The Team
Who We Are
Sarah Kirkwood
Kinder Teacher
Sarah Kirkwood teaches math and science to our kindergarten students at McKinley-Thatcher. Ms. Kirkwood is originally from Michigan and completed her Bachelor’s degree at Michigan State University (Go Green!) and Master’s degree in Education Curriculum and Adaptive Leadership at Adams State University.
This is Sarah’s 14th year in education. Throughout this time she has worked as a reading specialist, instructional coach, and classroom teacher. She finds working with kindergarteners to be the most rewarding and magical gradel level of them all!
Ms. Kirkwood enjoys spending time with her two boys and husband, hiking and riding bikes. They love the outdoors!
Carlos Romero
Kinder Teacher
Carlos Romero is the kindergarten literacy teacher at McKinley-Thatcher and is excited to join this wonderful community! He is Californian by birth, yet feels closely connected to the Southwest. His ancestors are from Mexico, Northern New Mexico, and Southern Colorado. He studied Literature and Art History at a small liberal arts college in Georgetown, TX. After graduating, he wandered around Big Sky and Crested Butte before settling down for a few years in Albuquerque to be closer to his grandparents and discover that teaching was his true calling.
Since 2002, Carlos has been committed to the art of educating. In Austin, TX, he was a teacher and assistant director at Habibi’s Hutch Preschool and an ECE and Kindergarten teacher in Austin Independent School District. He was a founding Kindergarten teacher at UPREP and, since 2012, worked at Denver Green School as a 1st grade teacher, literacy interventionist, and instructional coach. He earned an M.Ed in Adaptive Leadership through PEBC and Adams State University in 2017.
Carlos has played soccer most of his life and is passionate about the beautiful game. He is an avid reader and enjoys writing. He skis, bikes, hikes, fishes, and camps. When he is not teaching and learning from his amazing students, he can be found laughing and cuddling with his wife and two young daughters, cheering loudly for Arsenal, walking the dogs, vinyl record shopping, and enjoying the company of close friends. He looks forward to meeting you and participating in your child’s journey of wonder and learning.
Anne Kalick
Paraprofessional
Anne M. Kalick has been a kindergarten paraprofessional at McKinley-Thatcher since 2018. Anne is from Long Island, N.Y. and this is where she received her associate’s degree in Early Childhood Education.
Anne has two sons. Craig lives in Colorado with her first grandson, Rhys. Eric, a Lieutenant Commander in the U.S. Navy, lives in Virginia. They have a daughter, Zoey, and a son, Symon. Ms. Anne loves spending time with her family and making crafts in her free time. Ms. Anne loves to work at MCT because every day is filled with joy from your kiddos!
Hamida El Mohammadi
Paraprofessional
Hamida El Mohammadi is a Kindergarten Paraprofessional at McKinley-Thatcher and has worked here since December 2021. Hamida was born and grew up in Morocco (Northern Africa). She is the mom of two beautiful girls, Sara and Salma, who are McKinley students. She graduated from high school in Morocco. When she moved to the United States in 2009, she went to English school to learn the language for two years. After that, she attended the Community College of Denver and received her Associate’s Degree of Science in Accounting in 2017. Currently, she is taking online classes with Grand Canyon University seeking her bachelor’s degree of science in elementary education.
Hamida loves to work at McT because she likes the friendly staff and students and because she has always felt so comfortable being a part of the McT community, both as a parent and now as a staff member. Before working at McKinley, she worked at Columbine Elementary as a Paraprofessional for an MIS/MIA program, where she supported students with Autism and Multi-Intensive/Severe needs for four years.
Some of Hamida’s favorite things to do are cooking, baking, swimming, and making crafts with her kids. When she is not at school, Hamida likes to spend her time with her family and go to parks and the mountains.
