Our Crew

My name is Avery Coats and I am honored to join your community as Head of School at Wellspring Catholic Academy. I was first drawn to the history of this school. It is an incredible story of perseverance, loyalty, and dedication to the greater community of St. Bernadette’s. Pope Benedict XVI explains that the goal of Catholic education is to “encounter the living God who in Jesus Christ reveals his transforming love and truth.” This is already present in this community through its courageous example of following God’s will leading to a thriving school and community. As Head of School, I commit to each of you to continue to build upon the strong foundation that has been laid and to remain close to Christ so that our youth have endless opportunities to encounter the living God.
I am a native west Texan from El Paso and moved to Colorado in 2007 where I received my BA at CU Boulder. I worked with adults with developmental disabilities for a time as well as in parish development before gaining my MA in Special Education at CU Denver. Needless to say, my blood runs black and gold! I have been fortunate to gain a wide variety of experience in my short career teaching all ages, learning the intricacies of behavior analysis, and later moving towards school administration. The latter being in Pittsburgh, PA for a few years. I am extremely excited and humbled by this opportunity and look forward to my own continued growth as I have so much to learn from all of you.

Outside the classroom, I am a wife and mother of two beautiful girls. We are often outside enjoying gardening, playing with our chickens, hiking, walking, and of course, the frequent dance party. I am a certified Pietra Fitness instructor which is a Catholic fitness program and teach classes in my free time. Last but certainly not least, I am extremely passionate about all things food and am often cooking, baking, and eating!

Hello! I am so excited to join the Wellspring Crew this year as the Assistant Principal! My name is Katie Kleczek (pronounced Clay- check, like paycheck 🙂 I am from Illinois but have been in Colorado many years and am so happy to be here- I love hiking, the outdoors and just exploring our beautiful state. I am a mom to 2 little boys that are the highlight of my life and my husband and I enjoy doing yardwork, cooking and taking the boys on adventures in our free time.

Before coming to Wellspring I was a Middle School History teacher for Aurora Public Schools and spent 10 years in Catholic schools before that. I can honestly say education is my passion and my vocation- the common thread in my life amidst travel, moves and life changes. I lived and taught English at a vocational high school in Italy for four years which was a wonderful adventure that taught me so much - especially the love of life, food, and the Italian culture and language. While I was in Italy, I completed my PhD in education, focusing on English as a second language. I am so excited to make the shift from teaching to administration to serve the Wellspring community families, teachers, staff and students.

From my time at Wellspring so far, I can confidently say it is a very special and welcoming community that I am so privileged to be a part of this year!

Hello – my name is Melissa English, and I am grateful for the opportunity to join the Wellspring Crew this year. I am both a supporter and product of Catholic education here in the Archdiocese of Denver. My teaching experience spans from children ages 2.5 to 19 years old, but my heart resides in preschool classrooms. Truly educating the whole child necessitates teaching them who they are- a child our Lord created to be in relationship with Him and others, someone who is inherently good and valuable. In partnership with Ms. Luna, teaching this is my goal for Wellspring’s youngest ones.

A little bit about me: I have three brothers, two older, one younger. I was born in Toronto, Canada and grew up in Duarte, California (northeast of Los Angeles) then in Littleton, Colorado. My alma mater is the College of St. Benedict and St. John’s University in Minnesota, and my post-bachelor’s secondary education and ECE studies took place at Metro State University of Denver and Red Rocks Community College respectively. My husband and I live in Denver amidst a great quantity of houseplants, and I enjoy dancing, eating, naps, tempranillo wine, and hot milk tea not necessarily in that order.
Thank you, Wellspring Crew and parents, for welcoming me so warmly into your community!

