Christ the King Faculty & Staff

Coming to Christ the King is a bit of a homecoming for Mrs. Hady; ten aunts and uncles attended school at CK in the 50s, 60s, and 70s. Her dad graduated in the class of 1968 and her grandfather built the rectory. She attended Mass here with her family as a child, and she is exceedingly proud to continue her family legacy as the leader of the school.    Mrs. Hady attended Saint Mary College in Leavenworth, Kansas, where she earned her Bachelor’s in Sociology and Political Science. Soon after college, she returned to Colorado to be with family and earned her Master’s in Elementary Education and eventually a second Master’s degree in Educational Leadership. With a career that has led her through classrooms and administration offices of both public and Catholic schools, Mrs. Hady has observed a notable difference between the two: Love. Love is palpable in the classrooms, courtyards, and hallways of a Catholic school. Catholic educators possess an intrinsic motivation to truly connect, inspire, and educate the whole child—mind, body, and spirit. Mrs. Hady and her husband are boastful fourth-generation Colorado natives and proud parents of two beautiful daughters. They love to frequent Grand Lake and Shadow Mountain where they swim, boat, hike, camp, and lounge through the summer; and snowmobile, play basketball and occasionally whine about the lack of sunlight in the winter. Fun Facts: - After spending five summers as a camp counselor at Camp Santa Maria in Bailey, Mrs. Hady realized she loves children and decided to pursue a career in education. - Mrs. Hady likes guacamole but hates avocados--how does that work??

Dr. Bergles has been in education for 42 years. Before teaching P.E. at Christ the King, Dr. Bergles taught Social Studies and coached high school football. Dr. Bergles was also a professional mediator and has mediated hundreds of disputes between neighbors, workplace associates, and citizens and police officers. Dr. Bergles has a son and a daughter. Dr. Bergles is passionate about environmental sustainability, especially for endangered species and all wildlife. He also has a strong interest in affecting a deeper relationship between faith communities. When Dr. Bergles is not at school, you may find him working out, biking, hiking, or playing with his dogs and cat. Fun Facts: - Dr. Bergles’ favorite Colorado activity is attending U.S. Air Force Academy football games—Go Falcons! - Dr. Bergles is a published author—three times over! He has written two illustrated children’s books about wildlife conservation and the third is an academic study of endangered species policy implementation.

Mrs. Dignan is a Denver native—in fact, she grew up just four blocks away from Christ the King! Before graduating from Arizona State University, she spent her junior year at the University of Salzburg (her favorite year in college). After college, she worked in sales for Nestle Food Service before she and her husband started their family. Many years and two grown daughters later, Heidi still loves her job at CK. When she’s not at Christ the King, you’ll find her enjoying the mountains, playing golf or pickleball, and spending time with family and friends. Fun Facts: - Mrs. Dignan’s favorite Colorado activity is downhill skiing on a bluebird day, preferably with 5 inches of fresh powder. - Mrs. Dignan stumbled upon her role at CK: One day, when her daughters were attending CK, the school secretary didn’t show up for work and Mrs. Dignan stepped in to help and hasn’t looked back--her girls graduated but Mrs. Dignan stayed. “The academics and faith-based education are amazing at CK, but the community is the icing on top.”

Mrs. Edenfield is a proud Colorado native who enjoys experiencing everything this state has to offer with her husband and boy-girl twins (also CK students). You’ll often find them golfing, hiking, biking, or skiing when kid activity and work schedules allow. Mrs. Edenfield earned her undergraduate degree in Psychology and has completed graduate-level coursework in Education and the Science of Leading, including structured literacy approaches like Orton Gillingham. She loves the CK community and looks forward to working with CK K-8 students and their caregivers as they make the leap to being a fluent reader, build their confidence as an effective learner, and construct the frameworks that will support a lifetime of discovering their potential. Fun Facts: · An adventurer at heart, Mrs. Edenfield’s love of travel and personal challenges has led her to the summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro, Everest Base Camp, and the starting line of two Ironman triathlons. · Left to her own devices, Mrs. Edenfield (along with her daughter as a willing and enthusiastic accomplice) would have a houseful of pets of every species and size. For now, Mrs. Edenfield dotes on her dogs (Piper and Gemma) and cat (Kudzu).

