Upper School Faculty & Staff

Sonya Jones
Upper School Principal
Mrs. Jones believes strongly in servant leadership coupled with high expectations. She strives to lead like Jesus each day. She serves students, faculty, and parents and understands this unity propels students towards excellence not only academically, but also spiritually. Sonya believes that the goal of a Christian school should be to model Christ in a way that makes students want to know more about Him, while receiving a top-notch, well-rounded education where students can explore and perfect their God-given talents.
Sonya feels blessed to have married Charles in 1991 and have two wonderful children, Chelsea and Colton. In her personal time, Sonya loves to attend church, sporting events, musicals, jigsaw puzzles, reading, shopping, baking, and spending time with her family, including her pets.
Sonya is honored, humbled, and ecstatic about being a part of the CCS community and a Knights fan.

Tammy Jensen, M. Ed.
Dean of Students
Activities Director
Her teaching experience includes Physical Education, High School Leadership, Character Education, Early Childhood, and Educational Therapy. She is certified in the areas of Physical Education, Mild-Moderate Special Education, and Early Childhood Education. Mrs. Jensen’s passion is to encourage students to learn how to be strong, independent and Christ-centered leaders in the world not of the world. Helping students love their school and be proud to be an active part of the high school experience is a priority for Mrs. Jensen.
She is married to her high school sweetheart, John. She has three wonderful children, Malcolm, Mack and Hannah. In her free time, Tammy enjoys gardening, baking and watching football with her family.

Michael Brown, M. Ed.
Dean of Fine Arts
Band Director
Mr. Brown is intentional about using music and the arts to show the love of Jesus to everyone we come into contact with as we develop lifelong skills. From contests and competitions to football games and concerts, we are called to be a light unto the world. The arts are a gift from God and the fine arts department strives to glorify Him through every performance and event.
The Brown family includes wife Charissa and two children, Austin and Taylor. When not at work, Mr. Brown enjoys photography, movies, sports, particularly OSU and the OKC Thunder, and hanging out with friends and family.

Shawn Schenk, M. Ed.
Dean of Athletics
Athletic Director
Mr. Schenk enjoys motivating students with diverse backgrounds and learning styles to achieve success. He is also passionate about helping students identify, embrace, and utilize the unique gifts and talents God has given them. In his experiences, Mr. Schenk has witnessed the positive impact that athletic participation can have on the mental, physical, and spiritual development and maturation of our youth. He remains committed to the support and the development of the coaches and student-athletes at Crossings and is honored by this tremendous responsibility.
Mr. Schenk is married to his beautiful wife, Jill, fellow CCS Middle School librarian. They have 4 children, Calvin, Clark, Faith and Mae. When he has free time, he enjoys spending time with his family, exercising, reading, watching sports, and being involved in church.

Dori Turner
Administrative Assistant to the Deans
Dori is excited to be part of the CCS family. She has a heart for teenagers and desires to see them flourish both academically and spiritually. She enjoys serving others and lending a helping hand.
She has been married to her high school sweetheart, Eric, since 2004. In her spare time she loves home projects, reading, gardening, baking and spending time with her family and friends.

Lauren Wheat
US Administrative Assistant
Lauren is thrilled to be part of Crossings. She has a heart for serving others, fostering relationships, and hopes to be an encouragement to students and co-workers.
She has been married since 2009 to Jamie Wheat, who teaches middle school P.E. at Crossings. Together, they have a son, Crosby, a daughter, Maggie, and two dogs. They attend Life Church NW OKC. Lauren loves to spend quality time with her family and friends. She likes to read, write, create, spend time outdoors, travel and explore.
Counseling

Keri Shields, M.S.
Director of College and Academic Counseling
The Shields family includes her husband George; son, Grant; and daughter, Susan. When not working Mrs. Shields likes to exercise, volunteer at church, and participate in small group bible studies. The book of John has been most influential in her Christian walk.

