Our Team
Our team is full of fun, loving, educated people dedicated to your child's early education who have been with us for years. Our family cannot wait for you to join us.
Click on your child's teacher to learn a bit more about them.
Administration
Debbie Betts
Director of Billing and Enrollment
I have been at AHP for 5 years. I love that I can always take breaks from computer work to go watch the children learn, grow and play. I have three kids - a step-daughter who lives in Indiana, a son in high school and a daughter in elementary school.
Erin Fisher
Director of Schools
I am originally from Rochester, MN but have lived in Colorado since 1999. I have been with AHP for 15 years in a variety of roles and have been the director for 6 years. I love working with kids because they are eternally optimistic and innocent. They make me laugh and I can continue to be young at heart and in spirit because that is what kids love and relate to!
Janice Morrin
Assistant Director
I have been at Abiding Hope Preschool & Kindergarten for 15 years. Children are so innocent and honest. They brighten my day and make things not seem quite so difficult - especially during this pandemic. Hearing their belly laughs is contagious! My husband and I have recently become empty nesters which is quite different and quiet!
Specials
Melissa Buecher
Music Teacher
I have been teaching at AHP for six years and all four of my kids attended preschool here before that. My husband and I have lived in Colorado for seventeen years and we enjoy spending time as a family hiking, biking, camping and exploring. I love that I get to teach music and movement to all 200+ students every week. They make me laugh every day!
Ronda Hall
Arts & Science Teacher
I have been teaching over twenty years and have been with AHP for 14 of those years. I love working here because of the wonderful teachers, staff, students, and families. The joy of teaching is seeing the wonder in a student's eye when they learn something new.
Jessica Torres
P.E. Teacher
I have been a preschool teacher for 8 years off and on with taking a break in between to serve in the US Army. I have been at AHP for three years as the P.E. teacher. What I love most about teaching is seeing the children smile, laugh, and learn something new each day.
Littles
Kelly Plungis
Littles Teacher
This is my tenth year at AHP. I have been a part of the Abiding Hope community for most of my life, I attended preschool here when I was little!
Anna Wandel
Littles Teacher
This is my first year teaching and my first year at AHP. I love building relationships with my kids and being able to see their personalities come out. My dream is to become a Pediatric Occupational Therapist.
Tweens
Michelle DeVaney
Tweens Teacher Assistant
I am originally from Kansas and have lived in Colorado for 25 years. I have three children, two in college and a junior in high school. I have an old yellow lab named Cash. I love teaching because of the reward it brings watching them learn and grow. The love and hugs are priceless. I believe it is the best job in the world.
Cristina Vega
Tweens Teacher
I have been working for AHP for 9 years. I love this place and the wonderful children that attend school and the special people that work here.
Tammy Weiser
Tweens Teacher
I have been at AHP for 5 years and absolutely love working with the kids. Prior to that, I worked in the financial world for over 20 years. My husband and I have 2 daughters and 2 dogs. We have lived in Littleton for over 20 years. I grew up in Granby and we still enjoy a family cabin in Grand Lake.
Threes
Luna Hernandez
Threes Teacher
This is my second year teaching at AHP. The things I love most about teaching are making connections with my students and seeing them grow throughout the year!
Lynn Kessinger
Threes Teacher Assistant
I moved to Colorado from Los Angeles in December 2014 so I could be part of my daughter's and grandsons' life. I joined the AHP team in August 2015. I began working with children in 1979.
Nicholette Weiss
Threes Teacher
I have been teaching at AHP for 8 years. I was born and raised here in Littleton, CO and I love it! I would have to say my favorite thing about teaching is being reminded everyday to enjoy the small things in life and the simple things. I love seeing children make friends, and the joy they feel when they accomplish a new task they weren't able to do before.
Threes
Anja Hickman
Threes Teacher
I have been working at AHP for 3 years in the Threes classroom. What I love most about being with the Threes is watching them grow socially and emotionally. Nothing better than seeing their proud smiles by the end of the year when they are showing you how they can share, how to be a good friend, and how to put on shoes and jackets all by themselves.
Maureen Layman
Threes Teacher Assistant
I love working with young children and watching them learn so many valuable lessons through play! For they are the future!
Crystal Lukens
Threes Teacher
I have been at AHP for about 7 years now. I love working here! I have always loved and had a wonderful connection with children. I am married with 4 adult kids: boys ages 27, twins that are 24, and my youngest and only daughter is 19.
Pre-Kindergarten
Jessica Korinek
Pre-Kindergarten Teacher
I have been a preschool teacher for 21 years! I have worked at AHP for 8 years. I enjoy spending my free time with my family! We love hiking, and chasing our chickens and ducks.
