Ms. Jennifer Rhoden, our principal,  is thrilled to be a part of the Kaechele Elementary community! Originally from Florida, her family relocated to Richmond just before her freshman year of high school. She is a graduate of Henrico’s Mills Godwin High School. She then went to Lee University in Tennessee to study before returning home to get married and finish her degree in education as well as her master’s degree from Virginia Commonwealth University. Jennifer taught third grade for eight years in Henrico County before taking a position with Richmond Public Schools as a Title I math teacher. She then moved into a position as a Reading First literacy coach in the City of Richmond before returning to her roots in Henrico County in 2011 for a Title I reading position at Laburnum Elementary. In 2014, Jennifer graduated from the Educational Leadership and Policies studies program at the University of Richmond. As a result, she served as the resource teacher at Laburnum Elementary and most recently as associate principal at Maude Trevvett Elementary School. Ms. Rhoden has been the principal of Kaechele since the summer of 2021. Jennifer has been married to her husband, a Douglas Freeman High School graduate, for almost 30 years. They have two children in college (at George Mason University and Bridgewater College). Jennifer loves spending time with her family as well as playing games, reading, watching movies, going to the beach, eating out (especially Mexican food) and being with friends.

Tim Buffkin, our associate principal, earned his bachelor of science degree in health, physical education, recreation and dance from Longwood University and master's degree of education in administration and supervision from Virginia Commonwealth University. Mr. Buffkin has been a part of the HCPS system since 2000 and began his teaching career with HCPS at Fair Oaks Elementary School as the physical education teacher. Throughout his career in Henrico, he has served as a physical education teacher at Fair Oaks, Baker, Greenwood and Echo Lake elementary schools and took part in many leadership roles at several of those locations. His first official leadership role was at Crestview Elementary School as the summer academy coordinator for the Enrichment Program and was the resource teacher at Skipwith Elementary for three years. He has also been the summer academy coordinator at Ruby Carver and George Baker elementary schools. When he can find the time, he enjoys whitewater canoeing, playing sports and games, and spending time with his children.

Swati Achari, an instructional assistant, is extremely excited to be part of the Kaechele Coyotes. She holds a bachelor of science degree from VKS University. She loves to travel and cook. An avid music lover, she is also a DIY crafts enthusiast. She loves to spend time with her 6-year-old daughter and her husband Shantanu.

Kelly Adams, a second grade teacher, has taught in both kindergarten and first grade. She was born in Yokosuka, Japan and grew up in Virginia Beach. Mrs. Adams received her master's degree in early elementary education from Old Dominion University. She loves spending time with her husband, daughters and sweet Boston terrier Luna. Mrs. Adams is a huge fan of sports and loves the Redskins (Hail), Boston Celtics and Atlanta Braves. In her free time, she enjoys relaxing on the beach, going to the pool, reading books, shopping and going for walks with her family. In the classroom, Mrs. Adams incorporates her knowledge, previous teaching experiences and passion for teaching into the classroom at Kaechele Elementary School. She is excited to provide a learning environment that will help children reach their full potential and to engage students to become active and critical thinkers.

Natalie Axtell, a fourth grade teacher, loves being part of the Kaechele team. Mrs. Axtell grew up in the mountains of West Virginia and enjoys visiting her family there for holidays and every summer. She earned her degree in elementary education from Concord University in Athens, West Virginia. She has been teaching in Henrico County since 2001 and has been working at Kaechele since 2019. Mrs. Axtell loves to spend time with her wonderful husband and two amazing children. She enjoys reading, cooking and trips to the beach. She is looking forward to another wonderful year as a KES Coyote!

Monica Bagley, a third grade teacher, grew up in Maryland with her mom, dad and older sister. Both of her parents are from Germany, so her family went there to visit relatives every summer. She grew up playing games, running around outside and exploring the world around her. This hasn’t changed much; neither has her love of animals. She has had many pets — rabbits, dogs, cats, fish, hamsters, bearded dragons, gerbils and chickens. As a child she did gymnastics and was on the swim team for 10 years. She also began to love football, especially the Washington Redskins/Commanders! After high school, she attended Virginia Tech and then worked in business management. Later, she went to James Madison University to get her teaching certificate. During her 12 years at Maybeury Elementary School, Mrs. Bagley taught kindergarten and second grade. Since Kaechele opened, she has been a part of third grade team. It is a year of such growth as students begin taking on more responsibility and independence. They begin to amaze even themselves by what they can do. Mrs. Bagley has truly loved being a part of this process and looks forward to watching more Coyotes grow and learn!

Ellen Baker, a speech language pathologist, was born and raised in northwest Louisiana. She graduated from Virginia Tech with a bachelor’s degree in human development and earned her master’s degree in communication sciences and disorders from Radford University. She began her career as a speech language pathologist with Roanoke City Public Schools, and most recently spent seven years with Chesterfield County Public Schools before joining Henrico County Public Schools in 2022. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, watching Hokie football and spending time with her husband and two daughters. Mrs. Baker is excited to be apart of the team at Kaechele Elementary.

