Meet the team

Christ Lutheran Day School takes great pride in its staff, all of whom bring valuable expertise, dedication, and a love of children each day to our school. Their mission is to implement a quality early childhood education program that is developmentally appropriate and fun, in a loving, caring, nurturing Christian environment. Their focus is to nurture the spiritual, emotional, social, intellectual, and physical growth of each child. Christ Lutheran Day School teachers and staff view themselves as part of a Christian learning community, dedicated to sharing the love of our Lord Jesus Christ with the children, their families, and the community.

Administration

  • Dana Ferraro - Director

    Hello! My name is Dana Ferraro, and I am honored to serve as the Director of Christ Lutheran Day School. I have been blessed to call CLDS my home for the past 26 years. I hold a B.A. in Child Development and a Master’s in Education from Concordia University, and I have spent my entire adult life teaching and serving in early childhood education—a career I truly love.

    When I’m not working (or playing!) at CLDS, I’m with my three amazing boys—John, Joe, and Greg—who are all in middle school this year. We enjoy traveling, watching movies, building with Legos, and spending time at the beach, our happy place.

    Every day, I am inspired by the incredible work of our teachers and the joy and curiosity of our children. I feel truly blessed to be part of this wonderful community.

  • Kelsey Shaw - Assistant Director

    My name is Kelsey Shaw, and I am thrilled to be working with your children this year! Over the course of my career, I have had the joy of working with young children in a variety of educational settings. I have taught in the cribs and one’s class at University Christian Church in Fort Worth, Texas, served as a teacher at Texas Tech University’s Child Development Research Center, worked as a nanny, and—my favorite role—been a mom.

    I earned my bachelor’s degree in Human Development from Texas Tech University and have been working in early childhood education for the past 23 years. This is my seventh year at Christ Lutheran Day School and my sixth year teaching toddlers.

    I am married and the proud mom of two amazing boys: Harper, 15, and Weldon, 9, who both attend San Antonio Christian School. Children never cease to amaze me with their curiosity, creativity, and joy. I am excited for a year filled with exploration, creativity, and discovery with your little ones!

  • Sarah Anne Stephens - Curriculum Coordinator

    Hi! I am Sarah Anne Stephens! This will be my fifth year at Christ Lutheran Day School, and I feel so blessed to be part of this amazing community. I graduated from Samford University with a degree in Early Childhood, Elementary, and Special Education, along with a minor in Nutrition and Dietetics.After college, I took a year to serve on the World Race—a Christian-based ministry where I taught English as a Second Language, taught bible lessons, and worked alongside communities in acts of service. It was a life-changing year that deepened my love for teaching and serving others.

    I’m married to my husband, Gary, and we have three children. Benjamin (8), Eleanor (5), and Mae (2)—plus two cats, Piper and Croasby, and our dog, Nash. Before becoming a mom, I taught kindergarten here in San Antonio, and now I’m so thankful to be back in the classroom doing what I love.Play-based learning is my passion! I believe childhood should be full of wonder, discovery, and joy, and my goal is always to help children fall in love with learning from the very beginning. I can’t wait for all the fun, laughter, and growth we’ll share this year!

  • Candace Gutierrez - Administrative Assistant

    Hello! My name is Candace Gutierrez, and I am excited to be a part of this community as the school’s Administrative Assistant. I have been a member of the CLDS Family for many years as a parent, a Board member, and now a staff member (my first year!).

    I moved to San Antonio to attend Trinity University, where I received a Bachelor’s in English. I went to the University of Oklahoma Law School where I received my Juris Doctorate. Rather than practice law, I chose to work in Human Resources, where I specialized in employee grievances and discipline and served as a certified mediator for the State of Oklahoma.

    For the past 12 years, I have enjoyed being a stay-at-home mom to my three kids, Selah (11), Siro (8), and Camila (4). I’m married to Siro (whom I met at Trinity.) We enjoy movie nights with our kids, trying new foods and restaurants, and building community. It has been a privilege to have our kids attend CLDS and be a part of this happy place.

Anyone who does anything to help a child in his life is a hero to me.

~ Fred Rogers

Meet the Lead Teachers

  • Kelsey Shaw - Lead Teacher Toddlers

    My name is Kelsey Shaw, and I am thrilled to be working with your children this year! Over the course of my career, I have had the joy of working with young children in a variety of educational settings. I have taught in the cribs and one’s class at University Christian Church in Fort Worth, Texas, served as a teacher at Texas Tech University’s Child Development Research Center, worked as a nanny, and—my favorite role—been a mom.

    I earned my bachelor’s degree in Human Development from Texas Tech University and have been working in early childhood education for the past 23 years. This is my seventh year at Christ Lutheran Day School and my sixth year teaching toddlers.

    I am married and the proud mom of two amazing boys: Harper, 15, and Weldon, 9, who both attend San Antonio Christian School. Children never cease to amaze me with their curiosity, creativity, and joy. I am excited for a year filled with exploration, creativity, and discovery with your little ones!

  • Gloria Vega - Lead Teacher 2's

    My name is Gloria Vega and I am excited for the new school year. This is my fifth year at CLDS. I am a graduate of the Young Women’s Leadership Academy. I currently hold a degree in education and am continuing to advance my education through Texas A&M University with a focus on education. I have been honored to work with non-profits including the YMCA for the past few years, focusing heavily on child development and social and emotional learning. I am excited to lead our classroom with creativity, compassion, and curiosity. I am beyond delighted to continue working with the students and staff of Christ Lutheran Day School.

