Grade Level Teams
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Pre K
This is Mrs. Cara King's second year at Wiley and she is delighted to bring with her the unique preschool program she has been teaching at Timber Drive Elementary.
Because of her involvement at the Western Pennsylvania School for the Deaf with her youth group, Mrs. King wanted to be a teacher for the hearing impaired for as long as she can remember. Though she was born and raised outside of Pittsburgh, PA (GO STEELERS!) a series of events led her to marry a southern gentleman who brought her to North Carolina. She attended college UNCG where she learned about the many different technologies available to children who have hearing impairments and that Sign Language is not the only communication option for these students and their families. Though she took Sign Language classes, her field of study became teaching children who are hearing impaired to listen and talk through the support of devices like hearing aids and cochlear implants. Knowing that all children learn language through meaningful interactions, she has always wanted to teach an inclusive preschool program where children with hearing impairments were given the opportunity to learn language and skills through play and learning with their peers.
Prior to being a preschool teacher, she served WCPSS as an itinerant teacher for the hearing impaired for elementary students. In 2013, she was given the opportunity to open a preschool program for students with hearing impairments at Timber Drive. She was delighted to adapt this program to an inclusive preschool program in the fall of 2017 and is looking forward to opening this unique program at Wiley.
This year, her preschool family will include children with and without hearing impairments and using both spoken language and Sign Language to communicate. Mrs. King believes that understanding and the use of language is crucial to success. There are other foundational building blocks all children need in order to be successful learners including social skills, self-help skills and the ability to manage emotions and solve problems. For our youngest learners, they learn and practice all of these skills through play. It isn't that academics are not important but developmentally, there are other skills that need to be in place before rigorous academics can be accessed. According to Mr. Fred Rogers, "Play is often talked about as if it were a relief from serious learning. But for children play is serious learning. Play is the real work of childhood."
Outside of her classroom, Mrs. King can be found either in Holly Springs, on the golf course or vacationing at the most magical place on earth, Disney World. She loves all things Disney, music and singing. It makes her heart happy to see her children perform with marching band, color guard and on the stage. Though she enjoys roller coasters, she also loves relaxing and watching movies while snuggling with her cats. She shares these experiences with her husband, Matt, daughter who is in 7th grade and son who is in 11th grade. Mrs. King (or Ms. Cara, as her preschool family calls her) believes she was meant to teach preschool as she is a kid at heart.
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Kindergarten
Mrs. Dull has been teaching in Wake County for 11 years. She was born and raised in the Buckeye state of O-H-I-O! Mrs. Dull grew up on the beautiful Great Lake, Lake Erie. Mrs. Dull was born into a family of educators. Her father and mother are retired educators and her brother is the Director of Juvenile Justice Education Services of North Carolina. Mrs. Dull earned her degree in K-12 Mild/Moderate Special Education while attending Cleveland State University. Days after graduation, Mrs. Dull moved to the Raleigh area to begin her teaching career in Wake County. She is married and has a son who just turned 14 months. In her spare time, Mrs. Dull likes to exercise, cook and spend time with her family. Mrs. Dull is so excited to be a part of the Wiley school family!
Ms. Lochbaum is beyond excited to begin her first year in kindergarten at Wiley Elementary! She received her Bachelors of Science in Anthropology at Appalachian State University in 2013 and her Masters of Arts in Teaching from North Carolina State University in 2017. She was born and raised in Raleigh and was excited to get to be a teacher in the area, which she has done for the past 3 years. Ms. Lochbaum lives in downtown Raleigh with her 5 year old Havanese dog named Fin. You may see her taking a walk around Wiley sometime! Another one of her great loves is the beach and she gets a necessary Vitamin C dose whenever the opportunity presents itself.
As a part of the Wiley community, Ms. Lochbaum is looking forward to implementing the international magnet theme. The goal that resignates most with her from the UN Goals for Sustainable Development is Goal 4, "Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all." Over the last few years with so many of our regular everyday routines being shaken up, providing a quality education for all students will be so critical. Ms. Lochbaum looks forward to laying the foundational skills necessary for success in her kindergarten students and having a blast with them while doing it!
