Staff members are people of excellence, both personally and professionally; all staff members are screened to assess lifestyle, knowledge, and teaching skills.

All staff members are required to have a college background and experience with children. We employ those who show enthusiasm, creativity, kindness and professionalism.

Staff members are required to participate in continuing education. BTES provides specialized training and opportunities to attend national, regional and local conferences, focusing on the most current developments in early childhood education.

BTES Staff - 2010-2011

Bishop Ray Sutton

The Rt. Rev. Ray R. Sutton, Ph.D., currently serves as the Bishop Coadjutor in the Diocese of Mid America of the Reformed Episcopal Church and is Rector of the Church of the Holy Communion.

He was born in Louisville, Kentucky, and moved to Dallas at age thirteen. He earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts [B.F.A.] from Southern Methodist University in 1972, a Master of Theology [Th.M] from the Dallas Theological Seminary in 1976, and a Doctor of Philosophy [Ph.D.] from Wycliffe Hall, Oxford University, in association with Coventry University in 1998.

Bishop Sutton served in parish ministry from 1976 until 1991; Dean and Associate Professor of New Testament at the Reformed Episcopal Seminary in Philadelphia from 1991 until 1995; and Dean and Professor of Theology at Cranmer Theological House in Shreveport, Louisiana from 1995 until 2001. He was ordained a Bishop of the Reformed Episcopal Church in 1999, and was called to the Church of the Holy Communion in 2001.

Bishop Sutton has authored four books on theology, his most recent being Signed, Sealed and Delivered: A Study of Holy Baptism. Bishop Sutton is married to Susan Jean Schaerdel of Dallas, also a Southern Methodist University graduate, presently a couselor at Shelton School. They have seven children and three grandchildren. He is an avid reader, listener to classical music, a low handicap golfer and bird hunter.

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Dawn Kastning

Director: Ms. Kastning received her BA from the University of Wisconsin and her Masters Degree in Teaching from Texas Woman’s University. Ms. Kastning has extensive experiences as an educator including preschool and literacy program development, as well as developing program enhancing activities both in and outside of the classroom environment. She demonstrates a passion and excellence in her teaching abilities and is a wonderful asset to the BTES staff.  Ms. Kastning is in her third year as an administrator.

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Monica Dalton

Assistant Director:  Ms. Dalton is a graduate of Texas A&M University with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology.  She has worked many years in the corporate world doing training and management.  With 3 children of her own, and with many opportunities to volunteer at their schools and church, she is very knowledgeable of child development.  Not only has she been a parent at BTES, but she has also substituted in numerous classrooms and served on the BTES School Board. During the 2005-2006 school year, she taught the MDO and 2 year-old class here at BTES. Monica has worked as an administrator for the last five years.

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Primer- Kindergaten: Ms. Kiera Fung is in her second year as a teacher at BTES. She is a graduate of SMU with a bachelor's degree in Music Education and a Texas State certification for early childhood through twelfth grade. She has previous experience teaching at Highland Park High School and Middle School. Her experience with youngsters is due to her time spent nannying and babysitting for many of our local Bent Tree families. Ms. Fung loves Bent Tree Episcopal and all it has to offer the children.  

Dawn Luisi

Mother's Day Out: Mrs. Luisi has been an exceptional addition to our teaching staff at BTES since our first year, 1998. Prior to BTES, she taught for 7 years at another church pre-school and has accumulated vast educational training hours in early childhood development. Mrs. Luisi is a well experienced and nurturing pre-school teacher who is prepared for any classroom situation. Most of all, children love their time with her as much as she loves them.

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Esther Sutton

3 year olds: Esther Sutton graduated from Texas A&M University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and Creative Writing and a minor in Communication. Her first experience in Early Childhood Development was when she taught Sunday School to children ages 2-5 when she was only 14. Since then she has worked closely with children of all ages inside and outside of the classroom, utilizing her creative mind to inspire them academically, socially and most of all spiritually.  

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Humanities: Ms. Jenny Heissenhuber has been a member of the neighboring Church of the Holy Communion for all 22 years of her life, participating regularly in the college and youth groups, and has been a head counselor at the annual Vacation Church Camp for 10 years. She also worked on the Child Care Staff at Lifetime Fitness in Flower Mound. She loves working with kids and has always had a job teaching children. She is a college student at University of North Texas majoring in Studio Art with a focus in drawing and painting. She is a great asset to our school as our Humanities Teacher. Her focus is on art, music, drama, and computer instruction.

Stephanie Maldonado

2 year old Lead Teacher: Ms. Stephanie Maldonado has over 24 years experience working with children. Not only has she been a lead infant teacher, she has also taught 2 yr olds and 3 yr olds. During the past 14 years, Stephanie has focused her professional career on being a nanny. While also being a nanny, she has worked diligently on furthering her education in child development.

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