Ms. Frick is a Colorado native. She grew up in beautiful Winter Park, Colorado spending her youth skiing and hiking in the mountains. Ms. Frick graduated from Colorado Christian University and then moved to Prague, Czech Republic, where her family is originally from, to teach middle and high school science. A Masters of Theology is on the horizon for Ms. Frick and she is excited to continue her studies at Fuller Theological Seminary. After 5 years, she decided to return home to Colorado and to her family. Carly and her service dog Moose are so excited to be a part of the CTK family! •Look for Ms. Frick on the ski hill while she skiing as hard and fast as possible or perhaps, she is just relaxing with her 6 cats and a good book. •Ms. Frick is most excited to introduce all her students to laboratory experiments and the process of scientific inquiry.

Mr. Gallegos attended Catholic school in Longmont (St. John the Baptist) and Fort Collins (St. Joseph’s) before attending the University of Colorado in Boulder. After graduation, Mr. Gallegos worked for 20+ years as a chemical engineer in the military and commercial electronics industry. He received his Applied Statistics training at Arizona State University and helped pioneer many of the chemical manufacturing processes in use today for projects like the Stealth Fighter, the Space Shuttle, the F-22 (Raptor), and the Joint Strike Fighter (F-35). Mr. Gallegos was one of only three engineers chosen to work on the first live-fire test of the Predator unmanned drone and the GPS-guided Hellfire missile. As a member of the Secretariat for the Archdiocese of Denver English Cursillo Movement, Mr. Gallegos taught many classes on the Christian life. Throughout his teaching career, Mr. Gallegos has taught numerous age levels, from 5th grade CCD religion to graduate-level statistical design experimentation, but he loves teaching K-8 computer technology most of all. Fun Facts: - Mr. Gallegos is an avid fly fisherman and Kuntao/Silat pelitat. - Mr. Gallegos is a true family man—he is the oldest of seven siblings, he has been married to his wife Dana for 38 years, and they have four beautiful daughters and fourteen grandchildren!

Ms. Gartland is the oldest of ten children and was born and raised in Colorado. She and her two sons attended 16 years of catholic school. Mrs. Gartland applied here at Christ the King right after college and has never left! Fun Facts: - Ms. Gartland’s days at CK are filled with joy and laughter, and if the moment strikes, she might bust into a song over the classroom microphone. - Ms. Gartland is definitely not a thrill seeker—no rollercoasters or scary movies for her! She’d much rather see as many Broadway musicals as possible.

“The object isn’t to make art but to be in that state which makes art inevitable.” - Robert Henri Ms. Gaston was born in Anniston, Alabama and is very proud of her southern upbringing. She came to Denver from Cincinnati, Ohio where she attended Mount St. Joseph University and earned a BFA degree with a concentration on painting along with a graduate degree in art education. She moved to Denver to be close to her daughter who is the love of her life. Ms. Gaston has spent a lifetime using her creativity in a variety of ways. Her mother was a quilt and needle work artist and taught her those skills. What she would love for students to experience is the ability to see a project through from conception to completion, and to appreciate the value of a peaceful meditative practice. Fun Facts -Ms. Gaston loves, loves, loves dogs. Her last dog, Birdie passed away peacefully in her sleep two years ago. It’s time for her to adopt a new fur baby. -Ms. Gaston arrived in Denver at the end of last July. She’s looking forward to discovering all the good stuff Denver has to offer.

Miss Imada earned her Bachelors of Music in Music Education from Xavier University in Cincinnati, OH. In 2020, she moved to Omaha, NE where her sister lives and began her career at Mary Our Queen Catholic School. Miss Imada's primary instrument of study was clarinet, but she enjoys teaching and playing many others such as percussion, piano, violin, ukulele, and woodwinds. When she is not teaching, paddleboarding, or playing with her pet rabbit, Zuke, she loves going back home for a few times a year to Maui, HI to visit her family. Fun Facts: · Miss Imada knows American Sign Language · Miss Imada has been to Colorado countless times, but only as layovers and never left the airport until moving here! She is excited to explore all that our state has to offer!

