
ADMINISTRATION

Mr. Robbie Hinton
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On June 1, 2018, Mr. Robbie Hinton was appointed as the new CCS Headmaster. Mr. Hinton earned a degree in marketing from the University of Tennessee and an M.Div. from Reformed Theological Seminary. His diverse background of leading two classical Christian schools, as well as serving as a campus minister and a church planter, has prepared him to love our students, families, and staff, while helping us achieve our best as a school through strong operational management.

Mr. Kevin Seitz
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Mr. Kevin Seitz serves as Dean of Academics. He was formerly the Dean of the Lower School (K-5th). Mr. Seitz comes to us from a Classical Christian School in California, where he taught and served as Grammar School Dean/Principal over the last four years. Mr. Seitz also has 15 years of special education and administrative experience in the Los Angeles Unified School District. Mr. Seitz holds a Single Subject Teaching Credential and degrees in Education Administration from California State University, Northridge (B.A. and M.A.). Mr. Seitz and his wife, Janelle, have three children.

Mrs. Diane Hillsgrove
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Mrs. Diane Hillsgrove comes to Cary Christian School after fifteen years of upper management with the YMCA of the Triangle. Her recent positions held there were Regional Vice President and Executive Branch Director of YMCA Camp Seafarer. With an obvious passion for youth, Mrs. Hillsgrove’s focus at CCS is to support and nurture the student-teacher relationship, as well as to be a resource for students as they navigate their social and academic lives. She graduated from UNC-Chapel Hill with a B.A in Communications. Mrs. Hillsgrove and her husband, Steve, have two children attending CCS.

Mrs. Darla McDonald
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Mrs. Darla McDonald serves both as Assistant Dean of Upper School and as an instructor in the CCS Rhetoric School science department. She currently teaches AP Physics I and Honors Physics. Mrs. McDonald holds a B.S. in Biology (Pre-Med concentration) from the University of Maryland, College Park, an M.Ed. in Science Education from North Carolina State University, and a Master’s Certification from ACCS. She has served on the faculty of Cary Christian for the past twelve years and has a total of fifteen years of experience teaching in classical Christian schools. In addition to her teaching role at CCS, Mrs. McDonald also coaches the varsity field hockey team. She and her husband, Tim, have four children: one CCS graduate and three CCS students.

Mrs. Kelly Gardner
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Mrs. Kelly Gardner serves as Assistant Dean of Lower School. Mrs. Gardner graduated from East Carolina University with a degree in Elementary Education and holds a Master’s Certification from ACCS. She has over fifteen years of teaching experience, including teaching Fourth Grade at CCS and short-term in Kenya and Vietnam. She and her husband, Bob, have two children who attend CCS.

Mr. Steve Williams
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Mr. Steve Williams joins the CCS staff as the Student Development Coach. This father of 5, with over 25 years of coaching and pastoral experience, looks forward to investing in our CCS students.

Mrs. Melanie Blondin
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Mrs. Melanie Blondin serves as the Lower School Administrative Assistant. This is her third year of service at Cary Christian School. She comes to CCS from California, where she served as an Administrative Assistant as well as a small group class instructor at a Classical Christian School. Mrs. Blondin graduated from Central Michigan University with a Bachelor’s degree in Child Development. She and her husband, Andy, have four children. Her daughter, Emily, is a recent CCS graduate who is attending East Carolina University as a music education major. Her three sons attend Cary Christian School. In her spare time, Mrs. Blondin enjoys reading books and playing just about any kind of sport or game with her children. She also loves spending time outdoors on a lake, in the mountains, or at the beach.

Mrs. Amber Boger
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Mrs. Amber Boger is a licensed RN with over ten years of pediatric and clinical lead experience. She graduated from UNC Greensboro’s nursing program and has trained medical assistants, nurses, and in-home aides throughout her career. Mrs. Boger has two children attending CCS and is the Blue Girls’ Assistant Volleyball Coach.

Mrs. Karen Bolick
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Mrs. Karen Bolick is the School Health Associate and formerly served as Lunch Coordinator.

Mrs. Renee Bunton
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Mrs. Renee Bunton serves as our HR Manager holding over 10 years of human resource experience in corporate and nonprofit businesses. She holds a BS in business administration from LIU. Renee has been part of the administration team for six years and is a parent of CCS alumni.

Mr. Chris Cathey
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Mr. Chris Cathey serves as the Assistant Athletic Director. He was formerly the Middle School track and field head coach at CCS for three years. Mr. Cathey retired from the US Navy after a 21-year career as a Supply Officer. He holds a B.S. in Business Administration from the University of San Diego. Mr. Cathey and his wife, Amy. have two children attending CCS, Luke and Nadia.

Mrs. Traci Cooley
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Mrs. Traci Cooley has served as the Tuition Manager for CCS since 2012. She holds a degree in Office Administration from Bob Jones University. Prior to working at CCS, she worked in the accounting department at the NC Bar Association. She and her husband, Scott, have one son, who attends CCS.

Mr. James Dickman
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Mr. Jim Dickman serves as the Chief Operations Officer. Prior to working at CCS, he worked for IBM for 32 years, holding various technical and executive management positions working on the NASA Space Shuttle and Space Station programs and in IBM Global Services. He holds a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Texas at El Paso. He and his wife, Carla, have two daughters who graduated from CCS and now attend UNC-Chapel Hill and Elon University.

Mrs. Anne-Hunter Hall
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Mrs. Anne–Hunter Hall is a graduate of the UNC Kenan Flagler School of Business with a B.A. and an M.A. in accounting, and has been a practicing CPA for commercial businesses in Charlotte and Cary for the past six years.