  • Donah Crowley - Lead Teacher 2/3's

    Donah Crowley - Lead Teacher 3's

    My name is Donah Crowley, and I have been part of the Christ Lutheran Day School family for over 30 years, teaching in our 2’s program. This year, I am excited to be working with a wonderful class of 3-year-olds for the first time.

    I hold a B.A. in Early Childhood Education from Concordia University and am proud to be a graduate of Christ Lutheran Day School myself. Having lived in San Antonio my entire life, this community is truly home.

    Outside the classroom, I enjoy photography, art, and reading. I also share my home with a lively crew of pets—three cats, one dog, two turtles, and a hamster. I am looking forward to a year filled with learning, creativity, and joyful discoveries with my students.

  • Dara Carney - Lead Teacher 3's

    I am excited to welcome you and your child to our 2025–26 CLDS 3-year-old class! I hold a bachelor’s degree in Psychology and a master’s degree in Mental Health Counseling, with additional studies in Child Development and Early Education. I developed a passion for working with young children early in my career. That passion grew through hands-on experience working in early childhood settings both in and outside the classroom. Now my husband of 25+ years and I are empty nesters with grown children. I’m thrilled to be returning to CLDS and look forward to being part of your child’s school experiences!

  • Rebecca Hackett - Lead Teacher 4's

    Hello! My name is Rebecca Hackett and I am excited to work with your three year olds! I have more than 10 years of teaching experience within NEISD as an elementary music teacher and an elementary librarian. I have a Bachelor of Music Education from Texas Tech University and a Master of Library Science from Texas Woman’s University. My husband and I have two wonderful boys, both of whom have attended CLDS and loved every minute. I am passionate about books, especially children’s literature, and love to read in my spare time. I can’t wait to watch your children learn, discover, and grow this year.

  • Sarah Anne Stephens - Lead Teacher 3's

    Hi! I am Sarah Anne Stephens and this is my third year at Christ Lutheran Day School. I graduated from Samford University with a degree in early childhood, elementary and special education with a minor in nutrition and dietetics. After graduating from Samford, I took a year off to do the World Race–during this time, I taught English as a second language, helped with orphan care, and other acts of community service through Christian-based ministry. I am married to my husband, Gary, and we have two children, Benjamin (age 5) and Eleanor (age 2). We also have two cats named Piper and Roo and a dog named Nash! I taught kindergarten here in San Antonio until I had Benjamin. I am looking forward to another fun year with your children!

  • Jennifer Davis - Lead Teacher 4's

    Hello! My name is Jennifer Davis, and this is my third year at Christ Lutheran Day School. I hold a B.A. in Multidisciplinary Studies with concentrations in education, history, and sociology from UTSA, and I also completed graduate coursework in Educational Psychology with a concentration in Behavior Analysis at UTSA.

    My husband and I are proud parents of four children—two in college, one in high school, and one in middle school—and we share our home with a lively menagerie of pets. In my spare time, I enjoy playing the cello, knitting, and creating in the ceramics studio.

    I’m excited for another year of learning, creativity, and discovery with the children here at CLDS!

  • Brooke Stenberg- Lead Teacher Toddler/2's

    Hello! My name is Mrs. Stenberg, and this is my second year teaching at Christ Lutheran Day School. I am passionate about learning, advocating for my students, and making lessons engaging and fun.

    I graduated from UTSA in 2023 with a B.A. in Interdisciplinary Studies, specializing in Early Childhood Education through 6th grade, and I hold a concentration in ESL. Before joining CLDS, I worked as a substitute teacher for Alamo Heights ISD, which further fueled my love for teaching.

    My husband and I are blessed with two beautiful daughters—a four-year-old and a fifteen-year-old. As a family, we enjoy spending time outdoors, hiking, and traveling together. I am excited for another year of growth, discovery, and joy in the classroom!

  • Sarah Judson - Lead Teacher Early Kinder

    My name is Sarah Judson and I am so happy to be starting my second year here at CLDS. I love this incredible sweet school! I was born and raised in Alamo Heights. After graduating I went to Baylor University where I completed my Bachelors of Science in Child and Family Studies. For the past 11 years I have been teaching at Howard Early Childhood Center. At Howard I worked as first an assistant and then as a Supported Classroom Kindergarten Teacher. During this time I got my Masters of Arts in Education from UTSA with a concentration in Special Education. I love working with students of all abilities and supporting all children to find joy in learning. This year along with teaching my wonderful class I will be working on my Masters in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at UTSA. In my free time I love to read, travel and cook!

    I am so excited for this year!

Meet the Team

  • Lindsey Leinweber - Assistant Teacher

  • Hailey Sandoval - Assistant Teacher

  • Shavianah Lopez - Assistant Teacher

  • Dannah Alcala - Assistant Teacher

  • Brenda Cummings- Assistant Teacher

Special Activity Teachers

Music and Movement Teacher

I have been blessed to teach music at CLDS for 31 years, watching countless little ones learn, grow, and discover their unique gifts. Music lights up my soul, and I love sharing that joy with the children in my care. Outside the classroom, I enjoy gardening, reading, traveling, cooking, baking, and spending time with my lovable golden doodle, Huck. After more than three decades, I remain passionate about building relationships, sparking curiosity, and making every child feel valued and loved.

Spanish Teacher