Mr. Miklos Kis (Kish) – Principal

Mr. Kis earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Education from Cleveland State University.  He has a Master’s degree from Ashland University, and also holds a Superintendent license.  His education career spans 25 years, having previously taught in Fairview Park, Dalton, and Columbia Station.  Mr. Kis has been married to wife Cathy for 27 years.  They have six children: Sarah, Hannah, Justin, Meghan, Lauren, and Carrie.  They are a trained foster family, and have one dog.  In his spare time, Mr. Kis enjoys family trips, camping, boating, fishing, and hunting. 

Mrs. Amanda Kenney – Kindergarten

Mrs. Kenney graduated from Mt. Vernon Nazarene University in 2006.  She enjoys seeing her students’ growth and learning from the first day of school to the last day.  Mrs. Kenney got married in 2006.  Her husband’s name is Brandon.  She enjoys cooking, exercising, being with family, reading, and shopping.

Mrs. Tami Miller – Kindergarten

Mrs. Miller is certified to teach K-8 and holds a Master’s degree from Baldwin-Wallace College.  She finds teaching rewarding because she loves to see the educational growth in her students.  Mrs. Miller has been married for 19 years to husband Jeff.  She has two kids: Joy, who is attending Cuyahoga Community College, and Jeffrey, who is a senior in high school.  Mrs. Miller enjoys drawing and roller skating. 

Mr. Adam Bailey – Grade 1

Mr. Bailey graduated from Baldwin-Wallace College in 2006 with a B.S. in Education with a coaching minor.  He enjoys teaching because of the chance to develop meaningful relationships with his students and helping them to grow and develop as students.  Mr. Bailey's wife, Amanda, is a science teacher at Elyria Catholic High School. They have an orange tabby cat who runs their house named Rocky, and they have a lizard named Dr. Z.  Besides spending time with his wife, he loves to play and watch sports, especially basketball. Go Celtics!!

Miss Sarah Bockmuller –  Grade 1

Miss Bockmuller is a graduate of Baldwin-Wallace College with a B.S. in Early Childhood Education.  She enjoys the smiles and laugher she sees when children learn new things and make discoveries.  Miss Bockmuller's family includes her mom, dad, two older brothers, and a beagle named K.J.  She enjoys spending time with her family, water sports, snow skiing, snowmobiling, and camping. 

Mrs. Cheryl Johnston – Grade 1

Mrs. Johnston earned a B.A. and M.A. in Education from Baldwin-Wallace College. She is currently working on graduate coursework through Andrews University and Fresno Pacific University.  Her favorite thing about teaching is helping her students learn and grow.  Mrs. Johnston and her husband Darren have two daughters, Kaylee and Courtney.  She loves spending time with her family, walking, golfing, boating and shopping.  She spends much of her time off at the Zoo, Library and the Memphis Kiddie Park with her girls.

Mrs. Jeri Kratche – Grade 1

Mrs. Kratche first started teaching in 1988. She has previously taught in six other schools, in Maryland, Texas, Indiana, and Ohio.  Mrs. Kratche wanted to become a teacher because she loves seeing excitement in kids. She loves teaching at Applewood because it is challenging and fun at the same time.  When not at school, Mrs. Kratche enjoys spending time with her husband and four kids.

Mrs. Nancy Bierman – Grade 2

Mrs. Bierman earned a Bachelor’s degree from Malone College and a Master’s degree from Baldwin-Wallace College.  She enjoys teaching young children to read better and getting to know her students’ personalities.  Mrs. Bierman has two children: Jonathan, a graduate of Baldwin-Wallace College; and Jennifer, a senior at North Royalton High School.  She also has two dogs and one cat.  Mrs. Bierman enjoys shopping, walking, attending her children’s sporting and musical events, visiting Amish country, decorating, reading, and traveling. 

Ms. Debbie Crider – Grade 2

Ms. Crider has a Bachelor’s degree from Baldwin-Wallace College and a Master’s degree from Ashland University.  She says the most rewarding part of teaching is helping students accomplish the things they didn’t think they could do on their own.  Ms. Crider has two sons: Daniel and Luke. She enjoys running at Hinckley Park and playing basketball.

