Mrs. Jankowski attended Inter-American School in Quetzaltenango, Guatemala from 3rd grade to 12th grade. Quetzaltenango is a beautiful city nestled between mountains in Guatemala. Mrs. Jankowski went to Concordia University in Seward, Nebraska to pursue a teaching degree. She graduated in 2000 and has been educating children ever since. She started her teaching career at Abiding Savior Lutheran School in Lake Forest, California. In 2007, she was called to serve as an assistant principal and teacher at Emmanuel Lutheran Church and School which is located in the western part of North Carolina. In 2012 she received a Masters in Educational Leadership at Concordia University, Portland.  In 2013, she began serving at Hope Lutheran and Christian School in Levittown, PA as their principal and teacher. She has been teaching in Lutheran schools since 2000 and in 2015 began her work as principal at Hope Lutheran School Shawnee, KS.

“Train a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.” – Proverbs 22:6

Meghan joined the staff of Hope Lutheran in April of 2019.  She attended Missouri Western University with a degree in Chemistry.  Before coming to Hope, she worked in cardiology management at KU.  She is married to Brent Adams and has two children, Sarah who attends Hope Lutheran School; Claire is a Hope graduate.  She enjoys gardening, board games, and watching movies.  She is a member of Hope Lutheran Church.

Mrs. Ochoa is  excited to become a part of Hope Lutheran School as our kindergarten teacher.  She received her Bachelors in Elementary Education from University Missouri Kansas City (U.M.K.C) and a Master in Teaching English to Students of Other Languages (T.E.S.O.L.) from Kansas University (K.U.). She was born in Donna, Texas to a very large family of seven girls and four boys. She is fluent in Spanish. She has three adult children and five grandchildren and a little dog named Teddy. She has been married to Jeff Curry for one year and four months.  She enjoys sewing, and spending time in her vegetable garden and tending to all the flower gardens.  She has taught kindergarten for 15 years in the public school system. Her passion is teaching little minds and watching them grow into confident learners. She is excited to be able to share my love of God with her students.

Miss Hannah Christian graduated from Concordia University Irvine with a bachelor’s degree in Liberal Studies and an emphasis in Lutheran Elementary Education in 2022. She grew up in Golden, Colorado and was homeschooled with her two brothers. She was baptized and confirmed in the Lutheran faith. She realized her passion for Lutheran education in college. Her favorite subject to teach is religion so her students can learn about what Jesus has done for them. She enjoys reading, knitting, painting, singing, baking, and walking outside. Miss Christian is excited to teach first grade at Hope!

Miss Kayla Ernstmeyer graduated from Concordia University in Seward, Nebraska with her Elementary Education degree with an endorsement in Early Childhood Education. She was born and raised in Lincoln, Nebraska with two younger sisters. She attended Lutheran schools growing up and the love of Christ that her teachers demonstrated every day is something that inspired her to also become a teacher. Kayla is looking forward to how God will use her to shape the lives of the next generation and for a new adventure in the Kansas City area.

Margie Krzesinski has been at Hope since 1985, teaching first and second grades as combined and single grade classes. She received her Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from Concordia University, Seward, NE. Margie has been active the youth groups, VBS, Sunday School and Mid-week programs at Hope. She has enjoyed LWML, singing in choir and playing handbells. Margie and her husband, Ed, and their daughters, Bethany and Michaela, have enjoyed the family atmosphere at Hope. Beth and Micki are both Hope alumni and have kept ties with Hope classmates through high school and college. Besides enjoying time with family, Margie also enjoys walking, reading, and finding projects on Pinterest when she has time.

“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.” Jeremiah 29:ll

Miss Miranda Mondary is Hope’s fourth grade teacher. She has been at Hope since 2017.  Miranda previously taught at Christ Lutheran Church and School in Murray, Utah, where she was their third and fourth grade teacher. She attended Concordia University in Portland, Oregon receiving her degree in Elementary/Early Childhood Education with a minor in Professional Church Work and graduated in April 2016. Miranda was born into the Lutheran Church and has always had a strong connection with the church. She is excited to teach the Word of God and continue her ministry at Hope Lutheran.

