Committed to a liberal arts education as a former classical homeschool educator, and passionate about partnering with Great Hearts to transform the landscape of San Antonio, Mrs. Williams closed the doors of her “one room schoolhouse” to help launch a Great Hearts academy in San Antonio 2015. First as a teacher, and then as an instructional coach and administrator, Mrs. Williams is excited to champion a new Great Hearts community in the Live Oak area, which she has proudly called home for over fifteen years.

Mrs. Williams earned her Bachelor of Arts in Education from the University of Florida. While she spent the better part of formative years on the coastal waters of South Florida, she has undeniably embraced, “Everything is bigger and better in Texas!” She enjoys the Bluebonnets in spring, Tex-Mex, and the Hill Country topography. Mrs. Williams loves time spent with her husband, children, three dogs, and good book in hand.

Brandon Aniol is an experienced educator with over a decade of service working for schools, museums, and educational non-profits.  Prior to joining Great Hearts Live Oak, he served as a lead teacher in both 3^rd and 4^th grades at Great Hearts Northern Oaks.

Brandon has also enjoyed a career as an educator and curator for several area museums, including the Witte Museum and the Institute of Texan Cultures. He also worked for the Texas Historical Commission and Humanities Texas. Brandon received his B.A. in History in 2009 and his M.A. in History in 2012, both from the University of Texas at San Antonio. In 2014, he was awarded the John H. Jenkins Research Fellowship in Texas History from the Texas State Historical Association. Brandon also served on the Teacher Advocate Leadership Institute Fellowship with the Texas Charter School Association in 2019.

Brandon is a San Antonio native, and his family has lived in Texas since 1835. When not serving students and faculty, Brandon enjoys woodworking, practicing banjo, and spending time with family.

Katie Franzmann joins the Great Hearts Live Oak community this year with six years of prior teaching experience at our sister academy Great Hearts Northern Oaks. She joined the Great Hearts community in 2016 as a 3rd grade AT. Having graduated with a degree in ELA at the University of Dallas, she has been surprised and delighted to grow into the role of a passionate teacher in the rigor, beauty, and truth of mathematics. She spent 5 years inviting her students to lean into the tension of a worthy problem and its resulting joy of discovery, first as a 4th grade teacher and later a 5th grade math teacher. During that time, Ms. Franzmann also supported other teachers in their development by leading a team of 5th grade teachers, training new and experienced teachers in Singapore math, and serving as a campus testing coordinator. Prior to teaching with Great Hearts, she spent two years teaching English as a Second Language to elementary students in Gwangju, South Korea.

Ms. Franzmann is a native Texan who finally found her “home in San Antone” after growing up in the Dallas and Houston areas. Her favorite poet is John Donne, and her favorite Shakespeare play is Much Ado About Nothing. She loves biking and playing ukulele. She looks forward to supporting teachers at Great Hearts Live Oak as they support and educate their students.

It was Ana Gonzalez’s dream to become a teacher since she was little. That became a reality when she graduated with her Bachelors in Elementary Education 20 years ago from the University of Monterrey, México where she specialized in reading and writing. She has 10 years experience teaching elementary K-4. She also took some time off from classroom teaching to focus on raising her little ones.

Those years as a teacher and valuing motherhood made her realize how important the formation of virtues in the family is to society and started her master’s degree in Family Educational Counseling from The University of Villanueva in Spain.

After finishing a thesis on the importance of the parent’s role on the success of their child’s education, she graduated in July 2020 and will continue another year specializing in Marriage Counseling.

After living in Atlanta, New Jersey, Monterrey and McAllen, Texas, she is permanently establishing her family in San Antonio. She is honored to continue her work at Great Hearts Live Oak where she is eager to meet families with the same desire for their families: the pursuit of Truth, Beauty and Goodness.

Ms. Kimeisha McCullum joyfully joins Great Hearts Live Oak as our Director of Community Engagement and Academy Giving.

Ms. McCullum joins us as a Retired U.S. Army Colonel with over 19 years of experience in public relations. Her passion and enthusiasm for education and helping others live out their full potential is what solidified her decision to enroll her son at Great Hearts Live Oak. As an engaged parent, she loves what GHLO offers students, staff, and the community. She is excited to be a part of such a dynamic group of educators and students and looks forward to building a thriving academy!

