Middle School Faculty

ckane@northstarcharter.org

Chrissy Kane was born and raised in Indiana and is a graduate of Purdue University, where she earned her bachelor’s degree in Child Development and Family Studies and met her husband, Joe. They are proud Boilermakers! In 2006, they relocated to Idaho, where she earned her master’s degree in Counseling from Boise State University.

Mrs. Kane recently completed her 17th year as a school counselor, including this past year serving as the Director of School Counseling at an urban high school in South Bend, Indiana. Previously, she spent 13 years as a counselor in the West Ada School District and 3 years at Bishop Kelly. She is passionate about working with teens and finds great fulfillment in helping students pursue their goals and recognize their potential.

Mrs. Kane is a mom of three boys, ages 25, 18, and 13. In her free time, she enjoys traveling for hockey games and tournaments, reading, watching true crime shows, hunting for mid-century vintage Christmas treasures, camping, practicing yoga, and spending time with family, friends, and her two dogs and two cats.

Mrs. Kane is very excited for the new opportunity to join the North Star team, as well as meeting the faculty, staff, students, and parents!

jhorning@northstarcharter.org

Mr. Horning is excited to begin his 18th year of teaching and his 4th year at North Star Charter School. He previously taught at Heritage Middle School in West Ada, Middleton Middle School, and in Salem, Oregon.

He loves teaching science through engaging, hands-on activities that inspire curiosity and critical thinking. Outside of school, he enjoys spending time with his family and his dog along the Boise River, as well as cheering on Idaho Vandal football.

Mr. Horning loves being part of the North Star community and can’t wait for another exciting year of 6th Grade Science, MOSS, and many other memorable experiences with students.

krasmussen@northstarcharter.org

Mrs. Kerri Rasmussen holds a Bachelor’s degree from Oregon State University and has accumulated over a decade of teaching expertise across Washington State, Oregon, and most recently Idaho in 2021. Mrs. Rasmussen is a dedicated educator, excited to join the North Star Charter School community as the 6th grade math teacher.

Beyond her professional endeavors, Mrs. Rasmussen finds great joy in supporting her two sons and daughter as they participate in sports, particularly basketball and football. Her family is her cornerstone, and she values every moment spent traveling, watching sports, running/walking, and simply being together with her husband and children.

Mrs. Rasmussen is excited to contribute her passion for education and her commitment to student development to the North Star Charter School community.

mscott@northstarcharter.org

Mr. Scott has been with Rolling Hills since the school opened in 2005.  He has taught in a variety of positions at Rolling Hills including PE, Science, Computer Lab, and is currently the 8th Grade homeroom teacher.  Mr. Scott is a proud Boise native who graduated from Boise High School before getting his Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education from the University of Idaho.

In his free time, you’ll find him hiking, camping, and rock hounding throughout the Northwest with his crazy dog and wife.  He is an avid reader who likes to lose himself in medieval fantasy novels.  With his friends and family, he plays board and role-playing games on the weekend, and is really proud of his collection of games without 50 board/board games in his collection.

bseverns@northstarcharter.org

Mrs. Severns was born and raised in Stockton, California, where she spent many summers on the softball diamonds.  After earning her Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies from CSU Stanislaus, Mrs. Severns began her teaching career in the Stockton Unified School District, working toward her special and general education teaching credentials. After 5 years of teaching in Stockton, Mrs. Severns and her husband decided to move their family to Idaho.  Here, they enjoy watching their daughters ride horses and play softball.  Mrs. Severns also enjoys reading, listening to music, and golfing. She has been a middle school teacher at North Star since 2022 and is excited to share her passion for self-improvement with 6th graders.

twhitt@northstarcharter.org

The soft blanket of snow that had cascaded gently down the night before now crunched under the
early morning footsteps of the Whitt family as they welcomed the newest addition, Tyrel Cole Whitt,
to their family. Six siblings, a myriad of sports, and an adventurous outdoor lifestyle led to 18 years
of valuable experience and precious memories as Ty grew up in North Pole, Alaska.

