K-5 Teachers

Hello, my name is Crystal Ridge.  I grew up in southwest Kansas in a town called Garden City.  I had many wonderful teachers in school and in church that loved on me and made an impact on my life.  This made me want to be a teacher helping others just as I had been so blessed.  I graduated from Saint Mary of the Plains College in Dodge City, Kansas and began my teaching journey.  I taught at a Country school for 4years in a combination classroom of 3^rd, 4^th and 5^th grade.  I taught another year in 5^th grade in town. Then I stayed home for ten years while my children were young.   This is my 17^th year as an educator.  My start back into teaching was as a Reading Support teacher for 2 years then 10years teaching kindergarten.  This will be my 7th year teaching kindergarten at Eagleside.  I have lived in Colorado for 7 years. My husband, Gary is a Pastoral Counselor and we have been married for thirty-two years. We have three boys, Taylor (24), Tristan (20), and Trevor (18), and Trisha (23) our daughter-in-law.   I love spending time with my family, hiking, going to movies, singing, having game nights and teaching kindergarten kiddos.

Hello! My name is Molly Heredia! I was born and raised in small town Iowa! I am from the Ice Cream Capital of the World, so every time you have Blue Bunny ice cream you are enjoying a piece of my home! 😊 This is my 3^rd year of teaching. I spent the last two years teaching 1^st grade in both Colorado and near Fort Rucker. I definitely have found my calling in Kindergarten! The magic and excitement of the students is infectious. I love all things active and enjoy the cold weather! My pride and joy is my Great Pyrenees named Penny. If you have a child in my class I’m sure you’ve heard all about her! I look forward to the continued magic of Kindergarten this year!

Hi! My name is Sandra Alley and I have been teaching for 8 years and have taught Kindergarten, First, and Second grade. I attended University of Colorado at Colorado Springs for my Bachelor’s Degree in Geography and Environmental Studies and Western Governors University for my Masters in Curriculum and Instruction. When I am not teaching, I am with my husband and our three kiddos; Kora (11), Hunter (7), and Grant (1). My husband is Firefighter here for Fountain Fire Department and we are very active in our community. We love to go camping, hiking/walking, watching sports (NASCAR, Pittsburgh Steelers/Pirates/Penguins), and spending time with our dogs; JoJo (Corgi), Radar (German Shepard), and Einstein (Golden Retriever).

Hello! I have been teaching first grade since 2001. I have been part of the District Eight family since 2000. I have lived in Colorado Springs for over 20 years. Before this time I was and still am a military brat. I have spent time in Germany, Louisiana, Wyoming, Colorado, California, and back to Colorado.

Hi! I am Ms. Trisha Roiger. I am 28 years old and from good ole Minnesooooota. I am a HUGE Vikings fan. You can catch me watching football anytime a game is on. In my spare time I like to hang out with my 1 year old puppy named Sammy! We like to spend time together at Pub Dog. I love running for fun, running races, hiking, reading, fishing, and traveling! I have had the pleasure of teaching for 7 years. I have taught 1st and 2nd grade in those 7 years. I love what I do and am fortunate to be a part of this wonderful community!

My name is Samantha Halchak and I am a native to our beautiful state. I have a BA from Misericordia University in Early Childhood Education and Special Education. I will be finishing up my Master’s in Educational Leadership from UCCS in less than a month. In my free time, I taxi my two kiddos around to their sports. When we are not doing sports we are traveling, camping, and riding. I have two children who also attend Eagleside: Levi is in fourth grade this year, and Grace is in first. I thrive on coffee and peanut butter M&Ms. I love to decorate and do photography. This is my second year at Eagleside, and I feel so lucky to be here!

Hello Eagleside Families! My name is Cara Price and I am a Colorado native. I have a BA from the University of Northern Colorado and a Master of Arts from Colorado College. In my free time, I love hiking, gardening, traveling and anything in the mountains. I have been at Eagleside since 2011. This year I will focus on building strong relationships with students and families.

Hi, I'm Alyshia Schoell. My favorite place is Marquette, MI, and I'm in my 3rd year at Eagleside. When given the chance, I will always choose to eat gummy worms, as they are my favorite candy! I love iced tea and lattes. I am so excited to be working with our students and families again and am looking forward to a great year!

