Marisa German

Academic Dean of Teaching and Learning

BS, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
MA, Concordia University Chicago
MA, Educational Leadership (Anticipated 2025)

Marisa German is an accomplished educator with a proven track record of success in both classroom and administrative roles over the past fifteen years. In her nine years at Wolcott College Prep, Marisa has consistently demonstrated her commitment to providing a rigorous and inclusive learning environment where students with learning differences can thrive.

As Academic Dean of Teaching and Learning at Wolcott, Marisa has guided the school’s academic vision and implemented innovative teaching and learning initiatives to deliver on the school’s mission. Most significantly, she led the design and implementation of “Mindsets & Practices,” a comprehensive social-emotional and academic skills framework unique to Wolcott, which provides a strength-based common language to describe the beliefs, attitudes, actions, and behaviors that, when developed, lead to students who are confident, resilient, self-aware, and college-ready in alignment with our mission.

Under her leadership, Wolcott has developed and delivered school-wide professional development programs focused on curiosity, innovation, reflection, equity, and collaboration. Additionally, Marisa’s expertise in curriculum development, instructional design, differentiated instruction, and teacher coaching has been instrumental in creating a robust and supportive educational environment for students and faculty alike.

Prior to her role as Academic Dean, Marisa was the Science Department Chair and Chemistry Teacher at Wolcott, where she led the alignment of the Wolcott STEM curriculum and established equitable grading practices across the department to build skill-based proficiency and foster a growth mindset for students with learning differences.

Marisa has been recognized for her contributions to the broader educational community with several honors, including her selection to participate in the distinguished Illinois School Leader Pipeline Program (2024), aimed at identifying, developing, supporting, and building the capacity of emerging school leaders, and the prestigious Davidson Award (2021), awarded to one Chemistry teacher in Illinois annually for innovative teaching practices and effectiveness with students. She is also a frequent presenter at educational conferences, sharing her expertise on topics such as SEL, learning differences, and design thinking.

Marisa holds a Master’s Degree in Differentiated Instruction and is completing an additional Master’s in Educational Leadership this school year. Her dedication to lifelong learning and professional growth is a testament to her passion for education and commitment to serving the Wolcott community.

In her free time, Marisa enjoys biking with her husband and three kids, putting her chemistry skills to use via baking, and listening to her favorite podcasts.