This year, McKinney Christian Academy introduced many new staff members to the community. There are 25 new staff members at MCA. The Lower School welcomed 15 new teachers, along with four new teachers in the Middle School, four in the Upper School, three new administrative staff members, and two new members in the Athletic Department. In the Lower School, the new teachers include Meagan Popescu, Zoe Fisher, Kayla Ramos, Michaela Harris, Kathleen Radtke, Ashlee Mason, Bess Garcia, Kylie Fainshtein, Noel Sukhia, Ashley Dickens, Lauren Junker, and Anna Bohnett. In the Middle School, the new teachers are Melissa Roche, Casey Jones, Michael Roach, and Melonee Foss. In the Upper School, the new teachers are Brody McLemore, Maritza Gajary, Angela Dowling, and Will Kuehne. The new staff in the Athletic Department include Josiah Isom and Rachel Faldyn. Lastly, the new administrative staff include, Natalie Velez, James Wilkinson, and Tasha Wilkenson.
Howdy! My name is Brody McLemore, and I’m excited to join McKinney Christian Academy as an upper school science teacher! After graduating from Texas A&M in 2017, I spent nine years teaching biology and physics in Frisco, and I’m thrilled to bring my passion for connecting faith and learning to MCA. My wife, Kara, and I attend Frisco Bible Church, where we serve in the college ministry, and in my free time I love sports, the outdoors, and family. In February, we are expecting our daughter Sawyer McLemore to join our family. Guided by Colossians 3:23-24, I look forward to building meaningful relationships across the MCA community!Hi everyone! I’m Ashley Dickens and I am so excited to be joining the MCA family for the 2026–2027 school year teaching lower school STEM! I’ve spent the past fifteen years teaching orchestra in Richardson ISD, Rockwall ISD, and most recently Lovejoy ISD. I’m thrilled to bring my experience to MCA! Outside of school, you can usually find me spending time with my family, working out, playing violin, or cheering on my Baylor Bears! My husband and I have a one-year-old daughter and a ten-year-old stepdaughter who keeps us smiling and on our toes! MCA has held a special place in my heart for several years. My niece is a proud 2026 graduate of MCA and my nephew currently attends MCA. Seeing firsthand the strong Christ-centered community and the intentional investment in students has only strengthened my desire to be part of this school family. I am grateful for the opportunity to combine my love for teaching with my faith. I look forward to helping students grow academically, creatively, and spiritually while pointing them toward Christ in all they do.My name is Kayla Ramos, and I am excited to serve as a Kindergarten Teaching Assistant at MCA! Before joining the Kindergarten team, I spent the past three years as a Pre-K Teaching Assistant. I have been married to my wonderful husband, Justin, for 10 years, and we have a daughter who is a second grader here at MCA. I feel incredibly blessed to be part of a school community where I get to help children learn, grow, and know the love of Christ. Outside of school, I love spending time with my family, traveling whenever we get the chance, and relaxing with a good TV show. I am thrilled to be part of the MCA family and look forward to a wonderful year!Hello! I fell in love with the teachers, students and families last year at MCA as a substitute teacher and parent, and I am so excited to return this year serving the amazing 1st grade team of teachers! My husband, Dane, and I have been married 9 years and our son, Maximilian (6), is in 1st grade at MCA this year. We are so thankful that God brought us to MCA! I have been teaching in various capacities for over six years, including PreK and teaching English as a Second Language in Germany. I have over 20 years of experience in child development and classical education and a B.A. in Political Science. In my free time, I love our dogs and chickens, any outdoor adventure, traveling, running, reading, and our church (Providence Church).My name is Melonee Foss, and I’m so excited to be part of the McKinney Christian Academy family as the Director of Learning Support! My husband, Jeff, and I live in Celina with our youngest child, Matthew. We have three children and two grandchildren. When I’m not at school, you’ll most likely find me reading, traveling, or cheering on our family at one of the many sporting events we enjoy attending. I have more than 25 years of experience in both public and private education, along with master’s degrees in Educational Administration and Reading & Writing. I’m also a Certified Reading Specialist, Licensed Dyslexia Therapist, and Certified Academic Language Therapist. Most of all, I’m passionate about helping students with learning differences discover their strengths, build confidence, and reach their God-given potential. I’m truly looking forward to getting to know the MCA community and the wonderful students and families I’ll have the opportunity to serve!Hi! My name is Angela Dowling, and I am so excited to be joining McKinney Christian Academy as a Learning Support teacher and Dyslexia Specialist. I have spent much of my career working with students in different roles, and I especially love helping students build confidence, recognize their strengths, and realize how capable they