Rankin Elementary News

We will have 5 classrooms in every grade level except 1st, 4th, and 5th. I want to welcome our new staff members, Najetta Gingles (PK), Rebekah Stover (K), Haley Carr (1st), Christopher McBride (4th), Heather Brown (5th), Becki Carpenter (additional SAC TA), and Kyle Wood (ITF - replacing Aundrea Jenkins), Clarissa Begay (ESL - replacing Ivanna Bortolussi). Mrs. Johnson will continue to serve as our Title I Literacy Teacher but we now have her 100% of the time. Our itinerant team will be the same, but we will have them 100% of the time also. I would like to express my appreciation to the teachers who graciously accepted the challenge of a new grade level assignment, Mrs. Horne and Mrs. Marlow will be 3rd grade and Mrs. Addington will be 2nd grade. Here’s a quick look at grade level teams:

• Kindergarten: Anderson, Clemmer, Green, Lindley, and Stover

• 1st: Carr, Noles, Peterson, and Trent

• 2nd: Adcock, Addington, Huffstetler, Richardson, and Williams

• 3rd: Brown, Hahn, Horne, Pearson, and Marlow

• 4th: Beatty, Hager,Kaylor, and McBride

• 5th: Allen, Brown, Lineberger, and Lockridge

I have taught Pre-K since 1995. I previously taught EC PreK at a Tryon Elementary for 3 years. I like to describe my personality as helpful, friendly, and energetic. Away from school I enjoy traveling to foreign countries, enjoying the outdoors, and spending time family, friends and dog, Prince Nicky.

Hello my name is Rebekah Stover and I am excited to join Ida Rankin’s staff family as a Kindergarten teacher. I graduated from University of North Carolina at Greensboro with a BS in Elementary Education. I have been married for two years and have two cats and a dog. When I am not teaching I love spending time with family, going hiking, and kayaking.

My name is Haley Carr. I graduated from Belmont Abbey College in December 2018 with my Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education. I have years of experience with children including babysitting as my first job at age 15 and continuing to do so through high school and college, working at NewBridge Children’s Academy in Belmont for about 3 years, then being a Teacher Assistant at Page Primary in Belmont for the past 2 school years. I just recently married my high school sweetheart, Jonathon, back in June. We have now adopted a 4 month old rescue puppy, Parker!

I am so excited to be a Rankin Roadrunner my first year as a teacher! I am a proud product of Gaston County Schools and just as excited to return as an educator to teach the current and future kids of Gaston County. For as long as I can remember, I have always wanted to be a teacher so to see my lifelong dream being fulfilled is absolutely indescribable. I cannot wait to see what this year holds!”

Hello, everyone! My name is Chris McBride, and I am delighted to say that I will be joining the 4th grade team at Rankin this year. I am originally from New Jersey and moved to North Carolina about fifteen years ago along with much of the rest of my family. After relocating here, I began looking for my first teaching position. I taught for two years at West Rowan High, four years at Central Cabarrus High, three years at Thomasville High, and one year at Cuthbertson Middle. I enjoyed teaching my sixth graders so much that I decided to give fourth grade a shot. I could tell during my interview that Rankin is a very special school with an incredibly positive and tight-knit staff, and I knew right away that I wanted to be a part of it. I am looking forward to sharing my experience, skills, energy, and enthusiasm for teaching and learning.

For those familiar with the show, one of the most interesting facts about me is that I am a competitor on the show American Ninja Warrior. I ran the course in Atlanta three years ago and am currently working to try to get selected again for season 12. So, yes, Rankin now has its very own, official ninja warrior! Additionally, I have written and self-published two, young adult novels and have just started writing the first book in a brand new series. I love cooking, hiking, reading, rock climbing, and paddle boarding. I have been joyfully married to my wife, Charli (pronounced Sharli) for two years, and she works with children as well, as she is the manager of the children’s department of one of the Barnes and Noble’s here in Charlotte. We do not have any children, but we have one very chill cat named River. Again, I cannot stress how much I am looking forward to working with all of you this year!

After teaching for five years in middle school, I decided it was time for me to return to elementary school. The students are more my height! I enjoy cooking, crafting, traveling and cheering on my Carolina Tar Heels. My husband and I have two high school aged children, Cayden (Senior) and Claire (Junior). We also have 3 very spoiled dogs and one mischievous cat. I am very excited about calling Rankin my home.

This will be my 26th year as a teacher assistant with Gaston County Schools. I started this adventure in 1993, at Pinewood Elementary. For the past 13 years, I have worked with EC children, mostly in the self-contained settings. These special kiddos are where my heart is!! I have worked with Miss Stewart previously, at Tryon Elementary. We are both happy to be reunited!

I have 3 adult children, 2 granddaughters, a grand-dog, and my sweet old pup Charlie. I enjoy reading, working crossword puzzles, and spending time with my family.

I am very excited about joining the Rankin family!