Hannah F.

Growing up in Ontario, Hannah earned her Bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts and Consumer Behaviour from the University of Western Ontario, where she honed her skills in understanding people and their passions.

After university, Hannah brought her creative genius to a museum in Muskoka, planning events for local school groups and young community members. Since then, Hannah has worked in numerous educational settings, with students ranging from kindergarten to high school. She is certified in teaching English as a foreign language (TEFL) and has taught social skills to students with all-abilities.

Hannah’s love for travel brought her all over Europe, South America, and Oceania, where she completed her teacher education in the heart of New Zealand and spent her free time exploring the islands in her camper van. Now, she’s living her best life in Whistler, embracing the great outdoors by skiing in the winters and hiking or climbing in the summers.

Nicole D.

Nicole graduated from New Mexico Highlands University with two Bachelor’s degrees, one in History and one in Elementary Education, with a minor in Bilingual Education. Nicole taught for eleven years, over the course of which she excelled at math and reading instruction. In addition to math and reading intervention, Nicole was a bilingual educator (Spanish) and a dyslexia interventionist. However, her real passion lies in Robotics and Computer Science.

Nicole has written Robotics/Computer Science curriculum for two districts. She has also taken several teams to competition with VEX and FIRST(tm) who have successfully won awards over the years.

In her spare time, Nicole enjoys visiting her daughter, who attends LSU, and spending time with her two dogs.

Courtney P.

Courtney P. holds a Bachelor’s degree in Nutritional Science from the University of Texas at Austin and is currently pursuing a Doctorate of Pharmacy at the same institution, having successfully completed three out of four years of the program. During a recent break from her doctoral studies, she taught mathematics and science to 4th and 5th grade students at Prairie Lea ISD, where she also provided after-school tutoring for students in grades K–12 across a variety of STAAR-tested subjects.

Courtney has extensive experience delivering small-group and one-on-one interventions for students needing remedial support, as well as for bilingual emergent learners and those with special education needs. While her formal classroom experience is still growing, she brings a wealth of tutoring experience that began during her freshman year of high school. Over the years, she has supported students in mastering challenging Advanced Placement courses, including Calculus, Biology, Chemistry, Statistics, U.S. History, and World History.

Outside of education, Courtney leads an active and dynamic lifestyle. She manages the 35-acre farm where she lives, enjoys kickboxing, and spends time with her two dogs. A talented cook and avid baker, she also enjoys sketching and has developed a strong knowledge of war and military collectibles, antique firearms, sports card trading, and coin collecting—interests she shares with her fiancée through their family business.

Caroline F.

Caroline, an educator with a degree from Brigham Young University, brings a unique blend of enthusiasm and expertise to her tutoring sessions. To Caroline, learning is an exciting challenge, and she strives to cultivate that attitude in her students by making each session engaging and enjoyable for her students. She believes that her students have just as much to teach her as she does to teach them, fostering an environment of mutual respect and curiosity. She is deeply committed to helping children not only excel academically but also develop essential life skills that will serve them far beyond the classroom. Caroline’s goal is to inspire her students to see learning as an adventure, empowering them to approach each new challenge with confidence and a sense of fun. In her spare time, Caroline enjoys channeling her inner grandma by completing puzzles and reading dusty history books.

Francesca S.

Francesca S. graduated with an Honours Bachelor of Arts degree from York University and received her Bachelor of Education degree from York University as well. Francesca’s areas of specialty include the Intermediate/Senior divisions, but she has ample experience teaching in the Primary and Junior divisions as well.

Fully trilingual, Francesca has extensive experience working with students at most grade levels of core French, specifically, Primary to Intermediate.

Francesca inspires and motivates her students with her patience and support. She believes there is a solution to every obstacle. As a dedicated teacher, Francesca finds fulfillment in witnessing her students’ progress and success.
She utilizes numerous engaging and varied teaching strategies and resources that are reflective of the different interests and learning styles of the students. Moreover, Francesca maintains open communication with parents, providing regular feedback and next steps on their child’s progress.

Ann S.

Ann Stec grew up teaching.  As the oldest of four children, and the only girl, she would often create a “classroom” for her younger brother, taking them through practice with letters and numbers.  Her mom would buy used workbooks at thrift stores for her to use with her “pupils” each week. Ann loved it–her brothers were decidedly on the fence! 