Mrs. Janet Begley has 34 years of teaching experience in Lutheran grade schools and has a Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education from Concordia University in Seward, Nebraska and a Master’s Degree in Curriculum and Instruction from William Woods University in Fulton, Missouri. In her years of experience she has taught grades 2, 3, 4, and 5 in single-grade and in combined-grade classrooms. She is married to Simon Begley who is retired from MoDOT. Their daughter Erica is married to Eric, and they have a nearly three-year old daughter named Brynn. Erica is a K-5 art teacher, and Eric is an elementary school principal and highschool boys basketball coach. Janet and Simon’s son Aaron is a civil engineer in Kansas City and will be married this coming November to Amanda who is a medical speech pathologist and endoscopist.

Janet’s mother and father, Harold and Dorothy Schimke, sister JoAn Markworth, and two sisters-in-law were graduates of Concordia University in Seward, Nebraska. Janet has three brothers and three sisters. Faith and Family have always been central in Janet’s life, and she enjoys spending time with her family whenever possible! Her hobbies include baking, reading, family time, and being a Nana to Brynn!

God has blessed Janet over the years with many students and their families who are now her extended family! She looks forward to teaching 5th grade for Hope and getting to know and making connections with the church and school family!

“And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” – Romans 8:28

Kristi Schkade is excited to join the staff at Hope after 24 years of teaching in MN, IL, MO, and NE. She grew up on a cattle, hog, and crop farm in eastern Nebraska with her parents, brother, and sister. At Concordia in Seward, she received a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education degree with an English concentration, a music minor, and a Lutheran Teacher’s diploma. Mrs. Schkade is especially passionate about teaching the Bible, fostering students’ faith lives, and sharing her love of reading and the English language. She joyfully celebrates odd holidays, such as Elephant Appreciation Day, Chocolate-Covered Anything Day, and Awkward Moments Day, so students need to keep an eye on her special calendar. Kristi will be bringing two daughters to Hope, one in 4th grade and one in her own class, 6th! She enjoys traveling, playing board games, watching movies, and taking long walks with her favorite children’s author and husband of 23 years, Jonathan. You can often find Kristi reading, singing, and biking, though not necessarily at the same time!
“But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions – it is by grace you have been saved.” Ephesians 2:4-5

Sarah Eckhoff joined Hope’s middle school staff in 2020.  She received her Bachelor in Communications from Central Methodist College in Fayette, Missouri, completed her teaching certification for Instrumental Music from Central Missouri State University, and earned a Master in Education from William Woods University in Fulton, Missouri.  Mrs. Eckhoff’s teaching experience in public schools includes 5 years of middle/high school Band, 2 years as an elementary Paraprofessional, and 2 years of elementary music.  Most recently she has been teaching at Messiah Lutheran School in Independence, Missouri where she taught Kindergarten for 3 years and combined 4th/5th Grades for 1 year.  She was born and raised on the Missouri side of Kansas City, has been married to her husband, Eric, for 21 years, and has three children—all who attend Hope.  In addition to teaching, Mrs. Eckhoff is actively involved at Ascension Lutheran Church in Kansas City, Missouri, serving on the Board of Education, playing in the handbell choir, teaching adult Bible classes, reading scripture during services, and providing trumpet music on special occasions.

Roberta has been at Hope since 1994, she taught seventh grade, math, science, and PE from 1994 – 2000. In 2001, she transition to part-time and continued her work in establishing the PE program at Hope. Roberta has been the athletic director at Hope. She received a BS in Kinesiology in 1989 from The University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign and her Lutheran Teacher Diploma and Certification in 1994 from Concordia, River Forest. In 1998, she completed her MA in Curriculum and Instruction from Concordia, River Forest. Roberta and her husband, Dale, are blessed with two children, Caleb and Emma.

“When pride comes, then comes disgrace but with humility comes wisdom.” Proverbs 11:2

Cynthia has been a practicing artist for over 20 years. She did not begin drawing until she was in college. She took a drawing class to help with her composition for her black and white photography that she had been interested in since high school. When she discovered that she could draw, she left photography behind and began to explore the world of fine art through painting and drawing. Cynthia’s career began with painting murals and everything else in the model homes that the Interior Design firm that she worked for in Denver, Co. Her first degree is in Interior Design, her second is in Visual Arts. She moved back to the Kansas City area in 1997. She has had 3 solo art shows and has illustrated several books. She was approached by Andover eCademy and asked to develop and teach 3 high school art classes including Drawing, Painting, and an Elements of Art class. She is passionate about art and art history. Cynthia is married (25 years this year), has 4 children, who home school virtually from ages 7 to 16 years old, and a teeny tiny dog named Winnie. When she is not teaching art or her own children, she volunteers with Wyandotte County 4-H Shooting Sports as a Coordinator. All 4 of her children are involved in the project, which is year round, because of the many different disciplines available. Cynthia has been sharing her love and passion for art with the Hope Lutheran students since 2012. We explore many different types of art. She also teach a virtual middle school art class, along with 3 virtual high school art classes for Andover eCademy.