Mrs. Kathy Schlesinger – Grade 2

Mrs. Schlesinger holds a Bachelor’s degree from Ohio State University and a Master’s degree from Marygrove.  She enjoys working with and helping kids.  Her family includes her husband, Mark, who is a veterinarian; daughter Katie, a senior at Ohio State; and son, Kevin, a freshman at Bowling Green.  They also have two dogs.  Mrs. Schlesinger enjoys water and snow skiing, jet skiing, Jazzercise, decorating, and reading.

Mr. Matt Walker – Grade 2

Mr. Walker earned a B.S. from Baldwin-Wallace College.  He previously worked as a substitute teacher in Vermilion.  He finds teaching rewarding because he enjoys watching children grow and develop academically.  Mr. Walker’s family includes his parents, who live in Middletown, Ohio; and his older sister Melanie.  He enjoys golfing, watching sports, reading, and spending time with his girlfriend of four years, Kristin.

Ms. Connie Greiner – Grade 3

Ms. Greiner holds a B.A. and M.A. in Education from Baldwin-Wallace College.  She enjoys being a part of the excitement when a student achieves success.  Ms. Greiner has three wonderful daughters: Erika, 16; Allison, 13; and Nikki, 8.  When she is not taxi-ing her girls around, she loves to shop and read.

Mrs. Nancy Miller – Grade 3

Mrs. Miller earned a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Akron and went on to earn her Master’s degree.  She enjoys working with kids and watching their faces light up when they “get it.”  Mrs. Miller’s husband, Rick, is an air traffic controller.  She has two children: Holly, a sophomore at Kent State University; and Kyle, a junior at Buckeye High School.  Her family also includes a dog named Chance.  In her free time, Mrs. Miller loves to read and work in her yard.  She and her husband enjoy traveling and watching their children participating in sports at their schools. 

Mrs. Andrea Reppa – Grade 3

Mrs. Reppa has a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Akron and a Master’s degree from Marygrove.  She is working on a second Master’s in School Counseling.  She enjoys building relationships with her students and their families.  Mrs. Reppa has a husband named Mike, a son named Matthew, and a Black Lab named Karma.  She enjoys shopping, bike riding, and seeing movies. 

Miss Mary Beth Welling – Grade 3

Miss Welling holds a B.S. in Education from Baldwin-Wallace and a Master’s degree from Marygrove.  She previously taught at St. Ambrose School.  Miss Welling’s family includes her brother, who lives in Brunswick.  In her spare time, she enjoys reading, watching movies, going out to eat, listening to music, and baking.

Mrs. Angela Ebert – Grade 4

Mrs. Ebert graduated from Cleveland State University with a degree in Communications and returned to CSU to pursue her childhood dream of being a teacher.  Prior to coming to Applewood, she taught in Lakewood.  Mrs. Ebert says it is FABULOUS when she teaches a unit and then students come across it in "real life" and can say "Hey I know about that!" She also loves expanding their minds and seeing them accomplish something they may have never thought they could!  Mrs. Ebert and her husband, Frank, and live in Medina. They have two chubby cats, Smokey and Patches.  In her spare time, she likes spending time with family, reading, watching Grey's Anatomy, or chit chatting with a friend on the phone.

Mrs. Cindy Miller – Grade 4

Mrs. Miller has a Bachelor’s degree from Bowling Green State University and a Master’s in Spanish Literature from Kent.  She studied in Madrid, Spain for both degrees.  Mrs. Miller previously taught in Seven Hills for one year.  She has been married for 27 years to husband Jeff.  They have a Golden Retriever named Abby, who is a rescue dog.  Mrs. Miller loves to travel – her goal is to visit all 50 states, and she only has a few left!  She also likes swimming and golfing.  She recently scored her second hole-in-one!

