Our Staff

In my free time, I really enjoy exercising; I am a part owner of the Jazzercise studio in town and have been an instructor for 5 years. I also really enjoy a good cup of coffee and a book, gardening, playing board games, paddleboarding and camping.

Next year at Steins Pillar I hope to create a positive community and culture with our staff, students and families. This is such an amazing opportunity to give a different kind of education to our students and meet everyone’s needs. We are all going to be learning so much together along the way and I am so excited for the ride!

It is my goal to share my passion for learning with the students and families of Steins Pillar and increase the amount of joy in the classroom. I strive to create a classroom family where each of my students feels empowered to do hard things and continuously grow!

Outside of school, I love to make candles. I am part owner of Twisted Wix Candle Co. I also like to root for the Crook County Cowboys & Cowgirls, attend our kids’ sporting events, and enjoy the outdoors in this beautiful place we live in whenever I can.

Next year at Steins Pillar I hope to instill in kids a love of learning and exploring new things and activities. My classroom is a safe place where we will have fun, make mistakes and learn from them, and work hard together. I always have an open door for families, and I love working together with parents to make sure your child gets the best educational experience they can have. We get to experience a new school and explore a new curriculum and I could not be more excited for the journey we are about to take together!

In my 4 ½ years living here I have had the opportunity to work for a Head Start program and substitute for districts in the area. Subbing is what brought me to Crook County. After subbing for a year I landed a long term substitution position that resulted into a permanent spot. I love teaching in this district and community. I have always felt welcomed and supported. For the past two and a half years I have been working as a 3^rd grade teacher at Barnes Butte and am looking forward to continue my teaching career at Steins Pillar.

When I am not teaching I love exploring the outdoors. Camping, hiking and biking are my go to outdoor activities. I also enjoy cooking and baking on the weekends. Traveling is also a passion of mine. Not having any family in Oregon I spend most of my breaks visiting family in Texas and Arizona.

This next school year at Steins Pillar my goal is to create a community within my classroom that fosters the needs of all my students. We will be learning through exploration and creation. I am excited for this next chapter of my teaching career and look forward to developing my skills even more.

I have taught in three different schools in Crook County (Powell Butte Elementary, Ochoco Elementary, and Barnes Butte Elementary), and I’m really looking forward to being at Stein’s Pillar next! I have taught 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade and love them all for different reasons!

A little about my family and me… I was born outside of Salem, Oregon in a small town named Sheridan. I loved the Valley but when we moved to Central Oregon, before I started 1st grade, it quickly became my home. My husband, Dan, and I are raising our three awesome children in Prineville because it is truly a wonderful place to be! We love to ride 4-wheelers, go camping, ride trains, and work in our yard & garden. When I get a chance for some alone time, I really enjoy playing piano, singing, and sewing.

I am so excited to see what adventures Stein’s Pillar brings! I can’t wait to start teaching, learning, and sharing my love of education with my students! I commit to giving my best to my class during the year, and helping them find their passion to become life-long learners!

Hobbies: In my rare free time I love to read, bake, work in the garden with flowers and vegetables, and be with my family in any capacity. I also LOVE to watch DUCK football!

Next year at Steins Pillar I hope to grow and help grow. It will be my goal to help my students, teammates, and families experience the best educational experience possible, in a caring and supportive environment where every child knows that they are important and able to learn at the highest levels.

When I have a few extra minutes I love to craft and be creative. I enjoy playing trumpet with my son and listening to live music when possible. When we are able to get away I like taking family drives to explore our beautiful state.

I am so excited about our new adventure at Steins Pillar and the unique learning opportunity it will provide for the students. My goal is to provide a hands-on approach to learning centered around deep exploration. I am excited to share my passion for learning in a loving, safe, and fun classroom. I feel very fortunate to be part of this new experience.

We are pleased to introduce our newest staff member, Shannon McCaw, as our half-time math coach for all Crook County Schools.  Shannon will be working with math teachers in our district to
improve all aspects of our math instruction, data analysis,
assessment, and standards alignment.  Shannon has been the preeminent math consultant in the state of Oregon with over
20 years of consulting experience and curriculum development.
She’s worked with over 300 districts and has overseen dramatic improvements in student outcomes.  Shannon also happens to be
the author of “Oregon Focus on Math” our current middle school textbook for math instruction. 

Shannon will continue providing staff development, such as our summer math work (details coming soon), along with her partners –
Jen Hunt and Laura Nelson – for math teachers at all levels. Her office will be located at Crook County High School. Shannon has recently re-located from the Willamette Valley to Powell Butte with her family.