Our Elementary School Team

We are proud to introduce our 2020-2021 Faculty & Staff!  

Diverse in terms of age, gender, ethnicity, and languages spoken, our faculty boasts:
  • Over 50% holding Master’s degrees
  • Over 50% having worked, lived, or studied extensively outside the United States (including countries such as:  Australia, Brazil, China, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, France, Holland, Italy, Kenya, Mexico, Nicaragua, Peru, Spain, & US Virgin Islands)
  • Classroom teachers with an average of 6+ years of classroom experience ​

SCHOOL LEADERSHIP

​Erika Gibbs
Dean of Primary School

Ms. Gibbs joined Citizens in 2016-2017 and is now the Dean of Primary School.  She has a B.S. from the University of St. Mary and an AMS Montessori Certification.  Across her education career, she has worked in several early childhood settings including specialized settings for supporting children experiencing trauma.

​Jamesetta Adkins
School Office Manager

Ms. Adkins joined Citizens in 2016-2017 and is our Office Manager on the Broadway Campus.  She has a B.A. in Marketing and Management from Stephens College. Prior to joining us, Ms. Adkins worked in Administrative Services for 11 years from the Greater KC YMCA to the Metropolitan Bar Association.  

FACULTY

Kindergarten Teachers

​Nicole Gardner

Mrs. Gardner joined Citizens in 2017-2018 and is now a Kindergarten teacher.  She has a B.S. in Early Childhood Education from Iowa State University.  Prior to joining us, Ms. Gardner had three years of experience in a preschool setting as a teacher and assistant director.
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Whitney Johnson

Ms. Johnson joined Citizens in 2019-2020 and is a Kindergarten teacher.  Ms. Johnson has a B.S. from Wichita St. University and an M.S. in Family Therapy from Friends University. Prior to joining us, Ms. Johnson had years of experience working with children in the Kansas City area including having served as a substitute teacher at Citizens.

Hallie Richardson

Ms. Richardson joined Citizens in 2016-2017 and is now a Kindergarten teacher.  She has a B.M.E. from the University of Missouri Kansas City Music Conservancy.  Prior to joining us, Ms. Richardson taught elementary music for PK-5th grade in Olathe, KS, as well as private piano, guitar, and voice lessons.

1st Grade Teachers

Jennifer Christensen

Ms. Christensen joined Citizens in 2020-2021 and is a Kindergarten teacher. She has a B.S. from Lafayette College and an M.A. in Early Childhood Education from University of Missouri. Prior to joining us, Ms. Christensen had nine years of experience teaching Kindergarten in other Kansas City charter and district schools.

Margaret Lopez

Ms. Lopez joined Citizens in 2019-2020 and is now a 1st grade teacher.  She holds a B.A. in Early Childhood & Elementary Education from the University of Central Missouri.  Prior to joining us, Ms. Lopez had nearly 20 years of experience in the classroom, both as a substitute teacher and a lead classroom teacher in district and charter schools in the Kansas City area.

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Marisol Martin

Ms. Martin joined Citizens in 2019-2020 and is a 1st grade teacher.  She holds a B.A. in Elementary Education from Benedictine College. Prior to joining us, Ms. Martin had one year of experience as a Kindergarten teacher in another KCMO charter school.  She is bilingual in Spanish and has also been involved in the Boys & Girls Club of Atchison.

Leah Wesley

Ms. Wesley joined Citizens in 2019-2020 and is a 1st grade teacher.  She has a B.A. from Southern Nazarene University and an M.S.E. in Special Education from the University of Kansas.  Prior to joining us, Ms. Wesley had seven years of experience both in Kansas City and Colorado, including as a Spanish instructor in an elementary school in Colorado.

2nd Grade Teachers

Dominique Betts

Ms. Betts joined Citizens in 2018-2019 and is now a 2nd grade teacher. She holds a B.A. from Neumann University and an M.A. in Early Childhood Education from Lincoln University.  Before joining us, Ms. Betts had one year of experience as a 2nd Grade Literary Support teacher in Philadelphia, PA.

