High School Administration And Support Staff

Administration

Theresa Stager is in her ninth year as an administrator at Saline High School, and her third as Principal. Theresa believes that communication is the key to any leadership position, including communication between administration and staff, staff and students, school and parents, and within the community. She spent three years as Principal of St. Mary Catholic School in Rockwood, MI, eight years teaching high school choir and K-5 general music and band in Anchor Bay Schools in New Baltimore, MI.

Theresa has a Bachelor's degree in Music Education from Wayne State University, a Master's in Educational Leadership - Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Michigan, and is currently pursuing her doctorate in Leadership and Innovation from Arizona State University.
 
Theresa lives in Saline with her husband Brian and two children who attend school in Saline. A cornerstone of her educational philosophy is always putting students first, and she is excited to continue making a positive impact on the Saline community!

Musetta Deneen is in her fourth year as an Assistant Principal at Saline High School.  She values listening, collaborating and working to provide an education that centers around the needs of all students.  Her previous administrative experiences have been as an Assistant Principal at Heritage School in Saline, MI and FlexTech High School in Brighton, MI.  Prior to working as an administrator, Musetta was a Spanish teacher for six years in Ann Arbor Public Schools and Van Buren Public Schools.  She is excited to continue working within the Saline community.

James has been with Saline High School since August 2022 and is excited for the year to come! This will be his fourth year in educational administration and his third year in a high school as an administrator. James has taught high school Biology and 8th grade Earth Science in Summerville, South Carolina. James' teaching degree was earned at Eastern Michigan University in Earth and Space Science Education where he minored in Biology. Shortly after teaching, he saw the possibilities in improving student achievement at the administrator level which directed him towards an administration degree. James earned his administrators' degree through Arkansas State University. 

Kara Stemmer serves as the Director of the South & West Washtenaw Consortium (SWWC). The SWWC facilitates Career and Technical Education (CTE) programming for the consortium school districts of Chelsea, Dexter, Lincoln, Manchester, Milan, and Saline. Stemmer earned a B.S. in Business Education with a concentration in Marketing from Central Michigan University in 1998, and in 2001 she earned her M.Ed. in Educational Leadership from Wayne State University. Before this role, Kara spent sixteen years in the classroom as a Marketing Education teacher in the Farmington, Ypsilanti, and Saline school districts.
 

Ashley Mantha is in her third year as Director of Athletics, overseeing the sports programs at Saline High School and Saline Middle School. She is dedicated to fostering a positive and inclusive environment that provides opportunities for student-athletes to grow both on and off the field.

Prior to this role, Ashley spent twelve years coaching and teaching Health & Physical Education within Ann Arbor Public Schools. She started Skyline’s Varsity boys’ and girls’ golf programs in 2010, coaching for twenty-three seasons and leading the teams to numerous academic awards and championships, including a 2021 State Championship.

Ashley holds a Bachelor’s degree in Sports Management from James Madison University (Virginia), where she played Division 1 golf, a Bachelor’s degree in Education with a focus on Physical Education, Health, Business, and Technology from Nipissing University (Ontario), and a Master’s degree in Educational Leadership from Memorial University (Newfoundland). As a member of the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association (NIAAA) and a Certified Athletic Administrator (CAA), she looks forward to continuing to enhance the athletic programs and support the growth and success of all student-athletes.

Jeff has been teaching in the Social Studies Department at SHS since 1997, teaching AP US Government, AP Comparative Government, Russian History, and Senior Capstone.  After years in the classroom, he's looking forward to new challenges working in athletics and building different relationships with students, parents and the SAS community.  Jeff is married to Melissa Pike, a pediatrician at IHA West Arbor, and they have four kids, three of whom are students at Ann Arbor Pioneer while the oldest is a student at Colorado State University.

SUPPORT STAFF

Jen Barnard serves as the Dean of Students at Saline High School, bringing over 20 years of experience within Saline Area Schools. She has held various roles, including positions in Community Education and Human Resources. A proud alumni of Saline High School, Jen graduated in 2001 and went on to earn her bachelor's degree from Eastern Michigan University.

The 2024-2025 school year marks her fourth year as Dean of Students.  She believes in the power of strong communication and collaboration, working closely with students, parents, and staff to foster a community where everyone feels welcome. 

Outside of her professional life, Jen is a proud military spouse and a devoted mother to two children in the Saline school system. Jen cherishes family time and is often enjoying Northern Michigan while boating, snowmobiling and/or four-wheeling. 

 GO HORNETS!

David is entering his first full school year as Dean of Students at Saline High School. He is also going into his second year as an Assistant Coach of the Varsity Baseball Team. Entering his 18th year in education, he has previous experience coming from Ann Arbor Public Schools and Ypsilanti Public Schools in a similar role. David is very excited to get the opportunity to bring his experience to Saline Area Schools and support the students/staff!

Go Hornets!

Kyle is entering his first full school year serving as Dean of Students at Saline High School, as well as being in his 4th season as Head Coach of the Boy's Varsity Hockey Team. Prior to working in Saline, Kyle worked in a similar role at a Charter School in Metro Detroit. His wife (Kelsey) is a 2010 Grad of Saline High School, and they are happy to be back living in the Saline Area. Kyle is excited for the opportunity to work with and support students throughout Saline Area Schools.

Patti is a 2009 graduate of Saline High School. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Exercise Science with a minor in Business from Adrian College. She then went on to receive her Masters from Eastern Michigan University in Sports Management. Patti is now in her ninth year working at Saline High School, and she spent two prior years working at Saline Middle School. This is Patti's fourth year as the High School Registrar. She spent the previous years as the Dean Of Students. She is a wonderful go-to person for our students and staff to utilize. She loves getting to talk with all the students and loves to see how they grow throughout their high school careers.