Danica Alter(danicaalter@hotmail.com) 6th Grade Social Studies Teacher
StephanieBehm cross(sbehm@ccsch.org) Click here for the Math Website	Stephanie was born and raised in Glassboro, NJ – a small community in the southern part of New Jersey. She played softball in middle school and high school and, thanks to her parent’s commitment, went to softball pitching clinics and camps year round. Stephanie attended Virginia Tech, where she studied mathematics and business as an undergraduate student and attained a masters degree in Curriculum and Instruction/ Mathematics Education in 2003. Following student teaching and graduation, Stephanie stayed at Virginia Tech to work on her Ph.D. in Mathematics Education. Her research focused on innovative mathematics curriculum materials and textbooks and on beginning teachers’ experiences teaching mathematics. While at VT, Stephanie taught mathematics courses for teachers, focused specifically on elementary and middle grades math content. Stephanie also designed several mathematics courses for other universities in Virginia, including UVA and James Madison University. Stephanie’s family is a big part of her life. Her parents recently moved to Raleigh, NC from Glassboro, New Jersey. Stephanie just recently married Seth Cross, an industrial designer for Rubbermaid in Huntersville. They have a new house and a new puppy, Sophie, who is the center of their lives! Stephanie’s sister, Katie, is a senior at VT, and visits often, although Stephanie wishes she would visit even more! Stephanie is thrilled to be a part of the CCS community. Her decision to apply to CCS was based on a recommendation from a stranger – but when she brought in her application and handed it to Amy on the very last day of interviews (instead of mailing it too late!), she realized it was kismet. Stephanie would like to extend a very special thanks to all faculty, staff, students, and families who have made her feel so welcome and supported during her first year at CCS. Stephanie noted, “I cannot imagine teaching anywhere else and feel so lucky to be a part of such an extraordinary school. Thank you all!
Lacy Camp(lacy.camp@hotmail.com) Drama Teacher	I experienced an unforgettable natural high,” Mrs. Lacy explains. Growing up the “black sheep” in a family of teachers, Mrs. Lacy knew she was bound to do something different. She received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Acting/Directing from UNC-Greensboro and later, her teaching certificate at UNC-Charlotte. The highlight of college was completing her internship as a casting assistant with Fincannon and Associates in Wilmington, NC. Here she was able to observe the magic of stars such as Shirley MacLaine, John Ritter, Mandy Patinkin and the cast of Dawson’s Creek. You can even see Mrs. Lacy enjoying lunch with a puppet on Sesame Street in Elmo in Grouchland. After graduation, her parents constantly whispered, “think about teaching” in her ear. Being the mildly defiant daughter that she was, she took the first acting job she could find that would take her out of state. Mrs. Lacy’s first professional job included touring the Southeast with the Birmingham Children’s Theatre bringing to life characters in a Russian Fairytale and Thomas Edison: Wizard at Work. “I can’t believe I get paid to do this,” she remembered thinking. The following year took her to the very snowy upstate New York performing for Merry-Go-Round Playhouse. With this company, the actors had to “earn their keep” by teaching workshops in the local schools. This is where Mrs. Lacy admitted she had a love for teaching equal to acting…and it could be done without driving in the snow! That following summer, Mrs. Lacy was invited to fill the big shoes of the very one who planted her love for theatre, her NMHS drama teacher, Sara Mott. She remembered feeling like Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz, “If I ever go looking for my hearts desire again...I shouldn't look any further than my own back yard.” She also found her co-star in life, husband Clark, who matches her spunk and candor. After 6 years at North Meck, Mrs. Lacy was drawn to CCS for their love for the arts and collaborative style of teaching. “The best thing about CCS is having a generous and artistic staff to work with that instills creativity and open-mindedness in their students,” stated Mrs. Lacy. Nowadays, Mrs. Lacy has little time for acting, but still gets her natural high fix from her two daughters, Ruthie and Darby
Angela Carbonara Middle School Assistant
Barbara Christian(barbschristian@yahoo.com) 6th Grade Science Teacher	Barbara has a Bachelor's and Master's degree in geology, and worked for 12 years with the North Carolina Department of Natural Resources on groundwater cleanups. After taking a break from geology, she entered the Graduate Teaching Certificate program at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte (UNCC) to earn her license in special education. Prior to joining the Department of Natural Resources, she taught for 3 years in the Department of Geography and Earth Sciences at UNCC. Over the years she and her husband, Wolfgang, who teaches physics at Davidson College, have had nine foster children in their family. They adopted two of their first foster children. Her daughter, Beth, is now 22 and her son, Charlie, is 18. As Barbara and her husband thought they were ending their child rearing years, their 10th child, Konrad, was born. He is now in third grade at CCS. Seeing the struggles some of her children had in school attracted her to special education with a particular interest in students at the middle school level. She finds science to be a good way to connect with students especially by using hands-on activities. When she began her course work at UNCC, Barbara volunteered at the Children's Community School and at Springs Academy, an alternative school on the campus of Barium Springs Homes for Children. There she developed weekly hands-on science lessons for middle and high school students. Other teaching roles include a German language preschool and summer camp, and a 6-month study abroad program in Germany and Austria. The geology side of her still likes collecting rocks and minerals, which she enjoys sharing with kids. She likes to hike, camp, and ride rail-to-trails bike paths. Barbara maintains large gardens and a family orchard. She is in her fourth year as an adult piano student, which reminds her daily how much work learning really is. She also likes to travel and has been to China, India, Central America and several times to Europe—Austria in particular. She is delighted beyond words to be part of CCS.