After graduating high school he traveled to Eugene, Oregon to attend a junior college that had
offered him a basketball scholarship, and eventually a baseball scholarship as well. Albertson
College, now College of Idaho, recruited Ty as a pitcher, and Ty received his first true taste of the
beauty Idaho had to offer. He graduated from C of I with a degree in elementary education in 1999.

The next five years were an epic saga of life changing experience as Ty worked as a hotshot
firefighter in 12 different states and traveled internationally to 3 different continents. He was fortunate
enough to marry his gorgeously brilliant and talented wife Heather in 2004, the same year he began
his teaching career. Ty now has two beautiful and precocious daughters, Zinnia and Poppy, who are
16 and 12 years old respectfully. An aspiring author, he happily spends his free time reading, writing,
playing games, and making artistic glass mosaics for his and his wife's art business, r.a.d. Mosaics.
With over two decades of time spent encouraging junior high students to understand, value, and
wield the power of language with respect and careful thought, it is his honor to teach at North Star
with an enthusiastic attitude and high expectations. Every day is a learning opportunity as we read,
write, laugh, and reflect.

kdillon@northstarcharter.org

Kelly Dillon was raised in Las Vegas, NV and received a bachelors in K–12 Music Education from Western State College (now Western Colorado University). After starting her teaching career back in 2006 in the elementary music classroom, she moved to Pocatello, ID. With the scarcity of music positions at the time, she decided to take on a new challenge and get certified to teach K–8 math. She was hired at Hawthorne Middle School in Pocatello, Idaho as a 6th grade math teacher and stayed from 2009–2016. She then made a decision to move to Boise in 2016 with her husband and was hired into the North Star family to teach 7th grade and has taught math and now Social Studies for the last 10 years. Since her time at North Star, she has completed a Masters in Curriculum Development with Emphasis in 6–8 Middle School Mathematics. In addition to teaching, Kelly is a 2nd Lieutenant in the Idaho National Guard for a Field Artillery unit in Boise, Idaho where she trains once a month and for a period during the summer. 

She is passionate about teaching because of the constant challenge and the ability to be creative on a daily basis. No day is ever the same which makes teaching all the more exciting. She takes teaching seriously and works hard to give each student the opportunity to have a successful year. In addition to teaching in the classroom, Kelly has been the 6-8 head coach for the cross country program since 2017.

Her other hobbies include settling down with a good book/podcast and exploring new places. She loves staying active and enjoys getting outdoors to run, hike, bike, and glamping in her trailer when the weather is good. She also enjoys concerts and playing guitar and clarinet.

jstanciu@northstarcharter.org

Jasmine Stanciu (Stan-choo) is a born-and-raised Idahoan, science educator, outdoor expedition leader, and lifelong adventurer with a passion for experiential education and the natural world. She earned her BS in Biological Sciences with an emphasis in Secondary Education. She spent six years teaching middle and high school science within the Sage International Network in Boise and Middleton.

Beyond the classroom, Mrs. Stanciu has led outdoor expeditions, student international travel, and built her own outdoor educational business, combining her love for science, travel, and adventure. Whether snowboarding, backpacking, or exploring new places alongside her incredible husband and their adventure-loving Australian Shepherd, she believes some of the best learning happens outside.

dshubert@northstarcharter.org

Mr. Shubert was born in Missouri and moved to Idaho in 1991 by way of Oklahoma, Alaska, and Tennessee. He immediately fell in love with Idaho and has been here ever since. Married for almost 30 years and raising four awesome children (two boys and 2 girls) has been the greatest joy of his life. When not teaching, you might find Mr. Shubert making big divots in the fairway of a golf course or losing lures in a river or lake somewhere in the great outdoors of this wonderful state. He also enjoys working with his hands, being a handyman, fixing cars or anything that can be taken apart and repaired, and figuring out how things work.

