Student Support Services

My name is Cathy Glei and I am thrilled to serve our school as
Eberwhite’s Building Literacy Coach. With 30 years of teaching experience across multiple grades, I’m passionate about supporting teachers, students, and families in all things literacy while strengthening our vibrant school community.

Fun Facts:

• I cycle, hike, explore new places, write, sing, and play outside as much as I can.
• I have three grandchildren.
• Love a good hot chai, honey dew boba tea, and popcorn (of all kinds).
• I enjoy watching the Tour de France, La Vuelta and Giro d-Italia.

My name is Maggie Russell, and I am excited to introduce myself as the new Reading Assistant at Eberwhite.  I moved to Michigan a little over a year ago from Indiana, where I taught kindergarten, third, and most recently, second grade. This is my ninth year in education, and I am thrilled to bring my passion for teaching reading to Eberwhite.  I am trained in Phonics First and IMSE, two structured literacy programs grounded in the Science of Reading.  I have also served as an academic specialist and reading interventionist, focusing on literacy development and supporting students on their reading journeys.

I am loving living here in Michigan!  My husband works at the University of Michigan, and together we have a wonderful 9-year-old daughter.  As a family, we enjoy kayaking, boating, traveling, playing board games, and overall just spending quality time with each other.  

I look forward to working with your children and helping them soar as readers. Please feel free to reach out—I am here to support your child’s literacy journey and am eager to be part of this fantastic community.

Hello! My name is Olivia Jackson. I am the English Learner teacher at Eberwhite this year. I have worked at Eberwhite and another AAPS school, as the EL teacher, for the past 5 years. I also have experience as a classroom teacher.

I graduated from the University of Michigan with a Master of Arts in Educational Studies with Elementary Teacher Certification and EL endorsement.

Being able to speak more than one language is a superpower! I love working with multilingual students who bring linguistic diversity, value, and enrichment to our schools.

In my free time, I enjoy running, reading, and being with family.

I graduated from Eastern Michigan University (EMU) in 1996 with my Bachelor’s Degree in Occupational Therapy. In 2008, I completed my Master’s Degree in Schools, Society, and Violence, also at EMU. I am Sensory Integration and Praxis Testing (SIPT) certified and certified in Non-Violent Crisis Intervention (NVCI), additionally I am an American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) certified Fieldwork Educator and a certified Handwriting Instructor through Handwriting without Tears.

I started my career at a private pediatric clinic, gaining experience in both the private pediatric practice setting and public school system. This year will be my twenty second year in the Ann Arbor Public Schools (AAPS) and my sixth year as the Lead OT. I was part of the University of Michigan Fetal Alcohol Clinic from 1999 until 2010 and also served as a part-time lecturer in the Occupational Therapy Program at EMU from 2012 - 2017. I have a passion for working with children with sensory processing differences and love working with students in the educational setting and supporting all students to be successful. 

I live with my husband and two sons in Commerce, Michigan and am an avid sailor.

My name is Kim Bonenberger.  I earned my Masters degree in Physical Therapy from Northwestern University in 1995 and have been working in Ann Arbor Public Schools for the last 8 years. Prior to that I worked in hospitals and outpatient clinics.

I live with my husband, 2 children and my dog. I like to hike, garden and play volleyball in my free time. In the schools, I support students in the classroom, on the playground, work with students individually or in small groups, and consult with classroom teachers regarding their students' mobility and school access. I am happy to provide school PT services at Eberwhite and at several other Ann Arbor schools. I am looking forward to a great year ahead!

Bio coming soon!

Hi Eberwhite Students and Families,

I am Kelly Breen and I am thrilled to be returning to Ann Arbor Public Schools for my 16th year of teaching. I have taught in Iowa, Colorado, Myanmar, Cambodia and Michigan. I look forward to meeting the awesome Eberwhite students and families!

I obtained my bachelors degree in Elementary Education from the University of Northern Iowa. Ten years later, I earned a masters in Special Education from the University of Northern Colorado.

I moved to Michigan in 2018 with my husband. We now have two children, Otto and Elle, and a dog, Morris.

We enjoy exploring all that Michigan has to offer, especially the beautiful parks and going to concerts. I also enjoy playing and coaching volleyball, playing board/card games, especially Euchre, and getting outdoors!

Hello! I’m Jessica Caruso and I’m excited to meet your child this
year (or see how much they’ve grown)! This will by my 8th year as a resource room teacher and I’ve been at Eberwhite for all of those! I’m looking forward to this school year!

A little about me: I live in Ypsilanti with my husband and 3 kids. My son Steele is 6 and a first grader at Eberwhite, my daughter River is 4, and my son Bridge is 2. We also have a golden retriever at home named Dutch.

Hello Eberwhite families! My name is Vishaal (Vish-All) Mathews, and I am the new Social Worker here at Eberwhite. I am an LLMSW that graduated from the University of Michigan, and this is my second year in the Ann Arbor Public Schools district. I was born and raised in Ann Arbor and attended AAPS for my K-12 education, so I'm excited to continue my time here and give back to the community I grew up in. I am here to support your child's socioemotional needs to ensure their time at school is as enjoyable and as accommodating as possible. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out to me at mathewsv@aaps.k12.mi.us.      

Thank you so much, and I'm looking forward to working with you this year!

My name is Kris Kilgallon, but students, families, and staff can call me "Mr. K." This is my second year in the elementary school setting, and prior to that I have worked and continue to work in pediatric private practice with children and families with a great variety of complex communication needs. I believe that all people have the right to self-expression regarding their wants, needs, thoughts, feelings, emotions, and ideas in addition to a sense of belonging, friendship, and a role in the community. That, among other things, are some of the biggest reasons for why I love working as a speech-language pathologist.

In my free time, I enjoy cooking, baking, playing violin, listening to music, and visiting new places. My spouse and I live in Ann Arbor, MI, where we have lived for the past seven years. A fun fact about me is that I am an identical twin! Although, for identical twins, I don't think we look very much alike. 

I'm very excited to be joining the Eberwhite team. I try my hardest to always be an open line of communication for all students, families, and staff. I enjoy every opportunity to say hello, and chat! If you need anything, please don't hesitate to ask me.

Bio coming soon!

Hello! I work as a Teaching Assistant at Eberwhite. I live in Ann Arbor with my husband, Dave. I have one daughter who teaches music in Chicago, Illinois. I have worked as a TA for 3 years. I lived in England for 4 years.

I have worked as a TA at Bach Elementary and Whitmore Lake Elementary. I worked as a preschool teacher for 3 years. I was a substitute teacher in Livingston County for almost 10 years.

I have a B.S. in Math from Eastern Michigan University, a M.S. in Family Studies and Human Resources, with a concentration in Early Childhood from Kansas State University, and a Michigan Teaching Certificate.

My favorite things are reading, walking my 2 dogs, Raven and Fred, visiting family, learning new things, shopping for running shoes, vegetables, and holiday music.

Hello , my name is Jean Oorbeck. They call me “Mrs. O.“  I am in my third year here at Eberwhite Elementary. 

My passion is to ensure that children get all of the support and encouragement they deserve. They are our future, after all. 

My family consists of my amazing wife, four inspiring teenagers, and fantastic farm animals. 

I love shooting hoops, playing volleyball, hot yoga, hiking and gardening. I am also currently writing a book.  

This year will be amazing!