Meet the Staff
Cindy Zientak
Director
I am so excited to be part of Spring Meadows Academy! My husband Dave and I have two children, Jake (12) and Ava (7). I have an A.S. degree in Economics and a B.S. degree in Management. I discovered 10 years ago that what I love most is being with children so I decided to put my management skills to work managing a classroom full of preschoolers. I LOVE to teach and to be around preschool children. It is what I get excited about! It is a true blessing to share in the lives of each and every child. I want to help give them the skills necessary to go forward into kindergarten successfully, but even more important, I want to help give them a spiritual foundation on which to build the rest of their lives!
I grew up in Middle Tennessee and have lived in Mississippi and Michigan. I have taught preschool age children in various settings for more than 16 years , including several preschools and Sunday school. I also coordinate the Wednesday night children's program at Spring Meadows for the PreK through 5th grade and teach the Pre-K class on Sunday mornings.
Our first two years at SMA have been truly amazing! I can hardly wait to see what God has in store for us this year as we begin a new year with many new students!
Christy
Assistant Director
I am so looking forward to serving you and your children again this year at SMA!
We had a great year last year and are looking forward to getting to know many more new families this year! I love having the wonderful priviledge of getting to work with and know all of your precious children and each of our great teachers.
My husband Bruce and I have been married 13 years and have a son, Hayden (age 8). We moved to Spring Hill from Georgia almost 6 years age and love this community. Hayden will be in 3rd grade at Chapman's Retreat this year. We are active members of Fourth Avenue Church of Christ. When I am not doing "preschool" things, I enjoy spending time with my family and scrapbooking with my friends.
Becky
2 year olds
I am so excited to be a part of SMA for the third year! It is a wonderful place of your child to be. I love teaching the 2 year olds and watching them learn and grow. It is so fun to watch them experience new things every day. I have taught preschool in Nashville and have kept children in my home. I have also taught Sunday school for many years. I attended Tennessee Tech University in Cookeville and majored in education with an emphasis in music.
My husband and I moved to Thompsons Station area three years ago after living in Nashville for 27 years and we are members at Spring Meadows Church of Christ. We have two grown daughters, a wonderful son-in-law and two beautiful granddaughters. I enjoy scrapbooking, gardening and teaching piano in my home.
Kerry
2 year olds
My name is Kerry Dickerson and this will be my third year teaching the 2's with Becky at SMA. It is so much fun to watch how much these children grow each year. Becky and I love working together and working with your children. My husband, Darrin and I have two boys, Montana, a 5th grader and Dalton, a 2nd grader. They both attend Longview Elementary here in Spring Hill.
I graduated from Northwestern State University in 1997 with a B.S. degree in Business Administration. After working in the business world, I was blessed to be able to stay at home when my boys were born. I love being able to teach at SMA and still have time to spend with my family. I am looking forward to another great year with you and your children!
Tammy
3 year olds
My name is Tammy Leverette and I am married to my best friend, Danny. We have two amazing sons, Andrew and Anderson. Andrew is attending the University of Tennessee at Knoxville and Anderson is in 7th grade at Spring Station Middle School. We are members at Spring Meadows Church of Christ. When our children were young, I taught preschool as the lead teacher of three year olds for four years and after taking some time off, I decided to return to what I enjoy most - spending time with little children. This is my third year at SMA and I am looking forward to getting to know you and your little ones!
Laura
3 year olds
My name is Laura Tucker and I am so happy just to be a part of this amazing school! I love little ones - love to see them learn and grow. I love books, reading and early education. My husband and I just moved back to the Spring Hill area after spending the last year in Bristol, TN where we were temporarily transferred. We have two children - Luke (a 1st grader and SMA graduate) and Libby ,age 2, who is attending SMA. I am thrilled to back in Spring Hill with my friends and my church family at Spring Hill Church of Christ.
