EC and Support Staff

Leacey Bachhuber

Nurse/Reception

Leacey was born and raised in the mountains of North Carolina. After initially seeking a fine arts degree in upstate New York, she realized her desire for a career in healthcare (and her dislike of long winters!) and moved back to NC. Leacey earned her bachelors in nursing at UNC Chapel Hill, and spent the first 12 years of her nursing career working in Labor and Delivery. On the heels of a pandemic, she made the decision to transition out of inpatient nursing and discovered a new passion as a school nurse and front desk receptionist here at TES. Leacey lives in Efland with her husband, 3 delightful children, and many beloved creatures. When she is not enjoying her wonderful job and school community, you might find her having fun with her family, fermenting vegetables, reading, or spending time at her sewing machine.

Jessie Roney

Student Services Coordinator

Jessie, our resident "feelings teacher," grew up just down the road in Graham, NC. She holds a B.A. in Psychology and a M.Ed. in School Counseling from UNC-Chapel Hill. She is a K-12 licensed school counselor, National Certified Counselor (NCC), and Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor (LCMHC). She spends her time outside of TES working in the mental health therapy space, playing board games and going to concerts with friends, or spending time with her cat-family.

Sarah Arnold

Educational HR and Support Associate

Sarah is excited to join TES this year! Originally from a small town near Athens, GA, she’s called North Carolina home since 2015. She lives in Hillsborough with her husband, Bryan, and their two cats. Sarah earned her Master’s in Library Science from UNC-Chapel Hill in 2013. She is a seasoned professional in digital accessibility, user experience, and content strategy. From technology skills to project management, Sarah brings a wealth of experience to her new role. Beyond her tech-savvy background, Sarah has always been passionate about helping others, a mission she’s excited to continue at TES. When she’s not working, you can find Sarah diving into a good mystery book, experimenting with vegan baking, or practicing yoga.

Randi Russell

School Support Specialist

Randi was raised in the suburbs of Atlanta, but now resides in the country with her wonderful husband, 4 daughters, and a household full of pets. After getting her History degree from University of Georgia, she set out on a career path that ranged from corporate training to event planning, until she landed in her favorite role as a teacher. Randi taught little kids at a preschool for 5 years before joining TES as the School Support Specialist. Randi is passionate about supporting teachers and students, and is dedicated to creating a thriving and inclusive environment in the education sector. Her work focuses on empowering educators and students, ensuring they have the resources and support needed to succeed. When she's not working you can find Randi relaxing with a good book on her porch.

Stephen Codner

EC Teacher

Steve is thrilled to be part of TES as one of our EC teachers. Coming to us with a breadth of experience in education, he started his teaching career in New York State. There he taught for 25 years as a music educator, bringing distinction to the instrumental music departments of two school districts, guest conducted numerous festivals and adjudicated for the New York State School Music Association. In 2007, he left the classroom to work in higher ed. development after completing a second masters degree in communications. For the next twelve years, Steve assisted in achieving fundraising and engagement goals for private universities in New York, Pennsylvania and North Carolina. Steve came to TES as a substitute teacher four years ago and was asked to step in to teach math and science to our 5th graders. It was during this time that Steve regained his love for being in a classroom and became a part of the TES community as a certified EC teacher. Steve lives in Gibsonville with his wife and dog, “Cooper,” and enjoys exploring and photographing national parks.

Christy Godkin

EC Teacher

Christy Godkin is a North Carolina native and enjoys spending time with her family, cooking, and going on the lake. Christy obtained a B.A. in Psychology and a Master’s degree in Education from UNC-Chapel Hill and has been in the field since 1991 working as a special education teacher with children from birth through 7th grade. She is also a certified Health Coach and a Wilson Dyslexia Practitioner. Her focus is on addressing each student's unique needs while building confidence and emotional well-being. She is devoted to helping students of all ability levels achieve academic success.

Amy Hagaman

EC Teacher

Amy is a North Carolina native who enjoys spending time with her family, which includes her two adult sons and 4 cats. She is passionate about helping children with learning differences and has a strong commitment to being a lifelong learner. She has a Bachelor's degree in psychology and a Master’s degree in Special Education with graduate certificates in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) and RTI/MTSS. When she is not working, she enjoys walking, reading, crocheting, and attending concerts and live performances.

Rebecca Halleen

EC Teaching Assistant

Rebecca is excited to be starting another year at TES! She has worked in special education as an EC Teaching Assistant for a total of 7 years and has loved every second of it! She is originally from Chattanooga, TN, and moved to Burlington, NC 13 years ago. Rebecca enjoys spending quality time with her husband, two children, and four fur babies. She is also extremely active in the theatre community and is on the Alamance Children's Theatre Board of Directors.

