My name is Steve Prahcharov and I am the Principal of Kachina Country Day School. I am in my 11th year of education having started my career in England.
I have a Masters degree in Educational Administration and am into my fourth year as a principal. I love my job and am extremely fortunate to be in a position where I can help children and see them grow each and every day.
I have been married to my wife Kathy for five years and we have one year old twins (as of September of 2008). The photo above shows me with our son Henry and daughter Elle.
Soccer is a passion of mine and after playing semi-professional in England for seven years, I then coached soccer for nine years. I love to play golf whenever I get the chance and have been lucky enough to have achieved a hole in one! I also enjoy traveling and so far have visited 22 different countries with Italy and Germany being my favorites.
Kachina Country Day School is a wonderful place to work, an awesome school for students and their parents, and a welcoming environment for everyone. I invite you to join our Kachina Family! Please contact me at (480) 348-1333 or steve@kachinaschool.com should you have any questions about our school.
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My name is Beth Winger and I am the Office Manager at Kachina Country Day School. After spending seven years in Medical Administration and being actively involved in the local business community, includung the Mesa Chamber of Commerce, I decided to become part of the Kachina family. This is my second year with KCDS and I have enjoyed each and everyday!
Apart from work I enjoy hiking, listening to live music, golf, football (GO COLTS!!) and spending time with family and friends.
I look forward to many more wonderful years at Kachina Country Day School and am always available if you or your student should have any needs or concerns. Please do not hesitate to contact me at (480) 348-1333 or beth@kachinaschool.com.
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My name is Chris Hawkins and I'm thrilled to be the Technology Coordinator for Kachina Country Day School. I have been a member of the Kachina family for a few years now and consider the students, faculty, and staff members I have come to know, just that - family. I am originally from Columbus, Ohio, where my family and most of my childhood friends still reside, as well as the country's only manufacturer of metal whistles!
I started college at DeVry Technical University, majoring in Computer Information Science and Business Management and finished my Bachelors degree in Business Management at The University of Rio Grande, where I made many lifelong friends, but discovered no business to manage. I moved home after college and went to work for a real estate company as a software and web developer. While this job and many of the side jobs I picked up were right up my alley as far as technology goes, I was not having fun and I did not feel like I was making a difference in the world.
One day I woke up and asked myself what I had done for the world and what could be said about me. A lot of what I came up with was things that I was going to do, or things that I wanted to do. I decided to quit the business I had started and my job at the real estate company and take a job, working with kids. Some how, that landed me a job on the other side of the country, in a state where I knew only a handful of people. I love Arizona and I've never looked back on my plan to make a difference.
Kachina is a unique place that celebrates the uniqueness inherent in gifted people and I am motivated daily by the things that students say and do and the differences we can make in their lives as a positive influence. Most importantly, Kachina has given me an excuse to be the big kid that I truly am, even watching cartoons or playing video games, all in the name of research!
I am available to talk anytime about students, technology, or even metal whistles! Please never hesitate to call the school and ask for me or to send an email to chris@kachinaschool.com
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Hi. My name is Jennifer Haynes, I am the Special Education teacher for Kachina Country Day School. I am so excited to be joining this team of professionals and meeting all of your wonderful families.
I am a native Arizonan who grew up on horse back riding and camping. I began my college path in the moutains of Flagstaff Arizona where I studied Special Education. I returned to the desert to attend the Arizona State University. In 1998, I graduated with a Minor in Elementary Education and a Major in Special Education. I have taught for the Alhambra School District and Deer Valley School District as a Special Education Teacher/Intervention Specialist. I have a total of 8 years as an educator. I am excited to be part of such a dynamic school as Kachina. The community support is amazing. I feel welcome and honored to be with all of you. My education philosophy states; I feel ALL children deserve the right to equal education, I feel all children are unique and have their own gift to offer. It is my mission to meet their needs and help them become the best possible learner and person that they can be.
On a personal note I am a mother of four amazing children all with beautiful blond curly locks. Yet each one so different then the next. There is Braden my strong willed 17 year old, Madilyn my 7 year old "sports" princess, Landen, my little snuggler who just turned 4, and 2 year old Andersen is my spit fire kiddo. I almost forgot our 2 cats Whiskers and Bella complete the group. My children and I are an active family who love the outdoors, bike riding, camping, sledding in the mountains, always together and on the go.
I am looking forward to a great year and a long future with Kachina and all of its families.
Thank you and feel free to stop by my room any time to meet me.
Jennifer Haynes, Special Educator KCDS
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My name is Kay Williamson and I am the kindergarten teacher at KCDS. I grew up in Scottsbluff, Nebraska and therefore I am a Cornhusker football fan-"Go Big Red!" However when it was time for college, I decided to attend Colorado State University. After college my husband and I moved to California where we began raising our five children.
After fifteen years in California we moved to Arizona. I have to admit that my husband was more enthusiastic about this move than I. However, I have learned to love the desert. Over the Arizona years our family has grown as we have welcomed 13 grandchildren.
