Tricia R.
Tricia R. has worked with various community organizations designing and incorporating workshops geared toward music/rhythm, conflict resolution skills, creative expression, and language arts. She was a middle school substitute teacher in Elgin School District U-46. She draws upon 20+ years of experience in classroom teaching, as well as facilitating instructional presentations and educational programming with an emphasis on Experiential Education. Tricia holds a degree in Education, and certifications in Library Science, Team-building, Youth Management Techniques, and Music Education. In addition to teaching and stockpiling curriculum, she enjoys photography, painting barn quilts and playing the fiddle.
LIZ G.
Liz is excited to be a Prep Academy Tutor. Liz has 17 years of dedicated teaching experience. Liz has taught 2nd grade, 3rd grade and 5th grade. She has also been a Reading Coach for three years. Liz is committed to fostering a positive and inclusive learning environment and wants children to feel confident and successful. Liz believes that education is a journey of exploration and growth. Liz looks forward to getting to know her students, building strong connections, and helping each student reach their full potential.
Roxanne H.
Roxanne is a licensed teacher with a bachelor’s degree in English, and a master’s degree in K-12 Reading and Writing.
Working with Roxanne, your child will crack the reading code, understand complex texts, and become an expert in writing structures. Best of all, they will love what they’re learning, and love THEMSELVES for it.
Roxanne’s reading curriculum integrates evidence-based components of dyslexia instruction with a practice that follows the standard Orton-Gillingham scope and sequence.
Tutoring includes skill-specific coaching, progress monitoring, homework support, and communication with the student’s classroom teacher.
Also, Roxanne has been honoring all forms of neurodiversity for fifteen years.
Kelly M.
Hello! Meet Kelly Marcella, an energetic teacher who values education and making the learning process victorious and something to enjoy! Kel remembers learning how to read in second grade. How magical that experience was, so magical she marched right off to the University of Wisconsin Stevens Point and earned a double major in Elementary and Special Education- she decided to add some razzle dazzle of English as a Second language, Specific Learning disabilities, Intellectual disabilities, and Emotional Behavioral Disorder concentration minors. She couldn’t wait to practice this incredible art and began her journey where she taught elementary education for six years. Within those years, she was fortunate enough to earn her Wilson Reading System (Level 1) certificate and earned a Masters’s degree in Educational Psychology; she is currently working on her Master’s specialist degree in School Psychology and couldn’t be more thrilled to understand how our scholars learn. This year, Kel will emerge in a year-long School Psychology internship where she will continue learning how to impact the educational experience for students and school staff positively.
ALLISON B.
Allison is a New York State certified special education teacher and literacy specialist. With a decade of teaching experience in New York City public schools, she’s honed the art of tailoring instruction to meet diverse student needs. Allison excels at helping students with reading disabilities, attention deficit disorders, autism, and those who are twice exceptional or English language learners. Known for her creativity, care, and motivation, she specializes in creating engaging lesson plans built on students’ strengths and interests. Outside of teaching, Allison cherishes family time. Her personal interests and approach to teaching are intrinsically linked, reflecting her belief in balance and the holistic development of a child. With Allison, your child is not just tutored, but nurtured, understood, and empowered.
Scheery G.
Scheery Lu Renken-Goekler is an Early Childhood certified teacher. Upon graduating from John Marshall High School in Oklahoma City, she married and relocated to Albuquerque, NM. After raising her family, she focused on her higher education. Scheery went on to receive:
an Associate of Art degree in Early Childhood Education from Albuquerque Technical Institute Community College a Bachelor of Science degree in Early Childhood Multicultural Education from UNM a Masters of Curriculum and Instruction from Wichita State University
Training and Experience Because of Scheery’s passion for teaching and working with children, she became a member of the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) in Washington, D.C. and has continued her membership for many years. She became president of the Salina Chapter of Kansas Association for the Education of Young Children (KSAEYC). Scheery presented at several annual conferences including the ones at the Professional Learning Institute. She also worked on committees for Week of the Young Child.
