Meet Our Staff

Ms. Cunanan has a bachelor’s degree in education. In high school Ms. Cunanan volunteered at an orphanage catering to abandoned children with a disability, and it inspired her to become a special education teacher. Ms. Cunanan started her teaching career in the Philippines and has now been teaching in the USA for five years. Outside of the classroom, Ms. Cunanan enjoys the arts, photography, hiking, traveling, and reading!

Ms. Han has a master’s degree in education. Ms. Han has a true passion for working with the youngest learners. She commits to creating a community of learners that has a positive, fun, and nurturing environment. With more than 16 years of teaching experience in Kindergarten, Ms. Han has earned the District A+ Highly Performing Teacher award numerous times. She serves as a mentor, DIBELS and After School Program Coordinator, and a grade level team leader. Outside of the classroom, Ms. Han enjoys traveling and trying new foods, listening to podcasts, and watching basketball!

Ms. Leyva has a master’s degree in education. Her fourth-grade teacher inspired Ms. Leyva to become an educator. This teacher was kind, loving, and patient as Ms. Leyva was learning English as a second language. Ms. Leyva is originally from Cuba and attended Arizona State University where she received her master’s degree. Outside of the classroom, Ms. Leyva enjoys traveling, reading, and watching her son play soccer!

Ms. Munoz has a bachelor’s degree in education. Ms. Munoz loves to see how children learn to love learning. She enjoys seeing the growth in her students from the beginning to the last day of the academic year. Ms. Munoz loves being a Kindergarten teacher as her education and training has to do with early childhood. Outside of the classroom, Ms. Munoz loves to travel, learn about other cultures, and listen to music!

Ms. Beltran has a bachelor’s degree in education. Ms. Beltran became a teacher because of all the wonderful teachers she grew up with. She wanted to give back to the community and make a difference in students’ lives. Ms. Beltran joined Riverside Traditional School in 2013 and has taught both Kindergarten and 1st Grade. Outside of the classroom, Ms. Beltran enjoys watching movies, listening to music, and spending time with her children!

Ms. Buehrens has a master’s degree in education. For Ms. Buehrens, teaching was a calling later in life and she fell in love with teaching reading, teaching the alphabet, and teaching numbers to preschoolers. After enrolling into a teaching program, her professors became her role models to teach. She is a dedicated educator, who is a lifelong learner and is always reflecting on how she can educate her students to their full potential. Outside of the classroom, Ms. Buehrens enjoys traveling, shopping, and learning about history!

Ms. Hernandez has a bachelor’s degree in education. Since she was in elementary school, Ms. Hernandez knew her calling was to be an educator. With over 27 years of educational experience ranging from being a paraprofessional, teaching ELL and teaching at Riverside Traditional School, Ms. Hernandez enjoys the need to help others! Outside of the classroom, Ms. Hernandez enjoys exploring new technology, cross stitching, and crafting!

Ms. Smithers has a bachelor’s degree in education. Her own elementary and high school teachers inspired Ms. Smithers to become an educator. Serving her students’ needs drives her. Her students and the things they go through daily are very important to her. She believes in creating a community with families and having students feel they have another person in their corner. Outside of the classroom, Ms. Smithers enjoys crafting, bowling, and trying new restaurants!

Ms. Torrez has a bachelor’s degree in education. Since Ms. Torrez was in the fourth grade, she knew she wanted to be an educator just like her fourth-grade teacher! Ms. Torrez is a native of Arizona and graduated from ASU. Outside of the classroom she enjoys going to the movies, traveling, and spending quality time with her family!

Ms. Baez has a bachelor’s degree in education. A trip to Africa and seeing how many children were without the opportunity to attend school inspired Ms. Baez to become an educator. Her goal was to become a teacher and start a school, which she accomplished by helping found a school in Nigeria. She has a passion for teaching, learning, and creating an atmosphere conducive to learning. Ms. Baez strongly believes in the power of educating the while child and that each and every student has the capacity to thrive to reach high academic levels. Outside of the classroom, Ms. Baez enjoys travel, reading history and visiting antique stores!

