Lead Classroom Teacher

Ben Wagner is a fifth year teacher with a bachelor’s in Elementary Education from Georgia State University, specializing in the Special Education route. He has taught Pre-K, as well as Kindergarten and First grade in public schools and co-developed an afterschool Social-Emotional Learning program for preschoolers. He has also been working at an outdoor social skills group for ages 3-12, for nearly 2 years.

Lead Classroom Teacher

Andrea has a Bachelor's Degree in Early Childhood Education from The University of West Georgia and holds a Master’s Degree in Reading, Language and Literacy from Georgia State University. She has 10 years classroom teaching experience and spent several years training with Reading is Essential for All People, a non-profit that trains public school teachers in Structured Literacy Practices.  Andrea started teaching Literacy at Oak House in January. She looks forward to returning to this special place and getting to know all the K-2 students and families!

Classroom Assistant

Lidice graduated from Georgia State University with a Bachelor’s degree in psychology and earned a Master’s in Special Education from Northern Arizona University. She taught special education for almost 10 years in Arizona working with students ranging in age from Kindergarten to 12th Grade.  Her son will be attending Oak House for a second year.  

She enjoys hiking and outdoor activities with her family, spending time at the ocean, practicing yoga, and reading a great book!

Classroom Assistant

Maria has a background in Early Childhood Education and has spent many years working with “littles.” She is mom to two Oak House students and a preschooler. At home she manages a small farm of chickens, goats, and ponies. Maria’s favorite part of teaching is bringing the natural world into the classroom and engaging kids to explore outside!

Classroom Assistant

Julia graduated from University of Miami with a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology. She continued with post-baccalaureate science courses through Georgia State University and Johns Hopkins School of Nursing. She loves animals, and is currently enjoying fostering for the Atlanta Humane Society with my daughter, Mya. 

Adaptive Art Specialist

Jesse's educational background includes undergraduate studies in psychology and studio art, and she is currently completing a master's degree in art therapy and counseling. She has supported a variety of learners across a wide range of settings, including teaching in a Waldorf-based preschool, homeschooling her daughter, and teaching adaptive art to P-12 students in Fulton County Schools. In her free time, Jesse enjoys hiking, dancing, art-making, and spending time with her family. 

Literacy Specialist

Jessie is an educator with 17 years teaching experience in preschool, elementary, and adult literacy. She earned her elementary teaching certificate and Masters in Teaching from the University of San Francisco in 2001 with an emphasis in early literacy. She completed the Orton-Gillingham Associate Level Class at the Schenck School in 2016 and since has worked as a private tutor. After teaching small literacy groups at Oak House last year, she is excited to return. Jessie also works as a literacy leader at REAP, a local nonprofit that "teaches teachers how to teach reading." She lives in Decatur, GA with her husband and two boys, 11 and 17. She enjoys gardening, spending time outdoors, and is a dedicated member of two monthly book groups.

Literacy Specialist

Lisa Dorsett was inspired to continue her education and training by her daughter, who benefited from interventions for dysgraphia and ADHD. Lisa graduated from Clemson University with a degree in Elementary Education and taught 4th and 5th grade in DeKalb county for eight years and Lisa obtained her Gifted Certification.  After having children of her own she took a short break from teaching and enrolled her kids in a local Montessori program. Lisa fell in love with Montessori pedagogy and began working at Arbor Montessori in an Upper Elementary classroom for 7 years. While working at Arbor, she  completed Lindamood-Bell Visualization and Verbalization Training, and completed her Orton-Gillingham training. She learned her new passion was teaching children to read and began working with The Dyslexia Resource  using the Orton-Gillingham Approach to support struggling readers.

Math Specialist

Janeen is thrilled to be a math teacher at Oak House, where she gets to ignite a passion for numbers in her students' minds. Embracing neurodivergent thinking, she strives to create an inclusive classroom environment that celebrates unique problem-solving approaches and creative thinking. Her goal is to make math accessible and enjoyable for all, by catering to different learning styles and abilities. When she is not teaching, you can find her on the soccer field during recess, where she loves to kick back and have fun with her students. Seeing their faces light up with excitement, whether it's while solving a math problem or scoring a goal, is what makes her job truly rewarding. She is eager to inspire a love for math and an appreciation for individuality in our students, and she is excited to see the amazing things they'll achieve!

Math Assistant and Fiber Art Specialist

Mx. Weaver Nicely (they/them) is a textile artist, costume designer, puppeteer, and local performer who’s excited to share their love of learning in their first year at Oak House, as a teacher for both fiber arts and elementary math. For fun they like to disassemble their clothes and then sew the pieces back together in weird ways, hang out with their cat Angus McDonald (Boy Detective), and watch Doctor Who. Sometimes all at the same time!

Project Based Science & Social Studies Teacher

Many moons ago, Ashley was a teacher in the public school system before taking a break to be an Airbnb host, start a farm, and raise her three kids. She’s excited to be back in a classroom at Oak House!

Literacy Specialist

Abby Norman is a veteran public school teacher turned pastor turned bartender coming back to teach at Oakh House.  She has 2 teenagers, a husband and a very bad dog. 

Literacy Specialist

Danielle Slaughter is a passionate educator with over a decade of experience teaching freshman composition courses at Georgia State University. With a strong background in English and Rhetoric, holding both a Bachelor's from the University of Michigan and a Master's in Rhetoric and Composition from Georgia State University, Danielle is dedicated to fostering a love of reading and writing in young students. In addition to classroom teaching, she has a deep commitment to social justice advocacy, as demonstrated through their work with Mamademics, a parenting website focused on empowering BIPOC families. Danielle brings a wealth of experience in curriculum development, student engagement, and innovative teaching strategies.