Jackie Flewell(jflewell@bellsouth.net) Band Teacher
Karen Hobday(khobday@ccsch.org) 7th Grade Language Arts Teacher Click here for the Website for Language Arts	Mrs. Hobday lives in Davidson with her husband, Brad, her daughter, Allie, and her dog, Penny. She is the youngest middle child of four girls. One interesting thing Mrs. Hobday has in common with her sisters is they all have daughters; no sons. She stays pretty busy outside of school. In her spare time she likes playing tennis, tinkering on the computer, reading, and spending time with her family. You may spot her on a local tennis court playing a match, riding a jet ski on the lake with Brad and Allie, or watching Allie ride horses in a local riding arena. She spent the first eleven years of her life in Lexington, South Carolina. In the middle of the sixth-grade, she moved to Monrovia, Maryland. In between her sophomore and junior years of high school she experienced another move to Boca Raton, Florida. Around the age of nineteen, she moved to Raleigh, North Carolina. Although she has lived in four different states on the East coast, Mrs. Hobday likes North Carolina the best. She loves the diverse landscape within the state and change of seasons. Mrs. Hobday attended North Carolina State University. She obtained her degree in middle level education with a concentration in language arts and social studies. This year is her seventeenth year teaching sixth-grade. She knows middle school is where she belongs. In addition to the kids she gets to work with, Mrs. Hobday really enjoys the fact that she never has two days that are the same at work. She loves seeing her students grow and learn. A friend told Mrs. Hobday about CCS, so she decided to look into the opportunity to work at such a great school. Once she met with Mrs. Joy and heard about the middle school vision, she knew this was the place she wanted to work. Mrs. Hobday states, “I was really impressed with what Mrs. Joy told me in the interview. I could tell she is a really amazing administrator that I would love working with. However, what truly blew me away was the magic happening in the classrooms I visited.” Mrs. Hobday is really happy to be a part of such an inspiring learning environment.
Sara Keys (slackeys@gmail.com) MS Dance teacher, 6th advisor	Sara Keys (the former Ms. Lackey) was born and raised in Davidson. In fact, she lived in the same house her whole life until she left for college. Her entire extended family lives in the area and she could not imagine living elsewhere. Sara is thrilled to be back in her hometown to pursue her teaching career. From a very young age Sara could be found playing school with her friends as she attempted to follow her mom as a role model. Her mom has been teaching for 30 years, and it has been a blessing to have her as a mentor in her life. Sara always visited her mom's classroom and knew it was inevitable that she too would be in a classroom of her own one day. Growing up Sara loved to participate in activities such as youth group, youth choir, mission trips, band, handbells, Girl Scouts, and of course dance! Sara put on her first pair of ballet shoes at the age of two and a half, and since then she has not stopped dancing. She took ballet, tap, jazz, pointe, and musical theater classes at Dance Davidson for 15 years, always attending dance camps in the summer. Her junior year of high school she attended Governor's School for dance, where she discovered a love for modern dance. In college she participated in and choreographed for Modernextension Dance Company, where she had the opportunity to continue modern dance all four years. For the past two years Sara has been teaching after school dance classes and dance camps at CCS, and she is now looking forward to working with students full-time this year in dance class. Sara attended Davidson Elementary, Alexander Middle, and North Meck High School all here in the area, and then went on to become a Tarheel! She graduated from UNC-Chapel Hill with a BA in Elementary Education and began her teaching career at CCS. For two years she taught in the 4th/5th grade loop, and will now be moving up to middle school as the dance teacher and an advisor.Recently, Sara has experienced a whirlwind of events in her life. Thanks to the amazing folks at their schools being avid voters, Sara and her boyfriend of five years won a wedding contest from the radio station 96.1 the Beat in Charlotte. Within six weeks they planned a wedding, got married, and moved into a new home in Mooresville! Her new husband Greg is also a teacher, and works in the English department at Lake Norman High School. In her free time Sara enjoys reading, traveling, scrapbooking, and photography. She is enjoying every moment of planning the dance curriculum and is excited to share her passion with her students and team this coming year!
