Our Staff
Nichole has worked in early education for over 15 years combined as an assistant teacher, teacher, an elementary school substitute, as well as an Early Interventionist working with children with special needs. She is now stepping into the Director Role at Small Oaks. She has her MS and BS in Psychology with a concentration on early childhood, and has been a Program Director for Adult Day Health Care Centers as well as a Social Work Assistant, she has worked with both children and adults with special needs and very much enjoys the Early Childhood Development environment.
Nichole and her husband, Zach, have two daughters. Their oldest is a middle schooler at Heritage Christian Academy and is active in sports and Drama, as well as music and playing the guitar. Their youngest daughter is a fourth grader at Heritage Christian Academy, and has a rare genetic disorder called SATB2 Associated Syndrome and loves to keep her family on their toes!
Mrs. Nichole loves to spend her spare time with her family, camping, reading and studying the Bible. She also volunteers as the Women’s Ministry Coordinator and loves to teach and take Bible Studies. She has been attending Dayspring Christian Church since moving to Colorado in 2013. Mrs. Nichole has a few favorite chapters in the Bible – Ephesians 6 and Romans 8 are among her top favorites!
Her favorite verse is John 17:17, “Sanctify them in the truth, for Your Word is Truth!”
Nichole and her husband, Zach, have two daughters. Their oldest is a middle schooler at Heritage Christian Academy and is active in sports and Drama, as well as music and playing the guitar. Their youngest daughter is a fourth grader at Heritage Christian Academy, and has a rare genetic disorder called SATB2 Associated Syndrome and loves to keep her family on their toes!
Mrs. Nichole loves to spend her spare time with her family, camping, reading and studying the Bible. She also volunteers as the Women’s Ministry Coordinator and loves to teach and take Bible Studies. She has been attending Dayspring Christian Church since moving to Colorado in 2013. Mrs. Nichole has a few favorite chapters in the Bible – Ephesians 6 and Romans 8 are among her top favorites!
Her favorite verse is John 17:17, “Sanctify them in the truth, for Your Word is Truth!”
After many years of teaching 3-5 year old’s at church, Miss Kara made the switch to Small Oaks Christian Preschool in 2022. She loves being a part of the early development and education the kids receive at Small Oaks. Her 2024 motto is, “intentional, but flexible!”
Kara and her husband, Joe, (both Colorado natives!) have two kids. Their son (a sophomore) plays soccer at the University of Northwestern St. Paul in Minnesota. Their daughter (the actress) is a senior at Heritage Christian Academy in Fort Collins.
In her spare time, Kara loves to read, play with her dog – Husker, and teach/discuss apologetics with her friends and the ladies at church. She has been a member of Dayspring Christian Church for 37 years and Joe is a worship leader here.
One of Miss Kara’s favorite Bible verses is 1 Peter 3:15, “but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence.” Her favorite verse for the teachers at Small Oaks is John 17:17, “Sanctify them in THE truth, for Your Word is truth!”
Mrs. Emily has been the Jr. K teacher since 2022. She has a bachelor’s degree in Human Development and Family Studies from CSU and worked in Child Care for a couple of years before having kids in 2013. She was the Director of Children’s Ministry at her church for 6 years before stepping down in May 2023 to spend more time with her family. Mrs Emily and her husband, Jeremy, have 4 children between the ages of 3 and 10, 3 boys and, her youngest, a girl. Her hands and heart are always full! Besides driving her children to their various activities she enjoys singing, Jazzercising and going to the movies (her husband works for the corporate office at Metropolitan theaters) in her spare time. Mrs. Emily has a huge heart for children and for the Lord and loves that she gets to combine those things at Small Oaks. Her favorite Bible verse is 1 Peter 2:9-10 “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.”
Her favorite Bible verse pertaining to Children is Matthew 19:14 but Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.”
Her favorite Bible verse pertaining to Children is Matthew 19:14 but Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.”
Miss Kristin has followed a roundabout path into the world of teaching tiny
humans. I first obtained a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Geological Engineering at
South Dakota School of Mines and Technology. Shortly before graduation, I married my
husband Brad and shortly after graduation we moved to Colorado. We have been
married for 24 years! I worked as an engineer before taking a harder job as a full time
stay at home mom of my two kids who are now a sophomore attending University of
South Dakota and a senior at Liberty Common High School. While staying home I
volunteered many hours running the nursery, teaching baby Sunday school class and
Wee Worship, and teaching 5/6 th grade Sunday school at Dayspring. I also spent many
hours volunteering in K-4 th grade classrooms at Liberty Common. This volunteering
eventually led to me subbing at Liberty and eventually because I wanted a set schedule,
teaching the 4/5s class at Small Oaks. I was lead teacher for this class for 6 years
before taking a year off to explore what it was like not getting sick so much, but I
missed the kids and those college bills just don’t stop coming so I am back and excited
to be the Assistant teacher in both the 4/5s and the 3/4s. I enjoy spending time with my
family, attending high school sporting events, visiting friends and family in the Black
Hills and crocheting.
One of my favorite verses is Proverbs 16:9, “The mind of man plans his way, But
the LORD directs his steps.” Maybe that path isn’t so roundabout after all!
Although this will be my first year assisting at Small Oaks, my family is not new to the school. We started attending Small Oaks in 2020 with our oldest son who is now 7 and I am excited to be alongside our youngest who is 4 (almost 5) in the Jr. K class this year! I am a Colorado native and I graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Business from The University of Northern Colorado. From there, I worked in Finance until the birth of our second child when I made the decision to be a stay at home mom. Since then I have developed many hobbies that are required of a boy mom such as frog hunting, bike riding, and playing every sport imaginable. I have also been providing In-Home Childcare for the last 2 years and running a small custom cookie business. My walk with the Lord started long ago but has grown to a new level as I watched my children learn about the Bible and about Gods Love. I am so grateful that my children’s first experience with school has been Christ centered and rooted in the Bible. I am very blessed to now be a part of the Small Oaks staff and to be able to foster the Love of Christ in his precious children. My favorite verse is Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. “
The verse that I will keep close to my heart while assisting at Small Oaks is Proverbs 22:6 “Start children on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it.”