Leadership

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Our Teachers ...

Administration & Front Office

Jesse Davis

Elementary Principal

Michael Svendsen

Elementary Dean of Students

Jake Dicus

Operations Manager
Tina Leone

Tina Leone

Director of Academics

Chase Barkley

IT Support

Dawn Bartlett

Business Manager/HR Assistant

Amanda Bennett

Registrar Assistant

Jennie Bentz

Physical Eduction Teacher
Dana Caplinger

Dana Caplinger

Elementary Ed Tech Coordinator, Tech Integration Teacher

Jade Fonger

Elementary Spanish Teacher

Carol Goetz

Lunch/Recess Teacher Assistant

Marilyn Heras

Facilities

Chloe Hilby

Elementary Music Teacher

Kelly Huffman

Librarian
HULTING, DEBORAH

Deborah Hulting

Elementary Art Teacher
JANZEN, APRIL

April Janzen

Nurse

Lisa-Jayne Kingsley

Health Aide

Kendra Kuhlmann

Marketing & Communications

Linh Kuo

Library Assistant

Lena Gross

Registrar

Travis May

IT Support

Tina McLellan

Administrative Assistant

Amy Murray

Administrative Office Clerk
Cristin Patterson

Cristin Patterson

Strings Teacher
John Patterson

John Patterson

Band Teacher

Heidi Roller

Lunch/Recess Teacher Assistant
ROULEAU-GLEN, EVANGELINE

Evangeline Rouleau-Glen

Administrative Office Clerk
STAIGER, CHARLES

Chuck Staiger

Facilities Team Lead

Theresa Wilson

Health Aide

Elementary School Teachers & Support

Beckie Whitsett

Fifth Grade Teacher Assistant

Kristin Bradley

Third Grade Teacher

Liz Brazeau

OT

Michelle Buczkowski

Fifth Grade Teacher
BURKEL, KRISTEN

Kristen Burkel

Fifth Grade Teacher

Heather Byerly

Second Grade Teacher
Kim Cavanagh

Kim Cavanagh

RtI/Reading Specialist

Eva Coleman

COTA
DAVIS, EMILY

Emily Davis

School Counselor, Grades 6-12

Jessica Eastman

Fifth Grade Teacher Assistant

Katrina Edgecomb

Kindergarten Teacher Assistant

Karen Eells-Eaton

SLP

Darcie Farrow

Kindergarten Teacher Assistant
Sage, Carolyn

Lisa Forbus

ESS Teacher
Greene,Janine

Janine Greene

First Grade Teacher

Laurin Hall

Kindergarten Teacher
Harvey, BRITANY

Britany Harvey

Fourth Grade Teacher
HASTEDT, ERIN

Erin Hastedt

GT Coordinator
KIDD, ANDREA

Andrea Kidd

ESS Coordinator
Eller, Tracy

Tracy Kill

5th Grade Teacher

Shannon Kittelson

Second Grade Teacher Assistant

Jaden Knight

First Grade Teacher
LOKOWICH, LINDSEY

Lindsey Lokowich

Second Grade Lead Teacher
MADDOX, JOY

Joy Maddox

RTI/Reading Specialist

Elizabeth Martinez

ESS Teacher Assistant

Jamila McCallister

Third Grade Lead Teacher
1119
Engaging, caring, and positive learning environment