Jennifer Foster
Administrative Assistant
Registrar
Jennifer graduated from Oklahoma Baptist University with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing. She is passionate about using her gifts and talents to assist in furthering the mission of the school: to develop students into Christ-centered servant leaders who are academically and spiritually prepared for college and life.
When not working, Jennifer loves to spend time with her family which includes her husband, Michael, daughter, Stella and son, Wes. She enjoys reading, practicing yoga, listening to music, and traveling to her hometown of Houston to be with her extended family. The Foster family hobbies also include rock climbing, biking, and gardening.

Franci MacDonald
Director of Spiritual Formation for Girls
Mrs. MacDonald is married to Paul, our headmaster, and they have raised four children and hosted five international students. She enjoys being a grandmother to Naomi, Maddox, Thea, Cleo, Collins, Wesley and Casper.
Bible

Janay Stephens, M. Div.
Department Chair
Believing strongly that the most important relationship in anyone’s life is their relationship to God, Janay feels both a sense of honor as well as great responsibility in teaching the Bible. It is her desire that every student will not only know that facts of the Bible, but will know through personal experience the God of the Bible. She prays that Bible will be more than just a class but will rather be the beginning of a lifelong passion for God and for His word. It is her prayer that students will be able to know and apply God’s word to every aspect of their lives and that they will be “thoroughly equipped for every good work” (II Timothy 3:17).
Janay is married to Michael and they have two children Zachery and Elisabeth. She loves spending time with her family and friends and is active in her church. She enjoys sports, playing games, shopping, cross-stiching and studying and teaching the Bible.

Benjamin Patterson
Mr. Patterson has a passion for encouraging and inspiring teenagers by applying biblical principles to their everyday lives. It is his goal to walk side by side with students as they develop their faith and grow in their knowledge of scripture. He is actively involved with the Young Adult Ministries at Crossings Community Church and has served on the leadership team at Kanakuk Family Kamps. He is excited to be a part of the Crossings Christian School family as he continues to serve the youth of today.

Eric Turner, M.A.
Eric’s life purpose is to use his creativity and enthusiasm to love and encourage all people, with the hope that they might become believers who row into disciples that live on mission for the Kingdom of God. The primary way he enjoys doing this is by engaging students in a real and substantial way that gets them excited to learn more about God’s word and apply it to their everyday lives. Eric focuses on providing meaningful opportunities for his students to learn and succeed in the classroom and life.
Eric has been married to his church camp high school sweetheart, Dori, since 2004. They have three amazing children who also attend CCS. The strangest thing he has ever eaten is cow tongue and snail. When Eric isn’t teaching or coaching, he enjoys playing with his kids, date nights with his wife at Macaroni Grill, cheering for the St. Louis Cardinals and Wichita State Shockers, or simply enjoying a good movie.
English

Randy Baker, Ph. D.
Department Chair
Dr. Baker enjoys teaching high school and college students and watching them grow academically. He loves teaching English and recently received the Distinguished Service award from the Oklahoma Council of Teachers of English where he served as President in 2011-2012.
Dr. Baker is married to his wife Rose Mary, who is also a teacher of drama at Putnam City North. He has two children Bart and Sara. His grandchildren Ben and Will both attend Crossings Lower School. There is a very good chance that one might find him there having lunch and checking on his beautiful boys.
Dr. Baker believes that God is the center of his marriage and his life. He hopes to share God’s Love with his students and each and every day at Crossings Christian School.

Beth Hickey
Beth says teaching English and Journalism is her “dream job” because it combines her love of students, her passion for the written word, and her desire to train the next generation all together. Her passion is for students to love English as much as she does, but more importantly, to grow in their relationship with the Lord and each other.
Beth has been married to her husband, Matt, since 2003. They have three daughters, Allison, Madeleine, and Quinlyn. In her free time, she enjoys reading, traveling, cheering her girls at their various activities, and cuddling with her three dogs.
Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
--Matthew 6:19-21

Jonetta Jonte, M. Ed.
Above all else, Ms. Jonte sees herself as a student who enjoys discovering new ideas in literature and delving deeper into the use of words in all types of communication. Her students are encouraged to become sesquipedalian and stump her as often as possible. When asked which her favorite book to teach is, it changes to the one currently being taught. She says it is unfair to ask an English teacher to choose.
Ms. Jonte has two grown sons who live in the area and she currently cares for her mother. While waiting on grandchildren, she devotes her attention to two spoiled Dachshunds, tries out new recipes, and watches lots of football.