Ms. Renken-Goekler worked for over twenty years for the Council for Professional Recognition. This included helping candidates attain their Development Associate Credential (CDA), by teaching classes, doing observations, and helping set up developmentally appropriate classrooms or environments. She took the training in Washington, D.C. and other places to further her position and becoming a Council Representative so she could administer the final test to CDA Candidates.
During her career, Scheery has taught college-age students in New Mexico and Kansas as well as ages as young as six weeks. The youngest classes were in a challenging nontraditional school of gang members. She successfully taught the three-year-old and four-year-old programs including a student who received the first cochlear implant. She enjoyed observing them bloom and grow as the months went by. During this time she also taught Early Childhood Classes at the Community College.
Scheery has an immense love for children and a life-long love of Christ, so it was only natural that she enroll in Colloquy for Ministers of Religion courses. This took her on the path to Messiah Lutheran Church and School where she taught kindergarten students using their educational and religious curriculum and also tutoring ages three through eighth grade for fifteen years. Her passion for tutoring is to reach as many children as possible because if a child can read, they can accomplish anything for the rest of their lives
Kelly C.
Kelly, a master tutor, has a M.A. in Elementary Education (K-9) and 20 years of teaching experience. She studied communications and marketing during her undergraduate years and obtained a B.A. in Business and a minor in Journalism from NIU. Currently Kelly is teaching 5th grade in a top performing district and has also taught 3rd, 4th, and 6th grade at the same school. She believes in creating a strong bond with her students and guiding them through the learning process at their own pace and giving them support as needed. Kelly will never regret the day she transitioned from the banking industry to elementary education. She is grateful she followed her heart and made the change. Kelly believes there is nothing more rewarding than teaching a child and watching them succeed with a smile.
Ashley C.
Ashley is a certified teacher and currently works as a substitute at an elementary school in Wheaton. This school year she has had the opportunity to sub in all classes at her school grades K-5. She also gained experience subbing for the special education, PE, and Music teachers. Before taking her current job, she taught 4th grade for two years. She graduated from North Central College with her Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education in 2020. Ashley completed her student teaching in a 3rd grade classroom in Carol Stream. Since starting college Ashley has worked at a summer camp leading the preschool aged camp. Ashley has always loved school and decided she wanted to be a teacher when she was in second grade. She is so glad that she is able to pursue that dream. One way she helps her students learn and grow is by being another positive adult in their life who is there to cheer them on during their successes and help them through their struggles. In her free time she likes to spend time outside walking and kayaking. She enjoys all things arts and crafts and she loves to read.
Patrick G.
Growing up in Louisville, Kentucky, Patrick loved learning new things. This led to things like a robotics competition in grade school, and the quick recall team in high school. Over the years, that love of learning has grown into a love of teaching.
After graduating a year early with a double major in Political Science and English literature from Xavier University, Patrick entered the world of teaching. That experience was so rewarding, he went back to Xavier to earn a Master’s degree in English literature.
Since then, Patrick has taught and tutored in a variety of settings, from ESL classes to College level courses. While his strengths are in the literary arts, Patrick has tutored a variety of subjects, including Math, Science, History, and Spanish from the Elementary to High School level.
Patrick wholeheartedly believes anything can be accomplished with dedication, support, and effort. Patrick also believes that establishing a sense of trust and genuine care is paramount to achieving everything with his students. He thrives on helping students gain confidence in their studies and in life.
When not in the classroom, you’ll likely find Patrick traveling and enjoying all the beauty the great outdoors has to offer in Colorado and beyond, or perhaps at open mic or trivia night.
Rachel B.
Rachel is a former teacher and nanny with a passion for helping students succeed. With a master’s degree from DePaul University, and a 4.0 GPA, Rachel loves to learn and share her knowledge. She gets to know her students’ background and interests before starting her lessons, as to make the information at hand pertinent to each child. With kindness and enthusiasm, Rachel strives to make learning a fun and comfortable experience for both the student and their families. Communication is her strong suit, as she enjoys sharing milestones and challenges with parents to ensure student success. In her spare time, Rachel travels the world with her husband, Cole. The pair resides in the Northwest suburbs with their two cats, and in her spare time, Rachel runs a successful photography studio out of her home office. Get in touch with Rachel today- she can not wait to get to know you!