Name: Caroline Linker

Email: clinker@chatham.k12.nc.us

Position/Role: Principal 

Biography: 

Hi Eagles! My name is Caroline Linker and I am your principal! I am so excited to be a part of the SHS family and can’t wait to work with you! I am from Concord, N.C., but have lived in Raleigh for over 10 years. I am a big Wolfpack fan! I have two degrees from NC State and I am currently working on my doctorate. I hope to be Dr. Linker by December 2023! I love to read, listen to music of all genres and spend time with my boyfriend and our dog, Lila. I am dedicated to doing what is best for kids every day. I know that we will SOAR at Silk Hope together! 

Name: Dr. Rachel Corbitt

Email: rcorbitt@chatham.k12.nc.us

Position/Role: Assistant Principal

Biography:

Hello Silk Hope!  My name is Dr. Rachel Corbitt and I am very elated to join such a wonderful teaching and learning team!  I am the mother of four beautiful children and am rearing my one and only granddaughter!  I am originally from South Carolina but grew up in Charlotte, NC.  I am and have always been an educator, even when I tutored one of my nine siblings!  I have a BS in Elementary Education, M.Ed. in Adult Education, M.Ed. in Educational Leadership and an Ed.D. in Educational Leadership.  After being a professional public and private educator for over 25 years, I feel that I have a plethora of positive experiences to share with Silk Hope!

Name: Sherri Campbell

Email: stcampbell@chatham.k12.nc.us

Position/Role: Treasurer

Biography:  I love being the treasurer here at Silk Hope School. It is always entertaining and never boring.  I live on a farm in Silk Hope with my husband - Greg, daughter - Auburn and our cat, Sugar Bear.  Auburn graduated from JM and is currently attending Stetson University in Florida.  We love to travel; Disney World and the Outer Banks are two of our favorite places to visit.  I love baking fresh bread and trying new recipes.

Name: Nicole Shoemaker

Email: nshoemaker@chatham.k12.nc.us

Position/Role: Data Manager

Biography:

Hey Eagles! I started working here at Silk Hope in February 2022. I grew up in Bear Creek and now live in Goldston. My husband and I have one daughter named Aubrey. She is a student here at Silk Hope as well. I enjoy crafting, going to the beach, and spending time with my family and friends.

Name: Jamie Hinson

Email: jhinson@chatham.k12.nc.us

Position: EC Resource Teacher

Biography: 

Hi, my name is Jamie Hinson. This is my 2nd year as a Silk Hope Eagle! I have been teaching students with special needs since 2009. Before teaching I worked at a Therapeutic Horseback riding center as the Assistant Director. I have always enjoyed working with the special needs community and feel like it has been my calling in life. When I am not at school, I enjoy spending time with my family. My husband and I have three kids: Emersyn 9, Mary Addilyn 6 and Myers 3. We like to spend time at the beach, play outside and we spend a lot of time at the ballfields.

Name: Taylor McNeill

Email: temcneill@chatham.k12.nc.us

Position/Role: EC PreK Teacher

Biography:

This is my first year as a Silk Hope Eagle and I am excited to be here with you all! I grew up in Siler City but now live in Goldston with my fiance, Josh and our 3 children. They are ages Bennett (2), Hudson (3), and Josie (4) so we keep a fun and busy schedule! :) I enjoy spending time at the beach, going shopping and to get sushi with my friends, and doing some small photography on the side! I look forward to getting to know everyone this year.

Name: Jennifer (Jen) Morton

Email: jmorton@chatham.k12.nc.us

Position/Role: Separate setting EC teacher

Biography:

I was born and raised in Northwestern Pennsylvania (up by Lake Erie). I went to Edinboro University of Pennsylvania in the snowbelt, and I moved down here to get OUT of the snow. This is my 22nd year of being a Special Education teacher. I’m a country girl, and in the summer I go back to PA to help my Daddy on the farm. I live in Silk Hope and have a cat named Bronco. I love all things sports, especially Denver Broncos and Pittsburgh Steelers football, all things Duke, and NASCAR. I also love country and pop music and going to concerts.