Mrs. Lea is originally from England, where she earned a Bachelors in French from London University, followed by a Post Grad in Secondary Education. After taking a 19-year break from teaching to raise 3 fun and active kids, and with the eldest a college junior and the youngest a high school freshman, Mrs. Lea returned to teaching middle school. Twenty years after leaving the Language Arts position at Christ the King, she is delighted to be returning home to the warm and wonderful CK community. When not teaching, Mrs. Lea spends too much time at local hockey rinks cheering on her sons, hiking in the Foothills with her husband, hanging out with friends, reading, and grading lots and lots and lots of papers. Fun Facts: Mrs. Lea taught members of the Kuwait Royal Family while teaching high school French and English in the Middle East, where she also met her husband, who unfortunately isn't royal, but from Boulder. In addition to teaching, Mrs. Lea was once a volunteer firefighter in her Genesee community, and though she enjoyed this, that ladder was way too high, and so was happy to step down and raise her kids.

Mrs. Peel grew up in Galesburg, Illinois. She attended Illinois State University where she earned a degree in Education with a Minor in Art for Elementary Education (no wonder CK kindergarteners get to do so many fun projects). She met her husband when they were in 6th grade and together they have lived in Wisconsin, North Carolina, and Wyoming, and now Denver. She currently lives with her daughter and grandson (a CK student). Fun Facts: - Today, Mrs. Peel loves exploring Rocky Mountain National Park, visiting Estes Park, and catching fish by the lake. Yesteryear, she was an avid scuba diver and dove all over the world. - Mrs. Peel wanted to work on a barge on the Mississippi River, instead, she listened to her mother and became a teacher—that was 58 years ago!

Mrs. Schutlz holds a bachelor's degree in Philosophy and Women’s Studies from Metro State, and is one class away from earning her Master's degree from the Iliff School of Theology. Since learning how to knit and crochet she has bestowed gifts of scarves, shawls, blankets, fingerless gloves, and more to her friends and family. Her knitting supplies are always nice and neat thanks to her two feline yarn sorters. Mrs. Schultz is a member of the Board of Directors at New Cottage Arts where she also takes guitar lessons. She is an avid fan of both the Chicago Bears and Jane Austen. Fun Facts: - Mrs. Schultz loves to relax at Red Rocks. She also loves to box (both watching and training!), knit, and play the guitar. -She recalls fondly working and laughing with a student on his work. The child’s smile and laughter were simply contagious.

Mrs. Snow is a tried and true CK Ram—she attended CK from Kindergarten through 8th grade, two of her daughters are CK Alums with the third rapidly approaching her CK graduation day, and now, she works here! “There’s just something about CK, it’s ingrained in my blood!”, explains Mrs. Snow. Mrs. Snow earned a degree in Journalism and Public Relations from Creighton University in Nebraska. She loves spending time with her husband and three daughters, and their dog named Scotch. Mrs. Snow fills her free time with her favorite hobbies: gardening, entertaining friends and family, and decorating her home. Fun Facts: - The students at CK make her smile every day and her sweetest memories are the little voices that call her “Mrs. White” instead of “Mrs. Snow”. - Her favorite Colorado activities are gardening and white water rafting.

Before becoming a teacher, Ms. McHugh graduated from Santa Clara University and began her business career working for the Colorado Avalanche. Bored by the smile-and-dial life and discovering her true passion to work with children, she tested the teaching waters by becoming an aide for Mrs. Moran at Christ the King. Her experience led her to earn her Master’s in Curriculum and Instruction along with an endorsement in culturally and linguistically diverse education from the University of Denver. Ms. McHugh is not only a Denver native but she grew up in this neighborhood, visiting her grandparents in Crestmoor. When not teaching you might find her skiing, cheering for Denver sports teams, cooking, hiking, traveling, reading, or hanging out with family and friends. Fun Facts: - Ms. McHugh has 38 first-cousins and is the oldest of 27 on her mom's side. - Ms. McHugh lived in Ireland for 3 years when she was in 4th, 5th, and 6th grade. While there, she attended a boarding school where horseback riding was an extracurricular activity so students could bring their horses to school. Ms. McHugh went on multiple fox hunts jumping over fences, hedges, ditches, and walls. She always fell off on the first jump and learned to hold on!