truly are. My family has already been blessed by the MCA community through our own children, which makes joining the staff especially meaningful to me. I have seen firsthand the impact of teachers who truly know, encourage, and invest in their students, and I am grateful for the opportunity to do the same. Most importantly, I am thankful to be part of a school where I can support students academically while also pointing them toward Christ. I am so grateful to be part of the MCA family. Go Mustangs!Meet the Wilkinsons! James Wilkinson, IT System Administrator, and Tasha Wilkinson, Accounts Payable Specialist. This will be our sixth year working in Christian education, and we are so grateful for the opportunity to be part of the McKinney Christian Academy community. James is part of the technology team, serving as the IT System Administrator, while Tasha works in the Business Office as the Accounts Payable Specialist. Beyond our daily jobs, we are both huge theater supporters! We love helping design and build theater sets and are often found behind the scenes. We strongly believe God has placed our family at McKinney Christian Academy, and we look forward to serving the MCA community in any way we can. We have four kids at MCA: Leana (9th grade), Luke (7th grade), Lincoln (4th grade), and Lily (3rd grade). When we’re not at school, you can usually find us chasing the kids around at their many sports, activities, and performances. We also love traveling and especially enjoy long family road trips! We can’t wait to meet more MCA families, get involved, and make many more memories together. We’re so excited for our first year at MCA!Hello! My name is Kylie Fainshtein, but everyone calls me Mrs. Fain (“fine”). I am thrilled to be joining Mckinney Christian Academy as the ELAR teacher for 5th grade! I bring 13 years of educational experience in English (high school, middle school, and now elementary), as well as a Masters in Curriculum and Instruction and English as a Second Language Specialist. I grew up in Redondo Beach, CA and went to school at Occidental College in Los Angeles. After finishing my degree in curriculum and instruction, I moved to Texas and started teaching right away! In my free time, you can find me drinking coffee with a book, spending time with family, or in a Pilates class. Our family enjoyed a very successful first year at MCA last year with our son, Ari. My husband, Daniel, is the coach for the lower school MCA Chess Club and coaches soccer for the 1st Grade Little Stangs! A verse that brings me comfort is found on our lower school campus – Matthew 22:37: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.”
Josiah Isom is originally from Corpus Christi where he grew up as a pastor and coaches’ kid. He came to know Christ as his personal Lord and Savior at the age of seven. Josiah graduated from Spurgeon College with his BA in Biblical Studies. Josiah has been married to his wife, Erica, for six years. They are the proud parents to their son, Bowen, who is 13 months. Family is at the center of Josiah Isom’s life and leadership. He acknowledges that his home is his first ministry. During his free time, he enjoys fishing, hunting, cooking, and golfing with his buddies. His background has been surrounded by athletics. He grew up as a son of a basketball coach. He himself played football and basketball growing up. The past nine years Josiah has coached football, basketball, and golf from the middle to upper school levels. Coaching is a dear passion of Josiah’s that the Lord has placed on his heart and ministry. Coach Isom is coming to us from Prestonwood Christian Academy North Campus where he has served as a coach, teacher, Director of Spiritual Development, and most recently as Athletic Coordinator. He comes in with great experience and preparation to be our Athletic Director. As an Athletic Director, Josiah values strong relationships with students, parents, faculty, and the community. He is passionate about creating an environment where student-athletes are challenged to compete at a high level while honoring God through their attitude, effort, and sportsmanship. His leadership philosophy centers on clear communication, program organization, coach development, and cultivating a unified vision across all athletic programs. Coach Isom’s mission is to use athletics as a ministry opportunity — developing programs that pursue competitive excellence while shaping students into confident, Christ-centered leaders who positively impact their schools, families, churches, and communities.”Hi! My name is Maritza Gajary, and I am thrilled to be joining the faculty at McKinney Christian Academy as the Upper School Chemistry and Environmental Science teacher! I have had the privilege of working with teenagers for many years, both as a mentor during Bible school and during our years in youth ministry. My three children will also be joining me at MCA, and we are all so excited! My oldest daughter, Bella, will be entering 6th grade, my son, Caleb, will be entering 4th grade, and my youngest daughter, Charlotte, will be entering 1st grade. In my free time, I love spending time with my family and friends, decorating and tackling home projects, reading and going to bookstores, and enjoying the outdoors. A verse that’s been especially meaningful to me in this