about us | our story

Teri is thrilled to be among the many wonderful talented teachers at The John Crosland School. Teri graduated from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte with an undergraduate degree in Elementary Education and she is a National Board Certified Teacher.  She is trained in Orton-Gillingham and numerous other research-based programs. Teri brings over 25 years of teaching total and has spent over 10 of those years at The John Crosland School! 

As Director of Wellness & Connection, Jennifer brings over 20 years of education experience to her role at JCS. She is passionate about whole-child instruction and she is currently researching personalized learning for neurodivergent students as part of her doctoral work. She has found a home at Crosland and enjoys supporting students’ social-emotional and academic needs in grades 8-12. As a mother of  2 children, she understands the significance of student-teacher relationships and enjoys helping parents navigate the teen years. Outside of school, Jennifer enjoys traveling with her family and spoiling her bulldog, Bentley. 

Karissa is a Charlotte native and excited to contribute to the community where she grew up. She completed her studies in Special Education at Liberty University and has had the privilege of working with children in various settings prior to joining John Crosland. Her passion lies in helping students reach their full potential and supporting their growth every step of the way. She recently got married earlier this year and she is looking forward to bringing her enthusiasm and dedication to our school community.

Yonda is from New Jersey and studied Elementary Education. She has a passion for music, reading, and writing poetry. Her love for books and novels is matched only by her enjoyment of solving word search puzzles and experimenting in the kitchen with cooking and baking. As an author, she finds joy in crafting stories and sharing her work. Yonda is happily married and the proud mom of two adorable cats.

Amber Dutcher is a Rochester, NY native who will be relocating to Charlotte, NC.  She holds a BS in Studio Fine Arts and an MS in Special Education and is excited to join the team at The John Crosland School.  She has a three-year-old son, Hudson, who is the light of her life, and a wonderful husband, Rob.  She loves live music, specifically, the bands Phish and The Grateful Dead.  She enjoys the great outdoors, yoga, and cheering on the Buffalo Bills during football season.

hallie earned a bachelor’s degree in special education and a master’s degree in low incidence disorders – both earned with honors from east carolina university. she also holds a post-master’s certificate in school administration from the university of north carolina at greensboro. she is north carolina certified in elementary education (k-6), and special education (k-12), and a wilson practitioner. hallie enjoys being connected to other local non-profits as a member of share charlotte. she brings over 20 years of teaching and leadership experience to crosland. hallie enjoys traveling overseas, trying out new recipes, learning polish, and playing with bumble, her australian labradoodle.

Charlie earned his Master of Science in Leadership from Pfeiffer University and has an undergraduate background in philosophy/religion and history. He has been part of the Crosland faculty and staff since 2005 in various capacities including English and Written Expression teacher, SAT preparation instructor, yearbook coordinator, and golf coach. Crosland is also honored that he serves as our SAIS accreditation coordinator. Charlie is an avid musician and plays drums for a local Charlotte band, as well as the Crosland faculty band, The Lunch Buckets.

karen graduated from the university of south carolina with a bs in marketing and management. she has worked for over thirty years in the business administration and accounting fields. karen is originally from long island, new york. she enjoys spending her free time with her family – norm her husband of 32 years, daughter nicole and son kyle.

Shawn began working at The John Crosland School in 2007. Prior to his current role of Director of Operations, Shawn was the Athletic Director, PE teacher, and JCS Social Media Administrator. Shawn came from Atlanta where he taught high school students with severe emotional behavioral disorders in the public school. He has been honored to receive the Student’s Choice Teacher of the Year award three times.  Shawn completed his Master’s degree in Education from Wingate University. In 2015 Shawn was elected as Mecklenburg County’s Soil and Water Supervisor. He also serves as Vice-Chair of the Metrolina Native American Association and as a volunteer paramedic.  His number one hobby is spending time with his family and playing with his daughter.

Vivian is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte with a degree in K-12 Special Education and Middle School Mathematics. Through the years she has worked with every grade level. She came to us from Greenville County where she was working with students in self-contained classrooms with a variety of learning differences, ADHD, and autism. She comes from a large Greek family. In her free time, she enjoys going hiking with her German Shepard, Oto, and having play dates with her nine nieces and nephews. She finds many ways to stay busy including coaching basketball, Greek dancing, and her own professional development as a teacher.