Kelly Becker, our gifted resource teacher, grew up in the Lehigh Valley of Pennsylvania. She attended VCU and the University of Richmond and earned her gifted/talented education endorsement from the University of Virginia. She has been part of the HCPS family since 2004. She enjoys being a continuous learner and staying abreast of new developments in gifted education. Outside of school, Mrs. Becker spends time with her husband, three children and dog, Sandy. She enjoys traveling, golfing, the beach, book club, DIY projects and exploring all that Richmond has to offer. Mrs. Becker is looking forward to providing enrichment services at Kaechele Elementary this year!

Meredith Betke, a first grade teacher, is a fellow Henrico County student who attended Jackson Davis Elementary School, Byrd Middle School and Mills Godwin High School. Mrs. Betke attended VCU and graduated with an undergraduate degree in psychology and a master’s degree in education. Upon graduation she taught at Pinchbeck Elementary School for four years as a first and second grade teacher. It was then that she and Mr. Betke decided to start their own family. Her love for education and children quickly found her back in the classroom setting where she was a lead 3-year-old teacher for 10 years. Mrs. Betke joined the KES team our opening year as an instructional assistant in the exceptional education program. She then taught fourth grade for half a year before finding her way into kindergarten and now she’s feeling fabulous in first grade! In her spare time, Mrs. Betke enjoys spending time with her husband and three children, pulling for the Steelers, playing with her dogs Lincoln, Blu and Stella, enjoying time with friends, traveling, reading, watching movies, cooking and working on projects around the house. Mrs. Betke is looking forward to a super fun year with her first graders. Her biggest hope is that during the upcoming year her students will develop an authentic love for school, learning and being a Kaechele Coyote!

Kelly Blackwell, a fifth grade teacher, is excited to return to Kaechele Elementary! Miss Blackwell graduated from James Madison University in 2018, where she received her Masters of Arts in teaching. Through the course of her teaching career, she has taught kindergarten, fifth grade, and exceptional education. When she is not in the classroom, Miss Blackwell enjoys spending time with her family and friends. She loves to play games, spoil her baby niece and relax on the river! Miss Blackwell is looking forward to another wonderful school year with the Kaechele Coyotes!

Linda Borgerson, our office assistant and registrar, is our newest member of our Kaechele team. She graduated from VCU School of Education with a degree in health and physical education. She comes to us with many years of customer service experience. Linda grew up in Richmond and she is one of seven siblings. Linda is married and has a daughter in eighth grade. She enjoys traveling all around to watch her daughter play tennis and travel lacrosse. Linda is so very excited to be with us at Kaechele!

Polly Bosse, a first grade teacher, is very very excited about teaching  at Kaechele!!!  Before teaching at Kaechele, she enjoyed teaching fantastic children in Ohio that had had special needs and also had fun teaching kindergarten for 15 years before moving to Virginia. She loved teaching kindergarten at Colonial Trail Elementary School for six years before coming to be a part of opening Kaechele five years ago. Two of Mrs. Bosse’s favorite things about teaching are her love of books and watching children grow and build kind relationships with one another. She loves reading exciting books to the children that capture their imaginations and watching their smiling faces during the story.  She also enjoys helping them through the process of learning to read and observing their pride when they are able to read their first book!  She is amazed each year at all the examples of kindness the children will do for one another automatically, once everyone knows the classroom is a place where nothing has to be perfect and all we have to do is try our best.  Mrs. Bosse graduated from Ohio University in 1989 and took graduate classes at The Ohio State University.  She is certified to teach kindergarten through eighth grade and earned two special education certificates. She has taught for more than 20 years and truly loves teaching children. She also loves spending time with her husband and two daughters. They enjoy the beach, bike riding, sailing and going on long hikes in the mountains. Mrs. Bosse  hopes to see The Ohio State Buckeyes make it to a bowl game this year. She is looking forward to making new friends this year and challenging herself and her class to always be the best they can be.

Stacey Branch, an interventionist, is excited to join the Kaechele family! She is a native of Richmond and a graduate of Virginia Tech and VCU. She taught elementary school in Accomack County Public Schools and Richmond Public Schools. For the past 22 years, Ms. Branch has worked at VCU as an adjunct instructor, university supervisor, elementary residency coordinator for RTR teacher residency, and coordinator of the Clinical Faculty Program. She recently retired from the program and is looking forward to working in an elementary school again. Ms. Branch has two daughters, Chloe and Caroline, who attended Henrico County Public Schools. Chloe recently graduated from Virginia Tech and Caroline is a rising senior at VCU. Ms. Branch enjoys spending time with her daughters and her two labs, Remy and Beau, as well as reading, watching way too much TV, traveling and cooking.

