Tollgate Elementary School of Expeditionary Learning

Jamie Patton Rochford
Principal

Jamie Patton Rochford is honored to serve as principal of Tollgate Elementary School. She brings extensive experience in public education, having served as a classroom teacher, instructional coach, special education leader, and assistant principal. Throughout her career, she has been dedicated to helping schools create equitable, inclusive, and high-achieving learning environments where every student can thrive.

Jamie is passionate about building school communities where students feel known, valued, challenged, and supported. She believes that strong relationships, high expectations, and a deep sense of belonging are the foundation of student success. Her leadership is grounded in the belief that every child deserves access to excellent instruction, meaningful opportunities, and adults who recognize and nurture their unique strengths.
As a leader, Jamie is committed to partnering with families, supporting educators, and creating systems that help all students succeed. She is especially excited to build on Tollgate's EL Education traditions and the belief that "We are Crew, not passengers." She looks forward to working alongside students, staff, and families to foster a joyful school culture where students develop not only academic excellence, but also character, confidence, and a sense of purpose.

Outside of school, Jamie enjoys spending time with her husband and two young children, exploring Colorado, reading, and continually learning as both an educator and a parent.

Email: [email protected]

Sarah McCaskill
Assistant Principal

Sarah McCaskill has been in public education for 14 years and this will be her 3rd year as an elementary school Assistant Principal. Prior to being an Assistant Principal she served in various roles both in school buildings and at the district level. She was an Improvement and Leadership Specialist, a School Innovation and Implementation Partner, and a K-12 ELD classroom teacher.

She grew up in Englewood, Colorado and then moved to Nebraska where she received a bachelor's degree in International Business and Spanish from Doane University. Sarah continued at Doane University to obtain her master's degree in Curriculum and Instruction. She moved back to Colorado in 2016 and attended Regis University to earn another master's degree in Educational Leadership.

Sarah has two children, both boys, one in middle school and one in elementary school. They love to spend their time being active and playing sports. They also enjoy staying home for a family movie night or game night with a big bowl of popcorn.

She is excited to serve as Tollgate's Assistant Principal and work collaboratively with staff, families, and the community to create lifelong learners.

Email: [email protected]

Erin Perez
Coordinator of Climate & Culture

Erin Perez is thrilled to join the Tollgate Crew as the Coordinator of Climate & Culture. She is a bilingual educator with a background in psychology, literacy, interventions, and data. She has 8 years of experience as a School Psychologist across Iowa and Florida. She also spent a year in Denver Public Schools as a district Special Education Specialist. She uses data to guide her decisions, but she never loses sight of the child behind the numbers.

Erin believes that students learn best when they feel safe, welcomed, and known. She is passionate about building a school community where every student, family, and staff member feels a true sense of belonging. Her work in understanding how children learn, including reading, attention, and language development, helps her look beneath the surface to find what a student needs to succeed. As Tollgate's Coordinator of Climate & Culture, Erin looks forward to partnering with students, families, and staff to create an environment where everyone feels like part of the Crew.

Outside of school, Erin loves traveling, hiking, reading, and finding the best coffee shops. She never says no to a dance, especially if it’s salsa or other latin dances.

Email: [email protected]

Katie Lewis
Dean of Students

Katie Lewis has been in public education for ten years. She has always known she wanted to be in education because she was surrounded by strong educators in her family growing up. She began her start in education by earning her Music Education degree from the University of Nebraska at Kearney. With her music degree, she taught as a band director for ten years. For five of those ten years, she taught in Houston, Texas where she directed a band of 250 students. Once Katie moved to Colorado, she spent five years in Aurora Public Schools as a band director while earning her master's degree in Educational Leadership from the University of Northern Colorado.

During her free time, Katie likes to perform in a local jazz band, travel to different countries, and take her dog hiking. She is a big advocate for students finding a sense of belonging in their school community and eager to begin working with the staff, students, and families of Tollgate Elementary. Katie is excited to be a part of the Tollgate Crew!

Email: [email protected]