacher assistants , I have attended a Teacher College in Zagreb, and started working in various preschools and kindergarten where I could implement my art and music education. That lasted 10years. I also used my knowledge of German while leading a bilingual experimental school for children. While working at a preschool, I met my husband. We had a daughter, and in 1999 moved to Boston, where I studied English as a second language. It was very hard in the beginning, but being bilingual as a child helped me to learn English in just three months. Eventually, I graduated at Salem State College with honor, majoring in psychology. I also published poetry and was active in the New England writers society. I have worked in preschool as a head start teacher and volunteered as an assistant teacher at various schools in Massachusetts. I also had many art exhibits in New England and in Croatia. In 2017 my husband and I moved to Austin where I still live.
