About
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Administrators & School Operations
Instructional Staff & Student Support
School Administration
About Kate Bergles
Kate Bergles is excited to join the SOAR team as principal. Prior to SOAR, Kate worked as a principal in a K-8 charter school, in a middle school and as an assistant principal in the high school setting. She has served in leadership roles in education for the past 25 years all across the metro Denver area. Kate graduated from Colorado State University with a Masters degree in German Language and Literature. She also graduated from the University of Phoenix with a Masters degree in Education Administration and Leadership. She earned a Director of Special Education certification from the University of Northern Colorado. Kate believes all learners deserve a guaranteed curriculum, effective teaching and a positive school culture that will give them a foundation in literacy, math, science, and critical thinking to prepare them for successful futures. Kate invites you to join the SOAR team on the education journey with your children. Please come in, sit down and talk with us. Attend our events, volunteer, participate and communicate with the team at your school. SOAR belongs to all of us -my door is always open.
About Sonia Sisneros
Sonia has been a part of the SOAR team since it was founded in 2010, starting as a community partner during the school’s planning year. Sonia has supported and led SOAR’s evolution from a small start-up to one of the highest performing community based elementary schools in far northeast Denver. Her work at SOAR has varied from supporting classroom teachers to managing the school’s budget, human resources and leadership in legal services. Sonia’s interest in education is based in child advocacy and comprehensive school operations. Sonia attended Daniels College of Business at the University of Denver earning her certification in Business Ethics and Financial Analytics. In 2015, Sonia earned her law degree from the University of Denver in Social Sciences, and later that year she was sworn in as a Court Appointed Special Advocate for Children (CASA). Sonia went on to finish her Principal Residency Program with Catapult School Leadership (CSL Colorado) in 2016. Sonia has an incredible family! Her son is an architect, CU Boulder graduate and her daughter is a vibrant artist, currently CSU. Go Buffs! Go Rams! Sonia and her husband enjoy their time together as empty nesters, exploring the city’s art district, taking in the outdoors and traveling whenever possible.
About Christi Goetz
Christi has worked in education for over 14 years as a general education teacher, English Language Acquisition teacher leader and most recently assistant principal. Christi graduated with her B.A. from University of Nebraska and started her teaching career in Omaha before moving to Colorado in 2006. While teaching Christi continued her education to complete a Linguistically Diverse Endorsement at Concordia University and then Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership, from the University of Colorado. Since moving to Colorado in 2006 Christi worked in Aurora as a teacher, coach and administrator. All of her educational experience has been at schools serving students from diverse backgrounds, passionate about ensuring an equitable education for all students. Christi is looking forward to getting back to coaching and working alongside teachers to develop their Language Acquisition understandings so that they can best support their Language Learners. She is very excited to be joining the SOAR community!
Office/Operations Staff
About Araceli Quezada-Rodriguez
Araceli has worked with SOAR since 2012, initially as the Office Manager at SOAR@Oakland. Araceli moved to SOAR@GVR in 2014 and immediately enjoyed her work with families, teachers and students. Araceli truly enjoys working at the front desk because it allows for her to support everyone and that is what is most important to her. Before working with SOAR, She worked in the Oakland Elementary School office and prior to that she was at the Montebello High School office. Living and working in our community has enabled her to get to know a lot of the families in our area. Araceli enjoy seeing students and their families when she is out with her own family. Araceli is from Cd. Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico. While visiting Colorado 28 years ago she fell in love with the Mile High City and decided to make it her home. Araceli and her husband have two children and a grandson and they are very proud to call the Far Northeast area home. When Araceli is not at work you can find her going to the movies, traveling and once in while enjoying some time in the mountains.
About Derek Begun
Mr. Derek is back! Derek is a Colorado native who started with SOAR in 2013 as the director of the before and after school daycare and quickly was hired on to work at SOAR directly. He has had many different positions at SOAR, Recess Coach, Cheer Coach, Paraprofessional and even was the Theatre teacher for half a year. In 2017 Derek moved with his husband to Utah to be near family, but just after 2 years they were ready to move back. He is so excited to be back and in a new position as the Health Aide to our student community. In his down time, you will see Derek playing competitive Nintendo, camping, and is also a freelance makeup artist.