Traci Kreger
Mrs. Kreger loves to share her passion for English and literature. Her desire is to help every student foster a lifelong love for reading and learning to communicate well. She especially loves interacting with her teenage students because they inspire her everyday with their curiosity, humor, and optimism. Her classroom is always a colorful space, where students are encouraged to be creative and take risks.
The Kreger family includes husband Joe, daughter Caroline and son Landon. Their family isn’t complete without their two Corgis, Maggie and Winston. When not working, Traci loves to travel, read, attend concerts, try new restaurants and root for her beloved OSU Cowboys.
History

Nate Thompson
Department Chair
Having taught 9-12th grades Oklahoma History, Government, US History, and World History, Mr. Thompson has come to appreciate the influence of big ideas and worldview in shaping the events and culture of different eras and groups. While many students will not pursue a vocation related to history, history offers a great opportunity to study worldview and even to reveal the ways our own culture shapes us – often without our knowledge. In what some have termed a post-Christian culture, it is important for students to become adept in applying a biblical worldview in this context to be agents of change in the areas God will lead them. In addition to academics, Mr. Thompson enjoys the simple joys of interacting with students throughout the daily grind of the school year.
While in Christian schools, Mr. Thompson coached Cross Country and Track. As with many things, athletics can be a means of glorifying God through using one’s gifts or twisted to be used to bring glory to oneself. With this in mind, sports can be a great avenue to develop work ethic, perseverance, self-sacrifice, and, perhaps just as important, fellowship and the enjoyment of competition.
Outside of school, Mr. Thompson enjoys reading, playing and watching sports, and listening to podcasts and audiobooks. Most of all, he enjoys spending time with his wife Melissa and daughter Ruth.
Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God–this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is–his good, pleasing and perfect will.
--Romans 12:1-2

Roy Dockum
Mr. Dockum was a business owner and manager for about 25 years. He taught at the University of Central Oklahoma (UCO) College of Business for three years. Currently, he now works as the Executive Director of the Oklahoma Motor Vehicle Commission for the State of Oklahoma.
Roy enjoys learning and loves to share his knowledge and experience with the next generation. He has a passion for integrating faith and learning.
Roy is married to his wife Mary Beth, son, Kent, daughter Beth, and 6 grandchildren with whom he loves to spend time. In his spare time, he and his wife love to travel. Roy has been fortunate to have been able to travel to over 60 different countries.

Rick Harris
Mr. Harris has taught in several places throughout his 20+ years as an educator, including stops at Putnam City North (his alma mater), Edmond Memorial, Plainview (Ardmore, OK), Cashion, and Pottsboro, TX. At each place, Mr. Harris built solid life-long relationships with students and players; and continues to stay in touch with many of them.
A lifelong history teacher, Mr. Harris has taught US History, World History, Oklahoma History, US Government, Ancient World History, and World Studies. He is Advanced Placement Certified through College Board and has successfully taught AP United States History where several of his students received a “5” on the exam. Mr. Harris is also a National Board Certified Teacher in Social Studies.
“Coach” Harris spent as much of his educational career on the athletic field as he has in the classroom. His first love is basketball, where he was the head coach at Cashion (1998-2003), Pottsboro, TX (2003-2005), Plainview (2005-2008), and Putnam City North (2008-2015). He also has served as assistant basketball coach at Putnam City North (1993-1998) and Edmond Memorial (2015-2017). Other sports Mr. Harris has coached include football, baseball, softball, boys and girls golf, boys tennis, and track.
His life is completed by his faith and his family. Janet, his wife, has been by his side for over 30 years and they have two grown children, Taylor and Blake.
A strong advocate for education, Mr. Harris believes he is fulfilling the call to ministry as a teacher by serving, edifying, and building up the body of Christ. He is passionate and focused on preparing students for the world we live in and specifically empowering students to succeed once they have graduated.