Mr. Frank Hollowell
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Mr. Frank Hollowell has served at CCS since 2018 as Facility Manager. He holds a Teaching degree from East Carolina University, where he also obtained his Masters Degree in Education. This is his 38th year of employment in the field of education, including 17 total years teaching and 17 as an administrator. Mr. Hollowell came to CCS in 1998 and has taught Logic, Bible, and History here, before starting a 14-year stint as CCS Logic School Principal, 10 years of which were concurrently served as CCS Athletic Director. Mr. Hollowell and his wife, Lisa, have four children.

Mr. Dan MacBride
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Mr. Dan MacBride is a 25-year retired NYPD police officer. He partnered with his local VFW and American Legion to have several local neglected WWI and WWII memorials refurbished and worked to have additional monuments erected for veterans of the Korean and Vietnam Wars. Mr. MacBride is a vocal, lifelong Mets fan, and beams about his daughter, Kelly, his pride and joy. He is currently serving his second term on the Preschool Governance Board at Good Hope Baptist Church.

Mr. Bart Nourse
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Mr. Bart Nourse serves as the Information Technology Manager. He has been in the Information Technology field for over ten years. Bart attends Salem Baptist Church where his wife, Lee, works as the Preschool Ministry Coordinator. Bart and Lee have one son, Dylan, who attends CCS.

Ms. Kim Peele
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Ms. Kim Peele is currently serving as Events Manager at CCS. Prior to this, she was the Choral Arts Assistant and before that she was a career volunteer for our community, having three children rise up through these halls. Ms. Peele has a passion for celebrating what makes CCS unique.

Mr. Jeff Poore
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Mr. Jeff Poore is from Birmingham, Alabama. He and his wife,Teresa, have two children (twins) named Abby and Alex. They just finished their first year of college; Abby is at Lee University, and Alex is at Mississippi College in Clinton, MS. Mr. Poore has a B.S. Business Finance from Auburn University and B.A. Education from the University of Alabama, Birmingham. Most recently, he was the Athletic Director at Westminster School in Birmingham.

Mrs. Lynanne Rhoades
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Mrs. Lynanne Rhoades has served since 2017 as the Administrative Assistant of the Upper School for grades 6-12. Prior to this role, she served CCS as a 5th grade Assistant Teacher. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communication/Broadcast Journalism with minors in Political Science and Public Service from Abilene Christian University in Abilene, Texas. In her early career, Mrs. Rhoades worked for the Texas Legislature and the Texas Attorney General in Austin, and The Heritage Foundation and the United States Senate in Washington, D.C. Her two sons, Jackson and Will, have been CCS students since 2009.

Mrs. Laura Smith
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Mrs. Laura Smith has served as Director of College Counseling since 2017. She is the proud mother of three children, one a student at CCS. She studied Policy Management and Political Science at Dickinson College and holds an MBA from Hood College. In her spare time, Mrs. Smith enjoys gardening, sports, and hiking.

Mrs. Jessica Stewart
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Mrs. Jessica Stewart serves as the Registrar. She formerly served as the Parent-Teacher Fellowship President for three years, as well as overseeing several PTF events throughout the years. Mrs. Stewart graduated from Michigan State University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Clinical Laboratory Sciences and spent many years working in the medical technology field. Mrs. Stewart and her husband, Daniel, moved to NC in 2008 and have three children who have attended CCS since kindergarten.

Mr. Eddie Thomas
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Mr. Eddie Thomas is an assistant to the Athletics department, has taught P.E. and coached Middle School soccer, basketball, and tennis at CCS since 2012. He studied Recreation & Communications at North Carolina State University and Radio Broadcasting at the Columbia School of Broadcasting in Atlanta. Mr. Thomas has been an Athletic Director, Camp Director, and has worked in sports and Christian radio for over forty years. He enjoys playing the Native American flute, live music, movies, and various sports in his spare time.

Ms. Leah Thomsen
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Ms. Thomsen is currently serving as the Assistant to the Headmaster and Director of Communications. Ms. Thomsen previously taught eighth grade literature and composition and second grade. She graduated from Grove City College with a B.A. in Biblical and Religious Studies, Philosophy, and Classical Christian Education. She is also a Cary Christian School alum from the class of 2012. Her three brothers also graduated from Cary Christian, and her mother taught kindergarten for several years. She played tennis throughout high school and college and assists with the varsity girls’ tennis team.

Mrs. Lisa Van Deventer
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Mrs. Lisa Van Deventer has served at Cary Christian School since 2007, assisting in second grade and working on special projects for the CCS administration. She has a B.S. in Resource Planning and Interpretation (Humboldt State University, CA) and a certificate in Biblical Studies from the California Center for Biblical Studies. Mrs. Van Deventer has held various educational positions: National Park Service Interpreter, human resources and marketing management, and homeschooling mom (10 years). She and her husband, Jack, have four daughters who attended CCS: Traci (2011), Amy (2013), Laurie (2013), and Kari (2018).

Mrs. Jodi Walsh
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Mrs. Walsh has served as an administrative assistant since 2012. She studied business at Montgomery County Community College in Blue Bell, PA. She has served the community as a Realtor for eleven years. She and her husband Pat have been married since 1993 and have three sons. Their oldest graduated in 2012 and attends Grove City College, and their other two sons are in High School at Cary Christian School.
FACULTY OF THE LOWER SCHOOL

Mrs. Birgit Hering
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Mrs. Birgit Hering serves as kindergarten teacher. She has a B.S. (Honors) in Public Administration from the University of Applied Sciences for Public Administration and Management in Cologne, Germany. Mrs. Hering joined CCS in 2003 as a kindergarten assistant. She taught German in 2005 and has taught kindergarten since 2006. Mrs. Hering has achieved Professional ACCS Certification. She and her husband, Guenther, moved to the United States in 1994. Their son, Dennis graduated, from CCS in 2014 and is in college. They all enjoy traveling, and their son’s passion for golf gets them all out to play together, although Mrs. Hering focuses more on the beautiful surroundings of the course and the “birdies” in the trees.