Mrs. Burns was born in California and earned her undergraduate degree in Biology with a minor in Chemistry from UNLV. She later went on to receive her Nursing degree from Rutgers University and worked as a Mother/Baby nurse for seven years at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago. She and her husband just celebrated 16 years of marriage and together they have three wonderful children who are proud members of the CK Rams family. Fun Facts: - On summer and fall weekends, you’ll find Mrs. Burns visiting local farmers’ markets. -Mrs. Burns’ role model is her mother because she was open-minded, loving, empathetic, strong, and no-nonsense.

Mrs. Dixon is originally from Kansas City, she attended the University of Kansas—Rock Chalk!—where she earned her education degree. After teaching for a few years, Mrs. Dixon made the I-70 trek to Denver in 2019 and continued her career at CK. She is the youngest of four kids and loves being an aunt to the three cutest boys in the world. Most weekends you can find her outside skiing, hiking, golfing, playing pickleball, walking at Wash Park, or hanging out with her friends and family. Fun Facts: - Got milk? Mrs. Dixon LOVES milk and drinks it with every meal. - Mrs. Dixon feels there is something incredibly special about the Catholic school community. In college, she had an opportunity to teach in both a public school and a Catholic school. The community that is held in a Catholic school is unmatchable. Every day when she walks into work at CK, she feels like she is a part of something bigger and her role is more important than just a job. She has families, parents, teachers, our priests and so many more people who can share in the movement of bringing our students closer to our faith.

Mrs. Ehrlich is a third-generation Coloradoan. She knew she wanted to teach when she was in 4th grade and still, after many years, she thoroughly loves to see her students’ excitement about learning. She is married to her college sweetheart, and they have three daughters and nine grandchildren—most of whom attend Christ the King. Fun Facts: - Mrs. Ehrlich’s most memorable teaching moments happen when students connect “book to real life” on field trips. She loves taking the students to the Denver Audubon Society (holding birds and releasing them), Plains Conservation Center, and fishing with the Colorado Department of Wildlife. These are some of the students’ most memorable teaching moments, too! - You will never guess this one: Mrs. Ehrlich loves to tour Colorado on motorcycles!

Mrs. Gallegos’ first trip to Christ the King Church was on Divine Mercy Sunday in April 1999. She felt such a welcoming spirit and was so taken by the beautiful stained-glass windows in the church that she immediately felt at home and pursued a job opening as a middle school teacher. Before working at CK, Mrs. G. attended the University of Northern Colorado where she graduated cum laude. Following graduation, she worked in marketing before returning to UNC to pursue a teaching license. Mrs. Gallegos shares a home in Frederick with her husband, one of their daughters, her son-in-law, and their four children. When school is out, Mr. and Mrs. G love to spend time visiting with their other three daughters and their families. Mrs. G has taken the mission of spreading the word about Jesus’ love and forgiveness – His divine Mercy – to heart as she works with CK “tween-agers.” Fun Facts: - Mrs. G’s role model is Sister Sheila, a now-retired Christ the King teacher, who took Mrs. G under her wing and told her, “Stop being such a cupcake! Tough love, people.” - Mrs. Gallegos lived in the Dominican Republic in third grade while her parents volunteered in the Peace Corps.

Señor Garcia is a native of Colorado and earned a BA in Spanish Literature and French Conversation from Metro State University and a Masters in Education from University of Phoenix. He has traveled and worked in Québec, Canada, Cameroon, West Africa and Morelia, Michocán Mexico. Señor Garcia began teaching in public schools as a 6th grade teacher, a Social Studies teacher and an alternative education instructor. After retiring from Denver Public Schools, he began working with Denver Catholic Schools. Señor Garcia enjoys his daughter’s family and is a full participant in his journey with the Lord. Fun Facts: •Señor Garcia loves the Colorado mountain views and our four seasons. •Señor Garcia is the Historian of this large extended family.

