Maggie B.

Maggie is an accomplished educator and school leader with more than 19 years of experience helping students and teachers achieve academic success. Her career has included roles as a high school English and Drama teacher, instructional coach, English Department Coordinator, Academic Dean, Assistant Principal, and Principal. This extensive experience gives Maggie a unique understanding of not only how students learn, but also how to identify academic challenges, develop effective strategies, and help students become more confident and independent learners.

Maggie earned her Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of North Florida and her Master of Education in Educational Leadership from the University of Texas at San Antonio. She holds Texas credentials in English Language Arts and Reading for grades 8–12 as well as school leadership and instructional evaluation.

Maggie spent many years teaching high school English, including Pre-AP, AP, and College Board curriculum, and has extensive experience preparing students for challenging coursework and standardized assessments. She has developed STAAR preparation strategies for high school English, supported AP students, led English curriculum development, and coached other teachers in research-based instructional practices. Later in her career, as an Academic Dean, she also served as a campus testing coordinator overseeing EOC, SAT, and AP assessments.

Maggie specializes in English, reading and writing, college essay development, and standardized test preparation, including the English and verbal components of the SAT and ACT, as well as PSAT and Regents preparation. Her background in English, literature, drama, and curriculum development makes her particularly effective at helping students strengthen reading comprehension, analytical thinking, essay organization, grammar, and written communication.

Her expertise also extends beyond English and writing. Maggie supports students in Biology, Earth Science, Environmental Science, and World History, making her a versatile option for students who need assistance across multiple academic areas.

One of Maggie’s greatest strengths is her ability to recognize what is preventing an individual student from succeeding and adjust instruction accordingly. Having spent years coaching both students and teachers, she knows there is rarely a single approach that works for everyone. She breaks difficult material into manageable steps, provides clear and constructive feedback, and helps students develop strategies they can eventually use independently.

Families appreciate Maggie’s combination of warmth, professionalism, high expectations, and extensive educational experience. Whether she is helping a student strengthen an essay, prepare for the SAT or ACT, tackle an advanced English course, or regain confidence after struggling academically, Maggie’s goal is to help students recognize their capabilities and develop the skills necessary for lasting success.

Having spent much of her own school years living in Europe, Maggie developed an early appreciation for travel, history, and different cultures. She later shared that passion with her students by leading educational travel experiences to destinations around the world. Outside of education, she continues to enjoy traveling, learning about other cultures, and spending time with her family.

Rhonda B.

Rhonda Baird is a certified teacher and Baton Rouge native who helps students build confidence in math and science, especially chemistry. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance and an MBA from Louisiana Tech University before spending 25 years in the corporate world. After retiring, she discovered a renewed passion for teaching when neighborhood students began asking her for help with math and science. That experience led her to become a long-term chemistry teacher, and her students encouraged her to pursue teaching full time. Inspired by them, she entered the Louisiana Resource Center for Educators alternative certification program. Mrs. Baird has now taught in Baton Rouge for eight years and tutors students during lunch, after school, in one-on-one sessions, and in small groups. Before midterms and final exams, she also leads larger “Chemistry Bootcamp” review sessions.

Mrs. Baird affectionately refers to her students as “SMARTICLE Particles,” and many students describe her as a translator or interpreter of chemistry. Her memorable sayings and creative teaching methods were inspired by the chemistry teacher she had more than 35 years ago, whose lessons she still remembers today. She enjoys helping students succeed, watching their curiosity grow, and seeing them connect classroom concepts to hands-on labs. Her motto is: When science makes sense, learning becomes engaging, fun, and logical—and critical thinkers are created. She believes that if teachers do not make science and math engaging, students may never discover the excitement that leads them toward future careers in science. Former students have even shared that they now tutor classmates in college chemistry and physics.

Families can expect Mrs. Baird to bring patience, clear explanations, and encouragement to each tutoring session. Her goal is to help students understand the material, gain confidence, and leave each session better prepared for class, labs, quizzes, and exams.
If your child needs support in chemistry, science, or math, Mrs. Baird would be honored to help them strengthen their understanding, build confidence, and approach class with a more positive mindset.

Karen P.

Karen Perez is a Certified Teacher. She grew up in Melrose Park, moving to Chicago to complete an Undergraduate Degree in Secondary English Education. Karen grew up with a deep love of reading and writing. When she decided to pursue teaching as a career, Karen completed a Bachelor of Education at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Through teaching, Karen has been able to foster her love of reading and writing. During the summer months, she teaches High School Connection, a program designated to prepare incoming 9th graders for 9th grade ELA. Karen has also taught various ACT and SAT Prep courses for 11th grade students. She has supported improving their reading, writing, vocabulary and test-taking skills. Karen believes that by building a solid relationship with her students, she can better meet their needs and grow their learning. In her spare time, Karen enjoys strength-training, jogging, and the occasional donut or two because she believes that life is all about balance.