Beth Knight(jabaspoon@yahoo.com) Art Teacher	Beth Knight’s parents had grown up all over the world and decided that their young family wouldn’t move around so much. They moved to Greensboro, North Carolina when Beth was one. They gave her an interesting household filled with treasures from Greece, Italy, Rome, Panama, Morocco, and Turkey. Perhaps that is where her love of art started. But the house she lived in was also filled with interesting people, animals, plants, and books. The Witherspoon house always had a beautiful garden and fish pond to explore. Perhaps this is where she learned a love of science and language. As a child Beth was always painting, pasting, cutting, and creating. She used to go to Arts Council Classes with her mother. Her favorite was a class where her mother helped with teaching blind students how to create with clay. Her mother worked with many groups of people, including a group of older church members who adopted Beth as their surrogate grandchild. Perhaps these experiences are what inspired Beth to love to teach and work with different people. Beth attended college at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. She entered as an art major, but quickly became undecided. She found she loved History and English too. She transferred to UNC-Chapel Hill where she finally decided on an English degree. While attending UNC-CH, she worked for a science museum teaching hands-on science. It was there that she decided she loved to teach. Instead of science, she chose to major in Art because she says, “With art I can teach everything!” The story goes that she continued to bounce back and forth between science and art because you really can have more than one love in life. Speaking of love, she is married to her amazingly supportive husband Jeff. They have two girls, Laura and Caroline, who came to CCS. Beth had stopped teaching, but soon found CCS calling her back to her roots. She also has a dog, two cats, two frogs, and two fish…plus the extra fish and frogs in the pond in the beautiful garden.
Jennifer Kreit(kreitje@yahoo.com) 6th Grade Language Arts Teacher
Laurie Loomer(laurieloomer@carolina.rr.com) Musical Theatre & Showtime	Laurie grew up in Hammond, a very small town in upstate New York where dairy farming is the main occupation. She grew up in a musical family with her mom being a music teacher/choir director and later, kindergarten teacher. Her dad was a baritone singer and local mailman/organic gardener. “The townspeople loved to see Dad’s car approaching laden with the mail, a song and fresh veggies for supper!” She has two older sisters, one who played the flute, the other, the clarinet and oboe. During high school, Laurie competed in solo competition on violin, trombone and voice. She has a love for all things musical and would still like to study the cello during a free minute! At a young age, Laurie also wanted to be a farmer as she included rabbits, ducks, cats, dogs, turtles, etc. in her mini-farm. She begged for a pig but as yet hasn’t raised one! Laurie went to school for Music Education in Syracuse and then, SUNY Buffalo where she earned her Masters of Fine Arts degree. Originally she just wanted to be around people who loved music as much as she but her mother also continued to tell her to get that education degree! After graduating, Laurie went on the road as a vocalist, trombonist and dancer for a show band called, ” Venus, Jupiter and Mars.” Yes…you guessed it! She had gone from college opera to disco! (You know her mother was proud!) Her band performed around the U.S. and all over eastern Canada wowing the crowds with hits such as “Hot Stuff” and “ Disco City” written by the bandleader! After a few years of traveling she decided to stay in Buffalo where a Junior High job teaching music in the public schools was offered. She quickly realized that what had been learned as a performer could really help in a classroom situation. Music theory was taught using songs such as “Ebony and Ivory” and “Turn Your Love Around” along with the classics. After joining a new band which took her from Tampa, Fl. to Vegas where they played the Sands Hotel (before it was torn down, of course) she decided to move to Tampa. There she began teaching again, realizing that it was so much better when you didn’t have to begin your morning shoveling your car out of ice and snow! She met her drummer husband, Glenn while auditioning for his jazz band. (By the way, she got the audition!) Laurie taught and performed for 13 years in Tampa and after having Chase decided it was just too hot to stay there. So, off they moved to Charlotte where she and Glenn continued their jazz band, met Joy and the rest is history! At some point, Laurie would like to publish her two song collections of over 50 songs which she has written through-out the years. She firmly believes that all people are musical and loves to help a child or adult find his/her voice or musical talent.
