PRINCIPAL

As a McMillan Monarch, Dr. Walters is excited to welcome you to our school. Prior to serving in this role, Dr. Walters was an Assistant Principal at Omaha North High School, Omaha Burke High School, and AHSTW Community Schools. This experience provides a passion for ensuring all students are ready for high school, graduation, and experiences beyond once they leave McMillan. He taught middle school and high school band for 14 years prior to becoming an administrator. He enjoys life as a Principal and looks forward to working with McMillan students each and every day. Dr. Walters is a proud Red Cloud Warrior, class of 1997. He attended college at the University of Nebraska at Kearney where he received his Bachelor of Arts in Education. He earned graduate degrees in Music Education from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, an Administrative Endorsement from Wayne State College, and his Doctorate in Education Leadership from the University of Nebraska at Omaha. Dr. Walters and his wife place great importance upon family and both enjoy spending time with their 5 children and 6 grandchildren. Dr. Walters embraces the #builtforthis mentality and works to make McMillan the place for all families and students to succeed. No matter where he serves, Dr. Walters' mission is to inspire, improve, and encourage growth in all interactions.

A powerful quote for him is: "Our greatest achievement is to be sure there is a teacher in every classroom who cares that every student learns and grows and feels like a real human being." - Donald O. Clifton, The Gallup Organization.

Phone number: 531-299-3923

Twitter: @OPS_MacPrncpl

ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL / DATA PROCESSOR

Dr. Jordan has been a servant of education for 23 years. She revels in the delight of having the opportunity to serve the students and families at Monroe (where her career began), at Lewis & Clark (as a Dean of Students), and the Teacher Administrative Center (in Student Placement). Dr. Jordan is entering her 24th year in education in OPS.  She attended the University of Nebraska-Omaha for her Bachelors in Secondary Education, as well as her master’s degree in Reading (Specialist). Dr. Jordan continued her education at Concordia University-Seward obtaining an Educational Administration Certificate (PK-12) and pursued her terminal degree at Concordia University-Portland in Educational Administration. Dr. Jordan is a product of North Omaha (and of McMillan Jr. High). She will continue to serve the North Omaha community through education.  Dr. Jordan believes that ‘Education is life”. She became a Doctor of Education to save lives by promoting the power of obtaining a solid and strong educational foundation. Dr. Jordan knows that her purpose in this world is to speak life (through education). She is thrilled to return to McMillan Middle School and be a Monarch! Dr. Jordan’s mission is to do nothing less than speak life!

ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL / ATHLETIC DIRECTOR (Grade 8)

Mr. Alex Curran is in his second year at McMillan, serving as Assistant Principal/ Athletic Director. Mr. Curran has been in the district since 2009, predominantly serving the North Omaha community. Recently Mr. Curran was a Dean of Students for 3 years in the Alternative Programs supporting Secondary Success Program, Blackburn, and Parrish. Prior to serving as a Dean, Mr. C was a School Support Liaison serving many elementary schools in the district. Mr. Curran started in OPS, teaching at Lothrop Magnet and Coaching for 10 years at King Science and Technology Magnet.  

Mr. Curran is very excited to be serving McMillan and providing ALL students with opportunities to help mold them into successful members of the community. For any assistance with activities or things going on at McMillan, please feel free to email or call at any time.
Go Monarchs!  

DEAN OF STUDENTS (Grade 7)

Dr. Matthew Coffey is in his fourth year at McMillan and his third year as the seventh grade Dean of Students. Dr. Coffey has been in education for sixteen years and has acted in an administrative capacity for eight years. Dr. Coffey grew up in New York and received Graduate degrees in Education from Tennessee State University and Austin Peay State University. He finished his Doctoral studies at Union University in Tennessee. Dr. Coffey loves working at McMillan and building strong positive relationships with the students. Dr. Coffey is a proud father of six children. In his free time, he likes to play tennis, and listen to Opera and the Beach Boys. Dr. Coffey loves the students and staff at McMillan and looks forward to working with all of the students to help them be successful.