Mrs. Brooke Peterson
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Mrs. Brooke Peterson serves as kindergarten teacher. She has served at CCS since 2016. Brooke holds a B.S. degree in Crop Sciences from the University of Illinois. Brooke and her husband, Andy, have two children who are students at CCS. She enjoys reading and sewing in her spare time.

Mrs. Leigh Ann Smyrski
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Mrs. Leigh Ann Smyrski serves as a kindergarten teacher. She has a B.A. in Psychology from North Carolina State University and earned a North Carolina teaching license from Meredith College. Mrs. Smyrski has achieved Professional ACCS Certification. She has been teaching at CCS since 2012. She and her husband, Brian, have three children at CCS: Maddie, Emma, and Andrew.

Mrs. Christie LeVake
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Mrs. Christie LeVake graduated from Bethel University with a B.S. in Nursing. Her hobbies include baking, reading, needle point, and home renovation projects.

Mrs. Lisa Russell
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Mrs. Russell grew up in Western New York, but has made North Carolina her home for 20 years. She and her husband, Jeff, have two children at CCS, in grades 4 and 8. Mrs. Russell is involved with the children’s ministry at their church in several capacities and enjoys reading in her spare time.

Mrs. Audrey Schleich
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Mrs. Audrey Schleich graduated from East Carolina University with a Bachelor’s in Music String Performance. She is known in the Cary community as an experienced violin teacher and has been teaching Cary School of Music students for over five years. Mrs. Schleich loves working with students and has enthusiastically joined the CCS team assisting in Kindergarten.

Ms. Hollie Herrera
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Ms. Hollie Herrera comes to us from New York where she taught for several years in grades K-5 as a substitute teacher and also for three years as a preschool teacher. In 2014 she moved to Durham and taught for two years in a public school. She then worked as a nanny for two years to four adorable children. Miss Herrera holds a dual degree in Early Childhood Education and Bible from Clark’s Summit University in Pennsylvania. Miss Herrera enjoys spending time with her family and friends and loves game nights!

Mrs. Alaina Oliva
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Mrs. Alaina Oliva serves as a first grade teacher. She holds an Associate Degree in Early Childhood Education from Wake Technical Community College and her Infant/Toddler Montessori Teaching Credential through AMS. She has achieved Professional ACCS Certification. Mrs. Oliva has taught at Cary Christian School for nineteen years. She taught Kindergarten before moving to first grade in 2005. She and her husband, Jorge, have two children, both CCS graduates, Ashley (2007) and Tony (2011), and two beautiful grandchildren. She is an animal lover and enjoys horseback riding and training.

Mrs. Trish Self
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Mrs. Trish Self has taught first grade for thirteen years and served one year in the role as a Search and Teach Therapist and a NILD Licensed Educational Therapist. She graduated from California State University, Fullerton, with a B.A. in Sociology. Mrs. Self served seventeen years on staff with CRU, working with college students. She and her husband have four children, all of whom graduated from or currently attend CCS.

Mrs. Dawn Hochstein
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Mrs. Dawn Hochstein is a first grade teaching assistant at Cary Christian School.

Mrs. Julie Jones
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Mrs. Julie Jones serves as a first grade teaching assistant. She joined the staff at Cary Christian School in 2020, after having served as a teaching assistant in Wake County Public Schools. She and her husband, Jonathan, have been married for fifteen years and have one daughter, Allison, who is a new second grader at CCS.

Mrs. Karen Knaus
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Mrs. Karen Knaus serves as a teaching assistant in first grade and in the kindergarten after-school program. She has been teaching for ten years, with the past three years at CCS. She and her husband, Steve, have been married for twenty-three years and have two children: Grace (CCS class of 2014) and Rebekah (CCS class of 2019).

Mrs. Jimmie Armstrong
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Mrs. Jimmie Armstrong serves as second grade teacher. She studied Elementary Education at Liberty University. Mrs. Armstrong served as an assistant teacher for six years while she pursued her education and has been a lead teacher since 2013. She also holds ACCS Professional Certification and SEARCH and TEACH Therapy Certification. She and her husband, Steve, have two children.

Mrs. Kelly Callahan
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Mrs. Kelly Callahan serves as a second grade teacher. She holds a B.S. in Middle Grades Education from North Carolina State University. Upon graduating from college, she taught seventh grade language arts for five years. After spending some sweet years at home with her young children, she joined Cary Christian’s staff in 2013 teaching on the Phonics hallway. She holds ACCS Professional Certification. She is married to her high school sweetheart, Travis, and has two boys who currently attend CCS.

Mrs. Teshia McGinnis
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Mrs. Teshia McGinnis serves as a second grade teacher in the Phonics School. She received her A.S. Degree in Merchandising from the University of Maine at Orono. She holds ACCS Professional Certification. Mrs. McGinnis began serving at CCS in 2003, teaching since 2005. In addition, she has experience in both private and group tutoring in multiple subjects. She and her husband Brad of twenty-seven years, are parents of two CCS graduates, Quinn (2013) and Lydia (2015). Both of her children were blessed to begin attending CCS in Kindergarten. Mrs. McGinnis enjoys bargain shopping, fashion, and relaxing in the mountains when she is not at school, loving on her second graders!

Mrs. Stephanie Brett-Williams
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Mrs. Stephanie Brett-Williams began at CCS in 2018, serving as teaching assistant. She and her husband, Tyson, have one child, Preston, who is a Logic School student.

