ROCKY ROAD DRIVING SCHOOL, LLC.
MEET OUR TEAM
MIKE & ANGIE MCCRADY
Owners
Mike McCrady founded Rocky Road in November of 2008 and was a full time educator at Rocky Mountain High School where he taught Concurrent
Credit Sophomore US History since the late 90's, and driver’s education in the Treasure Valley, both publicly & privately, since 2001. He also coached successful football, softball, golf and girl's lacrosse sports teams for Centennial, Mountain View and Rocky Mountain, including his daughter's teams, earning several Coach of the Year awards in various sports as well as Teacher of the Year at Rocky Mountain High School before he was even 40 years old. His driver's ed philosophy was that student drivers need to be engaged throughout the entire driving and observation process. He designed our program such that all students would encounter as many driving situations as possible during their education, and take part in meaningful dialogue about those situations. His family meant the world to him and by teaching students driver education through his own school, he could personally guarantee that we would all be teaching your son or daughter in a manner that would continue to keep both his family and yours safe on the road.
Tragically for us, Mike was called home to heaven on September 8, 2021, leaving behind his wife, Angie and their two daughters, Raegan & Kyra. Our Pops, as Mike called him (better known as "Senior Mac" to all Mike's students athletes), tells everyone that although heartbroken by the loss of his son and best friend, he is grateful to be so inspired by the fact that Mike experienced and accomplished more in his short 45 years of life on earth than most people do in a lifetime. Those who knew Mike can testify to that, as he truly lived out his faith in a way that emulated his favorite Bible verse, Acts 20:24, which we found in his Centennial High School Yearbook from 1994 as his Senior Motto. Mike was always a difference maker in every place we ever lived from his youth through adulthood. It wasn't just his teaching and coaching careers, but most of all through his daily example of devotion to God, family and loving others which inspired us all to do the same. Everyone who had the privilege of knowing Mike McCrady will never forget the impact he made on their lives. Mike was a rare soul, a real life Captain America, and he will never be forgotten. We will forever love, cherish and honor "McCr80" as his legacy lives on through all of us.
" Mike is still steering us straight, just from a different location...
no matter the direction we take, we know it's the right one."
~ Erica Miller, Friend & Parent of former Rocky Road students 1-13-22
CURRENT INSTRUCTORS
ALLISON TILDEN
Manager & Instructor Adults/Special Needs
I am Mike's one and only sister. We have been best friends since we were kids and I'm so glad I let him talk me into joining the Rocky Road family in September of 2010. I have also been a full time educator as a secondary level substitute for the West Ada School District since 2007. In the biography he once wrote for me, Mike described me as a devoted wife & mother of two beautiful children of my own as well as a foster son who joined our family in 2016. He said I have a nurturing spirit and fun-loving personality that makes the beginner driver’s experience a smooth transition for all skill levels of students. Mike trained me to take on the managerial duties in September of 2020. Little did I know that one year later I would be handling all aspects of running the business for Mike's wife Angie and their girls due to his passing. I am committed more than ever to keeping our instructors and students rolling through to the finish line and continuing to drive students as needed. It has been a great honor and privilege to be a part of this family business for all these years and I am so grateful for the time Mike spent teaching me everything I need to know about life through drivers ed.
JEFF KNIGHT
Instructor - Owyhee
Jeff Knight is a full time educator at Owyhee High School where he teaches Common Core Math courses and serves as the Math department head as well. He has been teaching almost as long as Mike and has been involved with Rocky Road Driving School since 2009, after spending one year in public driver's ed. The students will enjoy his laid back personality and funny anecdotes, but need to remember that none of his stories about Mike are true. It is a special thing to get the chance to work with your best friend on a daily basis and they were what Mike said he would call, "lifelong friends" since they met in high school in the 90's.
KRISTIN GALLOWAY
Instructor - Mountain View
Kristin has been best friends with Mike since their early teaching days at Centennial High School. They enjoyed each other's company so well that they transferred to Mountain View when it opened in 2003 and together they created one of the most popular classes at MVHS still, American Character. It is an innovative class that combines 11th grade English & U.S. History together through experiential learning. Their style of Team-Teaching is still unmatched, making perfect sense of why Mike recruited her to be the Rocky Road classroom instructor in 2009. She has been teaching for over 20 years and was honored as Teacher of the Year in 2004. She is still at MVHS and now teaches Senior English. She is an amazing story teller and our students tell us they feel privileged to experience her engaging and exciting teaching style during their behind the wheel training. Although her own two boys are fully grown, making her an empty nester, we know her teaching profession and her big momma's heart has equipped her with all the perfect qualities that make her an outstanding driver's ed instructor.
LEXIE SEAMONS
Instructor - Rocky Mountain
Lexie is a former Rocky Road student of Allison and TA for Mike at Rocky Mountain. She quickly became like a daughter to both of them and recruited heavily early on for her natural gift of teaching, servant's heart and tender spirit. After years of badgering her to officially join the family, she came to Rocky Road in 2019, shortly after she finished her college degree from Boise State. Lexie has a passion for country music, going to concerts and playing with her sweet mini doodle, Lady. Don't let her youthful looks deceive you, she is more mature than most adults and we have been told by many that she has the patience of Job with the perfect countenance and demeanor for students of all ages and skill levels, especially those with high anxiety and other special needs. She was made for this job, so we are extremely grateful she decided to give in to Mike's prodding when she did. We know you'll love her as much as we do.
