Alya S.

Alya is a dedicated and compassionate elementary school teacher with over four years of teaching experience. She has her master’s degree in Childhood Education and is licensed to teach students in grades 1-6. She has experience teaching students in a variety of settings, including public, charter, and accelerated curriculum schools.
Alya has extensive experience implementing targeted instructional approaches that meet various students’ academic learning styles and needs, including students with IEPs.

While in graduate school, Alya tutored elementary and middle school students in Reading, Writing, and Math. She also created supplemental curriculum material that aligned with state standards in order to provide differentiated instruction for these students.

In her free time, Alya enjoys practicing yoga, going for walks on the beach, and hiking. Alya believes that in order to best meet the learning styles and academic needs of each student, frequent and open communication with parents/guardians, and differentiated instruction is imperative. She looks forward to the opportunity to work with you!

Bailey K.

Bailey has been teaching elementary education for four years, with experience in both first and fifth grade. She earned her Associate of Arts in Teaching in 2018, followed by a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education with a focus on Special Education in 2020, and a Master of Arts in Curriculum and Instruction in May 2024.

Bailey’s teaching philosophy revolves around creating an inclusive and engaging learning environment where students feel safe and supported. She believes in tailoring her instruction to meet each student’s unique learning style, ensuring that every child can thrive academically and personally. In addition to her expertise in reading and math, she has a deep passion for helping students develop research skills, think critically, and engage creatively with subjects.

Bailey also values strong collaboration with parents to help students achieve their goals and build the skills they need for lifelong learning. Outside of teaching and tutoring, she enjoys competitive swimming, loves sports, and appreciates cozy movie nights in with her cats, George and Toby.

Micaela M.

Micaela is an experienced educator specializing in reading, math, and ESL. She earned her Master’s degree in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) and her Bachelor’s in Cultural Anthropology from the University of Texas at San Antonio. Micaela is passionate about teaching and has dedicated her career to helping students excel in English language learning, literacy, and math.

She has worked with students across various grade levels (EC-6), creating engaging and inclusive environments where they can thrive. Micaela develops customized lesson plans that support diverse learners using differentiated instruction and scaffolding. She is also trained in Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) methods, which she integrates into her teaching to foster supportive relationships with her students. Additionally, Micaela has received her Texas Teachers License in EC-6, with an additional certification in ESL. She has 4 years of experience as an educator in both traditional classroom settings and non-traditional exploratory and project-based learning programs.

Outside of teaching, Micaela enjoys camping, hiking, drawing, and spending time with her cats, Beaux and Pasha, and her dog, Apple.

Eden K.

Alongside having years of tutoring experience, Eden has a Bachelor of Arts in Photography and is a certified teacher. Eden grew up in Manchester, England where her parents fostered young children. That’s when she discovered her passion for educating children and she then came up with numerous exciting and engaging ways to educate children. Tutoring has allowed Eden to immerse herself in one-to-one personalized lessons that harbour children’s curiosity and interests, specializing in maths, reading and writing. Eden has a passion for traveling, therefore moved to Canada at 23 to fulfill her dream of living in the mountains, mountain biking and snowboarding. Through these experiences, in England and abroad, Eden has developed a deep passion for working with children and guiding them to reach their full potential.

KRISTEN P.

Kristen just retired after 32 years of teaching in the Ardsley School District. She started out in a self-contained Life Skills program for 8 years and then moved on to the CORE program in grades 2,3,4 where students were pulled out of their mainstream classes for direct instruction in ELA and math. She co-taught in grades 1, 2 and 3. Kristen was a Direct Teacher Consultant in K-4 and did direct reading instruction for grade 5. Kristen has a great deal of experience supporting students with Emotional and/or Behavioral needs both in and out of the mainstream classroom. She also directed an extended school year program for students needing summer services. In addition to planning and adapting curriculum, differentiating lessons, completing assessments and evaluations and collaborating with teachers and parents, Kristen has participated in a great deal of professional development and is trained in Fundations, Thinking Maps, LLI reading programs, Envisions, Do The Math and Investigations math programs and more. She has created curriculum for and taught after school Mindfulness and Introduction to French classes for K-2 students. Kristen mentored teachers and worked with staff to help develop their co – taught programs. She has pretty much done it all! Kristen enjoys baking, traveling, hiking, biking, reading and watching movies. Kristen is excited to be able to work with students to help facilitate their learning in fun and engaging activities!

