Our Team

Edie (Kastenschmidt) Martwick is a graduate of Wisconsin Lutheran College (2001) where she majored in education. As a college student she was awarded the “Impact Award” recognizing her leadership and contributions to the mission of the college. As a teacher she continued to demonstrate the importance of teacher as leader, serving at St. Marcus, HOPE Christian School, and EAGLE College Preparatory Schools in Arizona. While at EAGLE, she completed her Master’s Degree program in Curriculum and Instruction at Arizona State University (ASU).

Edie moved back to Milwaukee in 2009 to assume another leadership position as Director of Coaching for the Center for Urban Teaching. She mentored first and second year teachers, organized regular small group mentoring meetings, and coordinated the Urban Conference in Milwaukee.

In 2011, Edie returned full time to St. Marcus where she has served as a kindergarten teacher, an instructional coach, Director of Primary, Director of Curriculum and Instruction, and Assistant Principal. In 2015, Edie joined the HOPE team as a Founding Principal. She graduated in 2016 with her Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership from Alverno.  In 2023, Edie was privileged to receive the position of Director of Teaching and Learning with the HOPE Region where she will work with the Deans of Instruction to ensure all HOPE students receive a top-notch education.  This is Edie’s passion so she is excited to use her God-given talents in this manner.

Edie’s experiences in the school as a lead teacher and principal have provided valuable insights for each one of the positions. She is eager to build on her experiences to improve education for the children of Milwaukee.

I, Liz Lavelle, am the proud Regional Compliance Manager for our HOPE Christian Schools in Milwaukee.  Previous to my role of the Regional Compliance Manager, I was the School Operations Manager at HOPE Fidelis since they opened in 2016 and served at HOPE Prima previous to that.  Having gone to Wittenberg University (2008) for Early Childhood Education I have always loved working with school-age children.  After two years of Americorps service and a Master’s Certificate in Non-Profit Management from UW-Milwaukee I found my calling working in school operations.  Christ has called me to serve the HOPE Regional community. I love being apart of the HOPE Christian Schools Regional network because I get to serve our scholars, families, and staff everyday.  I can always be reached at 414-203-5270 or liz.lavelle@hopeschools.org with any questions or ideas to make our school the best it can be. When I’m not at school, I enjoy spending time with my family fishing at parks, reading with my son, and laying in a hammock on warm summer evenings.   I can’t wait for another wonderful year of serving the Lord, sharing His word, and showing His love to our students!

Ashley Boyte is a graduate of Culver-Stockton College with a degree in Business Administration. While she majored in Business, working with students has always been a passion. Upon graduation, she joined Teach for America and was placed to teach in Milwaukee. She taught Kindergarten at HOPE Caritas while attending Cardinal Stritch University. She graduated from Cardinal Stritch University in 2017 with a Master of Arts in Urban Education. Upon graduation and finishing her Teach for America commitment, Ashley knew she still wanted to work in a school setting. She sought a role where she could incorporate her business skills with her desire to serve children. Ashley became the School Operations Manager for HOPE Caritas and then transitioned to the role of Regional Director of Operations for HOPE Christian Schools, and then the Principal of HOPE Prima. She now serves as the ______. Ashley graduated in May of 2023 with her PhD in Leadership for the Advancement of Learning and Service.

Mr. James Degnan is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science.  While he majored in Environmental Science, ensuring scholars receive an excellent education has always been a passion of his. In addition to Environmental Science, James also has a passion for technology and business. James was the School Operations Manager for HOPE Caritas for the past 4 years. The SOM role was a perfect fit to combine all of the areas he was interested in. This year, he is starting his new role as the Regional Choice Compliance Officer. He is excited to continue to serve across the HOPE network.

Casandra was recently promoted to the role of Director of Teaching and Learning.  Casandra began her service in Racine at HOPE Christian School Via in 2015 as the founding second grade teacher and just wrapped up being the school leader for five years. In 2017 she became the Dean of Students and then in 2019 the Dean of Instruction. While at HOPE Via, she specialized in school culture, academics, and building lasting relationships with scholars and families.

Prior to joining HOPE, Casandra completed her student teaching at a public district middle school Bridges program. It was this experience where the Lord opened her heart, and she had a passion to work in urban education. She started her first teaching job at St. Rafael the Archangel where she taught 2nd grade.

Casandra participated in numerous leadership trainings and has had the opportunity to be led by some of the best leaders in today’s education. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Elementary and Middle School Education grades1-9th and a minor in Geography through Carthage College and received her M.Ed. Administration Leadership from Alverno College. She also holds a Principal & Director of Instruction license in the State of Wisconsin.

I’m Principal Anna Mayo, the proud Principal at HOPE Christian School Fidelis! Fidelis means faithful, and my aim as our school leader is to train our teachers and students to model themselves after Jesus’ words and actions. At HOPE Fidelis, we talk about Christ and College every day with the goal of building future community leaders through Christian character formation and strong academics.

