Statewide Tuition-Free Public School
Staff Bios
Laurie Alsobrook, M.Ed.
Teacher
Laurie.Alsobrook@gcisd.net
Favorite Food: Smoked Salmon
Favorite Season: Fall
Favorite Holiday: Thanksgiving -
I love the cool weather, getting together with family and friends, reflecting on all the blessings of my life and then – eating a fabulous meal!
Someone I admire: Saint Francis of Assisi and Mother Teresa. Francis taught that actions speak more loudly than words and Mother Teresa demonstrated the power of unconditional love to give dignity to all persons.
My Favorite Place: Home with my husband
My Life Motto: We can do no great things in this life, only small things with great love." - Mother Teresa
Melissa Baker
Teacher
Melissa.Baker@gcisd.net
Favorite Food: Fajitas
Favorite Season: Fall
Favorite Holiday: Christmas
Someone I admire: My mom and dad are two people I admire so much. My mom is the most selfless person I know. She taught me to put others before myself. My dad works harder than anyone else I've ever met and he instilled that work ethic in me from when I was very young.
My Favorite Place: Mountains
My Life Motto: "Knowing Is Not Enough; We Must Apply. Wishing is Not Enough; We Must Do." - Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe
Favorite Food: Pizza and Ice Cream
Favorite Season: Summer, I love 95+ degree weather.
Favorite Holiday: Thanksgiving
Someone I admire: My husband and my Dad. I married a guy like my Dad.
My Favorite Place: Sitting on the patio of a resturant eating with my husband.
My Life Motto: Teaching; "I teach for free, I get paid to grade papers." Life; "Live Honestly"
Favorite Food: Tex-Mex or Steak (rare!)
Favorite Season: Spring
Favorite Holiday: Taco Tuesday
Someone I admire: Rosalind Franklin, Marie Curie, Amelia Earhart
My Favorite Place: Cinque Terre, Italy
My Life Motto: Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all.
Kiley Armstrong, M.Ed.
Teacher
Kiley.Armstrong@gcisd.net
Favorite Food: Anything and everything as long as I have good company!
Favorite Season: College football season! Gig 'em!
Favorite Holiday: Thanksgiving
Someone I admire: Ruth Reichl! She is passionate, bold, and unafraid to challenge the status quo.
My Favorite Place: In a hammock!
My Life Motto: "It is our choices that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities." - Dumbledore
Favorite Food: Mexican
Favorite Season: Spring
Favorite Holiday: Thanksgiving
Someone I admire: My mother.
My Favorite Place: A cabin in the mountians or by a peaceful lake.
My Life Motto: I believe in you... you've got this!
Andres Betancur
Teacher
Andres.Betancur@gcisd.net
Favorite Food: Sushi
Favorite Season: Spring
Favorite Holiday: Summer
Someone I admire: Farmers from around the world who’s humble work feeds us all.
My Favorite Place: Mountains (Continental Divide) (Salida, Colorado is awesome) and South America.
My Life Motto: Be open to growth.
Favorite Food: Sushi, Mexican or a well prepared pizza
Favorite Season: Spring
Favorite Holiday: Opening Day
Someone I admire: Branch Rickey
My Favorite Place: Boulder, CO
My Life Motto: “Even fun things are serious."
Favorite Food: Sushi
Favorite Season: Fall
Favorite Holiday: Christmas
Someone I admire: My former teachers - they dedicate their lives to educating and building relationships with EVERY student. They are the reason I am a teacher, too!
My Favorite Place: Texas Hill Country
My Life Motto: Never stop learning!
Favorite Food: Authentic brick oven pizza
Favorite Season: Summer
Favorite Holiday: Christmas
Someone I admire: Alan Brunson (pastor)
My Favorite Place: Boise, Idaho
My Life Motto: Own it.
Lucas Burch
Teacher
Lucas.Burch@gcisd.net
Favorite Food: Hotdish!
