Meet Our Preschool Staff
At Holy Apostles Preschool, we are blessed to have compassionate and highly qualified educators with a love for Jesus Christ who are dedicated to nurturing children as they grow in faith and knowledge. We are honored to partner with parents in guiding their little ones on this special journey.
Kristi McGarry - Director
Mrs. McGarry has been part of the Holy Apostles Preschool family since 2016 as an assistant teacher, lead teacher, and director, and was a volunteer for many years before that when her three children also attended HAP. Mrs. McGarry has a degree in Elementary Education from Regis University, along with a special endorsement in Early Childhood Education. She holds her professional teaching license and director credentials through the state of Colorado. She is deeply passionate about early childhood education and has a genuine love for nurturing young learners. She feels incredibly grateful to be doing what she loves every day.
Outside of preschool, Mrs. McGarry loves spending time in the beautiful Colorado mountains with her husband and children. She also loves reading, music, crafting, and teaching children about God’s love.
Paula Cooper - Lead Teacher
Mrs. Cooper has been teaching at Holy Apostles Preschool since 2008. After teaching second grade and kindergarten for 10 years, she volunteered at Holy Apostles Preschool when her oldest son started preschool in 2007. She believed in the program so much, she started working at the preschool. She has a Human Development Degree with an emphasis in Early Childhood Development from Oregon State University and a Masters in Education from Colorado College. She has enjoyed educating preschoolers in faith, academics and social skills.
Mrs. Cooper has many hobbies outside the classroom. She enjoys the Colorado outdoors by hiking, kayaking and camping. Her indoor activities include paper crafting, tutoring and spending time with her family, which includes her 2 sons, husband and dog.
Samantha Ross - Lead Teacher
Mrs. Ross began as a volunteer at Holy Apostles Preschool in 2011 when her oldest son started preschool. She then joined our staff in 2018. Before working at Holy Apostles Preschool, she taught first grade. She has a master’s degree in Elementary Education, Curriculum and Instruction from CU, Colorado Springs. However, she found that her true passion is teaching in the early education preschool setting.
Mrs. Ross is a Colorado Springs native, and she and her husband have three sons, all of whom attended HAP. She enjoys hiking, biking, and keeping up with all of her children’s sports and band activities.
Kimberly Naftanel - Lead Teacher
We are excited to be welcoming Mrs. Naftanel back to our Holy Apostles teaching team this fall! More information coming soon!
Cassidy Long - Assistant Teacher
Mrs. Long has an undergraduate degree in History Secondary Education from the University of Illinois and a master’s degree in Special Education from Morningside University. Before joining Holy Apostles Preschool in 2024, Mrs. Long taught students with significant and multiple disabilities, and has also worked as a teaching assistant in classrooms with significant physical, behavioral, and/or communication needs. She has three children, two of which have graduated from Holy Apostles Preschool, and one who is currently attending. She is looking forward to working with preschoolers and seeing how much they grow and learn over the course of the school year!
Mrs. Long is originally from Chicago and lived in Iowa for many years, but she and her family now call Colorado Springs home. In her free time, she enjoys camping, hiking and biking with her family. Mrs. Long also enjoys sewing and reading whenever there is a free moment.
Ashley Hendricks - Nurse Health Consultant
Mrs. Hendricks holds a Bachelor’s degree in Nursing from the University of Colorado. Since graduating in 2012, she has served in various nursing roles within the Children’s Hospital System, where she developed a strong passion for working with children and their families.
As a mother of three—two of whom are Holy Apostles Preschool graduates and one currently attending—Mrs. Hendricks has been richly blessed by the loving, faith-filled environment of the preschool. She has witnessed firsthand how the spiritual and academic foundation provided by Holy Apostles prepares children to grow in both knowledge and God’s love.
She and her family are also joyfully anticipating the arrival of a new baby in September. In her free time, Mrs. Hendricks enjoys reading, cooking, and spending time in nature with her family.
Melissa Carriaga - Assistant Teacher
With a diverse background that includes roles such as Kindergarten-3rd Grade Teacher, Prekindergarten-5th Mathematics Facilitator, Elementary Coordinator for Multilingual Programs, and Education Consultant, Mrs. Carriaga brings a wealth of experience to the classroom. Mrs. Carriaga holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing from St. Mary's University and a Master of Education in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies from the University of Texas at Arlington. She has been at Holy Apostles Preschool since 2024.
Mrs. Carriaga and her husband have three wonderful children, two of whom have cherished their time at Holy Apostles Preschool. Family time is incredibly important to them, whether they're exploring the scenic trails of Colorado or discovering the wonders beneath the waves through scuba diving adventures.
Rostia Stoecker - Retired Teacher Volunteer
Mrs. Stoecker has a master’s degree in early childhood education and early childhood special education, and has taught preschool, kindergarten, and early intervention. She joined Holy Apostles Preschool in 2011. Since then, she has been welcoming children into our Atrium where she enjoys sharing our faith in a developmentally appropriate way through The Catechesis of the Good Shepherd program.
Mrs. Stoecker has two grown children, and enjoys gardening, traveling, and hiking. She was recently able to combine hiking and her faith by completing a Camino de Santiago.
Mrs. Stoecker is a former catechist and assistant teacher at our preschool, and we are fortunate that she generously continues to volunteer her time with us.
Melissa Thoms - Volunteer Health Consultant
Nurse Thoms has been a nurse for many years, including working and volunteering at Holy Apostles Preschool since 2017. She has a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, a Child Care Health Consultant certification, and a School Nurse license.
Nurse Thoms says, “I love being the nurse at Holy Apostles Preschool, and I know you will not regret choosing our preschool!“
Jessica DiGiovanna - Assistant Teacher
Mrs. D. holds an undergraduate degree in adolescent education, as well as a Master of Science from Long Island University.
After nearly a decade in the classroom, she made the decision to step away from her teaching career to focus on raising her three children, all of whom have been students at Holy Apostles Preschool. In 2015, Mrs. D. and her family relocated to Colorado Springs, where they have since made their home.
Mrs. D joined the Holy Apostles Preschool staff in 2024.
Robyn Tyboroski - Retired Teacher Volunteer
Mrs. T graduated from UCCS with a degree in Elementary Education. She has been working with children for many years, loving every minute!
In her spare time, Mrs. T enjoys reading, baking, and taking long walks with her husband and golden retriever.
Mrs. T is a former assistant teacher at our preschool, and we are blessed that she still spends her time volunteering regularly at our school.