PTO Profiles
We are so grateful to our wonderful administrators/educators/
Ms. Katy Andreas
Ms. Andreas is starting her third year as Assistant Principal at North (for students last names L-Z). Prior to joining North, she was an Assistant Principal in the Ft. Worth Independent School District. She received her undergraduate and graduate degrees from Texas Christian University.
What is your favorite movie, book or tv show?
My favorite book series is one I actually began reading as a middle schooler myself. The Harry Potter series sparked my love of reading that I carry with me today. I started reading the novel when I was the same age as Harry and felt a connection with each of the characters. It was the first time I read a novel and felt transported to the words on the page. It also provided the quote of "It is our choices that show who we are, far more than our abilities" that I would decorate my classroom wall with when I taught 6th-grade reading and use to guide my conversations with middle schoolers in my office today!
Tell us your favorite way to spend a leisurely 2-hour block of time.
This one is easy being a new mom to a sweet baby girl in August. With two hours of time, I would spend it with my husband Nick and Baby Girl Elsie Lynn, watching TCU football while sipping a cinnamon almond milk latte!
If you could go back in time and give your 'middle school self' a piece of advice, what would it be?
"Be kind, for everyone you know is fighting a battle you know nothing about." Middle school can be a tricky place to navigate. It's important to remember that oftentimes, our insecurities can be reflected in how we interact with others. By pausing to give grace and recognize that everyone has a battle they are fighting, we become more empathetic, compassionate and kind towards our peers as well as ourselves!
Ms. Kara McWilliams
Ms. McWilliams is the Instructional Coach at North. She taught in the Richardson school district for 5 years and has been at North for 5 years. She received her undergraduate degree from Abilene Christian University and her Masters Degree from the University of Texas at Arlington.
What is your favorite movie, book or tv show?
I have had the same list of 3 favorite movies since junior high: Return to Me, That Thing You Do, and Father of the Bride II. All of them make me laugh, have good music, and were movies we watched as a family time and time again!
Tell us your favorite way to spend a leisurely 2-hour block of time.
Thanks to a fun, all-boy, 1.5 year old, any 2-hour block of time I have available would be spent napping! Even prior to having a toddler, however, I loved to nap. My bed is my happy place, and I often include it in prayers of thanks!
Share something with us that not many people know about you.
I tried out to be on Wheel of Fortune and made it through 2 of the 3 rounds. I have always loved the show and my dog, Sajak, is named after the host, Pat Sajak.
Ms. Sandy Henke
Ms. Henke is the Library Aide at North.
What is your favorite movie, book or tv show?
This is really hard, I do good to keep them to a top ten list. But I do LOVE Masterchef Jr., those kids are just amazing!
Share something with us that not many people know about you.
This is my 20th year here at North and I have worked with three wonderful librarians!
If you could go back in time and give your ‘middle school self’ a piece of advice, what would it be?
Work hard and keep moving forward through the hard times. Life is going to turn out better than I could possibly imagine!
Coach Garrett Barley
What is your favorite movie, book or tv show?
My favorite tv show is How I Met Your Mother. I really love the show because it is a comedy mixed in with some real world incidents. It takes a traditional sitcom and flips it with its unique storytelling. I think I have seen the whole show at least fifty times.
Tell us your favorite way to spend a leisurely 2-hour block of time.
My favorite way to spend two hours is easily hanging out with my dog, Gizmo. She was a rescue dog when I first got her and we quickly bonded. We can easily spend two hours going for a long walk/hike or just playing in the apartment.
If you could go back in time and give your ‘middle school self’ a piece of advice, what would it be?
'Just Be Yourself' -- do not worry about what other people are doing or might think of you. It is easy to get caught up trying to be a “popular” kid but just stay true to yourself and your friends. People will love you for who you are not who you try to be.
Ms. Julie Bottom
Ms. Bottom is an 8th History teacher at North. She grew up in Grapevine, Texas and attended Howard Payne University. This is her 22nd year of teaching.
What is your favorite movie, book or tv show?
