Meet Our Team

No matter how you slice it, we’re always here for you!

One of the character profiles that we model for our scholars at The Grande Innovation Academy is that of being a Communicator. From the smiling faces in the front to our dedicated and hard-working teachers, we strive to communicate in a respectful and productive manner.

Please feel free to contact us!

Administration

Patty Messer
Patty MesserExecutive Director
Roger Messer
Roger MesserDirector
Kristin Curtin
Kristin CurtinFourth-Eighth Grade Academic Coach
Melody Holloway
Melody HollowaySchool Counselor
Scott Laufenberg
Scott LaufenbergAssistant Principal / Dean
Katherine O'Connor
Katherine O'ConnorAssessment/Professional Development Coordinator
Tracy McCain
Tracy McCainPre-School-Third Grade Academic Coach

Front Office Team

Grabiela Castañon
Grabiela CastañonNurse
Savanah Easton
Savanah EastonFront Office
Cyarin Jimenez
Cyarin JimenezOffice Manager / Admin Assistant
Gabriela Tinajero
Gabriela TinajeroFront Office

Teaching Teams

Preschool Team

Victoria Escobedo
Victoria EscobedoPreschool Para
Mariela Medel
Mariela MedelPreschool Para
Graciela Rodarte
Graciela RodartePreschool Teacher

Kindergarten Team

Felicia Bock
Felicia BockKindergarten Teacher
Tabetha Childers
Tabetha ChildersKindergarten Interventionist
Michael Ana Diaz
Michael Ana DiazKindergarten Interventionist
Kaela Jackman
Kaela JackmanKindergarten Teacher
Skylynn Madrid
Skylynn MadridKindergarten Teacher
Judy Mulligan
Judy MulliganKindergarten Interventionist

First Grade Team

Erika Castruita
Erika CastruitaFirst Grade Interventionist
Justine Coffman
Justine CoffmanFirst Grade Teacher
Amanda Orr
Amanda OrrFirst Grade Interventionist
Martha Rodriguez
Martha RodriguezFirst Grade Teacher
Silvia Wagner
Silvia WagnerFirst Grade Teacher
Stephanie Walters
Stephanie WaltersFirst Grade Interventionist

Second Grade Team

Nicole Boillot
Nicole BoillotSecond Grade Interventionist
Maria Estrella
Maria EstrellaSecond Grade Teacher
Hannah Million
Hannah MillionSecond Grade Interventionist
Savrina Rogers
Savrina RogersSecond Grade Teacher
Danielle Vasquez
Danielle VasquezSecond Grade Teacher
Jessica Zaikoski
Jessica ZaikoskiSecond Grade Interventionist

Third Grade Team

Jori Bielski
Jori BielskiThird Grade Teacher
Skyler Oates
Skyler OatesThird Grade Teacher
Lia Robinson
Lia RobinsonThird Grade Interventionist
Anna Rodriguez
Anna RodriguezThird Grade Interventionist
Tina Shaffer
Tina ShafferThird Grade Teacher
Stephanie Urbina
Stephanie UrbinaThird Grade Interventionist

Fourth Grade Team

Lisa Clegg
Lisa CleggFourth Grade Teacher
Jenna Clegg
Jenna CleggFourth Grade Teacher
Michael Hanrion
Michael HanrionFourth Grade Teacher
Carmen Pena
Carmen PenaFourth Grade Interventionist
Coral Solano
Coral SolanoFourth Grade Interventionist

Fifth Grade Team

Santos Garza
Santos GarzaFifth Grade Interventionist
Sarah Mascarenas
Sarah MascarenasFifth Grade Teacher
Regina Oaks
Regina OaksFifth Grade Teacher
Kendal Retzlaff
Kendal Retzlaff Fifth Grade Interventionist
Dorothy Thayer
Dorothy ThayerFifth Grade Teacher