Mrs. Emily Russell – Grade 4

Mrs. Russell graduated from Kent State with a Bachelor's degree in Middle Childhood Education with a science and language arts concentration. She also has a generalist and reading endorsement.  Mrs. Russell loves teaching because she can't wait to get her students excited about the content and about learning.  Her husband works as a substitute teacher as well as working at Discount Drug Mart.  In her spare time, she likes to spend time with her family, read, travel, and scrapbook.

Mr. Brad Dye – Grade 5

Mr. Dye attended Cleveland State University and graduated in 1999.  He previously taught in Strongsville and Cleveland.  Mr. Dye likes teaching because he likes being a positive influence on young people, and teaching them something they didn’t know before.  Mr. Dye and his wife, Jennifer, have identical twin daughters named Lindsey and Alyssa.  He enjoys boating, golfing, and outdoor activities. 

Mrs. Mary Kmiotek – Grade 5

Mrs. Kmiotek earned a Bachelor’s degree and Master’s degree from Cleveland State University.  She taught at Willetts Middle School before beginning her career at Applewood.  Mrs. Kmiotek loves teaching because she likes working with children and being part of their learning process.  She enjoys gardening and making jewelry.

Mrs. Joy Vinicky – Grade 5

Mrs. Vinicky graduated from Edinboro University with a Bachelor’s degree, and earned a Master’s degree from the University of Akron.  Previously, she taught at Willetts, in the Parma City Schools, and in North Carolina.  Mrs. Vinicky likes teaching because she enjoys watching children learn and grow academically.  She has a husband and two children: Kevin and Kristin.  The family has a Golden Retriever named Molly.  Mrs. Vinicky’s hobbies are reading, watching her son play baseball, and watching her daughter play soccer. 

Mrs. Bonnie Cremeans – Reading Intervention (3-5)

Mrs. Cremeans earned her Bachelor’s degree at Ohio State University and her Master’s degree at the University of Akron.  Mrs. Cremeans likes teaching because she likes watching the light bulb come on when students “get it.”  Her family includes her mom and her dog, Noah.  He is a Beagle/Lab/Shepherd mix.  In her spare time, Mrs. Cremeans likes reading, walking her dog, running, going to parks, and sitting in the sun. 

Ms. Amy Ginn – Reading Intervention (K-2)

Ms. Ginn has a B.A. in Mass-Media Communications from the University of Akron and an M.A. in Education from Baldwin-Wallace College.  Previously, she worked as a newspaper editor and a marketing associate.  Ms. Ginn loves her job because she enjoys making an impact on the lives and learning of her students.  She has a Jack Russell Terrier named Maggie who is quite a character!  Ms. Ginn’s interests include reading, seeing movies, going to theatre events, and shopping. 

Mrs. Marla Keith – LRC (3-4)

Mrs. Keith did her undergraduate studies at Northeast Missouri State University and earned her Master’s degree at Marygrove.  Prior to Applewood, she taught for two years at Willetts and five years in Missouri.  Mrs. Keith enjoys helping the students who are struggling.  When not at school, she enjoys spending time with her  husband and two children, Greg and Morganna.  Mrs. Keith’s hobbies include reading and cooking. 

Mrs. Eileen Thompson – LRC (K-2)

Mrs. Thompson has a B.S. in Education from Ohio University and a Master’s degree from the University of Akron.  She finds teaching rewarding because of the children she works with.  Watching them grow physically, emotionally, and academically is the best part of teaching for her.  Mrs. Thompson has four children – three of them married, and one who recently graduated college and began working.  She is the proud grandma of three wonderful little ones.  Mrs. Thompson’s hobbies include reading, traveling, walking, doing Jazzercise, and activities with her family and friends. 

Mrs. Amber Urda – LRC (5)

Mrs. Urda attended Edinboro University of Pennsylvania, graduating in 2005 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary and Special Education.  After graduation, she taught Head Start in Erie, PA.  Mrs. Urda also taught for the Cloverleaf School District as a long term intervention specialist substitute, as well as a reading intervention specialist.  What she likes best about teaching is when she sees a student understand a concept that they may have been struggling with, and she sees the excitement and pride they have for their accomplishment.  Mrs. Urda lives in Medina with her husband of one year, Brandon, and their cat Freckles.  In her spare time, she enjoys walking/hiking, reading, watching movies, and spending time with family and friends.

