7-8th Grade

Email Mr. Bowman

Hello! My name is Sean Bowman and I am your 7th and 8th Grade Social Studies teacher. I am looking forward to getting to know each and every one of you. This SRMS team is amazing and I feel very lucky to be a part of it.

I graduated from the Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College at Arizona State University. I have a highly qualified endorsement in middle grades Social Sciences as well as a Bachelors Degree in Elementary Education.

I love bringing history to life! I strive to make the content relevant to your lives in hopes you will make a personal connection to what you have learned. Be ready to have fun as we will be doing a lot of hands on activities and projects this year. Please be advised however that this class will be very challenging, and I hold all of my students to high expectations.

On a more personal note, I have been married for 16 years and have a 14 year old son, Maxx. I moved to Phoenix, AZ in June of 2008 after living from San Diego, CA. Prior to that I played NCAA football at the University of Wyoming where I majored in Communications. Along with football, surfing, and skateboarding, I enjoy playing in a San Diego based “reggae/rock” band named The Last Call, and a fun cover band here in Phoenix called Cannonball. I love spending time with friends. 

Along with teaching middle school Social Studies here at Sunset Ridge, I have also served as the DVSS Summer School instructor, the Student Council Advisor, Athletic Director, middle school Campus Leadership Representative and currently as the PBIS team representative. 

Teaching and history have always been a passion of mine! I am so excited to take this historical journey in the classroom with you. Let’s have an AMAZING year together!!!

Email Mr. Fowler

Hello! My name is Tyler Fowler and I am the 7th/8th Science teacher here at Sunset Ridge. I'm an Arizona Native and completed my Bachelor’s Degree at Northern Arizona University. Science has always been my passion and I hope to give back to your students what my science teachers did for me.  I have high expectations for all of the students in my classroom but also hope to show students that science is all around us. I am the NJHS advisor for Sunset Ridge and run the middle school Dungeons and Dragons club throughout the school year. When I’m not here at Sunset Ridge, I enjoy spending time with my wife and two children.  We can usually be found spending time with our 3 dogs and 3 cats or spending time in Northern Arizona when possible. There is also a bearded dragon named Willis who is our Science class pet for middle school.  If you or your student have any questions feel free to email me.

Email Mrs. Thude

Hello! My name is Cari Thude and I am the middle school ELA teacher.  I have been married to my husband, Jasen, for 20 years and I have three children. My oldest daughter is a senior at O’Connor High School and I have twin third-grade daughters here at Sunset Ridge.  I love being a part of the Sunset Ridge family as both a parent and staff member! 

I graduated from ASU in May of 2004 and have 18 years of experience teaching ELA in both 7th and 8th grades. My classroom will be a safe and positive environment for your children to grow and learn as readers and writers. Please stop by and say hi and don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions.

623-445-7864

Email Mrs. Holt

Hello! My name is Rachael Holt, and this is my 10th year in education (My third at Sunset Ridge). I graduated from Arizona State University with a degree in Education and have had the opportunity to work with students in grades K–8 as both a general education teacher and an academic/behavior interventionist. These experiences have strengthened my passion for helping every student grow academically, socially, and emotionally.

I live locally in Tramonto with my husband and our two kids, who also are a part of our Sunset Ridge community! My daughter is in first grade, and my son attends our preschool program. 

I look forward to another fantastic school year and can't wait to help my students learn, grow, and reach their full potential. I am excited to partner with families to make this a successful and memorable year for everyone! Please reach out to me any time!

Email Mrs. McCarthy

My name is Holly McCarthy, and I am pleased to be your math teacher this year. I am beginning my 14th year in education and my fourth year at Sunset Ridge. Prior to joining this community, I taught in special education at WESD for 10 years. I relocated to this area in 2020 and was fortunate to be hired at Sunset Ridge, where I have enjoyed being part of this wonderful community. During my first three years here, I served as the middle school math service coordinator while teaching one section of general education math for both 7th and 8th grades.

I am also excited to continue my role as Student Council Representative. I enjoy guiding our student leaders to reach their full potential and providing them with fun opportunities to shine. As members of the student council, we plan dances, spirit weeks, and contribute to various activities on campus.

I have two daughters, one of whom also attends Sunset Ridge. My family and I enjoy outdoor activities such as camping, swimming, and 4-wheeling. Spending quality time together is a priority for us, and we especially enjoy playing card and board games. We currently have one dog and one cat, although our cat often behaves like a dog.

I look forward to getting to know you and your child, collaborating as a team, and supporting their progress in math this year.