Ms. Christie Patrone, Principal

cpatrone@wcpss.net

Christie Patrone is excited to join the Crossroads Flex community as Principal for the 2023-2024 school year.  Ms. Patrone is a product of the Wake County Public School System and attended both Apex Middle School and Apex High School.  After graduating from Apex High School, Ms. Patrone attended Appalachian State University and earned a degree in K-12  Spanish Education.  Since then she has also earned a Masters in School Administration from North Carolina State University and an Educational Specialist Degree from Coastal Carolina in South Carolina. 

Over the course of her career she has had the opportunity to work at both the middle and high school level in both WCPSS and Horry County, SC.  Throughout her career she has  served as an Assistant Principal, Spanish teacher, Intervention Coordinator and Instructional Facilitator.  For the past three years, she has served as an Assistant Principal at Cary High School.  Each of these roles and schools has provided Ms. Patrone with unique experiences and perspectives that will help her lead the Crossroads Flex community.  Ms. Patrone is proud to be a part of a school that provides students with the unique opportunity to pursue their dreams while still engaging in a robust public high school experience.

Mrs. Natascha Genova, Assistant Principal

ngenova@wcpss.net

Ms. Nartarshia Sharpe, Dean of Students

nsharpe@wcpss.net

Nartarshia Sharpe comes to Crossroads FLEX after working the past nine years as a professional school counselor at Panther Creek High School in Cary, NC.  This is her twenty-third year in education.  She began her career in education as middle school language arts and social studies teacher went on to work for several years in Central Office for Wake County Schools. 

Ms. Sharpe is a graduate of UNC Charlotte where she earned a B.A. in Psychology and a minor in Sociology. She holds two Master’s degrees from NC State University, one in Curriculum and Instruction and the other in School Counseling.  She earned National Board Certification in K-12 School Counseling in 2012.  In her free time Ms. Sharpe likes to read, travel and take pictures.

Ms. Leslie Cole, CTE

lcole3@wcpss.net

Mrs. Cole is coming to Crossroads Flex from Apex High School. She has a BS in Marketing from Indiana State University and she completed her education license requirements at NCSU. Mrs. Cole has held a variety of roles within the Career and Education department including teaching middle school business and marketing, high school business and marketing and serving as Curriculum and Instructional Management Coordinator for the past 8 years.

The unique opportunity that Crossroads Flex offers to students is very exciting and she looks forward to working with students to help them towards their educational goals.

Mrs. Cole has 3 grown children, 2 grandchildren and 2 cats! In her free time, she enjoys spending time with family and exploring our beautiful state.

Mrs. Aimee Diem, Intervention Teacher

adiem@wcpss.net

Aimee Diem is excited to be joining the Crossroad FLEX family as the intervention teacher. She has spent most of her career as a special education teacher and case manager. Ms. Diem has a true passion for working with students and helping them find success. She understands that all students learn differently and strives to provide them with the support they need for a rewarding educational experience.

Ms. Diem holds North Carolina teaching certifications in English, special education, and health and physical education. She has coached high school tennis and high school women’s basketball. She has in-depth experience working with struggling readers and is certified to teach different reading programs.

Ms. Diem grew up at the beach in New Jersey. She graduated from West Chester University in Pennsylvania and attended graduate school at Rowan University in New Jersey. She lived in Maryland for 15 years before moving to North Carolina in 2014. Ms. Diem has 2 daughters and 3 rescue dogs. In her spare time she can be found tending to her plants, taking pictures, or reading a new book.

Mrs. Melinda Hope, World Languages

mhope@wcpss.net

Mindy Hope is a Raleigh native who attended Wake County Public Schools and has worked in education for 15+ years. She holds a BA in Spanish and Psychology from UNC-Chapel Hill and a Master’s in Teaching Secondary Spanish from Johns Hopkins University. She was a Teach For America – Baltimore Corps Member and is a National Board Certified Spanish Teacher. She has taught High School Spanish at public schools in Baltimore, MD, Ann Arbor, MI, and here in Raleigh. She has also worked as a Guidance Technician and a liaison/advocate for ESL and immigrant students, and as an Academic Coach with the education technology company Edmentum. She is excited for another year at Crossroads FLEX!

Ms. Hope has also coached Lacrosse at many of the schools she has worked at and has taught swim lessons at City of Raleigh pools. She enjoys watching and playing sports, running, traveling, live music, being outside, and spending time with family. Ms. Hope lives with her husband, and 2 little boys who keep her very busy!

Mrs. Natalia Kilpatrick, Career Development Coordinator

nkilpatrick@wcpss.net

Mrs. Gail Lanphear, Lead Secretary/Bookkeeper

             glanphear@wcpss.net 

Gail Lanphear comes to Crossroads Flex High School after working for 14 years at Fuller GT/AIG Basics Magnet Elementary School, in Raleigh, NC as an Instructional Assistant and for the last 3 years, as their Lead Secretary and Bookkeeper.  She is completing her 18th year with  WCPSS, having spent her first year at Penny Road Elementary.

Mrs. Lanphear is a native Michigander and moved to North Carolina in 2002 with her husband and two sons.  She began her career as a Secretary and eventually Administrative Assistant at First of America Bank in Kalamazoo, Michigan.  After 10 years with the bank, she decided to stay home with her young sons until they were in school full-time.  In her spare time, she enjoys watching football and hockey, taking long walks, or biking the beautiful trails around the Raleigh area.  She enjoys crafting and curling up with a book when time allows.