Karen Brincks, a fourth grade teacher, is excited to start her sixth year at Kaechele. Mrs. Brincks grew up in Iowa and has lived in Kentucky, Tennessee and now Virginia. She graduated from Iowa Wesleyan University with a degree in elementary education and a reading endorsement. In 2010, Mrs. Brincks completed her Master of Science degree in education. She has taught first and third through eighth grades. Over the summer, she completed her gifted endorsement at the University of Richmond. When she is not in the classroom, Mrs. Brincks loves spending time with her family, reading, photography and going to sporting events. Her husband Scott, is assistant athletic director of strength and conditioning at the University of Richmond, Go Spiders! Mrs. Brincks has two children — a daughter Kylie and a son Cole at East Tennessee State University.

Alyse Brockbank, an instructional assistant, is thrilled to be joining the Kaechele team full time. Alyse grew up in Sarasota, Florida where she spent many weekends at the beach.  She flew across the country for college in Utah at Brigham Young University where she received her bachelor’s degree in elementary education. The snow was a shock to this Florida girl. She taught second grade for two years in Utah before moving to Henrico County so her husband could complete schooling at VCU. Alyse was an instructional assistant and a kindergarten teacher for HCPS  before starting her family and moving to Durham, N.C. for five years. Her family moved back to Henrico for good in 2019. Alyse has three children, all Kaechele students, and loves being able to get glimpses of them during the school day. Alyse’s favorite thing to do is plan trips. She’s done many cross country road trips and enjoys visiting National Parks. Her favorite way to relax is with a book in a clean house! 

Tracy Davis, an instructional assistant, is excited to be re-joining the Kaechele family full time, working with the BLISS/Exceptional Education team. She is a Richmond native, and attended nursing school before realizing her true love of working with children on the elementary school level. When she is not working she loves spending time with her three children, Austin, Noah and Marley. She is an avid Virginia Tech fan, and loves vacationing in Florida whenever she can. She is grateful to have found such an amazing team to work with being a Kaechele Coyote!

Katie Dix, a fifth grade teacher, has been a teacher for over 25 years. She grew up in northern Virginia, playing travel soccer, basketball and field hockey. She graduated from Radford University in 1995 with a B.S. in interdisciplinary studies. In 2003, she moved to Richmond. Mrs. Dix is married and has two sons. Mrs. Dix is a dog lover. She has a 9-year old lab named Duff and a 4-year old lab named Duke. Mrs. Dix enjoys reading. She enjoys going to movies, playing sports, coaching sports and spending time with her family in her spare time. Most of the time you will find her at an athletic field cheering on her son while he plays lacrosse. If you see her out and about please say hi. She also loves spending time at the beach. In her downtime each night she does like to watch a little television or listen to a book.

Meredith Dobranski, a kindergarten teacher, is a graduate of Roanoke College where she earned a degree in education and sociology. While there she was captain of the soccer team and was named a regional All-American. She then went on to receive her master's degree in exceptional education from George Mason University. Mrs. Dobranski has been teaching for 22 years and has taught in a variety of settings. For her first teaching job she was lucky enough to teach at her high school in northern Virginia. While there she was the lead teacher in an exceptional education program. She taught and coached there for four years before moving to Richmond. This will be her 18th year working in Henrico County where she has also taught at Highland Springs, Echo Lake, Colonial Trail and Ridge elementary schools. She has taught kindergarten, first grade, third grade, fourth grade and exceptional education. When she is not having fun in the classroom and helping her students achieve their best, she enjoys watching her kids play on their high school and college teams.

Tracy Fabricant, a kindergarten teacher, graduated from Radford University with a degree in elementary education. Mrs. Fabricant grew up in Hanover County, but has long-time ties to Henrico County as both of her parents spent their careers in Henrico County in education.  She has spent her teaching career in Henrico County at Pinchbeck and Colonial Trail elementary schools, and now at Kaechele.  After thinking about changing directions and heading to the library, she received her master's in education with a concentration in library sciences from VCU. She quickly realized that she really loved spending her time in the classroom with kindergartners and just couldn’t give that up!  She’s received several grants over the years for her classroom and loves to create and plan new ideas for her students. Mrs. Fabricant met her husband, Evan, while at Radford. They live in Hanover County with their two children. As a family, they enjoy all of the wonderful things that Virginia has to offer, from the beaches to the mountains. Mrs. Fabricant loves spending time with her two children during the summer months, and taking them to museums, parks and anything with a historical significance! 