Jonathan Keathly
Coach has been married to his wife Cindy since 2002 and they have two children, Kannon and Anabelle, who both attend CCS.
Prior to his time at Crossings, Coach Keathly coached and taught in Western Heights, Coppell (TX), Frisco (TX), Deer Creek, and Watonga school districts, teaching all grades from sixth to twelfth and coaching football, basketball, and track.
He has always had a passion working with young people and sharing God’s work in the world through history and current events.
Coach’s favorite memory as a teacher was having a meaningful discussion with a student about the verse written on her binder, Luke 12:48: “to whom much is given, much is required.” That discussion shaped his perspective of being accountable as a teacher and coach and the student says to this day she also saw her faith differently after that discussion.
Math

Matthew Henneke, M.S.
Department Chair
Mr. Henneke views teaching as a balance of encouragement and instruction especially when tackling the subject of mathematics. He desires to incorporate a wide-range of examples and explanations into his teaching to be more effective in reaching his students. Ultimately, he sees his role of teaching encompassing all of life and not just mathematics.
Matthew foremost enjoys spending time with friends over a great cup of tea or coffee. He desires to continually learn new things about our world and God through reading, traveling, studying, and discussing. He also enjoys disc golf! He has also been blessed to travel extensively through Europe and Asia and desires to further his travels in the future.

Jeremy Kliewer, M. Ed.
Mr. Kliewer has a passion for teaching math and coaching athletics. He has a rich background in mathematics and thoroughly enjoys teaching algebra. Coaching-wise, Mr. Kliewer coaches football and baseball. He believes that these sports give opportunities to teach athletes to have a strong work ethic and teach other applicable life lessons.
In his spare time, Mr. Kliewer enjoys anything outdoors. He is an avid runner who has completed 9 marathons.
Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me His own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
--Philippians 3:12-14

Katie Klossner
Mrs. Klossner loves teaching math! She understands that not every student feels the same way about math as she does, but loves the opportunity to change their perspective. Mrs. Klossner strives to make each math class meaningful and applicable to her students. It is her hope that each student leaves her classes feeling accomplished and successful.
Katie and her husband Josh have been married since 2012 and have one son, Everett. When not working, Katie enjoys cooking, drinking LOTS of coffee, and spending time with her family.

Derek Reedy
Mr. Reedy loves teaching high school and connecting with his students in the classroom. He believes that God has called him to teach, and has loved every step of this crazy, rewarding journey. He is passionate not only about mathematics, but also the various ways students can apply these concepts as they progress in their academic and professional careers. When not at work, Derek enjoys watching movies, playing the trombone, trying out new recipes, and spending time with his family and friends.
Science

Alexander Lau
Department Chair
Alexander believes that our study and understanding of science allows us to pursue a further understanding of God’s universe and ourselves. A personal goal of his as a science educator is to excite students to ask insightful questions, think critically, and love learning. While there may be many things we never fully understand, he looks forward to encouraging students to strive in their pursuit of knowledge.
Alexander enjoys ice hockey, and in his spare time his hockey team plays weekly and in out of state tournaments. Alexander was truly blessed to meet his very best friend–a stray Labrador puppy who followed him everywhere throughout the halls of school. That moment changed both of their lives. Years later, “Shadow” still acts like an excited puppy chasing tennis balls and Frisbees, and after rescuing Alexander, Shadow keeps him out of too much mischief during their daily, epic adventures.

