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I am an Arizona native and Summit has been my second home for over 20 years. I have had a passion for young children and families since high school and received my BAS in Early Childhood through NAU.  I also received a Speech and Language Pathology Assistant Certificate and hold an Early Childhood teaching certificate. I have presented at both national and state conferences on woodworking and cooking with young children. 

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I have loved teaching preschool at Summit since 2004. I obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and Interpersonal Communication from The Ohio State University. While at Ohio State, I also completed coursework in the field of Elementary Education. I student-taught in a second-grade classroom, but discovered that my true passion is teaching young children! In 2014, I completed the required coursework to achieve an Early Childhood ‘Academic Certificate in Child and Family Professional Development.’ Each year, I attend continuing education training classes and seminars. Currently, I am pursuing the completion of a Bachelor of Arts in Early Childhood Education.

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As a mom of three children aged 6, 10, and 13, I have a deep understanding of the incredible growth that happens in early childhood. I started my career in preschool education in 2021, and my passion for working with young learners only continues to grow.

I am an Arizona native with a Bachelor of Science in Interior Design from Northern Arizona University. I’m excited to bring my unique perspective to the classroom and create a nurturing and engaging environment for the children.

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I had a career in the semiconductor industry before making the switch to education.  After having two sons, I discovered a love for working with children.  I thrive on the creative thinking and joyous energy of being in the classroom.  I currently teach first grade, but I have also taught preschool at Summit and worked previously in the Kyrene School District.  I am happy to be part of the Summit team.

I have been an elementary school teacher for 25 years. Although born in Tucson, I moved around my entire life throughout the midwest. I graduated from the University of Oklahoma with a Bachelor’s of Science in Elementary Education. My professional certifications include Early Childhood Endorsement, Structured English Immersion, and Gifted and Talented Endorsement. I began my teaching career in Dallas, Texas as a first and second grade looping teacher. I made my way back to Phoenix 22 years ago where I joined Gilbert Public Schools as a second grade teacher. In 2015, I resigned from teaching to stay at home with my newborn twins and homeschooled them all the way through kindergarten. In 2021, I began teaching second grade again at a private school in the Awhatukee area. My twins will be entering fourth grade at Summit School for the 2024-2025 school year and we are all excited to be part of the Summit community! Go Sabercats!!

I obtained my Bachelors in Elementary Education at ASU and began my teaching career as a preschool teacher at a small charter school in Queen Creek, AZ.  In 1996 I found my way to TesseracT School where I taught  toddlers, preschool, kindergarten and led summer camp.  In 2001, I became a part of the Summit Community teaching kindergarten.  My time at Summit has provided me with opportunities to teach kindergarten, first grade, technology, and 18 years of K – 5th grade science.  I have been on several committees including the Principal Advisory and the Health & Safety Task Force, and was an integral member of the team that developed the CARE system at SummitI have also worked with the Arizona Department of Education to help develop state science standards.  I am in my 22nd year teaching at Summit, and am currently teaching kindergarten.

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I began my career as an educator in 2000.  I have had the pleasure of teaching first grade and Enrichment in an independent school in New Mexico, Manzano Day School, and at Knox Gifted Academy in Chandler.  In addition, I taught second, third and fourth grade.  I graduated from the University of New Mexico with a BS in Elementary Education and a Language Arts endorsement. I am also SEI endorsed, Teaching Reading Effectively (TRE) certified, and a Google Certified Educator.

I joined Summit’s faculty in 2012. I have taught 5th grade math, social studies, and ELA. In addition, I have taught 6th grade math and 6th grade literature. My teaching has been greatly enhanced through the fifteen years I have devoted to coaching, including middle school and high school basketball and golf teams. I have a Bachelor’s of Science in Elementary Education from Eastern Michigan University. I have earned a full SEI endorsement, and expanded my knowledge through numerous Kagan cooperative learning trainings and Arizona Association of Mathematics conferences.  I also have a sixth through eighth grade math endorsement in Michigan.