Mrs. Tammy Throckmorton
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Mrs. Tammy Throckmorton serves as a second grade teaching assistant. She holds a B.S. degree in Elementary Education from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and has more than twenty years of teaching experience between teaching her own children at home and teaching in the elementary classroom. She and her husband, Ken, have three children and have enjoyed thirty years of marriage.

Ms. Gwen Ottun
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Ms. Gwen Ottun serves as Mrs. Callahan’s 2nd grade Teaching Assistant. She joined Cary Christian School staff in 2020. She feels blessed to be working at CCS and with Mrs. Callahan. It is also a blessing that Ms. Ottun’s only child and daughter has been attending CCS since Kindergarten. Her daughter is now in 4th grade. Ms. Ottun loves working with children and is passionate about people. She enjoys spending time with her loved ones, walks, and reading in her spare time.

Mrs. Terri Covil
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Mrs. Terri Covil serves as a third grade teacher. She holds a B.A. in Religious Studies from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She has also attained the Master’s Certification from ACCS. Mrs. Covil began working at CCS in 2013. She has been married to her husband, Patrick, since 2003. They have two children, Chloe and Elijah, who attend CCS.

Mrs. Nicole Ossenfort

Mrs. Leah Royall
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Mrs. Leah Royall graduated from NC State with a Bachelor’s in English: Language, Writing and Rhetoric, and then obtained her MBA from Louisiana State University. She previously taught fifth grade but looks forward to teaching third grade at CCS. She attended a Christian school in Wilmington, NC, that is in the same NCISAA conference as CCS. She looks forward to attending sporting events so she can cheer on the Knights while watching her high school play, too! In Mrs. Royall’s free time, she is often running her side business planning weddings or walking her dogs.

Mr. Zak Boilen
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Mr. Zak Boilen serves a third grade teaching assistant. He received his B.A. in Theology and Apologetics from Liberty University in 2019. Zak lives with his parents and brothers in Cary and enjoys fishing and reading in his free time.

Mrs. Katy Johnson
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Mrs. Katy Johnson serves as third grade teacher assistant this year. Her family recently moved to Cary from Seattle with a church plant team to help start Hosea Church in Raleigh. She has enjoyed serving as Kids Director Assistant at her church for several years, and she also subbed as a paraeducator in the public schools. Mrs. Johnson has a B.S. in Organizational Management from Northwest University. She has an incoming second grader joining CCS this year, and she is also a proud mother of two adult children. Her daughter is studying Montessori education and her son is serving at Fort Bragg. Katy loves to call North Carolina her new home and enjoys finding new trails with friends and working in her garden.

Mrs. Jen Lederer
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Mrs. Jen Lederer was raised in Connecticut and Wisconsin, and recently moved here with her extended family from upstate New York. She has had fifteen years of teaching experience, beginning her career as a teacher in the Dominican Republic. Jen earned a B.A. in Elementary Education from Wheaton College and a M.A in Intercultural Studies from Moody Graduate School. Her husband, David, is a Rhetoric Bible teacher at CCS. Their three children, two nieces, and two nephews attend CCS as well.

Mrs. Becky Myers
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Mrs. Becky Myers grew up at the New Jersey shore and graduated from Lynchburg College in Virginia with a B.A. in Communications/Public Relations. She and her husband, Scott, moved to the Triangle in 2005 and have four children enrolled at CCS: Landon, Brooke, Brielle, and Karis. Prior to joining our staff, while at home with her children through the preschool years, Mrs. Myers started and operated two companies on her own, selling care packages and consigning furniture.

Mrs. Rhonda Pettit
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Mrs. Rhonda Pettit has been teaching fourth grade at Cary Christian School since 2001. She was raised and educated in rural Fort Wayne, Indiana. She graduated from International Business College of Fort Wayne. She and her husband, John, have two daughters and a son, all of whom are CCS graduates: Ali (2006), Aaron (2009), and Abigail (2011). Mrs. Pettit enjoys supporting CCS activities by cheering for the sports teams and encouraging the performing arts.

Ms. Kristin Bradsher
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Ms. Kristin Bradsher serves as a fourth grade teacher assistant. Ms. Bradsher graduated from Meredith College and earned a B.A. in English and her NC teaching license for grades 6-9. She successfully passed the necessary requirements to become a Google Certified Educator during the time of remote learning in NC. Ms. Bradsher is currently enrolled in graduate school and is pursuing a master’s degree in education, specifically focusing on literacy with a Curriculum Instructional Specialist concentration. She is a graduate of Cary Christian School, where she had attended since kindergarten.

Ms. Megan Outten
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Ms. Megan Outten is the Associate Choir Director and teaches the Middle and High School Music Appreciation and Fundamentals of Music electives. She is also a fourth grade Teaching Assistant and serves as the faculty advisor of the CCS a cappella group, “The Acapostle’s.” Ms. Outten attended Meredith College, where she obtained a degree in K-12 Music Education and concentrated in voice. She is a Cary native and the Assistant Director of the Cary Youth Voices! This is Ms. Outten’s second year teaching at Cary Christian, and she is so grateful to teach music in the town where she fell in love with it!

Ms. Jenna Bronson
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Ms. Jenna Bronson teaches fifth grade. She recently moved to North Carolina from Seattle, Washington, where she taught fourth grade for the past seven years. She is a part of a team of 55 adults from Seattle who are planting a new church in Raleigh, and is so excited to be here! Miss Bronson has her B.A. in Early Childhood and Elementary Education from Central Washington University and her M.A. in Teacher Leadership from Seattle Pacific University.