When it was time to officially choose a career, Ann went to Illinois State and graduated with a B.S. in Education with concentrations in Language Arts and Reading.  Her plan was to teach junior high school students to love reading and learning.  But a few years into teaching, Ann was recruited to teach teachers at the elementary level how to teach reading in their classrooms.  It was a leap–big kids to little–but it turned out to be a game changer!

While working at the elementary level, Ann found that some students continued to struggle to acquire literacy skills, despite receiving intervention.  She realized she needed to learn more about how to help these students and decided to pursue her Wilson Level 1 certification.  She credits that decision as the single best decision of her professional career and she has spent the last nineteen years of her career helping kids who learn differently master how to read.

Ann believes that the best instruction–at any level–empowers students to be reflective learners and goal setters.  She believes that teacher, parent and student comprise the learning team and is an advocate of working with parents and students together in order to help all kids reach their academic potential.

Ann is in her 29th year of teaching and  currently works as a Reading Specialist/Literacy Coach in Naperville 203.  She holds a Master of Arts in Teaching, is ELL certified and is a certified Wilson Level 1 Instructor. In her free time, she volunteers with animal welfare agencies (she has nine pets!), READS, thrifts, travels, and hangs out with her favorite people as much as possible.

Lauren D.

Lauren D. is a certified elementary educator with a passion for teaching and helping students thrive! Lauren earned her Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education and Psychology from North Central College in 2020, with minors in Leadership and Conflict Resolution. After beginning her teaching career at Lincoln Elementary in Wheaton, IL as a 1st-grade teacher, Lauren discovered a deep interest in math instruction and curriculum development.In 2024, she furthered her expertise by earning a Master’s Degree in Curriculum & Instruction from Aurora University, with endorsements in English as a Second Language (ELL) and Learning Behavior Specialist (LBS1).

Now in her fifth year at Lincoln Elementary, Lauren continues to teach 1st grade, where she finds great fulfillment in fostering growth and confidence in her students! Lauren’s experience extends beyond the classroom. Lauren has extensive expertise in teaching religious education for grades 4-6, serving as a before-school counselor with the YMCA, and working as a daycare teacher at Lighthouse Academy. Lauren has also tutored students in both reading and math. Outside of work, Lauren enjoys tennis, traveling with friends, and spending summer days at Wrigley Field cheering for the Chicago Cubs!

Colleen S.

Colleen Simmons realized as a child she wanted to become a teacher. She loved learning how to read and do basic math from her mother, Donna, who she says was still her best teacher ever! Growing up in Illinois, she started helping her peers and younger children with reading and math homework when she was in 6th grade. Like the acting bug that some folks get, teaching became her passion. Graduating in 1981 from Millikin University with a B.S. in Biology, she pursued further training and completed a teacher certification program at the U of I Springfield soon after. She began teaching and continued to add certifications and degrees to her resume. She obtained a middle school concept endorsement on her standard certificate, a second B.S. in Special Education from EIU, and two M.S. degrees in Educational Administration from EIU and Teacher Leadership from U of I Springfield, respectively. Throughout her career, she has not only worked in the classroom, but she also has privately tutored students after school. Her reputation as a caring and supportive teacher is something she cherishes. In 2019, Colleen and her husband retired to Texas. Retirement didn’t last long, since she found herself missing the enjoyment she got from working with students. In 2021, she began working once again as support staff, tutor, and ultimately, teacher in a science classroom. This year, she is working on a new challenge. She, along with a couple of friends, began developing a home-school pod service to help families who want another option for educating their children. Along with tutoring, Colleen enjoys traveling, meeting new people, and learning something new, like painting a watercolor, playing a new strategy game, or reading a mystery novel.

MICAELA M.

Micaela holds a bachelor’s degree in French with a minor in education, equipping her with a strong foundation in language instruction and pedagogy. She has also earned the DALF C1 (Diplôme Approfondi de Langue Française), an internationally recognized certification that demonstrates her advanced proficiency in French.

With a deep understanding of writing, grammar, and reading in both English and French, Micaela is passionate about helping students develop strong literacy skills and a love for language learning. She tailors her teaching approach to meet each child’s unique needs, ensuring they feel confident, supported, and motivated in their academics.

Beyond language instruction, Micaela is well-equipped to support students in Kindergarten through Grade 7 across all subjects. Whether helping with French language acquisition, English composition, or general coursework, she is committed to fostering a positive and encouraging learning environment where students can thrive.

Victoria W.