Meet The Kineo School Teachers
Teacher Jodi
Lead Teacher – K/2 cohort
Jodi went into the education field because she sees public education as the backbone of a healthy democracy. So of course, she helped to co-found a private school 🙂 She and Teacher Lindsey bonded over the belief that a school like Kineo should be available for every kid – a place where the child is understood, nurtured, challenged appropriately, and connected to something bigger than themselves. Jodi taught in the Edmonds School District and volunteered in Lake Washington School District before getting her Master degree in Special Education.
Teacher Dave
Lead Teacher – 3/5 cohort
Dave grew up in San Francisco where Golden Gate Park and Ocean Beach were his backyard. He studied music performance at San Francisco State University until establishing himself as a recording and touring musician. After several years working at Microsoft as part of the MSN Music editorial staff, Dave went back to school to complete his BA degree in early childhood development and education. Right after graduation from Western Washington, Dave taught in Burien within the Highline School District. He worked with emergent English language learners in grades 2-4. Eight years later, Dave joined Seattle’s Academy for Precision Learning where he taught a blended class of typical and special needs middle school learners. Dave values the relationships that are formed between teacher, students, and their families. He is excited to be part of a community of educators and learners who celebrate diverse learning styles and who greatly appreciate the social/emotional and experiential aspects of education.
Teacher Zuzana
Assistant Teacher – K/2 cohort
Teacher Zuzana loves the concept of The Kineo School. She believes every child is different and learns best in an environment that supports his/her learning style and does it in a fun and interesting way. Zuzana has always tried to support individual needs of each of her students and she hopes to continue to do so as part of the Kineo community. Zuzana has a Master’s degree in Special Education from Comenius University in Bratislava, Slovakia. During her studies, she volunteered at a center for children with autism where she worked 1:1 with children in after school care. After receiving her Master’s degree, Zuzana worked as a special education teacher at an elementary school for children with developmental delays.
Teacher Sree
Assistant Teacher – 3/5 Cohort
Teacher Sree has been teaching Math for 7 years at Ellipsis Academy – a math enrichment academy in Redmond, WA. She believes teaching math is better done by having kids understand the problem logically and attempt to solve it pictorially. She loves to work with students, come up with engaging activities that grow the love for learning and understanding which makes them successful in everyday life. She has done electrical engineering from India. She volunteers as a coach for science teams at her kids school for the National Science Bowl and Science Olympiad. Enjoys hiking in the Pacific Northwest trails and camping with family.
Teacher Michele
Director
Teacher Michele has been working in education for nearly twenty years. Before coming to The Kineo School, she taught in the Bellevue and Lake Washington School Districts as a special education teacher in preschool. Michele loves being part of the educational journey that children embark on. She believes that all children are capable of learning and believes in utilizing developmentally appropriate methods to teach. Michele is passionate about teaching social-emotional skills to students to help them build relationships with their peers and regulate their emotions so they can learn. Michele’s educational philosophy can be summed up by Margaret Mead: “Children must be taught how to think, not what to think.”
In Memory of Teacher Rhonda
Our beloved art teacher, mentor, and friend, passed away in November of 2017. The staff at The Kineo School is working to create a fund that will honor Teacher Rhonda’s passion for art and education. Stay tuned for more information.
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