Joanne Cress- Technology
Ms. Cress is a native of New York and holds a degree in Computer Science from Hofstra University. After 16 years working as a programmer and system administrator, she decided to venture into the education field. Ms. Cress has been teaching Information Technology since 2002 and never looked back. Her goal as a teacher is to ensure that students acquire the essential knowledge and skills to become lifelong learners in a technology-intensive environment.
Happy Olmstead Jones “Ms. Happy”- Art
Happy Olmstead Jones grew up in SC & NC, went to Eckerd College in FL, then grad school at UGA. She has taught K-12 art for the past 18 years in MD, VA, DC & NC – most recently at DC Virgo and Williston Middle Schools here in Wilmington for six years. When Happy is not in the art room you can find her making her own art, traveling around the world with her husband, Jeff, or enjoying the water: Happy and Jeff love pool time, paddling on the marsh, Jungle Rapids, sailing dinghies or charter yachts, and exploring the area via motorboat!
Tracy Cordon- Spanish
Tracy Cordon grew up in Madison, New Jersey. She received her undergraduate degree in English Literature at Kenyon College in Gambier, OH and her masters in teaching at Hunter College in NYC. Tracy discovered her passion for Spanish in 1993 upon meeting her husband, Claudio, a native Argentine. Tracy loves kids of all ages and is thrilled to be joining the CFCI family as our Spanish teacher. She is a huge fan of all the arts- visual, musical, theatrical, poetic, etc. and is the proud mom of two amazing teenagers.
Wes Rose- Performance Arts (band/music/theater)
Wes Rose was born in Tampa, Florida and raised in Charlotte, North Carolina. Mr. Rose attended UNCW as a North Carolina Teaching Fellow and holds a Bachelor of Music in Music Education from the university. He recently got married to the love of his life, Rachel, in April 2013. Mr. Rose is also active at Lifepoint Church, where he serves on volunteer staff as the Student Worship Director for United Generation (UG).When not teaching or playing music, Wes enjoys spending time with his wife, listening to vinyl records, writing, reading everything from novels to comic books, playing video games, and working out (to balance out his more “nerdy” habits). He is a diehard Florida Gator fan and will watch nearly every football game every season.
Jenn Anderson
Originally from the Harrisburg/Hershey area in PA, I’m the mother of two CFCI students (one in 3rd grade, and one rising Kindergartener), and I come from a child psychology background. I met my husband, Wayne (a Chapel Hill alum), while we both worked as child & family therapists in Goldsboro, NC in the mid ‘90’s. When we relocated to Wilmington in 2002, I was privileged to be among the first hired for New Hanover County’s school-based mental health program. In the school setting, I got to know kids in their “natural” environment and saw how they thrived when their emotional needs and individual strengths were factored into their learning, and how much they thrived on learning “experiences.” So when it came to our own children’s education, CFCI was our first choice, and we were lucky enough to get in through the lottery. Being a TA and spending my days at our wonderful school is a welcome career shift, and I’m grateful to be a full-time part of the family!
Jennifer Fite
I am a native of Wilmington, NC where I lived until I went to high school. At that time we moved to Raleigh and I attended Broughton High School. After graduation I moved back to Wilmington to attend UNCW. I have worked in IT support at IBM and accounting and administrative support in other companies. My husband, Chuck, and I have a daughter, Allie, who is a 7th grader at CFCI. Our spare time is spent with soccer games and time with family and friends. I was very fortunate to be a substitute teacher at CFCI for almost 2 years before becoming a Teacher Assistant and Specialist at CFCI. During that time I found that I love helping kids of all ages learn. I am honored to have been chosen to be a part of the CFCI community.
Kayla Rotatori
Kayla Rotatori received her undergraduate degree in Kinesiology at Eastern Connecticut State University and her masters in Educational Leadership at the American College of Education. She has taught 6-12 grade Health and Physical Education for the past 3 years. When Kayla is not in the gymnasium you can find her traveling around the country with her dog Prince. Kayla loves to stay active whether it’s coaching/playing sports, kayaking, or relaxing at the beach! As a teacher, her goal is to ensure every student acquires the essential knowledge and skills to live a healthy, happy, and active lifestyle.