Mr. Austin Lewandowski, Science

alewandowski@wcpss.net

Austin Lewandowski comes from Michigan where he studied and previously taught. At Spring Arbor University, Mr. Lewandowski earned his Bachelor's Degree in Secondary Education with a focus in all of the sciences. He is certified to teach everything from the smallest quantum particle to the largest celestial mass.

Over the past four years of teaching various science subjects, Mr. Lewandowski has learned that experiencing science is very different from reading about science. He has developed numerous lessons that incorporate moving models and hands-on activities. His passion for reaching students is evident in the care he exudes for the individual and presentation of the content.

Mr. Lewandowski has previously coached baseball and Quiz Bowl. In his spare time, he and his wife travel around seeking adventure. Mr. Lewandowski is excited to continue his career with the opportunity to teach at Crossroads Flex!

Mr.Brenden McMonigle, Math

bmcmonigle@wcpss.net

Brenden McMonigle earned his degree from Florida Gulf Coast University, where he specialized in Mathematics and Secondary Education and also pursued a minor in Physics. During his five years of teaching in Estero, Florida, he has imparted knowledge across a broad spectrum of high school math subjects, ranging from Algebra 1 to Calculus, and even delving into Physics. In a previous educational setting, Mr. McMonigle was instrumental in the implementation of an advanced college-level math curriculum, leading his students to impressive exam success rates.

Beyond the academic realm, Mr. McMonigle is deeply passionate about gaming. He immerses himself in tabletop RPGs such as Pathfinder and Dungeons & Dragons, enjoys video gaming, board games, and collectible card games. His passion for strategy and problem-solving in these games mirrors his approach to teaching, always seeking innovative ways to make complex mathematical concepts accessible and engaging. In his free time, he enjoys traveling with his wife, exploring new destinations and cultures together.

The prospect of joining Crossroads FLEX thrills Mr. McMonigle. He admires the school's distinct educational approach, which, in his view, offers students the perfect blend of structured learning and personal development opportunities. With the school's close-knit community, Mr. McMonigle is keen on building strong rapport with every student. His mission is to provide unparalleled math instruction, equipping students with the skills they need to excel in their future endeavors and further academic studies.

Ms. Karen Oviatt, English

koviatt@wcpss.net

Karen Oviatt graduated from Indiana University of Pennsylvania with a Bachelor of Science in Education degree, majoring in English Education and minoring in Psychology. She has been a teacher at both Orange High School in Orange County and Panther Creek High School in Wake County and has taught all levels of 9-12 English. She is a National Board Certified teacher and is Advanced Placement certified, having taught both AP Language and Composition and AP Literature and Composition for over a decade. Ms. Oviatt has experience teaching online courses as a writing instructor for Duke TiP's eStudies program and has also been an instructor at Duke's Young Writers Camp. In addition, she developed, and coordinated an in-school, peer-staffed Writing Center and has served as a department leader and Teacher Mentor.

After serving over 20 years in a traditional classroom, she is excited to be joining the staff at CrossroadsFlex and to be a part of the blended learning experience. Ms. Oviatt likes to read, travel, and spend time with family and friends. She's a bit of a performer and will tell you stories and show you pictures of her dog if you show the slightest inclination of interest. She also loves to learn new things: she's currently taking acting classes and is thinking about learning to knit or crochet and starting a podcast. She is eager to meet the students at Crossroads Flex and learn about the pursuits they passionately follow.

Ms. Samantha Toledo, Teacher Support

 stoledo@wcpss.net

Mrs. Kasey Turcol, Social Studies

kturcol@wcpss.net

Kasey Turcol graduated from the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, Virginia with her undergraduate in Sociology and History.  As an undergraduate, Mrs. Turcol focused her studies on institutions and their impact on society. She wrote her thesis on Alcatraz, tracing the manner in which the National Park Service interprets prison history through the federal penitentiary as societies views on crime evolve. Additionally, she spearheaded two major research projects: a quantitative study for Rappahannock Legal Service in which she was able to indicate the strengths and weakness of their free legal services, and an in-depth qualitative study of young adults with vision impairments and how they navigated early education. The latter research project was presented at Pi Gamma Mu’s Triennial International Conference in 2014 and truly inspired Mrs. Turcol to continue work in the field of education.  In 2015, she earned her Master’s in Education implementing an action research project aimed at teaching twelve grade government students media literacy skills necessary to be politically aware citizens in the digital age.

Mrs. Turcol moved to North Carolina after getting married in August of 2015. She is endorsed in the state of North Carolina to teach 6-12 Social Sciences and 6-12 English Language Arts. She believes that education must be interdisciplinary for it to have a lasting impact on the student.  As a teacher, she emphasizes the importance of reading and writing skills through primary source analysis. Mrs. Turcol encourages all students to continue learning as she, too, intends to continue her education and return back to school for a doctorate degree.  She is excited to work with the talented and innovative students at Crossroads FLEX!

Ms. Jennifer Wilkerson, Data Manager

jwilkerson@wcpss.net

Jennifer Wilkerson comes to Crossroads Flex High School after working nine years in the Wake County School System as an Instructional Assistant and a long-term substitute teacher.  After researching Crossroads Flex and learning about its vision for young people, she knew it was where she needed to be and did not hesitate to apply when a clerical assistant position became available.

Ms. Wilkerson was born and raised in Virginia but has lived in North Carolina long enough to be considered a “North Carolinian”.  She graduated from Pensacola Christian College with a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education and a minor in Music.  She is an avid sports fan, and she considers her greatest accomplishment to being a mother to her three sons.