DANIEL RHODES
Instructor - Meridian & Centennial
Daniel Rhodes is a full-time Social Studies Teacher at Meridian High School where he teaches US History and Economics. He has been teaching and instructing drivers ed since completing his student teaching under Mike McCrady in 2019. Before becoming a teacher, he worked as a chef for multiple years, running kitchens and working in high stress situations. His laid-back approach, both in his classroom and in the car, allows students to feel confident and comfortable as they learn new skills. He enjoys traveling to new places as well as adventuring in the beautiful outdoors of Boise and surrounding areas with is wife, Olivia.
We are grateful to have him on our staff driving students out of his home school of Meridian High as well as the school closest to his actual home,
(and Mike's alma mater) Centennial High.
LESLEY COSTNER
Instructor - Owyhee & West Treasure Valley
Lesley Costner hails from Payette, Idaho and has been a much appreciated addition to our Rocky Road team since September of 2020. She has a very friendly personality and a fun, lighthearted teaching style in the car that makes even the most nervous students feel at ease. Lesley has a background in the restaurant service industry as well as special education and 911 dispatch so she's certainly got what it takes to handle the stresses that often arise with teenagers behind the wheel for the first time. When not driving students, she enjoys spending time with her husband and 3 beautiful daughters and Grandmother to her first grandson in 2022. She also loves being a part of the tight-knit community of Payette where she has proudly become the coordinator for our Western Treasure Valley extension of Rocky Road in 2021. We are so delighted to have her as part of our team.
NICHOLE FLORES
Instructor - Meridian & Scheduling Coordinator
Nichole Flores is a former elementary school teacher in the Boise School District for over 20 years. She was inspired to join our Rocky Road team in 2021 shortly after her son finished his drivers education with Jeff Knight. She has loved the outlet it provides to do what she enjoys most, which is helping others reach their potential. We immediately noticed how great she was with students and parents alike, so we wasted no time putting her exemplary customer service skills to work as our Scheduling Coordinator. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her husband, son, two daughters & their husbands. They all love being active together as much as possible doing everything from outdoor sporting activities to plenty of game nights. Her many years of experience raising and teaching children have molded her calm, nurturing demeanor in the car that make even the most nervous student feel confident. She looks forward to meeting all her future student drivers and has quickly become a valuable asset to Rocky Road.
ANTHONY AVILA
Instructor - Rocky Mountain
Anthony was a dispatcher for Life Flight before joining the Rocky Road family in 2021. He sought us out in the hopes that learning to teach drivers ed would save him thousands of dollars in class fees for his own five children getting ready to begin the adolescent years. His intentions were to use it as a part-time gig for the discount but he will tell you it has quickly turned into so much more, as he joined us full-time in 2022. Anthony has an amazing way with teenagers, keeping them calm, cool and collected while they learn this new and exciting skill of driving. He is a big lover of people in general and it shines through in his genuine, caring and fun-loving spirit. When he is not driving students, he spends lots of quality time with his wife and kids, homeschooling and doing all the family activities and outings he can. He's a man with his priorities in the right place and he really cares about our students like they are his own. Anthony is like having a family member in the business and we are so blessed to have him as part of ours.
RETIRED INSTRUCTORS
EMILEE CROFTS
Instructor - Mountain View
Emilee is a wonderful mother of 5 beautiful children, a High School substitute teacher at Mountain View High School and a drivers ed instructor since being talked into it by staff member and best friend, Allison Tilden, back in 2012. She has been a valuable part-time member of our staff until August 2021, always ready to help ease our demand load whenever needed while still managing her large household. Our students loved her fun-loving and enthusiastic personality with a calm and nurturing teaching style. We will always be thankful to have had her as part of the Rocky Road family.
JASON MIRAYA
Instructor - Mountain View
It was an honor to have Jason as a part of the Rocky Road Team. Jason and Mike have been friends and colleagues since the early turn of the century, working at Mountain View and raising their kids together. He has been a valued member of the MVHS Social Studies Department for over 20 years and one of the most dedicated teachers Mike knew. In 2021 he became a Vice Principal at Mountain View and we have no doubt he will be an even more valuable asset to all the students and staff there in that position. Although his promotion means we won't see him instructing drivers ed students any more, we know Jason has worked hard to support his family and enjoyed the process of teaching drivers education to kids, helping them learn the best methods to becoming safe and sound drivers.
GREG WOOD
Instructor - Centennial & Meridian
The honor of having Greg on this team was Mike's, as he is an incredible person that Mike called a friend for over 25 years. He is a quality example of humanity, kindness, generosity and an abundance of patience, which was a great benefit to our students to be able to interact with. He began his drivers ed career in 1993 and his substitute teaching career in the Treasure Valley in 2005. He joined the Rocky Road team because of his desire to help foster the culture of safe driving along with a relaxed and fun experience behind the wheel. The students all refer to him as "the rhyming guy" if that tells you anything bout his relatable teaching style. He has retired from Instructing for Rocky Road to pursue being a State Skills Tester in 2022. We are grateful he spent so many years with us and wish him well in his new role in driver education.
ERIC FUNDEBURG
Instructor - Mountain View
Eric has been a part of the Rocky Road family since 2013 and it was always a pleasure to have his outstanding personality in the car. He has been a stellar Math teacher at Mountain View since they opened in 2003 and has been a close personal friend of Mike's that whole time, even after he left for Rocky. Eric brings great enthusiasm and patience to his in-car instruction, along with a stellar wardrobe of unique custom shirts that his students rave about...at least so he thinks. He uniqueness speaks to the quality & key component of what makes Rocky Road special. We're thankful he chose to spend so many years with Rocky Road and hope he is now enjoying his retirement from Drivers Ed in 2022 to spend more time with his wife, three daughters and the Mountain View High School Bowling team. Our students always enjoyed having Eric as their instructor and so did we.