Mrs. Shannon Gerbershagen

Prior to joining forces with Rise and Shine to create a kindergarten program in 2013, and then teaching kindergarten the past four school years, Mrs. G served for nine years as a third and fourth grade teacher, and worked as a Literacy Specialist for the Reading First Grant in Youngstown City Schools. Mrs. G holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in education, is a certified teacher through the State of Ohio, and earned a Reading Endorsement for her experience as a Literacy Specialist on a K–3 reading initiative. Mrs. G sees Kindergarten as the foundation for a child’s academic future, and loves the opportunity to help children gain the confidence and knowledge they need to begin their educational journey.

Mrs. Ashlee Menear

After watching her own kids learn and grow at Rise and Shine, Mrs. Menear decided she did not want to leave the school - so she joined the kindergarten program! She has a Bachelor’s Degree from Baldwin-Wallace College in Middle Childhood Education and a Master’s Degree in K-12 Classroom Technology. Mrs. Menear has classroom experience from teaching middle school mathematics and language arts for four years, before deciding to take a break and spend more time at home with her two kids. During that time, she worked at her church as the children’s ministry assistant, which allowed her to have the amazing opportunity to help kids discover God’s love. Ready to join the education field again, Mrs. Menear is excited to be an early part of kindergartners’ learning, helping them recognize their strengths and build on them for a successful education experience.