Lower School Faculty & Staff

Tracie Hughes was born and raised in Oklahoma. She has a management degree from OSU and an Early Childhood Education Degree from UCO. She has been married since 1983. She has two grown children and four grandchildren.

She is passionate about the education and development of children. Tracie believes that each child has been uniquely gifted by God and it is such a blessing to help children realize their potential as well as their God given gifts.

Her favorite hobby is reading and she loves to spend time with her family. She has been in education since 1993 and at CCS since 2004.

Laura Lovelace, who joined the staff of Crossings Christian School in 2013, graduated from the University of Central Oklahoma with a B.S. in Elementary Education. Prior to graduating from UCO, Laura studied at OU for 3 years, where she taught preschool while attending college. In addition to teaching preschool, Laura taught 2nd and 5th in the Putnam City school district as well as 4th grade at Heritage Hall.

Laura is married to Todd and they have 3 children who have been at CCS since preschool, Ross, Reid and Kate. Laura and Todd act as marriage mentors for young couples and host a small group in their home to encourage young families in their Christian walk. As a family, they enjoy going to the beach, riding bikes, swimming, participating in sports and hanging out together.

Laura has a heart for serving others and looks forward to serving the student, parent and teacher community at Crossings school.

Mrs. Kristin Fares grew up in Oklahoma City and graduated from the University of Oklahoma with a BA in Spanish. She was a member of Teach for America and then taught at the Presbyterian School in Houston, Texas.

Kristin joined the staff at Crossings in 2014, after the blessing of being able to stay home with her children for a few years. She began teaching in the pre-school and now enjoys spending her days in the Lower School office. She loves getting to know the students and their families.

Kristin and her husband Erik have been married since 2003 and have three children. They enjoy spending as much time together as a family as possible. The kids activities keep Kristin busy, but in free time she loves cooking, reading, running and hiking, always eager to conquer a new mountain. She really likes to explore God’s amazing creation. The Fares Family is active at Crossings Community Church. And of course, they love cheering on their favorite teams – the Thunder and the Sooners!

Mrs. Brewster has been in classrooms for 24 years teaching Kindergarten and First grade. She has state certifications in Elementary and Early Childhood Education and has received her National Board Certification in the area of Early Childhood. After teaching only in public schools, she is very happy to continue the educating process at CCS, this time focusing on instilling the love of God in the hearts and minds of young children.

Mrs. Brewster has spent 4 years tutoring students and is certified through HILD to work with young children that are exhibiting possible signs of learning problems.

Mrs. Brewster and her husband have 2 children and 5 grandchildren and love spending time with them. She also loves crafting, hiking, and traveling.

Patty joined the Crossings Christian School staff in August 2012. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from the University of Oklahoma and a Master’s degree in Special Education from the University of Central Oklahoma, and has earned Oklahoma certificates for kindergarten, elementary, emotional disturbed, and learning disability.

Patty has taught kindergarten, first grade, and special education classes. After teaching for 12 years Patty changed careers to become a stay-at-home mom with her two boys. After raising her amazing sons, Colin and Blaine, she decided to go back to teaching. Ms. Patty is thrilled to be back in the classroom after 18 years. She loves the students’ energy and watching each child as they grow through the school year. Patty has found Crossings Christian School to be an outstanding place to work for she loves praying with and for the students each day.

With both her boys attending the University of Oklahoma, Patty has found time to read, sew, and love on her dog, Buddy. She also enjoys yard work, OU football, travel and exercising. Her favorite exercise classes are spinning and kickboxing.

Susanne joined CCS in 2014. She has a B.S. in Elementary Education from East Central University, Ada, OK. Prior to coming to CCS, Susanne’s teaching experience has been in kindergarten in two Christian schools. First in Enid, OK and formerly in Ft. Worth, TX.

Mrs. Kohutek has a passion for early childhood. She loves to build relationships with her students and their parents. Along with the fun and laughter, her favorite part of teaching is seeing each student’s discovery and developmental process of learning.

Susanne and her husband Doug have been married since 1974. They are blessed with two adult children, Monica and Chris, a daughter-in-law, and one grandson. Susanne enjoys family time, cooking, watching sports, and being “Grammie”.

