Kindergarten

Lauren Axon


Lauren_Axon@dpsk12.net

I was born and raised in New Jersey, but called NYC home for 15 years before moving to Denver in 2017.  I attended Princeton University eons ago, where I was captain of the swim team and graduated with a degree in religion. I spent most of my post-college career working in higher education, primarily doing major and principle gift fundraising. While in Denver, however, I’ve been a stay-at-home mom to two children, Marabel and Otto (both Carson kids!). I’m currently serving at the VP of fundraising for the Carson PTA, and help as a room parent for 4th grade. As a family, we love to ski, swim, hike, bike – anything outdoors! 

Claudia Largo

Paraeducator
C_largo-gutierrez@dpsk12.net

I am Claudia Largo, I was born in Colombia and lived in Madrid, Spain, during 16
years. I moved to the USA six years ago. I also lived two years in Tampa, FL and I am
currently living in Denver for four years.
I am studying Early Childhood Education at the Community College of Denver, this is
my sophomore year.
I received an Accounting Degree in Colombia and worked as a Management Assistant
for a Colombian Betting company.
When I moved to Madrid, Spain, worked as a Customer Service Team Leader position
monitoring, training, and evaluating the quality of telephone service, providing
guidelines to clear and effective Spanish communication.
I also worked as a full-time caregiver for several very well-known families in Madrid. I
cared for children with a range of ages from 3 to 14 years old, creating daily schedules,
and engaging in activities to ensure their healthy mental, physical, and emotional
growth.
This is my second year as a paraprofessional at Stephen Knight Center for Early
Childhood Education in DPS, assisting the classroom teacher with 4 and 5-year-old
students.
In addition, I like to organize children's activities, and educate the youngest in learning
of Spanish language at their basic levels, developing a casual learning environment.
I am a mom of 8 years old daughter who is studying at Carson Elementary School (third
grade).
I love to cook Colombian dishes, Mediterranean food, and sushi. In my spare time I also
enjoy traveling, biking, swimming, and hiking.

Casey Lehrer

Paraeducator
casey_lehrer@dpsk12.net

I am a Colorado native, having graduated from Evergreen HS and receiving a BA from CU-Boulder. I have since lived in Cincinnati, Houston, and Phoenix, but Colorado is the only place I could ever call home. I worked in real estate development and marketing prior to taking time off to raise my family. I have 2 boys that now attend Hill and GW; prior to that they attended Montclair Elementary.  It was my time there volunteering in the classroom regularly that made me realize that I wanted to work with elementary aged kiddos once the perfect opportunity arose… I am thrilled to be joining the Carson team!  In my free time I love traveling with my husband and sons, reading, skiing, and hiking.

Alex Park

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Alexandra_Weisbart@dpsk12.net

Hello! My name is Alex Park and I am a Denver native. I graduated from the University of Colorado with a degree in communication and sociology. Following that, I received my teaching license and masters in elementary education with a culturally and linguistically diverse endorsement. I worked in early childhood education for 3 years teaching the infant, toddler, and pre K classes at the Jewish Community Center. I have been in team DPS for 7 years teaching kindergarten. My goal is to create a school family where all my students feel like they belong and are connected. My passion is to spark the love of learning in my students and make learning fun through songs, chants, and movement. In my free time, I love to cook, bake, run, hike, and spend time with my family and two dogs, Scout and Champ.

Berns headshot

Catherine Berns

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Catherine_Berns@dpsk12.net

I grew up in Maryland, graduated from Georgetown with a Master’s in Foreign Service and Loyola College with a Master’s in Education. I taught special education in Maryland, and Montrose, CO, before finding my home in kindergarten! This is my 14th year at Carson.

When I am not at school you will find me reading, hiking, and drinking tea. I am learning to be a dog person with Hazel, my 17 year old daughter’s quarantine pup.

Nikki Martinez

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Nicole_Martinez@dpsk12.net

My name is Nikki Martinez and I am part of the kindergarten team here at Carson! I am a Colorado native and attended the University of Colorado Colorado Springs (UCCS) where I graduated with my BA in Communication with an emphasis in Media Studies and a BA in Women and Ethnic Studies. I continued my education at UCCS and graduated with my MA in Communication with a goal of becoming a college professor.
However, I quickly realized that my passion was for teaching younger students and my dream shifted into becoming an elementary school teacher. I started teaching kindergarten and fell in love with it. This will be my third year at Carson.
When I am not in the classroom, you can find me exploring Colorado on either a hiking or OHV trail. I am a gigantic Star Wars fan, avid reader, and love to spend time at home with my dog (Piper), rescue kitty (Koda), and bearded dragon (Mushu).