"Education is our passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to the people who prepare for it today"
Malcom X
About Andrea Macias
About Christopher Landis
Chris comes to us from Full Duplex, Inc. where he is a contracted IT Coordinator, and has been the IT Coordinator at SOAR since 2014. He has a passion for technology and education, and works tirelessly to ensure that students, teachers, and staff have access to the latest technology and support. A man of mystery, Chris is known for his exceptional problem-solving skills and ability to solve any technical issue with ease. In his free time, you might find Chris tinkering with his latest tech gadgets, playing video games, or spending time with his family and friends.
About Amy Twardowski
Amy Twardowski has been working in schools for 17 years. She has taught every grade from Kindergarten through 6th grade, and has also served in other roles including Instructional Coach and Interventionist. In addition, she spent one school year teaching in Africa where she supported young college students who were studying to become teachers. In July 2018, Amy moved to Denver from Chicago where she was born and raised. She loves hiking, camping, traveling, yoga, and reading. Amy is thrilled to be joining the SOAR community and is ready to get back into the adventure of a Kindergarten classroom!
About Catherine Erb
Hello everyone! My name is Catherine Erb and I am so excited to be your student's teacher this year! I am originally from Iowa and graduated from Iowa State University with my degree and license in Elementary Education. I have lived in Colorado for five years now and in that time have acquired my Master's Degree in Elementary Literacy Education from University of Colorado: Denver. I love to go hiking, watch movies, and go to brunch!
About Alexandria Kehrberg
Hello! My name is Alexandria Kehrberg and I am so excited to join the 1st grade team at SOAR elementary. This is will be my fourth year teaching and all in first grade. I am originally from the Midwest where I attended North Dakota State University for my undergrad in Elementary Education and University of North Dakota for my graduate degree in Leadership and Curriculum. I recently moved to Denver with my 2-year-old goldendoodle, Maya May. We are big fans of being outside and staying active!
About Renee Gillette
Renee was born and raised in Wisconsin. She earned her Bachelors of Science in Elementary Education and Special Education from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. She has been teaching for the past five years, spending three years in third grade and the last two years in first grade. Renee recently moved to Denver and is excited to explore all that Colorado has to offer. She is looking forward to joining the SOAR team!
About Marquita
Marquita is a native of Colorado who served the NNE community at Clayton Early Learning for 7.5 years. Those final 2.5 years Marquita completed her B.A in Early Childhood Education at Colorado Christian University. With degree in hand she felt it was time to make the shift to public school, to bring her love for serving children and families in an whole child whole family capacity. 2022-2023 will be her second year here at SOAR. When Marquita is not at work you can find her enjoying her time with her daughter and cat, her 3 younger siblings and niece and nephews. Her favorite past time when she is not with her family is taking Bachata lessons.
About Jennifer Chacon
Jen was born in Southern California. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Liberal Arts and her teaching credential from California State University, Fullerton. Her first job was in the Bay Area where she spent the last seven years teaching grades Kindergarten to Third Grade. After teaching in the Bay Area Jen made the move to Colorado is extremely excited to be teaching 1st grade at SOAR!
About Lauren
About Cathya
About Diane
Diane grew up on the beaches of North Carolina where she fell in love with the ocean and outdoor adventures. She has recently moved to the beautiful city of Denver and is enjoying the beauty of the mountains. Diane has always had a passion for helping people, which aligns perfectly with education. She graduated from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte with a Bachelor's degree in Elementary Education. It was there in Charlotte where she began her teaching career. In her free time Diane is reading, cooking, doing yoga, at a local concert, or watching scary movies! Feel free to reach out and say hello.
About Chloe
About Tricia Sanders
About Banner
About Courtney
Courtney has been an elementary school teacher in Rogers, Arkansas for the past 5 years. She is originally from Kansas City, Missouri, but moved to attend the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, Arkansas and received a Bachelor's degree in Pre-Childhood Education. While in college, Courtney was also a member of the dance team there all four years of schooling for all sports. Courtney has one younger brother who is also attending the University of Arkansas for a degree in Accounting. Some of Courtney's interests are taking her two dogs to the park, traveling with her family, anything regarding Disney, and exploring new places. With that being said, she's very excited to move to Denver and be a fourth grade teacher this year.
About Katie
About Samantha
About Lindsay Burns
I am a California native, but have been in Colorado for six years. I have been teaching for over ten years and I have been in education for twenty. I am a mother of two boys, but I also have two cats and a dog. When I’m not working and taking care of my boys I am hiking in the mountains or reading my favorite fantasy novel. I love inspiring students to think critically and work through academic challenges when the learning gets hard.
