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
Jori Bielski
Jori BielskiThird-Fifth Grade and Gifted Academic Coach
Kristin Curtin
Kristin CurtinMiddle School and Gifted Academic Coach
Melody Holloway
Melody HollowayCounselor
Scott Laufenberg
Scott LaufenbergDean of Scholars and Title IX Coordinator
Tracy McCain
Tracy McCainLiteracy Coach

Front Office Team

Gaby Castañon
Gaby CastañonNurse
Cyarin Jimenez
Cyarin JimenezOffice Manager / Admin Assistant
Roger Messer
Roger MesserBusiness Manager
Tonya Petersen
Tonya PetersenOffice Staff
Kristina Thomas
Kristina ThomasOffice Staff and Technology Integration Specialist

Teaching Teams

Preschool Team

Victoria Escobedo
Victoria EscobedoTeaching Assistant
Mariela Medel
Mariela MedelTeaching Assistant
Graciela Rodarte
Graciela RodartePreschool Teacher

Kindergarten Team

Felicia Bock
Felicia BockKindergarten Teacher
Tabetha Childers
Tabetha ChildersKindergarten Interventionist
Kaela Jackman
Kaela JackmanKindergarten Teacher
Skylynn Madrid
Skylynn MadridKindergarten Teacher
Judy Mulligan
Judy MulliganKindergarten Interventionist
Selena Russell
Selena RussellKindergarten Interventionist

First Grade Team

Justine Coffman
Justine CoffmanFirst Grade Teacher
Tina Lowenthal
Tina LowenthalFirst Grade Teacher
Cheryl Malone
Cheryl MaloneFirst Grade Interventionist
Skyler Oates
Skyler OatesFirst Grade Interventionist
Stephanie Urbina
Stephanie UrbinaFirst Grade Interventionist
Silvia Wagner
Silvia WagnerFirst Grade Teacher

Second Grade Team

Erika Castruita
Erika CastruitaSecond Grade Interventionist
Maria Estrella
Maria EstrellaSecond Grade Teacher
Knovelle McClain
Knovelle McClain Second Grade Interventionist
Martha Rodriguez
Martha RodriguezSecond Grade Teacher
Jennifer Sullivan
Jennifer SullivanSecond Grade Teacher
Gabriela Tinajero
Gabriela TinajeroSecond Grade Interventionist
Danielle Vasquez
Danielle VasquezSecond Grade Teacher
Stephanie Walters
Stephanie WaltersSecond Grade Interventionist

Third Grade Team

Jamie Cox
Jamie CoxThird Grade Interventionist
Kat Grecean
Kat GreceanThird Grade ELA Teacher
Michael Hanrion
Michael HanrionThird Grade Science and Social Studies Teacher
Krystle Lopez
Krystle LopezThird Grade Interventionist
Regina Oaks
Regina OaksThird Grade Math Teacher
Anna Rodriguez
Anna RodriguezThird Grade Interventionist

Fourth Grade Team

Kim David
Kim DavidFourth Grade ELA SS Teacher
Santos Garza
Santos GarzaFourth-Fifth Grade Interventionist
Keri Mills
Keri MillsFourth Grade Math Teacher
Lindsey Wright
Lindsey WrightFourth Grade Science Teacher

Fifth Grade Team

Rebecca Doble
Rebecca DobleInterventionist
Janie Marquez
Janie Marquez Fifth Grade Science and Geography Teacher
Morgan Ramirez
Morgan RamirezFifth Grade ELA Teacher
Kendal Retzlaff
Kendal Retzlaff Fifth Grade Interventionist
Dorothy Thayer
Dorothy ThayerFifth Grade Math Teacher

Sixth Grade Team

Gabriel Cleveland
Gabriel ClevelandSixth Grade Interventionist
Brigitt Eshagpoor
Brigitt EshagpoorSixth Grade Math
Laurie Neemann
Laurie NeemannSixth Grade Science Teacher
Ruth Victor
Ruth VictorSixth Grade ELA Teacher

Seventh-Eighth Grade Team

Virginia Gutierrez
Virginia Gutierrez Seventh-Eighth Grade ELA Teacher ; Spanish Teacher
Blanca Marion
Blanca MarionSeventh-Eighth Grade Writing Teacher
Ashlee Miller
Ashlee MillerSeventh-Eighth Grade Interventionist
Algie Mitchell
Algie Mitchell Seventh-Eighth Grade Science Teacher
Jessica Torres
Jessica Torres Seventh-Eighth Grade Social Studies Teacher
Hazel Watts
Hazel WattsSeventh and Eighth Grade Math Teacher

Path to Potential Gifted Team

Maria Joseph
Maria JosephThird-Eight Grade Gifted Math and Science Teacher
Zoe Messer
Zoe MesserPath to Potential Interventionist
Katie Taylor
Katie TaylorThird-Eighth Grade Gifted ELA and Social Studies

Special Areas Team

Kara Allen
Kara AllenAthletics Director
Adrienne Bautista
Adrienne BautistaRecess Paraprofessional
Nicholas Cudaback
Nicholas CudabackPE Teacher
Becky DoRan
Becky DoRan FabLab and SMALLab Director
Emilie Duran
Emilie DuranPE Para
Marquiseo Granderson
Marquiseo GrandersonPE Para
TJ Hallam
TJ HallamPE Supervisor
Ryan Houselog
Ryan HouselogPE Teacher
Dimitri Martinez
Dimitri MartinezTechnology Integration Specialist
Sarahi Barron-Ortiz
Sarahi Barron-OrtizKindergarten-Fifth Grade Spanish Teacher
Carmen Pena
Carmen PenaSpanish Fifth-Eighth Grade Teacher
Lane Vassallo
Lane VassalloPE Teacher
Danielle Wipping
Danielle WippingArt Teacher

Support Team

Liz Alvarez
Liz AlvarezAfter Care Facilitator
Kimbra Chelf
Kimbra ChelfLibrary Assistant
Kellee Lvers
Kellee LversLibrarian

EL Team

Linda Anderson
Linda AndersonEL Interventionist
Rachel Jackson
Rachel JacksonEL Teacher

Special Education Team

Jessie Bowman
Jessie BowmanSpecial Education Para
Jennifer Houselog
Jennifer HouselogSPED Teacher
Sierra Lowenthal
Sierra LowenthalSPED Para
Crystal Martinez
Crystal MartinezSPED Teacher
Hannah Million
Hannah MillionSPED Para
Augustine Sauceda
Augustine SaucedaSPED Teacher
Meg Scallon
Meg ScallonSpeech-Language Pathology Assistant

Assessment Team

Joyce Koerth
Joyce KoerthAssessment Para
Katie O'Connor
Katie O'ConnorCurriculum and Assessment Coordinator
Ann Rosati
Ann RosatiTesting Coordinator

Facilities

Kalena Adsura
Kalena AdsuraLunch Server
Guadalupe Sanchez
Guadalupe SanchezFacilities
Maria Gonzalez
Maria GonzalezFacilities
Chris Hartshorn
Chris HartshornFacilities
Charlie Johnston
Charlie JohnstonFacilities
Sonny Moronez
Sonny MoronezFacilities Supervisor
Charleen Pedroza
Charleen PedrozaCafeteria Manager
Jesse Rodriguez
Jesse RodriguezFacilities Co-Supervisor
Martha Rodriguez
Martha RodriguezLunch Server
Esmeralda Romero
Esmeralda RomeroFacilities
Erica Sanchez
Erica SanchezLunch Server
Maria Sanchez
Maria SanchezFacilities
Georgie Wallace
Georgie Wallace Facilities and Lunch Server