Rich Bowman is an accomplished EdTech professional from Brooklyn, NY, with over a decade of experience devoted to advancing educational technology within the New York City public school system. He has led transformative initiatives across multiple schools, significantly enhancing collaboration and digital learning experiences for students and educators alike. Holding multiple industry-standard certifications (CompTIA, Google, Microsoft, Apple, etc.), Rich excels in implementing cloud-based services and network upgrades that serve to strengthen connectivity and fortify security measures, ensuring seamless and secure learning environments. Rich is also an accomplished technology integrator, empowering educators to merge their pedagogical expertise with cutting-edge technological advancements. Beyond his professional achievements, Rich is a seasoned eSports competitor and coach, channeling his passion for innovation and problem-solving into both his professional and personal endeavors.

Nashara is a two-time graduate of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, earning her Bachelor of Social Work in 2017 and Master of Social Work in 2023. She has five years of experience serving as a School Social Worker and has recently obtained her clinical license to provide therapy to children/adolescents. Nashara is excited to join the John Crosland family and hopes to provide a safe environment that meets the unique needs of each student. Outside of her professional commitments, Nashara enjoys physical activity, spending time with her family and friends, listening to music, and trying new food.

Originally from Asheville, NC, Vaniece graduated from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte with a degree in Spanish. While at UNC-Charlotte, she had the wonderful opportunity to study abroad in beautiful Costa Rica where she lived with a family for two months. Soon after graduating, Vaniece began teaching at Dore Academy in 2002. In her spare time, she enjoy spending time with her family, taking Zumba© classes, and reading.

Mary Katherine graduated from the University of South Florida with a Bachelor’s Degree in Environmental Science and will be teaching Middle and Upper Sciences. Before joining the John Crosland School, Mary Katherine taught at a school for children with emotional and behavioral disorders in Tampa for two years. While in Florida, Mary Katherine also volunteered as the Basketball coach and student activities coordinator. She brings with her a passion for teaching and is excited to meet her new students! In her free time, Mary Katherine enjoys traveling to see family, hiking, and learning to play the guitar.

Lisa graduated cum laude from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte with an M. Ed degree in Special Education: Learning Disabilities. She has been an educator for over 18 years. She obtained the Advanced Level of Orton-Gillingham training in 2005. Upon graduating from UNCC, she briefly taught as a Special Education teacher in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg school system. She wrote a letter to Dore Academy that she was looking to teach at a school that showed integrity for children and their needs. She was called for an interview to the school and hired as a 5th-grade classroom teacher in 2002.

Laura has a Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education from SUNY Old Westbury. Laura comes to us from Charlotte United Christian Academy where she taught grades 3-6 for the past eight years. At Charlotte United Christian Academy Laura taught a full inclusion classroom which gave her the experience of working with students across many different ability levels.  She believes teaching is a calling and works with each of her students to help them develop to their highest academic level. Laura has over 30 plus years of diverse teaching, curriculum development, and tutoring experience at both private and public elementary and middle school throughout-out the USA and Africa.

Dan received his bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1992. He returned to school in 2008 to earn his teaching license in secondary social studies from UNC-Charlotte and was certified to teach both middle school and high school students. He has taught 8th grade social studies at Charlotte Secondary School and joined The Epiphany School of Charlotte in 2013 to focus on students with learning differences. He has also been a member of the Charlotte Philharmonic and the Charlotte Civic Orchestra. Recently, he has been learning to play the mandolin. Dan enjoys vacationing with his family along the North Carolina’s Outer Banks at Cape Lookout National Seashore and backpacking with them in the Appalachian Mountains.

Portia earned a BA in Sociology from Clark University, an MBA from Cambridge College, and is currently pursuing a PhD in Curriculum and Instruction at the University of North Carolina, Charlotte. She brings many years of knowledge and experience in marketing, education, and non-profit management. Portia manages Development, Admissions, and Financial Aid. She has implemented many new programs a Crosland such as the Girls Group, Speaker Series, Young Men of Color Affinity Group, Crochet Club, and the New Family Ambassador Program. She obtained a Master of Advanced Crochet Stitches and Techniques certification and incorporates her love of art into her world by teaching classes, exhibiting art, and speaking to groups about fiber art and arts integration.