 Lichelle
Alford
Principal
lalford@usd259.net |
Greetings! I would like to welcome our returning families as well as our
new families to Buckner. I am a product of the Wichita Public School
System. I attended Kensler Elementary, Peterson Elementary, Wilbur Junior
High and Northwest High School. To further my education I attended
Friends University, where I received a Bachelor of Science Degree in
Elementary Education and a Master of Arts Degree in Teaching. Then I
attended Wichita State University where I received a Master of Education
Degree in Educational Administration and Supervision. I have been a part
of USD #259 for 15 years. My experiences include: Classroom Teacher,
Learning Coach, Assistant Principal and Principal.
I am married to Darron
Alford Sr., and have 3 boys. |

Felecia Phillips
Secretary
fphillips@usd259.net |
Welcome back to all of the Buckner families and to the new Buckner
families I say “Welcome to Buckner – the best School in Wichita”! I’m so
excited to be back another year and in a new position. This is my second
year with Buckner and with USD 259. My experience in support staff goes
back 15 years; I have a Masters in Human Resource Management from
University of Phoenix and been a Human Resource Specialist for Millington
Naval Air Station, Yokosuka Naval Base, and Tinker AFB. |
 Dione
Scott
Clerk
dscott1@usd259.net |
|

Jennifer Shanks
ECD 3/4 year-olds
jshanks@usd259.net |
I am so excited to teach Pre-Kindergarten/PKDD at Buckner! We have so much
fun. I’ve taught in the district for 7 ˝ years, and PK/PKDD is truly the
BEST. Everyday is an adventure! My husband, Jay, and I are proud parents
of two daughters and 1 son. I like to spend my free time with family and
friends, reading, and relaxing! |

Laurie Baumun
Para-Educator
lbaumun@usd259.net |
I have been
with the district since 1996. I am married and have three children, James,
Jean, and Jesse. I also have 6 grandchildren!
|
 Patty Morris
Para-Educator
pmorris1@usd259.net |
I have been
with the district since 2003. I am married and have two stepchildren,
Scott and Amy. Scott is working towards a Masters in Human Resources and Amy is a nursing student..
|
 Lisa Gray
Kindergarten
lgray2@usd259.net |
I began my teaching career
at Buckner in 1989. For most of those years, I taught 1st and 2nd grade
both in a combination class as well as in a looping situation. I
currently teach Kindergarten and I just love it! I have stayed at
Buckner all these years for many reasons, but the most important one was
the performing arts aspect. I truly believe that the fine arts make a
well rounded person and since we are in the business of molding young
minds, the performing arts is a perfect match. I believe in the
performing arts program so much, my own two sons attended Buckner,
although we live in another school district. Performing arts is very
important to our family and Buckner is the best place to experience it
on a weekly basis!
|
 Melissa Boone
Kindergarten
mboone1@usd259.net |
I feel so blessed to be able to teach at Buckner! I started here in
2008, and I student-taught at Buckner when I was in college. I fell in
love with the environment, the staff and the students. Our students
have such a unique opportunity to experience quality academic learning
infused with the performing arts. Having attended OK Elementary, Hadley
Middle, and North High Schools, I am a product of the Wichita school
district and am proud to be working in it. Kindergarten is such a
special and important time in a child’s life, and I’m excited to be a
part of it! |
 Michele Fisk
Kindergarten
kfisk@usd259.net |
I have been teaching in the primary grades for over ten years. I love my
work and love the environment at Buckner. I have taught first and second
grade here and this year have moved to kindergarten. I taught
kindergarten for years when I first began teaching. I have a
daughter who just graduated and is beginning college. I also have
two dogs named Pearl and Dakota. |
 Katina Asmani
1st Grade/Teacher-in-Charge
kasmani@usd259.net |
I started teaching in 2002 and I have
taught first and second grade. I am married with 1 son and 1 daughter. I
received my bachelor’s degree from Wichita State University in elementary
education and I later went back to school at Friends University and
received Masters of School Leadership. I have always wanted to be a
teacher and I really enjoy working with children every day!! |
Kayla Buckner
1st Grade
kbuckner@usd259.net |
I
am so excited to be teaching at “my” school!!!! Performing arts is
my middle name and I can’t wait to get this adventure started. This will
be my second year of teaching first grade and I have enjoyed every minute
of it. The first four years of my teaching experience have been with
kindergarten. I am truly a primary fan!! I love to start the excitement
and love of learning. Throughout the first five years of my teaching, I
received a Masters in Curriculum & Instruction and a Masters in School
Leadership. This will be the first year I am able to come home and spend
quality time with my 4 year old daughter; when she’s not too busy with all
of her extracurricular activities. |