Polli Mays(pmays@ccsch.org) 6th grade inclusion specialist	Polli Mays...the past. Polli was born in a small town called Metropolis, Illinois. If the name of this town sounds familiar it is because it is also the hometown of Clark Kent, better known as SUPERMAN ! There is a statue of Superman in the center of town, or so they say since Polli hasn't been back since she left as a one year old. Her family was on to a new town, Springfield, the capitol of Illinois. This is where her little brother Brad was born. Her sister Patti was born in Kankakee exactly thirteen months before Polli. The family continued to move every year or so, from Illinois to Michigan and then on to Florida. Florida is where Polli went to middle school and high school. The middle school was located in a section of town which could be called a "slum". The building was built of cinder blocks and the gray color was such a contrast from the beautiful schools she attended in the north. For her first of high school she went to a school near her middle school, but then a new school was opened and she was fortunate enough to spend the next three years attending Bayshore High School. The school recruited young and innovative teachers and it was a wonderful environment within which to learn. She was a member of the marching band and served a president the first year the high school was opened. That meant she got to help in selecting the school song and marching band uniforms. She was also a member of Anchor Club, which was a service organization, as well as National Honor Society. Polli was very involved in her youth group in high school and she enjoyed singing in the youth choir, playing in the church orchestra, competing with the Bible quiz team and taking mission trips with the youth. She was able to travel to Mexico, Dominican Republic and Canada. After graduating from Bayshore Polli went to Nashville, Tennessee to attend Trevecca Nazarene university. She received a Bachelor's degree in Elementary Education and Special Education. This was a double major which required she do student teaching in both a regular classroom and in a special education setting. While in college Polli worked at a preschool. She was involved in a service organization called Sigma Society and STEA. It was while she was on a summer mission trip to Charlotte, NC that she met her future husband, Ken. Polli has taught for CMS for over eighteen years, all of that time in special education. In the middle of her teaching career she took off seven years when her children were young to be a mommy. During this time she taught preschool at Ramah Preschool teaching four year olds. Polli also did some tutoring in her home with children who had learning difficulties. Polli Mays...the present At this time Polli is beginning a new chapter of her life by joining the wonderful team of people at CCS. She is so excited to be working with the four core team teachers as well as all the other teachers and assistants in the middle school. Polli is looking forward to working with the great administration team at CCS!! But most of all, she can't wait to meet all of the sixth graders she will work with this year (and the next two years!!) Polli currently lives in Stratford Forest neighborhood which is near Birkdale. She has a husband, a sixteen year old daughter named Savanna, a son,Nate, who is almost fourteen, and a little black dog named Newman. She is a member of First Baptist Church in Huntersville, where she works with toddlers on Sunday mornings and Middle School girls on Wednesday evenings. The small group of girls she works with has prepared her for one of her favorite jobs at CCS, and that is leading an advisory. She is very excited about this group and looks forward to beginning the wonderful journey they will take together. Polli enjoys traveling and one of her favorite places to go is the beach! She also loves to be a part of mission trips and has traveled to the country of Ukraine, which used to be a part of the USSR. This summer her daughter traveled with a group from the church to Ukraine, but Polli was not able to join her. Next summer she and Savanna plan to return to the village of Rososha, Ukraine. The part the both of them enjoy the most is getting to know the children. Polli Mays...the future Polli is anticipating an awesome future and looks forward to many happy years at CCS
Ann Marie McAfee(annmariemcafee@yahoo.com) School Counselor	Ms. Ann Marie’s mother always told her growing up, “never discount the lessons learned in any job you perform”, which is why she loves to reminisce about her years driving a tractor in 4th grade during her summers on a farm, or driving a high school bus while holding another job as the Pianist for her church. Growing up with 7 years of piano and many Little Theater performances under her belt (her favorite was the role of Anne Frank), friends and family were certain Ms. Ann Marie was headed for a music career, but she had different dreams in mind. While attending Meredith College in Raleigh, NC, Ms. Ann Marie majored in Psychology and earned a second degree in Business Administration/ Marketing. She did manage to squeeze in a few voice/guitar classes and travel with the Meredith Chorale for stress management purposes! Knowing that she always wanted to work with children and young people, she went on to attend Appalachian State University and received her masters in Psychological Counseling, earning her K-12 School Counseling and National Certified Counselor certification. After several internships, co-ops, and opportunities to shadow people in various counseling professions, it didn’t take her long to realize that working in the schools was where she could be on the front line with the kids she enjoys and cares about so deeply. During her first counseling job in Kannapolis Middle School, Ms. Ann Marie served on the state board for NC School Counselors Association for a few years and coordinated one of their state conferences. Ms. Ann Marie also provided counselor and system-wide staff training in the areas of violence prevention, conflict resolution, and suicide prevention. She also went on to help coordinate and serve as program counselor for the Power of Girls Mentoring Program sponsored by United Way and the Carolina Panthers. During her first year as a counselor, she married her husband, Keith, and moved to Highland Creek, where they now live with their beagle, Jackson, and three boys, Zachary (10), Ben (9), and Elijah, (6), who attend CCS. “I never dreamed in a million years that there could ever be a school like CCS, where a child’s physical, social, emotional and cognitive well-being is valued and nurtured like it is at our school”, she says. “Having the opportunity to work with the students and staff at CCS who inspire me every day has been a huge gift to me”. These days when she is not at school, you will find Ms. Ann Marie on a ball field of some sort with her boys, playing the piano, reading, scrapbooking with her girlfriends, and dreaming of the day she will work it in her schedule to take drum lessons of which she has always dreamed!