Amy McKenzie

Fourth Grade Teacher

Cara McLellan

First Grade Teacher Assistant
MILLER, VANESSA

Vanessa Miller

Kindergarten Lead Teacher

Brittany Modert

Social Worker

Nadia Moore

Kindergarten Teacher

Tamra Munguya

Fifth Grade Teacher Assistant
NEHER, JODIE

Jodie Neher

First Grade Teacher Assistant

Cheryl Nelson

RTI/Reading Specialist

Amy Nelson

Fifth Grade Teacher

Keola Preston

Third Grade Teacher Assistant
Sage, Carolyn

Janell Price-Smith

First Grade Teacher

Colleen Ramic

Third Grade Teacher

Lindsey Ray

Second Grade Teacher

Brandi Risse

Fourth Grade Teacher

Elizabeth Schloss

Kindergarten Teacher

Eva Shin

Third Grade Teacher
SMITH, KRYSTAL

Krystal Smith

Fourth Grade Lead Teacher
Theobald, Meghan

Meghan Theobald

Elementary/ESS Counselor
VINCHATTLE, LAURA

Laura Vinchattle

Kindergarten Teacher
Anna Vroom

Anna Vroom

Instructional Coach

Paige Walker

Second Grade Teacher
WARD, SANDY

Sandy Ward

First Grade Teacher

Vita Yelinski

4th Grade Teacher Assistant

MORE INFORMATION

About

Monument Academy West Campus provides a rigorous academic environment tailored to the unique developmental needs of students in grades K–5. By utilizing the Core Knowledge Sequence and a strong emphasis on character education, we prepare our students for the challenges of higher education and beyond. Our community is built on the pillars of leadership, integrity, and excellence, ensuring every student is known and supported by our dedicated faculty.

As a premier public charter school in the Monument and North Colorado Springs area, we offer a small-school feel with big-school opportunities. From our National Honor Society chapters to our diverse extracurricular offerings, we empower students to lead with heart and mind. We invite you to explore our campus, meet our leadership team, and discover how our commitment to “building confidence and lifelong friendships” creates a foundation for success in an ever-changing world.

FAQs

Monument Academy is a public charter school that operates under a contract (charter) with the Lewis-Palmer School District #38. While it is a public school, it is governed by an independent, elected Board of Directors rather than the district school board. This structure allows the school to implement its own specific educational philosophy—such as its “Classical” curriculum—while remaining accountable to the district and state for academic and financial performance.

Monument Academy emphasizes a “vigilant” approach to physical safety. Specific access procedures include:

  • Mandatory Check-in: All visitors and volunteers must sign in at the front office and wear a “visitor” nametag at all times while in the building.
  • ID Scanning: Visitors are required to scan their driver’s license into the school’s security system during every visit to maintain a record of individuals on the premises.
  • Restricted Access: During recess, access to the school building is restricted; only students needing the nurse are permitted to re-enter.
  • Deliveries and Communication: Parents must leave messages and deliveries at the front office to avoid disrupting classrooms. Calling directly into a classroom to speak with a student is not permitted.
  • Non-Enrolled Students: Anyone not currently enrolled at the school is prohibited from being on campus during the school day without prior approval from the principal.

We recognize we are all human and we all make mistakes. While we teach character explicitly, we also work with our students in their day to day experiences to encourage good choices.At the core of our educational philosophy is the acknowledgment of human fallibility—that every individual, including our students, will inevitably make mistakes. Rather than viewing these moments as failures, we see them as invaluable opportunities for growth and learning.

Our approach to character development is two-fold. Firstly, we dedicate time to teaching character explicitly, integrating lessons on ethics, empathy, responsibility, and integrity directly into our curriculum. These formal lessons provide students with the foundational understanding and vocabulary needed to navigate complex social and moral situations.

Secondly, and perhaps more powerfully, we actively work with our students in the context of their daily experiences within the school community. This means that when a conflict arises, a poor choice is made, or a moment of ethical ambiguity presents itself, our educators step in not just as disciplinarians, but as mentors and coaches. We use these real-time situations—from playground disagreements to academic integrity issues—to guide students through a process of reflection, accountability, and restorative action.

Monument Academy is a member of the Colorado High School Activities Association (CHSAA) and offers a growing athletic program for students in grades 9–12. Available sports include:  

  • Traditional Sports:
    • Basketball: Available for both boys and girls.  
    • Volleyball: Offered for high school girls during the fall season.  
    • Cross Country: A co-ed program with practices held at local sites like Fox Run Park and the Santa Fe Trail.  
    • Track: A spring sport available to all high school students.  
  • Programs in Development (Listed as TBD):
    • 8v8 Football  
    • Golf (Boys and Girls)
    • Cheer  
  • Competitive Academic Teams:
    • Matchwits: A competitive “brain bowl” style academic team.  
    • Speech and Debate: A competitive program running from October through February.

The school offers a variety of fine and performing arts across different grade levels, including:

  • Visual Arts: General Art classes and specialized electives like Claymation.
  • Music & Performance: * Choir: Includes Concert Choir, Women’s Choir, and an audition-only Advanced Choir.
    • Band: Options for Concert, Intermediate, Symphonic, and Jazz Band.
    • Strings/Orchestra: Groups include Allegro, Con Brio, and Lynx.
  • Drama & Theatre: * Intro/Fundamentals of Drama and Performance-based classes.
    • Theatrical Movement: A course covering mime, dance choreography, and stage combat.

AWARDS & Recognition