Hi!! I’m David Allen and I have the pleasure of teaching 3rd grade this year. This is my second year teaching and I absolutely love working with not only the children in my class, but all the kids throughout the school. I am originally from California, but haven’t lived there for over 20 years. I enjoy all sports (go ATL Falcons) and anything that will keep me active. My wife of 15 years is a Emergency Room nurse in Pueblo and we have 4 great (most of the time) kids.

Hello Eagleside families. My name is Sarah Carpenter and I am the resident Cheesehead in 3rd grade. If you come chat with me you may even hear a bit of a Wisconsin accent lingering. I have lived in Colorado for 7 years now and have taught at Eagleside for all of those years. I started as a 4th grade teacher and was given the opportunity to work with 3rd grade for the past 4 years. This is my 20th year of teaching. When I am not in the classroom, I love to get outside and hike or play sand volleyball. I love to travel and do yoga as well. I am so very grateful for my teaching experiences and relationships built with students and their families.

Hello! I am Susan Clapp, and I am one of the few teachers left at Eagleside who has been here since the school opened. Before coming to Colorado, I was able to live and teach in several different areas as a military wife. My husband and I fell in love with this state and decided to stay around for a while. Our two kids are grown, so we spend a lot of time traveling to visit them. Since this is my last year of teaching, I am looking forward to enjoying every minute of my time with kiddos! When I’m not working, I enjoy reading, bike riding, and walking our dog, Cooper.

Hi there! I’m Sheilah Yamamoto. I am a Colorado native and have been a part of the FFC8 family for my whole teaching career- 14 years with 8 of those being here at Eagleside! It has been a pleasure supporting our unique community. Outside of school you will find me spending time with my husband, our son Ikaika, and dog, Kanani. We enjoy hiking, being outdoors, and spending time with our extended family who also live in Colorado Springs. In our class, we will be focusing on building positive relationships with others and creating a community where everyone feels welcomed, respected, and cared about. This year we will be building our knowledge about multiplication and division and thinking deeper about the texts we read. I love seeing all of the growth that happens in 3rd grade with all the new concepts I get to teach!

Hello! My name is Ashton Ehrecke. This is my first year at Eagleside Elementary and my 4th year of teaching. I grew up in small town Iowa and graduated from Iowa State University in 2019. My first three years in education were in the Chicago area where I worked with English Language Learners in Grades 3-5. Over the summer, I moved from the Chicago area to Colorado Springs and it has been such an adventure! I love our school and all of my wonderful fourth graders. In our class, we will be focusing on how to work as a team, hold yourself accountable, and show empathy towards others throughout the school year. I can already tell it's going to be a fantastic school year!

Hello All,

I received my Bachelor and Master Degrees from Columbus State College in Columbus, Georgia. I taught 3rd grade, a 2/3 combo class, and the remaining teaching years in 4th grade. I enjoy teaching all subjects, but especially enjoy writing and Colorado history. I love teaching 4th graders.

I am originally from California, and I’ve spent many years as an Army wife. My husband and I have 5 grown children and 18 grandchildren. In my spare time I enjoy reading and traveling whenever I have an opportunity. I love teaching at Eagleside. Go Cowboys!

My name is Candace (Candy) King. I have been teaching here at Eagleside for 10 years. Prior to that, I taught 5th grade for 10 years in Albuquerque. I have a masters degree in Elementary Education. I am a military brat and grew up mostly overseas. The most important thing to me is that students feel safe, are excited about learning throughout the year, and leave 4th grade with great memories. My goal is for them to love learning, enjoy reading, and excel in the process of writing across the curriculum. I want them to feel empowered in math, where they have the skills and knowledge to understand the why behind their answers. Each child is very important to me, and I am excited as we begin our journey together.

Hello! My name is Stephanie Stinchecum and I teach 4th grade here at Eagleside. This is my 10th year teaching. I spent 8 years teaching 2nd grade and this is my 2nd year teaching 4th grade! I am married to my husband Josh and we have 3 pets (2 dogs and 1 cat). When I am not at work, I enjoy spending my time outdoors. Some of my favorite outdoor activities are kayaking, camping, and hiking. I also love to sit and read for hours (when I have the time) and will read anything about the Civil War or history in general. This year in 4th grade, I am excited to build strong relationships with my students. This year we will be learning all about Colorado for social studies. Social studies is my favorite subject, and I love teaching students about the history and all of the amazing things about Colorado! We will also spend a lot of our time in math this year focusing on fractions!

