Saying Goodbye

Marian Berger was born in Cincinnati, Ohio and lived there from birth up to her college years! Born the youngest of three girls, her father passed when she was just 25 years old. Her father was an anesthesiologist and her mother volunteered 35 years at the Cincinnati Art Museum as a docent. Currently her mother and two older sisters are living in the San Francisco area. Growing up, Marian was focused on on performing arts. Ballet, modern jazz, choir and plays on stage were a big part of her life. Marian attended private schools and then applied at several colleges when the time arrived. Marian chose Harvard and said she really thrived at a school with so many like-minded students. She graduated with a major in English. After graduation, Marian stayed in Boston and worked for a year as an intern at a book publishing company. She then moved to New York and worked for a literary agency for 2.5 years. At the end of her time in NY, she began dating her boyfriend from college once again. She says he was very persistent! Rob was from Canada and worked in Chicago. Did Marian moved from NY to Chicago? No! She moved to China for a year and taught English. She loved the experience! Marian came back and then moved to Chicago to be near Rob. At this time, Marian went to Northwestern Univ. and earned her Master's of Science in Education and Social Policy. Rob then proposed and they married in Chicago and lived there until 2002. The two traveled and one of their trips was to Oregon. They both fell in love with the state. Harvard Alum Steve Tugwell was a teacher at Corbett and told Mariane about his experience of teaching there. Marian decided to apply! She met with Bob Dunton and was hired in Spring 2003 as a 9th grade teacher.  After four years, she added AP English to her teaching schedule. In 2006, son Grant was born and in 2009 Max was born. Both boys currently attend Portland Public Schools. It is because of her family that she is choosing to take a break from teaching. Her sons are growing quickly, and she wants to be home and involved. She has loved her teaching experience in Corbett and feels it offers an education just as fabulous as any private school. Will she be back in a few years once the boys are grown? Maybe! :)