Sixth Grade Team

Brigitt Eshagpoor
Brigitt EshagpoorSixth Grade Teacher
Keri Mills
Keri MillsSixth Grade Teacher
Ann Rosati
Ann RosatiSixth Grade Interventionist
Ruth Victor
Ruth VictorSixth Grade Teacher
Michelle Warren
Michelle WarrenSixth Grade Interventionist

Seventh Grade Team

Brianda Colin Alvarez
Brianda Colin AlvarezSeventh Grade Teacher
Krystal Bonner
Krystal BonnerSeventh Grade Interventionist
David Kephart
David KephartSeventh Grade Teacher
Krystle Lopez
Krystle LopezSeventh Grade Interventionist
Timothy Walsworth
Timothy WalsworthSeventh Grade Teacher

Eighth Grade Team

Eva Back
Eva BackEighth Grade Interventionist
Virginia Gutierrez
Virginia Gutierrez Eighth Grade Teacher
Blanca Marion
Blanca MarionEighth Grade Teacher
Janie Marquez
Janie MarquezEighth Grade Interventionist
Ashlee Miller
Ashlee MillerEighth Grade Interventionist
Lane Vassallo
Lane VassalloEighth Grade Teacher

Third-Eighth Grade Gifted Team

Kim David
Kim DavidELA Teacher
Maria Joseph
Maria JosephMath Teacher
Carrie Ann Panka
Carrie Ann PankaScience Teacher

Special Areas Team

Kara Allen
Kara AllenAthletics Director
Adrienne Bautista
Adrienne BautistaLunch Para
Nicholas Cudaback
Nicholas CudabackPE Teacher
Geoffrey Dowdle
Geoffrey DowdleMiddle School Electives
Marquiseo Granderson
Marquiseo GrandersonPE Teacher
TJ Hallam
TJ HallamLead PE Teacher
Ryan Houselog
Ryan HouselogPE Teacher
Kathy Merritt
Kathy MerrittPE Para
Zoe Messer
Zoe MesserFabLab
Sarahi Barron-Ortiz
Sarahi Barron-OrtizSpanish Teacher
Danielle Wipping
Danielle WippingArt Teacher
Lindsey Wright
Lindsey WrightFabLab

Support Team

Liz Alvarez
Liz AlvarezCopy Clerk and Homework Club Leader
Kellee Ivers
Kellee IversLibrarian
Tralisa Jennings
Tralisa JenningsMobile Sub
Dimitri Martinez
Dimitri MartinezTechnology Specialist
Kristina Thomas
Kristina ThomasMedia Specialist

EL Team

Linda Anderson
Linda AndersonELL Team
Rachel Jackson
Rachel JacksonELL Teacher
Lisa Montanez
Lisa MontanezELL Team
Hazel Watts
Hazel WattsELL Interventionist

Special Education Team

Jessie Bowman
Jessie BowmanSpecial Education Para
Jennifer Houselog
Jennifer HouselogSPED Teacher
Sierra Lowenthal
Sierra LowenthalSpecial Education Interventionist
Morgan Ramirez
Morgan RamirezSPED Teacher
Mikel Randall
Mikel RandallSPED Teacher
Meg Scallon
Meg ScallonSpeech-Language Pathology Assistant

Facilities

Graciela Arenas Flores
Graciela Arenas FloresFacilities
Maria Gonzalez
Maria GonzalezFacilities
William Johnston
William JohnstonFacilities
Lauren Macias
Lauren Macias Lunch Para
Juan Moronez
Juan MoronezFacilities
Charleen Pedroza
Charleen PedrozaLunch Service Supervisor
Jesus Rodriguez
Jesus RodriguezFacilities Co-Supervisor
Nayjay Rodriguez
Nayjay RodriguezLunch Para
Esmeralda Romero
Esmeralda RomeroFacilities
Guadalupe Sanchez
Guadalupe SanchezFacilities
Maria Sanchez
Maria SanchezFacilities
Georgie Wallace
Georgie Wallace Facilities and Lunch Server