Hello my name is Melissa De La Cruz. I was born in Tucson Arizona and brought to Denver when I was a few months old. I was raised in Colorado. My parents always encouraged my two brothers and I to explore our roots that originate from Zacatecas and Sinaloa Mexico. I am the oldest only girl of 3, two little brothers Rafa and Marco. I am a very proud Latina and love and enjoy our Mexican culture. I have an extensive background in early childhood education. I have worked with Catholic Charities in Head Start, St. Francis de Sales preschool, and Primrose School in Lone Tree. I am excited to be a part of Wellspring Catholic Academy at St. Bernadette as the Operations Manager/Admission Director. I have 4 beautiful children who attend Wellspring and they absolutely love the culture, environment, and teachings that they receive. In my spare time I like to enjoy time with my husband Antonio, kids Antonio 12, Jazlyne 9, Ezra 5, and Maddison 4, and Jack our 5 year old Pomerainin. I love music and along with that to sing and dance! I enjoy fashion and bringing out people's creativity with it. Nature is my go to when I need time alone. I love the colors that God creates within the earth, although I must agree the more pink the better! I am very excited to be a part of Wellspring Catholic Academy and hope to support many families in the companionship of God and his love!

Greetings! My name is Chad Harman, and I am beyond excited to be coming on this year as the Physical Education Teacher & Adventure Coordinator. I have taught for 15 years, 13 of those (as PE Teacher) at another K-8 EL (outdoor adventure focused) school in Denver. I have a BA in Kinesiology with an emphasis in Outdoor Physical Education and K-12 licensure from the University of Northern Colorado. I grew up in Denver, graduated from North High School, and then spent 3 years in the Army before getting serious about college and my teaching program at UNC. I’m married (almost 26 years) with two young adult children, and my interests and passions are all things movement and outdoor adventure. I love building those independent skills and interests in others, especially young people. I look forward to meeting with, working alongside, and getting to know all of you!

I’m Mr. K.! I was born and raised in the mountains of Colorado, skiing, fishing, hunting and playing sports. I attended CU-Boulder (Economics) and CU-Denver (MBA). After a long career in finance and real estate, I decided it was time to switch gears and give back to my community and faith. My children have attended and thrived in Catholic schools so I am a big believer in the combination of Faith and Education. I also occasionally coached in the Catholic Schools Athletic League.

I am a proud husband and father of 2 girls now attending Mullen High School. My main passion spending time with my family and our dog Mr. Peabody, although I will find some time for sports, cribbage and hopefully some more fly fishing.

I am thrilled to have the opportunity to join Wellspring Academy and thank you for entrusting your children to us.

Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it. – Proverbs 22:6

My name is Ellen Kail, and I teach our combined Kindergarten/1st grade class at Wellspring Catholic Academy. I have been a teacher for over 20 years, teaching in EL schools for the past 6. As a teacher, I love EL because it empowers me to bring best teaching practices into the classroom such that each child becomes an active participant in and leader of their own learning – at the end of the year, students leave my classroom excited about learning and loving Jesus! My love of teaching is evident when you step into my classroom, where I ensure that every child feels welcomed, encouraged, challenged, understood, and loved. My goal is for each child to

I am a proud mother of three, and I believe my role as mother and teacher is a calling and gift from God. I have always striven to be the type of teacher that I would want my own children to have. Before joining the Wellspring crew, I taught in Catholic schools in New Orleans, Connecticut, Denver, and Queens, NewYork – my hometown. I am so excited to be a part of the Wellspring Catholic Academy & St. Bernadette Parish community!

Ahoy! My name is Candice Metz, and I am the second/third grade teacher at Wellspring Catholic Academy of St. Bernadette. I graduated from Colorado State University, with a bachelor’s degree in Human Development and Family Studies. I spent ten years, teaching in Early Childhood Education where I developed a love and passion for teaching. I eventually received my master’sdegree in Special Education from Grand Canyon University.

I am a Colorado Native, and a blessed mother of two wonderful children. My oldest child Preston is a sophomore in High School, and my lovely daughter Lilli is entering Middle School. Both my kids love playing and watching basketball, so a lot of my time is spent at their basketball games. In my free time I enjoy hiking, swimming, and sporting events (especially cheering on the Denver Nuggets). I am ecstatic to be part of the Wellspring Crew and grateful to be part of this community!