season is Romans 15:13: “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity to be part of the MCA family alongside my children, and I’m so looking forward to getting to know the students, families, faculty, and staff. I can’t wait to see all that God has in store this school year!Hello! My name is Meagan Popescu, and I am excited to be joining the McKinney Christian Academy family as a Pre-K TA. This will be my third year working with Pre-K students, and I truly love helping little hearts grow in their love of learning, their love for Jesus, and their love for others. My husband, Nick, and I have two kiddos who will also be at MCA. Beckham is entering second grade and Hallie is entering first grade. In my free time you’ll find me cheering on my kids at the baseball and soccer fields, reading, traveling, and painting art. A verse that always encourages me is Psalm 27:4: “One thing I ask from the Lord, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple. Our family is so thankful to be part of the MCA community, and I can’t wait to get to know each of the precious students and families.Hi, I’m Coach Faldyn! I am very excited to be coaching close to home at MCA. I am entering the 10th year of my Strength and Conditioning career and have coached at Texas Tech University, D1 Sports Training – Dallas, The Episcopal School of Dallas, and Trinity Christian Academy. I am excited to now call MCA my new home, and serve the student athletes as the new Director of Strength & Performance. My favorite thing about being a Strength Coach is that I get to be everyone’s coach! I also really enjoy watching all of our athlete’s hard work behind the scenes pay off when they get on the field or the court. Go Mustangs!Hi! My name is Noël Sukhia, and I’m excited to serve in the Lower School this year as a TA. I’ve worked with children and teens in a variety of settings over many years including substitute teaching here at MCA, and I love being part of an atmosphere where students feel known, loved, encouraged in their faith, and prepared for life. I have 4 sons – two are MCA graduates (Hudson ’25, and Jack ’23) and Christian will be a freshman this year. I am so grateful for the way this community has supported and grown my boys over the years. In my free time, I enjoy the outdoors, reading, traveling, and being with my family. I’m so thankful for the opportunity to be part of the MCA community in this new role and am looking forward to a great school year ahead!Hi Mustangs! My name is Ashlee Mason, and I’m so excited to be part of the MCA family this year as a first grade aide! I have teaching experience in sixth, second, and first grades, as well as homeschooling. I love encouraging students and supporting them as they learn and grow—not only academically, but also in their love for the Lord. My faith is the most important part of who I am. My family and I are members of The Trails Church in Celina, where we love being part of the church community and growing together in our faith. I have been married to my husband, Jonathan, for 21 years, and we are blessed with four children. Our three girls attend MCA, and our son is a senior at PCA North. In my free time, I love traveling with my family, reading a good book, and playing Mahjong with friends. One of my favorite Bible passages is Jeremiah 17:7–8:“But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.” I’m so grateful to be part of a school family that is committed to teaching God’s Word and incorporating biblical truth into all areas of learning. I’m looking forward to a wonderful year at MCA!Kathleen Radtke joins the MCA first grade team as a Teaching Assistant, returning to the classroom after years away with a renewed excitement for early education. She and her husband Ted have been married 28 years and are parents to three: Teddy, a Texas A&M grad and engineer; Ryan, a Notre Dame grad now serving in the U.S. Army in Colorado; and Sara, a current MCA sophomore and volleyball player — the family has called MCA home since Ryan’s freshman year in 2017. Outside school, you’ll find Kathleen running, working out, or reading. She and Ted are active at St. Gabriel the Archangel, where they’re involved in marriage ministry, and Kathleen volunteers with the parish’s Pastoral Care and Mental Health ministries. She is so excited to be part of the MCA family this year!Hello! My name is Zoe Fisher, and I am excited to join the community at McKinney Christian Academy. My experiences working with children in both college and ministry settings have deepened my passion for helping students grow intellectually and spiritually. I recently graduated from Oklahoma State University with a degree in education, and I am thrilled to bring my Cowboy pride to MCA. In my free time, I enjoy painting, traveling to places that showcase God’s creation, and finding opportunities to serve the people God has placed in my life. My favorite verse is Isaiah 40:31: “But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.” This verse reminds me that in seasons of weakness, exhaustion, or discouragement, when I place my trust in the Lord, He renews my strength and helps me keep moving forward. I am so grateful to be part of this wonderful community and look forward to the year ahead!Coach Will Kuehne brings a diverse coaching background with stops at Legacy