Kathleen McMillan(kmcmillan@ccsch.org) MS Technology Teacher Click here to visit the Website for Technology	Kathleen grew up in the small Jersey shore community of Wall Township. The summers her family spent sailing, encouraged her to discover new places and meet interesting people. To quote Mark Twain,” Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover." After a trip to Italy, Kathleen became fascinated in other cultures. She was awarded a Fulbright Teacher Exchange Scholarship, teaching in Manchester, England for a year. During the year, she was able to become part of another country’s culture, experience a different educational system and travel throughout Europe. Upon returning, she completed her Master’s Degree in Education Administration. Over the years, Kathleen has taught 2nd through 6th grade, trained teachers to differentiate curriculum in the classroom as a Talent Development Consultant; and worked as a Teaching Assistant Principal. Ms. Kathleen states, “As a member of the CCS family, I feel like I have come home. I can’t express how excited I am to be here and be a part of the magic. CCS allows teachers, students and staff to Explore. Dream. Discover.” Ms. Kathleen lives on Mountain Island Lake with her husband, Michael, three children, Amelia (5), Jack (4) and Mary (2) and her Australian shepherd puppy, Rosie.
Prerna Jindal(prernasj@gmail.com) Tech. Lab Assistant
Blair Newton(Bnewtonccs@yahoo.com) Middle School Assistant	Blair was born and raised in Huntersville. She went to Alexander middle, and North Meck high schools. She was a gymnast until high school and began on the high school diving team in 11th grade. Blair attended the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and graduated with a BA in Psychology and minors in both womens studies and American Studies. After graduation, she decided to return to her childhood dream of being a teacher and went back to school to get her teaching license in middle school social studies. Blair enjoys spending time with her family, friends and boyfriend, Keith, as well as her mischievous puppy, a Westie named Merlin. She loves to travel all over but visits Charleston and Asheville often. She also loves to read, cook, swim and eat out, especially Asian food. Blair has a passion for history and wants to share her love with kids! Blair is excited to begin her teaching career at CCS and looks forward to many years and memories there.
Kristen Patterson(kpatterson@ccsch.org) 7th Grade Science Teacher	Kristen came to us with four years of teaching experience at the high school level. Kristen taught both earth science and biology in her native state of Connecticut and in North Carolina. Kristen pursued her passion for the life sciences, specifically marine biology, as an undergraduate at the College of Charleston in South Carolina. After graduating from college, Kristen worked at an aquarium in Norwalk, CT. She taught small groups, of all ages, aboard a research vessel in Long Island Sound. She later decided to take an opportunity offered to her as an environmental consultant. In the environmental industry, Kristen was exposed to science and math beyond that of the aquatic variety. She sampled and studied the quality of soil, sediment, groundwater, and living organisms at various toxic sites east of the Mississippi. Beyond field work, Kristen conducted studies that analyzed the health risks of harmful chemicals, such as pesticides, to organisms - including humans. She feels this experience is invaluable to her as a teacher! Before starting classroom teaching, Kristen worked as an educator at the South Carolina Aquarium. She received her teaching certification after earning her Master’s of Arts in Teaching at Quinnipiac University in CT. Kristen lives in Huntersville with her husband and golden retriever puppy. She has three siblings, all of whom now live in the Charlotte area. Kristen loves swimming, basketball, scuba diving, reading, and working at CCS! Finally, Kristen is looking forward to her trip to Guatemala this summer!