I graduated with a Bachelor's degree from Libscomb University and then received my Master's degree in Information Sciences (Library) from the University of Tennessee. I worked at Libscomb University and Goodpasture Christian School as a Librarian. I also taught the 2 year old class at Sunshine Day School in Franklin for 3 years. I am looking forward to a wonderful year with the 3 year old class. We are going to have an amazing year together!
Brandy
3 year olds
Angie
3 year olds
Hi! My name is Angie Cardwell. I have been a member at Spring Meadows for 3 years and have had the pleasure of visiting and being associated with the church for around 6 years. This will be my first year with Spring Meadows Academy. I am married and have two amazing children - Faith (7 years old) and Evan ( 6 years old). I have been blessed to be a stay at home mommy and now that they are both at school, I am looking forward to assisting the teachers here at SMA to help nurture and educate your children in such a loving Christian environment.
Cathy
3 year olds
My name is Cathy Graebe and I will be assisting in the 3 year old class at SMA this year. I love children! I enjoy reading to them, making them laugh, playing and teaching them. It is so rewarding watching them learn and grow. I know I will learn as much from them as they will from me!
I am married to Rob and we are members at Spring Meadows. Together, we have four grown children and four grandchildren. Until recently, I worked as a Dental Assistant at Maryland Farms Family Dentistry and continue to fill in there when needed. I also worked in Jackson, TN at a private school for 10 years. I am looking forward to bringing my experience and love of children to our classroom at SMA. My goal is to help teach and influence every child in our class in some way and just to have fun with them!
Emily
4 year olds
My name is Emily Heffington and I have taught the 4's at SMA since the school began three years ago. I love working with this age children and know that we are going to have another great year! My husband Stephen and I have two daughters - Jessica, a 6th grader and Ashley, a 3rd grader. They both attend Columbia Academy. We are members at Spring Meadows Church of Christ, where I am also a Bible class teacher and volunteer in various children's programs.
I graduated from Libscomb University with a degree in Office Management. I most enjoy managing a classroom full of students! I love to do arts and crafts and also love cooking with my children in class. When I am not working on my preschool curriculum, I am actively involved in many areas of my own children's school, including working with Girl Scouts, being a room mom and helping plan benefits and funraisers for school. I am excited about this school year and look forward to learning and growing with the children!
Kelly
4 year olds
Hello! My name is Kelly Estabrooks. I am so excited to begin another year at SMA. I truly enjoy working alongside the other teachers and I am looking forward to another great year in class. This year, I will be teaching my own classes all four days, after teaching and assisting last year.
I am married to Thomas and we have two boys, Parker a 10th grader and Mason, a 3rd grader. My family and I live in Spring Hill and have been active members at Spring Meadows since relocating from California in 2007. At Spring Meadows, I am involved in teaching Bible class, working with the youth at Bible camp and coordinating The Pantry Food Bank.
While living in California, I owned and operated a licensed home day car where I cared for 14 children, ages 6 weeks to five years. I was the primary caregiver for the children and I also developed my own curriculum for the 3-5 year olds under my care. I am happy to bring that past experience and my love of reading to the 4 year old class.
Linda
4 year olds
Denise
4 year olds
Hi! My name is Denise Dillingham and I am thrilled to be working as part of the SMA teaching team this year! This will be my first year at SMA and I am looking forward to a great year. My husband and I have one son, Will. He is two years old and will be at SMA this year. We are members at Spring Meadows Church and love working and worshipping here.
I graduated from Middle Tennessee State University in 2005 and worked in the banking industry until I was blessed to become a mommy in 2008. I am excited to use the experience I have in working with children in various capacities to help the children in our class grow and learn. We are going to have a fantastic year in the 4 year old class!!
Barbara (Bebe)
4 year olds
I'm so excited to begin my second year at SMA! After working in Pre-K last year, I am looking forward to being with the 4 year olds this year. As a member of Spring Meadows Church of Christ, I am very proud to have this school for our children and the community. It is such a blessing to teach children in a loving and biblical environment. My youngest grandson Dane will be at SMA again this year in Pre-K.