Math Specialist

Jessica is a parent-educator-activist-scholar with over two decades of experience as a math educator. She holds a bachelor’s in astrophysics from San Francisco State University, a master’s in teaching mathematics from Stanford University, and a master’s in pure mathematics from University of West Georgia. One day she may find the time to finish her dissertation and if she does, she’ll be able to add a Ph.D. in Mathematics Education to the list. In addition to her academic degrees, Jessica has extensive additional training in supporting students with learning disabilities, supporting families of young mathematicians, curriculum design, and facilitating group work in the classroom.

In her classroom, Jessica’s approach to teaching and learning math centers: joy, belonging, and student well-being as top priorities. Her love of math is often said to be contagious, and her mission is for her students know and see themselves as capable mathematicians. 

Math Specialist

After earning a BS in biology, Robin continued to study and collect a broad range of capacities through work - with the goal of meeting students in a multidisciplinary way that supports diverse needs and personal interests.

Her own work to develop a math-based gaming system led to Marilyn Zecher’s life-changing trainings in multi-sensory mathematics education. Zecher’s work is Orton-Gillingham for mathematics, and provided a wealth of specialized tools and methods for working with learners of all kinds. Robin is filled with gratitude and excitement about what is coming together at Oak House. She loves animals, being with family, gardening, and playing music.

MS/HS Science Teacher

Beth Denman is the owner of Acorn to Oak, where she conducted secular science classes for home-educated children for eight years and she homeschooled her own children for nine years. She holds a B.S. from Georgia Institute of Technology and a B.Arch from Southern Polytechnic. My interests include reading, hiking, painting, and archery.

MS Social Studies

Kristen Stevens is a second-year teacher at Oak House with a strong background in Waldorf education. This year, she will be teaching middle school history, bringing her passion for holistic and student-centered learning to the classroom. Kristen is dedicated to creating an engaging and nurturing environment that encourages students to explore history through storytelling, arts, and hands-on experiences. Kristen worked in public education reform then as a journalist for the AP covering Israel and Turkey. After working for a newspaper and starting a family in Istanbul, she and her husband made an award-winning documentary about a teenage female wrestler from Turkey - who did well in the Paris Olympics!

Math Specialist

This is Jennifer's second year with Oak House. She uses the whole child approach to teaching and has worked with all kinds of neurodivergent learners for over 30 years. She has a PhD in neuroscience. In her math instruction, she emphasizes connections between language and math to help students understand and encode mathematical concepts as well as learn procedures. 

History Teacher

Bringing nearly 25 years of experience working with families and children, Kysha emphasizes compassion and understanding into her teaching practice. As a curriculum developer and homeschooling guide, she advocates for learner-centered education. Kysha holds an undergraduate degree in sociology from Spelman College and a master's in education from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Kysha is an AMI Montessori guide and Orton Gilligham-trained tutor and has worked as a professional development coordinator at a Reggio Emilia-inspired preschool in Atlanta, Georgia. Following dreams, either her own or those of others, is her passion. Kysha collects wind chimes, good stories, and great memories. Her constant companion, Jonathan, has co-authored each chapter of her adult journey. Their son Joia is genuinely joyful, and their daughter, Alivia Sage, is her muse.

ASL Teacher

Corine Parker has 20 years of classroom teaching experience ranging from special education to inclusion to typical learners. She earned bachelor's degrees from The University of Georgia in Linguistics and Communication Sciences and Disorders. Her master's degree is in Deaf Education from Washington University in St Louis School of Medicine. Corine most recently co-founded a preschool program for social emotional learning. She loves to be a part of the process of language learning in children! Corine lives with her husband, 2 kiddos, dog, cat, and hermit crabs in Decatur.

In her classroom, Jessica’s approach to teaching and learning math centers: joy, belonging, and student well-being as top priorities. Her love of math is often said to be contagious, and her mission is for her students know and see themselves as capable mathematicians. 

MS/HS Science Teacher

Beth Denman is  the owner of Acorn to Oak, where she conducted secular science classes for home-educated children for eight years and she homeschooled her own children for nine years. She holds a B.S. from Georgia Institute of Technology and a B.Arch from Southern Polytechnic. My interests include reading, hiking, painting, and archery.

Math Study Hall Support

After obtaining a degree in theoretical mathematics from Auburn University, Skipper spent 35 years in the software industry.  When he was young he always wanted to teach.  Marriage and family led him into the software business as a means of making a living.  But in 2012, he made the decision to pursue his desire to teach and began tutoring in 2013.  

His tutoring style is upbeat, positive, and goal oriented.  He focuses on developing a positive relationship with the student from the very beginning.  Being a lifelong learner, he understands and appreciates the effort that goes into fully understanding a topic.  He believe in the power of using Socratic questioning to evaluate whether or not the student truly understands a concept.

Study Hall Support

Burke was born in the 1950s and couldn’t imagine an environment of understanding, concern, and interest in the human spirit could be an actual school, but that is what she sees at Oak House. She was born and raised in Birmingham, Alabama.  She graduated high school and was fortunate enough to have parents that gave her several chances at university, but she ended up focused on friends, fun, and lifelong learning outside of a traditional environment. 

As luck would have it, she fell madly in love with a guy whose major was math, but he minored in the same field as she did!  They ended up with two daughters and her focus became her family. Since then until today, they have loved, laughed and worked together, with moves and dogs and cats and millions of wonderful people making everything pretty great. Now she is excited to get to spend time at Oak House and share life and her love of literacy from her University days with the students and people at Oak House.