About Maura
About Samara McLeish
About Jessica
About Erinjean Patrick
Erinjean Jewell Patrick began her career by following her passion for the performing arts and teaching theatre from a young age. She received her undergraduate degree from Arizona State University in Music Performance. After performing nationally, her love for teaching began to grow as she became a resident teaching artist in schools all over New York City. Ej then graduated from The City College of New York with a Masters in Educational Theatre. After moving to Denver in 2013, she joined Teach for America to obtain her license in Special Education. Ej has been a teacher at SOAR since 2013. Recently, she received her certification as a Arts Integration Specialist. She is excited to be continuing her journey at SOAR supporting students and teachers integrate the arts and bring joy to each students learning.
About Amy Smith
About Madelline Gebhardt
I have been teaching for the past 7 years, with experience in 2nd, 3rd, and 4th grade classrooms. I am originally from Missouri, and moved to Denver about 4 years ago to work in Denver Public Schools. I have my Masters Degree in Curriculum & Instruction, with an action research focus on Math Education. I am passionate about teaching math, and am thrilled to work with the teachers and students at SOAR surrounding mathematics instruction! I can't wait to get started and to meet all of you in person this fall! I hope you have a great end to your school year and a relaxing summer vacation! -Madelline Gebhardt
About Natalia
Natalia was born in Barcelona, Spain and moved to Denver in 2013. This is her fifteenth year in education, she has taught from elementary to adults teaching in Spanish as well as well in English in Barcelona, Denver and San Francisco.Natalia is very excited to be joining the SOAR team as the Gifted and Talented Specialist.
During her time off, she enjoys spending time with my family and friends, traveling, skiing and learning languages. She is a multilingual learner, she speaks Spanish, Catalan and English and is currently learning French.
She will be at SOAR Mondays and Tuesdays every week and Wednesdays every other week
About Maggie McCaffrey
Maggie is thrilled to be joining the SOAR team this year! She has lived in Austin and taught Special Education there for 6 years before relocating to Denver in June.
Exploring the area with her dog, Gatsby, and her three year old niece has kept her busy since arriving. Maggie received her Bachelor's degree from the State University of New York at Oswego, known for its stellar education program. After attending college, Maggie taught 4th grade in Gastonia, NC, a suburb of Charlotte. This is where she developed her passion for working with students with special needs. Maggie is surrounded by her friends and family in Denver and is excited to see what else the city has to offer!
About Carmen
About Genie
About Jamie Wieck
My name is Jamie Wieck and I am moving from Chicago, Illinois to the beautiful city of Denver
this summer. I have been an educator and a school counselor for the past 15 years and truly
love what I do! I grew up in Fort Wayne, Indiana where I received my Bachelor’s in Education at
Indiana University Fort Wayne and my Masters in School Counseling from University of Saint
Francis. I have always had a passion and drive to help all students succeed. My goal as a
school counselor is to help all students discover themselves as learners, advocate for self and
others, and become leaders at school and in their communities. I was excited to be given this
opportunity at SOAR because their mission and values align greatly with my own. I’m very
excited to be a part of this amazing team and build a counseling program that we will all be
proud of. I am currently a mom to two girls, ages 15 months and 4 years old. I’m excited to
show them the amazing places of Colorado and help them with their educational journey in
Denver as well. In my spare time, I love spending time with my family and going on little
adventures locally and across the globe. I can’t wait to explore more of what Colorado has to
offer!
About Megan Marulli
Hi all! My name is Megan Marulli and I am beyond excited to be the School Social Worker at SOAR! To tell you a little about myself, I was born in Rochester, New York where I lived with my mother, father and three siblings. After high school, I longed for independence (classic teenager) and attended the State University of New York (SUNY) at Plattsburgh for my bachelor’s degree and then down to the SUNY Albany where I earned my master’s degree in social work. After graduate school I relocated to Vermont, where I worked for two years as a school based Clinician for a trauma informed therapeutic program for students in kindergarten through six grade. On July 2nd, 2019, my partner and I relocated to Denver, Colorado for another great adventure! In case you were wondering, there is more traffic here than the country roads in Vermont! In my free time you can find me traveling to new states, national parks, and whipping up some food in the kitchen. I look forward to meeting the SOAR family, let the fun begin! Happy 2019-2020 school year!