I have three grown children and four grandchildren. During the last 12 years, I have provided childcare for them in my home. I also have worked as an assistant teacher for older 3's in Franklin.
As an accomplished seamstress, I love crafting things and look forward to helping with all the crafts and projects in preschool. My other interests include reading and home decorating.
Kara
Pre-K
Welcome to Pre-k at SMA! I have a Bachelor's degree in Merchandising and Design with minors in Human Sciences and Marketing from MTSU. I also obtained a Masters in Organizational Management from Trevecca
University.
My husband Dave and I along with our two boys (Caston age 8 and Collin age 12) have lived in th Spring Hill area for many years. We are members of Spring Meadows Church of Christ. Prior to this we were members at Millview Church of Christ.
I am so excited about being a part of another great year at SMA. This is going to be an exciting year full of fun and learning together. I have LOVED co-teaching for the past nine years at both SMA and Sunshine Day School. It is wonderful to be part of this exciting time in the children's lives. I will miss working with Julie Beth this year (she is home taking care of her new sweet daughter) but I am thrilled to be able to work with Mandy and Amy. We already have lots of great plans and ideas for our Pre-K kiddos to make sure they are ready to make the transition into Kindergarten sucessfully!
Amy
Pre-K
My name is Amy Sumners and I live in Spring Hill with my husband Scott and 2 daughters, Julia and Ava. Julia is 6 and Ava is 4 years old. I have a degree in Psychology and a Master's Degree in School Counseling. I worked six years in an elementary school as the counselor in Maury County until Julia was born. I have been a stay at home mommy since then. I began working at SMA this past October two days a week and I love it! I look forward to a wonderful school year with your child!
Mandy
Pre-K
My name is Mandy Davis and I am so happy to be joining the PreK staff at SMA! I have a passion for teaching children and I believe in the necessity of instilling Christian values as early in a child's life as possible. My husband Chad and I have one daughter, Cortlynn. She is 2 years old and will be attending SMA this year. We are members at Heritage Church of Christ in Franklin.
I have a Bachelors degree in Mass Communications from MTSU and a Masters degree in Education from Libscomb University. Prior to working at SMA, I taught at Scales Elementary in Brentwood. I am excited to bring my teaching experience and love of preschool to the established program at SMA. I know we are going to have a fantastic year together!
Katie
Pre-K
I am so excited to be a part of SMA again this year! I will be working again this year with Elise. We both have a passion for developing curriculum and making learning fun in Pre-K! My husband James and I have two wonderful children, Devers (8) and Karson (6) who both attend Bethesda Elementary. We moved from Texas two years ago and love living in this area. We are members at Spring Meadows Chruch.
I have a bachelor's degree in Early Childhood from the University of Houston-Clear Lake in Texas. I have taught Kindergarten and 2nd grade for three years in a private school and Pre-K for three years. Teaching Pre-K is such a rewarding experience with many rewards! We are going to have an incredible year and I cannot wait to share it with your little ones!
Elise
Pre-K
I am so excited to be joining the staff at SMA again this year! My husband Jared and I have two incredible children - Parker (11) and Josie (8). Josie attends Longview Elementary and Parker is attending Columbia Academy. I was blessed to be work with Katie last year and worked as a substitute teacher the year before at SMA. I have also taught 2 year olds at another preschool in Franklin. I am thrilled to be returning to preschool and to be working again with Katie. I can't wait to meet the children in our class!
I have a bachelor's degree in Psychology with a minor in Family Life from Harding University in Searcy, Arkansas. I moved to Nashville from Memphis in 1995 after I graduated from Harding. I have lived in Spring Hill/Thompson's Station community for the past 13 years and have seen it grow by leaps and bounds. My husband and I have been blessed to be a part of the Spring Meadows congregation since the beginning of the church and we actively serve the Lord and Savior through Spring Meadows.
I love to play tennis, sew and be creative, as well as spending time with my precious friends and family.