Favorite Season: Winter (Sweater Season)
Favorite Holiday: Valentine's Day
Someone I admire: My mom. The woman relentlessly loves unconditionally. My siblings and I are unbelievably fortunate to have her as our mom.
My Favorite Place: Coziest chair in the room.
My Life Motto: Love people for where they are in life... and that includes yourself.
Favorite Food: Fajitas
Favorite Season: Spring
Favorite Holiday: Christmas
Someone I admire: Dr. Peter Schlumbohm - inventor of the Chemex
My Favorite Place: Seattle, WA
My Life Motto: "Worthiness doesn't have prerequisites." - Dr. Brene Brown
Crystal Castillo, M.Ed.
Teacher / Writer
Crystal.Castillo@gcisd.net
Favorite Food: Mexican - fajitas
Favorite Season: Fall
Favorite Holiday: Christmas
Someone I admire: My Nana
My Favorite Place: Any beach in the Caribbean.
My Life Motto: Always do your best!
Favorite Food: Italian
Favorite Holiday: New Years' Day
Someone I admire: My Father
My Favorite Place: The Beach
My Life Motto: Actions speak louder than words.
Favorite Food: Chips & Queso, Pizza
Favorite Season: Spring
Favorite Holiday: Thanksgiving
Someone I admire: My mom and dad
My Favorite Place: Walt Disney World
My Life Motto: Dreams don't work unless you do!
Heather Davis, M.A.
Teacher
Heather.Davis@gcisd.net
Favorite Food: Chocolate Covered Almonds
Favorite Season: Summer in California but I have not experienced Summer in Texas so I may change my mind.
Favorite Holiday: Easter
Someone I admire: My husband. He always makes the right decisions, obviously he married me! We have been together since Junior High!
My Favorite Place: The Beach
My Life Motto: Be who God made you to be. People who matter don't mind and people who mind, don't matter!
Favorite Food: Tex-Mex and cookie two step ice cream
Favorite Season: Fall
Favorite Holiday: Thanksgiving and Christmas when extended family gathers
Someone I admire: My mom. She's the strongest person I know. She's a fighter and a hard worker. If I'm half the person and mom she is, then I'm doing a good job.
My Favorite Place: Locally: My house, as long as there is a/c. In general: The top of Mt. Vesuvius.
My Life Motto: Be kind. Experience other perspectives.
Favorite Food: A little bit of everything.
Favorite Season: Winter
Favorite Holiday: Christmas/Chanukah time!
Someone I admire: Marie Curie, Rosalind Franklin, Winston Churchill
My Favorite Place: Home with my wife, cats and playing computer games!
My Life Motto: Flying is simple; just throw yourself at the ground and miss.
Amanda Fedorko
Teacher
Favorite Food: Ice Cream
Favorite Season: Winter
Favorite Holiday: Christmas
Someone I admire: My husband, for many reasons but especially because he has such a unique way of looking at problems and finding solutions.
My Favorite Place: Wherever my family is, but especially if there's snow.
My Life Motto: "Nothing is more precious than being in the present moment. Fully alive, fully aware." - Thich Nhat Hanh
Favorite Food: Mexican Food
Favorite Season: Fall
Favorite Holiday: Christmas
Someone I admire: Sam Houston
My Favorite Place: Big Bend National Park and San Diego
My Life Motto: Remember the Alamo.
Nikki Harbison, M.A.
Teacher
Nicole.Harbison@gcisd.net
Favorite Food: Popcorn and coffee
Favorite Season: Spring
Favorite Holiday: Christmas
Someone I admire: C. S. Lewis, a man willing to seek truth and, once found, to show others the path
My Favorite Place: Beside my husband and in a good book
My Life Motto: “To act justly, to love mercy and to walk humbly”
Favorite Food: Steak
Favorite Season: Spring
Favorite Holiday: Christmas
Someone I admire: I admire my Grandmommy. She has persevered through life with strength and grace and is the Spiritual rock of my family.