Coach Hickman was raised in Independence MO and has loved sports his whole life. He recently has taught PE in the NKC School District for 22 years. He has coached Basketball, Track and Cross-country for 22 years. He had 3 grown children and 5 grandchildren. Loves to play golf and fish. Coach is excited about working with the “Hope” students and staff this year!

Sra. Reimer joined the Hope staff in 2021.  She graduated from Truman State University (formerly NMSU) with a degree in English and a minor in Spanish. She also worked towards a Master Degree in Education while there. She has worked in the Telecommunications & Transportation Fields, but her passion has always been teaching. She is a member of Bethany Lutheran Church where she is involved in Child Ministry, LWML, and teaching Sunday school.  She was the Spanish teacher at BLS for several years.  Her two sons attended BLS and are now at the Lutheran High School of Kansas City.  She will be teaching Spanish at LHS as well as at Calvary Lutheran School this year. She is a soccer fan and player, and a volleyball player & coach. In her spare time she gardens, exercises, loves to read novels and spend time with her husband, boys, and cats. 

Mrs. Stefanie Buckmaster has been a lifelong resident of the Lenexa/Shawnee area. She attended Pittsburg State University (go Gorillas!), where she graduated with her Bachelor of Science in Nursing. She has been a nurse for 13+ years, but the most recent five years have been in pediatrics, her true passion. She lives in Western Shawnee with her husband, two young children (Sam & Lucy), and their dog (Gertrude). She enjoys being active/outside with her family, visiting local parks, and walking in her free time. She is so excited to help care for the children at Hope!

DeeAnn Fugett is the Title I Tutor for Hope Lutheran School. She works with students in various capacities in small groups and individually in math and language arts activities. DeeAnn finds joy in helping students achieve their goals academically. She is a graduate of the University of Kansas. During her free time, she enjoys spending time with family, traveling, adventuring, visiting National Parks and history & science museums. DeeAnn is actively involved as a volunteer in various areas here at Hope for both the church and the school. She is a life-long member of Hope Lutheran Church.

Mr. Moyer comes to Hope after working at Shawnee United Methodist Church with their facility for 27 years, where he also volunteered teaching adult, youth and children’s Sunday School, and participated in many choirs, band, and youth activities.  He grew up in a small town in south-central Pennsylvania and graduated from Penn State University Harrisburg with a bachelor’s degree in electrical design engineer in technology. He also went two years to seminary at Lancaster Pennsylvania and volunteered for eight years with A Christian ministry in the National Parks. He loves the outdoors and serves at the district and council level with Boy Scouts of America.

Doris Stava has served Hope Lutheran Church and School as Technology Director since November 2007. She enjoys the wide variety of IT challenges at Hope and also coaching the Robotics Club. Doris graduated from Emporia State University with a BS in Math and Computer Science and worked in programming and project leadership positions at DST Systems in Kansas City, Missouri. She left DST after 12 years to devote more time to her family before coming to Hope Lutheran to fill the Technology Director position. Doris and her husband Steve joined Hope Lutheran Church in 1994. They have two daughters who both attended Hope Lutheran School from preschool through 8th grade. Doris feels blessed to be a part of the Hope family.

Laura joined the Hope technology department in 2015.  Laura graduated from Kansas State University with Bachelors of Science in Computer Science.  She also obtained an Associate of Applied Science in Electrical Technology from Johnson County Community College and received her Master Electrical License.  Laura has over 15 years of experience as a software developer, tech lead, and consultant.  She is a co-inventor for two patents:  #7640337 – Framework for application monitoring and management and #8326767 – Customer data privacy implementation.

Laura volunteers and serves at Hope in many capacities: Sunday School Teacher, Church Choir, Board of Youth Ministry, Miriam Circle Bible Study Leader, and LWML at Hope.  During the school year you can find her running Math Club and coaching volleyball, basketball, and track.

Laura grew up attending Hope Lutheran Preschool and Hope Lutheran School.  She was baptized, confirmed, and married at Hope Lutheran Church.  Hope is simply home.