Tisha Kidd

Ms. Kidd joined Citizens in 2018-2019 and is now a 2nd grade teacher. She has as B.S. in Elementary Education from Northwest Missouri State University. Before joining us, Ms. Kidd had two years of experience teaching 2nd Grade, Kindergarten, and Head Start in Kansas City district schools.

Kerrie Schoen

Ms. Schoen joined Citizens in 2016-2017 and is now a 2nd grade teacher.  She has a B.A. from the University of Kansas and an M.Ed. in Elementary Education from Rockhurst University.  Before joining us, Ms. Schoen had four years of experience teaching visual arts and dance while teaching abroad in the Dominican Republic as well as at another KC charter school.

3rd Grade Teachers

Kai Manning

Ms. Manning joined Citizens in 2020-2021 and is a 3rd grade teacher.  She has an inter-disciplinary Bachelors with an emphasis on Music Education.  Prior to joining us, Ms. Manning had three years of classroom experience - both in another Kansas City charter school as well as a district elementary school. 

Laura Nowlin

Ms. Nowlin joined Citizens in 2020-2021 and is a 3rd grade teacher. She has a B.S. in Elementary Education from University of Missouri St. Louis. Prior to joining us, Ms. Nowlin had two years of experience teaching at another Kansas City charter school.

Shanell Terry

Ms. Shanell joined Citizens in 2020-2021 and is a 3rd grade teacher. She has B.S. from Devry University. Prior to joining us, Ms. Shanell chose to shift out of a corporate career into a teaching career after her experience as the lead instructor for a STEM program called Engineering for Kids and is now a Teach For America Corps Member.

4th Grade Teachers

Colin Gonzalez

Mr. Gonzalez joined Citizens in 2020-2021 and is a 4th grade teacher. He has a B.A. from the University of Arkansas and is a Teach for America Corps Member. Prior to joining us, Mr. Gonzalez worked as a substitute teacher in Arkansas, and assistant teacher in Texas, and a Delegation Leader with CISV International, leading and guiding middle school students at intercultural UN sponsored camps in Peru and Colombia.

Amber Parks

Ms. Parks joined Citizens in 2020-2021 and is a 4th grade teacher. She has a B.A. in Education from Nebraska Wesleyan University and an M.A. in Administration from University of Missouri Kansas City. Prior to joining us, Ms. Parks had 13 years of experience teaching at another charter school in Kansas City.

Tamara Wolfe

Ms. Wolfe joined Citizens in 2020-2021 and is a 4th grade teacher. She has a B.A. in Urban Elementary Education from University of Missouri Kansas City and an AMI Montessori Certification. Prior to joining us, Ms. Wolfe had eight years of experience teaching at other Kansas City district and charter schools. In addition, she taught at the CDF Freedom Schools literacy and cultural enrichment program.

5th Grade Teachers

Katrina Hawthorne

Ms. Hawthorne joined Citizens in 2019-2020 and is now a 5th grade teacher.  Ms. Hawthorne holds a B.S. in Education from Pittsburg State and a M.A. in Curriculum & Instruction from Emporia State University.  Prior to joining our team, Ms. Hawthorne had 17 years of experience as a classroom teacher in Olathe, KS.

Anthony Tovar

Mr. Tovar joined Citizens in 2019-2020 and is now a 5th grade teacher.  He has a B.A. and an M.A. degree in Education from Graceland University. Prior to joining us, Mr. Tovar had 25 years of experience in project-based learning from his time as the Experiential Learning Coordinator at an international school in Shanghai, China.  He has also taught in elementary schools in Houston, TX and in the Park Hill School District.  

Kristen Wright

Ms. Wright joined Citizens in 2019-2020 and is now a 5th grade teacher.  She has a B.A. in Education from the University of Missouri - Kansas City. Before joining us, Ms. Wright had 15 years of experience in district, charter, and private schools in the Kansas City area.