Mrs. Sherry Dickinson
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Mrs. Sherry Dickinson serves as a fifth grade teacher. She holds a B.S. in Business Administration with a concentration in Economics (minors in Math and French) and an M.B.A. from Meredith College. She worked in the computer industry with Data General for nine years, serving as a Materials Planner, Floor Supervisor, and Inventory Control Coordinator. Mrs. Dickinson, a formally licensed Kindermusik Instructor, also worked with KinderVillage of Cary for eight years. She and her husband, Alan, have two sons who graduated from CCS: Luke (2011) and Lee (2014).

Mrs. Cindy Mathews
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Mrs. Cindy Mathews graduated from the University of Florida and has also completed a master’s degree in Elementary Education from Liberty University. Her background is in sales and management, and she spent five years as a stay-at-home mom before discovering her passion for teaching. She was trained in a Classical Christian school in Minneapolis, MN, and started full-time at CCS in 2018. She and her husband love reading good books, going to the beach, watching football and spending time with their two favorite Knights, Luke and Lindsey.

Mrs. Julie DeFalco
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Mrs. Julie DeFalco serves as a teaching assistant for fifth grade. She has been teaching for five years. This is her first year with CCS. She graduated from Campbell University with a B.S. in Psychology.

Mrs. Kelly Zadow
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Mrs. Kelly Zadow serves as a fifth grade teaching assistant and a middle school elective teacher. She holds a B.A. in Biology from the University of Rhode Island and a M.A. degree in Counseling and Development from George Mason University in Fairfax, VA. She has over fifteen years of teaching experience between teaching in public schools and homeschooling her children. Mrs. Zadow and her husband, Doug, have two children and have lived around the US and in Germany while serving in the Army.

Mr. James Barber
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Mr. James Barber (B.A. North Carolina State University) teaches 4th and 5th grade Latin. He previously worked at the YMC and ran its youth program, and also assisted the director at Camp Oak Hill. Mr. Barber is the head coach for the Middle School cross country team. He loves running, cooking, and reading.

Mrs. Susan Boyd
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Mrs. Susan Boyd has served as a teaching assistant in the Lower School and has been at CCS since 2010. She graduated from ECU with a B.S. in Business Administration and a minor in Computer Information Systems. Susan studied Business and Computer Information Systems at East Carolina University. She and her husband, Steve, have three daughters, two of whom are CCS graduates. Mrs. Boyd enjoys being outside, reading, and cooking..

Mrs. Pam Butler
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Mrs. Pam Butler serves as the K-2 Art teacher. She has an A.A.S. in Office Administration and also majored in Early Childhood Education. Mrs. Butler began her service at CCS in 2001 and has completed her ACCS Professional Certification. Before her career with CCS, she owned and operated a successful early childhood development center. Mrs. Butler also co-owned and operated another successful retail business while she was beginning her career with CCS. God has blessed her with a wonderful husband and a beautiful daughter, who is a 2014 graduate of CCS.

Mrs. Aimee Cuthrell
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Mrs. Aimee Cuthrell (B.S. in Business, Meredith College) teaches Art to grades 3-5. She and her husband, Huntley, have two children who graduated from CCS (Shannon, 2012, and Brad, 2014). Mrs. Cuthrell previously taught K-2 Art and a Master of the Arts elective at CCS. During her interim break from teaching at CCS, she taught private art classes and worked as a fine artist providing artwork for clients.

Mrs. Michelle Edwards
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Mrs. Michelle Edwards serves as the Physical Education Teacher for the Lower School. This is her ninth year teaching at CCS. She, her husband, and children are native Californians who have fully embraced and love living here in North Carolina. Mrs. Edwards graduated from Westmont College with a B.A. in Kinesiology. She then earned her teaching credential the following year at Saint Mary’s College and has been teaching in some capacity of Physical Education throughout the last twenty years. Both of her children are CCS graduates.

Mrs. Brooke Martin
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Mrs. Martin serves as the After School Care Program Director. Mrs. Martin is a also a trained birth doula and serves faithfully in her church infant nursery. In her free time, she enjoys reading, sewing, and spending time with her family.

Mrs. Christine Oentung
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Mrs. Christine Oentung has been teaching music (K-2) at CCS since 2012. She graduated with M.A. in Clinical Counseling from Liberty University External Degree program in 1999. She is receiving her professional certification as educational therapist from NILD (National Institute for Learning Development) and has been working with students with specific learning needs since 2017. Her two children are 2017 and 2020 CCS graduates.

Mrs. Ashley Williams
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Mrs. Ashley Williams teaches 4th and 5th grade choir. She comes to us from New Jersey with her husband, Justin, and 1-year-old son, Nathan, where she taught K-5 music classes at a charter school for five years. She holds a degree in Music Education with a concentration in voice from Montclair State University and has had more than ten years of experience performing in various productions and choirs. This is her first year teaching at CCS, and she feels very blessed to be here.
FACULTY OF THE UPPER SCHOOL

Mr. Jack Adams
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Mr. Jack Adams teaches Literature and Composition for eighth grade. Originally from London, England, he graduated with a B.A. in Theology from King’s College London. Upon arriving in the United States in 2015, he worked at Duke University before beginning his M.Div. studies at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. He and his wife are covenant members at Imago Dei Church in Raleigh and have three sons.

Mr. James Baker
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Mr. James Baker is the Choral Director at Cary Christian School.

Mrs. Kellie Baker
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Mrs. Kellie Baker serves as a foreign languages instructor in the Rhetoric school, teaching Spanish I and II. She holds a B.A. in Business and Behavioral Science with a minor in Spanish from Oglethorpe University, which included an immersive studies abroad program in Spain. Prior to joining the staff at CCS, Mrs. Baker spent a number of years with IBM in a variety of positions, including developing and delivering education for clients. In her seven years at CCS, she has taught Classical Roots, Latin, and Spanish, as well as the Study Skills elective. Mrs. Baker holds ACCS Professional Certification. She and her husband, James, are the parents of two daughters who are CCS graduates.

