Debbie was born and raised in Oklahoma. She graduated from the University of Oklahoma with a B.A. in Language Arts Education. Following a career as a wife, mother, and teacher, she began her ministry at Crossings Christian School when the decision was made to grow the church preschool to a Kindergarten through 12th grade Christian school in 2000.

Debbie and her husband, Bubba, have four grown children and eight grandchildren. In addition to loving her work with families and children at CCS, she enjoys reading, gardening, Bible study, and spending time with her family.

When asked what makes Crossings Christian School a special place to be, she quickly responds that besides being intentional about inviting God into every part of our day, we are blessed with a very special staff and precious families.

Marti Hester started at CCS in 2004 in the Before-and After-Care Program. She now serves as the receptionist in the Lower School. What she loves most about working at CCS is the Christian environment, where staff and students can pray together daily.

Marti grew up in Norman as the youngest of four children. She now lives in Oklahoma City with her husband, Chad, and daughter, Lillian. Her family would not be complete without their three adorable dogs, Samson, Delilah and Schroeder.

Mary grew up in Oklahoma and has B.S. in Elementary Education. She taught 5th and 6th grades for 7 years in Putnam City schools and has been at CCS preschool since Crossings began in 2000.

When asked what she loves most about teaching , she says that working with children always keeps her laughing. She adds that working at Crossings has been a total blessing! Mary’s family includes husband Darrell and three sons Bryan, Blake and Craig. Mary’s hobbies are decorating, being with her family and reading magazines.

Mary began teaching preschool at Crossings in 2002. She has her B.A. in Special Education from the University of Central Oklahoma. Before coming to Crossings, she taught Special Education and spent many years at home enjoying watching her precious daughter grow up.

Mary wants the children she teaches to truly love learning. She also wants to show the love of the Lord through her life and in her classroom. She deeply desires for the children she teaches to grow both spiritually and intellectually, while having so much fun.

When not teaching, she loves to be with her family; which includes, her husband, daughter, her son-in-law, and of course, her precious grandchildren! She loves cooking, shopping, and best of all, traveling to Houston to be with her grandchildren. They are the love of her life.

Colleen joined CCS in 2013. She has a B.A. in Natural Science from San Jose State University and a B.S. in Dental Hygiene from OU. She always wanted to be a teacher but went into dentistry when she met her husband Bryan who is a dentist. After fifteen years of dental hygiene she is super excited to be able to live her dream of working with children.

Colleen has two children at CCS, her son, Colton and daughter, Brennan. Colleen’s hobbies include painting, scrapbooking, and reading. She loves to spend time with her family playing games, being outside, and traveling.

Blythe grew up in Oklahoma City and graduated from the University of Central Oklahoma with a B.S. in Early Childhood Education. She taught Kindergarten and first grade for three years for Oklahoma City Public Schools. For the past eight years, she has had the privilege of watching her children and many other sweet, little ones, grow up in her home daycare.

Blythe is very excited to return to teaching, and is especially excited that she will be teaching Preschool. She has always loved this age. She loves their curiosity and desire to learn, their capacity to love their friends and teachers, and the hilarious things they say. She wants their first year of Preschool to be an amazing experience filled with fun, new activities that spark their imagination and love of learning.

Blythe and her husband Kevin have been married since July of 2000. Their three children Jonah, Julia, and Sarah have attended CCS since preschool. They love spending time together as a family outdoors, playing games, and watching movies.

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.

Karen grew up in Oklahoma City and has a B.S. in Home Ec-Family Relations & Child Development from OSU. In the past, she has worked as a childcare coordinator and trainer of day care home providers. She has been with preschoolers at CCS since 2003.

She enjoys getting to know her students and their families, and loves watching them grow throughout the year. Karen can be counted on to give everyone a happy smile as they enter her room.

God has blessed Karen with a wonderful family. She and her husband, Loren, have one daughter, Kristen.

Crystal has been with Crossings since 2005. She has a B.S. in Business and a master’s degree in Early Childhood Education from OU.

She really enjoys teaching and says that in preschool every day is different. Her comment about her students is that they are a JOY! Crystal loves to teach writing/reading because at this age the children are very curious about the letters in their world.

The Hardberger family includes husband, Derek, and children, Kate, and Max. Crystal loves spending time with family, traveling, shopping, going to the park, and riding bikes. Her favorite travel destination is Colorado.

Cissi joined CCS in 2011 as a member of the Recess and After Care team. She began her career as an Instructional Assistant in 1986. Before coming to CCS, Cissi was an Instructional Assistant in the Cajon Valley School District State Funded Preschool Program in El Cajon, CA.

