Social Studies Department Teachers
Ms. Valada (Kucia)
Carolyn Valada 8th Grade Social Studies. Carolyn Valada is Head of the Social Studies Department, a club sponsor for Chess Club, Jr. Beta, and Academic Bowl. Carolyn grew up in upstate New York and received her master's in education from The State University of NY at Plattsburgh. She taught 6th grade Social Studies for four years in North Carolina before moving to Georgia. In her free time, she likes to travel, bake, and go for hikes.
Mr. Pinholster
I began teaching in 1994 and for all but two of those years taught Georgia Studies. My original degree was in Economics, and I have since added graduate degrees in History and Education.
My focus is on preparing students for success in higher education and improving their writing and reasoning skills.
Ms. Walls
I am in my 6th year or teaching and 2nd year at RTMS. I earned my B.S.Ed. and M.Ed. in secondary social studies education. I also am the SGA sponsor and serve on the School governance council.
Mr. LaPan
This is my 15th year teaching middle school social studies, and my first at River Trail. In addition to teaching, I have also served as a Social Studies Instructional Coach, TAG Coordinator, and IB Coordinator, but my heart and soul have always been in the classroom. I believe that social studies is the most important subject for students. Because of this, I feel strongly that it is imperative that students learn and understand what it means to be a global citizen, the story of where humanity has been and where we are headed, and how to be civically engaged. In my classroom, I design learning experiences that create student ownership and authentic engagement.
In my spare time, I am working diligently on finishing my dissertation to defend this fall, and I enjoy reading, collecting and listening to records, and as a native ATLien, cheering for the Braves and Falcons.