Mrs. Strom hails from the Buckeye State. O-H, I-O! She attended Miami University of Ohio and moved to North Carolina after graduation in 2002. She began her career in a 4th-grade classroom but found her passion lies in teaching younger grades. She has been a kindergarten or first-grade teacher ever since. While doing so, Mrs. Strom continued her education and earned her Master’s in Elementary Education with a Focus in Reading and Literacy from Walden University. Mrs. Strom is also the proud mama of an energetic daughter, a sweet son, and a furry four-legged friend as well!
Mrs. Strom loves travelling and tries to do so often, however, being busy with a family makes that a challenge. She enjoys learning about the history of new places, hiking new terrain, and snorkeling in tropical waters! Her travels have taken her to places such as British Columbia, Bermuda, Grand Cayman, Mexico, Ireland, Scotland, England, Germany, Switzerland, France, Austria, Cyprus, and Egypt! She is so grateful to have had so many opportunities to travel internationally but has a desire to explore more of the United States, as well.
Mrs. Strom tries to instill in her students the will to be lifelong learners. The United Nation’s Global Goal for Quality Education speaks to that desire on an international level, but Mrs. Strom is dedicated to welcoming the youngest members of the Wiley family to school every day. Even at a local level, some of our students come to kindergarten with no prior school experience and she works hard to meet all students’ needs.
Hi, I'm Mrs. Thompson! I am so happy to be a kindergarten teacher at Wiley! I knew from a very early age that I wanted to teach and kindergarten was the grade I wanted. I have taught first grade as well but being a kindergarten teacher is where my heart lies! Besides teaching I have a wonderful family! A son, Weston who is 24, a daughter, Elizabeth who is 28 and married to my son in law, Matthew, my dog, Annabelle, and my husband of 33 years, Wes. We love being together, going to Wolfpack games, and traveling. I have been at Wiley for 5 years and have taught a total of 20 years. What I love most about being a kindergarten teacher is helping each child discover so many things about school and themselves, that they really can be a reader and a writer, and to know just how special they are! I'm very lucky!!!
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1st Grade
Mrs. Abel began teaching in 2003 in New York, from where she originally comes. She received a Master’s degree in Elementary Education and started teaching preschool. She moved to North Carolina in 2006, where she taught First Grade in the Charlotte Mecklenburg School District for two years. In 2008, she moved to Raleigh to be closer to family.
Mrs. Abel has been teaching at Wiley since 2009, and she hopes that through teaching, she can continue to share her enthusiasm for learning and help children acquire the skills they need to be successful in life. This is Goal # 4 from the UN 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (substantially increase the number of youth and adults who have relevant skills, including technical and vocational skills, for employment, decent jobs, and entrepreneurship).
Mrs. Abel lives in Wake Forest with her husband and her son. She enjoys cooking, traveling, and spending time outdoors with friends and family. Some of Mrs. Abel's favorite children's books are A Chair for My Mother and Something from Nothing.
Ms. Fristoe is a Raleigh native. She graduated from UNC-Greensboro with a degree in Elementary Education and a minor in History. She has always had a passion for learning and teaching. Ms. Fristoe has been teaching in Wake County since 2017 and has been at Wiley since 2019. She is excited to be teaching 1st grade at Wiley again this year! Outside of teaching, she enjoys spending time with family and friends, reading, and going to the gym. Ms. Fristoe has two dogs named Cora and Chipper. She loves taking the dogs on walks and car rides around the neighborhood.
Mrs. Lehning is excited about joining the staff at Wiley Elementary School. She has taught for many years and her experience includes teaching kindergarten, second grade, and literacy coaching.