Holly Hixson
Dr. Hixson strives to show the connections between science and her personal faith in God. Her desire is to illustrate how science actually bolsters her faith in our Creator instead of contradicts it, as is a widely held view in many institutions and churches today. Dr. Hixson believes that new discoveries in science serve to reinforce belief in our Creator and to prove His existence and omnipotence. Further, that knowledge of these things allow opportunities to share the truths of God with others in ways that are unique to scientific disciplines. Dr. Hixson works to train students to critically analyze the information presented them, instead of accepting information at face value.
Dr. Hixson married her husband Bryan in 1991. She has two godly, intelligent, and beautiful daughters, Alexis and Grace. Dr. Hixson loves to learn new things, especially things related to scientific evidence for faith. She also loves to travel to new places, to meet people from other cultures, to sing, and to sew whenever she gets the chance.
Dr. Hixson loves to pray through Psalms 23, 27, 46, and 91, as they were instrumental in the ministry in which she participated in Rwanda.

Tiffany Hull
Tiffany is a registered dietitian who worked at Mercy Health Center for 18 years. She is a Fellow of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and has served as the media spokesperson for the state of Oklahoma since 2007. Additionally, she was honored with the Distinguished Dietitian of the Year award in 2016.
When not teaching, Tiffany and her husband enjoy traveling. They even lived in an RV for a year driving around the country seeing God’s beauty. Their family includes four children, one grandchild, and a very spoiled Labrador, Sammie.

Jessica Jenkins, M. Ed.
Athletic Trainer
Sports Medicine
Jessica has always loved sports and has a desire to help people. She found athletic training to be the perfect blend of her interests and takes pride in keeping athletes healthy and participating in the sports that they love.
Jessica is married to her best friend, Jimmy. They have two daughters, Jestyn and Jaysa. They love hanging out as a family, watching and playing sports, and cheering for the OKC Thunder.
S.T.E.M.

Helen Denman, M.A.
Department Chair
Mrs. Denman loves teaching and loves science. She strives to create an environment of excellence within her classroom and highly encourages investigation and exploration. She expects her students to build a strong foundational knowledge in both the physical sciences and life-long learning skills.
Helen is married to Matt Denman and has a son, Sebastian Denman. Helen enjoys outdoor activities such as hiking and camping. She also likes reading, drawing, and watching sci-fi shows with her family.

Lauren De La Garza
Mrs. De La Garza loves the combination of art and technology. She believes her classes provide a great opportunity for students to use creativity to solve practical problems.
The De La Garza family includes her husband, Isaac, sons, Samuel, David, Wyatt, and daughter, Alexa. When not working, Lauren loves to hunt for bargains, work on DIY projects, and spend time with her family playing games.
Electives

Jennifer Bounds
Orchestra
Mrs. Bounds has taught music since 2001. She is excited to be able to teach community and love of music to students, through Christ. Also, to praise God, through music, with her talents and the talents of her students.
Jenn’s family includes her husband Cody, son, Micah and daughter Eden. When Jenn isn’t playing her cello or teaching music she loves to run in races, go on play dates with her kids, paint, read, shop, photography and travel.

Nathaniel Estrada
Spanish
Mr. Estrada believes a Christian education is an awesome opportunity for a child to develop a strong relationship with God early in life, so that, “When they are old they will not depart from it.” Not only can students have a relationship with God, but they can also have teachers and fellow believers all around to encourage them and guide them in the way they should go. When asked “Why do you want to teach in a Christian school?” He said, “In a Christian school, the ability to teach a child to strive for knowledge and excellence in this life as a Christian is very important to me… hopefully, I can impart to them what I know and broaden their minds in learning another language that can help them be a great success.”
The Estrada family includes his wife since 2007, Hope, their two children Ezekiel (2013) and Elicia (2015), and a miniature dachshund, Lolita. When not working, Nathaniel enjoys working with the youth at his home church where he is a deacon and plays the drums in the worship band. He also enjoys playing all sports especially golf and indoor soccer on the weekends.