Mrs. Kathryn Mercer joins our staff after being a stay-at-home mom for 5 years. Previously a substitute teacher and C.C.S. & P.T.F. supporter, Kathy felt the Lord calling her back to the classroom.

She has a Bachelors Degree in Early Childhood Education from the University of Central Oklahoma. In addition, she has earned her Masters in Early Childhood Instructional Leadership and Academic Curriculum from the University of Oklahoma. Previously she taught 9 years in Nevada, Texas and Oklahoma. For over four years she was a Child Development Specialist for the State Department of Education, “Sooner Start” Program.

Kathy enjoys baking and watching old movies with her husband, Mark and her daughter, Darla who is also a student at CCS.

Theresa was born in Florida, and raised in New Jersey and North Carolina. She attended the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill where she earned a BA in Elementary Education with a secondary major in Spanish. She moved to Oklahoma in 1995 with her husband, Brett, when she was given the opportunity to dance professionally with the Oklahoma City Ballet, which she did until her retirement in 2003.

Theresa considers it a privilege for their children, Joshua and Lily, to attend Crossings Christian School. She is thrilled to have the opportunity to serve the Crossings community by investing her time and love into the students and their families in the school.

Her family enjoys traveling, vacations at the beach, playing with their two cats (Phinneas and Elly), and spending time with friends.

Alex Corp joined CCS in 2017. She has a B.S. in Early Childhood Education and a M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction. Her previous teaching experience was in a Putnam City School in first, second, and third grade classes as a lead teacher.

Alex Enjoys working with young children and seeing how much progress they make throughout the year. She believes that learning in the early years of life is crucial for success in the future. Hands on learning with plenty of movement and fun is her idea of a successful learning environment for young children. The ability to teach children about the love of Christ is her favorite thing about being at CCS.

The Corp family includes husband Collin, and two boys, Fletcher and Sam. Alex is learning to live in a boy’s world and loving it! They love being together and doing activities at the lake, the river, and anywhere outdoors, including just playing in the backyard. They also enjoy being any and everywhere with their grandparents, cousins, aunts, and uncles.

Cadee Coulter grew up in Oklahoma City. She received a B.S. in Early Childhood Education from the University of Oklahoma and a M.Ed. in Instructional Leadership and Academic Curriculum from the University of Oklahoma.

Cadee joined the CCS staff in 2016 after having the privilege to stay at home with her children. While staying home, Cadee volunteered at the school and served on the PTF board. She previously taught at The Lamplighter School in Dallas, Texas as the Academic Technology Coordinator and as an alternate teacher. Mrs. Coulter also taught preschool at Crossings for one year while she was finishing her Masters degree.

Cadee has been married to Cale since 2001. They have three children at Crossings; Patrick, Eloise and George. They have been at the school since Patrick was a preschooler in 2009. The Coulters enjoy being involved at their church, going to the lake, skiing, the Thunder, and the Sooners. Cadee participates in Bible Study Fellowship, she also enjoys traveling and watching her children participate in activities.

Kristen joined CCS in 2019. She has a Bachelor of Science in Education (Early Childhood Education) from The University of Oklahoma. Before coming to CCS, Mrs. Dennis began her career teaching third grade and, most recently, was a preschool teacher in Oklahoma City.

Mrs. Dennis loves to be in the classroom! She was drawn to education in middle school and high school because of the impact her teachers made on her life. She believes learning should be engaging and a hands-on experience which will continue beyond classroom education. Her goal is to nurture future leaders who enjoy the process of learning.

When asked her favorite subject to teach, Kristen says she has always had a love for teaching Reading. Within that subject, she truly enjoys the eye-opening experiences reading about others and the experiences they encounter can teach.

The Dennis family includes husband, Dillon, and daughters, Emmy Kate and Paisley. When not working, Kristen loves to read, spend time with her family, and creating calligraphy art.

Bio Coming Soon

Kim began teaching at Crossings in 2008. She has a B.S. in Early Childhood Education from the University of Oklahoma. Before coming to CCS, she taught in Putnam City Public Schools for seven years. During her career she has had experience in Kindergarten, First, and Second Grades.

Mrs. Balan has a desire to motivate and inspire students for a life long commitment to Christ and learning.

When asked what she enjoys best about teaching, she says she delights in the bond created with each child and has a passion for teaching children to read and write.