My Favorite Place: On the beach.
My Life Motto: I Aspire to Inspire Before I Expire.
Lindsay Hoerig
Teacher
Lindsay.Hoerig@gcisd.net
Favorite Food: Italian
Favorite Season: Winter
Favorite Holiday: New Year's Eve. I love the idea of one chapter closing and a new one opening!
Someone I admire: Taylor Swift! I've been a fan since I was a pre-teen and my fangirling has evolved into a true respect and admiratoin.
My Favorite Place: Florence, Italy
My Life Motto: You can never be overdressed or over educated!
Michelle Holt, M.Ed.
Teacher
Michelle.Holt@gcisd.net
Favorite Food: Dark Chocolate
Favorite Season: Fall
Favorite Holiday: Christmas
Someone I admire: Eleanor Roosevelt
My Favorite Place: Loch Ness, Scotland
My Life Motto: “The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.”
- Eleanor Roosevelt
Favorite Food: Enchiladas
Favorite Season: Summer
Favorite Holiday: Christmas
Someone I admire: I really admire Bill Gates. Not only did he innovate ways for us to accomplish home computing, but he is also a philanthropist, spending billions of dollars every year for global education and health programs. I think it is admirable to give away what you don't have to just to make the world a better place.
My Favorite Place: At home with family.
My Life Motto: Celebrate your success but learn lessons from failure.
Daniela Jones
Teacher
Favorite Food: Chocolate in any and all forms!
Favorite Season: Fall
Favorite Holiday: Thanksgiving
Someone I admire: My parents because they left their home country, Switzerland, with two small children (my sister and I) and built a new life and successful company in Texas.
My Favorite Place: I love being anywhere in nature: the mountians, the beach, the woods.
My Life Motto: "Vulnerability is the birthplace of innovation, creativity and change." - Brene Brown, PhD.
Tammy Long
Teacher
Tammy.Long@gcisd.net
Favorite Food: Toasted cheese sandwhich and hot chocolate pudding.
Favorite Season: Fall
Favorite Holiday: Thanksgiving
Someone I admire: Mother Teresa
My Favorite Place: Black Hills, SD
My Life Motto: You are enough today, now where do you want to go from here?
Favorite Food: Korean
Favorite Season: Summer
Favorite Holiday: Christmas Eve
Someone I admire: I admire my oldest brother, Dr. Carlos Chapa, he's my guide, role model, and he makes a difference everyday by helping others.
My Favorite Place: Kyoto, Japan
My Life Motto: "Do or do not, there is no try." - Yoda
Favorite Food: Macaroni and Cheese!
Favorite Season: Fall, I love scarf and boot wearing weather!
Favorite Holiday: Christmas
Someone I admire: JK Rowling
My Favorite Place: Colorado
My Life Motto: "Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter, and those that matter don't mind."
- Dr. Seuss
Laurel McClanahan, M.Ed.
Teacher
Favorite Food: All food from many countries
Favorite Season: Summer
Favorite Holiday: Christmas
Someone I admire: Malala Yousafzai, from Pakistan, she fought the Taliban to get an education
My Favorite Place: Hawaii
My Life Motto: Live, Laugh, Love As You Go Onward and Upward.
Favorite Food: All things Mexican!
Favorite Season: Fall, when the leaves are changing color
Favorite Holiday: Christmas
Someone I admire: Jaime Escalante
My Favorite Place: My kids' athletic and musical events
My Life Motto: Bloom where you're planted
Favorite Food: Ice Cream... is there any other food?
Favorite Season: Spring, I love the rebirth and newness of everything!
Favorite Holiday: Christmas! I am the Christmas Queen.
Someone I admire: Mother Theresa for her selfless dedication to others in need.
My Favorite Place: The beach! Imagine hot pink toenails sticking out of the sand.