Mrs. Hickerson loves being in the classroom assisting students and teachers. She enjoys all age groups, however her heart is always drawn back to Preschool. She believes that Preschool sets the foundation for a student’s educational experience. To Cissi there is no greater joy than seeing the excitement on the face of a child when they grasp a new concept.

Cissi’s greatest joy is to spend time with her husband, their two daughters, son-in laws and especially her three grandchildren. She is a huge baseball and ice hockey fan.

Marla has been with CCS since 2005. Her education includes 2 years at the University of Oklahoma majoring in Early Childhood Development/Elementary Education.

One thing Marla enjoys about the classroom/teaching is watching the children be exposed to such wonderful hands on teaching wrapped around the Lord. There’s nothing like seeing the children’s faces when they accomplish a project. She loves being a part of the children’s lives!

When not working, Marla loves to be with her husband and their wonderful blended family. They have 8 children and 3 grandchildren to date. They love to travel, fish, snorkel, sail, swim and golf. They also have a golden retriever who is their biggest baby.

Carrie grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area. In 2010 she and her family moved to Oklahoma and love their new “home” state. While her husband was a pilot in the Navy, they moved every few years and enjoyed living on every coast in the country. She has a BA in Elementary Education with an emphasis in Early Childhood from California State University East Bay.

For the past few years she has enjoyed subbing and being a teacher’s assistant in first grade here at Crossings. Carrie is very excited to get back in the preschool classroom. She loves this age and their eagerness to learn and loving nature.

Carrie and her husband, Sean, have been married since 1995. They have 4 children, three of whom attend Crossings. Their family enjoys spending time at the kids sporting events, musical recitals and traveling.

Miss Monica was one of the first teachers at CCS. She began assisting in the preschool at the church several years ago and made the transition with us when the school was formed.

Monica loves to see the joy on the little faces of her students and her favorite time of the day is center time. She says that preschoolers are like sponges and absorb everything that is presented to them.

When not working she likes to spend time with family and shop. She has one son, Marc, two daughters, Elizabeth and Melanie, a grandson, Michael, and a granddaugter, Grace.

Jenny grew up in various places, including Oklahoma, Texas, and Utah, but considers Oklahoma home. She received her B.S. in Human Development and Family Sciences from Oklahoma State University in 2007. Prior to staying home with her girls, she was a preschool teacher at a private preschool in Denver, CO.

Jenny loves the preschool age. She enjoys their curiosity, humor, and love of learning! You can always count on preschoolers to find the best in everyone and everything. What better way to spend your day than to see God’s creation than through the eyes of a child.

Jenny and her husband Chris have been married since 2008. Together, they have 3 girls who attend Crossings. In her spare time, Jenny enjoys reading, spending time with friends and family, traveling, and the outdoors.

Jill has a BA in Law Enforcement Administration and a Masters in Social Work, both from OU. She has been with Crossings since 2003. Jill and her husband, Clint, have 3 daughters, Anna, Caroline, and Sarah Jane. The family also includes a dog, Mack, a dog named JJ, a dog named Penny and a cat named Charlie.

Jill says that the best thing about teaching 4-5 year olds is all the funny things they say, how willing they are to learn, and how much they change during the year. She loves teaching kids about how much God loves them and about Scripture and Bible stories. Her hobbies are painting and drawing, cooking, reading, needlepoint, and traveling.

Jessica grew up in a small town near Kansas City but having lived in Oklahoma for nearly 20 years, she calls Oklahoma “home”. Jessica graduated from University of Central Missouri with a bachelor’s degree in Public Relations.

After serving as substitute teacher at Crossings, Jessica is so excited to be working full-time in the preschool classroom. She loves to see how excited they are to be at school and their eagerness to learn about Jesus.

Jessica and her husband James have 4 children: Haley, Piper, Zoey and Gunner. She loves traveling, reading and spending time with her family.

Jeni Ward has been a substitute teacher at the Lower School since 2013. She has experience in homeschool and public school teaching, including second and fourth grade classrooms. Jeni holds a BS in elementary education from the University of Southern Mississippi (but her favorite team is Alabama – Roll Tide!).

Jeni has been married for 26 years to Lance, who serves as Congregational Care pastor at Crossings Community Church. They have two sons, Landon and Kyle, and one daughter, Haley. When not working, Jeni loves to read Tolkien, exercise, spend time with friends and family, and hang out at local coffee shops.

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.

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.

Mr. Coplin has a 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.

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!

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.