Ms. Drayton is embarking on her eleventh year as an educator and her second year at Hortons Creek. She is a life-long learner who hopes to instill the love of learning within her students. She looks forward to collaborating with you to further your first grader's education. Ms. Drayton's Dreamers Dare to Dream It and Work Hard to Achieve It!

Ms. Golding graduated from the University of North Carolina Greensboro in Spring 2020 with a bachelor's degree in Elementary and Special Education. She had previously been a Special Education and kindergarten teacher. Ms. Golding has a cat named Oliver who wears fancy bow ties (he has about 10 of them). She is so excited to continue teaching 1st grade at Hortons Creek Elementary!

Ms. Gray is an alumnus of East Carolina University, originally from Fayetteville, NC. She is a National Board Certified Teacher with a Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education with a Concentration in Early Childhood and Family Relations. This is her 27th year in education, with 22 of those years here in Wake County. She and her husband have two sons, Andrew (Senior at NC State) and William (Junior at Panther Creek). If you cannot find her at school, you can be sure to find her on the sidelines of a soccer field! She looks forward to soaring to great heights with her Hawks each and every day at Hortons Creek Elementary!

Ms. Kulkarni is excited to be a part of the first-grade teaching team at Hortons Creek Elementary this year. She got her Master of Arts in Teaching degree in Elementary Education (K-6) from UNC Chapel Hill. She is passionate about creating magical learning moments and building a strong community in her classroom based on equity, empathy, and inclusiveness. She lives in Cary with her husband and two children aged 12 and 8. In her free time she enjoys cooking, reading, and going on long walks with her family. She is looking forward to an exciting year with her first graders!

Erin Markusen is a 1st Grade Teacher at Hortons Creek. She has her B.A. in English from Meredith College and received her Teaching Certification at William Peace University.

Ms. Rubinstein is excited to start her third year at Hortons Creek as a First Grade teacher! She was born and raised in Northern California, and got her Bachelor's Degree in Elementary Education from Northern Arizona University. After graduating, she taught English abroad in Italy and Thailand. She believes in creating a welcoming classroom environment that inspires creativity and kindness. Outside of teaching, some of her passions include traveling, her family, and her dog, Arow. Go Hawks!