A School with Great Teachers
Guiding your student's journey beyond education
Grades K-2
Gabriela Badillo (Kindergarten Teacher) —I was born and raised in South East San Diego, in a small community called Lomita Village. I have always had a passion for school and learning; I often find myself asking the question, "Why?" It's no wonder I've been in school for 18 years and counting; there is so much to inquire about! I've worked in the field of education for five years now and have loved every day of it. This is my second year at Innovations Academy and being in the Kindergarten classroom has been such a wonderful learning experience! I feel like it is a perfect match because one of the most common questions asked is, "Why?"I love spending time with my husband, my family, and my in-laws. It's always good food, good company, and good times when I'm with them. And getting them all in the same room together is the perfect recipe for a perfect riot! When I'm not with them, I enjoy reading, writing, and drawing. But my favorite pastime right now is being with my two young nephews; they are so full of life and questions and are so inspiring to me as a learner.
Visit Gaby's Blog
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
Jennifer Kirkby Tatro (1st grade teacher) — I grew up in a small town called Goleta, near Santa Barbara, California. At the end of my street was a stand of eucalyptus trees that my brother, two sisters and I called "the forest." Beyond that were fields that became the bluffs overlooking the ocean. This was my back yard and it did a lot to shape who I am and what I love: the ocean, being outdoors, relaxing, reading, imagining and figuring out how things are put together. In my spare time I go biking, people watch at cafes, listen to music, dance, knit, crochet, paint, sew, garden and make jewelry. I have been teaching for over 15 years, and still love sharing my passion and creativity with children. This is really an exchange, children share their theories and thoughts about life, and I get to listen and discuss with them. I am sure I am forgetting to tell you other things that make up who I am, but that's the cool part: we'll get to know each other more over this school year!Visit Jennifer's blog.
Lois Peterson (2nd grade teacher)
I am from the Midwest originally where my childhood days were spent tagging along with 2 brothers, an older sister, and various dogs & cats and pet birds, exploring the woods near our home first in the suburbs of Chicago and then Rockford, Illinois. Now when I go home, it saddens me to see that many of the woods of my youth have become parking lots or strip malls. To me it is literally that they “paved paradise and put up a parking lot”.
The adventurous nature of my early life has stayed with me. I went on to study Communications Studies at Northern Illinois University, and after a brief foray working in television & radio, I went back to school at the University of Maryland to earn a Bachelor’s Degree in English, Theater & Speech Education and then a Master’s in Early Childhood Education. I began my teaching career in Maryland & D.C., working at National Cathedral, a wonderful Reggio Emilio School in the heart of D.C. I also worked in the public schools of Montgomery County, MD., where I worked on a project approach Peace Corps Curriculum. Additionally, I have also worked training teachers overseas for Children’s Resources International in Haiti & Kenya.
My husband, Mike, also works in Education, and our fun-loving children, Erin and Alden, were born in Maryland and started their educational experiences there in project approach schools. Needless to say, we were a bit surprised when we moved to CA a few years ago and saw a lack of creative and innovative approaches to learning! We are all very happy to have found Innovations Academy, where school is the fun learning experience that it truly should be!
Alexis Stoner(3rd grade teacher)
“There is a vitality, a life force, an energy that is translated through you. There is only one of you in all of time.” -Martha Graham
I spent my early childhood in various places in Southern California. My family moved to the Upper West Side of Manhattan when I was 12 and I spent four of the most influential years of my life in the Big Apple. I finished high school in Pine Valley, a very small town in the mountains of San Diego. San Diego suits me for I have been, and always will be, torn by my desire to be surrounded by nature and have access to all that a large city has to offer. When not teaching, I enjoy creating art and music, traveling, and outdoor activities that tend to change with the weather. These outdoor activities include horseback riding, bike riding (both mountain and road), hiking and backpacking, rock climbing, camping, running, and spending time with my very lovable dog Sarah. In truth, I would consider most outdoor activities within my interests because I am a naturally active person who can't seem to stay indoors for any length of time.
I have had many opportunities to work with children in a variety of settings, all of which have contributed to my choice of career path. The single-most influential experience leading to my goal of an elementary school classroom was Orange County’s Department of Education’s Outdoor Science School. At Outdoor Science School, I taught 5th and 6th grade Science curriculum in the beautiful San Bernardino Mountains. I finally discovered what it meant to inspire others to want to learn. Every week, we received a new group of students complete with a new set of personalities, strengths, and challenges and every week, my passion for teaching grew. I left Outdoor Science School knowing, solidified for the first time in my life, what it was that I was meant to do. I received my undergraduate degree in Liberal Studies (Education) with a Specialization in science, a Multiple Subject Credential, and a Supplemental Credential in English, all from San Diego State University.
My desire to teach comes from the deep yearning to make a positive impact on the world; positively influencing the lives of students through my art of teaching, working with students to conquer their challenges and develop strategies and foundations for success now and in the future. I want to facilitate a safe environment that inspires students to become their best selves. As an artist and musician, I am passionate about the mission to reincorporate art and music into the curriculum. I am also passionate about encouraging the next generation to take care of our beautiful planet. I have had truly invaluable experiences and tremendous exposure to varied cultures. I hold a unique perspective because my life has been extraordinary. I would like students to leave our class with the knowledge that they have the power to make their own lives extraordinary.