Mrs. Lehning grew up in Winston-Salem, NC. She graduated from Appalachian State University in Boone, NC and earned her Master’s in Education degree from North Carolina State University in Raleigh, NC. Mrs. Lehning lives in Raleigh with her husband of 25 years and their three children and three dogs.
Mrs. Lehning and her family enjoy everything relating to water...swimming, boating, water skiing, lakes, and the ocean. They have spent countless hours of swim team practices and meets. They also enjoy eating a wide variety of seafood. Because of her love for the water, Mrs. Lehning finds the U.N.’s 14th Goal for Sustainable Development “Life Under Water, Conserve and Sustainably Use The Oceans, Sea and Marine Resources” very near and dear to her heart. She hopes to educate her students on the impact humans have on the ocean, and in ways they can reduce water pollution and keep plastics out of the ocean and waterways.
Mrs. Pruden is a graduate of UNCG where she majored in elementary education and minored in Spanish.Originally from Waco, Texas, Mrs. Pruden loves eating barbecue and wearing her cowboy boots-Hookem'!In her spare time, she loves to read, bake, workout, hangout at coffee shops, and watch movies with her husband. First and foremost, Mrs. Pruden loves to travel. She’s been all over the US, as well as Cuba, Costa Rica, Greece, Italy, France, Spain, Portugal, Morocco, Ghana, Senegal, and most recently, Mexico on her honeymoon. Mrs. Pruden is thrilled to bring her own travel experiences into the classroom and share her passion for learning about other cultures and languages with her students!
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2nd Grade
Wah gwaan (Hello) my Wiley family! My name is Denya Hewitt and here’s a little bit about me!
I am from Jamaica and attained my diploma in primary education at Bethlehem Moravian College, my bachelor’s degree in education at the International University of the Caribbean, and my masters’ of education at Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota. I'm a dedicated, resourceful, highly motivated, and goal-driven educator who wants all children to be successful learners.
I was an educator for seven years at a primary school in Jamaica and joined the Wiley staff in 2016. Over the years I have watched students that I have interacted with accel and this has helped me to develop a passion for teaching. Every school year, I work towards improving my ability to engage students in their learning by attending and implementing what I acquired from workshops and training seminars. When I am not teaching, I am out shopping, talking with my friends back home or just catching up on my TV series.
What I love learning about people is where they come from, their story. This fascinates me because I realize that society often misjudges people, and I believe that knowing their story leads to better understanding.
Ms. Sullivan was born and raised in Raleigh and is happy to still call it her home. She attended William Peace University where she graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education, receiving dual certifications in regular and special education. She is excited to continue working at Wiley where she first called home in 2015. She has always wanted to be a teacher and is excited to be surrounded by the amazing Wiley community again this year.
In Ms. Sullivan’s free time she enjoys traveling. She has traveled to France, London, Germany, Switzerland, and the Bahamas. Switzerland is her favorite place so far but she is excited to travel to other places in the near future. Through exploring places outside of the United States, she has developed a passion for ending poverty in all its forms everywhere which is Goal #1 from the UN 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. Ms. Sullivan is a huge sports fan too….GO HEELS! She loves to spend her time cheering on the Heels at home football and basketball games!
Mrs. Vaughan was born in Pennsylvania, but grew up right here in Raleigh. She attended The University of North Carolina at Wilmington, where she received her Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education, as well as her Master’s degree in Curriculum and Instructional Supervision.
Mrs. Vaughan joined Wiley in 2004 after teaching her first 7 years in Brunswick County, North Carolina. After 6 years at Wiley, she took a break from teaching to enjoy her three young children at home. In 2014 Mrs. Vaughan excitedly returned to Wiley as a parent, then in 2016 once again as a teacher! Wiley is a special place and there is no place she would rather be. “There’s no place like home!”
Mrs. Vaughan has traveled to Sweden, Jamaica, Ecuador, Mexico, Bahamas, England, France, and Australia, but some of her favorite spots would have to be the North Carolina Coast! Outside of school, she loves to read, cook, grow her vegetable garden, and mostly spend time with her family. If you are looking for her afterschool, there is a good chance she is on the soccer field sidelines, cheering on one of her three children!
