Our Educators

All of the educators at Integrative Learning Academy are highly qualified, passionate teachers who make excellent education our top priority.  Our highly trained teachers are trained in Handwriting Without Tears, Structured Word Inquiry, Project Based Learning (PBL), inquiry, and research based phonics programs including the F.A.S.T. program, Reading Triage, Orton Gillingham, and Barton Reading System.  Our teachers also use techniques and exercises from programs such as Brain Gym, Integrated Reflexes, and The Regulated Classroom.  We also place a heavy emphasis on explicit instruction and support with Executive Function skills.   

Miss Rachel is the founder and lead teacher at Integrative Learning Academy (ILA).  She is a certified teacher and has taught in both Colorado and Arizona for the past 20 years.  She holds an undergraduate degree in Elementary Education from the University of Northern Colorado with an emphasis on Bilingual Education as well as a Masters degree in Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Learners from the University of Colorado Boulder.  She holds licensures for K-5 General Education, K-12 Special Education, and K-12 ESL and Bilingual Education and has experience teaching preschool through 5th grade as a bilingual teacher, ESL teacher, Spanish teacher, Reading Interventionist and Special Educator.  
Her passion for teaching learners who don't fit into the box magnified when her third child was diagnosed with Autism.  She is passionate about inclusive education, learner-centered education, and holistic education.  
When she's not teaching she loves running, doing Crossfit, spending time with her husband Andrew, their four children, and their labradoodles Maddox and Jolene.  She loves Jesus and believes that it is her mission to share His love to every family that comes into ILA. 

Reading.  Educating.  Laughing.  It's all in a day's work as an educator.  I have been an educator for 15 years.  Prior to joining the ILA family I was a reading specialist for 8 years.  I have also  taught kindergarten, first grade, and second grade in both California and Arizona.  I even taught preschool for 3 years prior to that.  I graduated from Cal State East Bay in 2008 with my BA in Liberal Studies and my Elementary Teaching Certificate.  Then in 2014 I graduated from GCU with my Masters in Reading Instruction.  I have been married for 11 years to my husband, Tim.  We have two children together, James (8) and Juliana (5).  We love having family fun days and keeping busy. Whether it be exploring a new park, reading books at the library, running around in an indoor playground, or exploring Arizona with a fun staycation; we love family fun days! Our favorite family tradition is spending a week on Catalina Island for a week-long Christian family camp completely unplugged. I am looking forward to a year of academic adventures with all the students at Integrative Learning Academy.

I am a certified teacher in Arizona with a license in secondary education and I am so excited to join ILA this year! I graduated from Arizona State University in 2007 with a BS in Accountancy and worked at a CPA firm before going on to receive my Post-Baccalaureate teacher certification in 2011. I have taught 7th and 9th grade English and have a passion for student-centered and project-based learning.

Prior to joining ILA, I was a financial director for a nonprofit organization. For the last 6 years I have also volunteered in the children’s ministry at our church mainly teaching 3rd – 5th grades.

I have been married to my husband Jeremiah for 15 years and we have two daughters, Elizabeth (10) and Evelyn (9). As a family, we love to travel, go to the park, spend time with our golden retriever Duke, and have family game nights. I am looking forward to an amazing year with all the students at ILA. 

I am a  certified teacher with a masters degree in Special Education.  I taught in Arizona for 8 years in the Washington Elementary School District.  With this district, I taught in a self-contained special education classroom  with students that had a variety of disabilities. I left the classroom after 8 years, so that I could be home to raise my three beautiful babies.  While they were young, I ran an in-home daycare at our house where I provided childcare for infants to age 5.  Our days were full of fun during that time.  Then as my middle son became the age of a preschooler, I transitioned from full day daycare to just part day preschool.  I then taught preschool in my home for 4 years.  It's one of my favorite ages to teach.  I have a passion for teaching children of all ages, as well as learning myself.  I hope to never stop learning and growing no matter how old I get.    

When I am not teaching I love to hike, be outdoors, spend time with my family, lead womens groups, plan events, volunteer, and learn new things.  I am also on a mission for my boys to see all 50 states before they turn 18, so every year we try to get to 4-5 states and explore the beauty that they have to offer.  This is something our family has really enjoyed doing and we have gotten to see so many neat things.