Bear Creek Elementary -

Hello Bear Creek community! My name is Emily Hanaway and I am excited to be working at both Bear Creek Elementary and Silver Lake Elementary as a student support specialist. I taught 2nd grade for four years and this will be my second year in this role. Prior to teaching, I earned both my B.S. in Early Childhood Education and M.Ed. in Special Education from TCU - go Frogs! Outside of school, I love watching sports, reading, and spending time with my family. I’m ready for a wonderful year and can’t wait to get to know the staff and families of Bear Creek!

I am genuinely excited to have the opportunity to teach at Bear Creek Elementary. This will be my fourth year teaching pre-kindergarten and my eighth year teaching overall. I am proud to be a native Texan. In my free time, I enjoy reading, spending quality time with friends and loved ones, and engaging in creative activities. I look forward to nurturing children's enthusiasm for learning and supporting their growth.

Hi! I’m MacKensie Jaso, and I’m thrilled to be joining the Bear Creek family! This is my first year teaching Pre-K, and I couldn’t be more excited to begin this journey! It is a true joy and privilege to be part of the foundational years of my students’ educational experience. I’m passionate about creating a welcoming environment where each child enjoys learning and feels valued and loved. I’ve called Grapevine home for the past 17 years, where I live with my family and our two beloved dogs. My daughter is a senior at LSU—Geaux Tigers!—and my son is currently in 8th grade at HMS—Go Broncos! In my free time, I love spending time with my family and friends, cheering on my kids’ sports teams, and enjoying Mexican food!
I look forward to the 2025-26 school year and cannot wait to meet all of you!

I’m excited to join the Bear Creek Elementary team. This is my seventh year in education, I’ve had the opportunity to serve students and families at the elementary, middle, and high school levels. I’ve taught both middle and elementary school, and most recently worked as the Testing and 504 Coordinator at a Colleyville Heritage High School.
Education is a true passion - my husband is a middle school teacher and coach, and we have two sons, James 3 and Caleb 2. I’m honored to bring my experience and enthusiasm to Bear Creek.

Hello! My name is Laura and I will be the new school nurse! I was born in Oregon but spent my entire life here in Argyle, TX. Texas Tech will always have my heart. After graduating, I spent 7 years at Children’s Health Dallas in the PICU and Trauma ICU. I switched to one of the clinical educators before moving to school nursing. I love tennis, traveling, my family, working with children and my 2 dogs (Chief and Theo). I’m very excited to get started and meet you all!

Hello Bear Creek! I am beyond excited to join the BCE family this fall as a fourth grade Reading/Language Arts and Social Studies teacher! This will be my seventh year in the classroom, and I’ve had the joy of teaching second through fifth grades. Reading is my absolute favorite subject, and I can't wait to help my fourth graders fall in love with a great book!
I grew up in the Texas Panhandle in a tiny town called Vega and graduated from West Texas A&M University in Canyon, TX. My husband and I are nearly empty nesters as our youngest heads off to Texas Tech this fall. Wreck ’Em! We also have two daughters, one amazing son-in-law, and the BEST addition to our family: our first grandbaby, Koda, who is 17 months old.
We recently relocated to the beautiful city of Grapevine and are so happy to call it home. I’m looking forward to meeting all of you in the halls of Bear Creek this August. It’s going to be a fantastic year!

My name is Mikayla Williams, and this is my incredible service dog, Atreyu (Trey). We are so excited to be joining the BCES Fourth Grade Team this year! I’ll be teaching Math and Science, and am looking forward to bringing energy, creativity, and a love of learning into our classroom. This is my sixth year teaching. I’ve previously taught first, third, and sixth grade math. Each grade has been a unique adventure, and I’m thrilled to make fourth grade my new home. This will also be Trey’s fourth year in the classroom. As a teacher, my goal is to create an engaging, nurturing, and fun learning environment where students feel supported, valued, and excited to learn. I believe in sparking curiosity and building confidence every step of the way. A little about me: I was born and raised in Odessa, Texas, and am currently relocating to Euless. I’m a proud 2020 graduate of Texas Tech University (Wreck ’Em Tech!). Teaching has been my passion since I was a child, and I feel so honored to live that dream here at Bear Creek. Trey and I are truly grateful to be a part of this amazing school community, and we can’t wait for a year full of growth, laughter, and learning!

Hello Bear Creek families! My name is Arianna Valle and I am so excited to be joining you all! I am originally from California, but I had spent last year in Arizona, and I am now settling in Texas with my boyfriend and son. I have my Master’s Degree in Teaching and have been in the educational field for 10 years.

Having taught a variety of grade levels in my 6 years of classroom teaching, I am so happy to be back in 4th grade. This grade level is definitely my favorite!
I am a passionate teacher who finds joy in watching students grow both academically and socially. It is rewarding to support their development and help them build confidence in their abilities. My goal is to prepare students for long-term success, equipping them with the skills and mindset needed for their academic journey in the years ahead.
I am looking forward to beginning the school year and meeting my kiddos!