Amy Tampa
Pre-Kindergarten Teacher Assistant
I've been a teacher for 13 years. My degree is in psychology and sociology, from Eastern IL Univ. I have been at AHP for 1 1/2 years. I have two children, both teenagers. My favorite sport is hockey, specifically the Chicago Blackhawks.
Pre-Kindergarten
Elaine Bohn
Pre-Kindergarten Teacher Assistant
I began substituting quite a lot a couple of years ago. I love this age group! The kids are funny and interesting. I enjoy working and playing with them and seeing the wonder in their faces.
Paula Murray
Pre-Kindergarten Teacher
I am from Dell Rapids, SD and have lived in Colorado since 1993. My husband, John, and I were married in 1998, and have 1 son, Ty, born in 2001. I have been teaching at AHP since 2007 and I love teaching Pre-K because I am just a big kid myself! I love dogs, Mountain Dew, the Minnesota Vikings and Twins, traveling, and the joys of life.
Pre-Kindergarten
Valia Panchev
Pre-Kindergarten Teacher
I am from Bulgaria. My majors are geography and history. I became a teacher because I enjoy helping children reach milestones - build self-esteem through education and have been teaching over 20 years. I also feel early childhood education is particularly important because it sets children up for success throughout the rest of their school careers. In my spare time, I like to spend time with my husband and daughter. We love to travel a lot!
Marjan Zandi
Pre-Kindergarten Teacher Assistant
I was born and raised in Iran. After receiving my BA in Chemistry, I moved to the USA. I have been in the USA for 27 years. I am married and have three children. I started teaching 13 years ago, and I have enjoyed every moment of my teaching career.
Pre-Kindergarten
Dianne Brush
Pre-Kindergarten Teacher
I love teaching because every year is different. Each child is unique and watching them learn and grow is magical.
Jill Ross
Pre-Kindergarten Teacher
I have been a lead Pre-K teacher at AHP for 8 years. I love teaching students through dance, play and hands-on learning. I also enjoy reading and sharing stories from the Bible to teach children about God's Love. Outside of AHP, I love spending time with my husband and my three beautiful children. Our family loves movies, board games, dance parties, camping and sports. One of my favorite sports is volleyball, which I played in college. I have a BA in Biology, AA in Liberal Arts and my Certificate in Early Childhood Education. I love teaching at AHP and am very blessed to be where I am today.
Jr. Kindergarten
Angela Harvey
Jr. Kindergarten Teacher Assistant
I enjoy seeing the world through the eyes of children! Helping them learn and sharing their joy is a true privilege. I'm also a nurse at St. Joe's! And a book consultant with Usborne Books & More!
Gayle Lindsey
Jr. Kindergarten Teacher
Teaching is an adventure. Every day is different and you learn as much as you teach!
Cris Vega
Junior Kindergarten Teacher
Hello, I was born in Los Angeles, CA and moved to Littleton in 2006. I've taught for 8 years; 5 of those at AHP. I love teaching Pre-K and Junior Kindergarten because it's an age group where they are becoming independent, are loving the learning aspect of school and you can have the funniest conversations with them!
Arya Moin Afshar
Jr. Kindergarten Teacher Assistant
I have been working at AHP for a little under a year. I grew up in Iran and am currently getting my Psychology degree.
Jr. Kindergarten/ Kindergarten
Jenni DeLauro
Kindergarten Teacher
My passion is teaching kindergarten! Kindergarten is such a fun age as they are learning to read and write. I enjoy spending my free time with my family. We enjoy hiking, paddle-boarding and bike riding.
Sally Lord
Kindergarten Teacher Assistant
This is my first year at AHP after a long break from teaching. I'm enjoying it so much! I especially like working with the older kids, probably because I used to be an elementary teacher. I taught for 13 years in SC, GA, WA, and Bogota, Colombia. I love kids and teaching, so AHP is a great place to be! Thank you for being so friendly to me!
Dolores (Lolis) Tiznado
Kindergarten Teacher
I love working with kids. I have worked at AHP for 3 years. I love spending time with my family and dog.
Morning Care
Ronda Hall
Arts & Science Teacher
Gayle Lindsey
Jr. Kindergarten Teacher
Lynn Kessinger
Threes Teacher Assistant
Jessica Korinek
Pre-Kindergarten Teacher
Amy Tampa
Pre-Kindergarten Teacher Assistant
Tammy Weiser
Tweens Teacher
Afternoon Care
Dianne Brush
Pre-Kindergarten Teacher
Luna Hernandez
Threes Teacher
Arya Moin Afshar
Jr. Kindergarten Teacher Assistant
Kelly Plungis
Littles Teacher
Amy Tampa
Pre-Kindergarten Teacher Assistant
Anna Wandel
Littles Teacher
Nicholette Weiss
Threes Teacher
Marjan Zandi
Pre-Kindergarten Teacher Assistant