I have really enjoyed Stranger Things (even though I have to wait FOR-EV-ER for it). I enjoy watching it because of the friendships on the show. They stand up for each other in some pretty dire circumstances. I also really enjoy that they ask their teacher, Mr. Clarke, crazy questions and he just goes with it! It's not appropriate for all ages, but it is something I enjoy watching.
Tell us about someone or something that has made a lasting impact in your life.
My students have made a tremendous impact on my life. This is my 22nd year of teaching, so I have taught more than 2,000 students! Each student is special. Some of my students make me laugh, some love history and some wish they were in any other class, some love musicals, some love video games, others love sports. I have been blown away by my students' talents. It's neat to see what my students do after they leave. My “kids” have gone on to be professional athletes, actors, doctors, lawyers, and teachers. When I see them in 8th grade, I often wonder what they will do later, and it's always amazing to see that regardless of their profession, they are kind and hardworking and they are making a difference in the world.
If you could go back in time and give your ‘middle school self’ a piece of advice, what would it be?
I wish I had known that EVERYONE felt unsure in middle school. I have spoken to friends who seemed popular, smart, and happy in school, and they shared that they also wondered if they fit in, if people really liked them, or if they were going to be successful in school. My advice would be to find a really good group of friends who encourage you, spend time with your family who knows you and loves you, and remember that everyone around you also has worries and stress-so be kind.
Fun fact: Ms. Bottom is one of two teachers who has been at North since the school opened in 1998!
Ms. Brittany Reese
Tell us about someone or something that has made a lasting impact in your life.
My favorite teacher was my 2nd grade teacher, Mrs. Loomis. She wore her hair in a beehive, had horn-rimmed glasses, a ring on every finger. She called us her “little detectives.” She made me want to go to school every day.
Share something with us that not many people know about you.
I am a 3rd generation Disney employee. My grandfather helped build Disneyland. My mother was in the Christmas parades while she was in high school. I worked at Disney World in Florida as part of their College Program. I was a tour guide on The Great Movie Ride. This experience taught me so much about always giving your best. You are helping make dreams come true.
Ms. Callie Carmichael
Ms. Carmichael is the Structured Learning Aide at North. She grew up in Arlington, Texas and graduated with a BA in Psychology from The University of Texas at Arlington in May 2018.What is your favorite movie, book, or TV show?
My favorite TV show is Parks and Recreation. I have watched each episode at least five times. When it was still on the air, I would go to my best friend's house every week and watch the newest episode. There has never been a show that makes me laugh until I cried quite like that one. The "mockumentary" style really makes it seem much more real with a touch of awkwardness. I especially love how each person can relate to at least one character, and I'm definitely the April Ludgate type.
Tell us your favorite way to spend a leisurely 2-hour block of time.
My favorite way to spend my off-time is cuddling with my cat, Marilyn. She's an 8 year old calico who only likes me, and despises everyone and everything else. Throughout the day, I feel like I am constantly on-the-go, on top of having 100 things on my mind at all time. So, to lay on the couch and do absolutely nothing is one of my favorite things in the world. And yes, I am a crazy cat lady.
Ms. Baley Mifflin
Ms. Mifflin is a 6th grade Language Arts teacher, and this is her first year of teaching. She spent half of her childhood in a small town named Rogers in Northwest Arkansas, and the other half in Frisco, TX, where she graduated from Wakeland High School. She attended college at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, home of the Razorbacks.
Tell us your favorite way to spend a leisurely 2-hour block of time.
My favorite way to spend a two hour block of time is to read! I love sitting on my balcony with my dog and listening to nature while I get lost in a good story. I usually read fictional books, but I do enjoy a good autobiography every now and again. I like to think of reading as a form of “travel” – we can visit different time periods and so many different places, and we meet so many new people while we’re there.
Share something with us that not many people know about you.
Something not many people know about me is that I am a lake junkie! I L O V E spending Summer weekends at the lake, enjoying my time with my family and friends. My family has a lake house outside of Atlanta, Georgia that we visit every Summer for the 4th of July. I learned how to drive a boat when I was 4; I used to sit on my dad’s lap, and he would let me steer. When I turned 12, I was allowed to drive the boats and jet skis on my own. I used to compete in wakeboard and slalom ski competitions when I had more time to spend on the water, too. The lake (any lake) is my ultimate happy place.