My name is Greg Benton and I am enjoying my fifth year of teaching at Eagleside. I have a beautiful wife and two spunky children who are my entire world. I love Godzilla movies, lifting weights, and adventures with my family. I am dual-licensed and certified to teach both general education and special education populations, in addition to having a Master’s degree in social-emotional teaching practices. I believe all children can learn, grow and achieve their dreams if given the proper support, empathy, and encouragement. I am excited to continue my personal journey here at Eagleside and I am incredibly honored to be working with your children! Let’s make this year great!

Hey! I am Rebecca (Becky) Kies! This is my first year teaching at Eagleside, but my 9th year teaching. I have taught both 4th and 5th grade in the past. I am originally from California, and I am a HUGE Bay Area sport fan, as well as a Disney Fanatic! I have an amazing 4 year old daughter, Kiaya, who I spend most of my time with outside of school. She is very adventurous and loves to be outside. We like to take drives, go to the movies, play at ANY park, and go to sporting events. I am excited to be here and get the chance to be a part of your student's education. I love building relationships with my students and believe that having a community where all feels welcome, respected, and a part of the team is key to a successful year. I am excited to help students build their response to reading skills, as well as help build their confidence in math!

Hello! My name is Hunter Stoltzfus, and I teach 5th grade at Eagleside. This is my fourth year teaching 5th grade, I also spent three years teaching 2nd grade. My wife is a school counselor and we have two brainless (not actually) cats. When we aren’t working with kids, we keep ourselves busy by hiking, camping, playing music, and playing board games – my favorite games right now are Everdell and Wingspan. I also enjoy being outdoors for running and cycling! Something I love about teaching 5th grade is taking the kids deeper into texts. Instead of just “reading to learn,” we take it a step further and “read to write.” For math we’re going to spend a lot of time with place value and understanding “wholes,” so we can then understand the part fractions and decimals play in our daily lives!

Hello! I am Samantha Fischenich! This is my third-year teaching Art here at Eagleside. I have always wanted to be an Art Teacher and absolutely love my job! I was born and raised in Colorado. In my spare time you will find me playing golf with my husband, Jacob. Something I would like to do one day is travel outside of the United States!

This year we will be using a wide variety of materials while focusing on the Elements of Art. We will use peer feedback and personal reflection to grow as artists, work collaboratively, and make meaningful art! Keep an eye out for ways you can help support us in and out of the art room!

Hello Eagleside families. My name is Chris Litzelman and I teach Physical Education. I have been teaching at Eagleside for 4 years and I love being a part of the Fountain community. When I am not at school I am spending time with my wife Lizz, who teaches at Carson Middle School, and my two kids. My daughter, Kenzie, is a 6th grader at Fountain Middle School and my son, Adam, is a 2nd grader at Eagleside. If I am not with my family I am either on my bike or doing yoga. In PE students will receive lessons dealing with the 5 components of fitness, sportsmanship, and have fun. Please reach out to me with any questions, comments, or concerns.

Hello Eagleside! My name is Loren Martinez and I have been teaching here at Eagleside since the school opened in 2007. This is my 16th year of teaching music and all 16 years have been at Eagleside! Music has always been a part of my life and I believe it is a part of everyone’s life in one way or another. I think it is important for students to know what to listen for in music and about the history and creation of music. I also love helping students find a desire and love to play and perform music, and I love to expose students to different kinds of music.

I am a Colorado native, and I went to college at the University of Northern Colorado (Go Bears!). I am an instrumentalist and my main instruments are the clarinet and piano. I also dabble on the harp and harpsichord. I also enjoy math and have my masters in math. I am also a marching band color guard coach for High School students. I have been teaching color guard for 18-years and have also perform with UNC, High Country Brass, and Signature Winter Guard. In my spare time I enjoy exercising, going to movies, traveling, and crocheting.

Hello all, my name is Sammi Williams and I am the STEM facilitator, librarian and technology coordinator for Eagleside. I've worked here for 10 wonderful years with a bunch of different job titles. I'm a mom of five wonderfully quirky kiddos. Jaelynn (21), Kiera (14), Aivah (10), Mikaela (10) and Greyson (8) keep me busy, grounded and laughing. When I'm not at school, I love to read and hike and go to the zoo and play board games and eat Mexican food. My job is fabulous, and I truly enjoy working with everyone's learners! The Lab is a great place for learning to happen this year we will be working on several science topics, engineering design, coding, robotics, and real-world math applications.