Micheala Kambui
1st Grade
mkambui@usd259.net |
I have taught at Buckner since 2003. I'm proud to be a part of the Buckner
staff. I enjoy teaching 1st grade. My class feels like my
second family in our home away from home! In my spare time I love to read
and watch my son play football. |
 Catherine Clark
2nd Grade
cclark@usd259.net |
Buckner feels like family to me. I have enjoyed teaching here since
1991. I have always taught in the primary grades. I love teaching both 1st
and 2nd. I am able to enjoy the same students for 2 years. It
is so exciting to see the growth both academically and socially. The
only down side is when I have to let them go to 3rd grade. I
can’t imagine myself anywhere else! The staff, students and parents are
wonderful. |
 Erika Roberts
(A.M.)
2nd Grade
eroberts@usd259.net |
I ‘m originally from Columbus, Georgia. Wichita has been my home
for the past 13 years. I am married and have 4 children (3 boys and 1
girl). I began teaching at Buckner in 2002. I have taught grades 1st
thru 4th. It's a real joy to teach at a performing arts
school. The students are all so talented and really work hard to put on
a good show. Not only am I a teacher, I’m also a Buckner parent. Two of
my children are students at Buckner.
|
 Rebecca Borton (P.M.)
2nd Grade
rborton@usd259.net |
|

Kim Konecny
2nd Grade
kkonecny1@usd259.net |
Buckner has been my “home” since 1998 and there’s no other place
I’d rather be! For years I’ve been known at Buckner as Mrs. Taylor but I
have a new name due to recently getting remarried. My last name is a
little tricky to read/say and I’ve found it’s helpful to show people the
phonetic version of my last name: ku ness nee. Hope that helps!
My teaching experience has been at the primary level, as I have always
taught either 1st or 2nd grades. I love both grade
levels and love to see students grow academically and socially. It’s very
rewarding to see students “shine” in their own unique ways. I am also a
Buckner parent as I have two children who attend school here.
|
 Alex Hogan
3rd Grade
ahogan@usd259.net |
This is my first year
officially teaching at Buckner, although I have been around for 2
years in several capacities: Co-op student, then student teacher with
Ms. Venable, then as a long-term sub for Mrs. Piros while on maternity
leave. I'm so excited to be here for another year!
I love to dance, watch
KU basketball games (Jayhawk alumn), and spend time with my new
husband; we got married in Florida in June! I have one Maine Coon cat
that acts more like a dog, two large fish tanks, and two finches.
Sophie, the cat, tries so hard to get all of them!
Buckner is a great
school and I can't wait to see the spectacular productions this year!
|
 Gale Worrell
3rd Grade
gworrell@usd259.net |
This is my 11th year in the Buckner community and my 34th year of
teaching. Most of those years were spent with third graders. I have also
taught 2nd, 4th, 5th, 6th, and blends of 2/3 and 3/4 . It is my pleasure
to teach 3rd graders again this year. They are a special, fun group.
They come to school well on their way to making sense of the world
around them as they see it. I am eager to help each child work to find
information that makes him or her think about how that new information
fits into what is already known. I hope to help each child become a
Buckner star who sparkles with enthusiasm for learning and reflects an
image of personal progress and success. I am married; my husband sells
cement. We live in Wichita and have two grown daughters. I have a
grandson and a granddaughter and a bouncing German shorthair pointer. |
 Kelli Miller
3rd Grade
kmiller1@usd259.net |
This is my 12th year teaching in Wichita. I have taught
grades K-3. I am currently in the last years of my master’s program at
WSU. I recently finished my middle school math endorsement. I am
married with 2 children, ages 6 and 7. We live on a “farm” in Augusta.
We currently have 5 horses, 2 llamas,2 goats, 1 sheep, 3 dogs and 4
rabbits.
|
 Carla Jacobs
4th Grade
cjacobs@usd259.net |
|