Returning to school after a 20-year break in 2006, Mr. Shubert graduated from Boise State in 2009 with a degree in Elementary Education. He then started his teaching career at Rolling Hills Charter School and has been there the last 16 years. He enjoys teaching Middle School Science and Math and being a positive influence on the students that he teaches every day. Seeing students investigating and learning new things is something that is very satisfying and motivating. He is very excited about taking on the role of STEM teacher because it gives him a chance to let the students do hands-on activities that allows them to think outside the box and develop critical thinking skills.

mwaller@northstarcharter.org

Mrs. Price, formerly Ms. Waller, is excited to return for her second year teaching at North Star and continue to get to know and guide students through their 7th grade English journey in the upcoming school year.

She graduated from Boise State University with a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature and a minor in Creative Writing. Mrs. Price is also going back to school for a Master’s in Education through Boise State University. She earned her Alternative Teaching Certification in Secondary English through the American Board of Education. Her teaching experience includes serving as a long-term substitute for 6th grade English at Heritage Middle School and teaching 8th grade at Peace Valley. She particularly enjoys working with middle school students, appreciating their increasingly strong opinions and developing sense of identity.

Outside of the classroom, Mrs. Price enjoys knitting, reading, and traveling with her husband. She has been Latin Ballroom dancing for seven years and is a proud pet owner of a dog and a cat, both named after beloved book characters from her childhood.

sgreen@northstarcharter.org

mfriedman@northstarcharter.org

Michael Friedman spent his early years in New Jersey and Pennsylvania before moving through Washington and California, eventually settling in Idaho nearly 15 years ago. Each place has shaped who he is, but Idaho is where he has built his home, his career, and his family. While earning his bachelor’s degree in social sciences from the University of Southern California, he also had the opportunity to play collegiate baseball as a pitcher. He currently holds a master’s degree from Colorado State University Global in Teaching and Learning with a specialization in Strategic Innovation and Change Management.

Before the role of teaching Financial Literacy and Career Exploration, he taught middle school Social Studies and spent several years as a special education teacher. Michael is passionate about watching students grow into confident, capable young adults finding success through hard work. His goal is to equip students with practical skills such as critical thinking, persistence, and hard work that they can carry into high school, college, and beyond.

Outside of school, he enjoys spending time with his wife, Lauren, and their two amazing kids, Estella and Jack. He can often be found hiking, biking, running with their dogs, or simply enjoying gardening time outside.

gmorris@northstarcharter.org

Mrs. Morris earned a bachelors and master’s degree from the University of Idaho- Go Vandals! She was raised in Meridian but lived in several places before settling back in the valley to raise her family. She has six years of experience in public education and several years beyond that as a preschool and college educator. She loves teaching middle school and all of the challenges and quirkiness that comes with it. This is her third year here at North Star and is so excited to be a continous part of this community of fellow teachers, students, and their families.

Outside of school, Mrs. Morris stays busy and well entertained by her three young boys. From after school pick up, to soccer, baseball, and basketball, and supporting her husband’s high school sports teams too, there is always something going on in the Morris house! In a family full of educators, they value their summers and spend them outside or traveling as much as they can.

She believes that students can overcome mathematical and life challenges if they know how to be a critical thinker and problem solver. She enjoys finding ways to bring out the strengths every student has to find their inner mathematician and to become more confident in the classroom.

krose@northstarcharter.org

Mrs. Rose brings 29 years of teaching experience and a passion for inspiring middle school students through a love of learning. Born and raised in Southern California, some of her happiest childhood memories come from summers in Idaho—camping, fishing, and exploring old mining camps in the Sawtooths. After her parents retired to Stanley, she and her husband, Erik, made Idaho their home in 2018, along with their three dogs—Lucy, Bodie, and Ida.

Outside the classroom, Mrs. Rose loves making the most of Idaho’s beautiful outdoors. During the winter, she can often be found skiing or snowmobiling, while summers are spent camping, hiking, fishing, gardening, boating, riding four-wheelers, or exploring backroads in the family’s trusty 1974 Bronco.

Family is at the center of Mrs. Rose’s life. She and Erik have four grown children and a two-year-old grandson who brings them endless joy.

