Teacher Biographies

Mr. Scott Rogers:
Director Magnet Programs and Team Official

Mr. Rogers entered the United States Marine Corp. and worked his way to a NCO in Air Traffic Control. He completed his Bachelor's Degree while in the service and went on to obtain a Masters Degree in Administration at UTSA while teaching school after leaving the military. Mr. Rogers is currently working on a Doctorate in School Administration while serving as the NEISD iMAK and KSAT Magnet School Program Director.

Mr. William (Russell) Claughton:
Lead Educator

Mr. Claughton received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Elementary Education with a minor in Earth Science in 1985 from Stephen F. Austin State University. Since then he has taught science in grades 4-8. He has coached Football, Basketball, Track, Tennis, and Golf. He served in the US Army Re- serves and was deployed to Iraq in 2003. He also served as a Captain in the Civil Air Patrol for two years. Mr. Claughton has worked at Krueger Middle School for the past 5 years. Over those five years he has been a 7th and 8th grade Science teacher and the Applied Aerospace Studies teacher. Mr. Claughton obtained his NAR level 1 High Powered Rocketry certification last spring.

Mrs. Tracy Thomas:
Educator

Ms. Thomas is K-SAT's sixth grade Applied Rocketry and Aviation instructor. She obtained her Bachelors of Science in Biology at the University of Texas at San Antonio in 1998. Mrs. Thomas taught elementary science and math in Judson ISD for 5 years. Wanting to teach a more advanced student, she obtained her middle school science certification. This is her 4th year with the KSAT program. Having grown up right across the street from NASA-Johnson Space Center in Houston, she has had a long-standing interest in the field of aerospace science. She is the YATP, Youth Applied Technology Program, coordinator. This program contains about fifteen after school clubs for all students at Krueger. She is the sponsor for the Science Club which competes in Science Olympiad, a national organization. Mrs. Thomas is also the Science UIL coach for 6th, 7th and 8th. She recently presented at the Challenger Learning Center's Annual Conference in Houston and at the Space Exploration Educators Conference at NASA - Johnson Space Center. Mrs. Thomas obtained her NAR level 1 High Powered Rocketry certification this past summer.

Mr. William Wagner:
NAR/Tripoli Mentor and Rocket Design/Construction

Mr. Wagner was born in1951.  He was raised in San Antonio, and started building rockets at the tender age of twelve.  Mr. Wagner graduated from Highlands High School and entered the Air Force in 1970.  After eight years of service, he received Airframe and Power Plant licenses for aircraft.  He spent the next twenty-three years working for at the Baptist Medical Center as a building maintenance man.  For the last fifteen years, Mr. Wagner has been working as a rocketry advisor and secretary at Krueger School of Applied Technologies.  He teaches a rocketry course after school, and he currently holds a level three certification in high power rocketry.  

Mr. William Casteel:
Safety Monitor

The son of a World War II bomber pilot, Bill is a lifelong aviation enthusiast. He soloed his first airplane at age sixteen and worked a summer job at the Seattle Museum of Flight. His aviation career began in the United States Marine Corps as an airframe mechanic and attended Embry Riddle Aeronautical University in his off duty time. In 1989 Bill was accepted into Warrant Officer Flight Training with the United States Army. He spent the remainder of his military career in various assignments world wide as both a utility and scout helicopter pilot retiring in 2003. Bill is a senior Army Aviator and graduate of the Warrant Officer Advance Course, Aviation Safety Officer Course, and the Maintenance Test Pilot Course. He holds a commercial pilots license for both rotary and fixed wing aircraft and is instrument rated.

Mr. Kevin Marafioto:
Mentor, Payload Design

Kevin Marafioto will be mentoring the payload team and guiding the payload design and build team. Mr. Marafioto received a Bachelors degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Texas at San Antonio in 1997 and is currently an Engineering Manager at Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) in San Antonio. Mr. Marafioto has experience with the design and development of Flight Management Systems for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs).

Mr. Josh Beck:
Mentor, Web Page Design

Mr. Beck graduated from University of Illinois in 2000 with a major in English. He also attended University of Central Arkansas and majored in education and student teaching. He has been teaching for 7 years and is currently teaching 7th grade Technology Applications in the Kruger magnet program. He is also an all-around groovy guy.

Ms. Rita Garza:
Mentor, Web Page Design

Ms. Garza graduated from The University of Texas at Austin with a degree in English.  This is her sixth year teaching, and her fourth year at KSAT.  In addition to teaching, she is the Academic UIL coordinator and the web page coordinator for Krueger Middle School and KSAT.