One of the most important aspects of education to Mrs. Vaughan is that it can take us down any path we choose. It doesn’t matter where we start, but we have this amazing road ahead of us and education is our ticket. That is why goal #4 under the 2030 United Nations Global Goals for Sustainable Development “Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all” speaks to her.
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3rd Grade
Hi! My name is Hadley Cairns-Heath, but the kids at Wiley call me Mrs. C.
I was born in Chicago, IL and lived there until I was about ten. I have so many fond memories of growing up in the city – going to fantastic museums, visiting Chicago’s zoos and aquarium, gardening on our front porch, and feeding the fish at nearby koi pond. My love of science comes from these wonderful early life experiences!
When I was 10, we moved to Wilmington, NC, where I lived until I graduated from high school. I loved living in Wilmington for many reasons, but primarily because I was surrounded by extended family and I was so close to the beach.
Not many people at Wiley know this about me, but after I graduated from high school, I went to UNC-CH for two years. I loved the classes I took at Carolina, but I never really connected to life as a Tarheel. My junior year I transferred to NC State, much to the horror of everyone in my very liberal-arts-centric family. I majored in Botany and loved everything that my program offered. I also met my husband, Walter, at State. He is an avid State fan, so I am forever grateful that he was able to look past my sordid (college) past!
After a year of working in the Aquatic Botany lab at NCSU after college, I realized that I needed more human connection than scientific research could offer, so I decided to become a WCPSS lateral entry middle school science teacher. I taught my first class of seventh graders with literally zero teaching experience. It was terrifying and exciting and meaningful…and from that moment on I was hooked on being an educator!
After six years of teaching middle school science, I had my first child, Walt. I made the tough decision to stay home with him and found joy in working at his wonderful little preschool. I had my second child, Scout, when Walt was four. Our family wasn’t complete until we added our wild fur-baby, Gunner.
My history with Wiley began when Walt started kindergarten here. My husband and I fell in love with Wiley immediately. When Scout started kindergarten, I joined the staff as a TA with Julie Thompson, where I learned so much about how to be an educator. During the summer of 2019, I was offered the job of 3rd grade science and social studies teacher, which I enthusiastically accepted.
To say that I am thrilled to be joining the Wiley staff as a lead teacher, with an amazing team beside me, is an understatement. Wiley is a special place and I am excited to be continuing my journey as an educator here!
This is Mr. Robertson's fourteenth year teaching and his ninth year at Wiley. He grew up on the farms of central Illinois where he still enjoys spending time with his five and three-year-old niece and nephew. He earned a degree in elementary education at Indiana Wesleyan University and a Masters of Education from UNC-Chapel Hill, specializing in math.Mr. Robertson regularly travels around the country, and internationally, to rock climb and also enjoys running. He’s done many half marathons and was grateful to have run the Boston Marathon in 2017. Outside of the U.S., some of the places Mr. Robertson has traveled to include Mexico, Wales, England, France, Italy, and Switzerland. He also spent several months doing his student teaching in Puerto Rico. Mr. Robertson encourages his students to continually investigate the world. He believes it’s important to understand the diverse perspectives of cultures from around the world and enjoys incorporating this into the classroom.Although all of the United Nations Goals for Sustainable Development are very important, the one that stands out to Mr. Robertson is Goal 15: Life on Land. As someone who spends a lot of time in the outdoors, Mr. Robertson believes it’s important for citizens of the world to work together to protect, restore, and promote the sustainable use of our planet’s ecosystems.Mr. Robertson is looking forward to another great year of exploration and adventures with his students!I'm so excited to be teaching third grade again at Wiley this year! I'm a Raleigh native who attended N.C. State (Go Pack!) for undergrad. I then went on receive my Master's from State for Elementary Education in 2016. I've previously taught 2nd grade and Intervention.