Roxanne Holden
4th
Grade
rmoncure@usd259.net |
This is my third year here at Buckner and I am so excited to again be
working with such a dynamic group of students and staff. I am again
teaching the 4th grade and I love working with this age group!
I moved to Wichita three years ago from St. Louis, where I was raised. I
was a teacher in St. Louis for six years before coming to Wichita. I was
recently married in June and I love to travel internationally whenever I
have the opportunity to do so. I most recently visited South Africa this
past summer and had a blast!
|
 Scott Torline
4th Grade
storline1@usd259.net |
My name is Scott Torline or Mr. T. This is
my second year at Buckner Elementary. Previously I have taught fourth,
fifth, and G.E.D. to juvenile delinquents. I am the morning and afternoon
patrol monitor as well. I grew up in Dodge City, KS where I graduated
high school. I earned my teaching degree at Fort Hays State University.
I am married with two wonderful daughters. Outside of school I enjoy
hunting, fishing and sports. |
|
 Carla Venable
5th Grade/Latchkey Director
cvenable@usd259.net |
I have
been with the Buckner family since 1996. I was hired with USD 259 in
1993. Coming to Buckner was always my dream. I love the arts and feel it
is such a vital part of our education. Outside of teaching, I stay very
busy with our Latchkey program and my lawn mowing business of 11 years!
During the summer I enjoy my pool and playing poolside games! My most
challenging children are Webster, Chester, and Bootsie my cats.
|
 Lucas Rodriguez
5th Grade
lrodriguez@usd259.net |
My
name is Lucas Rodriguez IV or Mr. R. This is my 13th year here
at Buckner Elementary. Most of the time, I have either taught 3rd,
4th or 5th grade. I am currently the Site Technology
Coordinator here at Buckner also. I have lived in and gone to school in
Wichita all of my life. I have gone to OK Elementary, Hadley Jr. High,
and Wichita North. I received my teaching degree from Kansas Newman
University. I have completed my Masters degree from Wichita State
University. I am married and I have 3 kids (2 boys and 1 girl). I love
sports especially Baseball and Soccer. |
 Kat Travis
5th Grade
ktravis@usd259.net |
I grew up in Southern California and
decided to become a teacher after leaving the field of Engineering for the
job of stay-at-home mom. As an instructional aide I found that teaching
was much more exciting than satellite communications. At the age of 34 I
started college for the first time and after 9 years of hard work I
graduated with a Master's Degree in Elementary Education. I have been
teaching for 7 years, 2 years in first grade and 5 years in 5th grade.
In my spare time, I play guitar and sing in a folk rock band with my
husband of 2 years. We met in a country-western church band in Las Vegas
and moved to Wichita 3 years ago. When not playing music the we like to
camp at any lake in the area and ride jet skis. |

Gina Hamm
IR Teacher
ghamm@usd259.net |
|

Tanya Penner
IR Teacher
tpenner@usd259.net |
|
 Jennifer
Robinson
Para-Educator
jrobinson1@usd259.net |
I have been a part of the Buckner Family
since 1997 when my oldest son began kindergarten here. I was a volunteer,
tutor and on the site
council at various times. In 2004 I became a Para-educator working in the
interrelated room helping children with special needs. My husband Fritz
and I have three sons (who have all graduated from Buckner). I am a
graduate of Friends University with a degree in Art Education. |

Shirley Langford
Para-Educator
slangford@usd259.net |
I have been with the Buckner staff for 12
years and love my work and my students. Teaching in Special Education
over the past several years has been very rewarding and has led me to
open a Saturday Afternoon Reading Tutoring School. I have been tutoring
for the past 6 1/2 years. I graduated from the University of Central
America, Kansas City, Missouri with a Doctor of Philosophy in Christian
Education in 1993. |

Brittany Banks
LRE Aid/Lunch Aid
bbanks1@usd259.net |
|

Adriana Galvez
LRE Aid/Lunch Aid
agalvez@usd259.net |
|

Deborah Wallis
LRE Classroom Aid/Lunch Aid
dwells2@usd259.net |
|
 Andrea Piros
Gifted Resource
apiros@usd259.net |
This is my 16th year teaching with USD 259 and Buckner! I began my
career at Buckner teaching 3rd and 4th grades. Realizing an imminent
need for an "in-house" gifted program, I worked with a team of teachers
to write a proposal and Buckner was awarded a program. We have been
going strong for 10 years! I have a Master's Degree in Special
Education, with a specialized certification in Gifted Education from WSU.
Gifted Education, as well as advocating for gifted children is truly my
passion. Additionally, I have been married for 16 years to my husband
Don. We have two beautiful children; a girl in second grade and an 18
month old son.. |