I have enjoyed immensly teaching Kindergarten for the past twenty years (the last five being all day Kindergarten). I love being with these excited and enthusiastic learners. Their growth is tremendous during this first year. It is so important that each child learns to love school and advances to first grade feeling confident in their abilities and talents.
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My name is Jill Pennebaker and I am the first grade teacher. This is my second year at Kachina Country Day School. Prior to teaching at Kachina I taught kindergarten and first grade at a charter school in Scottsdale.
I relocated to Arizona from Michigan three years ago. I graduated from The University of Michigan with a degree in business administration and elementary education. In my free time I enjoy traveling, walking my dogs, and exercising.
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My name is Sally Aaronson and I am the second grade teacher here at Kachina Country Day School. I truly enjoying working with the students both as a second grade teacher and the journalism teacher. It is exciting to be able to connect with each student and I thoroughly enjoy my days here.
I taught school for eight years in Tampa, Florida before becoming a stay at home mom fourteen years ago. I have been fortunate to have lived in many places including New Jersey; where I was born and raised, Georgia, Texas, Florida, and Arizona. I am enjoying teaching as much as I did 14 years ago. I am looking forward to many wonderful years here at Kachina!
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My name is Kristal Gardner and I am the third grade teacher at Kachina Country Day School. This is my ninth year teaching elementary school. This is my second year at Kachina. I have been working with children in a variety of ways for about twenty years. I enjoy helping students build a strong academic foundation so that they can acheive at achieve at their highest potential.
I am recently married. My husband and I would like to have children of our own one day. For now, we are happy to spend time strengthening our new marriage. Spending the first 15 years of my life in California, I love Disneyland. My husband and I are saving to go there together for Mr. Gardner's first time.
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My name is Donna Johnson and I am the fourth grade teacher at Kachina Country Day School. I have grown up all over the country attending schools in six different states: Nevada, Virginia, Alabama, Kentucky, Ohio, and Arizona. I see this as an assett - giving me the advantage of honestly knowing what it is like to be the 'new kid'.
I earned a Bachelor of Science and Masters of Science degrees in Elementary Education at Northern Arizona University in 1990 and 1996. I student taught in Tucson, taught third grade in a public school in Kingman, and then returned to the Valley to work for a private school in their pre-kindergarten program and second grade.
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My Name is Amy Cardenas and I am the fifth grade teacher at Kachina Country Day School. I have a bachelors degree in Elementary Education from Grand Canyon University. I taught for a semester here in Arizona before moving to Honduras, Central America. Once there, I taught sixth grade for a year, then took about a year off to spend with my newborn baby. I then worked for a year and a half as a purchasing manager for the resturaunts and convention center that my husband and his family own. This was great work experience for me as I was able to learn Spanish fluently. Later, I returned to teaching second grade for a year and fifth grade for three years. I now teach fifth and sixth grades in the area of math and science.
I live here in Scottsdale with my husband and three children. I love going to parks with my family and look forward to hiking!
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My name is Amy Lantz and I have been teaching middle school students for ten years. After earning a Bachelor of Science degree from Northern Arizona University, I returned to the Valley to begin my teaching career. I am happy to be at Kachina Country Day School, and look forward to a great year!
I am married with a one year old son. We enjoy movies, hiking, swimming, and dining out. I am an avid shopper and tennis player. Reading is a favorite pastime of mine. We enjoy traveling during the summer months.
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My name is Barb Anderson and this is my second year at Kachina Country Day School. I graduated from Stephen F. Austin University with a degree in Elementary Education and English. I have been teaching for over 17 years in Arizona and Texas.
I am married and have two children. My son, Matt, is a freshman at New Mexico University and Casey is a seventh grader who attends Mountainside Middle School in Scottsdale. Our family is completed by an adorable golden retriever named Sammie. I love the Arizona weather and am enjoying walking, playing tennis, and shopping. I love to attend my sons baseball games and traveling with my family. I also enjoy all of my friends and students at Kachina Country Day School!
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My Name is James Elliott and I am currently the Athletics Coordinator for Kachina Country Day School. I am originally from Columbus, Ohio. I started my college career at The Ohio State University, where I played Baseball, and eventually transferred to the University of Rio Grande, in Rio Grande, OH where I also played Baseball. I Graduated with a degree in Sports & Exercise studies, as well as Health Education. I previously worked for the City of Columbus Parks and Rec. Department as a Recreation Coordinator. I also worked for the Phoenix Coyotes where I helped promote, and orchestrate the "Coyotes Kids Club".
In my spare time I love Golfing, and playing intramural Softball/ Baseball. My favorite sport is Football. Hands Down! With Baseball, Hockey, Basketball, and Nascar coming in a close second.This is my first experience with Arizona, and I love it so far (I need to get used to the 120 degree weather in the summer though!), and it's a great place to teach Physical Education, becasue you never have to worry about weather restraints!
This is my second year at Kachina, and I am looking forward to another successful year! If you have any questions feel free to contact me via email at jameselliott@kachinaschool.com
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