I firmly believe relationships with students are at the heart of teaching and I look forward to getting to know my students and their families this year. I'm passionate about creating a classroom community in which students are encouraged to collaborate with each other, take risks, and maintain a growth mindset.
In my spare time, I love to go to the gym, listen to podcasts, and check out new restaurants around the Triangle.
I'm so grateful to be apart of this amazing community and look forward to another great year!
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4th Grade
Mrs. Bohm is elated to be teaching 4th-grade mathematics at Wiley this year!
She has taught in many different grade levels throughout her career, grades 2-7, mostly teaching math. She started her career after graduating from UNC-Chapel Hill teaching middle school math for 16 years then transitioned to teaching elementary school. She is excited to be able to focus on 4th-grade math this year.
Mrs. Bohm is a native North Carolinian growing up at the coast and has called Cary home for the past 34 years. She lives there with her husband, Bill, and cat, Max. She has a daughter working in Miami, Fl. and a son that is attending NC State. Outside of school Mrs. Bohm enjoys exercising, golfing, gardening, and being outdoors.
Goal 17 of the UN Goal for Sustainable Development, “Partnerships for the Goals”, instills in Mrs. Bohm the importance of teamwork and working for the greater good. She believes that by working together and striving for a common goal we can achieve success for all. Mrs. Bohm hopes to inspire students to incorporate the Global Competencies in achieving their goals. Mrs. Bohm believes that these are lifelong skills. She welcomes the opportunity to grow and learn with the students.
Hello Wiley Family and Community!
I am excited and humbled to serve in the role/capacity as the 4th Grade Science and Social Studies teacher at Wiley Elementary. I have an abiding commitment and passion to driving student success. I am widely known to the students as "Mr. Q" and feel so fortunate and blessed to be named amongst the Wiley Family!
As a native of the nation's capital- Washington, D.C., my parents desire to return to their roots led our family to North Carolina where I completed secondary and high school education. I am a proud graduate from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington where I majored in Communications with a concentration in Public Relations. I have a conferred Master's degree in Public Administration and a Master's degree in Human Resource Management.
In 2013, I retired from the airline industry after 24 incredible years. Hobbies and interest include traveling with family, spending time with my family, and watching my favorite sport teams- Carolina Panthers, Houston Rockets, Washington Football Club ( formerly known as the Washington Redskins), and the Los Angeles Lakers. I am an avid movie-goer and aspiring chef.
I look forward to an exciting year of learning and building meaningful relationships with parents, students and faculty at Wiley.
Miss Outler is incredibly excited to join the 4th-grade team at Wiley Elementary! Dating back to her own days in elementary school, Miss Outler has had a love for reading and writing and she cannot wait to share that love with her new Wiley family. She is originally from Voorhees, New Jersey and she earned her Bachelor’s of Science in Psychology from Fordham University in New York City.
She has a strong passion for education and equal opportunity for all young students. It is this passion that keeps Achieving Gender Equality, number 5 of the UN Goals for Sustainable Development, an important part of Miss Outler’s values. She has always strived to strengthen policies that aim to empower young girls.
When she’s not teaching, she is broadening her own horizons by reading, traveling, or playing with her dog, Theo. Miss Outler is an enthusiastic educator who is thrilled to start her journey with the Wiley community!
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5th Grade
Mrs. Bailey is super excited for another wonderful year of teaching and learning at Wiley Elementary School!
She has been teaching grades 3-6 since 2005. She spent her first 11 years teaching in Prince George's County, Maryland where she was born and raised and has been teaching in Wake County since 2016.
Mrs. Bailey earned a bachelor’s degree from Howard University in Washington, DC and a Master’s in Education and Graduate Certificate in Gifted Education from The Johns Hopkins University in Maryland.
Mrs. Bailey lives with her middle school aged son, husband, and their two dogs Thor and Ghostie. She also has two young adult daughters who both study/live in different cities in North Carolina. Being from Maryland, she of course absolutely loves Blue Crabs and buys them whenever she can here in North Carolina. She loves playing board games, attending escape rooms, outdoor concerts and of course THE BEACH!
