AcademyACL Staff
Mrs. Myers has a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education, and a Master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction with an emphasis in Gifted Education. Her coursework focused on the teacher training process for gifted education, and she has been the editor of The Gifted Gallery, a free monthly/bi-monthly e-newletter for the staff, students, and families, since January 2007. She has taught hundreds of children in grades preK-5, coached middle school girls' volleyball, been the director of a local children's volunteer and performance program, worked for two years as a social studies curriculum specialist who supported and evaluated other teachers, and periodically filled in as a lead teacher for various grade level teams. As a parent, family member, and teacher of many gifted people, she appreciates the unique local niche that AcademyACL fills. She functioned as the curriculum and school design specialist for the AcademyACL charter application, and is delighted to have the opportunity to work with AcademyACL students, teachers, and families to meet this unique vision and mission.
Ms. Sigrid has a wide range of business experience that includes Sales Manager of a sales team with a record of 2.1 million dollars, Office and Public Relations Manager for a local land trust, and Director of Admissions for a small private school specializing in gifted education. An avid cyclist, marathon runner, and environmentalist, Ms. Sigrid is also a Master Gardener and gourmet vegetarian cook who likes to share ideas with others. She brings not only experience to AcademyACL in this position, but additional expertise in working with gifted educational staff and families. Families who know her often say that she is a major drawing force for them, and she is well-known for her commitment to excellence, integrity, and the needs of children.
Bio coming soon!
Bio coming soon!
Bio coming soon!
AcademyACL Faculty
Ms. Horn is a retired US Air Force geo-nuclear specialist with an additional Bachelor’s degree in education and a thirst for cutting edge scientific technology and research as well as a deep dedication to this great country we call home. Her military career took her to every corner of this Earth and opened her eyes to cultures, religions and philosophies far and wide, and since retiring from the military she has completed a degree in education in order to teach K-12 students as a second career. Her passion is minimizing our carbon footprint and making every place we leave behind better than we left it. As a parent, a teacher of hundreds of former students, and a gifted learner herself, she needs to know why is the sky blue, why light bends through raindrops, why her eyes perceive it that way...why, why, why? She loves learning and growing the desire to learn in others. Ms. Horn brings that drive for learning to AcademyACL and seeks to inspire her students to become lifelong learners who constantly ask "why?" no matter what his/her field of interest.
Mrs. Rytting has a Masters Degree from the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs with an emphasis and endorsement in gifted education. She also has a Bachelors Degree from Brigham Young University in Elementary Education with a minor in English. Karissa is the mother of four gifted boys and studies taekwondo and kickboxing with them. She earned her first degree black belt in 2010. She loves to use music, drama, and humor in her teaching and is also passionate about technology. You can follow her blog about technology resources for education at ryttingteacher.wordpress.com. She is thrilled to find a school that embodies her ideals for gifted education and can’t wait to become a part of the AcademyACL family.
Classroom Teacher, English Language Learner Specialist
Ms. Olsen was drawn to teaching children with unique learning needs shortly after graduating from the University of New Hampshire with a degree in French Literature and a minor in geography. As a Kindergarten teacher in a French Immersion magnet school in Maryland she learned that children are capable of achieving so much more than what is traditionally asked of them. She continued to grow as a teacher working with a broad range of learners in a Minneapolis Native American magnet school focusing on Ojibwa and Sioux culture and languages, before refining her skills differentiating instruction as a first grade teacher in northern California. Ms. Olsen’s desire to help all children thrive and become confident life-long learners lead her to complete a Masters degree in the Graduate Reading Program at UCCS. For the past several years she has been tutoring students, volunteering in her son’s school, and presenting literacy workshops to teen parents and daycare providers. Upon reading the plans for Academy ACL, Ms. Olsen was ecstatic and cannot wait to be part of a team that truly understands what it means to meet children's needs, whether they are advanced, 'typical', or have areas of struggle. A former competitive cyclist, Ms. Olsen balances work with any endeavor that presents a physical and mental challenge such as landscaping in an alpine desert, yoga and still the occasional bike race.
Classroom Teacher
Mrs. Cooper has a Bachelor's Degree in Public Affairs from Indiana University with a concentration in environmental science and management. She recently completed her K-6 elementary education licensing program through the University of Northern Colorado and will complete her Masters of Arts in Teaching degree in summer 2012. She is passionate about teaching gifted learners and is a gifted learner herself. She strives to develop both a lifelong passion of learning in each of her students and to instill in each of her students a strong sense of environmental responsibility. She is a parent of two children and spends her weekends camping, hiking, and exploring Colorado with her family. She also trains for and competes in trail running races throughout the state of Colorado (Her first name is pronounced Dye-vah).