Name: Jennifer Gibson

Email:  jgibson@chatham.k12.nc.us

Position/Role: Curriculum Coach

Biography:

My name is Jennifer Gibson.  This is my second year at Silk Hope as the curriculum coach. This is my 24th year in education and my 15th in Chatham County.  I have two kids who attended Silk Hope.   Riley is a sophomore at Jordan-Matthews and Tyler  graduated in 2021 from Jordan- Matthews.  We have 3 dogs and 2 cats and spend many weekends traveling for softball or to visit family.  

 I enjoy being a resource for students and staff.

Name: Angie Staley

Email: astaley@chatham.k12.nc.us

Position/Role: Speech/Language Pathologist

Biography:

Hello,my name is Angie Staley.  This is my first year as SLP at Silk Hope and my 23rd year in Chatham County Schools.  I’m excited to be at SHS this year! I grew up in Siler City and graduated from JM. I attended UNC-Chapel Hill for my bachelor’s and master’s degrees.  I currently live in PIttsboro with my husband and 2 children.

Name: Michelle Scott

Email: mpscott@chatham.k12.nc.us

Position/Role: School Counselor

Biography:

Hey Eagles! I’m Michelle Scott and this is my 5th year working at Silk Hope as the school counselor. I previously worked as a school counselor in another district and was a classroom teacher in 3rd and 4th grade prior to that. I grew up in Chatham County and attended Siler City Elementary, Chatham Middle and Jordan Matthews High School. After graduating from JMHS, I attended college at UNC-Charlotte to earn my degree in elementary education and then pursued my Master’s degree in School Counseling a few years later. My husband and I have three daughters (ages 8, 6 and 1) and we still live here in Chatham County.  Outside of school, we spend lots of time at ball games and practices with our kids, as well as church activities and taking trips whenever we get a chance. I’m looking forward to a great year at SHS!

Name: Kristin Rauh

Email: krauh@chatham.k12.nc.us 

Position/Role: School Social Worker

Biography:

My name is Ms. Kristin Rauh, and this is my second year as the Silk Hope school social worker! I grew up in a small, rural community in Illinois and only moved out of the Midwest last year! I graduated from Wheaton College with a degree in Psychology and from the University of Michigan’s School of Social Work (MSW). Go Blue! I love living in North Carolina and enjoy spending time hiking, reading, sewing, watching and playing sports, and spending time with friends and family. I look forward to meeting you all and seeing you grow this year!

Name: Amy Leonard

Email: aaleonard@chatham.k12.nc.us

Position/Role: Kindergarten Teacher

Biography:

Hi everyone!  My name is Amy Leonard.  This is my 9th year at SHS and 14th year teaching Kindergarten!  I grew up in this area and actually attended Silk Hope from Kindergarten-8th grade.  I also attended Jordan Matthews High School and ECU!  I live in Liberty, NC with my husband Jonathan and our three kids Ethan (9), Jackson (7), and Taylor (4).  We have a long haired dachshund named Sadie.  I enjoy watching sports (Go Duke! Go Panthers!), being with my family, going to church, and spending time at the lake!  I always wanted to be a teacher when I was younger and I am very glad I am able to do that now.  Most of all I enjoy helping my Kindergarteners learn to read! I am looking forward to a great school year!

Name:  Kim Fuquay

Email:  kfuquay@chatham.k12.nc.us

Position/Role:  K-1 Teacher

Biography:

Hi Eagles!  This is my 29th year teaching at Silk Hope School.   I love my job and this community.  I grew up in Bennett and attended Chatham County Schools.  I attended the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, where I earned my degree in Elementary Education.  I have been married for 22 years and have 3 children.  We spend a lot of time at baseball fields and basketball gyms.  I am very active in my church where I play the piano.  I love music and enjoy reading in my free time.  

Name: Sarah Morse

Email: smorse@chatham.k12.nc.us

Position/Role: 1st Grade Teacher

Biography:

Hi Eagles! This will be my second year of teaching. Both have been in 1st grade and at Silk Hope School. I am a native of Chatham County and attended Siler City Elementary, Chatham Middle, and Jordan-Matthews High School. After earning a degree in Elementary Education from NC State University in 2021... Go Pack!... I was eager to return home and be a part of such a wonderful community again. I enjoy coaching the girl's basketball team at Silk Hope, hanging out with other teacher friends, and learning about new things with my students. I can not wait to SOAR together!

Name: Alison Hargrove

Email: ahargrove@chatham.k12.nc.us

Position: 1st/2nd grade teacher

Biography:

Hello Eagles! This is my 3rd year teaching at Silk Hope School. I grew up in Los Angeles, California and then attended the University of Washington in Seattle. After teaching in Los Angeles for 4 years, I decided to move to North Carolina and Chatham County schools took me in! I love teaching, traveling, reading, cooking, and doing yoga. When I’m not at school I like to spend time with my family, boyfriend, and friends. I’m excited to watch my students grow into readers this year.

Name: Dana Teague

Email: dteague@chatham.k12.nc.us

Position: 2nd grade teacher

Biography:

Hey Eagles! This is my 17th year teaching. (15 years at SHS) I grew up in Durham and attended Meredith College in Raleigh. I live in Silk Hope with my husband and three children. Lane is my oldest (21) and is a senior at NC State University. Brayden (20) is a junior at NC State University and Brenna (15) is a sophomore at Jordan Matthews High School. I love spending time with my family and friends. I love to travel and I love teaching my sweet students at Silk Hope School. My favorite color is red and I love cheering on the NC State Wolfpack! I know this is going to be another great year of teaching and learning!

Name: Irion Dickerson

Email:  idickerson@chatham.k12.nc.us

Position/Role: 3rd grade teacher

Biography:  

I grew up in Pinehurst, NC and attended UNC-CH to get my degree in Elementary Education. I have worked in 5 different schools around NC in 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th grades. This is my 16th year in the classroom, and my 10th year teaching at SHS.  I live here in Silk Hope with my husband, two daughters, Emma (18) and Chloe (16,) and my dog Angel.  I love to read, cook, exercise and visit the beach as often as I can.  I am so fortunate to do what I love and spend each day with amazing children. 

Name: Melissa Jenkins

Email: mljenkins@chatham.k12.nc.us

Position/Role: 3rd Grade Teacher

Biography:

Hi Eagles, grew up in upstate New York and attended SUNY Oneonta to get my Elementary Education Degree. In 2007, I graduated from UNC at Chapel Hill with a Master’s Degree in Literacy. This will be my 20th year in the classroom (all at Silk Hope). I’ve taught both second and third grade in addition to  ⅔ combination classes. I love traveling (beach), shopping, and spending time with my family. I live in Graham with my husband and two children.I have a son Dylan (12) and a daughter Ava (6). I love teaching and look forward to supporting our Silk Hope students and community.

Name: Melissa Parks

Email: mparks@chatham.k12.nc.us

Position/Role: 4th and 5th Grade English Language Arts

Biography:

Hello Eagles!  This is my 3rd year at Silk Hope and 16th year teaching!  I live in Silk Hope with my husband (a former Eagle) and my children Tommy and Ella Ruth. When I am not at the ball field cheering on my kids I enjoy reading, cooking, and relaxing at home with my family and two dogs (Lucy and Pearl).  I proudly attended Chatham County Schools (Go Jets!) and went to Meredith College for both undergrad and graduate school.  I am very passionate about helping kids get excited about reading and look forward to soaring with you!

Name: Heidi Matthews

Email: heidimatt@chatham.k12.nc.us

Position/Role: 4th & 5th grade Science & Social Studies Teacher

Biography:

 Hello Friends!  My name is Heidi Matthews.  I am finishing up my 14th year at Silk Hope School.  I started at Silk Hope as a 2nd grade teacher assistant.  Prior to that, I worked as a Child Support Agent for Chatham County Department of Social Services.  I have a BA in Psychology from Elon College.  I have a Masters in K-6 Elementary Education from N.C. A & T University.  I have lived in the Silk Hope area my entire life.  In fact, I was in the very first kindergarten class at Silk Hope School.  (Don’t tell anyone…I’m old!)  I have been married to my husband Neil for 26 years.  We live on a farm near Alamance County.    We have 3 children:  Chase is 22 and attends CCCC, Chandler is 20 and attends NC State University, and Caroline is 17 and beginning her senior year at JM.  We love to cheer for the New York Yankees and the NC State Wolfpack!  I’m looking forward to a fabulous school year!

Name: Betsy Mitchell

Email: blstraug@chatham.k12.nc.us

Position: 4th and 5th Grade  Math

Biography:

My name is Betsy Mitchell. I am excited to start my 2nd year as a Silk Hope Eagle. My husband and I have 2 daughters and live on a small farm near Pittsboro. During the summer we spend lots of time at the beach, where we enjoy finding shark’s teeth. In the fall we love to roast marshmallows and watch football. (Go NC State!) I am beginning my 19th year of teaching and look forward to getting to know my students.

Vacant Position 

Name: Kate Castro

Email: kcastro@chatham.k12.nc.us

Position/Role: middle school science

Biography:

Hello, Eagles! I’m Mrs. Castro, middle school Science teacher at Silk Hope School. This is my 4th year in Silk Hope and 10th year in the teaching profession. I have a degree in Bachelor of Secondary Education (Major in Chemistry) and units in Master of Arts in Education (Major in Chemistry) which I both took in the University of the Philippines Diliman. I am a Filipino and I am from the Philippines, which is in the southeast of Asia. My husband Ray and I have two fur babies, Harley Quinn and King T’challa (my husband is a DC fan while I’m a Marvel fan). I love watching movies, binge-watching TV series, and reading books. I also love playing video games and riding bikes on trail parks. What I like the most in my job is I get to do Science experiments with my students. I love it the most when my students make new discoveries in our lesson each day.

Name: Zach Campbell

Email: zcampbell@chatham.k12.nc.us

Position/Role: 7th & 8th Grade Social Studies & Athletic Director

Biography:

Hey Eagles! My name is Zach Campbell, 7th & 8th Grade Social Studies teacher and athletic director at Silk Hope. After earning my degree from NC State (Go Pack!) and substitute teaching at Jordan-Matthews, I was hired at Silk Hope. I’m now entering my 7th year teaching, all of them as an Eagle. I grew up in Chatham County, and am a proud alum of Siler City Elementary, Chatham Middle, and Jordan-Matthews. In my free time, I love playing golf, cooking, watching sports, and spending time with friends, family, and my girlfriend Claire as well as our 2 dogs (Bagel and Tedd). I’m looking forward to a great year with all of our Eagles!

Name: Krissy Drumheller

Email: kkeraga@chatham.k12.nc.us

Position/Role: 7th/8th ELA Teacher

Biography:

Hey, Eagles! I am Krissy Drumheller, and I am the 7th and 8th grade English Language Arts teacher here at Silk Hope. This is my 10th year teaching. I moved down here from Pittsburgh, PA after attending Duquesne University. My husband and I have an energetic toddler named Sienna and two sweet dogs named Sasha and Murphy. When I’m not chasing them around, I’m usually making jewelry with my sister for our small business named Sapphire and Leo. Looking forward to another great year at The Hope!

Name: Rikki Deshaies

Email: rdeshaies@chatham.k12.nc.us

Position/Role: English as a Second Language (ESL)

Biography:

Welcome back Eagles! I am looking forward to another great school year. I was born in Tennessee and grew up in Sanford, North Carolina. I went to the University of North Carolina at Greensboro for my Bachelor of Arts in Spanish Education and North Carolina for my Master of Arts in Spanish Language and Literature. I love to travel, spend time with family, read, and bake bread! My favorite food is sushi, and my favorite book series is Harry Potter. I lived in Córdoba, Argentina in college as an international student. ¡Hablo español!

Name: Kristin White

Email: kbrady@chatham.k12.nc.us

Position/Role: Math Specialist

Biography:

Hey Eagles! I am so looking forward to starting this new school year. This is year #10 for me, all of them at The Hope. I am transitioning out of the classroom as a middle school math and science teacher into my new role as the Math Specialist/Interventionist. I am from Bennett, right here in Chatham County. I live on the land I grew up on with my husband and our two sons, Hudson (7) and Harris (4). I also have a beautiful and free spirited goldendoodle, Stella. I am an alumni of Bennett, Chatham Central, and High Point University. I have a degree in Middle Grades Education with concentrations in math, science, and social studies. In my free time I enjoy reading, swimming, playing outside with my kids, and leading our older youth group at church.