The 10th UN Goal for Sustainable Development, “Reduce Inequality Within and Among Countries”, is a goal that is close to Mrs. Bailey’s heart. It is her hope to use her classroom as an arena where students can examine the human impact on all facets of the world and contemplate how they can actively contribute to this goal. Mrs. Bailey is elated to serve as an educator at Wiley and looks forward to an amazing year!
Ms. Britt is thrilled to be joining the Wiley family as the 5th grade math teacher.
A new North Carolina resident, Ms. Britt was born and raised in New York City and spent the past four years living and teaching grades 4-5 in Buffalo, NY. It was during her time in Buffalo that Ms. Britt realized her passion for teaching children from diverse backgrounds and urban settings. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in International Studies at SUNY Brockport and MSEd degree in Childhood Education and Special Education from Canisius College.Whenever she has the opportunity to, Ms. Britt pursues her wanderlust by traveling and meeting new people. Since she was a teenager, she has explored cities within the United States and outside of it. Ms Britt has taught English in India and has visited Mexico, the Dominican Republic, France, the Netherlands, Belgium, the UK, and Canada, with more trips being planned for the coming year. Her other hobbies and interests include being in the sun, exercising, watching anime, reading, laughing, and socializing with friends.As an advocate for traveling and cultural exploration, she believes that surrounding yourself with various cultures, people, and outlooks on life creates positive change, increases self-awareness, and provides exposure to new experiences. It's with this in mind that Ms. Britt values one of the UN's Goal for Sustainable Development "to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all." Ms. Britt looks forward to the upcoming school year and being able to bond and form new relationships with her students at Wiley.Mrs. Price has been at Wiley for well over a decade, and she teaches Language Arts for all fifth grade students. She is looking forward to another great year interacting with her students where new exciting adventures await.
Mrs. Price earned a BS in Education from Peru State College (the oldest teaching college west of the Mississippi). She also obtained a Masters from SDSU in Curriculum and Development. Mrs. Price has taught in Germany, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and South Dakota before coming to North Carolina. Having taught not only in the United States, but in Europe and the Middle East, she blends global experiences into her teaching.
Mrs. Price began traveling internationally at the age of five. She still loves to travel internationally, as well as stateside. When you speak with her, you will sense her enthusiasm for teaching as well as the desire to bring many global experiences into her classroom. Once you have visited her classroom, you not only see the global connections, you will also sense her desire to take her students on global adventures.
Mrs. Price encourages her students to investigate the world through novel studies, projects, and inspires them to take action. Her inspiration for teaching comes from her desire to make a difference in the lives of her students through education. She would like to instill in her students a desire of discovering the world around them as well as becoming life long learners. Mrs. Price's core classes are a learning environment that embraces a teaching model called co-teaching. Mrs. Price will be co-teaching with Ms. Brandt (AIG) this year, and they will once again incorporate several of the UN Sustainability Development Goals of 2030. By using novel studies, they will incorporate many of the goals by taking "action steps" throughout the year. The first novels, A Long Walk to Walker, Refugee, and Esperanza Rising will help students gain an understanding of the U.N.'s Sustainability Development Goals. They will focus on the following goals during the first quarter: Quality Education, Gender Equality, as well as Clean Water and Sanitation.
Mrs. Price is an avid reader. A few of her favorite books are Esperanza Rising, and Fever, 1793. Other novels she has enjoyed reading include Weedflower, Blue, Hidden, and The Hunger Games. Mrs. Price's favorite adult author is James Patterson.
Mrs. Price's hobbies/interests include activities with her family, traveling, reading, writing, quilting, painting/drawing, and of course, living life to the fullest.
Programs
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Counselor, School Psychologist, School Nurse
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Instructional Support Staff
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Special Programs
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Electives
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World Languages