Mountain View Elementary PTO

📖✨ Help Us Welcome Brittany Kelly to Mountain View Elementary! ✨📖

We are excited to welcome Brittany Kelly to the Wildcat family as our new 5th Grade ELA & Social Studies teacher! Please join us in giving her a warm Mountain View welcome. 💙💛

📖 About Brittany:

“Hey there! My name is Brittany Kelly, and I’m excited to be joining Mountain View Elementary School as a 5th grade ELA/Social Studies teacher.

This will be my 13th year in education and my 10th year in Catawba County Schools, all of which have been spent at Startown Elementary. Throughout my career, I’ve had the opportunity to teach Kindergarten, 2nd grade, 6th grade ELA, and most recently 5th grade ELA, Science, and Social Studies. While I’ve enjoyed every grade level, I’ve found my passion in upper elementary. As a proud product of Catawba County Schools, I love having the opportunity to invest in the community that I’m fortunate to call home.

When I’m not at school, you’ll find me spending time with my husband, Matt, our two boys—Lucas (3) and Judah (1)—and our dog, Jack. Our family loves traveling to Disney World, and my husband and I have even completed two Disney marathons together! I also enjoy cheering on the NC State Wolfpack, serving at our local church, spending time outdoors, and drinking lots of coffee.

I’m excited to join the MVES family and can’t wait to get to know the wonderful students, families, and staff who make Mountain View such a special place!”

Welcome to Mountain View, Brittany! We are excited to have you join the Wildcat family and look forward to an amazing school year together. 🐾💙💛

🍎✨ Help Us Welcome Catherine Franklin to Mountain View Elementary! ✨🍎

We are excited to welcome Catherine Franklin to the Wildcat family as our new 1st Grade teacher! Please join us in giving her a warm Mountain View welcome. 💙💛

📖 About Catherine:

“Hello,

My name is Catherine Franklin, and I am thrilled to be joining Mountain View Elementary School as a 1st grade teacher this year!

I am coming to Mountain View from Claremont Elementary School, where I have spent the past 13 years teaching Kindergarten, 1st grade, and 2nd grade. This will be my 20th year in education, and I continue to feel passionate about helping students learn and grow.

Originally from Ohio, I moved to North Carolina to attend Lenoir-Rhyne University, where I fell in love with North Carolina and later met my husband.

My husband, Clay, and I have three wonderful children. Hank is a rising senior at Saint Stephens High School, Caroline is a rising 9th grader at Saint Stephens High School, and Zoe will be entering 6th grade at Clyde Campbell Elementary School. We also have a lovable Goldendoodle named Huck, who keeps our family entertained!

When I am not teaching, I enjoy spending time with my family and friends. I love cheering on my children in their activities, including wrestling, cheerleading, and volleyball. When I’m away from school, I enjoy shopping, relaxing by the pool or at the beach, and visiting family in Ohio.

I am so excited to become part of the Mountain View family and look forward to building relationships with students, families, and staff. I am looking forward to this upcoming school year!”

Welcome to Mountain View, Catherine! We are excited to have you as part of the Wildcat family and can’t wait for a fantastic school year ahead. 🐾💙💛

📚✨ Help Us Welcome Leah Cassidy to Mountain View Elementary! ✨📚

We are excited to welcome Leah Cassidy to the Wildcat family as our new 4th Grade teacher! Please join us in giving her a warm Mountain View welcome. 💙💛

📖 About Leah:

“Hello! My name is Leah Cassidy and I am very excited to be joining the Mountain View Elementary family as a 4th grade teacher this year.

This will be my seventh year teaching. I spent five years teaching fourth grade and one year teaching third grade at Lyle Creek Elementary. I graduated from UNC-Chapel Hill, where I earned both my Master’s degree in Elementary Education and my Bachelor’s degree in Human Development and Family Studies.

My husband, Dylan, and I currently live in the Mountain View community, so I am excited to have the opportunity to teach and serve in the community we call home. In my free time, I enjoy staying active, reading, traveling, shopping, and spending time with friends and family.

I am thrilled to be at MVES and look forward to making this a successful and memorable school year!”

Welcome to Mountain View, Leah! We are excited to have you as part of the Wildcat family and can’t wait to see the impact you’ll make on our students and school community. 🐾💙💛

➗🔬✨ Welcome to Mountain View Elementary, Kristen Barrett! ✨🔬➗

We are excited to welcome Kristen Barrett to the Wildcat family as our new 5th Grade Math and Science teacher! Please join us in giving her a warm Mountain View welcome. 💙💛

📖 About Kristen:

“Hi! My name is Kristen Barrett and I will be joining Mountain View Elementary as a 5th grade math and science teacher!

I grew up on Long Island, New York, and attended UNC Charlotte for college. I fell in love with North Carolina and decided to make it my home. Thankfully, much of my family has made their way south as well! I have spent the last five years teaching on the coast in New Hanover County and began my teaching career in Union County.