Ashley N.

Ashley is an engaging and dedicated elementary educator with six years of experience teaching in San Diego schools. She has a Master’s Degree from San Diego State University in Curriculum and Instruction, and has enjoyed working with children and families in a number of capacities in and out of the classroom for the past 15 years. She has been a classroom teacher for Kindergarten through 2nd grade, run an independent childcare business, and worked as a homeschool advisor and guest teacher. Ashley knows how a strong foundation in early literacy can pave the way for future academic success. She understands that taking the time to get to know the whole child is essential to providing engaging and strategic interventions to help them thrive, whether in a classroom or homeschool setting. As a tutor, Ashley’s goal is to help your child build both academic competence and self-confidence.

In addition to her passion for teaching, Ashley is an avid adventurer, and an expert snack-packer. She is kept on her toes by her four rambunctious children ages 8 to 13 who love rock scrambling, ocean sports, and backyard engineering. Most weekends you will find her camping, beaching, or tromping around in nature with her family.

Karina R.

Karina is a retired teacher and administrator with over 38 years of experience teaching and leading communities of learners. She has a love for education and connecting with her students and families.

Karina believes that the key to successful learning is making it fun, engaging and appropriate for each child’s instructional needs. Her specialty is differentiating and individualizing according to each child’s interests, strengths and academic goals. She is also a lifelong learner and enjoys traveling, reading, surfing, birding and hiking. Karina is thrilled to be a Prep Academy Tutor, which allows her to help children develop confidence in their abilities and achieve their full potential.

Zeke T.

Zeke is a credentialed social science and special education teacher with over eight years of classroom experience. He holds a BA from UCLA and an MA from UCSD. Zeke is a patient, personable, and adaptable teacher who loves creating the spark that fosters lifelong curiosity and exploration.

In his free time, Zeke enjoys traveling, playing guitar, hiking, cycling, reading, and watching sports. His favorite teams include the San Diego Padres, UCLA Bruins, and anything Team USA.

Dr. Lynda M.

Dr. Lynda’s professional journey, from a long-term substitute in a public school to earning a doctoral degree in Education, is a testament to her dedication and persistence. She has worked with a comprehensive array of demographics regarding students, ranging from early intervention with the youngest students to working with adults striving to earn a GED. She has tutored undergraduate students and non-traditional learners. Each new experience builds a knowledge base and broadens understanding of students’ diverse academic encounters.

Currently, Dr. Lynda provides learning support to young students with developmental disabilities, notably those with intellectual challenges, autism, sensory challenges, and behavioral issues, as well as typical learners. She connects well with people across age cohorts and with students’ families. Her down-to-earth nature is immediately apparent. Her commitment has led her to delve into delivering early learning opportunities, such as language development, phonemes, literacy, phonics, numeracy, and social-emotional development. She uses fun, interactive, collaborative brain breaks, sensitivity, and the learners’ strengths to help them meet their needs.

Dr. Lynda is eager to participate in problem resolution with her students, using her calming therapist skills as needed. She encourages open discussion about academic difficulties in a compassionate, nonjudgmental manner, always remaining a steadfast safety net.

Meg H.

Meg Hardick is a certified middle grades science teacher. She holds a BS in Environmental Science, and a Masters in Elementary Education. She specializes in all areas of science, as well as elementary education, middle school French, and standardized test prep. She greatly enjoys helping students build the emotional and executive functioning skills necessary to excel in all subject areas. As a lover of literature and writing, she is especially excited to help students engage with the written word and expand their creative and expressive abilities. She has had great success supporting students through the stress and pressure of standardized testing season, taking a wholistic approach to test preparation and demystifying test structures.

When not supporting students, she enjoys spending time with her son, Hazel, wandering the Bella Vista streets, and hiking in the Poconos. She is a recent transplant from Austin, Texas, and is very appreciative of her new community.