My name is Tom Thomason. Yes, that really is my name and last name. I am thrilled to be a Crew member at Wellspring Catholic Academy! I sincerely believe that any child can be a lifelong learner. As a paraprofessional I am blessed to be involved in several aspects of the Wellspring learning experience.

My philosophy is that education is a two way street. That all teachers are taught by the students, as much if not more than the other way around. I have been involved in Education for over 30 years. I have a Master’s in Elementary Education from

Metropolitan State University. My undergrad degree is in Communications from Regis University.

“Mistakes are the portals of discovery”-James Joyce

So let’s make some mistakes together.

God has blessed me with a wonderful wife and four children. JohnPaul our high school student at Our Lady of Victory. Zöe Bernadette our baby in Heaven. Kateri our daughter in third grade, and Josephine our preschooler. My wife and I are blessed to be able to work for the Catholic Church.
I look forward to following God’s will as I serve at Wellspring.

Hi, I’m Reilly DeMara! I am from Mesa, AZ and just graduated from Hillsdale College in Hillsdale, MI where I studied Economics and Rhetoric. I began to consider teaching when I realized I often found the most joy serving in the CGS level 1 atrium. Aside from learning, I love to stay active. I am super passionate about incorporating Christ into fitness and nutrition. At Wellspring, I hope to create a classroom where students can grow in both their excitement to learn and their love for the Lord. I am so excited to serve as the 4th/5th grade teacher this year!

I’m Rachel Tishkoff! I was born and raised in Ann Arbor, Michigan, but I love my new life out west! I graduated from Hope College in Holland Michigan in 2020 where I studied Elementary Education, Early Childhood Education, and Spanish, so I speak both English & Spanish. I recently worked as a paraprofessional at Annunciation Catholic School through the Colorado Vincentian Volunteer program, as well as a virtual creative writing teacher for Midtown Educational Foundation in Chicago. I love reading, spending time outdoors, traveling, volunteering, and Jesus, and I am excited to share all of these passions with my students. I am so happy to join the Wellspring CREW!

Hello! My name is Sarah Logue, and I am excited to join Wellspring as a lead preschool teacher! I graduated from CSU with a Bachelor's Degree in Business and a Bachelor's Degree in Human Development and Family Studies. I also have a Master's in Elementary Education from Colorado Mesa University and about 2.5 years of teaching experience, ranging from 2-year-olds to 11-year-olds. I love spending time outdoors hiking and paddle boarding, especially with my family. I also love reading!

Hi! I am originally from the Midwest and received my undergraduate and graduate degrees from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. I also spent a short time in Spain after college. I have been living in Denver for 24 years. I am married to Robert and we have had 19 years of marriage and 21 years of friendship. We have one child, Brandon, age 8. Before joining Wellspring, I worked for a year for Volunteers of America for a senior program, 3 years for Jeffco Schools as a health screener, and 15 years at RMHS as a case manager in different roles working with the intellectually challenged including those with traumatic brain injuries, veterans, and persons with developmental delays. Some fun facts about me: I love to Zumba, go bike riding, reading fiction and non-fiction, and my favorite medium is powdered graphite art. I used to travel all over the state for family education seminars so I know a lot of quirky, fun places in Colorado. In my free time I like hanging out with my family or gardening. I look forward to meeting families and the students!

Hello my name is Steve Carlson. I am a Colorado native and I grew up in the Catholic school system, attending grade school at All Saints and Mullen for high school. I played and coached sports in the Catholic grade schools as well as the Catholic Youth programs, and club sports. I love to travel, scuba dive and play golf. I firmly believe that there are things that can be learned by playing sports that cannot be learned in a classroom.

I am very excited to be part of the Wellspring community and look forward to working with the coaches and student athletes!