She is married to David, and they are blessed with two children, Parker and Connor.

Kim loves spending time with her family, watching her boys play sports, going camping, gardening, decorating and watching Sooner football.

Amanda joined Crossings Christian School in 2018. She taught for six years for Deer Creek Public Schools and was blessed to be a stay at home mom for several years. She has a B.S. in Early Childhood Education from the University of Oklahoma.

Mrs. Bertholf has a passion for teaching and instilling a love for life-long learning. Her favoite thing about teaching is building a loving classroom community that is eager to celebrate each other’s successes.

The Bertholf family includes Amanda’s husband, Kyle, and three sons, Carson, Bradley and Austin. They enjoy volunteering and being actively involved with Crossings Community Church. In their free time they enjoy watching movies, spending time with friends and family, exploring all OKC has to offer and cheering on their Sooners!

Tina is enthusiastic about teaching children. She strives to fill each day with love, laughter, friendships, and team building around Christ. Her students find her love for learning contagious and the classroom filled with excitement.

Tina praises God for the passion and gift of teaching. She holds a M.A. in Early Childhood and a B.A. in Elementary Education. She is National Board Certified and is trained in Love and Logic.

Tina is blessed beyond measure by her husband, Todd, and their family: Rachel, Lauren and Ryan. Tina loves hanging out with her family. She enjoys sports, Thunder basketball, board games, projects, walks, movies and playing with her British black lab.

Melissa has a B.S. in Early Childhood Education and a Masters Degree in Human Development, and has been with Crossings since 2007. Her previous teaching experience was in preschool and first grade.

Melissa loves teaching students to read and write. She says, “Watching the amazing progress of my students is more entertaining than any movie ever made! What could be better than a big pile of stories written by first graders or the huge smile that graces a child’s face when a difficult reading word has been conquered? What a blessing!”

Melissa enjoys reading and baking. She has a wonderful husband, two fabulous boys, and a very close extended family. They all love spending lots of time at the lake.

Sarah joined CCS in 2019 as a lower school assistant. Sarah received her Elementary Education degree from Southern Nazarene University and subsequently taught first and second grade at SNU School for Children and Bethany Elementary School. However, Sarah’s favorite and most gratifying job was being a stay at home mom for 12 years.

Sarah has always loved teaching children and making them feel loved and important! She believes that one highlight of teaching is to witness students feeling success and pride in their work. She is so very thankful to God for the opportunity to be at CCS and work with such amazing teachers and students!

Sarah has two precious boys, Ben and Will, who both attend CCS. Sarah loves spending time with her family and friends, reading the Bible, watching her boys play sports, going to the beach, finding new restaurants, attending OU football and Thunder basketball games, and traveling.

Ruth-Anne joined CCS in 2019. She has a B.S. in Nutrition from Texas Tech University. Before CCS, Ruth-Anne practiced fitness and nutritional counseling for both adults and children. She worked with after school programs in Lubbock teaching fitness and nutrition for elementary aged children. Once she and her husband moved back to Oklahoma in 2009, she focused on personal training and starting a family.

During the 2018 school year she subbed for CCS and truly enjoyed and loved being around the students and faculty members. Ruth-Anne’s heart is to encourage children to have an open mind, open heart, and be intentional about learning and expanding their faith in the Lord.

The McFadden family includes husband, Patrick, and sons, Gage and Keaton. When not working, Ruth-Anne enjoys spending time with her family at the lake, cooking, reading, movie time with the family, Bible devotions, and date night with her husband. Her family loves lake time, going to parks, and playing board games.

Kimberly Bastin graduated in 2007 from the University of Oklahoma with a Bachelors of Science in Elementary Education. After graduating, she and her husband, Blake, moved to Houston, Texas where she taught both kindergarten and 2nd grade. Kimberly remains a certified elementary education teacher in both Oklahoma and Texas.

While living in Houston, Kimberly and Blake welcomed their twins, Samantha and Easton. The family took advantage of the great opportunity to live in Melbourne, Australia for two years for Blake’s job until a position here in Oklahoma City at Crossings Community Church called them home. In 2016, Blake began his role as Head of Finance and Administration at Crossings Church, and in the fall of 2017, Kimberly began serving at Crossings Christian School in the front office at the Upper School. In the fall of 2019, she moved over to the Lower School to teach 2nd grade. Their children, Samantha and Easton, have attended CCS since 2016. Kimberly is deeply invested in the mission of CCS.