I am incredibly excited to be part of the Innovations Academy community because I believe students reach their fullest potential when exposed to inquiry and project-based curriculum that rewards and encourages student ingenuity, originality, insightfulness, creativity, curiosity, and natural inquiry.
Visit Alexis's Blog
Grades 3-5
Patrick Garland (4th grade Humanities teacher) — I was born in Omaha, Nebraska and grew up in the same house my parents were married in. I moved to Los Angeles when I was 18. At Loyola Marymount University I studied Communications. Later, I went back to LMU to get a degree in education. I taught at a progressive school in Los Angeles for five years. I moved to San Diego last year to join the IA community.
Visit Patrick's blog
Elizabeth Grimes (4th grade Math/Science teacher) — I grew up in upstate New York, in a small town outside of the Saratoga/Albany area. I was inspired to become a teacher in the 3rd Grade. I am extremely excited to have found a school where I can share my passions and excitement. I completed my Bachelor's degree in Childhood Development at SUNY Cortland. Once I finished college I moved to beautiful San Diego and have spent the past three years working in various charter schools and celebrating life. In my spare time I enjoy going for hikes, riding my bicycle, going to the beach, painting and reading. In the winter I like to head up to the mountains to go skiing. The earth is my playground and play I do. I am looking forward to the upcoming school year continuing my journey as an educator.
Visit Elizabeth's Blog
Bill Thomas (5th grade teacher) — I was drawn to Innovations Academy because of the artistic expression this school offered for both teacher and student. I have been looking for just the right school and I found it! I feel wanted, appreciated, and accepted here. Each of us has a unique gift to offer the world. At Innovations Academy I know these gifts of mine will be fully realized through endless possibilities. I received my BA in Geography. I believe that having an understanding of the world in this day and age is imperative. My heroes are Gandi, MLK, and artists like Stevie Wonder, who seek the higher level of expression, which is inclusive to all people.
Visit Bill's blog.
Grades 6-8
Michael Grimes (6th Grade Humanities Teacher) — I was born and raised in upstate N.Y. obtaining my bachelors degree in physical education, health, and coaching at SUNY Cortland. After completing my masters degree in educational administration at SUNY Albany I moved to post-Katrina New Orleans where I volunteered at the Welcome Home Kitchen while working with Education Design Management to write the charter for three project based charter schools. From New Orleans, I moved to Arizona where I taught 8th grade English at a traditional public school. I then moved to San Diego where I spent the past two years teaching physical education at the King-Chavez Arts & Athletics Academies. I'm incredibly excited to continue my evolution as a teacher at Innovations Academy. Away from school, I play on a baseball team, paint pictures, strum the guitar, cook and eat an abundance of delicious morsels, hike mountains, work in my garden, and recently published my first book, Americas Awakening.Visit Michael's blog.
Stephanie Robinson (6th Grade Math/Science Teacher) — I am a proud mother of three children. My daughter Crysta is 17, and my sons Aris and Joshua are 14 and 6. I have my Undergraduate Degree in Finance and my Masters Degree in Science. Prior to IA, I worked in 6th grade Math/Science at High Tech Middle School and worked as a College Instructor teaching courses in accounting and business. I enjoy teaching in an environment that doesn’t dictate but rather guides students’ interests, fostering growth and never stifling creativity. IA will allow us to embark on an educational journey together, and I can’t wait to get started. Visit Stephanie's blog.
Tony Spitzberg (7th grade Humanities teacher) — I am originally from Dallas, Texas and have lived in San Diego for eight years. I have a bachelor’s degree in philosophy from Tulane University and recently received my Masters in Education from the University of San Diego. I firmly believe that children benefit from a student-centered classroom where they are active and learn by doing. My role is to treat students as co-creators in the learning process, with their own ideas and concerns that deserve attention and consideration. I aspire to help my students discover the tools that will enable them to achieve their highest potential. This is why I am so excited to join the Innovations Academy community, where the emphasis on self-expression, compassionate connection, and purposeful learning is second to none!
Visit Tony's blog.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
Wes Davis (7th grade Math/Science teacher) — I have always been fascinated by the natural world and exotic places. In third grade I was chosen to leave school and shadow a marine biologist for a few hours. I remember riding in her four-wheel drive jeep, sampling plankton with a net and eating a “healthy” granola bar that I didn't care for at the time. That day, I decided I would go to college to study biology. Since graduating from California State University, Chico in 2000, my biology degree has led me to cloning DNA in Santa Cruz, studying carnivores near Lake Tahoe, and filming coral reef fish in French Polynesia. I earned my teaching credential for math and science in 2005 and have taught in project-based charter schools and homeschool classrooms since then. My student's past projects have included creating living sculptures from reclaimed materials (aka Planted Junk), native plant restoration, running a 5K race, and writing the children's book “Nico the Gnatcatcher”.
I am excited to teach seventh and eighth graders at Innovations Academy and I look forward to meeting you!