Classroom Teacher
Mr. Taylor has a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, emphasis in Marketing, and a minor in Economics from the University of Northern Colorado. He’s currently enrolled in the UCCS Teacher-in-Residence Program and eventually plans on working toward a Masters in Curriculum and Instruction with an emphasis in Gifted Education. He’s formerly taught 3rd Grade in District 11. Mr. Taylor has been involved in teaching students for years through coaching youth sports, helping Boy Scouts reach their goals, and mentoring incarcerated youth. You can see Mr. Taylor radiate with excitement when he ponders all of the different ways students learn, and how everyone can learn together. He brings the unique perspective of being a gifted learner himself with areas that come easily and areas in which he has learned to work hard to accomplish his goals. He encourages students to build on their strengths and cultivate additional academic areas and disciplines, too. As an educator, he pours everything into assisting students in reaching their potential, finding their passions, and building confidence in themselves.
Classroom Teacher, Response to Intervention Coordinator
Ms. Brown earned a Master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction with a specialty in English literature and hands-on learning techniques. She was the 2012 winner of the Charter School Teacher Leader of the Year Award from the Colorado League of Charter Schools. She is thrilled to be a part of such an remarkable group of educators and life-long learners. Since beginning her teaching career, she has found that students get the most out of learning experiences when they are exploring concepts and problem solving, both independently and cooperatively with other students. A passionate learner herself, Ms. Brown views her role in the classroom as a facilitator and guide in the learning process and is excited to be able to truly meet the needs of her students by providing opportunities for thematic, project-based explorations in all areas of study. She integrates technology and higher-level thinking into students' every-day learning and long-term projects, connecting LifeSkills lessons to other content areas, while encouraging students' confidence in their unique talents, and helping them find innovative ways to express their innate creativity. She enjoys working with AcademyACL parents and staff to provide a safe, supportive, and extraordinary learning experience for our students.
Gifted Education Coordinator
Dr. Ricotta has a Bachelor's degree in Math and Science, a Master's degree in Reading, and Ph.D. in Curriculum, Administration, and Supervision. She has experience creating, developing, organizing and implementing a researched-based multiage elementary school. Her areas of proficiency include: differentiated instruction, developmentally appropriate practices, thematic instruction, literacy, mathematics, and brain-based learning. Creating a child-centered learning environment with emphasis on each student's emotional, physical, and academic needs encompass Dr. Ricotta's professional expertise.
Mrs. Burns has a Master's Degree in Education with a focus in Reading and Literacy; she received her Bachelor's degree in Elementary Education from the University of Alaska, Anchorage. She has taught for over 10 years in both Nevada and Colorado. Growing up in Alaska gave her a love the outdoors and animals. She lives with her family and way too many pets, in Woodland Park.
Mrs. Fein has a Master’s degree in Education with a specialty in interdisciplinary curriculum, social studies and science. She has taught for over 15 years in private, charter and public schools and was the director of a local charter school for four years. Michelle is committed to creating an environment where children thrive personally, excel academically, love school and are excited to learn about and discover the amazing world around them. Michelle understands that children learn best through hands-on experiences and possess a natural drive to learn. She nurtures this drive through knowing what each student is passionate about and provides opportunities for them to learn from their intrinsic motivation. She sees her responsibility is to encourage children to investigate their ideas using all of their senses and explore the natural connections in the world around them. She believes that when you capture the passion in a child’s heart and mind they will not only learn, they will excel. AACL’s vision, mission and values resonate with her core beliefs as a parent and an educator. Her passion is to create a learning environment where children excel and become leaders in the 21st century.
Mrs. McKellip has a Bachelor's degree in Sociology and a Master's degree in Curriculum and Instruction with expertise for developmentally-appropriate, gifted curriculum for primary-aged learners. Her teaching experience includes four years of professional teaching, two of which were at the former Renaissance Academy for Gifted Learners and two here at Academy ACL. She received an undergraduate degree in Sociology in 2001 and went on to complete her teaching certification program and master’s degree in 2007 at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs. She loves spending time with her two wonderful daughters and husband.