Melissa Porter(melissa_porter22@hotmail.com) 7th GradeSocial Studies Teacher Click here for the Website	Greetings! The following are questions Mrs. Porter’s advisory wanted to know about her. *How old are you?* 27 *What do you do over the holidays?* Well, during the winter break my husband and I usually take a vacation to a new place each year, somewhere we haven’t been. This past winter break we went the Caribbean. Otherwise, we celebrate with friends in North Carolina or go back home to Utah to celebrate with our families. *Where did you attend college?* I attended Utah State University for three years and then transferred to the University of North Carolina at Charlotte when we moved to North Carolina. *What was your first car?* On my 16th birthday I had a brand new green Honda Accord sitting in my parents drive way. I was so excited to come home and see such a y parents however played a little trick on me as the car was for my mom and I received her old car which was a 1987 blue Honda Accord. We still laugh about that experience today! *Where were you born?* I was born in Salt Lake City, Utah where my entire family (including extended family) still lives. *What are your hobbies?* I used to dance, sing and scrapbook. I would say my hobbies now are that I enjoy decorating, baking desserts, traveling and doing some digital scrapbooking when I get the chance. *Where did you meet your husband?* I met Dave at Utah State University my first year of college and we were married that following summer. *How did your husband propose to you?* Let’s just say that a police officer pulled me over. Ask my advisory for the whole story if you want to hear about it. *What is your favorite time period in history?* My absolute favorite time period is the Holocaust. I took an entire semester at college specifically on teaching the Holocaust. I love learning about it! *How long have you lived in North Carolina?* I’ve lived here for five years. It’ll be six years in July and I love living in North Carolina. *What did you want to be when you grew up?* A teacher of course! ;) What did you study in college? Elementary education. What is something amazing that has happened to you? Growing up I really wanted a little sister and every year I would ask Santa Clause for a sister and braces. When I turned nine, that December I got both a sister and braces. It was a wonderful year! *What size of shoes do you wear?* I wear a 7 or 7.5. *What is one word that would describe you?* Dedicated *What is your favorite book?* I can’t narrow down just one favorite book however; I love most historical fiction novels especially any that have to do with the Holocaust. In sixth grade my favorite book was Number the Stars. *What is your favorite food?* My favorite food would be anything Mexican and my favorite dessert would be mint oreo icecream-yum! *How many siblings do you have?* I have one brother, Tyler and two sisters, Ashley and Heather. *Do you have a middle name?* Yes, my full name is Melissa Ann (middle) Rupp (maiden) PorterWhat are some fun facts that we don’t know about you? Hmmm, well I love to dip my foods. I like dipping pretzels in chocolate, vegetables in ranch dressing, chips in salsa and queso and crackers in hummus. Another unique fact is that my family calls me Missy and my dad’s name is Ken, my aunt’s name is Barbie and my grandma’s name is Mary Lamb. Interesting huh? *What do you remember most about middle school?* I remember that every girl crimped her hair, we wore overalls with one strap connected and one strap not, my favorite music was New Kids On The Block, my school colors were red, black and white, I had a gray locker near the cafeteria, my middle school mascot was a general, and I loved my English class with Mr. Huntington. Not only was he fascinating to listen too, he taught me to love Shakespeare and King Arthur.
Akila Ramesh(Akila.ramesh@gmail.com) Technology Lab Assistant
Maria Reoch(mreoch@ccsch.org) 7th grade inclusion specialist	One year ago, Maria decided that she needed a change of life style after living in the North East her whole life. She and her fiancé have been living in North Carolina for about two years and is enjoying every minute. Recently, they bought a new home in Mooresville and are exited to say that they are residents of North Carolina. Last year, Maria taught 4th grade regular education at Third Creek Elementary in Statesville, NC. After trying her hand at regular education, Maria commented that she was meant to be a special education teacher. Maria stated, “I just really enjoy the challenges of finding unique and different ways that children can learn.” After hearing so much about this magical school, Maria attended the school’s open house one year ago and realized that dreams really do come true! Maria continuities to expand on her passion for teaching where she has undergone the Mel Levine School’s Attuned training this summer. She looks forward to implementing this Neurodevelopmental approach in her everyday teaching. In her spare time, Maria coaches a middle school girls lacrosse team (CHYLL), enjoys running, and baking! Maria is also looking forward to her wedding on October 10th, 2008!
Andrea Rieves(bryanandrea@bellsouth.net) Stdnt gov’t,7th grade advisor, MS assistant	Andrea Rieves grew up in Greensboro, NC. When she was middle school-age, she attended Southeast Guilford Junior High. Some of her favorite activities in school were journalism, cheerleading, and student council. She also loved ballet and spending her summers at the pool with friends. After high school, she attended UNC-Charlotte. That’s where she found two loves: teaching and her husband Bryan. Her teaching career started in Cabarrus County at the middle school level. However, she spent most of her teaching career at Central Cabarrus High School. She taught a variety of English classes, coached JV cheerleading, and was a mentor teacher. She left teaching when she and Bryan had their only child Emma. Today Andrea and Bryan have been married 15 years. They found CCS when looking for schools for Emma. The school was a perfect fit for their family, and Emma has attended CCS since entering kindergarten. Andrea loved the school so much that she started working again when Emma enrolled. She is excited to put all her energies into the middle school in the coming years. When she isn’t at school, Andrea loves spending time with her husband and daughter. One of their favorite activities is hiking, especially in the Blowing Rock area, where a great hike is rewarded with beautiful waterfalls and Kilwins ice cream!