Teaching Associates

Caitlin Daily

Ms. Daily joined Citizens in 2019-2020 and is now a Kindergarten Teaching Associate.  She has an A.A. from Johnson County Community College and is fluent in American Sign Language.

Andrea Herron

Ms. Herron joined Citizens in 2018-2019 and is a Kindergarten Teaching Associate in 2020-2021. She has an A.A. from Penn Valley MCC in Education and Child Growth and Development. Prior to joining us, Ms. Herron had over 20 years of experience working with children in a variety of settings including YMCA and Headstart.

Brittany Pickens

Ms. Pickens joined Citizens in 2020-2021 and is a First Grade teaching associate. She is working on a B.A. in Early Childhood Education from Graceland University. Prior to joining us, Ms. Pickens had five years of experience as a lead preschool teacher and assistant director in several pre-K programs, as well as a substitute teacher in another Missouri district.

RaQuisha Roberson

Ms. Roberson joined Citizens in 2020-2021 and is as Kindergarten teaching associate. She has a B.A. from Rockhurst University. Prior to joining us, Ms. Roberson’s career included both corporate and educational experiences including director of Little Bo Peepz Christian Academy, a long-term Special Education Teacher in another Missouri district, and Media Center teacher at a Kansas City district school.

Instructional Specialists

Catherine Bett
Instructional Specialist - Mathematics

Mrs. Bett joined Citizens in 2016-2017 and is now a Mathematics Instructional Specialist for grades K-5.  She has a B.A. from Wheaton College and an M.S. in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of New England. Prior to joining our team, she had four years of experience teaching in Kansas and in Lima, Peru. Ms. Bett is bilingual in English and Spanish and serves as the ELL Coordinator for Citizens.

Maile Newberry-Wortham
Instructional Specialist -         Reading

Mrs. Newberry-Wortham joined Citizens in 2018-2019 is now a Reading Instructional Specialist for grades 3-7.  She has a B.S. from Stephens College and an M.Ed. from the University of Missouri. Prior to joining us, she taught elementary school in Columbia Public Schools and in KCPS.

Casey Thomas
Instructional Specialist -         Reading

Mrs. Thomas joined Citizens in 2016-2017 and is now a Reading Instructional Specialist for grades K-2.  She has a B.A. from Winona State University and an M.A. in Elementary Education from University of Missouri St. Louis.  Ms. Thomas has played an active role in coordinating our assessment processes, supporting data collection, and in helping with scheduling for the campus.

Enrichment Teachers

Cynthia Gassen
Physical Education Teacher

Coach Gassen joined Citizens in 2019-2020 and is the Physical Education Program Coordinator for grades K-7. Coach G brings 25 years of PE teaching experience across grades K-12 district and charter schools. She has a B.S. in Physical Education and Kinesiology from the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor and an M.A. in ESL from the University of Kansas. 

Kate Moore
Art Program Coordinator

Ms. Moore joined Citizens in 2016-2017 and is the Art Program Coordinator.  She has a B.A. from Iowa State University and an M.A. in Elementary Education from University of Missouri - St. Louis. Prior to joining us, Ms. Moore taught 2nd-3rd grade for 3 years and was a Teach For America Corps Member in Kansas City, MO.  During the 2017-2018 school year, Ms. Moore became a Fund for Teachers Fellow and is also a 2020-2021 Teach for America KC Green Fellow.

Sydney Seratte
Music Program Coordinator

Ms. Seratte joined Citizens in 2018-2019 and is the Music teacher. She has a B.M.E. from the University of Missouri - Kansas City and an M.Ed. from Mid-America University, and is working on her Master of Music Education from UMKC currently.  Before joining CWC, she taught music in Shawnee, KS for six years.

Rhonda Raglon
Computers,
K & 1st

Ms. Raglon joined Citizens in 2019-2020 and is now the Computer teacher for grades K-1st and supports our school as the ACE After School teacher at the Middle School. She earned her A.A. from MCC. Prior to joining us, Ms. Raglon spent 15 years substitute teaching for students in K-12th grade and 7 years as a special needs child advocate. 