Ms. Lopez-West has a master’s degree in education. Seeing her mother run an in-home daycare inspired Ms. Lopez-West to become an educator. Teaching is definitely Ms. Lopez-West’s calling for a profession. She feels it is important to build relationships with families and she strives to have a close bond with each and every student. There is nothing she would rather be doing than teaching! Outside of the classroom, Ms. Lopez-West enjoys camping, road trips and playing games with her friends and family!

Ms. Matheiu has a bachelor’s degree in education. Coming from a family of teachers inspired Ms. Mathieu to become an educator. She followed her sister’s footsteps by going to the same college and both leaving Ohio to teach in Arizona! A fun fact about Ms. Mathieu is she has driven cross country more than ten times! Outside of the classroom, Ms. Mathieu enjoys playing pickleball, hiking, and going camping!

Ms. Topete has a bachelor’s degree in education. Growing up, Ms. Topete’s third grade teacher inspired her to become an educator. Her professor at GCU also helped her grow in her knowledge and understanding of the education field. She loves teaching to be able to give an opportunity to learn and grow every day. She attended Riverside School District as a student and is thankful to be able to give back to the community she grew up in! Outside of the classroom, Ms. Topete enjoys running, going to Orangetheory, and watching baseball games!

Ms. Martinez has a bachelor’s degree in education. Working as a paraprofessional in a Hispanic community inspired Ms. Martinez to become an educator. After seeing the disadvantages, needs, and students' desires for an education, she decided to enroll at ASU to be able to help these families. Ms. Martinez moved to Phoenix without knowing English and after years of perseverance she learned the language and graduated from ASU, she is proof that dreams come true! Outside of the classroom, she enjoys dancing, hiking, and watching and listening to the waves of the ocean!

Ms. Suazo has a bachelor’s degree in education. Her Kindergarten teacher inspired Ms. Suazo to become an educator. She was amazing and inspired her to teach just like her! Becoming a teacher has made Ms. Suazo feel fulfilled and brought her joy from being able to help so many kids every year. Outside of the classroom, Ms. Suazo enjoys volleyball, working out, doing lash extensions and spending time with her family and dogs!

Ms. Vincini has a master’s degree in education. Ms. Vincini’s mother, who is a second-grade teacher, inspired her to become an educator. Teaching provides her with the opportunity to connect and help young minds grow. Teaching makes Ms. Vinicni happy and provides her with the opportunity to be creative and build connections within the school community, her students, and their families. Outside of the classroom, Ms. Vincini enjoys reading, hiking, and attending live music!

Ms. Kennedy is currently a long-term substitute. She has always loved school and had an amazing Kindergarten teacher who set the foundation for her passion for teaching. She adapts her teaching to meet the needs of every student and gets to know her students. Outside of the classroom, Ms. Kennedy enjoys spending time with her family, crafting, reading, and traveling!

Ms. McMahon has a master’s degree in education. Both her mother and her aunt, who were teachers, inspired Ms. McMahon to become an educator as well. She saw their hard work and how their dedication made an impact in the community. Ms. McMahon has been teaching for over 9 years in both Texas and Arizona and has a passion for helping others in life. Outside of the classroom, Ms. McMahon enjoys walking her dogs, reading, and drinking coffee!

Ms. Washington has a master’s degree in education. Growing up in a family of educators, Ms. Washington always knew that education was valuable and priceless. Ms. Washington is very passionate and a driven individual who sees the potential in every student. Knowing that every child learns differently, she strives to make an impact on the lives of children learning every day. Outside of the classroom, Ms. Washington enjoys crafting, shopping, and traveling!

Ms. Chavez has a bachelor’s degree in education. One of the greatest rewards of teaching for Ms. Chavez is seeing the progress of her students. Seeing a child’s eyes light up after grasping a new piece of knowledge is priceless. She is always looking forward to an Art room filled with creative minds and a school year full of fun and learning! Outside of the classroom, Ms. Chavez enjoys traveling, being in nature and photography!

Ms. Young has a bachelor’s degree in education. Two teachers inspired Ms. Young to become a physical education/dance teacher. They were always firm but fair, always knew what to say and they were always encouraging. With over 20 years in education, Ms. Young values the bond between herself and her students the most. With continued support from families, she knows our students will go on to do great things! Outside of the classroom, Ms. Young enjoys watching movies, listening, and dancing to music and reading books!