HOLY CROSS LUTHERAN EARLY LEARNING CENTER - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Member of the Director and Staff
- Prekindergarten Assistant Teacher
Carolyn has been working at Holy Cross ELC since 2015. She enjoys teaching because is immensely rewarding to help children realize their potential, whether that is academically, socially, or spiritually. In turn, the children remind me to embrace life and live in the moment. In her free time, she enjoys to hike, read, yoga, and ski.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Director and Staff
- Prekindergarten Lead Teacher
Cori joined us as a Lead Teacher last year, however she has been an assistant teacher and substitute for several different years! She loves working at Holy Cross because everyone here is kind and nurturing. She enjoys seeing the students grow socially, emotionally, academically and spiritually, as she believes each of these areas is important. She feels the children teacher her something new everyday and finds joy in being greeted with warmth and excitement each morning. Cori's hobbies are cooking, hiking, playing piano, reading and gardening. She has recently moved back to Colorado with her significant other, Zach. She has two younger sisters, two nephew and wonderful parents; one of which is Mrs. Van!
Job Titles:
- Member of the Director and Staff
- Preschool Assistant Teacher
Jenny began working at Holy Cross in August 2016. She loves working here because she loves to see all the smiling faces. She finds it rewarding to see the kids learn new things as well. Her hobbies are reading and watching her kids play soccer. Jenny and her husband Jason have two children: Jamison and Cassidy.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Director and Staff
- Preschool Lead Teacher
Jocelyn Van truly has a passion for working with children! She has been an educator at Holy Cross ELC since 2001 and has taught both preschool and prekindergarten, though she has a special softness for three-year olds. She has lived in Colorado for the past 18 years, but has also lived in Northwest Iowa, Illinois, and South Dakota. After a few years of volunteering in schools she decided to earn her Associates Degree, obtained her Group Leader Qualification, and made teaching her career. She has been married for 31 years and has three daughters and two grandons. Jocelyn also has a soft spot for animals and enjoys reading in her spare time.
Job Titles:
- Director
- Member of the Director and Staff
Both of her children attended preschool and prekindergarten at Holy Cross Lutheran ELC. Kristen has lived in Colorado for the past 18 years and has also lived in South Dakota, Iowa, New York, and Wiesbaden, Germany! She earned her Bachelor's of Science in Education from Black Hills State University in Spearfish, SD. She has been with Holy Cross ELC since 2011 and loves working with the preschool and prekindergarten ages. She has been married for 21 years and has two children: Nickolas and Elise (both attended Holy Cross!). Kristen loves to travel, take photography, and has visited Germany, France, Italy, England, Poland, Mexico, and Ireland.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Director and Staff
- Prekindergarten Lead Teacher
- Prekindergarten Teacher
LeAnn Smith has been employed at Holy Cross ELC since 2015. She enjoys teaching because she loves seeing when ideas click with the child and seeing their joy when they accomplish something they have been working on. She enjoys working at the ELC because of the wonderful family feel and Christian values. Outside of the ELC, she loves spending time with her kids!
Job Titles:
- Assistant Director
- Member of the Director and Staff
- Teacher
- Assistant Director and Prekindergarten Teacher
Shanna was born in Texas and raised in Oklahoma. She has been married to her husband Joe for 29 years and has two sons, Dylan and Jordan. After high school, Shanna attended college at Oklahoma State University and Tulsa Junior College. She graduated with an Associates of Applied Science degree in Physical Therapy and was a licensed Physical Therapist Assistant. She worked in Oklahoma for two years at George Nigh Rehabilitation Institute. While she was there, she had the opportunity to work with children with many different disabilities. After Joe and Shanna married, they moved to Texas and she was employed at Children's Rehabilitation Center in Amarillo. Shanna traveled to schools all over Amarillo and worked with children who required physical therapy. When she became pregnant with Dylan, she decided to stay at home with her children. She did this for 10 years and really enjoyed taking care of the children. When Shanna decided to go back to work outside of the home, she applied to Holy Cross and was hired as an Assistant teacher. She has been here since 2008 and during that time has taken classes to become a lead teacher. Shanna has always loved working with children and being able to share Jesus with them as an added bonus.