Mr. Jeff Bates
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Mr. Jeff Bates teaches Precalculus, Honors Calculus, and AP Calculus AB. He holds B.E.E and M.S.E.E. degrees from Georgia Tech. He began teaching Math at CCS in 2010. He hold Provisional ACCS Certification. Before coming to CCS, he worked as an engineer for several companies including M.I.T. Lincoln Laboratory, General Dynamics, and Sun Microsystems. He and his wife, Betsy, have five adult children, three of whom are CCS graduates.

Mrs. Nadine Bradsher
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Mrs. Nadine Bradsher was born and raised in North Carolina and has served as the yearbook adviser for eight years. She had many years’ previous involvement with the PTF. She also serves as Prayer Leader of Our Moms in Prayer ministry. Mrs. Bradsher graduated from Meredith College with a B.A. in Psychology and an NC teaching certification in Elementary Education. Mrs. Bradsher is the former Service Manager of Centura Bank in Cary. She is currently a board member of the Cary Debutante Ball Society and an active member of the Parent’s Council at Meredith. She is married to her college sweetheart, and they have a child who is a CCS graduate.

Mrs. Sara Campbell
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Mrs. Sara Campbell teaches seventh grade Pre-Algebra and eighth grade Algebra. Originally from Massachusetts, she attended Wheelock College in Boston and Elms College in Chicopee. She has a B.A. in Education and has been teaching for twelve years. She holds an NC Teaching License and an ACSI Professional License. She has a son and a daughter who attend CCS.

Mrs. Carlene Cearley
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Mrs. Carlene Cearley serves as Director of Theater Arts for our Upper School. She is a member of NCTAE (North Carolina Theatre Arts Educators), a very active participant in NCTC (North Carolina Theatre Conference) events, and an avid patron of the Dramatic Arts. Mrs. Cearley holds a B.S. in Computer Science from Old Dominion University, and, prior to working at CCS, she was employed by the U.S. Navy, where she built simulators for nuclear submarines, and by NASA, where she built touch-screen kiosks for NASA museums across the country. Mrs. Cearley began working at CCS in 2003 and has served in various capacities ever since. She is a strong proponent for all theater and film opportunities at the school. In addition to her roles as Theater Director and Drama Teacher, Mrs. Cearley is heavily involved in the North Carolina Film Production community, where she is an actress and runs her own location scouting business. She and her husband, Greg, are active covenant members of Harvest Church Cary and have two incredibly creative and talented children who attended CCS throughout their school years: Chandler (2014) and Caroline (2016).

Mrs. Kristen Clarkson
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Mrs. Kristen Clarkson teaches Classical Literature (ninth grade) and American Literature (twelfth grade). She attended North Carolina State University, where she obtained a B.A. in English Language, Writing Composition, and Rhetoric and a minor in Classical Greek Studies. She holds ACCS certification. Mrs. Clarkson is a graduate of Cary Christian School.

Mr. Scott Dickinson
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Mr. Scott Dickinson studied saxophone at the University of Iowa and received his Bachelor of Instrumental Music Education degree in 1983. He has performed and written for many musical groups over his lifetime and at the young age of 18 was chosen to solo with the Cedar Rapids Iowa Symphony and received the highest performance award in the state of Iowa in 1978. Mr. Dickinson’s love of music is wide-ranging, from pop to classical to jazz to world class drum and bugle corps. He has played every instrument from the flute to the sousaphone. At present he is the director of the Hillyer Memorial Youth Orchestra and the instrumental music teacher at the Cary School of Music.

Ms. Rachel Douglas
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Ms. Rachel Douglas teaches Literature and Composition for 7th grade. She graduated from North Carolina State University with a Bachelor of Science in Middle School Education Language Arts and Social Studies. She began teaching at Cary Christian in 2017, but her legacy with the school extends beyond that as she is a graduate of Cary Christian’s Class of 2012. In addition, she serves as a coach for our women’s middle school soccer team.

Mrs. Chrissie Ficken
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Mrs. Chrissie Ficken graduated from Auburn University with a B.S. in Secondary Mathematics Education. Mrs. Ficken began teaching in 1998 and has served since 2012 at CCS, where she currently teaches Algebra 2, College Algebra, Trigonometry, and AP Statistics. She holds ACCS Master’s Certification. She and her husband, Wes, have two children, Holly (a 2020 CCS graduate) and Matthew (a current CCS sophomore).

Ms. Kate Fredrikson
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Ms. Kate Fredrikson teaches Rhetoric I and Medieval Literature. She graduated summa cum laude from Wheaton College with a B.A. in English Literature and German. After college, she received a Fulbright grant to teach English at a high school in Munich, Germany. This is her second year teaching at Cary Christian School. In her free time, Ms. Fredrikson enjoys reading, traveling, tea, and offering hospitality.

Mr. Seth Greer
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Mr. Seth Greer teaches sixth grade science. He graduated from Wofford College in Spartanburg, SC, with a B.S. in Chemistry and a medical degree intent. He has previously served as a missionary to Uganda and Peru, working at ministries such as the Amazima School and Good Shepherd’s Fold Orphanage.

Mr. Patrick Halbrook
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Mr. Patrick Halbrook teaches European History (11th grade), Rhetoric III (11th grade), and Rhetoric IV (12th grade). A graduate of Florida College (B.A., Biblical Studies and Liberal Studies) and North Carolina State University (M.A., History), Mr. Halbrook holds ACCS Master’s Certification and has taught a wide variety of classes at Cary Christian School since 2006. He and his wife, Kaylie, have four children, three of whom are students at CCS.