Saransh Gothi

EC Teaching Assistant

Saransh is from New Delhi, India and realized his passion for education while pursuing a career in ecological research. He graduated form Washington University in St. Louis with a B.A. in Environmental Biology and a minor in Psychology. He moved to Carrboro in 2023 and is thrilled to be a part of the phenomenal EC department at TES! In his free time, he loves exploring the outdoors, thrift shopping, and cooking.

Kelsey Hines

EC Teacher

Kelsey Hines joined TES in January 2020 where she began as an EC substitute. She instantly fell in love with the school, staff and community and is now joining the staff full time as an EC teacher! She has a BA in Elementary Education from Appalachian State University, MA in Career Counseling from NCCU and is licensed in both Elementary Education and EC. She has experience teaching Kindergarten, 1st and 2nd grade. Kelsey lives with her dog Watson and enjoys traveling, baking and catching up on her favorite tv shows!

Ashley Horton

EC Teacher

Mrs. Horton is a native of North Carolina and currently lives in Rougemont with her husband and two dogs. She has worked in a middle school for the past 9 years before becoming a member of TES. Mrs. Horton graduated from Appalachian State with a bachelor’s degree in special education.

Jennifer Jordan

Speech Therapist

Jennifer has provided speech-language therapy services to students at TES since the school opened in 2014. Jennifer obtained a Master’s degree in speech-language pathology from UNC-Chapel Hill and has been in the field for 22 years. Her private practice is called Jordan Speech Services, PLLC and she has provided therapy services in a variety of settings, including Wake County Public School System, Durham Public Schools, Head Start preschools, and homes. In September 2016, Jennifer received a Social Thinking Clinical Training Certificate of Completion based on the concepts of Michelle Garcia Winner’s Social Thinking methodology (www.socialthinking.com). Jennifer’s passions in the field are celebrating differences and helping students to develop their social communication skills in small group and classroom environments. Jennifer loves cheering at volleyball games and enjoys exploring nature through hiking and fishing with her family. She lives in Efland with her husband, daughter (9th grader), and son (12th grader). www.jordanspeech.com

Alicia Kollmar

Occupational Therapist

I have been an occupational therapist since 2000. Even after all of these years I can't believe I get to make a living having fun with kids all day! I'm an OT "nerd", keeping up with research and learning new ways to support children. In addition to working in area charter schools I have a private practice where I run therapy groups. I am inspired by the work of Ross Greene to support a child's success and mental health. I am an animal lover and live in Durham with my crew of 2 dogs and 3 cats. My favorite things to do are gardening, crafting, house projects, and playing hide and seek with my dogs.

Carol Squires

EC /Intervention

I was born and raised in Springfield, Illinois. I moved to North Carolina in 2019 to be closer to my daughter. My family consists of my husband, Stan, my daughter Sarah, and my puppy Ivy. I am part of the EC team this year.

Heather Rael

EC Teacher

Heather has lived all over the world in places like Japan and Europe. She grew up with both parents being in the Air Force. She moved to North Carolina from New Mexico in 2011. She lives in Hillsborough with her husband, 2 cats, 3 dogs, and 2 daughters that attend TES. Heather has a Bachelor’s Degree in Education from the University of New Mexico. She taught for 11 years before becoming a stay at home mom. She is excited to return to the classroom. When she is not at school, she enjoys reading, watching movies, going to Disney World and spending time with her family.

Natalia Castrillon

EC /Intervention

Natalia is a native of Bogotá, Colombia and she moved to North Carolina five years ago to share her culture and language as a Dual Language Teacher. She lives in Mebane with her husband and one son. She has a BA in Education and she has 10 years of experience teaching Kindergarten, First, and Second Grade. Natalia is so excited to join the TES crew as an Interventionist teacher! She loves traveling, illustrated books, and gardening.

Becca Langham, LCSWA

School Social Worker

I was born and raised in Durham and am excited to be working with TES this year as a therapist and social worker. I received my bachelor's degree from UNC - Wilmington in social work and my master's degree in social work from UNC - Chapel Hill. I have worked in intensive in-home services, acute hospitalizations, and private practice. In my free time I love to watch soccer or go hiking with my husband, daughter, and dog.

Julia Dow

Counseling Intern

Julia Dow is this year's counseling intern working under Jessie Roney! She received her bachelor's degree in Psychology and Human Development and Family Science from UNC-Chapel Hill in May 2024. She is now working toward her M.Ed in School Counseling at UNC and is so excited to be a part of the TES community! Julia loves all things music and singing, cooking, and relaxing with loved ones.

Photos courtesy of Laura Wessell at Honor Roll Portraits