Stephanie Fosberg, a third grade teacher, was born and raised in New Orleans. She graduated from Our Lady of Holy Cross College with a bachelor’s degree, majoring in humanities and education, and earned her gifted endorsement from the University of Richmond. She began her career teaching third grade in New Orleans and joined Henrico County Public Schools when she moved to Virginia. Mrs. Fosberg has been part of Kaechele since its opening in 2013. She considers herself a lifelong learner, and enjoys learning about the latest and greatest in the field of education and technology. In her spare time, she enjoys reading and spending time with family and friends travelling and exploring new places. Having been born and raised in New Orleans, she enjoys cooking traditional New Orleans food, but also loves trying different foods and restaurants around town.

Lisa Frederes, our school psychologist, has been a school psychologist in three different states. Originally from Rochester, N.Y., Mrs. Frederes attended SUNY Fredonia for her undergraduate degree and earned her master's and specialist degrees from Roberts Wesleyan College. She practiced for a year in New York before moving to North Carolina. Mrs. Frederes moved to Richmond to join the Kaechele Team! She enjoys working with students, families and staff to support children accelerate their educational, and social and emotional growth. She has a passion for working with special populations of children with exceptional needs and investigating how all students think and learn to reach their highest potential. Mrs. Frederes stays busy with her three boys at home. Her and her husband love to take their children on adventures. She also enjoys hiking, biking, yoga and cooking.

Ashley Fullerton, our art teacher, received her art education degree from Virginia Commonwealth University. She spent her freshman year of college at The Ohio State University and also has a degree in interior design from VCU. Before joining the Kaechele team Mrs. Fullerton spent 11 years teaching art at Brookland Middle School and two years at Elizabeth Holladay Elementary School. She has two sons who keep her active with kayaking, hiking and many other adventures. When Mrs. Fullerton is not teaching, she loves to read! She also loves to travel and spend time at the beach.

Allison Fultz, a school counselor, is excited to be joining the Kaechele Elementary School team! She has been a school counselor for five years and prior to working in HCPS she worked as an elementary school counselor with Prince William County Schools. Mrs. Fultz graduated from Marymount University in 2019 with a master’s degree in counseling with a specialization in school counseling. She received her undergraduate degree in psychology from Marietta College. Mrs. Fultz has a passion for working with kids and helping them achieve their dreams! When she is not working she enjoys cooking, reading, going on adventures and spending time with family and friends.

Laura Fultz, a physical therapist for HCPS in the West End, is proud to be working with the Kaechele Coyotes again this year! Laura has worked for HCPS for five years. She attended James Madison University for her Bachelor of Science in kinesiology and VCU to receive her doctor of physical therapy degree in 2010. She has worked in a variety of clinical and hospital positions and is now happy to be working with students in the exceptional educational setting. She loves to travel and spend time with family, and is happily married to her husband Joshua. They live in the West End with their walker hound Jacob-bob.

Kelli Gannon, a second grade teacher, is so happy to be a part of the KES team and a fellow Coyote! She grew up in West Virginia, attended college in Ohio and relocated to Richmond in the summer of 2015 from the Chicago area with her family. Mrs. Gannon has worked in Henrico County since fall 2015 – primarily as a board substitute and reading interventionist at Maybeury Elementary School before coming to KES in the fall of 2019. Mrs. Gannon enjoys family time and outdoor activities – biking, hiking and adventurous vacations are some of her most favorite things. In the classroom Mrs. Gannon enjoys seeing students grow in their reading abilities and she is very excited to watch all her classroom coyotes this new school year. Fostering a room that is inspired by laughter, love and kindness, Mrs. Gannon can’t wait to begin the adventure with her sensational second graders!

Lori Gebhard, a fourth grade teacher, graduated from Clarion University of Pennsylvania with a bachelor’s degree in education for K-8th grade. She went on to earn her master’s degree in curriculum and instruction from George Mason University as a reading specialist for K-12th grade. After taking a break to raise her three children, her love of learning had her heading back to attend James Madison University where she added an endorsement as a gifted education teacher. She has more than 19 years of classroom teaching experience, starting in northern Virginia, then moving to New Jersey and Maryland. She is thrilled to have settled back in Virginia. Mrs. Gebhard became a proud Coyote in 2014. She loves spending time with her family, her dog Rocky, cats Izzo and BooBoo, cheering on the Steelers, reading, learning and being outdoors. She has three children: Jack a graduate of James Madison University, Katie, a sophomore in the nursing program at Longwood University, and Elle, a senior at Deep Run High School. Mrs. Gebhard is energetic and passionate about working with children of all ages. She loves sharing her joy and inspiring her students to be lifelong learners. Mrs. Gebhard loves being a part of the Kaechele Elementary School community.

Jerri Girvin, our math interventionist, grew up in Richmond. She holds a B.A from Virginia Tech. She taught middle school math in Henrico County before having her children. She is the mother of two girls (Mallory, 19 and Karson, 17) and two boys (Drew, 15 and William, 9). After William started kindergarten, Mrs. Girvin wanted to get back into the classroom. She has been a math interventionist at Tuckahoe Middle School and Holman Middle School. Mrs. Girvin enjoys being on the sidelines cheering for her children.  She is excited to be at Kaechele Elementary School.