In her free time, Kimberly loves traveling to watch major league baseball games (Go Tigers!), browsing through antique stores, and spending quality time with her family and friends.

Danielle McNeely joined CCS in 2017. She has a B.S. in Early Childhood Education from the University of Central Oklahoma. Danielle has taught public school in the Putnam City school district as a second and third grade teacher from 2008-2013. She has also offered private tutoring since 2013 and subbed at CCS during the 2016-2017 school year.

Danielle has a heart and passion for kids and helping them reach their fullest potential. Her favorite subject to teach is math, but what she really enjoys is seeing her students be successful and accomplish their goals in school as well as outside of school.

Danielle has been married to her husband Troy since 2008. They have three beautiful daughters Aspen, Emery, and Olivia. When not working, Danielle enjoys cooking and being outdoors–running, kayaking, fishing, swimming, and playing with her kids.

Julie Thornton joined the CCS staff in 2009 and has over 20 years experience in 1st and 2nd grades. She previously taught in Deer Creek and Norman Public Schools. Mrs. Thornton received a B.A. in Elementary Education from Oklahoma Baptist University, and a M.Ed. in Instructional Leadership and Academic Curriculum from the University of Oklahoma. Julie has been honored as Teacher of the Year District finalist in Norman and is Nationally Board Certified as an Early Childhood Generalist.

Outside of the classroom, Mrs. Thornton has served as Vice President for Elementary for Oklahoma Council of Teachers of Mathematics. She has presented at various regional and state conferences on technology integration in Reading and Mathematics for Early Childhood educators. Additionally, Mrs. Thornton served as a consultant for Voyager Expanded Learning and McGraw-Hill Everyday Mathematics.

Her family includes husband, Brant, son Ryder, and mini schnauzer, Marley. They enjoy OU football games, vacations in Manhattan Beach, CA, landscaping, and spending weekends with friends and family. As active members of Crossings Community Church, they enjoy social and mission projects with their Sunday School class.

Deena grew up in the Oklahoma City area and graduated from Deer Creek High School. She began working at CCS in 2001 serving as aftercare director during her college years, and moving into her current role in 2004. She has a B.S. in Elementary Education from the University of Central Oklahoma.

When asked her favorite part of teaching, she says that seeing the growth of a student from the beginning of the year to the end is a real joy. Her favorite subject to teach is Science because it is easy to see how God’s Hand is the Ultimate Designer. Each year she makes a point to improve each lesson that she teaches a little more than the year before. The funniest thing that has happened in her room was the time that Snickers, the gerbil, escaped under the door and ran into Mrs. Gadd’s room to hide.

Ms. Weeks loves to spend time outside-whether being active or just relaxing. She loves to walk, run and bike with her dog, Ace.

Christal has a B.A. in Elementary Education and Psychology as well as a M.A. in Educational Leadership. Christal joined CCS in 2011. She taught elementary school for 10 years before joining the CCS staff.

She truly believes all children can learn given the right instruction, atmosphere and attention. She is enthusiastic about teaching and tries to create a fun, safe, challenging environment of mutual respect.

Christal has two amazing young boys that she loves to spend time with! They are extremely active and they stay very busy together. She enjoys exercising, cooking, reading, and just spending time with friends and family. When she gets the opportunity, she also loves to travel.

Karen joined CCS in 2011. She has a B.S. in Multidisciplinary Studies (Elementary Education) from Texas Tech. Before coming to CCS, Karen taught public school in Lubbock, Texas and has served as a preschool director in Edmond for the past seven years.

Mrs. Haley loves kids! She has always wanted to be a teacher, and was drawn to education as a child. According to her, learning should be a fun experience that is a life-long process. Her goal in the classroom is to nurture life-long learners who are curious and eager to learn. When asked her favorite subject to teach, she says that she has always had a love for teaching science. Within that subject, she truly enjoys hands-on explorations and experiments.

The Haley family includes husband, Chris, son, Tyler, and daughter, Katie. When not working, Karen loves to read, spend time with her family, and drive her kids all over creation! Her family loves to go camping, play at the lake, and go to amusement parks.