Christian Academy, Florida Coastal Prep, DME Academy (Daytona Beach), and Grapevine High School. He has served in roles including head coach, assistant coach, recruiter, teacher, skills trainer, and program administrator, building a reputation for developing student-athletes both on and off the court through a focus on growth, accountability, and excellence. Beyond coaching, he has helped strengthen programs through social media, graphic design, and community engagement, while also leading post-graduate teams and working within AAU organizations. His background in engineering and mathematics enhances his analytical approach to the game and communication with players. Over the last few years Coach Kuehne has spent time teaching Algebra 1, Algebra II and middle school science. He’s excited to continue his teaching career in the MCA environment teaching Finite Math, Algebra 1 and AP Statistics. He hopes to bring a fun energy to the classroom that will keep students motivated and engaged. Coach Kuehne is rooted in Christian values—integrity, servant leadership, humility, and love for others—and uses basketball as a platform to teach character, discipline, perseverance, and faith. An MCA alumnus, he is excited to return home and invest daily in the lives of McKinney Christian student-athletes.My name is Amanda Newman, and I’m the new Middle School Teaching Assistant and Middle School Volleyball Coach. I graduated from The University of Oklahoma and hold a Texas teaching certificate in ELAR and ESL for grades 4–8. My husband, David, and I have been married for 18 years, and we are blessed with two daughters who attend MCA. Charlotte is in 7th grade, and Caroline is in 2nd grade. Our family is actively involved at Hope Fellowship Church in McKinney, where I serve as a 7th-grade girls’ small group leader. In my free time, I enjoy watching my daughters play sports, traveling to new places, online shopping, and getting lost in a good historical fiction book. It is a privilege to be a part of the MCA staff, and I look forward to serving our students and families in this new role.Hello! My name is Lauren Junker. I am so excited to be joining Nurse Hall this year as the lower school nurse Monday-Thursday. I graduated from Texas A&M University (Gig’ Em) with my Bachelors of Science in Nursing. I spent most of my bedside nursing years in the NICU, PICU, CVICU and then when God put it on our hearts to adopt I decided to stay home with our sweet little babies. Now that the babies are a little older it’s time to get back into blending my love for children and passion of being a nurse. Some of you may recognize me from last year when I was subbing for Nurse Hall. Our family joined MCA when my oldest, Holden, was entering fourth grade. He is now in 6th grade, Emerson is in 5th and Lennox in Pre-K. Banks, our youngest, will be joining the mustang family in the next year or two. My husband and I have both loved coaching Lil’ Stang sports and getting to know all those we have met at and through MCA. In my free time I love watching my children play sports. My son plays select baseball and my daughter plays select volleyball. Tommy, my husband and I love going on date nights on the few nights of the year we are childfree. I feel incredibly blessed to be able to work at a school like MCA, where my degree, love for the lord and love for children can go hand in hand. I am looking forward to an amazing year with our MCA family.
Meet Mrs. Roche! Mrs. Roche teaches 7th & 8th grade at our middle school. Math and middle schoolers are her favorites! Mrs. Roche taught middle school for 9 years in California before her family moved to Texas in 2022. For the past four years, Mrs. Roche has been a stay-at-home mom, raising her three daughters, and has been selling children’s books too. The Lord called her back to teaching this year and she is so excited to be at MCA.My name is Michael Roach and this will be my 12th year coaching, 6th year teaching and first year with McKinney Christian Academy! I will be teaching 7th Grade Bible, 6th Grade PE, as well as assisting the 6th grade teaching staff. Additionally I will be coaching middle school football and head coaching the varsity track team in the spring. It is my calling and ministry to use the vehicle of education and athletics to pour into the lives of students for Christ. My wife, Gracie, works as a 6th grade English teacher at Legacy Christian Academy and also leads the middle school worship team! In my free time I enjoy anything outdoors, working out, playing guitar, fixing cars, cooking, and pouring back into the lives of others through our church. A verse that has guided my life is, “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.” Colossians 3:23-24. I am so thankful and blessed to be a part of a community that is committed to using education and athletics to advance His kingdom. Go Mustangs!
Malia Rogers is a freshman and has been attending McKinney Christian Academy for 11 years. This is her first year working on the newspaper staff, and she is grateful to share the school’s campus life through her writing. She enjoys playing basketball for her school. Outside of school, she loves spending time with her friends and traveling. Her favorite bible verse is Colossians 3:23. “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters.”