About Raymond
About Jessica Brouillettte
My name is Jessica Brouillette and I have lived in Colorado for almost 3 years. Before moving to Colorado I lived in New England where I graduated from Bradford Christian Academy in 2012 and am currently finishing up my Bachelor of Arts in Children and Family ministry at Northpoint Bible College in Haverhill, Massachusetts. I have been working in special needs for a little over 4 years with a lot of knowledge in ABA. I’m so excited to be an employee at SOAR and get to know all the amazing staff and kids
About Brook Ware
Hello, my name is Brooke Ware. I am a Colorado native. My son just turned 1 years old in January, so my life is pretty busy! I am currently attending GCU getting my BS in Sociology. It’s been my dream to become a School Social Worker but things have changed. After working in education for 6 years both public and residential, I’ve come to the conclusion that I want to work towards my teaching license. I am excited to expand my experience with working one on one with a student but also getting to know all the students. This is my first year working in DPS, can’t wait to see the culture and education it provides for the families and community.
About Katie Swenson
Katie Swenson is a Colorado native with a bachelors degree in performing arts from Colorado State University. She began working with SOAR in January 2018, teaching dance to 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade, by way of the Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Educational Outreach Program. Dance has been an integral part of her life for 28 years, during which she trained and performed with Rennie Harris Grass Roots Project, Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Ensemble, Moraporvida Contemporary Dance, and Impact Dance Company. Katie has always enjoyed utilizing dance and its methods as malleable tools used for holistic wellness, and in 2014 she co-produced and co-directed BlackListed, a project focused on transforming perceptions of personal deficits into growth-geared mentality. More recently, as a co-founder of In the House, she hosted workshops taught by prominent hip hop and house dance educators, contributing to the edification of the Denver dance community. Katie is very excited to continue teaching dance through her partnership with Cleo Parker Robinson Dance and SOAR.
About Aaron Williams
About Jennifer Russo
Originally from upstate New York, Jennifer has lived in the Denver area for the last several years. She knew at an early age that being an art educator was the career for her. She has taught in varied environments, including enrichment, traditional, parochial, and year-round. She has a master’s degree in Educational Psychology, which enhances her work with her students. She has two children of her own, both teenagers, and in her free time, she enjoys creating art, shopping and hiking. She is excited to continue her work at SOAR, providing students with a well-rounded and rich art education, encompassing varied media, art history, multiple applications and instilling a lifelong knowledge and appreciation of Art.
About Angela Vallejos
My name is Angela and I am elated to be coming back to SOAR this school year! I’ve been working with children for about five years and it is absolutely my passion to help the children in my community to expand their knowledge. I graduated from Montbello high school in 2012, and have lived in Colorado all my adult life. I am so excited to work with not only my students but all of you in the community. In my spare time I enjoy hanging out with my family, friends and my two kitties (Koda and Nani). I can’t wait to begin the year with you all!
About Dannia Herrera
Hi everyone, my name is Dannia Herrera. You may know me as Ms. D from the before and after school program. I worked in the B&A care field for 6 years. My Goal is to be an Elementary Teacher in the next two years! I enjoy spending time in the mountains, there are so many beautiful places to visit. I love spending time with my family and friends. My favorite animals are horses, they are intelligent and self-spirited. This is my first year with SOAR as a Paraprofessional, and I am excited to be part of the team!
About Dulce Salazar
Hello! My name is Dulce Salazar. I enjoy working here at SOAR Elementary school. I have been working in early education for about 8 years and two years in special education. I enjoy working with children of all ages. In my free time I enjoy dancing and going out with my family
About Estrella Blanco
About Keeshawn
About Lakisha Wortham
Hello, my name is Lakisha Wortham. I was born in Jackson, TN but move to Colorado 11 years ago with my family. My career in childcare has led me to work with children of all ages for 15 years. During my career I have worked as a lead teacher, assistant teacher and bus driver in a childcare setting. I enjoy doing photography, making hair bows, and DIY projects during my spare time. I’m excited to be working with the students in my community.
About Martin De Leon
About Paola Reyes-Badillo
Hola! My name is Paola. I was born in Mexico but raised in Denver, Colorado. I graduated from Montbello High School. My passion for working with kids started about 4 years ago when I was working at a school at their afterschool program. I love working with children of my community. In my free time I like to eat, spend time with my family, try new restaurants, being outdoors, and enjoy life.