Jayne H.

Jayne is a National Board Certified math teacher with more than 20 years of experience. Her teaching philosophy is simple: meet students where they are, help them understand the material, and encourage them to reach their full potential. Jayne genuinely loves math and enjoys helping students with homework, tackling challenging problems together, and creating lessons that give students a head start in their next math class. She knows that not every student likes math, but all students can be good at math. One of her greatest joys is solving a challenging math problem and discovering she got it right, and she hopes to help her students experience that same sense of accomplishment and confidence.
When she’s not teaching or thinking about math, Jayne enjoys taking road trips and traveling to the beach. She grew up in a small beach town on the Jersey Shore alongside her twin sister, who also became a math teacher. Inspired by the outstanding math teachers they had growing up, both sisters developed a passion for helping students learn and succeed. Jayne brings that same enthusiasm, patience, and encouragement to every student she works with.

Asana O.

Asana grew up in Louisa County, Virginia, and has built much of her career around helping students become more confident and effective learners. She earned a full scholarship to the University of Pennsylvania, where she graduated magna cum laude with a degree in Cognitive Science and a minor in Deaf Studies. While at Penn, she mentored first-year college students, provided after-school support for K–12 students in Philadelphia schools, and conducted developmental research at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia’s Center for Autism Research. After graduation, Asana moved to Johannesburg, South Africa, where she designed and taught a year-long study skills course at the African Leadership Academy. The course helped first-year students strengthen their executive functioning, organization, and time management skills. She later earned a master’s degree in Psychology from Princeton University, where she received the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship for her research in cognitive development. Asana believes every student can succeed with the right support and is passionate about helping students build lifelong learning skills. She currently lives in Richmond with her best friend from high school.

Ali A.

Ali is a Ph.D. student in Mechanical Engineering at Louisiana State University with a strong background in mathematics, physics, and engineering problem-solving. He has experience teaching and assisting students with subjects such as algebra, calculus, differential equations, linear algebra, mechanics, thermodynamics, and general physics.

Luke T.

Luke is passionate about teaching and helping learners build confidence in their abilities. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Applied Mathematics and a Master’s degree in Cybersecurity with a Mathematics emphasis, both earned from Boise State University. His strong academic background allows him to break down complex concepts in a way that feels approachable and encouraging for students of all ages.
Outside of academics, Luke is an avid sports fan and has a well‑known appreciation for great desserts. His friendly personality and patient teaching style create a supportive environment where students feel comfortable asking questions and growing at their own pace.
Luke looks forward to partnering with you or your child on a meaningful and successful educational journey.

Carly K.

Carly graduated from Washington University in St. Louis with a BA in Political Science and Educational Studies and Johns Hopkins University with a Master’s in Education. She holds credentials in foundational mathematics in California and Washington DC, where she began her teaching career before moving to San Diego. She also holds a DC credential in Special Education, and has experience providing special education services in inclusion, co-taught, and intervention/support classes.

Carly loves working with students to improve their confidence in math, strengthen their foundational skills, and connect math to real world situations that interest them. Her approach to teaching math uses what students DO know and understand to bridge the gaps in content they are struggling with. In her free time, she can be found baking sourdough, practicing yoga, or at the beach or farmer’s market.

Adrian C.

Adrian received a Ph.D. in Plant Pathology from the University of Sydney in NSW Australia in 2011 and spent over a decade working as a post-doctoral researcher on wheat and canola improvement at Canadian university and federal labs; besides, at an Australian university. Adrian has always had a keen interest in teaching and helping young students excel at school. Aside from his research, he participated in occasional voluntary and informal teaching, training and mentoring of secondary, summer, and pre-grad students. Adrian firmly believes that every student is capable of exceeding their academic potential, given the right guidance and mentorship. His expertise lies in cereal molecular pathology, quantitative genetics, genomics and functional bioinformatics. He is also a wannabe outdoor enthusiast, passionate about playing soccer, chess and trading options.

Deborah K.

With 26 years of experience teaching middle and high school mathematics, Debbie is passionate about helping students build confidence and become stronger problem solvers. She has taught nearly every secondary math course and currently works as a math coach in Sarasota County, supporting both teachers and students in developing meaningful math understanding.
Debbie earned a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics with a concentration in Education as well as her Master’s degree in Mathematics with an emphasis in Education. She specializes in breaking down challenging concepts into manageable steps and creating engaging, hands-on lessons that help students make connections and feel more confident in math.
In addition to classroom instruction, Debbie has extensive experience preparing students for the ACT, SAT, CLT, and Florida EOCs for Algebra 1 and Geometry. She believes every student can succeed in math with the right guidance, encouragement, and strategies. Her favorite part of tutoring is helping students reach those “aha” moments that build both understanding and confidence.
Outside of education, Debbie loves exploring hiking trails with her family and curling up with a great book while her dog, Maui, keeps her company.