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I am originally from Yuma, Arizona. I graduated from the University of Arizona in 2006 with a Bachelor’s in Education. I earned a Master’s degree from Arizona State University in 2009 in Curriculum & Instruction and in 2019 I received a Master’s from Northern Arizona University in Educational Leadership. My teaching experience includes Junior High Mathematics, Academic Coach, Literacy Coach, Academic Interventionist, Fifth Grade Mathematics & Language Arts, Assistant Principal, and running my own tutoring business to support students in Mathematics and Language Arts instruction.

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Born and raised in Minnesota, I have been teaching in Arizona for the last 30 years. I attended Bemidji State University, where I earned a BS in Elementary Education. Following graduation, I moved to the great state of Arizona and served as a fourth-grade teacher in Nogales for six years. During that time, I earned an English as a Second Language (ESL) endorsement along with an MA in Bilingual and Multicultural Education.

I eventually relocated to the greater Phoenix area and have taught middle school Language Arts in Tempe for the last 24 years. During this tenure, I also received my Middle School English Language Arts endorsement. In addition to my work in the classroom, I have served in various leadership roles, including Team Lead, Department Chair, Leadership Committee member, and Teacher Mentor. I bring a deep compassion for education and a commitment to guiding students toward success in their learning experiences.

I began in the field of education by working in the library at St. Mary-Basha Catholic School. After five years of library experience, I began at Summit School. The following 11 years were as an instructional assistant in kindergarten, and receiving my teaching certificate.. I spent the Covid years teaching small group reading and presently I am in the IDEA Lab as a library supervisor.

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My name is Jody Hernandez and I’m thrilled to be the new Elementary Spanish teacher for Preschool to 5th grade at Summit. I have a BA in Spanish from the University of Minnesota and a Master of Education in Bilingual Education from Arizona State University. In addition to certifications in Arizona and Texas, I’m Nationally Board Certified in Early Literacy.

I’m married and have 2 sons in their twenties. When I’m not working I love to read, hike, travel and watch sports.
I’m looking forward to meeting all the Summit community!

I joined Summit’s faculty in 2007 and have over twenty years of teaching experience in 1st through 3rd grade. I have a Bachelor’s Degree in Education from Gonzaga University, and a Master’s Degree in Education from Northern Arizona University. I also received  a reading endorsement from Arizona State University.  In 2005, I expanded my teaching skills in the area of mathematics.   I have taken additional training in Cognitively Guided Instruction, Intel Math, Math Recovery, DMI (developing mathematical ideas), and I am currently working on a math endorsement. My biggest accomplishment in my career was when I earned my National Board Certification in 2007 and 2014.

Mr. Douwstra has an extensive background teaching and serving as a technology coach that spans over 20 years. He has a Bachelor’s of Science Degree in Elementary Education and a Masters in Educational Technology from Northern Arizona University. As a former district trainer and a member of the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE), Jeremy is dedicated to staying current with emerging technologies. Mr. Douwstra joined Summit’s faculty in 2016.

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Born and raised in upstate New York, I earned both my bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Music Education from the Crane School of Music at State University of New York College at Potsdam. I have taught general, instrumental, and vocal music at all levels, preschool through collegiate, during my 21 years of experience. Recognized for my expertise in encouraging creativity through music education, I was invited to co-create Music, Meaning, and Imagination, an elective music course for undergraduate non-music majors at Arizona State University, which I taught for three years. I also play flute, piano, sing, and have a basic proficiency on guitar, ukulele, and most wind instruments. I am currently in my 15th year at Summit School, helping children dig deeper into how music works and setting them up for a lifetime of musical engagement.

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I graduated from Boston College with a degree in English and Philosophy. I went on to earn my Master’s Degree in Elementary Education from Lesley University. As a public school teacher in Connecticut, I also worked at the Connecticut Department of Education as a trainer and evaluator. An avid learner, I have continued my education by participating in many literacy intervention trainings and professional development courses. During my 29 year career as a teacher, I have been a reading specialist and taught every grade from kindergarten to seventh.