I am a graduate of UW-Stevens Point where I majored in Music Education. As a college student, I was awarded the Chancellor’s Leadership Award which honors graduates who have demonstrated significant leadership, community service, and a commitment to personal growth. My passion for the children of Milwaukee began in 2012, when I first volunteered at a choice school in the city through the Center for Urban Teaching. There, I witnessed firsthand the desire and drive that families and their students had for a quality education.

I have served as a teacher in Milwaukee for over a decade, starting at St. Marcus Lutheran School as a 4th and 5th grade English Language Arts Teacher. In 2016, I joined the founding staff at HOPE Fidelis as a K4 teacher. In 2018, I became the school’s full time music specialist, and have led the program’s growth to include general music for all grades, along with choral and instrumental enrichments. In 2020 and 2021, I was honored with HOPE’s “Faith and Action” and “Team Player” awards. In 2021, I graduated with a Master’s in Educational Leadership and Innovation from Wisconsin Lutheran College. Above all other accomplishments and experiences, I am proud to be a founding member of the HOPE Fidelis staff, and I am honored to be able to partner with our staff, students and families to continue the school's legacy of excellence. 

My name is Ms. Renea Taylor and I’m honored to serve as your Principal for HOPE Fortis.  Ephesians 6:10 “Be strong in the Lord and his mighty power.”  We stand Fortis Strong!

About me: I have 3 beautiful children (2 girls and 1 boy). I love dance and music. My favorite color is burgundy. I bring with me 11 years of experience in the field of education, having served as a middle school math educator in the Milwaukee area, including 6 years at HOPE Fortis.  Last year I was Dean of Students at HOPE Fidelis where my duties were to build and support student success. I obtained my Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics from Alverno College, and I will graduate in December 2024 with a Master’s degree in Educational Leadership from Wisconsin Lutheran College (in partnership with the Center for Urban Teaching).

I am committed to building a culture that cultivates a love for Christ and learning in the classroom.  At HOPE Fortis, my primary goal is to ensure that each student feels valued, supported, and motivated to achieve their full potential. I believe a successful school is built on strong relationships among scholars, parents, and staff, and I am dedicated to working collaboratively with all members of our community to uphold the high standards and traditions of HOPE Fortis.  Communication and partnership with parents are crucial to the success of our scholars, and I am committed to maintaining an open and transparent dialogue. Together, we can create a nurturing and challenging environment that prepares our scholars for success in school and beyond.

“Before you are a leader, success is all about growing yourself. When you become a leader, success is all about growing others.” –Jack Welch, former GE chairman and CEO. I believe that instructional leadership skills, restorative practices and effective teaching are directly related to the success of the scholars in a classroom setting. By allowing God to lead me in this role I know positive connections and lasting success of scholars and staff will be made.

My name is Willette Early and I am so excited to be serving as the Principal at HOPE Prima. I am a University of Wisconsin-Whitewater graduate. I was born and raised in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and have a passion for serving kids in my community. I have seven years of experience in education and love spending time with my family and worshipping Christ. I look forward to building relationships and pushing students and staff toward their greatest strengths. 

Jayda Luckett is the newly named Principal of HOPE Christian School Semper for the 2024-2025 school year.

She is incredibly passionate about giving all students access to the highest quality education possible, and she cannot wait to bring that drive of excellence to HOPE Christian School Semper! Jayda believes that by providing an excellent education, students will be able to pursue their God-given purpose. She deeply believes in each child’s ability to succeed in their purpose, and she is honored to be able to partner with parents and staff at HOPE Semper as they work to do just that.

Jayda obtained her undergraduate degree from Concordia University Wisconsin, where she majored in Mathematics and Educational Studies. She also holds her Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership and Innovation from Wisconsin Lutheran College. It was at Concordia that God ignited her passion for the Milwaukee education system and belief that the quality of a child’s education should not be dependent on their zip code. Since then, she has spent a decade serving as a math teacher, instructional coach, and summer school principal across multiple Milwaukee Christian schools. She spent seven of those years at one of the top-performing urban schools in Milwaukee, St. Marcus Lutheran.

Jayda is excited to partner with scholars, staff, and parents to make this the most incredible year, but most importantly, above all else, she plans to “seek first His kingdom and His righteousness” this school year. Because if we seek His will first, “He will give us everything we need.” (Matthew 6:33)

Maria is a graduate of Alverno College where she received a bachelor's degree in Early Childhood/Elementary Education. In 2009, Maria received her Special Education certification from Rockford College. Prior to coming to HOPE Via, Maria taught in Milwaukee Public Schools for 13 years as a regular education and special education teacher.

Maria demonstrates a passion for high quality academics and character development and has a strong belief that all children should receive the best quality education possible. Her passion for teaching and serving her students was exemplified in the classroom and now brings that same passion to her new role as Principal.