Office of Youth Re-Engagement

Nury Castillo Crawford
Exective Director of Youth Re-Engagement

Nury Castillo Crawford is a life-long educator. She has a positive track record of being a transformational leader. Nury is a proud bilingual Latina and believes that being bilingual, biliterate and bicultural help her see the learning process and our students’ potential from a more inclusive view. She considers herself a champion for students and genuinely believes the biggest investment our community can make is in the education of our youth. Her journey in education has included collaborations with stakeholders in order to maximize resources and information for the community. She has recently relocated to Madison from the state of Georgia. She is a proud mother of three and is looking forward to connecting with all community members.

Alison Eystad
Program Coordinator
she/her/hers

Hello! As the Program Coordinator, I am lucky enough to support all of our wonderful staff and spaces with their curriculum and student support. I am a graduate of UW-Madison where I got my bachelor's degree in Cross-Categorical Special Education, and I received my master’s degree from Marian University in Alternative Education and At-Risk Youth. In my free time, I love to try new restaurants and spend time with my kitty, Mustard.

Jenna Hinrichsen
School Counselor
she/her

Hi! I am so excited to be in my fifth year with MMSD and my second year as the OYR School Counselor. I grew up in the great state of Iowa where I graduated from Iowa State University and taught sexual health education through a local nonprofit before relocating to Wisconsin in 2018. From there, I worked as an educational assistant for MMSD while completing my Master’s of School Counseling at Concordia University. Some of my favorite things include playing the piano and ukulele, watching documentaries, and befriending every dog I see.

Chauncey Haste
Justice-Involved Youth Coordinator

Hello: I am the Justice-Involved Youth Coordinator. I’m very excited to work with staff and students, helping to facilitate plans that involve transitioning, mentoring, and supporting students returning to MMSD. I’ve been an MMSD employee for 15 years and held various positions, of which Educator and Dean I enjoyed the most. I enjoy camping, hiking, and cooking.

Tina Geier

Hello! After completing my ungrad in Special Education at UW Madison in the early 1990’s, I began my MMSD career with a very brief stop at the elementary level before teaching at La Follette High School for 4 years, then finding my home at Metro High in the Jail. 25 years, a Master’s Degree and Alt. Ed certification later, I am thrilled to be a part of the Metro Team and Program Support Teacher for OYR. As a mother of two young adult sons, both La Follette graduates, I understand the importance of connecting with our student’s families and communities, and the magic that comes with real collaboration.

Tim Hernandez

Hello! I am the Administrative Assistant to OYR. I have been with MMSD for 4 years and have been supporting OYR for 2 of them. I grew up in Madison, graduated from East High School in 2005. Currently I live in Lake Mills and have 2 kids that go to the elementary school there. For hobbies I love fishing, baseball and spending time with my wife and kids.

Keith Pollock
I am the Alternative Education Teacher at the Transition Academy. I have been teaching high school students for the last 27 years in a variety of alternative programs. I enjoy exploring our natural world and learning every day. I am married with 3 children and 9 chickens. I love to play Ultimate Fisbee.

Lia Ellinide
Greetings - After working some years in the bike industry as well as in the field of Exercise Science, I continued my education at the University of Wisconsin-Madison to complete degrees in Special Education and Health Education. More recently, I have earned my Master’s of Education Degree with an emphasis in Outdoor Adventure-based Experiential Education. I have lived and taught in rural New Mexico and am in my thirteenth year teaching in MMSD. I value shared experiences in the outdoors with my two sons and our always-up-for-adventure dog, and most enjoy cycling, snowboarding, and active adventures in the mountains of the American west and southwest.

Erich Eifler
Having grown up in the Fox Valley of Wisconsin, I was all too excited to go to college out of state. I split my BA experience between U of M - Twin Cities, University of Montana - Missoula, and back home at St. Norbert College in DePere, WI. I eventually landed in Madison, and got involved with youth work as a Crew Supervisor with Operation Fresh Start. I supervised the construction of a half-dozen homes during my tenure, and fell in love with the work and the outcomes. This eventually led me to pursue my Teaching License and led to my current position as the Alternative Education Teacher for Legacy Program with Operation Fresh Start. I feel like I can truly use my skill set here to support students who choose this path toward High School completion.

Joe Koss
Hi. I am one of the two GEDO2 teachers. I have been a teacher for 12 years and this is my fourth year in MMSD. I have a wife, 2 kids, ages 4.5 years and 2.5 years, and a dog named Flor. A few interesting things about me are that I have lived in 5 different countries and taught outside of the United States for 6 years--2 years in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, and 4 years in Montevideo, Uruguay. I also enjoy woodworking, gardening, and biking. As a family we love ice cream, exploring parks and playgrounds, and reading books together.

Joe St. Peter
Greetings, I am the second GEDO2 teacher. I’m on lucky year 13 of teaching, 5 of which are in MMSD. This is my 2nd year in the GEDO2 program. My lovely spouse and I are outnumbered by our children: a spunky first grader, a spicy 2-year-old, and a one-year-old desperately trying to match suit. I’m in love with all of them. I went to UW-Madison for undergrad, and obtained a cross-categorical license through Edgewood College and an alternative Education license through UW-Milwaukee. In my free time, I like reading, tinkering on house projects, and rock climbing.

Delia Watkins

Ben Stueck
I am the Special Education Teacher at Metro Detention. I was born in Madison and never left, except for long journeys exploring. I received my undergraduate degree in History and Religious Studies at the UW-Madison and my teaching credentials at Edgewood. I dabble in many interests such as martial arts, music, and keeping my pets busy.

Cherie Lagree
I am the alternative education teacher at Metro Detention. I attended UW-Whitewater to earn my initial teaching license in Business Education and Information Technology. I continued on to earn my masters, recently adding Alternative Education. I am passionate about working with students who need us the most. In my free time I love to Standup Paddle Board, and spend time with my 2 kids.

Britt Falbo
Born and raised in Seattle, I moved to Madison to attend undergraduate school at UW-Madison, earning a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work. I attended Graduate School at Edgewood College to obtain my teaching license and Master’s Degree in Education. This is my 19th year with MMSD. An avid “glamper,” I love enjoying nature with my family. When I grow up, I want to own a bakery truck, providing sweet treats to one and all!

Katelyn Schedler
After graduating from UW Madison, I spent three years teaching in Portland, Oregon where I earned my Masters in Education, and the next 10 years in Chicago. After teaching in a variety of settings over the years, I feel like I have found a perfect fit at Metro J & H. This position allows me to find creative ways of supporting students whose brilliance has often gone unnoticed in traditional school settings. This position also allows me to spend summers with my husband and our three kids. We spent part of last summer in Central America and are already looking forward to our next adventure.