Richard M.

Richard Maloon has a proven track record in education. He earned his Bachelor’s degree (B.S.) in Elementary Education and later his Master’s degree in Education (M.Ed.) with a focus in Curriculum & Instruction. He has taught all grades 1 through 9, spending most of his time with grades 4 through 8. He taught for 14 years and served as a private school principal for 23 years. Mr. Maloon also had a career as a national certified consultant for MicroSociety, Inc., a successful, real-world school reform model. He was the consultant for many public schools in the southeast United States. He is very adept at teaching math, social studies, science, and English, and has been recognized for his creative approaches to teaching concepts and skills. He is considered by many to be a master teacher. He also was a school-wide program coordinator for implementing MicroSociety; his school was featured in many periodicals and on prime-time television. He has had an article published for a professional journal and has been a presenter at teacher conventions as well. Besides this, after school he has coached soccer, sponsored a chess club, and started a robotics tech club in many of his schools, taking teams to the finals in Lego Robotics. Mr. Maloon also enjoys traveling, being in nature, and learning more about neuroscience.

Guillermina C.

Guille is a compassionate education specialist with 25 plus years of teaching experience. She is certified to teach K-adult students with her multi-subject and special-education credentials.
Guille has experience working with students with dyslexia and our special needs’ population, particularly with the autism community.
During her spare time, she volunteers with Special Olympics and Camps for Sports 4 Exceptional Athletes.

Christy C.

Christy graduated with honors from Texas State University, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in middle school education. As a certified teacher for grades 4-8, she taught writing and mathematics in public school classrooms. After marrying her active-duty military husband, Christy continued to educate through private tutoring and substitute teaching at various duty stations nationwide. She has worked with ages Pre-K – 8th grade with extensive experience in improving students ability to understand and solve multistep and mathematical word problems.

For the past eight years, she has focused on raising her two children, with whom she loves to go on adventures. Christy enjoys exploring new playgrounds, restaurants, and theme parks with her family, as well as practicing yoga and Pilates for personal relaxation.

Michael B.

Michael graduated from The University of Texas at San Antonio with a Masters of Science in Mathematics, a Bachelors of Science in Mathematics, and a Bachelors of Science in Physics. He is currently finishing up a Masters in Philosophy.

Before joining Prep Academy Tutors, Michael had 4 years of experience as a Teaching Assistant and Tutor in both Mathematics and Philosophy. He also has served as a guest lecturer in philosophy courses. Michael’s commitment to his students is strong, and he cares deeply about teaching and helping people learn.

Alexandra H.

Alexandra (Alex) H. is an experienced tutor and teacher who has dedicated the last 12 years to helping kids (elementary through high school) achieve their highest potential. Alex has tutored and mentored children and teenagers from diverse backgrounds, including those with learning disabilities such as ADHD and moderate autism. She collaborates diligently with parents to ensure that their children not only improve their grades but also develop a love for learning by teaching them how to study and mentoring their success. Her specialty subjects are sciences, Spanish, and math. She taught at Cobb County school system Spanish 1, 2, 5, and AP.
Alex was born in Argentina. After high school, she relocated to the USA to further her studies. Alex obtained a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in science majoring in chemistry with minors in physics and math at Georgia State University. Alex worked for fortune five hundred companies such as Amoco, Coca-Cola, and Kellogg’s for 27 years with several accomplishments in research & development, laboratory testing, employee training, management, and auditing. However, her dream was to become a professor or a teacher. She developed a passion for teaching and helping those who struggle with learning difficulties. Alex realized that many children and teenagers need additional help learning due to overcrowded classrooms, leading her to become a tutor.

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.

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.