April 17, 2020
215 Antelope Ridge Drive, Las Vegas, NV 89138 | Phone: 702-799-1420 | Fax: 702-799-1421
Kindergarten Team
Melanie Danzeisen
Hi there! I am so thrilled to be part of the Vassiliadis Kindergarten Team! My career in education and being a positive influence on a child’s life brings me much joy. I was born in Rhode Island and at a young age moved to New Jersey. My love and passion for educating young children flourished at Kutztown University, PA where I earned my Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education and a Minor in Early Childhood Education. In 1988, I began my teaching career, opening a new school in Galloway NJ, where I taught Kindergarten for 6 years. At that time, I married my husband of 30 years. In 1994 when we had our first son, Drew, I resigned from teaching and became a stay at home mom, to later raise 3 more beautiful kids: Bradley, Todd, and Macy.
In 1999, we moved to Las Vegas. After settling into the West Coast, I started back slowly into my career with volunteering at schools, tutoring, substituting, part time teaching and then eventually, full time when the family was ready. I have since furthered my education and have received my Masters of Education in Administration through Southern Utah University. I am now in my 22nd year of teaching, here in Las Vegas, and love being a part of Team Vassiliadis. I look forward to discovering each child’s individual gifts and talents and helping them become his or her most magnificent self. My classroom is a place where children learn to respect their community, love one another, honor their families, and challenge their minds while learning to love school.
When I’m not teaching, I enjoy spending quality time with our family and friends, taking road trips, traveling, relaxing on the beach, skiing, watching or attending sporting events and cooking.
Email: danzem@nv.ccsd.net
Michelle Parkes
Hello, my name is Michelle Parkes, and I love teaching kindergarten at Vassiliadis. As a native of Las Vegas, I attended CCSD schools and graduated from Bonanza High School. I attended Southern Utah University for my undergraduate degree and received my Master’s degree from Grand Canyon University. During the past 24 years, I have taught kindergarten, first, and second grade, but my heart belongs in kindergarten. I love the joy, wonder and enthusiasm that kindergartners have as they discover the world around them.
When I am not at school, I love spending time with my family. My awesome husband and I have three fantastic kids. My son, Mason, lives in Auburn, AL with his family- my daughter-in-law and their two beautiful daughters. My oldest daughter, Madeline, lives in Ogden, UT, and my youngest daughter, Lily, is a senior at Palo Verde High School. My favorite activities are reading, running, and visiting my grandbabies.
I feel honored to be part of the community here at Vassiliadis, and I am looking forward to another wonderful year. I love helping children meet the challenges of learning new things and achieving new goals. “We can do hard things!” is the motto in our class, and each day we realize just what wonderful things we can do.
Email: parkemr1@nv.ccsd.net
Pattie Haire
Hello! My name is Patti Haire, and I am thrilled to be part of the great team at Vassiliadis Elementary School. I am originally from Bountiful, Utah. This will be my 32nd year teaching and I have no plan to ever retire. I love being a part of these sweet children’s lives, and find teaching to be more of a hobby than a job. I have taught in Utah, where I received my degree in Elementary Education from BYU. I then taught in Oklahoma, while my husband completed law school and worked for four more years. We finally made it back west and moved to Las Vegas, where we have lived, raised our family, and I have taught, for the last 23 years. While in Las Vegas, I earned my Masters Degree in Literacy, from Lesley University. I have taught 2nd grade, 1st grade, and kindergarten. Kindergarten is truly where my heart is, and I feel so lucky to share my days with five-year-old’s. They really are the best!
A little about me… Well, I am a mother of three grown children. Two of which are married, and my youngest is in college. I am a new grandmother and love every minute of it. I love spending time with my family around the pool, eating out and vacationing together. I enjoy scrapbooking, reading, and pretty much doing anything creative. As an “empty nester,” I love the time I spend with my husband Paul. I am delighted to be part of our new school. I look forward to each year, as a new and wonderful challenge and exciting adventure. I’m thrilled to be teaching at Vassiliadis Elementary. I am overjoyed to work with a community who values the education and growth of children.
Email: hairep@nv.ccsd.net
Audra Ford
Hello! My name is Audra Ford. I am so excited to be apart of the Vassiliadis Family. During my 15 years with CCSD I have taught kindergarten, first and second grades. I have loved all three but, there is something so special about kindergarten. I am a native of Las Vegas and attended CCSD schools from elementary through high school and graduated from Bonanza High School. I attended Utah Tech University, formally Dixie State and then returned to Las Vegas to finish at UNLV where I received my bachelors and masters degrees.
In my free time, I love to have fun with my family. I have two beautiful children, Tyler is 3 and growing so much everyday and my angel daughter, Ava who is watching over us from above. Also, I enjoy attending concerts, trying new restaurants, and sneaking in the occasional spa day!
I have always wanted to be a teacher because of my amazing and kind teachers. They made me feel important and always provided a fun and engaging classroom. My goal is to create a safe, warm and fun environment for my classroom children. Together we will grow, learn new things and achieve our goals. Vassiliadis is a special place, I'm so happy you’re here, too!