Hi my name is David Preston. I am a born and raised Phoenician and have two wonderful kids that also attend Summit. I graduated from NAU with my BS degree in Elementary Education and have been an educator for 17 years. Many of those years were spent teaching middle school science where I developed a passion for integrating STEM into my curriculum. I love learning and continue to develop as an educator by taking professional development courses, with a particular interest in STEM education. My goal as an educator is to help students reach their full potential by providing a safe, risk taking, collaborative environment. I also believe education should help students develop positive character and leadership traits so that all students can be productive citizens in our community. When I am not teaching you can usually find me coaching sports, mentoring middle schoolers to develop scaled models for our NASA HUNCH program, reading, woodworking, or climbing on big rocks!

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Bio coming soon.

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Bio coming soon.

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Brady Wald serves as the Head of School at Summit, overseeing educational strategies and student development. With a background in educational leadership and a passion for fostering innovative learning environments, Wald is dedicated to cultivating a community where students thrive academically and personally. His leadership emphasizes collaboration, student, family, and community relationships, and a commitment to preparing students for future challenges.

I was the Financial Analyst at Summit School for the past several years.  I am responsible for our school’s financial reporting, budgeting, accounts payable, and payroll.  I have a B.S. degree in Finance and over 25 years of accounting management experience with both corporate and non-profit organizations.

Mr. Allen brings his 20+ years of teaching experience to the Director of Admissions role. He graduated with a Bachelor’s of Science Degree in Elementary Education with a minor in Language Arts and is always looking for new ways to extend his knowledge base; whether it is through Intel Math, presenting at the Bet-c conference, or attending a National GYTO conference. Mr. Allen joined Summit in 2006 and is mostly known for his booming voice and energetic personality. He truly loves Summit and can’t wait to show you what makes this school community such an incredibly special place to learn.

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Sandra Hand was Manager of Operations for Family of Christ for the past five years, managing
student billing and front office support. Before joining Family of Christ, Sandra was an Assistant
Teacher and a Lead Teacher in the two-year old class at God’s Garden Preschool for four years.
She also served as the Childcare Coordinator for Foothills Baptist Church for almost 10 years.
Concurrent with that position, she was the lead teacher for the Mothers of Preschooler (MOPS)
program. Sandra also volunteered as a preschool Sunday school teacher, preschool AWANA
teacher and a Vacation Bible School volunteer at Foothills Baptist Church.
Before beginning a career in Early Education, Sandra was a Corporate Human Resource
Manager for a multinational environmental engineering firm. She is a graduate of New Mexico
State University with a BBA and MBA.

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Charlesetta Wright is the welcoming presence and organizational powerhouse keeping Summit School running seamlessly. As our Office Manager, she brings a unique and well-rounded background to our campus, combining a deep love for education with extensive leadership experience.

Before stepping into high-level administrative management and corporate customer experience roles, Charlesetta spent four wonderful years right in the preschool classroom. That hands-on experience in early childhood education gives her a heartfelt understanding of our students’ needs and a natural connection with our school families. Known for her endless energy, she also holds a cosmetology license and loves unleashing her creativity as a freelance stylist from time to time.

Dedicated to professional growth, Charlesetta holds an Associate degree in Business Fundamentals and is currently pursuing her Bachelor’s degree. Outside of work, she loves relaxing in style, diving into a good documentary, and making memories with her husband and their four children.

I have experience in the field of education for 30+ years, initially as a K-8 Special Education teacher, moving on to be trained and serve as a School Psychologist. I received a B.A. in Special Education/Psychology from the University of Dubuque, Dubuque, Iowa. My graduate degrees were obtained from Gallaudet University in Washington D.C. and includes a Master’s degree in Developmental Psychology and a Specialist degree (Psy.S.) in School  Psychology. I have additional specialized training in working with Deaf/Hard of hearing students, certification from Harris Institute for Early Childhood, and  Diplomate status in School Neuropsychological assessment. I have worked at Summit since 2014 and love the community of this school!

My education journey began back in my home state of Wisconsin, where I earned my B.A in Elementary Education from the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee and an M.A in Special Education from Walden University. Helping students push through challenges they face and helping them reach their full potential is the reason I am in education. My role as a PE teacher here at Summit allows me to have a positive impact on students daily.