Sharon began teaching third grade at Crossings in 2006. She has a B.A. in Elementary Education, and an M.A. in Reading. Before coming to CCS, she taught in public and private schools in Tulsa.

Mrs. Myers says that she is intentional about providing a fun, loving environment where children can learn and grow. When asked her favorite subject/unit to teach, she says that she has always loved teaching Language Arts. Within that subject, she truly enjoys introducing students to excellent literature and poetry.

The Myers family includes husband, James, daughter, Lindsey, and son, Landon. When not working, Sharon loves to read, spend time with her family and friends, and play with her two dogs. Her family loves to just hang out together, watch movies, watch sports, and travel together.

Robyn joined CCS in 2014. She has a B.S. in Early Childhood Education from the University of Central Oklahoma. She has lived in Edmond since 1988 and is a graduate of Edmond Memorial High School. Before coming to CCS, Robyn taught public school for over 10 years and private Pre-K for several years prior to that.

Mrs. Ramer loves being around children. She enjoys their energy, their curiosity and their natural love for learning. She feels very blessed to teach at CCS and is thankful for God’s gift of teaching. Robyn believes the ability to help a child discover and develop his natural talents and abilities is a true blessing. She enjoys partnering with parents to achieve this in every child.

Robyn and her husband Todd have been married since 1995 and have two daughters and one son. Ashton is in college at Oklahoma Baptist University and Natalie and Grayson are students at CCS. As a family, they are very active in their church, where they have been members since July of 1996. In their spare time, they enjoy going to the lake, watching sports, attending many of their kids’ activities and spending time with friends and family. When she is not running kids to activities, Mrs. Ramer loves to read, sew, garden and bake.

Mrs. Bacon grew up in Edmond, Oklahoma. She began teaching 4th grade at Crossings in 2008. She has a B.S. in Elementary Education from the University of Central Oklahoma. Before coming to Crossings, she taught for one year in Edmond.

Mrs. Bacon says that she believes in her students and that they can do anything they put their minds to. Her favorite subject to teach is Science because she loves the inquiry and experiments.

Mrs. Bacon married her husband, Bryan, in June of 2019. She is enjoying her new blended family. He has two daughters, Katie and Bre. When not at school, she loves spending time with her family, their dog, Molly and cats, Oreo and Callie. They love going for walks, swimming, watching movies or just relaxing. She also loves spending time with her nieces and nephews.

Jennifer was overjoyed to join CCS in 2017! She has a Master’s degree in Early Childhood Education and a certification in Elementary Education. Before coming to CCS, Jennifer taught for seven years at Quail Creek Elementary and was blessed to be a stay at home mom.

Mrs. McElroy has always loved the company of children! She delights in finding fun and exciting ways to engage her students and create a love for learning. Her favorite subjects to teach are reading and writing to give her students a passion to become life long readers and thinkers. She loves being able to integrate God’s creation into curriculum and pray with her students.

Jennifer has been married to Jeff since 2001. They have three children at CCS; Graeme, Gavin, and Caroline. The McElroys enjoy serving in their church, going to movies, and playing board games. Jennifer’s favorite pastimes include cooking, decorating, reading, watching her boys play golf, and her daughter dance.

Marsha was born and raised in Clinton, OK and attended Oklahoma State University where she earned a BS in Elementary Education. She will say she bleeds orange! Go Pokes! She has a Master’s degree in Reading and a Master’s degree in Administration, both from UCO. She previously taught in the Putnam City School District for 15 years before being blessed with becoming a stay at home mom to Nicholas and Isabella for 8 years. During her years in PC she taught 2nd, 3rd and 4th grades and directed a mentoring program for 3 years.

Mrs. Napoliello considers it a privilege for her children to attend Crossings and to get to work in such a Christ-centered environment. She has volunteered and substitute taught here since her children began attending preschool. She loves teaching and being able to share the love of Christ with the open hearts of children.

Marsha, her husband Jeff, Nicholas, Isabella and Gia (precious dog) love spending time as a family being outside, swimming, watching movies, traveling, cheering on OSU and Thunder and reading.

Mrs. Occhipinti began teaching at CCS in 2017. She has a B.A. in Journalism and Communication Studies from Texas Christian University. Mrs. Occhipinti was the first graduate of CCS! Before coming back to CCS, she taught in Texas and also taught English in China.

