Meet The Teachers

 Mandie Badrak

Welcome to 3rd grade, Cougars!  My name is Amanda (Mandie) Badrak and I am excited to share this school year with you!

I have spent eights years in SBISD teaching third grade, mostly focusing on Language Arts and Social Studies.  It is through this experience that I have been able to form a deep love for literacy.  Before moving to Houston, I earned my Bachelor’s degree in Early Education and Business Administration from The University of Texas at Austin.

I wholeheartedly believe that all students can succeed in many ways inside and outside of the classroom.  I pride myself in teaching my students to be lifelong learners and even deeper thinkers, not just “third graders.”  Relationships are key to a successful year and I look forward to forming one with your family!    

I grew up just north of San Antonio in a suburb called Schertz.  My family still lives in San Antonio, so I am very familiar with I-10 west as I visit them frequently.  One reason I know this route well is because I am a proud Aunt to Austen, my sweet nephew, who we welcomed last April.  When I am not visiting my family, you can find me living life and indulging in yummy food in the Houston Heights. I love to tap into my creative side by designing and creating crafts as well.  Relationships are key to a successful year and I look forward to forming one with your family!

Kirstyn Duncan

Hello Cougars! Welcome to Third Grade!

I grew up here in Houston and attended Second Baptist School. I graduated from Baylor University four years ago and have been teaching here at Hunters Creek Elementary ever since. I am married to my high school sweetheart and we will celebrate three years of marriage in December. If the weather is nice, you may find my husband and me on an afternoon walk or playing a game of tennis. We also enjoy spending just about every fall weekend in Waco rooting on the Baylor Bears… sic em!

I am the youngest of three, with two older brothers, Drake and Dalton. My oldest brother, Drake, and his wife, Phoebe, live here in Houston. We get to spend time with them often and even get to see their crazy dog, Braeden! The middle child, Dalton, is currently active duty with the Marines and is stationed at Camp Pendleton with his wife, Claire, and their precious dog Bear. (You will find I am very fond of both of these dogs!) My mom and dad also live nearby and I love spending as much time with them as I can. Family is very important to me!

I am excited for the start of this year and I look forward to building relationships with each of you.

Omi Ford

What do you get when cross a Cougar and a Kangaroo? A Cougaroo?  No, you get me, Mrs. Ford.  I’m a proud graduate of Austin College in Sherman, Texas (the fighting Kangaroos).  This will be my eleventh year at Hunters Creek Elementary (Go, Cougars)!

I’m married to Robert, a faithful die hard Aggie fan, and we have two children, Isabella and Trey.  Isabella is going into 4th grade this year.  Trey will be joining the HCE family and will be on Kindergarten.  Our family enjoys time spent together- busy or just relaxing. On the weekends you will find us cheering on our favorite sports teams (usually in College Station), singing, dancing, reading and traveling to visit family.

Hunters Creek has become an extended family for us.  I look forward each school year to meeting new faces and building relationships with families.  I teach Language Arts. I love learning from our past and thinking about what is currently shaping our community. Connecting kids to great authors and then facilitating as they find and share their own voice in our community makes my job the best.

This summer my reading goal was to get a good balanced diet of kids books and adult.  I am excited to share with you my thoughts and see which books you think are worthy of your reading time.  Most recently I finished, Refugee (a Bluebonnet Nominee for this school year).  It was a POWERFUL book of families seeking refuge in the middle of turmoil.  I would HIGHLY recommend it as a great and timely FAMILY read aloud.  

Meg Maguire

Hi Cougars! I am Meg Maguire. I am excited to be moving from Kindergarten to 3rd grade Math/Science for the 2018-2019 school year.

Although this will be my second year at HCE, this is my 9th year in education. I taught 3rd grade for the first five years of my career. I have taught in Spring Branch ISD for three years, two years at Harvard Elementary in HISD, two years at St. John Vianney’s Young Children’s Program and one year of Kinder at HCE!

I grew up in San Antonio where I attended Alamo Heights High School. After graduating from Baylor University, I moved to Houston and met my husband Neil. We will have been married for 13 years this June.  

I have three boys that keep me on my toes! My oldest son, Finn, is 9 years old. He loves football and baseball. My middle son, Cael, is 7 years old. He loves climbing and all activities that involve getting dirty. My youngest son, John, is 5 years old. He is the comedian of our family. I am excited to have all three boys attending Hunters Creek this next year. Finn will be a 4th grader, Cael will be in 2nd grade and John will be starting Kindergarten. 

In my free time, I enjoy spending time with my family, traveling, and attending sporting events. I am looking forward to sharing my love for math and science with our third graders. I can't wait to see them grow this year! 2018-2019 is going to be amazing!

Mac Rozzell

Born in St. Louis and raised mostly in Baltimore, I made it to Texas as fast as I could! I attended SMU in Dallas, spent a few years teaching in Austin, and finally established Houston as home over 40 years ago! I am the proud parent of two outstanding daughters who have blessed me with 4 heartwarming grandchildren. Sweet Joanna and Parker are in Dallas and I religiously travel I45 each month to get my “little girl” fix. Busy Trace and George are luckily here in Houston and I spend quality time cheering them on during their many athletic endeavors. When I am not at HCE, I love spending time with my family and traveling to see my 96 year old mom in Baltimore. I am so excited to begin a new school year and look forward to getting to know my students and their families.

Rachel Scott

Howdy, Cougars! I am Rachel Scott and I am thrilled to be returning to the third grade team at Hunters Creek Elementary.

I earned by Bachelor’s degree in psychology from Texas A&M University in 2009 and received my teaching certification in 2010. I earned my Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction from Texas A&M in 2015.  I have taught first, second, and third grade in both Clear Creek ISD and Spring Branch ISD.

I am passionate about building strong relationships with my students and creating an environment that fosters lifelong learning. Teaching language arts is one of the great joys of my life; I love working with both kids and adults who help me grow in my literacy instruction. I am looking forward to providing authentic opportunities for my learners to fall in love with reading and writing this year!

I live in Houston with my husband, Taylor, three-year-old son Cullen, and one-year-old daughter Landry. We will be welcoming our third (and final!) baby late October. My family is my greatest gift and I am so lucky to call them mine.  I come from a family filled with Aggies and we love attending TAMU football games in the fall. I am looking forward to a fabulous year at Hunters Creek!