Angela Rivera PE Teacher	Angela was born in Queens, NY, which is right outside of Manhattan. There she lived with two younger sisters, one brother and her parents until moving to Long Island, NY with her husband Carlos. Raised in a very strict Italian family, a good education and learning how to cook was very important. Angela received her degree in Finance from NYU and went on to work on Wall Street. After 10 years of the rat race, she decided to leave Manhattan and pursue a different career in health and fitness. Being physically fit and healthy was a big part of Angela's life. Her parents instilled healthy eating habits and involvement in sports from a very young age. Angela went on to become a Personal Trainer and opened her own business after only a year of working in a gym. She ran 5 NYC Marathons and trained most of her clientele to do the same. Running is one of Angela's passions and still continues to run almost every day with the hope of running a marathon again. About a year ago, Angela and her family moved to Charlotte for a better quality of life. Her children Cristian and Alexandra are thrilled that Dad is home more and involved in their everyday life. Family is incredibly important to Angela and she tries to get back to NY every two months to visit. Soon after the move, Angela started working for a company that brought fitness classes to young children at daycare centers. Then one day, while talking to a friend/neighbor, she was told that a PE Teacher position was available at CCS. The rest is history! CCS has given Angela an incredible opportunity to really teach what she loves and to be exposed to people that make you feel that you're part of something special. She has finally found her niche! Angela's students have become a big part of her life and her only wish is that they walk away from her class with at least one healthy change.
Karin Solomonson(puravida@carolina.rr.com) Spanish Teacher	I am Karin Solomonson, wife of Chad, mother to Emily & Boden (4th & 1st graders at CCS), admirer of the vision that is reality at CCS, and proud to be your son or daughter’s Spanish teacher this year!! That’s me, to the right, at a school in Guatemala that I visited this summer with a group of CCS colleagues. We were there to share the Basic School methodology of literacy through words, numbers, and the arts...and received so much more. It was inspirational to say the least, and I’ve been chomping at the bit ever since I returned home to get back in the classroom at CCS. That certificate of occupancy couldn’t come fast enough, as a secondary focus of that trip became who could collect the most “realia” to bring back to CCS. We have menus, instruments, books, and more...and Chad is especially happy that we finally have our garage back! ; ) That trip followed a 2 1/2 week stay at an orphanage in Bolivia, where I served as team translator for both teams that went from my church. This was my second year going and I think of many of those boys as my “Bolivian” children. You’ll see pictures of them in la sala in our “classroom.” I use the term “classroom” loosely, as my vision is really to create a world where your children can escape into the passion of what learning a language really is about—making connections. I started learning Spanish in third grade, but never connected with it until I used it—in my Junior year of high school when I first traveled abroad! That trip opened the world to me and I decided to double major in Education & Spanish. During college, I was fortunate enough to study in Costa Rica (where I got the name of Karina!) and a semester in Uruguay. I have also traveled to Argentina, Paraguay, Brazil, Mexico, Spain...and one of my dreams is to drive from Mexico all the way to Tierra del Fuego. Until that happens, I’m happy to travel as much as I can and immerse myself in the Latino culture. When you come visit this world that I’m trying to bring into the 4 walls of a classroom, I hope you’ll see the passion I have for sharing how amazing it is to be able to communicate in a different language. We will be writing, reading, thinking, and doing art, music, & math to explore Spanish. (And hopefully eventually all of those webcams I spread around this summer will work so we can start making some really fun connections around the world!) And just in case you hear it from your kids, yes, it’s true that the table in la cocina really was the same one where I practiced being a teacher when I was a little girl. I’ve wanted to teach since I was two and am thrilled and honored to be back in the classroom in a place that encourages me to teach with creativity and passion. I am giddy thinking about all we’re going to explore this year! I will be at CCS on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays. Of course, I always welcome your questions/comments & the best way to reach me will usually be via email. My email address is: puravida@carolina.rr.com (Yet another thing I brought back from Costa Rica—it’s a phrase that literally means “pure life” but it’s an expression that is more like Hakuna Matata!) I hope you feel like you know me a little better now. I truly look forward to getting to know each of your children & each of you more during the coming year! Saludos, Karin Solomonson (aka Sra. Karina)