Mrs. Gartland is a Colorado native and lover of our beautiful great outdoors. She received her BA from Loretto Heights College in Denver with a double certification in both Education and Special Education; as a bonus, she met and married her college sweetheart. After many years teaching special education in public schools and then raising four children, Mrs. Gartland returned to teaching. She appreciates the opportunity to teach in a Catholic School with a religious and disciplined atmosphere where she can nurture the Catholic Faith in future generations. When she’s not in the classroom, you may find Mrs. Gartland volunteering at the Denver Zoo or enjoying time with her husband as they relish the activities of their ten grandchildren. Fun Facts: - Back in the day, Mrs. Gartland was a children’s dance instructor at Art Linkletter’s Hollywood-based Dance Studios in Denver. - Mrs. Gartland is an avid fly-fisherwoman.

Mrs. Heffern is a Colorado girl at heart! She grew up in Colorado Springs and attended Colorado State University where she received her degree in Technical Journalism with a minor in Marketing. After graduation, Mrs. Heffern spent 15 years in marketing and advertising in the casino industry. With the realization that casino life didn’t work well with family life and keeping up with two active boys, Mrs. Heffern transitioned to teaching. Fun Facts: - Mrs. Heffern’s most memorable teaching moment came one day when she brought her younger son to visit the classroom before his enrollment. Her older son happened to be in the class and both boys look very much alike. Mrs. Heffern introduced the younger boy and one of the students seemed very confused and concerned. With a wrinkled forehead, she asked, “How did you shrink your son?” - Mrs. Heffern was drawn to work at CK because she loves the family-like community and the strong values the children and families learn, believe, and follow. The core values of CK of Know, Love, Serve, Lead and Grow are creating a strong foundation for everyone involved to live by and thrive.

Mrs. Kopperud grew up in London, Ontario, Canada where she completed her undergraduate work. After graduation, she traveled to Australia for a year before moving to Montreal, Canada to earn her teaching degree. She has taught in Montreal, Calgary, and now CK. She moved to Denver in 1998 and is blessed with two grown children. Her two dogs and cat keep her company while she enjoys reading and watching ice hockey. Fun Facts: - Mrs. Kopperud’s favorite Colorado activity is watching hockey and skaters on Evergreen Lake - Mrs. Kopperud is an avid reader—she reads 8 books a month on average!

Mrs. Moran is a Denver native.  She grew up in Park Hill and attended Blessed Sacrament School and then Manual High School. She received her degree from St. Mary's College of California. Mrs. Moran has many hobbies but mostly she enjoys spending time with her family in the mountains either skiing or biking, depending on the season. Fun Facts: - “My family thinks I am a Master Chef, which is a surprise to me!” - Mrs. Moran’s most memorable moment in teaching was on her very first day of school: Her students were so scared but she was even more terrified!

Mrs. Rachel was born and raised in the Philippines and came to the United States in 1993, and became a U.S. Citizen in 2000. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of Detroit - Mercy and later received an Early Childhood Teacher certificate from the Community College of Denver. She and her husband have two children. Mrs. Rachel enjoys working with younger children and learning from them. “There is something magical about young children and their innocence.” Fun Facts: - Mrs. Rachel is from the Philippine Island where Ferdinand Magellan and “his” Spanish ship landed and discovered the Philippines on March 15, 1521. Her family still has a house there today. The island still does not have motor vehicles and only just started getting limited electricity in March of 2021. It can only be reached by boat. - Mrs. Rachel loves to go to Elitch’s – she especially likes the upside-down roller coaster.

Mrs. Sclove attended Catholic School at the Academy of the Sacred Heart in New Orleans, Louisiana from Preschool – 12th grade. She received a Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction with an emphasis in Early Childhood from the University of New Orleans. Mrs. S has been teaching, observing, and assessing in Preschool classrooms since 2001. She enjoys teaching in Catholic School because she loves fostering the love of learning and faith in the littlest hearts. Mrs. Sclove has one son, who is also a student at CK. Fun Facts: - Mrs. S’ most memorable teaching moments happen any time a student has an ‘Aha’ moment and with a big smile and says, “Look, Mrs. S, I did it!”.  It’s those joyful discoveries that make teaching priceless. - Mrs. S loves dancing, hiking, camping, skiing, gardening, and reading in a hammock by the lake.