• Meet Our Specialist Teachers

     

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Ms. Barlow

Art Teacher

Class Website

eMail: kbarlow@wcpss.net

Hello! My name is Ms. Barlow and I am so ready for this school year at Olive Chapel Elementary. I am passionate about art and about finding ways to connect people with art through experience, education, and creativity. As an artist and an art educator, my goal is to produce work that has relevance, meaning, and beauty.

In my art room I practice both skillbuilding project-based learning and the TAB (Teaching for Artistic Behavior) pedagogy.  Through student-centered learning I am able to get to know students personally and better meet students’ needs.  TAB Centers exemplify and recognize many types of creativity and encourage students to explore a variety of materials to make unique artwork that is authentic to themselves and their ideas.   

I moved around a lot as a kid but lived mostly in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. I grew up playing softball and competing in traditional Irish dancing. In 2007, I graduated from Guilford College in Greensboro, North Carolina, with a BA in Art. Then I moved to Brooklyn, New York to pursue my MA in Media Arts at Long Island University-Brooklyn Campus. I had the opportunity to work as a photographer and filmmaker in NYC while studying and writing my thesis.  Fun fact, I was on a reality television show called Double Exposure, for Bravo TV, while working with the popular photographers Markus Klinko and Indrani (I also worked with some celebs that your slightly older family members might know 😏).  

After falling in love with art and education, I decided to complete the teaching licensure program for art education at Meredith College in North Carolina.  I am excited for this year as I am getting to know you all and watch you grow as artists. 

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Ms. McConnell

Music Teacher

Class Website

eMail: kmcconnell@wcpss.net

My name is Kenzie McConnell and I am from Chapel Hill, North Carolina. During the fall of 2022, I graduated from Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina with a degree in Instrumental and General Music Education and a minor in Psychology. I grew up playing piano and trumpet and I also love to sing! During my time at App State,  I performed in a number of ensembles, including their Marching Band and Community Choir. 
 
Music class has always been my favorite as it gave me a chance to move around and express myself through the instruments I was playing. Every child deserves a chance to learn who they are as a musician. Music can be applied to interdisciplinary studies as it is often known as a "universal language" and provides a unique outlet for students to learn and be creative through hands-on experience. I am incredibly excited to be teaching music here at Olive Chapel and spread my passion to the community!

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Ms. Trembly

School Library Media Coordinator

Class Website

email: jtrembly@wcpss.net

My name is Jessica Trembly and I am a born and raised North Carolinian!  I have two children, a boy who's 12 years old and a girl who's 9 years old.  We have a cat named Auggie (whose namesake is from Wonder written by R. J. Palacio). I have a deep love for reading—my favorite book (currently) is The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah. I also enjoy spending time camping, hiking, and fishing with my family. 

I attended William Peace University (formerly Peace College) where I obtained my Bachelor of Arts in English and Minor in Psychology. Upon graduation, I began working for the NC Department of Health & Human Services. After my children started kindergarten, I began spending as much time as possible volunteering at their school.  While I've had a life-long love of education, it wasn't until I spent that time in their school that I realized I wanted to make a career out of educating children. I then began my journey towards earning a Master of Library Science degree from East Carolina University. I graduated this past December and I am so excited about starting my career as a Clipper!

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Ms. Roberts

Physical Education Teacher

PE Website

eMail: croberts@wcpss.net

I started working as a PE teacher at OCE in July 2012, and it felt very much at home with all the wonderful Clippers! I was born in Erlangen, Germany, and lived there until age 28 and then came to North Carolina. I graduated from Friedrich-Alexander-University, Erlangen, and received a MA in Economics and Physical Education, and a Minor in German. I taught Economics and PE for 2 years at a high school in Germany. I live in Cary with my husband and 22-year-old daughter, who will be moving to Madrid at the end of August to attend IE to finish her masters. My oldest son (40) lives near Greensboro and my younger son (32) lives in Raleigh. My 2 grandchildren, Tristan (11) and Mia (10) are absolutely delightful and keep me busy! I enjoy promoting Health and Fitness and am excited to be at OCE to assist our young Clippers develop a healthy attitude towards exercising and nutrition. In my spare time, I love outdoor activities like hiking, biking, yoga and skiing. Reading, gardening and traveling are also on my favorites’ list.

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Ms. Ferreira

S.T.E.M. Teacher

Class Website

eMail: mferreira@wcpss.net

I am thrilled with the opportunity to be part of this community! My name is Marcia Ferreira and I am originally from Brazil... a beautiful and fun country, home of samba and soccer. I made North Carolina my home 21 years ago when I completed my first Masters in Education and I sailed into a new adventure to explore new cultures and teach abroad. In this journey, I have met fantastic people from many countries but definitely the southern hospitality from North Carolinians captured my heart!

I received my NC teaching license from UNC Chapel Hill in 2003 and National Board Certification in 2009. I graduated last spring with my second Masters' in STEM Education focused on Engineering and Technology Education from NC State. GO Pack! In addition, I became part of the wonderful team of NC Space Ambassadors Program sponsored by NASA with the purpose to support and innovate science lessons with teachers and students preparing the next Artemis generation! ​

I have been teaching for twenty six years from kindergarten through high school. However, my favorite age group is elementary school kids. There is something special about their curiosity and unrestricted view of the world that keeps me reflecting about education and pursuing innovative ways to engage young minds. I love teaching STEM - a fancy word to say tinkering with ideas:) In my class we will be working with a lot of different materials during our hands-on labs challenging our minds; we will be building, coding, tinkering, and much more!

I live in Morrisville, just about fifteen minutes from here with my two doggies: Mambo and Samba. When I am not at work I love cooking, I am a self-proclaimed chef, riding my bike, gardening, spending time at the beach, hiking, and of course during college football season I am a happy camper tailgating and cheering for the Tarheels, and recently Wolfpack! I am looking forward to working with your family this year at OCE!

Follow me on Twitter: @msferreira6

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Ms. Fleegle

Science Specialist

eMail: jfleegle2@wcpss.net

Hi! I’m Jacque Fleegle, and I’m thrilled to be joining the Olive Chapel Elementary community as this year’s Science Specialist. I grew up right here in Cary and graduated from Cary High School before earning my degree in Molecular Biology (with a minor in Chemistry) from Meredith College.
 
My husband Kevin and I are proud parents to two amazing kids—Elizabeth, who just graduated from Green Hope and is headed to NC State this fall, and Jacob, who will be a junior at Green Hope and spends most of his weekends on the baseball field. When we’re not cheering them on, we love spending time with family, friends, and our sweet silver lab, Luna.
 
I’ve been in education for the past eleven years, serving in a variety of roles including Instructional Assistant, 1st and 5th Grade teacher, and most recently, STEM Specialist. I’ve always had a passion for science, and I’m excited to inspire students to explore, question, and think critically about the world around them. Through our Science specials, I hope to spark curiosity and help students grow as creative problem-solvers and independent thinkers.

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Ms. Newberger

Drama

Class Website

eMail: mnewberger@wcpss.net

​My name is Michelle Newberger and I am the OCE Drama Teacher. I am originally from Tampa, Florida. I have a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education with a minor in Theatre Arts from Catawba College in Salisbury, North Carolina. Before teaching at Olive Chapel, I taught preschool on U.S. military bases in Germany and Hawaii. I have taught both drama and 1st grade at OCE. I am grateful to share my love of theatre arts with all the students at OCE!