Juli VonCanon(jcvoncanon@roadrunner.com) 6th Grade Math Teacher Click here to visit the Website for 6th Grade Math	Juli was born in a small town in the northern mountains of North Carolina and was raised in a house built by her great-grandfather at the turn of the century. Both her grandmother and her father were raised within those same walls, so it’s needless to say that Juli grew up being well aware of her roots. She spent a lot of her childhood playing the same piano that her grandmother played, and roaming through the same woods her father explored as child. From a very early age, her strong inclination toward music and imagination led to her to develop a strong interest in the arts, music and drama in particular. Upon graduation from high school – the same high school that both her mother and father attended AND the same high school in which her grandmother taught - she went on to follow in her grandmother’s steps by attending Appalachian State University. One major difference existed, however. Juli’s Nana went to study education, but Juli went to study music. While there, Juli obtained a degree in Vocal Performance and began to lay the groundwork to start her career as a budding young performer, with aspirations of working in musical theater and/or opera. As often is the case in life, just when she thought she knew exactly what she wanted and where she was going, a little surprise came her way! She met her husband, Charles, in the final semester of her undergraduate work, and was fortunate enough to realize that a life of performing and being on the road year-round wasn’t for her after all! After deciding to choose a career more conducive to family life and lots of soul-searching and exploration, she ended up following in her Nana’s footsteps after all. Juli decided to become a teacher! And become a teacher, she did! But she quickly realized that this was no afterthought – this is exactly what her calling in life was meant to be. This was her “kismet” career! Juli spent the first four years of her career teaching 4th grade in West Jefferson, NC, some of which was spent teaching in the same building that her grandmother had worked in many years previously. Hmmm…. And then one fateful day, Juli and Charles learned some news that would send them on down their paths. Charles’ position with Lowes Co. Inc would require him to relocate, so Juli and Charles packed up their belongings and moved to Mooresville in the summer of 2002. “We truly looked like the Clampets, loading a baby grand piano onto the back of a 1991 Ford pick-up truck. Seriously!” Juli spent the next four years teaching 5th grade, and during this time, she obtained National Board Certification in the area of Middle Childhood Generalist. Then the next big change in her life occurred. Juli, on a whim – or as she calls it, “a kismet moment” - attended an open house session at CCS. As we all are, Juli was strongly moved by Joy’s vision for education and her dynamic personality. The rest, as they say, is history! Juli joined the staff in 2006 as a 4th/5th grade lead teacher. But the story doesn’t end there…. About the time Juli joined the staff, plans were being made for the upcoming Middle School. While loving every minute of teaching her 4th and 5th graders, something kept pulling her over to the middle school to “check things out.” She found the Advisory Role to be of particular interest to her, viewing it as an amazing opportunity for both the students and the teachers. After another bout of soul-searching and exploration, Juli asked the administration if they would support her endeavor to start a new chapter in her career by allowing her to apply for the position of Middle School Math Teacher. Juli has always enjoyed teaching all curricular areas, but Math was always where she had the most fun, viewing it as a big playground filled with cool tricks and endless possibilities for creative thinking. So the stars lined up and everything just seemed to fall into place, making all of Juli’s dreams come true! Juli definitely reveres teaching as her life’s purpose – her calling, if you will. To her, it’s far more than a job; it’s a way of life, and she feels blessed everyday that she has been granted this amazing opportunity to work with the students, families, and teachers at CCS. Although much of her time revolves around teaching, she does have some other interests. First and foremost, she loves spending time with her family. Juli and Charles have been married for 10 years, and Jack joined their journey four years ago. They also have a four-legged child, Tony, a Golden Retriever, who serves as resident sibling and playmate to Jack! J Juli still is passionate about music and drama, and when time allows, she likes to join the Davidson Community Players for their summer shows. Juli also loves to sing and pick her guitar, autoharp, and piano. Jack and Tony jump right in and enjoy this activity as well. Cooking is another passion of Juli’s, so she tries to counteract all of those yummy dishes she creates with a strong focus on physical fitness, as well. Mathematics can be viewed as very structured at times, and just like Math, Juli certainly has some of those traits to her personality. But she’s definitely got a highly creative side as well. Technology, another one of her passions, allows her to merge both her left and right brain in a fun and exciting way. And of course, there’s reading. What teacher isn’t passionate about that? Juli is thrilled about this new chapter in her life and can’t wait to see how the sentences unfold. “I feel like the most blessed person in the world, and I try to live in a state of gratitude that offers thanks for the gifts this life has granted me. Those roots given to me by my parents enabled me to develop my wings, and as a result, I’m living the life of my dreams. Therefore, it is my goal to help my students strengthen their roots so they, too, can develop their wings and soar into the horizon of their own lives.”

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