Student Services Team

Mariah Friend
School Nurse

Ms. Friend joined Citizens in 2020-2021 and is the Nurse. She has an B.S. in Nursing and Spanish from North Park University and is a licensed RN in the state of Missouri. Prior to joining us, Ms. Friend had 11 years of experience in other non-profit organizations including After the Harvest in Kansas City, Kingsley Pines Camp in Maine, and St. Luke’s East Health System.

Ashley Huggans
Behavior Coach

Ms. Huggans joined Citizens in 2019-2020 and is the Behavior Coach.  She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Social Work from Missouri State University; prior to joining our team, she worked at Operation Breakthrough and served as a Social Work Specialist for organizations in Kansas and Missouri. 

Tufanza Byrd-Primos
Family Support Social Worker

Ms. Byrd-Primos joined Citizens in 2020-2021 and is the Family Support Social Worker.  She holds an MBA from Webster University and is a Certified Mediator from the Center for Conflict Resolution.  Prior to joining our team, Ms. Byrd-Primos worked for 13 years in the non-profit and education sectors. 

Dorothea Bradley
Special Education Teacher

Ms. Bradley joined Citizens in 2018-2019 and is now a Special Education teacher for grades K-5. She has a B.S. in Education from University of Central Missouri State and two M.A. degrees, one in Special Education from the University of Kansas and the other in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of St. Mary’s. Prior to joining us, Ms. Bradley received multiple accolades including Teacher of the Year, Kauffman Young Entrepreneur, nominated for Disney Teacher of the Year as well as being a Special Olympics Coach for 17 years. Ms. Bradley is pleased to be working at Citizens along with her twin sister, Ms. Page.

Dorothy Page
Special Education Teacher

Ms. Page joined Citizens in 2018-2019 and is now a Special Education teacher for grades K-5.  She has a B.S. in Education from University of Central Missouri State and two M.A. degrees, one in Special Education from the University of Kansas and the other in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of St. Mary’s. Prior to joining us, Ms. Page received multiple accolades including Teacher of the Year, Kauffman Young Entrepreneur, nominated for Disney Teacher of the Year as well as being a Special Olympics Coach for 17 years. Ms. Page is pleased to be working at Citizens along with her twin sister, Ms. Bradley.

Sara Langford
Special Education Assistant

Bio coming soon!

Audrey Camp
Special Education ParaProfessional

Ms. Camp joined Citizens in 2020-2021 and is a Special Education paraprofessional. She has a B.A. in Elementary Education from Western Governor’s University. Prior to joining us, Ms. Camp’s career included three years of experience providing support and instruction to students with special needs in non-profit agencies and schools.

Antoinette Harrington
Special Education ParaProfessional

Ms. Harrington joined Citizens in 2017-2018 and is now a Special Education paraprofessional.  She has a B.A. in Education from University of Central Missouri. Prior to joining us, Ms. Harrington spent 10 years as a teacher in early childhood settings.

Karen McMahon
Special Education ParaProfessional

Ms. McMahon joined Citizens in 2020-2021 and is a Special Education paraprofessional. She has a B.S. and an M.S. in Special Education from Central Missouri State. Prior to joining us, Ms. McMahon had 25 years of experience as a Special Education teacher across 3 different districts in Missouri.

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PJ Ruth
Special Education ParaProfessional

Ms. Ruth joined Citizens in 2018-2019 and is a Special Education paraprofessional and the Related Service Coordinator & Verbal Behavior Specialist. Prior to joining us, Ms. Ruth had three years of experience as a lead teacher in an Infant/Toddler classroom for special needs students.

After-School & Aide Staff

Cordell
Brooks
Daytime Custodian
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Simone
Wilson
Meals Distribution Team
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Wasiba
Hamad
Meals Distribution Team
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Sintya
Perez
Meals Distribution Team
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Nikola
Ranick
Meals Distribution Team
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Partners on Campus

Olivia Kirkendall
Literacy Lab Tutor

Nikola Ranick
Literacy Lab Tutor
Get to know the rest of our school community: