Faculty & Staff

Administration & Office Staff

Mrs. Tiffani Pentecost serves as the Principal of Community Christian School, bringing 16 years of educational experience to the role—13 of which have been dedicated to the CCS community. Her leadership is informed not only by her professional expertise but also by her perspective as a CCS parent; all three of her children attended the school, giving her a deep, personal appreciation for the impact of a CCS education.

Mrs. Pentecost holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Mathematics Education from Wheaton College and a Master’s Degree in School Administration from Indiana Wesleyan University. This foundation of academic rigor and specialized leadership training allows her to strive for an educational experience that pursues academic growth and Christian maturity.

Throughout her tenure, Mrs. Pentecost has remained committed to the mission statement of CCS: Christ First…Academics Second to None. She is passionate about mentoring both faculty and students to pursue excellence in all things for the glory of God.

Ms. Ashley Clark first began helping at CCS in her daughter’s class, and in 2020, Ms. Clark joined our staff as the PE teacher and also worked in the lunchroom. In 2023, Ms. Clark moved into the office and serves staff and students as the Administrative Assistant. CCS has been such a blessing to Ms. Clark and her daughter, Addy, who has been attending CCS since Preschool.  She enjoys spending her spare time with her children and grandchildren, going to the ocean, and supporting students in their extracurricular activities.

Mrs. Sheri Hickman has worked at Community Christian School since August of 1999. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Indiana University. Sheri is married to Dave, and they have four children: Matthew, Micah, Josh, and Allie. All of Sheri's children graduated from Community Christian School. She now has 9 grandchildren, 5 of whom attend CCS. 

Mrs. Kimberly Soots has been a part of CCS since 1989. Currently, Mrs. Soots serves CCS students who require academic support. She also aids teachers in meeting student needs in the classroom. Mrs. Soots serves as Liaison and coordinates services for CCS students with Richmond Community Schools when such services are desired and/or available. Mrs. Soots graduated from Ball State University Teacher’s College in 1981. As a part of her ongoing training, Mrs. Soots received a Dyslexia Specialist Certificate in 2022 which is recognized by and on file with the State of Indiana, Department of Education.

Dr. Jackie Schlichte brings her experience as an educator, spanning almost 35 years, to Community Christian. Those experiences include teaching, teacher & mentor training & observation, program development, curriculum development, coordination, along with student and teacher formation through professional development that takes place right in the classroom. At this time, Jackie has served 18 of those years at CCS.

Dr. Schlichte's current role is to follow Christ‘s lead in whatever way CCS may need help. These roles are summed up as Teacher Observation and Formation (Training and Support of Teachers & Students) based on the leadership of Christ on the foundation of the Holy Scripture. Additional education was from Indiana University Bloomington (B.S.), Indiana Wesleyan (M.S.), and Ball State University (Ed.D.). Her life verse is: “He must become Greater, I must become less.” (John 3:30)

Teaching Faculty

Mrs. Alissa Stiner grew up in the Richmond area. She currently resides in Centerville. She is married to her husband, Aaron, and they have 3 children, all of whom attend CCS. Over the last 10 years, Mrs. Stiner has served at CCS as a room mom and substitute teacher. She began teaching pre-kindergarten in 2023. Mrs. Stiner is passionate about helping her pre-k students build a strong early learning foundation. She enjoys helping first-time students feel comfortable in their new environment and finds joy in watching them progress and grow into confident learners. In her spare time, Mrs. Stiner enjoys hiking, gardening, baking, traveling, and spending time with her family and her dog, Dixie. 

Mrs. Heather Reese has taught at CCS for 11 years. She has a Bachelor's degree from Indiana Wesleyan University. Mrs. Reese lives in Ohio and is married to her husband, Ryan. They have two children, Addison and Logan, who both attended CCS. She is grateful to God for the opportunity to be involved in Christian education and to get to help Kindergarteners as they learn and grow in the Lord.

Mrs. Jessica Holman began her career in education as a preschool teacher and in-home daycare provider. She served as a reading interventionist in the Union County School District for nine years. With a Bachelor’s Degree in business from Cedarville University, Mrs. Holman felt led to return to college to pursue elementary education. She completed the Transition to Teaching Program and graduated with a Master’s Degree in Education from Ball State University in 2024. She has been teaching at CCS since the fall of 2023. Mrs. Holman has been blessed to serve as a Sunday School teacher and BSF children’s leader for many years. Her family includes her husband, Michael, and their children, Jonathan, Meghan, and Josiah.

Mrs. Kristina Girdley graduated from Palm Beach Atlantic College in 1994 with a B.A. in English. After college, she taught English in China for a year. She met her husband in Louisville, Kentucky, and spent five years teaching both in the elementary classroom and at the tutoring level. She stayed at home raising her children after 2001. Her passions include music, scripture, and family. Mrs. Girdley joined the CCS faculty in 2017, and is delighted every day by the adventure, joy, and grace she meets at CCS. 

Mrs. Candace Metzger grew up in Minnesota and attended Valparaiso University where she graduated with a major in French and a minor in Spanish, and one year later, attended Cleveland State University where she completed classes for a teaching license in English. She completed her master's program from Valparaiso University, and studied at Indiana State and Purdue Universities for post-graduate work. Mrs. Metzger taught grades 7-12 for 42 years in Indiana and Ohio before retiring from Northeastern Middle School in 2016. Retirement allowed her to pursue her love of quilting and Bible study; yet her life seemed unfulfilled. She began praying about what God wanted her to do, and CCS called, asking her if she would consider taking the third grade teaching position. After prayerful consideration, and believing that this was God's answer to prayer, she accepted the position. What a blessing this has been!

Mrs. Madison Fuesler joined the CCS family in 2022, bringing with her a vibrant passion for teaching and a heart for her students. She and her family relocated to the area to begin a new chapter, and she has been an integral part of our community ever since. Mrs. Fuesler earned her Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from Mission University (formerly Baptist Bible College) in Springfield, Missouri. Her approach to teaching is rooted in a deep love for lifelong learning. She is particularly passionate about encouraging her students to try new things, especially in mathematics.

Mrs. Fuesler and her husband, Christian, have two beautiful daughters, Caroline and Codi-Jane, who will soon attend CCS! The Fueslers are grateful that the Lord led them to CCS and look forward to watching their children grow here in future years.

Mrs. Tina Locker holds a Bachelor of Science in Education from Miami University. Mrs. Locker and her husband of 40 years felt led to prioritize Christian education for their own children and found their home at CCS. Her career with Community Christian School began in 1997 

With nearly three decades of experience in the classroom, Mrs. Locker is deeply passionate about teaching her students to see the hand of the Creator in the world around them. She strives to show her students how the Lord has designed the Earth and all its creatures for us to enjoy, explore, and steward.

The impact of Mrs. Locker’s work is reflected in her own family; both of her children are CCS graduates who continue to speak fondly of their formative years at the school. Outside of the classroom, Mrs. Locker enjoys life in the outdoors—specifically fishing and camping—and cherishes time with her family, her grandchildren, and her church community. An avid cook, she can often be found reading cookbooks and experimenting with new recipes.

Mrs.  Rhonda Price has been teaching for over 30 years, and has taught at Community Christian School since 1997. She enjoys teaching her elementary students, and also enjoys teaching college math courses and education courses to teacher-candidates at Indiana University East. She holds a master’s degree in Elementary Math Education from Miami University, which has offered opportunities for her to provide professional development in math for teachers in a variety of settings. In 2019, she was awarded Ivy Tech Community College's "Adjunct Faculty Award for Excellence in Instruction" for her hard work and passion to help her students succeed. Since 2022, Mrs. Price has helped plan and facilitate IU East's summer S.T.E.M. Camp, serving children in Richmond, IN. In her spare time, Mrs. Price works at her family’s antique mall and likes to spend time with her husband and daughter checking out the area antique hot spots. Mrs. Price's daughter graduated from CCS in 2010.

Mr. Dennis Metzger grew up on a dairy and grain farm in northern Illinois. He later attended Valparaiso University and graduated with a degree in History. Later, he attended Indiana State University, where he earned a degree in Secondary Administration and Supervision. Mr. Metzger has been involved in education for over 40 years, teaching at the middle school and high school levels. During that time, he has also served as a high school assistant principal and a junior-senior high school principal. During his time at CCS, he has taught 5th-grade technology, 6-7-8th grade history, and supervised lunch recess.  "I am blessed to be able to work at CCS, and it truly is ‘Christ First and Academics Second To None’; something that I could not say out loud during my service in public education."

Mrs. Kristen Fortini grew up in the Indianapolis area. She graduated from 2010 from Indiana Wesleyan University with a BS in Exercise Science. In 2012 she got married and moved to California with her husband, Nick. After having her son in 2015, Mrs. Fortini became a stay-at-home mom, and then had her daughter in 2018. God placed it on Mrs. Fortini family’s heart to move back to Indiana, so in 2022 God opened doors and they made the move. CCS has been a major blessing to her family! Mrs.Fortini is excited to be the PE teacher and help out where needed. 

Support Staff