Sarah Walden
Dance
swalden@usd259.net |
|

Susan Hovey
Art
shovey@usd259 |
|
|
Jacque Junkins
Art
jjunkins@usd259.net |
My name is Jacquelyn Junkins and I am the
part-time art teacher at Buckner. My husband and I are from Atlanta
Georgia and we moved to Wichita because he is a pilot in the Air Force. I
am really excited to be teaching my students the elements and principles
of art along with helping them use their art as a way to express
themselves. |
 Denise Jackson-Simon
Drama/Latchkey Assistant
djackson@usd259.net |
I have been teaching Drama at Buckner since it became a
performing arts magnet in 1993. I have taught in the regular
classroom in Grades 4, 5 and Kindergarten at McCormick and Colvin Schools. My first
year was teaching an interrelated class at Kensler. I also worked one
year as an artist in residence at three middle schools. I love teaching
Drama at Buckner the most!!! |

Mary Price
Music
mprice@usd259.net |
I
have been teaching at Buckner for three years. I have taught in USD259
for 6 years and previously taught in Arizona for 13 years. I received my
M.A. degree from the University of Iowa in Vocal Music Education and Music
Therapy. I have 4 children, 2 boys and 2 girls, 4 dogs and 1 cat. I love
my family, animals and teaching music. Buckner is a rewarding place to
teach. The students here are wonderful as is the entire staff. I enjoy
using the Orff process and the Kodaly method when teaching Buckner
students. My goal is to create musical individuals through singing,
moving, playing, listening to, and reading music. I love teaching at
Buckner! |
|
Misti Rohde
Music
mrohde@usd259 |
|
Chad Mickey
Strings
cmickey@usd259.net |
|
|
PE |
|
|
Luan Broadfoot PE
lbroadfoot@usd259.net |
|

Kerry Dees
Counselor
kdees@usd259.net |
|

Ursula Wilson
Psychologist
uwilson@usd259.net |
I am the school psychologist here at Buckner. I have really enjoyed seeing
the amazing things the students can do through the performing arts. This
is my 10th year working for USD 259, and I have really enjoyed working
with elementary aged students. My husband also works for the school
district, and we have two wonderful children with one of them attending
Buckner. In my spare time, I enjoy exercising, gardening, watching movies
or any activity that I can do with my family. |
|

Debbie Wilson
Social Worker
dwilson3@usd259.net |
I began working as a school social worker
at Buckner Elementary in the fall of 2005. I received my master's degree
in social work from Wichita State University in 2002 and have enjoyed
working primarily with children and families since then. I have 3
children: 2 daughters
and a son.
I enjoy reading, music concerts, traveling and spending time with my
family and friends. I look forward to another year working with the
Buckner team to provide a great learning environment for all of our
students! |
 Addie York
Speech
ayork@usd259.net |
I
began working as the Speech-Language Pathologist at Buckner in the fall of
2008. I currently live in Wichita with my husband Brian, who also works
for the district, my son, and our pug named Brutus. I enjoy working with
the students and staff at Buckner, it is a wonderful school. I look
forward to having another great year! |

Colleen Laske
Nurse
claske@usd259.net |
|
 Lori Warren
Librarian
lwarren@usd259.net |
My name is Lori Warren
and I am very excited about teaching in the library again this year. I
completed my undergraduate teaching degree at
Newman University and I am currently working on my masters degree
in Literature at
Baker University while simultaneously finishing my library
certification at WSU. Good thing I love school! Before
teaching third grade
and library classes in Wichita, I owned and operated Kids Korner daycare
for 15 years. I have been married twenty years to my
high school sweetheart
Scott and we have two teenage sons and one dog in our happy family. I am
working at two libraries this year; Lewis Open Magnet and Buckner
Performing Arts Magnet in the libraries. I am blessed to be working at two
wonderful schools with the greatest staffs at both schools! |
|

LaDonna Ingram
Food Service
lingram@usd259.net |
|
 Gloria Gadson
Food Service/Latchkey
ggadson@usd259.net |
|
 Larry
Collins
Custodian (Day)
lcollins1@usd259.net |
I started working for USD 259
in April of 2003 as a custodial aid. Then in September of that year I went
full time. I have worked at Buckner during this time. Previously I worked
for Koch Fiberglass/Smith Fiberglass Systems for over 29 years. I have
been married for over 29 years and have 4 children and 7 grandchildren. |
 Marshall Turner
Custodian (Night)
mturner1@usd259.net |
|
 Elizabeth Walker
Latchkey
ewalker@usd259.net |
I have been
working for USD 259 since September of 1986. My 21 years have all been at
Buckner Elementary School. I have always enjoyed taking care of children.
I have been married for 47years and have 4 children. I attended L'Ouverture, Mathewson, and East High here in Wichita. |