Mrs. Rose began her teaching career in 1998 in Yorba Linda, California, where she spent 20 years teaching sixth grade (all subjects) and a few years teaching third grade. After moving to Idaho in 2018, she joined the West Ada School District as a seventh-grade English Language Arts teacher, where she discovered just how much she loves working with middle school students. With social studies always being one of her favorite subjects, she’s absolutely thrilled to be part of the amazing team at North Star!

hsanzana@northstarcharter.org

Mrs. Sanzana is originally from Anchorage, Alaska, but has called the Treasure Valley home for many years. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education (K-8) and a Master of Arts in Education, Literacy, from Boise State University—Go Broncos!

With seven years of experience as a public middle school teacher, Mrs. Sanzana finds great joy in guiding students through student-led writing projects, analyzing literature, and helping them develop the skills and strategies to confidently tackle rigorous texts. She is passionate about fostering a love for reading and critical thinking in her classroom.

Beyond teaching, Mrs. Sanzana enjoys workout classes, walks on the Green Belt, thrifting, traveling, and trying new restaurants with her husband.

She is thrilled to be part of the North Star community and looks forward to an incredible year of learning and growth with her students!

dstelzner@northstarcharter.org

A 20+ year veteran of education, Mrs. Stelzner’s professional career has focused on public education in both traditional and charter schools as a teacher at all levels K–9, an instructional coach, MYP/DP Coordinator with the IB, and Head of School. She is incredibly excited to be back in the classroom helping students learn, discover their passions, and become future world changers.

Born and raised in Montana, she began her educational journey at Montana State University Northern with a Bachelor’s of Physical Education and an emphasis in coaching. After moving to the Treasure Valley, she earned a Master’s in Exercise Physiology/Sport Science from Boise State University. Northwest Nazarene was her final stop as she earned an Educational Specialist degree in Building Administration.

Outside of the classroom, Mrs. Stelzner and her family enjoy mountain life to the fullest. Whether it is downhill mountain biking, skiing, hiking, or camping, they live for the mountains! Her husband, Nick, is a mental health professional with an emphasis in sports performance and is a private baseball coach specializing in pitching. Their son, Tyee, is a sophomore in high school and is passionate about playing hockey, science, and Spanish.

Mrs. Stelzner looks forward to building strong connections and partnering with families to support each child’s success every step of the way.

pbrown@northstarcharter.org

tholladay@northstarcharter.org

Trevor Holladay grew up in the great outdoors of Northwest Montana. He likes to spend his down time hunting, fishing, hiking, or playing city league sports such as volleyball or basketball. He is originally from Kalispell, Montana where he went to school K-12th grade. Following his passion for being physically active, he moved to Bozeman, Montana and went to Montana State University and received his Bachelor of Science degree in Health Enhancement.

After graduating, Trevor moved to the Treasure Valley and got his Masters in Educational Leadership at BSU and married his wife Danica shortly after.

Last year, Trevor finished his tenth year teaching. He looks forward to meeting new students and families throughout the year and continuing doing what he loves.

hwhitt@northstarcharter.org

Heather Whitt grew up in Boise, attending McMillan elementary school, with her mom as librarian. She then moved onto Lowell Scott MS, then onto graduate from Centennial HS. Heather grew up playing recreational and competitive soccer in the Treasure Valley. She played all four years on Centennial’s varsity team and earned a spot on the Idaho state team. This along with her academic achievements earned her a scholarship to College of Idaho for four years. There she met the love of her life, the famously epic, Ty Whitt! She finished schooling with a BA in Secondary English Teaching and then later acquired her Art credential.

After finishing college Heather was able to buy an “around the world” plane ticket allowing her to visit over ten countries over the course of a year. She taught summer school for the Boise School District along with Special Education and coached girls JV soccer at Capital HS. She then started the art program for the middle and high school at North Star Charter. For three years she was able to teach students from 6th-12th including introduction classes, multicultural art and commercial art in the high school.

She took a break to raise two beautiful daughters but came back to North Star in 2019 to resume her Visual Arts teaching in 6-12.  Her younger daughter will be in 6th grade this fall and her older daughter attends their neighborhood junior high in 9th grade this fall.  In her spare time she loves to garden, camp with her family and friends, and create one of a kind mosaic art pieces for her and Mr. Whitt’s art business, R.A.D Mosaic.