Janet Givens, a first grade teacher, grew up in snowy Watertown, N.Y. She first went to college for interior design and worked as a showroom designer for several years before having a revelation that she wanted to do something more with her creativity. She decided that teaching was her calling and moved to Richmond. Mrs. Givens graduated from VCU and student taught at Dumbarton Elementary School. She was a first grade teacher there for three years before moving to Echo Lake Elementary School to open a new school! She taught 11 years in first grade at Echo Lake, with a three-year stint in kindergarten. In 2013, Mrs. Givens started her new adventure at Kaechele! She earned her National Board certification in 2004, is a clinical faculty member at VCU, and earned her associate certification with the Academy of Orton-Gillingham Practitioners and Educators. When she is not busy teaching children to read, Mrs. Givens enjoys spending time with her two boys. She enjoys going to musical events, trying out new restaurants and searching for great deals. She loves to create jewelry and give new life to furniture and has her own little "cottage business." She is so excited to travel this path with you!

Sean Glynn, our new physical education teacher, is excited to join the Kaechele team! He grew up in Orange County, N.Y. where he earned a bachelor's degree in childhood education from SUNY Cortland, and a master's degree in special education from SUNY New Paltz. Sean then moved to Florida where he officially started his teaching career as a member of the Palm Beach County School District. He taught in the classroom for two years before becoming certified in physical education, where he spent the past seven school years. This past school year, Sean was one of only 13 nominees for the SHAPE Florida Elementary Physical Education Teacher of the Year award. Sean aims to pass on his passion for physical activity and healthy lifestyle to his students and school community as a whole, by making physical activity fun and engaging and by "talking the talk and walking the walk." He enjoys working out at the gym and playing hockey, as well as running 5K races and playing pickleball with his wife and friends. When Sean finally stops moving for the day, he enjoys watching sports, shows and movies with his wife, their dog, Tonka and cat, Callie.

Jean Gonyo, our library assistant, grew up in the great state of Maine. She graduated from the University of Maine with a degree in business education before moving to Virginia. Mrs. Gonyo enjoys camping and traveling with her husband. She also enjoys hiking, cooking and reading. One of her favorite things to do is relax on the beach while reading a good book! Mrs. Gonyo is looking forward to another great year working with all of our Coyotes when they visit the KES Library Learning Commons!

Colleen Gravely, our school social worker, is a recent Virginia Commonwealth University graduate and first-year social worker. She is thrilled to begin her journey with Kaechele staff, students and families. Mrs. Gravely is originally from Pennsylvania and has been residing in Virginia for three years. She is a proud U.S. Army veteran and military spouse. She is passionate about enhancing students' overall well-being and creating a supportive school environment. Mrs. Gravely enjoys spending time with her two children, hiking, reading, coaching youth sports and tending to her 22 houseplants.

Brittany Hall, an early childhood special education teacher, is so excited to return to Coyote country! Brittany teaches the 4-year-old early childhood special education preschool class at Kaechele. She earned her master’s degree in early childhood special education from Old Dominion University. Before joining Henrico County Public Schools, Brittany worked as an ABA therapist and preschool teacher with Dominion ABA. Brittany previously worked as an exceptional education teacher in eastern Henrico County before joining Kaechele. Brittany lives with her husband in Richmond’s Northside. In her spare time, she enjoys taking trips to the beach, yoga and zumba classes, and working in her garden.

Meredith Heiner, our educational audiologist, is so excited to join the KES team this year! Before joining Henrico County Public Schools, she was a pediatric audiologist at VCU Children’s Hospital of Richmond for 10 years. She earned both her Bachelor of Science degree in communication sciences and disorders, and her clinical doctorate in audiology from James Madison University. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her husband and two daughters, singing, camping and going on new adventures!

Ms. Jordan Howell, our Temporary Instructional Assistant in the FIS classroom, is excited to be a part of the Kaechele Elementary community! Originally from Henrico, Virginia, Jordan attended all Henrico County Public Schools, graduating from Freeman High School. She earned her Associate’s Degree in Science in Elementary Education from Reynolds Community College and is currently pursuing her Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education at Virginia Commonwealth University. Jordan will graduate in the spring of 2026.

Jordan began at Kaechele in the fall as a practicum student in Mrs. Brincks’ 4th-grade classroom before transitioning to the FIS classroom for the rest of the school year. She loves the supportive and welcoming environment at Kaechele and hopes to teach 2nd to 4th grade after completing her degree. Jordan also plans to continue her education by earning a master’s degree, though she is still exploring her options for specialization.

