Specials Team

Hello, my name is Amber Navarro, and  I'm so excited to be your child's art teacher at SME! I'm an artist who loves sharing my passion for creativity with kids. I have a unique background, having worked as an art teacher and a school counselor (at SME from 2020-2023), which helps me guide students not only in their artistic endeavors but also in building confidence and self-expression. At home, I am married to my husband, Eric, I'm a proud mom to two teenage sons, a dog and a cat. I enjoy creating in my personal life and often host art events for my neighborhood community! I also love reading, going on family walks, cooking and going to the movies. I look forward to a fantastic year of creating!

I am Cindy Berndt, your child’s music teacher at SME!  I've been teaching K-6 general music and choir for 27 years, and I have experience teaching beginning and intermediate band & orchestra, and choir.   My love for music began when I devoted my learning to playing the flute, but I’ve learned to play most instruments in my music education program in my undergraduate program at Bradley University. I also have a masters degree in Creative Arts and Learning from Lesley University.
I’m originally  from Long Island, NY and I live in Parker, with my husband of 26 years (a high school math teacher,)  and our two boys Drew (20), and Ethan (16.)
In my spare time, you can probably find me outdoors in the sunshine and actively moving. I enjoy gardening, hiking, and cycling. I train for months in the spring to ride my bike across Iowa in a huge weeklong event called RAGBRAI. Otherwise, the Berndts can be found hanging with our dog Pepper or volunteering for our youngest’s favorite hobby, competitive marching band.  Drew is a sophomore at CU Boulder!
In our space we dance, move with purposeful movement, play instruments, explore sound and space, sing, and perform. We make musical connections to our lives and with the world around us, we discover cultural and historical influences, and we develop personal aesthetic valuation of music in regard to our individual preferences.  I love KIDS!.  I love MUSIC!.  And I love SME!  Please come by to say hi and introduce yourself!

I am Jeff Wright, and I have the privilege of being your child's physical education teacher at SME.  I am in my first full year as a PE teacher after 20+ years in Sales and Marketing, Recruiting, and Training & Development.  However, I am not new to either sports or coaching.  I grew up playing soccer and baseball, and continued my baseball career through college.  Over the last 10 years, I have also been coaching volleyball, soccer, and basketball for my two daughters and their teams.  Through this coaching, I realized my true passion and purpose was to help children grow, learn, and develop their abilities in sports, and more importantly, in life.

I am originally from Plano, Texas, and I graduated from Trinity University in San Antonio.  My wonderful wife of 20 years is Jessica, and our two daughters have both graduated from SME in recent years.  In my spare time, you will find me outside walking, hiking, biking, golfing, skiing, or playing sports in the street with our daughters.

My focus in the classroom, whether in the gym or outside, is to be a positive influence for your child.  Specifically, we focus every day on building Strength in our Minds, Bodies, Characters, and our Spirit.  We discuss this every week in PE, and use our Cub Promises as a foundation to Be Safe, Be Kind, Be Respectful, and Be Responsible.

I am incredibly thankful for the opportunity to be at SME, to be a part of your child's development, and to build positive relationships with the children.  I look forward to meeting you, and thank you for the opportunity to lead your children!

My name is Karlin Hughes, and I'm so excited to be teaching STEM at SME this year. This will be my 7th year teaching at SME.  I love being a teacher and pride myself on creating a fun environment for students where there is a balance of hard work and lots of fun. I have been married to my husband Bill for over 22 years, and we have a daughter, Ireland, who is an 8th grader at Ranch View Middle School. When I’m not in the classroom, I enjoy traveling, spending time with my family, including going to my daughter’s dance competitions, working out, being outdoors, and reading. I'm looking forward to an incredible school year!

My name is Stephanie Deeter, and this is my 8th year at Stone Mountain.  I have a BA in Elementary Education and a Master of Library and Information Science.  I've worked in a variety of libraries for over 20 years, primarily focusing on services to children.  I'm passionate about reading and connecting students with books to help them become lifelong readers.  Outside of school, I enjoy spending time with my husband and two kids traveling, playing board games, and trying out new ice cream shops.  We have two goofy cats whose antics we love to watch.  And, I enjoy reading (of course!), doing cross-stitch, and gardening.