Mrs. Occhipinti loves being able to teach in a Christian environment where biblical concepts are weaved into every lesson. Watching her students grow academically and spiritually throughout the year is one of her greatest joys.

She and her husband, Everett, love to travel, hike and discover new places. They also enjoy spending time with family, especially their two nieces and three nephews. They also love taking their dog, Lilly, on walks.

Jennifer has a B.S. in Chemistry and has been with CCS since 2004. Jennifer, her husband, Mike, and son, Luke, enjoy playing and watching sports together and listening to Christian rock music. When vacationing, they like to go to places that have roller coasters and professional baseball.

Being around students and watching them develop spiritually and academically is one of the things that Jennifer enjoys about working in a school. She says that being with students at recess is wonderful because it is fun to see the children enjoying their time to be carefree. Jennifer feels that it’s important for children to have time to play and relieve the tension that comes from focusing on learning.

Jermaine Brown joined CCS in 2019. He has a B.S. in Kinesiology and M.Ed. in Educational Leadership. He taught 6th and 7th grade science and coached football and track at Edmond Summit Middle School from 2008 to 2019. Jermaine was also the high school assistant wrestling coach and head middle school wrestling coach for Edmond Santa Fe High School. In addition to being a CCS lower school PE teacher, Jermaine is also the head coach for the CCS Knights wrestling team.

Jermaine has been married to his wife Cherish since 2017. They have a young son named Xander who keeps them busy but puts a smile on their faces each day. Jermaine loves practicing wrestling, jiu jitsu, judo, muy thai, and boxing. He enjoys the outdoors, reading with his wife, and assisting her in her photography.

A scripture Jermaine tries to follow is Micah 6:8. “He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with you God”. A scripture he wants his students and athletes to grasp is 1 Timothy 4:12 which states, “Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith, and in purity”.

Dillion joined CCS in 2019. He has a B.S. in Sports Wellness Recreation Management from Oklahoma Christian University. Before coming to CCS, Dillion taught in the Edmond Public School District and served as a special education teacher.

In addition to teaching PE, Mr. Coplin serves as the JV boys basketball coach and Varsity boys basketball assistant coach. He has always wanted to work with kids and was drawn to education at a young age. According to Dillion, learning is a choice and should be a memorable experience. Being intentional in our learning, not only in the classroom but also through scripture is very important in our faith walk today. His goal in the classroom is to create life-long relationships and to educate, mentor, and challenge his students daily to be the best version of themselves.

The Coplin Family includes wife, Abbie, and Rhodesian-Ridgeback son, Sam. When not working, Dillion loves to play golf, go for a run, and hang out with friends and family. His family loves to go to the beach, play cards, and go on walks.

Darcy grew up in Enid, OK and later moved to Piedmont. She has a BS in Marketing and Merchandising, and has almost completed her Master’s degree in Early Childhood Education.

Darcy has been teaching at Crossings for the past six years. She has a bachelors degree from the University of Central Oklahoma. She loves teaching children about loving Christ. Miss Darcy has two children at Crossings. She has been married for over 14 years to her husband, Dominic.

One of the things she loves about teaching children is helping them learn to show Jesus’ kindness to others.

Connie grew up in Miami, Oklahoma and attended Cincinnati Bible Seminary in Cincinnati, Ohio. She has been a children’s pastor for the last twelve years. She has taught music in a Christian school and will be teaching pre-school and kindergarten music this year. She loves to work with children!

Ms. Connie loves people and the Bible…those will last for eternity. She is excited to teach Scripture songs so that children can “hide God’s Word in their heart.” Ms. Connie is married to Bill Graves. She is the mother of seven children and twelve grandchildren. She is blessed beyond measure to have such a fabulous family! Spending time with all of them is a priority. She also loves to read and play the piano.

She became a chaplain at Crossings in the fall of 2012. She is passionate with the ministry opportunity to serve students and staff concerning spiritual and personal issues.

Jenny has taught K-5th grade (except 4th) in public and private schools in Oklahoma and Texas. She currently serves as the librarian. She earned a B.S. Degree in Elementary Education from Oklahoma State University.

