STAFF
Teachers
Francine Ide
Administrator
Mrs. Ide serves as Administrator of Mayflower since 2022. Prior to this role, Francine taught within the Agriculture Department at SWCC for ten years before transitioning to work full-time alongside her family on their farm. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Northwest Missouri State University and master’s degree from Iowa State University. She and her husband, Chad, are blessed with two children. Outside of school, she enjoys weightlifting, hiking, and spending time with her family.
Francine considers it a privilege to serve the Mayflower community and is passionate about providing a Christ-centered education that equips students to grow academically while deepening their faith and relationship with Jesus Christ.
Amy Henry
Administrative Assistant
Amy has been working at Mayflower since 2015. She assists Francine with the administrative work of the school. Amy is married to Toby Henry and has three children. Amy enjoys spending time with her family and doing things outdoors.
Kaylee Chesnut
Kindergarten Teacher
Mrs. Chesnut serves as our Kindergarten Teacher at Mayflower Heritage Christian School and is excited to be a part of our school family. Kaylee is married to Mayflower alumnus, Trey Chesnut. Outside of the classroom, she enjoys working out, a good cup of coffee, and spending time with friends and family. Mrs. Chesnut is passionate about sharing God's love with young hearts and making a lasting, positive impact on the lives of her students!
Amber Wires
Kindergarten Assistant Teacher
Mrs. Wires serves part-time as our Assistant Teacher in the Kindergarten classroom. We are excited to have her back, as she taught Kindergarten at Mayflower from 2023-2026 and first and second grades in 2009. Mrs. Wires desires to teach children from the Word of God and loves discovering new things about the world that God has made for us to enjoy.
Tammy Dillinger
First & Second Grade Teacher
Miss Dillinger has been teaching at Mayflower since the very start of the school. She has loved her last 20+ years at Mayflower seeing the eagerness and excitement the students have to learn. She taught in Maryland and Idaho before coming to Creston to teach at Mayflower. Her favorite Bible verse is 1 Thessalonians 5:24. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family and spoiling her nieces and nephews.
Debbie Buchanan
Literacy & Math Specialist
Mrs. Buchanan serves as our Literacy and Math Specialist for first and second grades. Mrs. Buchanan has 30 years of experience in elementary education, 25 years of it in Christian schools. She and her husband retired in 2021 from full-time pastoral ministry and teaching. Mrs. Buchanan loves investing in the lives of young people by teaching them from a Christian worldview that incorporates biblical principles for life and learning.
Madi Gravlin
Third & Fourth Grade Teacher
Mrs. Gravlin enthusiastically serves as the third and fourth grade teacher at Mayflower. Madison started teaching at Mayflower in 2025. and is a local farm gal, married to a childhood friend and Mayflower alumnus, John Gravlin. Together they enjoy watching their children grow, country swing dancing, embracing the outdoors, hosting their loved ones, and refurbishing furniture. Mrs. Gravlin chose to teach at Mayflower to incorporate the word and love of God into each day while encouraging relationship with Jesus!
Erin Long
Fifth & Sixth Grade Teacher
Seventh & Eighth Grade Math Teacher
Mrs. Long served as the seventh and eighth teacher from 2014-2017 and returned as a teacher in 2022. She loves teaching at Mayflower because she can teach the truth of God’s Word. Mrs. Long is married to Randall Long and has two daughters, Noriana and Keira, that attend Mayflower. She enjoys cooking, foreign languages, reading, and visiting with friends.
Laurie Tebbenkamp
Seventh & Eighth Grade Teacher
Mrs. Tebbenkamp has taught seventh and eighth grade at Mayflower since 2017. Before coming to Mayflower, she taught as a classroom teacher for 4 years and as a substitute teacher for 16 years. She loves making science come alive and using it to show the greatness of our Creator. Her desire is to help students learn not only the value of academics but also the value of a personal walk with Christ.