Faculty

Michael Polk
Preschool 1
mike.polk@saints.org

Mr. Michael Polk is a graduate of Eastern Oregon University and is in his 5th year of teaching at Trinity. He is currently studying for his Masters degree in Education. When Mike isn’t at Trinity, you can find him hunting, fishing or golfing. He is married to Shannon - the Director of Development and Admissions at Trinity. They have a daughter, Kelsey, who is a 9th grader. Fun fact: at 6’7” Mike is the tallest teacher at TLS teaching the smallest students!


	Ann Carpenter Junior Kindergarten ann.carpenter@saints.org
Mrs. Ann Carpenter is beginning her 6th year teaching at Trinity. She is a graduate of the University of Phoenix and is currently working on her Masters degree in Education. She is married to Bill. They have three children at Trinity, Emily who is an 12th grader, Abby is in 10th grade and Nate is a 8th grader. Fun fact: Ann was an ice cream zoo runner for Farrell’s Ice Cream Parlor.


	Rachel Schendel Junior Kindergarten/Spanish rachel.schendel@saints.org
Rachel Schendel has a Masters degree in Education and Multi-Disciplinary Studies from Eastern Oregon University. Her minor is in English and she has a Spanish endorsement. She has 11 years of teaching experience at the Elementary and High School level. She is a graduate of Bend High School and is married to Scott. She has two boys at TLS, Zane who is 4 and Gabe who is in 1st grade. She loves tennis, volleyball, scrapbooking, singing, and traveling to Mexico and Europe. Fun fact: Rachel was almost pick-pocketed in Madrid!


	Amy Ludwick Kindergarten amy.ludwick@saints.org
Mrs. Amy Ludwick is beginning her 4th year teaching at Trinity. Amy is a 2006 graduate of Seattle Pacific University and is married to Grant who is a Real Estate broker. Amy is helping coach Trinity’s cross-country team this fall and track in the spring. Fun fact: Amy was an All-American pole-vaulter in college.


	Jon McKim Kindergarten jon.mckim@saints.org
Mr. Jon McKim is beginning his fifth year of teaching and his third year teaching at Trinity. He obtained his teaching degree from Concordia University in Portland. He has been married to Rachel, his high school sweetheart for 14 years and they have two daughters at Trinity, Megan in 6th and Emma in 3rd. Fun Fact: Jon is a survivor of the West Nile virus.


	Tonja Clift 1st Grade tonja.clift@saints.org
Mrs. Tonja Clift has been teaching children at Trinity for 13 years. She is a graduate of WOU in Monmouth, Oregon. She grew up in Central Oregon, attending Trinity Lutheran Church, and is now raising her family here as well. She is married to Greg (4th grade) and has two daughters that attend Trinity, Calah a 10th grader and Megan who is in 7th grade. Fun Fact: Mrs. Clift attended Kindergarten at Trinity.

	Mary Maurer 1st/2nd Grade mary.maurer@saints.org
Mrs. Mary Maurer graduated from Concordia University, Seward with a B.S. in Education. This is her 10th year teaching 2nd grade. She has been married to her husband Ron for 26 years, and has two children, Luke and Melissa. Fun Fact: Mrs. Maurer has taught at Trinity her entire teaching career.

Kathy Gibson
2nd Grade
kathy.gibson@saints.org

Mrs. Kathy Gibson graduated Cum Laude from California State Polytechnic University with a BA in English. She worked in the civil engineering field as an engineering designer and licensed surveying technician while advancing her education in math and engineering science. Later she completed her teacher education program and California teaching credential from Concordia University, Irvine. This is her 6th year teaching 2nd grade at Trinity. Fun fact: Mrs. Gibson surveyed the land now underwater at the Diamond Valley Reservoir for Metropolitan Water District of Southern California.


	Donna Brisk 3rd Grade donna.brisk@saints.org
Mrs. Donna Brisk has been teaching for 22 years. She graduated from Minnesota State University, Mankato. Since teaching at Trinity, she completed her Lutheran teacher training through CUENET and Concordia College in addition to other graduate courses. Donna is married to Ken (our Head of Building Maintenance) and has three grown children. Fun fact: Donna has her own website!


	Sue Newman 3rd/4th Grade sue.newman@saints.org
Mrs. Sue Newman is in her 10th year teaching at Trinity. She was born and raised in the Portland area and attended Oregon State University, graduating in Elementary Education. She is married to Mike and they have two children Lindsey and Austin. Lindsey attends Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo and Austin just graduated from Summit High School and is headed to college in the fall. Fun fact: Mrs. Newman is a big baseball fan!


	Greg Clift 4th Grade greg.clift@saints.org
Mr. Greg Clift graduated from Western Oregon University with a B.S. in Elementary Education and a Masters degree from Concordia Portland. He has been the Athletic Director for many years, and in additon to coaching and teaching P.E. has taught 4th, 5th, and 6th grades. Greg is married to Tonja (a 1st grade teacher at Trinity) and has two daughters that both attend TLS, Calah and Megan. Fun fact: Greg could live on Nacho Cheese Doritos and Mountain Dew and/or homemade Rice Krispy Treats and milk!

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