DEAN OF STUDENTS (Grade 6)

My name is Jordan Pfeiffer, and I am a proud product of the Omaha Public Schools system, having graduated from Burke High School. I began my secondary education journey at the University of Nebraska Kearney, where I played college soccer, and later earned my undergraduate degree from the University of Nebraska Omaha. I continued my academic pursuits, obtaining a master's degree in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Nebraska Kearney, where I am also set to complete my second master's degree in administration this fall. After college, I joined Boys Town, where I held various roles in the Day School program, Intervention and Assessment, before transitioning to the on-campus Physical Education and Health teacher. Additionally, I coached multiple sports, including girls' cross country, basketball, and soccer. Most recently, I taught Physical Education and coached at Omaha North High School. I believe in fostering positive relationships while holding students accountable, and I am thrilled to join McMillan, remaining within the North Omaha community, and am dedicated to supporting students mentally, emotionally, physically, and academically. 

INSTRUCTIONAL FACILITATOR

Chelsie Weinandt has been a McMillan Monarch since 2016 and an Omaha Public Schools educator since 2012. She has a Bachelors of Science in Elementary Education from Grace University as well as a Masters for Teachers in Mathematics from University of Nebraska at Lincoln. She also received her endorsement in English as a Second Language from Grace University. Ms. Weinandt spent her first 10 years in education working as a classroom teacher for 6th, 7th, and 8th graders. She has taught all subjects and content areas with a focus on English Language Arts for the last 6 years. Ms. Weinandt became the Magnet Coordinator and Instructional Facilitator in 2023. Her love, dedication, and passion for students while seeing them learn has motivated her for many years serving the McMillan community.  

A favorite quote of Ms. Weinandt’s is “It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.” from Confucius. 

COUNSELOR (Grade 6)

Stacey Rawlings believes in making a difference. She has a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education and a Masters in K-12 school counseling from the University of Nebraska at Omaha.  Miss Rawlings has also received an endorsement in Administration from Wayne State.  Born and raised in Omaha, Nebraska Miss Rawlings is a graduate of the Omaha Public Schools and proud to be serving the community for her 25th year. Miss Rawlings started her career as a teacher for 3 years.  She has had the privilege of working with elementary and middle level students as a school counselor and is very excited for her 7th year at McMillan Magnet! Miss Rawlings believes that all people are born with strengths and gifts and is honored to help students discover the amazing things about themselves and their families throughout their educational journey, whether mountains or valleys.  She strives to encourage others to tap into their strengths and their dreams!  Not wanting to leave herself out, she wrote a children’s book illustrated by her son published in 2018 to prove it is never too late to make dreams come true.  

Miss Rawlings favorite quote is by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. from his speech A Proper Sense of Priorities. “The time is always right to do what is right.” 

COUNSELOR (Grade 7)

Mrs. Rodriguez is beginning her 22nd year with OPS, her 16th year as a counselor and her 8th year at McMillan.  Prior to becoming a counselor, Mrs. Rodriguez was a special education teacher.  She received her Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education and Special Education from College of St. Mary and a Masters in School Counseling K-12 from the University of Nebraska at Omaha.
 
Mrs. Rodriguez has spent the majority of her career in North Omaha and loves the McMillan community.  Mrs. Rodriguez also loves being a counselor and getting the opportunity to help her students discover who they are, activate students' dreams, care for students in need, and open doors for each student to achieve future success. Outside of school, Mrs. Rodriguez likes to spend time with her husband of and her 2 children. A favorite quote she lives by is "My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style." Maya Angleou

COUNSELOR (Grade 8)

Mrs. Demetria Ballard has served as the 8th grade counselor at McMillan since 2021. McMillan is like home to her since she attended the MAC as an 8th grade student! Mrs. Ballard is also a proud Omaha North alumna graduating from the class of ’95.

Mrs. Ballard received her bachelor’s degree in elementary education from UNO in 2000. Several months later, she was hired by the Omaha Public Schools. Over the course of her teaching career, she has taught in grades 3, 5, and 6. In 2012, Mrs. Ballard received a Master’s Degree in Educational Administration from Concordia University.

In 2018, Mrs. Ballard decided to pursue a degree in school counseling after founding a youth girls program called The Chrysalides Project. The program provided after-school programming that teaches life skills such as effective communication, fitness and nutrition, and confidence/self-esteem. After several years of mentoring youth girls ages 8-19, and supporting families as they helped their teens transition into adulthood, she discovered that school counseling is the field that she wanted to serve in. What intrigues Mrs. Ballard about the school counselor position is the idea of helping students and their families in the school setting work through conflict in an effort to help them be successful at home, school, and in the community.

Mrs. Ballard and her husband have been married for 24 years and have four children, and believes that “family is everything”.

SOCIAL WORKER