Mrs. Swarna Hamsa
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Mrs. Swarna Hamsa holds both Bachelors and Masters degrees in Chemical Engineering. She began teaching in 2006 and taught for three years. She and her husband, Devadanam, have two children, Nathan and Aaron, who attend CCS. Mrs. Hamsa earned North Carolina teaching license through NC State University and taught at a Wake county public school for two years. She currently teaches Geometry at CCS.

Mrs. Cynthia Jackson
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Mrs. Cynthia Jackson has a God-given passion for children and young adults. She and her husband, Calvin, have been blessed with two children educated at Cary Christian School. After receiving a B.B.A. degree in Business Information Technology from Howard University in Washington, DC, she spent about twenty-five years as a technical and business professional in the software computing industry. She joined Cary Christian School in 2008 as an SAT Prep elective teacher and college adviser. As she only works part time, she has been teaching the middle school Typing and high school girl’s Study Hall electives for the last nine years. Mrs. Jackson is an active servant in her church’s Evangelism and Women’s Ministries.

Mrs. Brenda Kellam
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Mrs. Brenda Kellam teaches Spanish. She holds degrees from Bethel University in Cultural Studies and Spanish. She has held various roles, including discipling women in rescue mission ministry, providing migrant farmworker job training, and supporting refugees in resettlement. Prior to coming to CCS, she taught her three children at home while living overseas.

Mr. Trent Leach
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Mr. Trent Leach teaches 10th grade Rhetoric II and serves as the Director of Seminar. He holds a B.A. in Philosophy from Indiana State University, an M.A. in the Philosophy of Religion from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, and is currently completing his Ph.D. dissertation entitled, “Mortimer J. Adler and Classical, Christian Education: Friends or Foes?” Mr. Leach has been a teacher in classical, Christian schools for fifteen years, also serving as a Rhetoric School Dean, an Academic Dean, and a Headmaster along the way.

Mr. David Lederer
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Mr. David Lederer teaches ninth and eleventh grade theology. Mr. Lederer relocated from upstate New York where he served as the Student Ministries Director at his local church, and, prior to that, as the Director of Community Outreach at the City Mission of Schenectady. Mr. Lederer brings more than twenty years of experience teaching, discipling, and coaching students. He desires to empower and help students to discover God’s call on their lives and to continue to develop community. Mr. Lederer holds a B.A. in Criminal Justice Administration from Concordia University and is credentialed in Family Development from Cornell University. He pursued his Master of Divinity at Westminster Theological Seminary. Mr. Lederer’s wife, Jen, also works at CCS as a 4th grade teaching assistant. They have three children at CCS.

Mrs. Shaney Lipes
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Mrs. Shaney Lipes teaches Classical History (ninth grade) and Medieval History (tenth grade). After growing up in Marietta, Georgia, she graduated magna cum laude from the University of Georgia with a B.A. in Religion. She then moved to Massachusetts to pursue a master’s degree at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, where she met her husband, Jesse. She has taught at two other classical Christian schools in the Grammar and Logic stages, and began teaching at CCS in 2013. When she’s not teaching, she enjoys spending time with her husband, reading, traveling, painting, and cheering on her Georgia Bulldogs!

Mrs. Lisa Marley
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Mrs. Lisa Marley teaches Honors Chemistry (eleventh grade). Mrs. Marley holds a B.S. in secondary science education from North Carolina State University and a M.Ed. in science education from Converse College in Spartanburg, SC, and has over thirty years teaching experience. She and her husband, Scott are blessed with a beautiful granddaughter, a very cute dog, and three wonderful adult children, of which the oldest is married to a CCS graduate (who’s pretty great, too).

Mrs. Kelly Mastin
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Mrs. Kelly Mastin teaches seventh and eighth grade science. Teaching at CCS since 2016, Kelly holds a B.S. in Biology Education from North Carolina State University and an M.Ed. in Sports Leadership from Virginia Commonwealth University. She and her husband, Matthew, are proud parents of one daughter. In her spare time, Mrs. Mastin loves to run, work out, and try new recipes and places to eat, especially at the beach.

Mrs. Darla McDonald
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Mrs. Darla McDonald serves both as Assistant Dean of Upper School and as an instructor in the CCS Rhetoric School science department. She currently teaches AP Physics I and Honors Physics. Mrs. McDonald holds a B.S. in Biology (Pre-Med concentration) from the University of Maryland, College Park, an M.Ed. in Science Education from North Carolina State University, and a Master’s Certification from ACCS. She has served on the faculty of Cary Christian for the past twelve years and has a total of fifteen years of experience teaching in classical Christian schools. In addition to her teaching role at CCS, Mrs. McDonald also coaches the varsity field hockey team. She and her husband, Tim, have four children: one CCS graduate and three CCS students.

Mrs. Leah McGrath
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Mrs. Leah McGrath teaches European Literature (eleventh grade). Mrs. McGrath graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill as an English major with minors in Education and Social and Economic Justice. She also completed a Master of Arts in Teaching at UNC Chapel Hill. This is her second year teaching at Cary Christian School. She serves as the faculty adviser for FCA and the 11:11 club. In addition, she serves as a coach for our women’s basketball teams. Mrs. McGrath lives with her husband, Chris, and their rescue dog, Smokey, in Raleigh.

Mr. Tom McMahon
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Mr. Tom McMahon teaches Latin IV (sixth grade) and Latin V (seventh grade). He is a graduate of the University of Arkansas Classics Department and is now pursuing his Masters in Classical Christian Studies from New Saint Andrews College. In his spare time, Mr. McMahon likes to hunt, read, and play bluegrass with his wife, Andrea.