In her free time, Jordan enjoys spending time with her four siblings and four pets, reading, going on walks, and coloring. She is also a big fan of Mexican food and all kinds of carb-filled treats!

Taylor Howell-Schramm, our FIS teacher, is an exceptional educator with seven years of experience in applied behavior analysis. She received her undergraduate degree in psychology at VCU. GO RAMS! She is currently getting her master's degree online at Liberty University. She enjoys going on long runs and taking walks with her dog, Kai. She also loves to cook pasta meals! Ms. Howell-Schramm worked for The Faison Center & School for Autism for four years. This will be her fourth year working for Henrico County Public Schools. She’s very excited to be a Kaechele Coyote!

Lorin Hullett, a school counselor, is so excited for another exciting year at Kaechele Elementary School. She has been working in education over the last 15 years. Before becoming a school counselor, she taught first grade at Longan Elementary School. She also taught fifth grade in Guatemala for two years! She graduated from Liberty University with a Master of Education degree with a specialization in school counseling after receiving her undergraduate degree in education from Longwood University. She enjoys helping students learn and grow by collaborating with teachers and students to create an environment where students know they are safe and loved. When she is not at Kaechele, she enjoys gardening, reading, going to the river and spending time with her husband and English bulldog, Murphy. She is proud to be a KES Coyote!

Sidhula John George, a permanent substitute teacher, is excited to continue being a Kaechele Coyote as a permanent substitute. She holds a bachelor’s degree in education and a naster’s in English literature. Before relocating to the U.S., she had a career in India teaching elementary students, from which she took a break to welcome her two kids. When not working she enjoys spending time with her family while still pursuing her passion for baking, cooking and food photography. 

Ed Krauss, our music teacher, graduated in 1970 from New Brunswick High School in New Jersey. He majored in music – TUBA! He graduated from West Chester State College (now University) in 1974. Mr. Krauss has taught in high school, middle and elementary schools since 1974. He earned his master of arts degree from Trenton State College, (The College of New Jersey) in 1986 and earned administrative certificates from Glassboro State College, (Rowan University). Ed is married to his beautiful wife, Shelley, of 27 years, and is the proud papa of their daughter, Jessica, a graduate of the University of South Carolina, where she was in the Honors College, and is now married to her wonderful husband, Trent Hanacock. Mr. Krauss also enjoys performing music, gardening, fishing, kayaking, golf and playtime with the family canine, Scout. Go Coyotes!!!

Erin Loving, a fourth grade teacher, is excited to be joining the Kaechele team. Erin graduated from the University of Virginia with a bachelor's in psychology and master's in elementary education in 2003. After graduating, she started her career in Fairfax County teaching fourth grade at Clearview Elementary School and then moved to Forestville Elementary School, where she taught fourth and fifth grade for six years. Erin and her husband, Jason, moved to Richmond in 2010 where they settled in the Kaechele school district. She has three children who have all attended Kaechele. She returned to education in 2023 as an assistant in the preschool classroom and is thrilled to be returning to the fourth grade classroom again. In her free time, she enjoys reading, hiking and spending time with her family.

Becky Maria, a third grade teacher, is originally from Pennsylvania. After receiving her degree in elementary education from Penn State, she moved to Virginia and has happily called it home for many years. Ms. Maria’s nearly 30 years of teaching experience is mostly in the third grade! Her favorite part of teaching is not just developing a community of curious learners, but also building a community of kind, caring Coyotes. When she’s not in school, Ms. Maria spends much of her time with her sons enjoying hiking, camping, college football and trying new restaurants.

Elise Matsuura, a second grade teacher, was born and raised in Henrico County and is a graduate of Saint Gertrude High School. She earned her bachelor’s degree and Master of Teaching degree from Virginia Commonwealth University. She also received a minor in Spanish. In 2021, Elise was named one of Henrico’s Top 20 teachers and serves as a curriculum writer in HCPS' Office of Equity, Diversity and Opportunity. Some of Elise’s hobbies include traveling, reading, Pilates and live music. Elise looks forward to another great year of teaching at Kaechele!

Penny Mersereau, an early childhood special education teacher, joined the staff at Kaechele in 2019 after seven years with Richmond City Public Schools. She previously worked in grant-funded projects aimed at improving quality in early childhood education programs around the Richmond metropolitan area. Mrs. Mersereau earned an undergraduate degree in child development from Virginia Tech and a master’s degree in early childhood special education from VCU. She has two grown daughters and two adorable grandchildren. Mrs. Mersereau enjoys traveling to different places with her husband, but one of her favorite destinations is Blacksburg in the fall to cheer for the Hokies. She is excited to be working with the youngest students at K E S!