Name:  Christa Morgan

Email: cdmorgan@chatham.k12.nc.us 

Position/Role: Reading Specialist 

Biography: 

I earned both my Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Ed. and my Master’s Degree in Reading from UNC-Greensboro. I also received a National Board Certification. I enjoyed teaching first and second grade for 19 years, as well as the last four years as the Reading Specialist at SHS. When I graduated from Jordan Matthews High School (many years ago),  I never imagined that I would be a teacher.  I can honestly say that I absolutely LOVE my job and the students that I have been blessed to work with in this profession. When I’m not working on ‘school stuff’, I enjoy watching my sons play baseball and basketball, shopping at Belks with my mom, sleeping in, catching up with friends, and of course I LOVE to read.

Name: Barry Barber

Email: bbarber@chatham.k12.nc.us

Position/Role: AIG Teacher

Biography: Hello, Eagles! My name is Barry, and this is my 23rd year in NC education and my third as the AIG teacher at both Silk Hope and Bonlee. I earned my undergraduate degree from UNCG and my master’s degree from NCSU. My wife Cecilia and I live in Asheboro, and our daughter Sarah is a computer science major at UNCG; we have 3 cats. I enjoy reading, especially r/politics and works by E. Phillips Oppenheim, and watching film noir. When I travel I like discovering new places. My family traveled to Pennsylvania and Mexico this summer, and in both places I enjoyed walking/driving around just to find out where I would end up.

Name: Sarah Finman Jones

Email: mjones@chatham.k12.nc.us

Position/Role: Art K-8

Biography:

Hello Eagles! I am honored to be joining the Silk Hope team as your art teacher this year! I was born in Charlotte, N.C. where I attended school until I was a junior in high school. At that point, I moved to Vermont for two years to finish high school at The Putney School, where I became very interested in visual art and learned a lot about farming! I received my B.F.A. in Art Education from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. After graduating, I taught art in Orange County for 21 years. I currently live in Chatham County with my husband, our son, and our rescue hound, Roscoe. Our family loves camping and being outdoors! I am looking forward to meeting all of the Eagles and their families!

Name: Zachary Wills

Email: zwills@chatham.k12.nc.us

Position/Role: Band Director and Music Teacher

Biography:

I grew up in Northwestern LA and Northwestern MS. F Horn and trumpet are my two primary instruments. I served in the United States Marine Corps for twelve years and taught at the Naval School of Music. I have traveled the globe, performed thousands of times, and truly enjoyed the experience. When I returned to civilian life, I returned to teaching, and am currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Music Education at the University of North Carolina Greensboro. My wife, Lindsey Drew Phillips Wills and I live in Silk Hope. We have two children, Kyle and Shelby, two dogs, Solo and Sammy, and we enjoy the outdoors, fishing, games, fiber arts, performance arts, and motorcycles.

Name: Taylor Kennedy

Email: tkennedy@chatham.k12.nc.us

Position/Role: Physical Education Teacher

Biography:

Hello Eagles!  This is my second year at SHS and 13th year teaching in Chatham County.  I grew up in Siler City and attended Siler City Elementary, Chatham Middle, and Jordan-Matthews.  I now live in the Silk Hope area with my wife Beth and our kids, Carson (9) and Charlotte (7).  As a family we spend a lot of time between the ball field and gymnastics.  When I’m not busy running the kids all over the place I like to spend my time hunting and fishing.

Name: Jorge Polo

Email: jpolobossa@chatham.k12.nc.us

Position/Role: Spanish Teacher

Biography:

¡Hola Aguilas! I am Jorge Polo, Spanish teacher at 6th, 7th, and 8th grade. This is my fourth year of teaching at SHS. I’ve been teaching for around 8th years. I grew up in Valledupar, a small but cultural city in Colombia. I have a bachelor’s degree in Spanish and English language. I attended the Universidad Popular del Cesar in Colombia. In 2019, I decided to get out of my comfort zone and also live a different cultural experience and that's how I am here today. I enjoy working out, outdoor walks, swimming in the ocean, and watching movies from the 80’s and 90’s.

