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, and I’m your child’s music teacher at SME!  I've been teaching K-6 general music and choir for 26 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 at Bradley University. 

I am from Long Island, NY, and currently live in Parker,  Colorado.  My husband of 25 years is a high school math teacher,  and our two teenage boys are Drew (19), and Ethan (15.)

In my spare time, you can probably find me outdoors in the sunshine and actively moving. I enjoy gardening, hiking up 14ers, 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 supporting our boys in their favorite activities: marching band and Volleyball.

In our classroom, 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 value 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!

DOUBLE SPECIALS TEAM

I joined SME in 2023 and have been a school counselor since 2009. I have worked at the high school and middle school levels in the past and love being in elementary! I have a passion for helping kids learn social emotional skills and helping them process feelings and problem solve. I enjoy spending time with my husband, two daughters,  step-son, and step-daughter, who all bring me so much joy and keep me on my toes.  We have two dogs, three cats, and a hamster! I love thrift shopping, watching movies, eating popcorn, and doing anything crafty.

Hi! I'm Danelle Marcus, and I'm excited to be starting my second year at Stone Mountain Elementary as an Educational Assistant. This year, I’m also thrilled to be teaching Investigation Station! I have a first grader here at SME, and I truly love being part of this amazing school community. I enjoy learning new things, traveling, and spending time with my family and our two dogs, Fang and Sascha. One of my favorite parts of each day is getting to see the kiddos and hear all about what they’re learning and experiencing!