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.

Stephanie S.

Stephanie has been teaching for 30 years. She has a Bachelor of Education from Queen’s University and is qualified to teach secondary school English, Visual Art and Drama, as well as all Primary subjects. She is also a qualified Guidance counsellor, and has her level 1 Principals’ Qualification. Stephanie has taught in Toronto, South America and England. She is very experienced working with children and young adults with a wide range of barriers to learning, including ASD, ADHD, specific learning difficulties, ESL, depression and anxiety.

Stephanie believes that every child has the potential for deep and meaningful learning. As a tutor, she tailors her lessons to her students’ interests, creating engaging lessons that help them overcome their academic challenges while meeting curriculum expectations. With her extensive teaching experience, she provides clear guidance on school assignments, helping students understand complex material and develop strong organizational and communication skills. She has particular expertise in teaching grammar. She is able to integrate art and technology into her instruction to enhance engagement and deepen comprehension.

Along with building skills, Stephanie works at boosting students’ self esteem and helping them to see and believe in their ability to be successful.

Kelly D.

Dr. Kelly D. brings over 16 years of educational experience, specializing in literacy development and student achievement. With a Ph.D. in Literacy and Curriculum Development from St. John’s University, he has a strong foundation in helping students enhance their reading and writing skills, improving literacy scores by up to 80% through targeted, evidence-based strategies. As a former ELA teacher and literacy coach, Dr. Downing is skilled in creating individualized learning plans that address each student’s unique needs, ensuring academic growth and confidence. His leadership as Executive Director of a college and career readiness institute further highlights his commitment to preparing students for long-term success, both academically and professionally. Dr. Downing is passionate about inspiring students to reach their highest potential.

Michael N.

Michael is a patient and knowledgeable teacher, tutor for English, History, reading, writing, and test prep classes, with experience working with students of all levels of aptitude and academic interest. Born and raised in New York City, Michael is a product of its public schools system, and the later recipient of two Ivy League degrees, one from Cornell and the other from Columbia University. He’s worked for many years in both public and charter schools, teaching a diverse group of young learners, helping them to become stronger readers, writers, and critical thinkers. As a tutor, Michael has over ten years of experience working one-on-one with a vast array of clients, with ages ranging from pre-K to graduate school students and adult professionals. Michael likes to say that he works with “big kids, little kids and medium sized kids” and this has been the case throughout his extensive career.

Dilene W-N.

Dilene has a love of Art and Art History, which led her to obtain an Associate of Arts in Studio Art. She has experience as a military wife and mom, as well as experience working with military families. While her husband was still on active duty, Dilene completed her Bachelor of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies with a concentration in Special Education at Texas A&M University in Corpus Christi. She has worked with students at all levels and abilities during her 15 years in education. Dilene completed her Master of Education in Educational Technology Leadership through Lamar University, Beaumont. She completed the Texas Reading Academy and Reading by Design, the state of Texas designed Dyslexia program, in 2022. Dilene taught students in grades K-7 in Dyslexia support services and Reading Intervention while teaching at Great Hearts Live Oak. Her most recent position was teaching 3rd, 4th and 5th grade students in Reading Resource and 4th grade Math Resource. She has a passion for helping her students meet their personal learning goals. Dilene has also coached students in executive functioning skills such as organization and planning to help them learn to meet project deadlines. When not supporting her students, she enjoys a bit of anime, creating things by hand, and volunteering with the National Archives.
Available for in-person or online tutoring

Barbara H.

Barbara H. is an experienced teacher who has worked with students from different backgrounds for over 35 years. She supports bilingual education and cultural inclusion and uses her teaching and curriculum development skills to create valuable learning experiences. Barbara studied at Montclair State University, earning a degree in Spanish and completing courses in Administrative Sciences. She is certified in Elementary Education, Bilingual Education (English/Spanish), and English as a Second Language (ESL). In 1994, she was named Teacher of the Year in her district.