Julie Pelligrino, an exceptional ed teacher, is excited to join the Kaechele team! Mrs. Pelligrino grew up in Chesterfield County. She earned her degree in early childhood education from James Madison University and a master's in reading from the University of Virginia. Mrs. Pelligrino taught kindergarten at Short Pump Elementary School for four years before moving over to Kaechele. She has taught kindergarten, second and third grades in Chesterfield, Fairfax and Henrico counties. She was also a literacy coach and reading interventionist at Shady Grove Elementary School. Mrs. Pelligrino enjoys spending time with her husband, three children and crazy labradoodle. In her free time, she loves watching her children play sports from the sidelines.

Kim Rademacher,  a first grade teacher, is a native of Richmond. She graduated from the University of Mary Washington in 1985 with a bachelor's in history and historic preservation. For several years, she worked in the preservation field at George Washington Birthplace National Monument, and at Monticello in Charlottesville. She married her high school sweetheart and settled in Henrico County, raising three children. While her children were growing up, she worked in the preschool setting, teaching in the 4-year old program. Mrs. Rademacher returned to school to earn her teaching certification from the University of Richmond in 2007, and has taught both kindergarten and first grade in Henrico County ever since. When she is not in the classroom, she loves spending time with her family, working in her garden, reading, and exploring historical and cultural sites. Mrs. Rademacher loves being a Kaechele Coyote!

Shana Rutherford, an instructional assistant, has been with Henrico County Public Schools for six years. She grew up in Las Vegas and moved to Richmond 23 years ago. Her background is in physical education, but she has found her calling in working with the preschool classes. After school hours, Shana is busy with her animals and kids! Her son plays travel and high school soccer. Her daughter is now a student at the College of Charleston. She also enjoys returning to the West Coast to visit family whenever she can.

Kristen Schemmel, a third grade teacher, was born and raised in Henrico County. She graduated from Elon University in 2002 with a double major in elementary and exceptional education. She has more than 20 years of teaching experience. Miss Schemmel loves being a part of the amazing third grade team. In her free time, Miss Schemmel enjoys being outdoors with her dog Bentley and working to help support the Grenada SPCA where Bentley is from. She also enjoys spending time with her two nieces and two nephews. Miss Schemmel is so happy to be a part of the KES family!

Lauren Seigler, a kindergarten teacher, grew up in South Boston, Virginia. She attended Radford University where she graduated with bachelor’s and master’s degrees in early childhood education and early childhood exceptional education. She moved to Richmond in 2012. She taught three years at Blackwell Elementary School in Richmond and then moved to Henrico County. This will be her eighth year in Henrico County, where she has taught at Fair Oaks Elementary School and now at Kaechele. She has taught pre-K, exceptional ed, kindergarten and first grade. In her spare time, Mrs. Seigler enjoys traveling, being with friends and family, exploring Richmond, watching movies and cheering on the Hokies! She can’t wait for another awesome year at Kaechele!

Amanda Sheldon, an exceptional education BLISS teacher, was born and raised in Henrico County. She graduated from Greensboro College, with a bachelor’s degree in special education K-12, where she was also a member of the swim team, breaking numerous swimming records. She has more than 20 years of teaching experience, in a variety of settings. She enjoys working at Kaechele for BLISS (Behavior Learning Integrated Support Services) supports. She has a passion for working with our challenging students and makes a huge difference here at Kaechele. She is married to a wonderful husband, Adam, and has two sons, Mason and Nolan. In her spare time, Mrs. Sheldon loves supporting them in their activities, as well as watching the Green Bay Packers, coaching the Glen Allen High School swim team (Go Jags!), and hanging out with friends and family.

Christina Stewart, our innovative learning coach, earned her bachelor of social work and teaching certification from Virginia Commonwealth University and a master's degree in library science from Old Dominion University. Mrs. Stewart worked as a school librarian for HCPS at Pocahontas Middle School for 10 years. She moved to Hanover County, and while working received her educationa technology certificate from James Madison University. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, watching her two children play sports and spending time with her husband. Mrs. Stewart’s favorite season is summer, when she gets to travel, hang out at the beach, work on DIY projects and spend time with family and friends. Mrs. Stewart is very excited to be part of the Kaechele family and looks forward to working with students and staff.

Christina Sulzer, our school librarian and information specialist, graduated from Virginia Tech in 2000 and began her teaching career in Loudoun County. In 2008, she moved home to Richmond and taught sixth grade English at Short Pump Middle School for two years and then at Tuckahoe Middle School for seven years. She is very excited to share her love of reading and books with the students and families at Kaechele. Outside of school, Mrs. Sulzer enjoys spending time with her family. She has three young children and a supportive husband who is also an educator. Mrs. Sulzer loves spending time with her children and reading children’s and young adult literature. Mrs. Sulzer’s favorite authors include Tom Angleberger, Loren Long, Lynda Mullany Hunt, Laurie Halse Anderson, Linda Sue Park, Jason Reynolds, Alan Gratz, Katherine Applegate, Jordan Sonnenblick, Sharon Draper and Gordon Korman. Mrs. Sulzer loves to laugh and spend time with friends and family.