Mr. Brian Mitchell
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Mr. Brian Mitchell teaches sixth grade Literature & Composition. He previously served as a fifth grade teachers assistant. For several years he worked as a YMCA manager of youth programs, as well as being the After School Director at Cardinal Charter School. Mr. Mitchell is a CCS alumni who is thankful for the classical Christian education he received! He is finishing his Psychology degree at Liberty University while working full time. Mr. Mitchell is also the Middle School baseball coach, and he teaches several electives.

Ms. Megan Outten
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Ms. Megan Outten is the Associate Choir Director and teaches the Middle and High School Music Appreciation and Fundamentals of Music electives. She is also a fourth grade Teaching Assistant and serves as the faculty advisor of the CCS a cappella group, “The Acapostle’s.” Ms. Outten attended Meredith College, where she obtained a degree in K-12 Music Education and concentrated in voice. She is a Cary native and the Assistant Director of the Cary Youth Voices! This is Ms. Outten’s second year teaching at Cary Christian, and she is so grateful to teach music in the town where she fell in love with it!

Mr. Jonathan Payne
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Mr. Jonathan Payne began at CCS in 2017, teaching seventh and eighth grade Biblical History. He also serves as our Logic School House Leader. He holds a B.A. in Christian Education and Bible from The Master’s University and an M.A. in Christian Ministry and M.Div. from Shepherds Theological Seminary. In his spare time, Mr. Payne enjoys playing volleyball, rock climbing, white water rafting, and playing piano and guitar as well as serving as a youth intern in his local church.

Mrs. Debora Robinson
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Mrs. Debora Robinson received a B.S. in Education from University of North Texas. She taught fifth grade at CCS for fifteen years. She has taught sixth grade since 2013. She currently teaches sixth grade Math and History. She also holds ACCS Professional Certification and Lifetime Certification in Texas and Missouri. All three of her children graduated from Cary Christian School. Before coming to CCS, Mrs. Robinson homeschooled her children for eight years.

Mrs. Lindsay Roseborough
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Mrs. Lindsay Roseborough teaches United States History and Government (twelfth grade). She holds a degree in Political Science from Appalachian State University. Before coming to CCS, Mrs. Roseborough taught AP Government & Politics, Leadership, & Political Science in the Washington, DC, area. She has served on a N.C. gubernatorial campaign, a U.S. Senate campaign, worked as an intern in the White House and the U.S. Senate, and worked for Appalachian State University and the Washington Speakers Bureau. She and her husband, Jamie, have two children: Graycen (a second grader at CCS) and Baird (2 years old).

Mrs. Angela Somer
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Mrs. Angela Somer is the middle and high school Art teacher at Cary Christian School. She studied Liberal Arts at Saint Mary College and concentrated in Art at Colorado State University. In 1989, she began a wonderful twenty-four year career with American Airlines. Mrs. Somer has been a dedicated volunteer at our school since 2008. She has four children, three of whom are currently enrolled at CCS. She also creates personal artwork for clients.

Dr. Daniel Stewart
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Dr. Daniel Stewart teaches Computer Science at CCS. He holds a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from Ohio State University. He and his wife, Jessica, have three children, all students at CCS. Dr. Stewart’s hobbies include 3-D modeling and animation, and electronics.

Mr. Micah Terhune
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Mr. Micah Terhune teaches tenth and twelfth grade theology. He has taught at CCS since 2017, having previously taught Logic and Systematic Theology and Greek. He holds a B.A from Cedarville University and an M.A. from Grand Rapids Theological Seminary where he studied Bible, Theology, Philosophy, Greek, and Archaeology. He and his wife, Kristen, have one child. In his spare time, Mr. Terhune enjoys reading, writing, and playing board and video games.

Mr. Eddie Thomas
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Mr. Eddie Thomas is an assistant to the Athletics department, has taught P.E. and coached Middle School soccer, basketball, and tennis at CCS since 2012. He studied Recreation & Communications at North Carolina State University and Radio Broadcasting at the Columbia School of Broadcasting in Atlanta. Mr. Thomas has been an Athletic Director, Camp Director, and has worked in sports and Christian radio for over forty years. He enjoys playing the Native American flute, live music, movies, and various sports in his spare time.

Mrs. Lesley White
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Mrs. Lesley White teaches Biology and AP Biology (10th grade) and Human Physiology (9th grade). She holds a B.S. in Interdisciplinary Studies with an emphasis in math and science from Texas A&M University. She has served on the faculty of Cary Christian School since 2013 and has three children who graduated from CCS, as well as one who is a current student. In addition to teaching, Mrs. White coaches the varsity volleyball team. She enjoys traveling, gardening, and cooking in her spare time.

Mrs. Kelly Zadow
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Mrs. Kelly Zadow serves as a fifth grade teaching assistant and a middle school elective teacher. She holds a B.A. in Biology from the University of Rhode Island and a M.A. degree in Counseling and Development from George Mason University in Fairfax, VA. She has over fifteen years of teaching experience between teaching in public schools and homeschooling her children. Mrs. Zadow and her husband, Doug, have two children and have lived around the US and in Germany while serving in the Army.

Mr. Calvin Zbinden
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Mr. Calvin Zbinden teaches Logic (eighth grade) and European History (eleventh grade). He holds a B.S. from Liberty University in the Social Sciences with a Teacher Licensure. He also has received licensure to teach Middle School Math from the Commonwealth of Virginia. He and his wife, Hannah, met at Liberty and are enjoying married life in Cary. In his spare time, Mr. Zbinden enjoys reading, drinking dark roast coffee, watching and playing sports such as basketball, football, and tennis.