Kindergarten

Back Row: Mrs. Ryder, Mrs. Golden, Ms. Sood, Mrs. Tonn, Mrs. Odle, Ms. Mariappan, Ms. Rahamathulla

Front Row: Ms. Young, Ms. Ledford, Mrs. Plazas, Ms. Bobbitt, Mrs. Bruce

Meet the Team

Amity Ledford — adledford@wcpss.net — Website — Twitter - Instructional Assistant: 

Ms. Ledford: Hi there! I am thrilled to be teaching Kindergarten at White Oak Elementary. I am from a small mountain town in western North Carolina, but moved to Raleigh to pursue my passion for educating children. I graduated from NC State with a Bachelors in English, and Liberty University with a Masters in Elementary Education. Outside of school, I enjoy spending time with family and friends, reading, doing DIY projects, traveling and being outdoors. 

Degrees/Certifications: B.A. in English: Language, Writing & Rhetoric, M.A.T. in Elementary Education

Mrs. Tonn: Hello, My Name is Caitlin Tonn. I'm so excited to join the White Oak Elementary team! I have recently made a career change and I'm thrilled to start my first year as an Instructional Assistant. I grew up in Durham and now live in Raleigh with my husband, sister, and sweet puppy! In my free time I enjoy spending time with friends and family, playing chess, reading, and anything outdoors. 

Hannah Bobbitt — hcbobbitt@wcpss.net— Website — Twitter -- Instructional Assistant: Sarulatha Mariappan

Ms. Bobbitt: Hello! My name is Hannah Bobbitt and I am so excited to continue teaching Kindergarten at White Oak Elementary! I am originally from Laurinburg, NC, but moved to Raleigh for college and I fell in love with the city so I decided to stay. I graduated from Meredith College with a degree in Child Development and a Birth to Kindergarten NC Teaching Licensure. I love the beach and spending time with my family and friends. I also enjoy spending time at Carter-Finley Stadium cheering on my favorite football team (GO WOLFPACK!).

Degrees/Certifications: Bachelor of Science in Child Development, Meredith College; Birth to Kindergarten NC Teaching Licensure

Kristin Bruce — kbruce@wcpss.net — Website — Twitter - Instructional Assistant: Nasrin Rahmathulla

Follow the Class: Contact Ms. Bruce to follow the class.

Mrs. Bruce: I am very excited to be teaching Kindergarten at White Oak Elementary again this year! I have over 25 years of teaching experience and my heart lies with Kindergarten students. I grew up in Lexington, Kentucky and graduated from the University of Kentucky with an Elementary Education degree. I went on to pursue a Masters Degree as a Reading Specialist and 30 hours in Curriculum and Instruction. I am a National Board Certified Teacher. We moved to Apex in 2007 where I continued my passion for educating young minds. When I am not teaching I enjoy spending time with my husband and our two sons. My oldest son is studying Engineering at the University of Alabama and the younger one is a senior at Apex Friendship HS. We have a yellow Labrador Retriever named Leo. I enjoy hiking, fishing, running, traveling and spending time outdoors.

Degrees/Certifications: B.A. Elementary Education, M.A. Reading Specialist + (Rank 1 in KY = 30 hours in Curriculum and Instruction), National Board Certified Teacher, ESL Certified

Ms. Rahamathulla: Hello everyone! My name is Nasrin Rahmathulla and this is my second year teaching at White Oak. I’m very excited to work with you and your kids this year! I have two daughters in college (Chapel Hill and NC State) and a son at Mills Park Middle. I’ve called North Carolina home for 16 years. I enjoy spending time with my family, taking long walks, cooking and traveling.

Degrees/Certifications: Bachelor’s in Commerce

Ashtyn Golden —ajgolden@wcpss.net — Website — Twitter - Instructional Assistant: Lucia Ryder

Follow the Class: Contact Ms. Golden to join Class Dojo

Mrs. Golden: My name is Ashtyn Golden and I am so excited to be teaching Kindergarten this year at White Oak Elementary! I graduated from Meredith College where I had many experiences teaching young children that brought me to have a passion for teaching. I was born in Illinois, but I grew up in Apex, NC. In my free time, I enjoy traveling, spending time with my friends and family, and going to the beach. I am looking forward to another great year at White Oak Elementary!

Degrees/Certifications: B.S. Child Development. B-K Teaching Licensure

Mrs. Ryder: Hi! I am so excited to continue to be a part of the White Oak Elementary team as an Instructional Assistant. My family and I are originally from NY but we have lived in North Carolina for almost 17 years. I have several years of experience teaching children in NY and NC. I have two children and a cat, Seamus. My son is a Junior at NC State and my daughter is a Freshman at NC State. GO WOLFPACK!!! I love spending time with my family and friends, traveling, going to the beach, gardening, and baking. Can't wait to begin another year with my awesome White Oak family!

Degrees/Certifications: BS in Elementary Education and MS in Special Education

Kristen Plazas — kplazas@wcpss.net— Website — Twitter -- Instructional Assistant: 

Mrs. Plazas: Hello there, my name is Kristen Plazas. I was born and raised in NC, and now reside in the triangle with my husband and our two dogs and cats. I enjoy reading, traveling, movies, and spending time with my family and pets. I look forward to another great year in Kindergarten at White Oak!

Degrees/Certifications: B.A. Elementary Education

Mrs. Vedam:

Degrees/Certifications: 

Jessica Thorn — jthorn@wcpss.net — Website — Twitter -- Instructional Assistant: Monika Sood

Mrs. Thorn: Hello! My name is Jessica Thorn and I am delighted to be apart of the Kindergarten Team at White Oak Elementary. I am a 2009 graduate of Meredith College with a B.S. in Child Development. I received my Birth-Kindergarten Teaching License through UNC-Greensboro. I have past experience teaching in Pre-K and Kindergarten classrooms. I currently live in Apex with my husband, Daniel, two children, Jackson and Emma, and our dog,Axl. I look forward to working with you all as we finish out the 2022-2023 school year!  

Degrees/Certifications: 

Ms. Sood: Hi, I have moved from Singapore to North Carolina in 2015. Since then I have been associated with WCPSS. This is my second year working at White Oak Elementary School. I am looking forward for a fun filled year with kids. I enjoy going for long walks, Yoga and cooking.

Degrees/Certifications: Bachelor of Arts, Post Graduate Diploma in Personnel Management