School Directory
Office and Administration
Meet your Principal- Dr. Cari Maneen!
Email: cmaneen@polkschools.org
Meet your Secretary and Data Manager- Mrs. Barbara Gilbert!
Email: bgilbert@polkschools.org
Hello, my name is Barbara Gilbert, better known as Mrs. Barbara. I have been at Saluda School for 28 years. I am 60 years old and I used to be a bus driver, teacher assistant, cheerleading coach, and I have worked in the lunchroom. I now work in the office and I am responsible for all phone calls, payroll, School Funds, Powerschool, and a lot of other stuff. I have been married for 30 to a wonderful man and we have raised 5 children. We have 6 grandchildren. I love Saluda School. I attended school here from second grade through eighth grade. Therefore I have spent most of my life here at Saluda School. GO WILDCATS!
Meet Your School Nurse- Debbie Gilbert!
Email: dgilbert@polkschools.org
Teachers
Meet your Kindergarten Teacher- Mrs. Lauren Hamilton!
Email: lhamilton@polkschools.org
Meet your First Grade Teacher- Mrs. Tara McDonald!
Email: tmcdonald@polkschools.org
Meet your Second Grade Teacher- Mrs. Stephanie Fletcher!
Email: sfletcher@polkschools.org
Meet your Second Grade Teacher- Ms. Christine McGee!
Email: cmcgee@polkschools.org
Meet your Third Grade Teacher- Melissa Gillespie
Email: mgillespie@polkschools.org
Meet your Fifth Grade Teacher- Mrs. Ginger Rackley
Email: grackley@polkschools.org
Meet Your Exceptional Children Teacher- Mrs. Ashley Thompson!
Email: athompson@polkschools.org
Encore Teachers
Meet your PE Teacher- Mrs. Kathy St. Clair!
Email: kstclair@polkschools.org
I started teaching at Saluda School in 1999. Hometown: Kingsport TN. I currently live in Tryon, NC. I am the third of six children. I love my big family. My physical education degree is from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville where I played volleyball for the Tennessee Vols. I studied dance education at UNC-Charlotte. I have two grown children, both attended Saluda Elementary. My daughter, Sarah is in the United States Space Force, stationed in Colorado. She and her husband are expecting my first grandchild in August.. My son, Kevin, is serving in the United States Air Force and is currently stationed in Kansas. I love hiking, dancing, reading, movies, theater and good food. My favorite color is orange,( of course).
Meet your Media, AIG Specialist- Kevin Burnett!
Email: kburnett@polkschools.org
Student Support Services
Meet Your School Guidance Counselor- Ms. Sherri Huffman
Email: shuffman@polkschools.org
Ms. Huffman is one of the School Counselors at Saluda. She spends most of her week at Polk County Middle School, and visits Saluda one day a week to see students. Ms. Huffman has been a School Counselor for 18 years, and all of those years have been in Polk County. She likes hiking, taking her boat to the lake, and playing with her crazy beagle dogs. Her favorite color is green, and her favorite food is chocolate. Ms. Huffman can be reached by email at: shuffman@polkschools.org or by calling her at PCMS at 894-2215. Ms. Huffman LOVES working with students at Saluda, and her Saluda days are her favorite days of the week!
Meet Your School Guidance Counselor- Mrs. Katy Montgomery!
Email: kmontgomery@polkschools.org
Meet Your School Title I Reading Interventionist- Ms. Jacqueline Carpenter!
Meet your School Speech Therapist- Mrs. Jennifer Young!
Email: jyoung@polkschools.org
Meet Your Teacher's Assistants and After School Staff
Meet Your After School Director- Mrs. Edie Harris!
Email: eharris@polkschools.org
Meet Your Teacher’s Assistant and After-School Assistant- Ms. Stacy Harris!
Email: sharris@polkschools.org
Meet Your Teacher’s Assistant and After-School Assistant- Ms. Megan Ward!
Email: mward@polkschools.org
Meet Your Teacher’s Assistant and Front Office Assistant- Mrs. Katie Geisler!
Email: kgeisler@polkschools.org
Meet Your Preschool Teacher’s Assistant- Mrs. Larissa Ingle!
Email: lingle@polkschools.org
Hey name is Larissa, I am 25, and I love being a part of the Saluda School Family! My favorite color is gray, my favorite food is pasta, and favorite childhood memory of school is dancing to the tooty-ta song. I just celebrated six years married to my husband, and we have a 3-year-old son. My hobbies include hiking, traveling, and making scrapbooks.
Meet Your First Grade Teacher’s Assistant- Mrs. Jessica Searcy!
Email: jessicasearcy@polkschools.org