I am entering my 13th year in education and have taught both 4th and 5th grade. This past year, I achieved National Board Certification, a milestone I am very proud of.

Outside of school, I enjoy spending time outdoors, going on walks and hikes with my boyfriend and our dog, Ranger, reading on rainy days, and exploring new places with family and friends.

I am excited to get to know the students and families of Mountain View Elementary and look forward to an amazing and exciting school year ahead!”

Welcome to Mountain View, Kristen! We are thrilled to have you join our team and can’t wait to see the impact you’ll make with our Wildcats this year. 🐾💙💛

🌟💙 Please Join Us in Welcoming Our New Principal, Heather Kelly! 💛🌟

Mountain View Elementary is excited to welcome Heather Kelly as our new principal! Mrs. Kelly brings 20 years of experience in education and a passion for building strong relationships with students, staff, and families. We are thrilled to have her leading our Wildcat family.

📖 About Mrs. Kelly:

“My name is Heather Kelly, and I am honored to serve as the new principal of Mountain View Elementary. I am joining Mountain View from Mill Creek Middle School and bring 20 years of experience in education.

Throughout my career, I have served as a 5th and 6th grade Language Arts and Math teacher at Balls Creek Elementary and spent six years as Assistant Principal at Maiden Elementary before moving to Mill Creek Middle School.

Family is very important to me. I have three adult children: Sam, 26, a Lenoir-Rhyne graduate who is getting married on June 27; Makenzie, 27, an NC State graduate who lives and works in Charlotte; and Christian, 23, an Elon graduate who recently completed a year-long internship with Disney and is preparing for a move to Los Angeles.

When I’m not at school, I enjoy camping, hiking, gardening, and spending time with my Labrador, Mae.

I am excited to join the Mountain View family and look forward to building relationships with our students, staff, and community. Together, we will continue the tradition of excellence that makes Mountain View such a special place.”

Welcome to Mountain View, Mrs. Kelly! We are excited for this new chapter and look forward to all that we will accomplish together as a school community. 🐾💙💛

🔬✨ Welcome to Mountain View Elementary, Malli Mason! ✨🔬

We are excited to welcome Malli Mason to the Wildcat family as our new 6th Grade Science teacher! Please join us in giving her a warm Mountain View welcome. 💙💛

📖 About Malli:

“Hi! My name is Malli Mason and I am beyond excited to be joining the MVES family this year as a 6th grade science teacher.

I graduated from Appalachian State University with a degree in Elementary Education and a minor in Psychology in May. Throughout my internships and student teaching experiences, I was able to build meaningful relationships with students, families, and colleagues that strengthened my passion for teaching.

Beyond the classroom, you can usually find me spending time with family and friends, baking, or soaking up the sun at the beach. My favorite place to visit is Charleston, South Carolina, where I love making memories with my mom.

One of my most valuable internships took place at Mountain View Elementary, and I am thrilled to be returning to a school that feels like home. I can’t wait to grow alongside my students this school year!”

Welcome back to Mountain View, Malli! We are so excited to have you as part of our team and can’t wait to see all the amazing things you’ll accomplish with our Wildcats. 🐾💙💛

🍎✨ Welcome to Mountain View Elementary, Andrea Parks! ✨🍎

We are excited to welcome Andrea Parks to the Wildcat family as our new 2nd Grade teacher! Please join us in giving her a warm Mountain View welcome. 💙💛

📖 About Andrea:

“Hi! I’m Andrea Parks, and I’m excited to join Mountain View Elementary as a 2nd Grade teacher this year!

I’m from Lincoln County and recently graduated from Lenoir-Rhyne University with a degree in Elementary Education and a minor in Special Education. Through student teaching, I discovered my passion for helping young learners grow both academically and personally.

Outside of school, I’m getting married this July and enjoy spending time with my fiancé and our dog, Annabelle. I also love being outdoors, making memories with family and friends, visiting the beach, and pursuing real estate.

I look forward to building relationships with students and families and becoming part of the Mountain View community. I can’t wait for a great school year!”

Welcome to Mountain View, Andrea! We are so glad you’re here and can’t wait to see the impact you’ll make on our students and school community. 🐾💙💛

Join us in welcoming our new principal, Heather Kelly, to Mountain View Elementary! 🎉🍎

We are excited and look forward to all the wonderful things ahead for our school community under her leadership.

Welcome to the Mountain View family, Heather!

This past week we celebrated seven incredible educators as they begin a new chapter, retirement! 🎉🍎

Thank you for the countless lives you have touched, the lessons you have taught, and the love and dedication you have poured into education throughout your careers. Your impact will be felt for years to come through the students, families, and colleagues you have inspired along the way.

Mountain View is grateful for your service and commitment to making a difference every day. We wish each of you a retirement filled with joy, relaxation, adventure, and all the things you love most.

Congratulations to our 2026 retirees! ❤️