Garrett Johnson
Band Director
Mr. Johnson has been an active church and outside musician for over 10 years. He enjoys using his gifts at his local church within the worship team. He also enjoys his pastimes, which include things such as running, recording music, drone photography and reading.
Mr. Johnson is excited about his role with the band program at Crossings. His experiences throughout the years have trained him to not only effetively teach music but also create a classroom culture that is positive and engaging. The goal of his class is to teach students how to play their instruments and to also teach life lessons and skills through it all. He hopes to show students that music is a gift from God and it is only the beginning of his greatness. With God all things are possible and the transformations that we go through when we accept him are more beautiful than anything we can imagine. Ultimately, his students will learn how to tie together their experiences in music, life and as a Christian and apply them to their own lives.

Angela Lux
Speech
Theatre Arts
Ms. Lux believes in a method of teaching that involves a lot of questions and allows both the students and teacher to learn new things while finding the answers to those questions. She works hard to promote a loving, creative, and inspiring environment where the kids can grow, discover, and be challenged. Her favorite part about teaching Social Studies is the myriad of opportunities to bring in information from a range of other subjects and disciplines.
Outside of her classroom, she enjoys delving into the wealth of literature, roaming the world, drinking coffee, creating literary worlds of her own, running, and coming up with new improbable ideas of adventures she can go on. She loves spending time with her family, whether playing board games, cooking feasts, obeying her nephews dictatorial commands, or going antique shopping with the girls.

Amber Mash
Vocal Music Director
Mrs. Mash enjoys teaching and working with students! She encourages students to be good stewards of the talents and gifts God has given them. She believes it is a special privilege to be able to assist in improving the skills and confidence of students, especially in regard to their own voice. Knowing that music is one of the primary tools we use for worship, she leads and supports students in their pursuit of excellence.
Mrs. Mash is married to her husband, Barret, a Physical Education teacher in Mustang. They have two school-age sons, Jacob and Tyler. When she is not working or attending school and church activities with her family, Mrs. Mash enjoys spending time with friends, playing games, reading, and eating movie theater popcorn.

Jonnathan Menendez
AP Spanish
Before coming to CCS, Jonnathan was a Missions Intern at Bridgeway Church (OKC), Spanish Ministry Director at Cornerstone Church, and a Paraeducator (Spanish) at an elementary school in Simi Valley, CA.
Jonnathan is a life-long learner who is passionate about encouraging, equipping, educating, and empowering the next generation of student leaders. Being fluent in both oral and written English and Spanish, Jonnathan loves all things Hispanic/Latino language and culture. He is grateful and excited to finally make his dream of teaching Spanish a reality.
During his free time, Jonnathan likes to read, watch movies, attend theatrical plays and shows, play basketball and soccer, enjoy some food at a favorite restaurant, and talk about life and faith. He is the oldest, and only male, of five siblings. His favorite teams are the LA Lakers, LA Galaxy, FC Barcelona and—after moving to OKC—the Thunder. He also enjoys a variety of coconut products.

Sarah Myrick, M. Ed.
Art
Mrs. Myrick joined CCS in 2013. She is passionate about exposing young people to the beauty of art and the glory of God. Her goal is to create a warm and loving environment where students can explore their God-given talents, become more knowledgeable in the arts, and develop their creative sides. Mrs. Myrick considers it a blessing to work at CCS, where she has the opportunity to educate students both spiritually and intellectually.
The Myrick family includes husband, Adam, and two sons, Vincent and Henry. Mrs. Myrick has been married since 2010. When not working, Mrs. Myrick loves taking photos, both recreationally and professionally. She also loves riding her bike with her family and spending time outside with her boys.

Dennis Savill, M.A.
Debate
Yearbook
Mr. Savill believes in helping to equip Christian students with the logical framework and persuasion skills needed to defend their faith against the myriad of intellectual attacks they will receive in college and beyond. By combining dialectic techniques with practice debates and learning about intellectual systems and Biblical examples, the student should calmly and persuasively argue that Christianity makes more sense than any other philosophy or structure.
The Savill family includes daughter, Olivia, French bulldog Blackberry and a slider turtle, Sacagawea. When not teaching, Dennis loves to read for fun and learning, watch movies and sports, travel and spend time with his favorite daughter. An avid movie and history buff, Dennis loves to discuss these two favorite subjects with other fans.