Her greatest enjoyment when working in the library is introducing students to different types of literature, encouraging them to challenge themselves, and helping students find titles that match their many interests. She also loves finding books for teachers to use as they teach different subjects and units.

Jenny’s two daughters also attend CCS and have since they were in preschool. She has been married for 16 years and her husband, Scott, keeps her laughing. The McKees love hanging out together-especially at OSU football games. Jenny has recently taken up tennis.

Becky grew up in Shawnee, Oklahoma and has a B.S. in Health/Wellness from Oklahoma State University. She has been with Crossings since the school began.

The best part of teaching PE, according to Becky, is getting to work with all ages of students. She says that it is a blessing to watch their growth throughout the year. Along with the students, Becky adds that she loves working with the incredible staff at CCS.

Becky and her husband, Clint, have been blessed with three children, Connor, Brantly, and Kailey. When not working, Becky loves to read, spend time with family, and watch her kids play soccer.

Amanda is from Dallas, Texas and joined the Crossings staff in 2015. She has a Bachelor’s of Music with emphasis on Vocal Music Education from Oklahoma State University. Prior to graduating, Amanda had the privilege of co-teaching pre-k through fifth grade music classes at Westwood Elementary. Amanda regularly attends music workshops to gain resources that she can use in the classroom. She has also received Level 1 training in Orff-Schulwerk at The University of Tulsa.

Mrs. Winters is incredibly passionate about teaching elementary music and establishing both a musical and moral foundation in each child. Seeing children create through music and praise their Heavenly Father fills her heart with joy.

In her free time, Amanda enjoys traveling with her supportive & adventurous husband Clay, and writing letters to friends and family. She is thankful for all of the wonderful people God has placed in her life and enjoys making memories with them.

Ashlyn joined CCS in 2014. She graduated with a B.S.E. in Art Education (PreK-12) from Oklahoma Baptist University in 2012. Before CCS, Ashlyn taught secondary visual arts, Art I and Ceramics I for Putnam City Schools in Oklahoma City for two years.

Mrs. Winters loves getting to know the hearts of each of her students and teaching them the creative processes of art! She loves seeing God’s creativity in everyday things, especially through young artists’ handiwork. She believes that visual art is about the fun adventures had through the process of creating, and the product is the reward. Her joy in teaching art is helping students appreciate different types of creativity.

Mrs. Winters is the oldest of eleven children! She comes from a large, blended family. They love spending time together, watching movies, having fun outdoor adventures, and loving Jesus through everything! In her free time, Ms. Basinger loves to read, be with friends, and create!

Erin grew up in Tulsa, Oklahoma and has a B.A. in Journalism from OU, and a Master’s Degree in Special Education from OSU. She has been at Crossings since 2008 after taking time to stay at home with her two boys. Her prior teaching experience was at Jenks Public Schools where she taught eighth grade. She has experience at many grade levels through tutoring, summer school and substituting.

Mrs. Yarbrough says she loves working with preschool age children. They are excited and curious about everything. Their faces beam with joy when they complete a project. She believes each child is unique and given special gifts and abilities. Her goal is for your child to love coming to school everyday. Mrs. Yarbrough wants to provide a classroom where children know they are loved by their teachers and not afraid to make mistakes. Preschool is an exciting year for children as they explore the learning centers, create wonderful works of art and make new friends.

Erin and her husband Mike have been married since 1997. They have two boys, Robbie and Matthew. Her family loves to attend OU football and basketball games together.

Shanda grew up in Oklahoma and has a B.S. in Nursing. She practiced pediatric nursing at Integris Baptist Hospital in Oklahoma City for 10 years before becoming a stay at home mom.

Shanda has been married to her husband Paul for 16 years. They have three children, Joel, Abby, and Elly, who attend Crossings. Her family enjoys spending time at the kids’ sporting events, Thunder basketball games, and Disney.

Heather joined CCS in 2013. She has her bachelors in Elementary Education and her masters in reading. She is certified in Early Childhood and Special Education. She is also a certified reading specialist. She has taught for 10 years ranging from kindergarten to 8th grade and worked as a reading specialist for 4 years prior to coming to CCS.