Visit Wes's Blog
Lisa Moncrief (8th grade Math/Science teacher) — I am so excited to be a part of the amazing group of educators at Innovations Academy. I heard about I.A. by accident and discovered immediately that I had found a place where I could grow as a person as well as share my love of learning with children.
First and foremost, I am a mother of six children. Five of them are still at home with me and my high school sweetheart, Brian. They range in age from 16 to 6. We live in Poway and are active in our community in youth and church activities, baseball, piano, horseback riding....well, you name it we've done it! I love to swim, run, read in the bubble bath and spend as much time at the beach as possible. I dream of some day participating in a triathalon and paddling down the Amazon river.
I went to Mission Bay High School here in San Diego and graduated from Brigham Young University-Hawaii where I recieved my BS in Chemistry with a minor in Mathematics. I am currently in the process of finishing my Masters in Secondary Education from the University of Phoenix. I have spent the last ten years tutoring kids of all ages in math and science. I am passionate about teaching and watching children visualize and reach their highest potential.
I am grateful to be a part of something big in San Diego and I look forward to seeing the impact the children and families at Innovations Academy will have on our community.
Visit Lisa's blog and Lisa's class page.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jennie Ganeson (8th grade Humanities teacher) Jennie Ganesan - I was born and raised in Northern New Jersey. I pretty much knew I was going to be a teacher since I was in high school. Teaching is in my blood, my aunts, uncles, and many cousins are all teachers in India. I completed my bachelor’s degree i
n History and Secondary Education at Hofstra University, in Long Island, NY. I’ve taught history for nine years in San Diego, NY and NJ in both middle and high schools. I’ve had experience teaching in both very traditional and non-traditional environments and found myself absolutely in love with teaching in a project-based school. When I’m not teaching, I love spending time with my husband and our 4 year old twins, who have taught me to not take things so seriously! Also, I love watching and playing basketball, doing arts & crafts, cooking, and being with friends and family. I’m super excited to be a part of the team at Innovation Academy._________________________________________________________________________________________________
Home Learning Community
Teresa Draguicevich I am very excited about joining the Innovations Academy learning family as a teacher/guide to the K/1 students in the 2-day home learning program. I have taught for 15 years and over the years, it has been my privilege to accompany many students and their families on their learning journeys: people who come from all walks of life and represent many different cultures and religions. It has been their beautiful diversity and unique learning styles that have enriched my life tremendously.Married to my high school sweetheart for 24 years, my passions include raising our two wonderful and creative boys to be prejudice-free, spending time in nature and community building. Over the years, it has been a source of great joy to develop, as well as work with existing programs that promote cooperation among different cultures and that celebrate diversity in our human family. This year I look forward to improving my yoga practice, starting a garden and learning to speak Spanish.
Since becoming a mother, it has been on my bucket list to home school and last year that dream became a reality for me! This year, I feel privileged to be able to continue that path of discovery, and I look forward to learning more from being a part of your family's journey. It is my privilege to be of service to you and your children!
Visit Teresa's Blog
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
Home Learning Community (Independent Study Teachers for Homeschoolers)
Jill Keltner (Home Learning Community, K-2 Teacher) — I am very excited to come work at Innovations in the 2010/11 school year. I’ve been an educator for over 25 years, beginning as a gymnastics coach and camp counselor, working as a classroom teacher, tutor, yoga teacher, and, most recently, homeschooling my kids for four years. I look forward to having the opportunity to create a community of home educated learners, something I missed as a homeschooling parent.
I got my BA in English at UC Berkeley and my teaching credential at UC Berkeley's Bay Area Writing Project. I have two boys, Ben (10) and Aiden (8). We came to San Diego two years ago. Before coming here we lived in Cambridge MA, Oxford England, and San Francisco CA. We love to travel, camp, hike, read, write, dance, make music, do yoga, play soccer, basketball, and chess.
Visit Jill's blog.
Jennifer McMakin (Home Learning Community 2-6 Teacher/Special Education Administrator) — I am so very excited to be a part of the Innovations Home Learners program this year!I am a home schooling mother of two truly amazing girls, ages 9 and 8. It is incredibly rewarding to be there with them when those “aha!” moments occur in their lives. I love reading, belly dancing, attending Renaissance Fairs, spending time at home with my family, cuddling with our cats and all sorts of gaming. Once a week, I co-lead a Girl Scout troop of 10 giggly, spectacularly active and creative girls.
I am also a learning specialist who focuses on helping students become independent, self-motivated learners. After earning both my B.A. in Elementary Education and my Master’s degree in Special Education, I spent the next 19 years working with struggling students in a variety of settings; from public school classrooms and special education resource rooms to private school classrooms and after-school tutoring. Currently, in addition to home schooling my own children, I run a private educational therapy business.
Visit Jennifer's blog.
Alex Antohin - I come from Fairbanks, Alaska. I received my B.A. in Sociology and have been with Innovations Academy for 2 years. I run our Innovations Academy Extended Care program, as well as being our school aide. During my free time, I enjoy Brazilian martial arts (capoeira), surfing, and climbing. I hope to attain my teaching degree in the near future, and teach at IA!
_________________________________________________________________________________________________