If you could go back in time and give your ‘middle school self’ a piece of advice, what would it be?
I would want to advise my ‘middle school self’ to find a group of friends who you trust and have fun with. My mom always used to tell me, “It’s better to have a few great friends than a lot of “okay” friends,” and that’s something that has always stuck with me. In middle school, I tried so hard to fit in with the “cool kids” and the “popular kids”, but I was never able to express what made those kids cool and/or popular… Everyone has different definitions and perceptions of those traits, and I think it would have been so important for middle school me to know that I needed to find MY own version of cool and stick with them.
Ms. Amanda Ramos
This is her first year in CISD and she teaches 6th Grade Geography and World Cultures. She previously taught in Irving ISD for 14 years. Her hometown is Del Rio, Texas. She graduated from Texas A&M University with a Bachelor's degree in History.My favorite movie of all time is Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. History, a hidden treasure, adventure, taking down Nazis - this movie has it all, and is what made me fall in love with history. I've seen it countless times and I still watch it every times it comes on!
One of the best trips I've ever taken was a trip to Costa Rica for my birthday. I was supposed to stay at a beautiful resort, but there was a small volcanic eruption which led to an earthquake and a mud-slide. The earthquake took out the water and electricity to the resort and all of the tourists were evacuated. Instead of staying at the evacuation site, I ended up travelling all over the country making last-minute plans on hotels and adventures. I saw so many more things than if I'd stayed at the resort, and met many new friends that I still keep in touch with today.
If I could go back and give my "middle school self" some advice, it would be to just be myself and not worry about the opinions of others. In middle school I was so sure that I was doing everything wrong - turns out we all felt that way! Just be yourself and the rest will work itself out.
Ms. Brooke Horn
Ms. Horn is an English teacher at North. This is her 7th year at CMSN, and 11th year teaching. She grew up in Carrollton, Texas and graduated from Texas State University in San Marcos, Texas.
Tell us about someone or something that has made a lasting impact in your life.
Ms. Beth Newman
Ms. Newman is the Structured Learning Teacher at North. This is her 11th year at North (13th year teaching). She is originally from Erie, PA and went to school at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, PA.
What is your favorite movie, book or tv show? Why?
My favorite book, currently, is “The Boys in the Boat.” It was about the 1936 rowing team that went to the Olympics in Berlin. I listened to the book on Audible and I was hooked by the history and the descriptions of how the team was built up and the races throughout. Even though I knew the ending of the book from the beginning, I was hooked on the story and couldn’t wait to listen to the next chapter. It was like watching an exciting movie because of all the rich descriptions.
Tell us your favorite way to spend a leisurely 2-hour block of time.
My favorite way to spend a 2-hour block of time is in the kitchen baking. I am a detail person so I love the process of measuring exact ingredients and following a recipe. I find baking very calming, and in the end, you get a delicious treat.
Ms. Kari Dollar
Ms. Dollar has been teaching Art at North for 11 years. Her daughters were students at North, so she has been volunteering, substituting or teaching at North for 18 years. She was born in New York City, but grew up in Austin, Texas and attended Austin College in Sherman, Texas. She moved to the DFW area when she met her husband 34 years ago.
Tell us your favorite way to spend a leisurely 2-hour block of time.
My favorite way to spend my leisure time is hiking or snowshoeing. I am a big fan of climbing mountains. Almost every summer my brother and I pick a mountain to climb. Sometimes we do overnight backpacking trips. I love to relax on top of a mountain after an exhausting day of hiking with the brilliant stars shining over me. Waking up to the sounds of nature and the sunrise is spectacular. I just learned to snowshoe last year. It is amazing to be up in the mountains when they are completely covered in snow.
What is your favorite movie, book or tv show? Why?
I’m not a big TV person, but I am a huge “Survivor” geek. My family has watched Survivor since the first season. It is our family bonding show. When I was younger (and more fit) I dreamed of being on Survivor. Now, they would need a senior citizen version so that I could compete and not be the first person voted off!
Tell us about someone or something that has made a lasting impact in your life.
