Teaching Staff

Natalie Adam
Elementary Variety Teacher and Secondary Coordinator

My name is Natalie Adam. Teaching is an absolute passion of mine and it is my desire to instill a love for learning in my students.  I am passionate about the subjects I teach and I believe in being a life-long learner. 

I taught 2nd, 3rd, and 5th grade for eight years in Phoenix before moving to Morocco in 2007. We lived there for 10 years and learned to love the culture and people there. 

We first discovered homeschooling in Africa when our kids were enrolled in both a French-Arabic public school and homeschooled with my husband and I in English.  Since then, we have loved homeschooling our two boys, Caleb and Joshua, who also attend Everest Point.  

In my free time, I enjoy hanging out at the soccer fields with my boys, cooking, reading, and playing games. 

 

Hannah Fassett
First Grade and Kid Town Teacher

My name is Hannah Fassett, and I am thrilled to be teaching First Grade at Everest Point Homeschool Academy. I grew up in southern Indiana, where I then attended Ball State University and earned my degree in Elementary Education. I moved to Colorado in 2005, and now live in Thornton with my husband Tim, and my two kids, Zoey who is 6 and Wyatt who is 3. I taught First Grade for 10 years before taking a couple of years off to be home with my kids. I am so excited to be back in the classroom, doing what I love which is teaching first graders! It makes me so happy to see the growth my students make each year both academically and socially! My goal is to create a happy and safe learning environment where my students can thrive and have fun! In my spare time, I love to be with my family and friends and enjoy our beautiful state of Colorado!

 

Karen Garlick
Kindergarten and Ameritown Teacher

Hello, my name is Karen Garlick.  I’m a Colorado native and have been married to my husband, Larry, for 31 years.  I’m a mother of four and grandmother of three.  I taught second grade in the public schools before homeschooling all four of my boys through high school.  I am passionate about homeschooling and I’m excited to partner with parents on this journey.  I believe in fun, hands-on learning, and I’m thrilled to be teaching Kindergarten and Ameritowne at Everst Point!  In my spare time I like to read, walk, and spend time with family and friends, especially my three precious grandchildren!

 

Ashley Given
Music Teacher

Hello! My name is Ashley Given and I am thrilled to be joining the Everest Point team. I'm a Colorado native living in Denver with my adorable dog Bubbles. I have been passionate about music and performing arts my entire life and earned my BA in Stage Management from Pace University in NYC. Since college, I have pursued teaching through substituting, tutoring, and as a church youth director. I believe we never stop learning and I like to bring enthusiasm and exploration to every lesson. When I'm not encouraging students to be their best selves, I enjoy reading, playing piano, singing, improv, walking and cuddling my dog, crafts, and listening to history or literature podcasts. I can't wait to make music together!

 

Kim Johnson
Sports and Games Teacher

Hi! My name is Kim Johnson and I am Everest Point’s Sports and Games teacher. I am incredibly excited to be teaching children about movement, sports, cooperative and competitive games, teamwork and sportsmanship! I have been involved with physical fitness, exercise and sports my entire life and am a huge proponent of the need for movement to have a quality mental/emotional/physical life, and that all 3 are imperative to overall health. My love for physical movement began in California until age 8, when my father moved my family to beautiful Colorado. While running and weight-training regularly, I graduated Phi Beta Kappa from CU, Boulder, with a B.A. in Psychology, and pursued physical fitness and kinesiology throughout my studies. In addition to working at EP, I am currently in love with homeschooling my two daughters, hiking, paddleboarding, camping, Bible Study, walking my 2 big dogs and playing volleyball any chance I get.

 

Suzanna Kelley
Elementary Teacher

My name is Mrs. Suzanne Kelley.  I have been married for 10 years to my favorite person, Dennis.  I am a Colorado native who enjoys being outside doing things like hiking, biking, gardening, and camping.

I graduated from CSU with a major in Arts and Humanities and a minor in Spanish. Later, I went to UNC for their graduate Teacher Certification Program.

I have been an elementary classroom teacher for nearly 25 years, mostly in Brighton 27J School District.  I love kids!  I love to learn! I love the culture of Everest Point and I feel honored to be a Yeti!   

 

Kalei Kocher
Cooking Teacher

Hello Everest Point famlies! My name is Kalei Kocher. I was born and raised in Hawaii. I moved to the mainland to attend college in Oklahoma, where I earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education. I did ½ a year in 2nd Grade & then moved to teaching 4th grade for 7 years. My husband Rylan, accepted a job that moved us which gave me the opportunity to stay at home with my oldest two children (Alohi & Po’okela). During that time we traveled a lot with Rylan’s job, where we met a few homeschool families. That’s when we decided homeschooling would allow us to stay together as a family. Since then we have been homeschooling for going on 6 years. I love homeschooling, but the classroom teacher in me misses the collaborative learning aspect of the classroom. Everest Point is a dream job because our family can continue homeschooling and I get to get back into the classroom for all the extra learning that can happen in group settings. 