Throughout her career, Barbara has used new methods in education, such as virtual learning and adult ESL programs. She has helped students prepare for tests, supported struggling students, and guided new teachers in New Jersey’s Alternate Route Program. Outside the classroom, she ran the INCCA Day Camp, helping 500 inner-city children grow academically and socially, and raised money from groups like the NFL to support educational projects. Barbara remains dedicated to teaching and inspiring others with her commitment to inclusivity and excellence.

Rachelle G.

Rachelle is an educator with more than 20 years of experience. She is also a dedicated mother and wife. With multiple degrees in Marketing, Education, and Leadership, Rachelle continues to teach in the public school arena. She truly has her finger on the pulse of the challenges and opportunities children and their parents face in the Greater Boise Area. As an educator, Rachelle is a nurturer at her core. She looks forward to working with eager and passionate children to help themselves in a positive atmosphere.

Kelly H.

Kelly is joining Prep Academy Tutors with a long-standing passion for supporting students and their families in the educational process. Her experience entails teaching children with autism, ADHD, OCD, and other similar diagnoses, as well as managing an inclusion program for children with special needs. With seven years of classroom experience, Kelly is thrilled to be able to work with students in a focused fashion, helping them reach their goals and feel more confident in their academic performance. She believes every child is capable of succeeding in the school environment, and enjoys helping students learn about themselves in order to do so. Kelly specializes in Early Childhood and Elementary Education, as well as English Language Arts.

In her free time, you can find Kelly outdoors, hiking, hanging out with her family and friends (usually around food, board games, or football–Go Bills!!), enjoying her energetic pup, or reading a fantasy book. She also has a penchant for ice cream (mint chocolate chip, any day of the year!). She looks forward to working with your family to support your students’ progress!

Douglas P.

Douglas is a certified teacher, university faculty member, former museum curator, and all-around renaissance man. Few have a professional background like him: Archaeology, Astronomy, History, Paleontology, and Religious Studies are just a few of the subjects Douglas has worked and taught in. After completing a degree in History he went to work for museums in Los Angeles, including the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County and Griffith Observatory. During that time he acquired a Master of Arts in Teaching, taught in several school districts, and all while continuing to work in museums. Since moving to Idaho, he has worked in community based mental health, the state prison system, and currently he is at Boise State teaching Human Anatomy and Physiology Labs, (he prefers labs over lectures – they’re more fun!). Douglas’s style is very unique, interactive, and is about inspiring and not just rote knowledge acquisition. From lecturing about Dwarf Planet Pluto at the most visited public observatory in the world, to teaching inmates about fossilization and quantum mechanics, Douglas is available to help you, or your student, find new appreciation for their natural and cultural worlds, create a tomorrow that is better than today, and learn a little along the way!

Some examples of how he works:
Does your student need to work on basic reading and writing? Let’s use dinosaurs to develop those skills!
Does your student need to work on writing proper essays, developing ideas, and forming arguments? Let’s dig up something archaeological and either support or refute it!
Maybe your student needs someone to talk with while learning about the wonders of the past, the mysteries of the cosmos, and other big ideas. Let’s dive in and see where we end up!
From kindergarten to college, Douglas will endeavor to help your student achieve academically – and have fun while doing it!

Kyla P.

Kyla is a seasoned songwriter and audio editor with a passion for music, lyrics, and music technology. After earning a Bachelor of Science in Music Production from Full Sail University, she rediscovered her love for education and set to work training the next generation of musicians, songwriters, and producers. She has worked alongside music industry greats such as Songwriter of the Year recipient Logan Belle (Songwriters of America 2001, 2007), prolific production music composer Dave Kropf (CBS Sports, NFL Network, Animal Planet, Netflix, Disney, and more), and songwriter and producer Veit Renn (NSYNC, Backstreet Boys, Jennifer Hudson). She looks forward to mentoring students on how to turn their own ideas into fully realized demo tracks. With half a decade of studio experience, Kyla can instruct students on proper recording techniques, the capture musical ideas in MIDI and notation, how audio effects like reverb and delay work, and what it means to mix and master to the industry standard.
When not noodling around in Pro Tools and Logic Pro, Kyla loves to travel to new places, play ukulele in the park, and write short stories for an online publication.