K Teachers
Shirley Rotolo
Kindergarten Lead Teacher
she/her
Shirley Rotolo has been teaching for over twenty-five years and has been part of the Odyssey community since 2012. Shirley has several degrees in early education and is a graduate of Western Carolina University. She has been involved in diversity programs such as Building Bridges and Cultural Competence Awareness, and has also taken the Young Hispanic Dual Language Learners Achievement class. Shirley is also an accomplished visual artist with a particular interest in Chinese painting.
Although originally raised in New York City, Shirley has an international background and speaks several languages. Shirley loves to share her experiences from living and traveling in France, Italy, Amsterdam, Montreal, Canada, and the Caribbean Islands in the classroom! In fact, she also teaches French to students from Pre-K through third grade in after school!
In her spare time Shirley loves to explore the different lakes and mountains of Western Carolina with her family. She is an avid reader and reads everything from the classics to fantasy, biographies to sci-fi.
Shirley loves working with kindergarten students and looks forward to sharing her rich, diverse background with them through a calm, effective environment that allows student to learn, explore, and develop.
Samantha Sole
Kindergarten Teacher
she/her
Sam is from Tallahassee, Florida where she graduated from Florida State University with her Bachelor’s Degree in Studio Art and Art History. During this time she also danced professionally as a soloist with The Tallahassee Ballet. After graduation she joined the Chattanooga Ballet Company as a principal dancer, instructor, and graphic designer. During her five years with the company she taught ballet and created a curriculum for students ranging from age three to adult. She led summer workshops for young dancers, choreographed for the company, and acted as the Young Children’s Coordinator for the ballet’s school. During her time at Chattanooga Ballet, Sam developed a love for teaching which prompted a career shift toward education. This led her to Odyssey School in 2020. Sam loves the team she and Shirley have formed in kindergarten and is excited for another great year. She values compassion, humor, and creativity in the classroom. In her free time Sam dances as a soloist with the Asheville Ballet, teaches dance, and loves to paint and hike.