My Life Motto: Never give UP!
Favorite Food: Crab
Favorite Season: Summer
Favorite Holiday: Christmas
Someone I admire: My Parents
My Favorite Place: The Magical World of Harry Potter
My Life Motto: "While most are dreaming of success, Winners wake up and work hard to achieve it."
Kiley Pearson
Teacher
Kiley.Pearson@gcisd.net
Favorite Food: Mexican - I could live on just tortillas and cheese
Favorite Season: Winter - I love sweaters, coats and fires
Favorite Holiday: Christmas for so many reasons!
My Hero: Chris Kyle and the many other men and women who have, are and will serve our country - We couldn’t live the way we do without them.
My Favorite Place: The mountains... any mountains
My Life Motto: Never stop wondering. Never stop wandering.
Jerry Price, M.B.A.
Teacher
Jerry.Price@gcisd.net
Favorite Food: All food from many countries
Favorite Season: Summer
Favorite Holiday: Christmas
Someone I admire: Malala Yousafzai, from Pakistan, she fought the Taliban to get an education
My Favorite Place: Hawaii
My Life Motto: Live, Laugh, Love As You Go Onward and Upward.
Favorite Food: Tacos
Favorite Holiday: Are there tacos? Everyday!
Someone I admire: Brain Salge, teaching craft
My Favorite Place: Oceanside, OR
My Life Motto: Every student can learn and let's have fun doing it!
Favorite Food: BBQ
Favorite Season: Fall
Favorite Holiday: Christmas
Someone I admire: My wife. She sees what is possible when others don't.
My Favorite Place: Alaska
My Life Motto: You're never done learning.
Favorite Food: Italian Food, especially Spaghetti
Favorite Season: Fall
Favorite Holiday: Halloween
Someone I admire: My husband - he is supportive, passionate about his work, dedicated and driven but most importantly, he is a loving spouse and a wonderful father!
My Favorite Place: Maui
My Life Motto: Enjoy the little things in life because one day you will look back and realize they were the big things.
Favorite Food: Mexican
Favorite Season: Fall
Favorite Holiday: Christmas
Someone I admire: My husband
My Favorite Place: Colorado
My Life Motto: Education is the most powerful weapon in which you can use to change the world.
Favorite Food: Habachi
Favorite Season: Fall
Favorite Holiday: Christmas - I love spending time with my family!
Someone I admire: My mom. She is generous and kind, and has lived a life dedicated to loving those around her.
My Favorite Place: Pyramid Point, Michigan
My Life Motto: Fall forward.
Favorite Food: Any kind of pasta!
Favorite Season: Spring
Favorite Holiday: Christmas
Someone I admire: All of my past teachers who helped to shape, inspire, and encourage me during my time as a student.
My Favorite Place: Inside of an airplane on my way to the next adventure.
My Life Motto: "It is nice to be important, but it is more important to be nice."
Favorite Food: Queso
Favorite Season: Fall
Favorite Holiday: Thanksgiving
Someone I admire: Malala Yousafzai
My Favorite Place: the mountains
My Life Motto: "Be somebody who makes everybody feel like a somebody." -Kid President
Favorite Food: Marshmallows and Thai Food... not together
Favorite Season: Fall (AKA: Rock Climbing Season)
Favorite Holiday: Christmas
Someone I admire: My Husband
My Favorite Place: Hueco Tanks State Park, El Paso, Texas
My Life Motto: Keep Climbing
Daniel Wennersten
Teacher
Daniel.Wennersten@gcisd.net
Favorite Food: Depends on the day (Tex-Mex, T-bones, Ice Cream)
Favorite Season: Late Fall and Early Spring
Favorite Holiday: Christmas
Someone I admire: Thomas Edison (never gave up)
My Favorite Place: Home (anywhere cool weather and growing things meet)
My Life Motto: Success is not a destination, but the sum of the choices we make each day.