GO CUBS!
Email: dillaar@nv.ccsd.net
Stephanie Koons
Hi! My name is Stephanie Koons and I am SO excited to be a part of the Vassiliadis team. I have been a teacher in the Clark County School District for 17 years. I have taught first, second, and third grade and have been in kindergarten for the last 8 years. Kindergarten is where my heart is; it is so much fun to teach! The littles ones are eager to learn and able to absorb so much information during their first year of “big kid” school. It’s absolutely amazing to see the academic and social growth they make in one short year!
I have lived in Las Vegas for the past 30 years. I attended CCSD elementary and middle schools and went to Bishop Gorman for high school. I graduated from UNLV in 2003 with my undergraduate degree and in 2007 with my Master’s Degree in education.
When I am not at school, I enjoy spending time with my family. I have a wonderful husband and two young children. Both of my kids are little cubs at Vassiliadis! My daughter is going into third grade and my son will be in fourth. During time off, my family and I enjoy going up to the family cabin or taking the boat out on the lake. We love being outdoors!
I feel very lucky to be teaching kindergarten at this amazing school! I look forward to having another great year at Vassiliadis.
Email: lannisl@nv.ccsd.net
Amy Willey
Hello! My name is Amy Willey, and I am thrilled to be teaching kindergarten again this year at Vassiliadis Elementary School. I feel so lucky to have been a part of the Vassiliadis Cub Family since the school’s opening, as there is truly no other school environment quite as spectacular!
As a Las Vegas native, I developed my passion for education within CCSD schools. After graduating Cum Laude from UNLV I began my CCSD teaching career as a third-grade teacher, however my true love is teaching kindergarten! I look forward to coming to school each day and helping spark the flame that is your child’s passion for learning. I love seeing excitement in the eyes of my students as they enter their first year of elementary school and explore different ways of learning within my classroom. I find pure joy in providing my students the opportunity to learn in a setting that is structured yet, hands-on, fun, silly and full of love!
When not at school, I enjoy spending time with my family. My husband and I welcomed our first child, a son named Jace, in February of 2022. We are enjoying learning all the ins and outs of parenting while watching Jace grow each day! Some of my favorite activities include snuggling baby Jace, nightly family walks around our neighborhood, trips to Target, hosting meals or BBQs for family and friends, and watching VGK hockey games!
I am looking forward to another exciting year at Vassiliadis! GO CUBS!
Email: teifeas@nv.ccsd.net
Tara Leppert
Hello! My name is Tara Leppert and I am super proud to be part of the Vassiliadis Team. Go Cubs! I am a native of Las Vegas, Nevada. I have always attended CCSD schools; and it was because of all my amazing teachers I decided education was the career for me. I graduated from Valley High School in 1994 and received my teaching degree from UNLV, Class of 2000. I have been an educator in CCSD for 23 years. I taught first grade for 17 years and have spent the last 6 years teaching Kindergarten. I have to say, KINDERGARTEN is where my heart is! Nothing makes me happier than watching the social, emotional, and educational growth of young children. I have two children of my own. Logan is my aspiring jet-pilot. He is 21 years-old and a 2020 Shadow Ridge graduate. My youngest son, Deaven is 16. He loves animals and playing guitar. We have two dogs, a cat, and a desert tortoise. I enjoy superhero movies, science fiction, and comedies. I also love attending concerts and live comedy shows. Amusement parks also make me happy, especially Disneyland! Exploring new recipes and restaurants is always fun because I LOVE TO EAT. I also enjoy burning off those food calories by running outdoors. I am a fan of Vegas sports and support any team representing my home-town. My favorite children’s book authors are Robert Munsch, David Shannon, and Shel Silverstein. The Giving Tree is my all-time favorite book. Our classroom is a place where students feel safe, confident, and successful. I believe in setting high, yet reasonable expectations. We have manners, we are kind, and we persevere. We know how to take care of ourselves, others, and our environment. I am proud and honored to lay the path for your child’s educational journey.
Email: leppetl@nv.ccsd.net
Lindsay Anton
Hello! My name is Lindsay Anton, and I am so excited to teach Kindergarten at Vassiliadis. I am originally from California, however, Las Vegas has been home for the past 14 years. I graduated with my degree in psychology in 2012, and I am currently pursuing my Master's degree at Western Governors University. Throughout my career, I have taught kindergarten, second grade, and third grade. I have also had the opportunity to serve as a literacy specialist where I provided professional support to teachers, and intervention to struggling readers. Through my years of teaching I have found a special love for kindergarten, it is simply the best!
When I am not at school, I enjoy spending time with my family. My husband and I have two daughters, ages 15 and 13. Some of our favorite things to do include going to Disneyland, going to the movies, playing board games, or visiting the beach. I also enjoy getting lost in a good book while enjoying a nice cup of coffee or taking a shopping trip to Target!
I am so honored to embark on this journey, and I am looking forward to a wonderful year. My goal is to create a safe, loving, and fun environment when students can develop a lifelong love of learning. I look forward to partnering with you to make this the best year yet!