Caryn McDonnell is committed to serve faithfully at RCS because she desires to see God’s vision for the school and its potential impact in the community fully realized. Believing that the goal of excellence in education is not arbitrary, her passion is to consistently enhance the academic programs, progressively add athletic and extracurricular activities, and incorporate more focused and intentional efforts to maximize the spiritual component until it is interwoven into the fabric of the entire program. Ms. Caryn has a vision to see RCS minister not only to the children who attend but also to their families.

Ms. Caryn is an innovative, personable, highly motivated, and capable leader. A road of personal educational preparation has meshed with a strong commitment to students—spiritually and intellectually—to lead Caryn McDonnell straight to Ridgway Christian School. No doubt, God has divinely ordained that she would be in position to assume the administrative leadership of RCS when founding principal, Duane Edwards, retired. 

Ms. Caryn received her B.S. in Education with dual majors in Special Education, K-12 (relating to cognitive disability and emotional/behavioral disability) and Elementary Education (K-6). She also received her M.Ed. Degree from Evangel University in Springfield, Missouri, in 2006.

Her teaching experience includes one year at Central High School in Springfield, Missouri (2000-2001), teaching special education and coaching junior varsity volleyball. The next five years Ms. Caryn taught high school special education transition/career classes and coached junior Olympic volleyball in Willard, Missouri. Because of her effective implementation of a program that gave students with special needs authentic work experience and community connections to prepare them to be independent when they left high school, Ms. Caryn was recognized as Teacher of the Year in 2004. In the spring of 2006, Ms. Caryn substituted at RCS, and God began to speak to her concerning a future commitment to RCS. After serving as history/science teacher for grades 6-9 in the 2006-07 school year, Ms. Caryn was hired as the new administrator in June 2007.

Ms. Caryn is married to Rev. Floyd McDonnell, who is jointly the senior associate and music associate at First Assembly of God Church. She also participates in the choir and praise team at the church. Pastor Floyd and Ms. Caryn have two sons, Andrew (age 8) and Matthew (age 5). Ms. Caryn cherishes her family time and also loves athletics, music, and learning.