 

Leigh Moore M.A.
Language Arts Teacher

I am a Colorado native who was raised in Texas and finally made it back home five years ago. My husband, Brendon, and I have four children, and we love to take road trips, go camping, and watch movies together.

I graduated with a degree in English from Texas A&M University. After completing my M.A. at Baylor University, I taught composition classes there for the next eleven years. I've also homeschooled my own children since our oldest began kindergarten in 2008. We thought we would "try it out" for one year, but have never looked back since!

I am passionate about reading good books and teaching effective writing skills, and I truly love serving the families of Everest Point!

 

Julie Porter
Variety Teacher

Hi, my name is Julie Porter.  I earned my bachelor's degree from Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah.  I started my career in a 1st grade classroom in 2006 in Santa Clara, Utah.  I taught for several years before taking time off to start a family.  I spent the last 15 years chasing my 4 littles around and learning so much from them.  Now I am ready to get back into the classroom.  I am so blessed to be at Everest Point and feel that it is the perfect place for me to re-enter the teaching world.  I really enjoy getting my hands dirty in the garden and experimenting with sourdough bread. 

 

Dawn Redden
Kindergarten and First Grade Educational Assistant

Hello, I am so excited to be a part of Everest Point!  I am a homeschool mom of 3 grown children and grandma to 2 yr old William.  I homeschooled my children all the way through HS.  I worked as a Kindergarten Educational Assistant with another enrichment program for nearly 7 years.  I love this age group.  I get a lot of enjoyment from watching the children's progress from the beginning of the school year to the end of the school year. 

 I was born in South Dakota but have been in Colorado since I was 18.  I have been married to my amazing husband for 35 years and look forward to many more.   In my spare time I like to read, sew, machine embroider and spend time exploring thrift shops with my husband.  My favorite Bible verse: "Trust in the Lord with all your heart. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight." Proverbs 3:5-6.

 

Ashley Reid
Science and Math Teacher

Hello! My name is Ashley Reid, and I am so happy to be teaching at Everest Point again this year! 

I have a bachelor's degree in Chemistry from Colorado Mesa University and am passionate about all things science and math. I absolutely love learning and hope to share my fascination with the world around me with my students.

I have been homeschooling for six years, and my three amazing children also attend Everest Point. We all love the staff and students here - the homeschooling community is the best!

In my free time I enjoy spending time with friends, doing anything outdoors, swimming, jogging, playing games with my kids, teaching children’s church, reading, and gardening. 

 

Jim Rittenhouse
History Teacher

Mr. Jim Rittenhouse has a BA in Political Science with minors in math and English, with more than 60 post-graduate hours. He has been teaching for 30 years in public schools and homeschool enrichment programs.   

Mr. Rittenhouse’s involvement for the National Endowment for the Humanities has included: working with grant assessment, facilitating in special programs, co-presenting a workshop at the state convention with the NEH Director of Education, and attending numerous workshops. He also served as Director of the NEH-funded program for teachers called The New Great Plains: A Colorado Perspective.

Mr. Rittenhouse has given over 15 years to non-profit work, including serving on the Board of Yuma County Economic Development Corporation, the Board of Idalia Vision Foundation (a community development 501 c 3), Adviser for Idalia Youth in Community Service (a student-run non-profit), various boards of El Pomar Foundation, East Yuma County Telecommunications Committee, Vision Foundation Medical Clinic Committee, and others.

When not working with the humanities, Mr. Rittenhouse enjoys coaching baseball, girls basketball, strength training, and track. He has been a journeyman electrician for 30 years. Above all, nothing is more important to him than his wife of many years and his four grown children.

Jeanine Roybal
ASL Teacher

Hello, I’m Jeanine Roybal! With over 30 years of experience working with the Deaf and Hard of Hearing communities, I’ve worn many hats—from mental health to education and beyond. Now, as an ASL, Outdoor Survival Skills, and Games teacher, I’ve found my retirement calling. My classroom is a safe space for everyone, where we learn, make mistakes, and bounce back stronger. Through critical thinking, cognitive awareness, and a touch of fun, I help students grow academically and socially.

As a single parent, I raised four boys—one of whom is adopted and deaf. I’ve also been involved in founding the Rocky Mountain Deaf School and advocating for the Deaf Child’s Bill of Rights. Beyond that, I’m a first responder, passionate about family, spirituality, and community education.

In my spare time, you’ll find me gardening, hunting, canning, and embracing old-school home economics. I’m an “eat dessert first” kind of person, a comic con volunteer, and an enthusiast for all things games.