On a serious note, my daughter Chelsea, is my hero. As many of you know, she was in a life-threatening car accident 2 years ago in January. We were told she had a slim chance of survival and if she did make it, she would probably never be independent again. She spent 2 months in Harborview Hospital in Seattle and 4 months in intensive (6 hours a day) physical therapy in Dallas. This past summer, we moved her back to her house in the mountains in Washington. She beat the odds, and is supporting herself and living on her own again. Although she still struggles with memory loss, Chelsea never gave up. She is my true survivor. Her miracle recovery has helped me realize how precious each day is and to look for the joy in even the hardest situations.
Ms. Angela Geiger
Ms. Geiger is a Social Studies teacher at North. She grew up in a log cabin that she helped her father build.They lived on Hoard's Ridge, which later became known as Oak Cliff. She grew up near the Dallas zoo. Many, many, many years later, she found herself in Denton with three kids and a degree in history. She applied to every school district within a thirty minute commute from Denton. Much to her delight, she received a job offer from Coppell and has been here ever since. Almost twenty years later, she is still here, teaching history and loving every moment. She has three kids and three grandkids, with another coming in January.
Ms. Martha Thomas
Ms. Thomas is a Texas History/Social Studies teacher at North. Prior to living in Texas, she and her family lived for 5 years in Australia, where they had adventures all around Australia, New Zealand, and Asia. They made life-long friends, camped at beaches and snorkeled in reefs. Ms. Brit Fahey
Ms. Fahey is a Counselor at North; specifically for learners with last names A-K. This is her 10th year in education and her 2nd year at North. She grew up in Jacksboro, Texas; attended The University of North Texas and received her Masters and Post Masters Licensing from Dallas Baptist University.
What is your favorite movie, book or tv show? Why?
Mary Poppins-the original. I've loved it since I was a kid and know ALLLL the words to ALLL the songs.
Tell us about someone or something that has made a lasting impact in your life.
I feel like most people answer either a family member or a teacher for this one. But to be honest, mine is my therapist. My therapist helped me immensely to understand myself and my feelings. Although I no longer see her in a client/therapist role and haven't in years, she has remained in my life as a mentor and friend. She is a big reason as to why I decided to go in to School Counseling and to further my education as a Licensed Professional Counselor. If I can help any of my students the way she has helped me, then I call that a success! If the school counselor can't be open about mental health and reduce the negative stigma, who can? Right?!
Share something with us that not many people know about you.
I'm a small town country girl. I was born and raised in Jacksboro, TX with a graduating class of 78 people. Hunting, fishing, boots/jeans, and big trucks were just a way of life. I've definitely become "citified" but will always keep my country roots.
If you could go back in time and give your ‘middle school self’ a piece of advice, what would it be?
Bangs were a bad choice. Your forehead is too small for those.
Ms. Carol Green
Ms. Green is the Office Manager and general 'chaos coordinator' at North. If you have a question or concern about an issue on the North campus, she is a good starting point. Coach Keith Wright
Coach Wright is the Special Education, Social Studies, Boys Soccer and Special Olympics Teacher at North and this year's Teacher of the Year! This is his 8th year here at North. He grew up in Dallas.
Tell us your favorite way to spend a leisurely 2-hour block of time.
I am a sucker for Xbox. When I have a 2-hour block of time with no commitments, I like to turn the lights off, put on a Spotify playlist, and play FIFA 20.
Share something with us that not many people know about you.
I love racing motorcycles. I have had a few bikes in the past, but the bike I have now is a Kawasaki Z900. I enjoy hauling the bike to different places to ride like Arkansas and Missouri, but my favorite place is the Circuit of the Americas down in Austin, Texas. I have a passion for motorcycles, and when I am not on it, I enjoy ordering performance parts and installing them in my garage. I can spend hours on the weekend working on motorcycles.
Tell us the best vacation or trip you have ever taken.
A couple years ago I spent 2 months backpacking Europe. I was able to visit 15 different countries in Europe on that one trip, and got a taste of each countries culture. I had been to Europe a few times before, but because I was able to stay for so long, I did not feel rushed and made new friends each day.
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