Bear Creek Families, We hope you're having a wonderful and relaxing summer break! We have an important update regarding our Extended Day Program (EDP) for the upcoming school year. We still have about 20 spots remaining, and we want to make sure every family who needs this program has the opportunity to register. Our EDP provides a safe and engaging environment for students before and after school, filled with fun activities and learning opportunities. If you are interested in enrolling your child, please register as soon as possible to secure one of the last available spots. You can find more information and the registration link on our website at https://www.gcisd.net/page/extended-day-programs. Thank you for your attention, and we look forward to a fantastic school year!

Hello Bear Creek Elementary students, staff, and parents, My name is Rochelle Woolum, and I’m so excited to join the Bear Creek family! I was born in Bakersfield, California, and moved to Texas in 5th grade. Since then, I’ve lived in the DFW area. I’m a proud mom! My 18-year-old son, Andrew, graduated in 2024 from Richland High School and now works at HTeaO. My stepson, Rush, will be a junior at Grapevine High School. In my free time, you’ll likely find me shopping at Target with my mom or grabbing a coffee. I also love staying active through dance fitness classes! This will be my fifth year teaching, and I’ve had the opportunity to teach both 4th and 5th grade. I earned my bachelor’s degree from UTA and completed my teaching certification through ECAP. My passion is teaching science & math and finding ways to make it fun and engaging for all learners. I’m looking forward to a fantastic year filled with growth, learning, and fun!

Ms. Herring will be joining the 2nd grade team. Previously, she was a first grade teacher. She is going to be the new 2nd grade team lead.

Ms. Wepfer will be joining the 2nd grade team. Previously, she was a kindergarten teacher. She is excited for a new grade level.

Hello Bear Creek! My name is Carly Saum, and I am so excited to join the Bear Creek Elementary family as a 2nd grade teacher. I’m coming from Melissa ISD, where I had the joy of teaching 1st grade for the past two years. I’m originally from the McKinney area, but I moved to this community last summer with my fiancé, Carson—we’re getting married this December!
I also just became a first-time dog mom to a 12-week-old golden retriever named Goose, who has quickly become my pride and joy. In my free time, I love traveling, spending quality time with friends, family, and Goose, taking yoga classes, going to the gym, and curling up with a good book on my Kindle. What I love most about teaching is witnessing the joy on students’ faces when they discover something new—there’s truly nothing like it.

2025 Events

We are absolutely thrilled to announce that many incredible members of the BCE Special Education team are eagerly preparing for the 2025-2026 school year! Our dedicated Special Education team, including RISE, Resource & Inclusion, and Reset, is buzzing with excitement to welcome back our students and kick off another year of growth, learning, and success. Get ready for an amazing year ahead!

Hello! My name is Fanny Estrella, and I’m thrilled to be part of the Bear Creek family. I was born and raised in Querétaro, Mexico, and moved to San Antonio, Texas, with my family when I was 12 years old. I completed my education in San Antonio, earning my bachelor’s degree from the University of the Incarnate Word. I then pursued my master’s degree in Dallas through Johns Hopkins University and Urban Teachers. Throughout my career, I’ve had the opportunity to teach at various schools and across different grade levels. No matter where I’ve been, my passion has remained the same: supporting students and encouraging them to pursue their dreams. I’m excited to begin this new chapter and look forward to a wonderful school year with the Bear Creek community!

Hi Bear Creek Elementary! My name is Bela Hernandez, and I'm absolutely thrilled to be joining the Bear Creek family! I'm originally from San Diego, California, and made the move to Texas about a year ago. I hold a Master of Arts in Education and am excited to begin my first year as a teacher. I have a deep passion for special education and truly believe in the importance of meeting each student where they are to help them grow and succeed. My goal as an educator is to support students in building confidence, independence, and a lifelong love of learning. In my free time, you'll find me spending time with my boyfriend and my dog, Bean, hitting the gym, or happily strolling through the aisles of Target. I can't wait to start the school year and look forward to meeting all the wonderful Bear Creek families!

BCE Parents! There is still time to order school supplies With one click, you will get everything you need for the start of the school year! Click here to buy your kit: ​​​​​​1stDay.sale/98877

Hi everyone! I can't tell you how excited I am to be a part of Bear Creek this year! I am originally from Seattle-moving to Texas in 2008. I'm coming in with 10 years experience teaching a variety of students from Pre-K all the way to 5th. I have been married to my husband, Scott, for 15 years and have two kids over at OC Taylor in 2nd grade and 4th grade.

This will be Mr. Millar's second year at the Creek! He loves Bear Creek and is looking forward to another great year in fifth grade.