Miss Reimer has a Master’s Degree in Educational Psychology with an emphasis on Assessments and Learning. After graduating from Macalester College in Minnesota, she moved to Japan for three years to work in export logistics at Epson Computers and to teach English to middle and high school students. Upon returning to the US, she received her teaching certificate and continued on to get her Master’s Degree at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. Deirdre (Dee) taught for 10 years on the Kaneohe Bay Marine Corps Base in Kailua, Hawaii before moving back to Colorado where she taught for three more years in public schools in Colorado Springs. Dee loves to provide her students with a classroom environment where respect, cooperation, and joy are used to create a safe learning environment for academic goal setting and risk taking. She seeks to nurture each student’s unique learning style and to provide support for skill acquisition at each child’s level. She is excited to be on the AcademyACL team and believes in the mission and values of this wonderfully innovative community of learners.
Bio coming soon!
Ms. Melia has a bachelor's degree in interdisciplinary studies from the University of Northern Colorado. She has a master's in curriculum and instruction and loves to learn new approaches and resources for educating students. After graduating, she spent time working with families in crisis as well as teaching early childhood. Her experience with young children and families is a passion and keeps her busy. As a Girl Scout leader at AcademyACL, Heather enjoys the outdoors. Heather spends her free time traveling and spending time with family and friends.
Encore Lead Teacher
Mr. Jesse was born and raised in Hollywood, CA , and is a Juilliard BFA graduate in theatre. While living in New York City and Philadelphia, Wilson began writing his autobiographical solo productions that were produced and performed throughout the east coast. Currently, he is performing a solo show for colleges entitled “Face the City” that deals with the pressures of adolescence, and presented “The Night the Moon Ate My Room!” this spring for very young audiences in support with The Kennedy Center’s Imagination Celebration and Pikes Peak Library District. Mr. Jesse plays the violin and divides his spare time between teaching theatre at The Colorado Springs Conservatory and FutureSelf—an “at risk” arts program for young adults. He is very excited to be working at AcademyACL.
Born in London, England, Mrs. Hellen studied sculpture at the Royal College of Art, graduating with her Masters degree in 1996. In 2004 she was funded by the Arts Council of Great Britain for an international traveling installation and she has completed several public commissions. Her work is multi-media and covers marble and bronze as well as installation-type projects. Last year Hellen designed and co-ordinated the BluePrints Project with 4 – 13 years olds at the Heller Center for the Arts and Humanities at UCCS which became an exhibition at the FAC Modern Gallery – down town Colorado Springs. This Summer Hellen is facilitating the art workshop for young teens at the Green Box Festival in Green Mountain Falls. Over 3 days they will be creating a 12’ x 10’ hanging mobile at the Sallie Bush Community Center building. She is delighted to be a member of the AACL team.
Mrs. Velasco was born in Puerto Rico with parents from the Dominican Republic. She earned a bachelor's degree in Spanish at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs and has been teaching for three years. During the first year, she taught Spanish at a local K-6 charter school. The following year, Mrs. Velasco taught middle school Spanish at another local charter school, including Spanish l and ll at the high school level. She is happily married and has a wonderful and precious daughter. In her free time, she enjoys reading baby books, decorating cakes and making jewelry. Mrs. Velasco is very excited about teaching at AcademyACL and being part of a wonderful team.
Bio coming soon!
Bio coming soon!
Ms. Freddolino is transitioning into Special Education after exciting careers in law, instructional technologies, and coaching. She is currently working on her masters degree in Special Education and is enrolled in the UCCS Teacher-in-Residence Program, after which she plans to get her endorsement in Gifted Education. She was instrumental in starting the local affiliate of the Colorado Association for Gifted and Talented and still actively leads the Pikes Peak Association for Gifted Students (PPAGS) as it supports gifted students in our community. Ms. Freddolino has been drawn to teaching since she started coaching soccer, where she realized that she had a real passion for nurturing and empowering her players to reach their fullest potential on and off the field. But it was not until recently that she discovered how well the niche of special education fit her need and abilities to problem solve, personalize instruction, and collaborate with others to make a difference. Since this discovery, she has set out to learn as much as possible about all exceptional students, those who are labeled as talented and gifted, students with disabilities, and those who are twice exceptional. As a lifelong learner herself, Ms. Freddolino knows how important it is to encourage students to let their natural curiosity and creativity direct their learning so that they can build a foundation for lifelong learning. She knows that she will have been successful when her students not only enjoy learning, but also are comfortable and confident when taking on new challenges. Ms. Freddolino's personal motto is to learn something new everyday and she is excited about the opportunity both to learn from the students and staff at Academy ACL as well as to help guide them to love learning.
