Specialists Staff
Specials
K-5 Art Teacher Ellen Hefner-Phillips holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Painting and Drawing from Ohio State University. She has happily been “playing” art with the students of CCCS since 2000. When she is not slopping paint in the art room, Mrs. Phillips can be found hanging with her grandsons, practicing yoga, or enjoying a well written book.
P.E. Teacher/Athletics Director Tim Barker holds a Bachelors Degree from the University of Central Florida and a Masters Degree from Azusa Pacific University. He has taught physical education both in public and Christian schools. His goal is to keep students active and share their gifts. Tim enjoys sports, values young people and the ability to share God’s Word.
Spanish Teacher Kyra Smith holds a Bachelors degree in Spanish from Otterbein University. After a high school mission trip to Guatemala, she fell in love with Spanish and the Latin American people. During college she studied abroad in Argentina for four months, and after college, she took students on a mission trip to the Dominican Republic. She has taught in private and public schools, educating preschool, elementary, middle and high school students. She joined CCCS in 2018
K-5 Librarian and Extended Care specialist Mary Walsh oversees multiple roles at Central College Christian School, including the day-to-day duties within the Library and its extensive catalog of books and reference material used within the school curriculum.
K-5 Music Teacher Rachael Miser received her BME from Mount Union College where she was a member of the marching and concert bands, orchestra, percussion and jazz ensembles, and choir. She holds a MA from Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, TN, and a PhD from the University of Dayton, OH. As a member of the military community, Rachael homeschooled her two grown children while traveling around the world as part of the Army family. She has taught music in various locations in Ohio, Germany, Tennessee, and Missouri.
Intervention
Paraprofessional Misha Banks came to Central College Christian School after previously working as a Behavioral Specialist at St. Vincent Family Center and Sonshine Christian Academy. She worked with children ages ranging from three to 13 years old, to help with various behavioral disabilities. Banks also attended Mount Vernon Nazarene University and received a BA in Psychology.
Intervention Specialist Heather Thorward graduated from Malone University in 2007. She began at CCCS in 2015. She has her state license in Early Childhood Education, and Special education with a reading endorsement. Prior to working at CCCS, she taught a combined classroom of first and second graders at Worthington Adventist Academy. She has also been an Orton-Gillingham Tutor at Marburn Academy. She is currently working towards a Masters Degree in Reading Science from the University of Mount St. Joseph. She enjoys a good book, hanging out with friends, and the color purple.
Mackenzie Siens has served as an Educator for 6 years and has been with CCCS since 2021. Mackenzie has a Bachelor's degree in Early and Middle Childhood Studies from The Ohio State University and a Master's degree in Education from Mount Vernon Nazarene University (MVNU). Before joining CCCS, Mackenzie worked as an Educator for COSI On Wheels, traveling for the largely known science museum, COSI (Center of Science and Industry), in downtown Columbus for 4 years. More recently, she has worked as a 2nd grade teacher for CCCS and now serves as the Math Enrichment teacher, giving an extra challenge to students excelling in math in 1st through 5th grade.