Her family includes her elementary school sweetheart, Wayne, and their 4 children – Tate, Hope, Emalyn and Jett. They are also foster parents and love extending their family to children that God brings into their home. Heather absolutely loves teaching. Her biggest dreams have always been to be a mother and a teacher. Reading is her favorite subject and she is passionate about developing a love of reading in her students!

In her spare time, Heather enjoys spending time with her family, exercising, reading and doing craft projects.

Sherry grew up in Oklahoma and graduated from Oklahoma State University with a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education. She went on to receive her Master’s degree from the University of Central Oklahoma. She feels blessed to have joined CCS in 2017 after teaching 28 years in public schools in Jones, Choctaw and Edmond, The last 14 years have been as a Reading Specialist.

She has been married to her college sweetheart since 1985 and has two grown sons. She loves traveling, running, reading and spending time with her family and friends.

She is passionate about teaching children to become better readers, and feels like it is her calling in life.

Mrs. Riley joined the CCS faculty in 2015. She has a B.A. in Elementary and Early Childhood Education from the University of Central Oklahoma. Before deciding to become a stay at home mom she taught Kindergarten in Moore Public Schools and 2nd and 3rd grade in Edmond Public Schools where she was teacher of the year in her building.

Mrs. Riley strongly believes in the philosophies and high standards Crossings Christian School has set for their students. She feels that children all learn and grow at their own pace and educators have the privilege of guiding them through that journey.

The Riley family includes her husband, Brent, and son, Cash. They joined the Crossings family in 2014 when Cash started first grade. In her spare time, she enjoys watching her son’s sporting events, volunteering for the Junior League of Oklahoma City, exercising, reading, and spending time with friends.

Heather graduated from Oklahoma State University in 1999 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Early Childhood Education. She has taught Kindergarten, first grade, and second grade in Oklahoma and Texas. She completed her coursework for her Master of Education in Reading degree from the University of Central Oklahoma in June 2013.

Mrs. Sutton is passionate about helping students become successful readers. She recognizes that every child is uniquely created by God and learns to read and write in his/her own way. She longs to see all students reach their full potential and feel confident in their abilities as readers and writers.

Mrs. Sutton is happily married to her husband, Jeremy. They have two sons, Will and Eli. Heather enjoys reading, journaling, playing games, watching movies, and spending time with her three boys.

Beth joined Crossings in 2012 as the Educational Resource director for K-12. She has a B.S. degree in Special Education from Southwestern State University. She earned her first Masters degree in Guidance and Counseling then followed up with a degree in Administration from the University of Central Oklahoma. Beth has been an Educator for 20 years. The first eight years were spent as a Special Education teacher and a Counselor in Edmond Public Schools. Since then she has been a Principal in the Edmond schools for 12 years.

Mrs. Tollefson believes it is a privilege to serve students and parents. She enjoys helping students and finding ways to lead them to be excited about education. Beth is overjoyed to work with young hearts and shape them academically, emotionally and spiritually. She is a firm believer in high expectations and giving your talents to please God.

Beth is blessed with a wonderful family. The Tollefson family includes her husband, Brad, and their sweet little girl, Reagan. In her free time, Beth enjoys reading all kinds of literature, working outside in her yard, and spending time with her immediate and extended family.

Beth is excited about coming to work at CCS. She is thrilled to be working with professionals, parents and students who share a vision for excellence in education and giving glory to God!!

Mindy joined CCS in 2017. She has a B.S. in Education from Southwestern Oklahoma State University, a M.Ed. in Early Childhood Education, and a M.Ed. in Educational Administration from the University of Central Oklahoma. Before coming to CCS, she was a teacher, an instructional facilitator and principal in the Oklahoma City Public School District for thirteen years. During that time, she was a Teacher of the Year nominee and Excellent Educator Nominee in her building. After marrying in 2005 and starting a family in 2006, she decided to stay home to raise her children. During this time, she worked part time as an Adjunct Professor at Oklahoma State University of Oklahoma City for nine years.

While working on her undergraduate deree, she had the opportunity to work with elementary students during the summer and fell in love with teaching. According to her, teaching is fun, and working with students and watching them grow academically and socially is very rewarding. She believes that each child is a gift from the Lord with unique talents and gifts.

Her family includes her husband, Brian, sons, Joe and Luke, and daughter, Hannah. During her free time, she enjoys exercising, and spending time with family and friends.