Name: Jessica Strowd

Email: jstrowd@chatham.k12.nc.us

Position/Role: Middle School CTE Teacher

Biography:

Hi Eagles! I am looking forward to starting my second year at Silk Hope and sixth year in education. I spent the first half of the school day at Silk Hope and the second half at JS Waters. The K-8 world is one that I love, as I attended North Chatham before it was only an elementary school. Then, I graduated from Northwood and NC State. My husband and I have a two year old son, Knox, who I tell stories about often. Those stories are mostly about his fighting or playing with our chocolate lab, Bella. We listen to a lot of Baby Shark and have quite a few dance parties. The passion that I found at NHS is learning and teaching about all things agriculture. I am excited to bring more of that to this wonderful school! My favorite moments are watching students get excited about where their everyday items come from.

Name: Karen Holden

Email: kholden@chatham.k12.nc.us

Position:  Instructional Assistant

Biography:

Hello  Eagles.  My name is Karen Holden. This will be my eighteenth year at Silk Hope as an Instructional Assistant.  I will be working with Miss Morse this year in first grade. I live in the Silk Hope Community with my husband Mitchell.

We have two children, Stephanie and Taylor. My daughter Stephanie is a Reading Specialist at Pittsboro Elementary. I enjoy cooking for my family and spending time with them. We love our dogs, Max, Louie, Coco and Sheila. We like to take long walks with our dogs. I also enjoy planning and decorating for events. I love my church and I like being involved in church activities. I am looking forward to a wonderful year!

Name: Karen McLaurin

Email: kmclaurin@chatham.k12.nc.us

Position: ECIA

Biography:  My name is Karen McLaurin. I grew up in Siler City. This is my 18th year as a Silk Hope Eagle! I am married and have 2 kids, a dog, 2 cats and 3 chickens. We live in the Silk Hope community. I enjoy gardening and growing plants. I love to take trips to the beach and the mountains with my family. We love hiking in the mountains near waterfalls. I enjoy reading fictional books and making people smile.

Name: Jennifer Culberson

Email: jgculberson@chatham.k12.nc.us

Position/Role: EC Instructional Assistant/Sub Bus Driver

Biography: I feel blessed to be starting my 5th year as an IA in the EC self contained classroom at Silk Hope. We are like a family and have lots of fun together. This will be my 17th year working with Chatham. I enjoy spending time with kids and helping them to reach goals and feel loved everyday. I live in the beautiful Silk Hope community with my husband, two daughters, and two cats. I like to travel, garden, watch my girls play sports, and help with the children's ministry at my church.

Name: Sharyn Guthrie

Email: sguthrie@chatham.k12.nc.us

Position/Role: Kindergarten IA/Bus Driver

Biography:  Hello Eagles! This is my 4th year working for Chatham County Schools as a Kindergarten assistant, but my first year at Silk Hope.  I was a Silk Hope Eagle in grades 3-8. I then went on to graduate from Chatham Central High School.  My husband Josh and I have been married for 16 years and we first met when we were students at Silk Hope.  We have 3 children who are now students at Silk Hope. The rest of our family consists of our many animals!  We have 3 dogs, 3 cats, and 2 guinea pigs.  My kids love to play baseball and softball and we love to watch them!   In the summer, we love visiting the beach and spending time by the pool.  I am so excited to be an Eagle again and I look forward to a great year!  

Name: Wendy Bowden

Email: wbowden@chatham.k12.nc.us

Position/Role: EC Instructional Assistant

Biography:

Hey Eagles! I am starting my 30th year as an assistant for Silk Hope School. (AKA “The Hope”) You have to think a place is really special to work here that long!  I not only love the school, but I love the area. My family and I, along with 3 dogs, live in Silk Hope. When the school day ends you will find me active at my church or watching my son on the JM baseball field/basketball court. I like to say my son went from flying high as an eagle to flying high as a jet. You can do the same!