Ms. Elaine Carson – Vocal Music, Band, & Orchestra

Miss Carson has a Bachelor’s degree from Ohio Northern University and is currently pursuing a Master’s degree at the University of Akron.  Previously, she taught in Springfield, Ohio.  Miss Carson enjoys seeing students succeed and knowing that she has helped them reach a goal.  She hopes that her students will leave school with a greater understanding and appreciation of music.  She enjoys community theatre, participating in the Medina Community Band, and playing with her dog Vito. 

Mr. Paul Gerycz – Physical Education

Mr. Gerycz graduated with a B.S. from Malone College and an M.A. from Marygrove.  Prior to teaching at Applewood, he taught in Newcomerstown Schools.  Mr. Gerycz enjoys being able to work with every student at Applewood and is happy to have the chance to make a positive difference in each of their lives.  He coaches 7^th grade football and Varsity Girls Basketball.  Mr. Gerycz loves to fish and play golf, but his favorite thing to do is spend time with his family. 

Mr. Mallory Nixon – Art

Mr. Nixon graduated with a B.A. in Art Education from Bluffton college.  He earned an M.A.S.M. from Grace Theological Seminary in 2002.  He enjoys his work because he loves seeing kids excited about their artwork and challenging themselves to improve their skills.  Mr. Nixon’s family includes his wife, Chris; their son, Silas; one dog, and three cats.  His hobbies are scrapbooking, painting, and basketball. 

Mrs. Ashley Jurkowski – Guidance Counselor

Mrs. Jurkowski earned a Bachelor's degree from Bowling Green State University in Psychology and a Master's degree from the University of Akron in School Counseling.  She previously substitute taught for the Akron Pubic School District.  She enjoys her work because she likes being an always open resource for the kids and watching and helping them grow academically and socially.  Mrs. Jurkowski has been married to husband Steve for four years, and they have two children, Makenna and Carson.  Mrs. Jurkowski spends her free time with family and friends, reading and traveling.

Mrs. Nancy Ferraro – Speech Pathologist

Mrs. Ferraro received her undergraduate degree in English Literature at Miami University of Ohio, and her Master's degree from the University of Akron in Speech Pathology.  She travels between Crestview and Applewood to work with students.  She enjoys her job because she finds it a privilege to help kids be successful in school.  Mrs. Ferraro has two daughters: Julie is in her junior year in nursing at Kent State University and Christie is a senior in biomedical engineering at Illinois Institute of Technology.  In her spare time, she likes to hike, bike, camp, and do yoga.

Mrs. Karin Fischer-Donovan – School Psychologist

Mrs. Fischer-Donovan received a B.A. in Psychology from The Ohio State University.  She has an Education Specialist degree in School Psychology from Kent State University.  Prior to working in Brunswick, she worked in the Orange City School District.  Mrs. Fischer-Donovan loves working with teachers and parents to make a difference in children's lives.  She especially loves seeing the students with the most significant learning and behavioral problems make progress and experience success.  Mrs. Fischer-Donovan lives in Fairlawn with her husband and teenaged step-son.  They have a yellow lab named Maggie.   When not at school, she likes to go on long hikes in the park with her dog, and take her swimming!

Paraprofessionals:

Mrs. Mary Jo Swintek, Library

Mrs. Joanne Weidig, Secretary

Mrs. Leslie Fleece

Mrs. Michele Schmitt

Mrs. Angela Spencer

Cafeteria:

Mrs. Shirley Thompson - Manager

Mrs. Terry Lavelle

Mrs. Dawn Kloock

Custodians:

Mr. Tom Dustin - Site Manager

Mrs. Debra Jones

Mrs. Phyllis Hamrick