1st Grade 

Grade Level Website

Back Row: Mrs. House, Ms. White, Ms. Damle, Mrs. Roberts, Ms. Renus, Mrs. Osgood, Mrs. Mellin

Front Row: Ms. Sheth, Mrs. Kellogg, Mrs. Issler

Meet the Team

Crystal Roberts — ciroberts@wcpss.net — Website — Twitter        Instructional Assistant: Aditi Sheth

Ms. Roberts:  Hello Explorers! I am passionate about teaching and really work hard to help every child become the best possible version of themselves academically, socially, and emotionally, serving in first and second grade positions for the past 15 years. I absolutely love helping your child come into their own as a young learner!

I grew up in Mount Airy, NC, and attended Meredith College to major in English and of course, Education. I've had the privilege of visiting almost all 50 states and a handful of countries. Even though I love to travel, I am so glad to call North Carolina home.

Mr. Roberts and I now live in Fuquay with our two children and our beloved cat. We are an "outside" family and love playing in the water, going on hikes, riding bicycles, and doing anything together to enjoy the sunshine!

Degrees/Certifications: BA Elementary Education, Youth Mental Health First Aid, LETRs, Google Level 2

Brittany Mellin — bmellin@wcpss.net — Website — Twitter     Instructional Assistant: Deepali Damle

Mrs. Mellin: Hello Explorers! My name is Brittany Mellin and I am so excited for another year on the first grade team at White Oak. I am originally from Ohio (Go Buckeyes!), and graduated from Bowling Green State University. I have been living and teaching in North Carolina since 2010. I live in Fuquay Varina with my husband Keith, 2 young sons Tanner and Reese, dog Murphy, and box turtle Little Buddy. In my free time I enjoy cooking, baking, reading, walking/running, and spending time with my family. I look forward to meeting and working with you all, and having a wonderful school year!

Degrees/Certifications: Bachelor's Degree in Early Childhood Education from BGSU, OH. 

Lindsay Osgood — losgood@wcpss.net — Website — Twitter           Instructional Assistant: Christine Renus

Mrs. Osgood: Hi everyone! My name is Lindsay Osgood and I am excited for another wonderful year at White Oak! I began my teaching career in my home state of Virginia where I taught second grade for three years. After relocating to Apex, NC with my husband and our dogs, Sadie and Hazel, I have been teaching first grade in Wake County ever since.

I am thrilled to be your child’s first grade teacher! I love watching my students grow and discover new things. It is my hope to instill a love of learning in your child that will last beyond our time together in the classroom.

In my spare time I enjoy reading, exploring new places, taking spontaneous shopping trips to Target, and spending time with my family and friends. I look forward to partnering with you to make this a successful and fun year for your child!

Degrees/Certifications: Bachelors in Elementary Education from Radford University

Gladys White — gwhite@wcpss.net — Website — Twitter          Instructional Assistant: Lisa Issler

Ms. White: My name is Mrs. White, and my passion is teaching Firsties! I am looking forward to getting to know my new little explorers. I attended the University of Phoenix and LSU. I have a Master's in Elementary Education and a Bachelor of Science in Management and Administration. My philosophy for learning is that each child is unique and learns differently. I believe in hands-on experiences and learning creatively, differentiating students' learning and contributing to their academic achievements. My priority is ensuring that each "Firsty" moves to the next level of excellence.

Degrees/Certifications: Master's in Elementary Education and Bachelor of Science in Management and Administration; Certificate of Mastery - LETRS (Science of Reading).

April Kellogg — adkellogg@wcpss.net— Website- Twitter        Instructional Assistant: Christine Renus

Mrs. Kellogg: Welcome Explorers! This is my 13th year teaching first grade and my 4th year at White Oak. Before moving to North Carolina in 2003, I taught for 2 years as a teaching assistant at a private school in Massachusetts. After moving south, I taught first grade for two years in Granville County. In 2005 I began teaching first grade in Wake County at Highcroft Drive Elementary. In 2013 I left the classroom to stay home with our first child, Riley and we welcomed our second child, Jack in 2016. While away from the classroom, I was able to keep up my teaching skills by tutoring K-5 students. I returned to the classroom in 2021 and began teaching at White Oak Elementary! I can't wait for another wonderful year in first grade!

Degrees/Certifications: Bachelors of Science In Early Childhood Education

Lindsay House — lmhouse@wcpss.net — Website -- Twitter       Instructional Assistant: Ramya Kannan

Ms. House:  Hello! My name is Lindsay House and I am happy to be a part of the White Oak staff and the amazing first grade team! This will be my 11th year teaching, seven of which have been in first grade (it’s the best!). In May of 2012, I graduated from Biola University with a B.A. in Elementary Education with a concentration in mathematics. I followed that up with a master’s degree from NCSU in 2014. I believe students learn best through hands-on activities and when they are actively engaged. Each day I seek to provide those opportunities for all students in my class. I love to read, visit the beach, spend time with my friends and family, and take my dog, Bella, on a walk on the greenway. I am so excited to meet you and look forward to making this the best school year yet!

Degrees/Certifications: Master's in the Art of Teaching 

Instructional Assistants:

Ms. Sheth: Hello! My name is Aditi Sheth. This will be my 8th year as a first grade instructional assistant at White Oak Elementary since it started in year 2016. I love working with elementary-age kids as they start their schooling . One of the greatest joys and privileges I have is to be a part of the students’ journey through this first phase and help them as they learn and grow.

I am a parent of a high school senior and I love spending time with my dog and my family traveling and doing outdoor activities in my free time. I look forward to meeting the first-graders and cannot wait to start the school year! It will be a lot of fun!

Degrees/Certifications: Bachelors Degree in Accounting, Early Childhood Education certification from the state of Massachusetts.

Mrs. Issler:  Hi WOE families. My name is Lisa Issler and I am excited to be assisting in first grade again this year. I grew up in Delaware, but moved from Nashville, TN to Cary in 2005. I love music, going to the beach, working out, reading, and spending time with my family. I have three wonderful children that keep me very busy. I am looking forward to a fabulous year!

Degrees/Certifications:   B.S. Elementary and Special Education; M.Ed. Speech Language Pathology/Audiology

Ms. Renus: My name is Christine Renus and I just completed a wonderful first year at White Oak Elementary as an Instructional Assistant and am looking forward to my second year! This will be my fifth year in Wake County Schools.

I was born and raised in Upper State New York. I have three children, one girl and two boys, as well as three young grandchildren. In 2020 I moved to North Carolina following my youngest son. I love spending time with my family (being a grandma), kayaking, dogs, and helping young children grow and achieve independence.

Degrees/Certifications: AAS Degree and New York State Teacher's Assistant Certification

Ms. Damle: Hello families! My name is Deepali Damle. I am excited to start my first year at White Oak Elementary school. I will be working as an Instructional Assistant for the 1st grade. This is also my first year with Wake county public schools. I previously worked at a private school as an Instructional Assistant.

I live in Cary with my husband and two boys, a senior at UNC (Go Tarheels!!) and a sophomore at Green level high. I enjoy long drives, outdoors, hikes, spending time with family and friends. I love to try new cuisines and cooking different recipes.

I am excited to be on this new journey and look forward to meeting the students and families.

Degrees/Certifications: Bachelor of Arts from Mumbai University

Mrs. Kannan: Hi! I’m Ramya Kannan. This is my first year at White Oak as an IA with second grade team. I have a son who is in 5th grade. I love gardening, cooking and organizing things. I’m looking forward to this wonderful year with kids!
 

Degrees/Certifications: Bachelor in Engineering, Pega Certified System Architect, Tablaeu Desktop Specialist