About Samuel Thomas
Greetings! My name is Sam Thomas and I am very excited to be joining the SOAR Elementary family this school year! I am from Washington, DC and I have worked in education primarily in the Autism community for many years now. Crazy how time flies! I am so excited to join this great team of educators and I look forward to learning and growing with you.
Some of my favorite things to do are running, camping and listening to music. My all time favorite musician is Kid Cudi. I also really enjoy reading. My choice for my favorite book is always changing so currently my favorite book is The Dude and the Zen Master by Jeff Bridges and Bernie Glassman.
Thank you so much for welcoming me to SOAR and I look forward to working with and learning more about this great community.
Thanks!
About Yaeslin Meran
Yas subbed for SOAR and joined SOAR on January 3rd as instructional assistant. she is supporting phonics for reading in 3rd grade as well as recess.
About Marissa Salas
I am a student at Metropolitan State University of Denver studying Special Education. I have worked with children for roughly 5 years and am so excited to be joining the SOAR team in the Autism Center Program!
In my free time I enjoy hiking, cooking and spending time with my family. I look forward to working with you all!
About Mika
My name is Shamika Jhagroo but I go by my nickname Mika. I am originally from Jamaica but grew up in New York City. I moved to Denver, CO right at the start of the pandemic in March 2020. Some favorites I have are eating chocolate and pizza, traveling and experiencing all the world has to offer, fall as a season, the color electric blue (which is the same color of my car), and cheerleading as a sport and hobby. I have completed by Associate and Bachelors in Psychology from Morrisville State College. I am looking forward to starting my Masters in Clinical Mental Health. I have a passion to work with kids and I am beyond excited to work in the Center Program and continue my journey in this field. I have been in this field with numerous roles for 5 years. Starting my 6th year with SOAR’s Center program and I can’t wait to continue learning and growing.
About Buseje
Buseje joined our team on January 9th. Her time is split between the center program, SPED and general education. Buseje brings several years of experience in supporting students with disabilities, providing direct instruction, as well as assisting case managers in the development of students goals and the IEP writing process.
Download our family handbook.
OurBoard
Board Meeting Information
The SOAR Board of Directors meetings are held at the school, Building 4 on the Evie Dennis Campus, and via Zoom Conference Call. Please check specific meeting date for details.
Meetings are open to the public and agendas are posted at SOAR in the vestibule of the entrance. Members of the public who want to address the Board by do so by emailing the SOAR Board of Directors at soar.board.of.directors@gmail.com by noon the previous day, giving their name and indicating the topic.
August 18th,Board Meeting from 9:45 AM to 12:00 PM; This meeting will be held in person.
September 8th, Board Meeting from 8:45 AM to 12:00 PM; This meeting will be held in person.
October 6th,Board Meeting from 9:45 AM to 12:00 PM; This meeting will be held in person.
November 10th,Board Meeting from 9:45 AM to 12:00 PM; This meeting will be held in person.
December 8th, Board Meeting from 9:45 AM to 12:00 PM; This meeting will be held virtually via Zoom Conference Call
January 12th, Board Meeting from 9:45 AM to 12:00 PM; This meeting will be held in person.
February 2nd, Board Executive Session from 2:00 PM to 2:45 PM; This meeting will be held in virtually.
February 3rd, Board Executive Session, from 1:00 PM to 1:45 PM; This meeting will be held virtually.
February 9th, Board Meeting from 9:45 AM to 12:00 PM; This meeting will be held in person and Executive Session, Personnel after Board Meeting.
March 8th,Board Meeting from 9:45 AM to 12:00 PM; This meeting will be held in person and then there will be an Executive Session after the Board Meeting, regarding personnel; This meeting will be held in virtually.
March 14th, Board Exeutive Session from 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM; Regardng personnel issues; This meeting will be held virtually.
May 10th, Board Meeting from 9:45 AM to 12:00 PM; This meeting will be held in person.
May 31st, Board work session
SOAR is a Kindergarten through 5th grade elementary school in far northeast Denver, serving students from the Green Valley Ranch and Montbello subdivisions in addition to Aurora . The school has one school building, and anticipates an enrollment of 454 students each year. SOAR currently rents 41,990 square feet of building space from Denver Public Schools. The school employs close to 50 staff as well as provides community resources for the families that we serve.
Contact information for SOAR: Sonia Sisneros, Director of Operations, (303) 895-5305
Contact information for the Colorado Department of Education: https://www.cde.state.co.us
Contact information for Financial Transparency for Colorado Schools: https://coloradok12financialtransparency.com