Stephanie Swart, a second grade teacher, is very curious to meet her fabulous second graders this year! The 2024-25 school year will be her 21st year of teaching in Henrico County. Mrs. Swart adores helping challenging students be adaptable and persevere in their exploration of the world around them. She will engage the students in an environment where they are courageous enough to be comfortable as individuals, as well as self-aware of their abilities to work together as a team. Mrs. Swart attended both Virginia Commonwealth University and Mary Baldwin College. After hours, you can find her relaxing with her husband, Mr. Swart, and their delightfully mischievous 12-year-old daughter. Her family is the owner of two sweet and cuddly cats, often found curled up and sleeping in a sunny spot. Mrs. Swart loves both pop and country music, reading, traveling and learning all about various cultures. Teaching and enriching young minds is one of Mrs. Swart’s passions and she is eager to share this enthusiasm for learning with the Kaechele community!

Kara Terry, a fifth grade teacher, grew up in Ohio and Michigan. She holds a B.S. in accounting from Boston College, where she played soccer. Mrs. Terry received her teaching certificate at the University of Richmond and has taught fifth grade ever since. She has a passion for teaching math and takes pleasure in instilling a love for math in her students. When she isn’t preparing exciting lessons for her students, she can be found on the sidelines of a soccer field cheering on her youngest daughter, Alex. Mrs. Terry's other daughters, Logan and Kelly, are students at the University of Florida and the University of Wisconsin, respectively. Mrs. Terry enjoys going on dates with her husband, cheering on the Richmond Flying Squirrels, baking and traveling.

Kelly Vance, our reading coach, is excited to join the Kaechele Elementary team and start her 17th year of teaching! She is originally from Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Mrs. Vance graduated from Moravian University and continued on to George Mason University where she earned her master’s degree in reading. Mrs. Vance loves being active, whether running, riding her peloton or watching sports. Her favorite sports teams are the Philadelphia Eagles and Philadelphia Phillies. In her free time, Mrs. Vance enjoys spending time at the beach, relaxing with her husband and daughter, and spending time with her St. Bernedoodle, Yona. She is looking forward to getting to know and support Kaechele this year.

Jessica Victoriano, a fifth grade gifted teacher, is thrilled to be part of the Kaechele team! Ms. Victoriano grew up in upstate New York (Go SU! Go Yankees!), and moved south after receiving her bachelor’s degree in elementary education and Spanish. She has called Richmond home for many years. She holds a master’s degree in curriculum and instruction from VCU and obtained her gifted endorsement from the University of Richmond. “Ms. V.” has taught all grade levels, from pre-K to fifth grade, in private and public schools. When not in the classroom, Ms. Victoriano enjoys spending time with her son, family and dog, traveling, cooking, enjoying music and reading.

Justin Viener, an exceptional education BLISS teacher, has a BA from Randolph-Macon College, and an MBA from Regis University. Since 2018, Justin has worked as an instructional assistant in several different classroom settings within exceptional education at Kaechele. This is his first year teaching and second year working in BLISS (Behavior Learning Integrated Support Services). Justin enjoys encouraging students to do their best every day. He lives in Short Pump and has two sons in college. In his free time, Justin enjoys reading, outdoor activities and team sports. He stays busy in the community through church and service organizations.

Lori Wood, our secretary, is looking forward to her third year with the Kaechele team after working nine years at Twin Hickory Elementary School in the same position. She grew up in upstate New York and moved to Virginia in 1999 with her husband and four children. She currently has two grandchildren she adores and loves to spend time with. She loves dogs and has one of her own, six grand-dogs, and dogsits for many. When time allows, she likes to go to her lake house and spend time relaxing with family and friends.

Brooke Zehmer, one of our permanent substitutes, earned both her Bachelor of Arts and Master of Teaching degrees from the University of Virginia. She taught kindergarten and first grade for 10 years in other parts of Virginia before spending several years at home with her own two children. She was a KES parent volunteer and a preschool teacher before joining our staff. Away from school, Brooke enjoys reading, jigsaw puzzles and geocaching. She loves tailgating with her husband and friends, hiking with her rescue pup and cheering on both kids’ sports teams.

Kim Zimmerman, an exceptional education teacher, graduated from Towson University with a Master of Arts in teaching, special education, and received a postbaccalaureate in autism spectrum disorders from VCU. She joined the HCPS team in 2008 and left to teach in North Carolina following the 2014-15 school year. She returned to HCPS in 2021. Ms. Zimmerman has taught special education in grades K-12 in a variety of settings. She believes all students have strengths and the ability to learn. She is passionate about developing respectful and responsive relationships with students and parents to help identify and foster each student’s strengths and talents.