Julie
Pre-K
I am so excited to be a part of SMA again this year! I love to teach and I love being part of such a wonderful preschool program. I have worked in a preschool both lead teaching and assisting for the last several years.
I also love teaching classes at Spring Meadows Church. My husband Keith and I have three wonderful children. John Austin is in 6th grade, AnnaGrace is in 4th grade and Ava Beth is a 1st grader. The girls are at Longview Elementary and John Austin is at Heritage Middle School. We have lived in Spring Hill for almost six years after moving here from the Memphis area.
I have my degree from Lipscomb University so being back in this area is great, with so many friends here. I am already enjoying working with Brooke and Lindsay - we all make a great Pre-K team together! I love working with the Pre-K kids and know that we will have a fantastic year together!
Brooke
Pre-K
I am so excited to be joining SMA this year! My husband, Seth, and I have four children. Baylee is in the 6th grade, Madison is in 4th grade, Kinsey is in 2nd grade, and Britton will be attending SMA in the 4 year old class. I am originally from Nashville, and we have lived in Thompsons Station for 8 years now. We are members at Spring Meadows and love it here!
I graduated from the University of Tennessee Knoxville with a degree in Business/Marketing. I am also a realtor here in Spring Hill, and I serve on both the PTO and PTA boards at the elementary and middle schools. My four kiddos keep me busy, and I love every minute of it. I love spending time with my family, going to the beach and watching some TN football!! GO VOLS!
Lindsay
Pre-K
I am so excited to be a part of SMA this year and teach your children! I love children and I have a great desire to teach young children and watch them learn and grow.
My husband Anthony and I have been married for 4 years and are blessed with two little girls, Josie (3) and Ellie (1). I have been a stay at home mom for the past two years and I have eagerly waited to get back into working with children. SMA is such a great place to be and I can't wait to be a part of it!
Coach Jason
P.E. & Assistant
(written by Cindy Z. because Coach Jason has trouble talking about himself. :) )
Jason Koch is our favorite P.E. teacher in the whole world! Just ask any SMA student and they will be quick to tell you that he is the best!
Jason has been a stay at home dad for the last several years after deciding that the business world just wasn't for him. He is supported in his role by his wonderful wife, Bridgette, and their two sweet kiddos. Cooper is a 2nd grader and Chloe is a Kindergartener at Allendale Elementary. Jason coaches his children's sports teams and plays an active role in all their activities. As our P.E. teacher, he works with the children on their physical developement skills (running, hopping, jumping, hand/eye coordination) and helps them develop their large motor skills through fun and active play each week. Most all of these activites are set to fun music (including Jason's favorite - Mother Goose Rocks!) Jason is also responsible for completing the Physical Development portion of our Spring Assessments, because at SMA, we believe a preschool education is about the whole growth of the child - academic, social/emotional and physical.
Jason will be with us at SMA full time this year. On the days he is not teaching P.E. classes, he will be working as a support staff member for all classes. He and his family are members at Spring Meadows Church, where he serves as deacon over Men's Involvement Activities. When he is not working, Jason loves to cook, work with the Back 40 Outreach ministry and spend time with his family. We are blessed to have him at SMA!
Diane
Assistant
My name is Diane Patterson and I feel privileged to be a part of such a wonderful preschool! This is my second year at SMA and I am looking forward to another year of watching the tremendous impact SMA and its families can have on our community. I have taught and worked with preschool children in Sunday and Wednesday night Bible classes for 15 years. Prior to coming to SMA, I taught preschool for 4 years in the 1 year old class and 4 year old class.
My husband Doug and I have two wonderful sons. Logan is in 2nd grade and Carson is a Kindergartener this year. We are members at Spring Meadows, where I also teach 2nd grade on Sundays and help with our Wednesday night children's program. I grew up in Columbia and graduated from David Libscomb University.
It is my job to assist every class in many different ways so I am able to get to know each and every child who attends SMA. I know it is going to be another great year here!