Ms. McCullum has a Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry/Pre-Med and a Master’s degree in Health Service Administration. She is currently completing her doctoral degree in Business Administration. She enjoys traveling, reading, spending time with her son and family, and serving her community.

Mrs. Cowen has always loved learning.  During elementary school, she loved to read and discovered a passion for both literature and history. Born in Arizona, Mrs. Cowen earned a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education, graduating summa cum laude from Arizona State University. She also completed a Masters in Educational Technology at Northern Arizona University, graduating with distinction.

She began her career as a teacher in 2007, teaching fourth grade in a rural district on the outskirts of Phoenix. Since then, she has taught a range of grades, including middle school (6^th, 7^th, and 8^th grades). She loves bringing her passion and enthusiasm for learning new things and ideas to her classroom.

Mrs. Cowen began her career with Great Hearts as a member of the founding faculty of Archway Lincoln in 2015. Currently, she is completing a second Masters in Classical Education at the University of Dallas.

An accomplished musician, Mrs. Cowen plays viola and violin and is learning cello and piano. Her family (including her husband and dog) have relocated to San Antonio from Tempe, Arizona. On the weekends, she enjoys hiking and exploring San Antonio.

Ms. Kate Moyer joins the Great Hearts Operations Team as Lower School Registrar. A native of Arizona, she moved to San Antonio after living in the United Kingdom for 3 years. While in England, she enjoyed working in the education field and extensively traveling Europe.

Ms. Moyer has a degree in Early Childhood Education, graduation with honors. She has worked in the Early Childhood Education field for 20+ years, teaching Pre-Kindergarten and private Kindergarten programs. She has held management positions within early learning centers, including School Director for 4 years. Excited to be back in the states and living again in the Southwest, she has true passion for education and working with children.

She is a closet history nerd and some of her favorite hobbies include traveling, reading, antique shopping, and spending time exploring the outdoors with her dogs and family. She is proud to be a member of the Great Hearts Live Oak founding faculty. She is excited to help foster the growth of our community of learners!

Nurse Hyland is one of our amazing nurses here at Great Hearts Live Oak! She obtained her LVN in 2009 and started working as a Charge Nurse over the post-acute care wing at a skilled nursing facility. Two years later, she went back to school and eventually obtained an Associates Degree in Nursing while working full-time and raising her two boys.

She continued to pursue her life long dream of working in the Neonatal ICU for four years, eventually becoming a Unit Charge Nurse and obtaining her Certification in High Risk Neonatal Care in 2020 along with her Bachelors Degree in Nursing in 2019.

Recently, she stumbled across a PRN position at Great Hearts Texas as an interim school nurse and completely fell in love with position and all the joy and happiness it brings. When offered a full time position for the 2021-22 year, she accepted it immediately knowing that this is where God needed her to be. She served as Nurse between campuses for the first few months, but in October 2021 she was offered a stationary position at her home campus of Great Hearts Live Oak.

In her spare time, Nurse Hyland enjoys snow skiing and spending as much time in Colorado as possible with her 3 children; ages 22, 17 and 8 year old. She considers herself beyond blessed to be here at Great Hearts Live Oak, and she looks forward to seeing your scholar’s sweet, smiling faces everyday. She cannot wait to see what this year will hold for us all and she looks forward to working alongside our parents, faculty, staff and scholars in creating a safe and thriving environment for all.

Mrs. Sigala is very excited to join our Owl family as the Receptionist. She was born in Mexico where she studied her primary and secondary education earning a Diploma as an Accountant Aid.

She lived in California over 20 years, where she got married and gave birth to 2 boys and a girl. She was a stay-at-home mom and volunteer at her children’s elementary school. Later, she worked as a Church secretary until they moved to San Antonio 15 years ago.

Despite her limitations in the English language, Mrs. Sigala decided to continue her education. Along with her youngest child (Ms. Sigala, Spanish Teacher) attended at Northeast Lakeview College, earning an Associate Degree in Social Work with honors. Afterwards, she was a business owner and Clinic Assistant at NEISD.

Mrs. Sigala has over 7 years of experience in secretarial work, reception, and excellent customer service. She has been volunteering over 20 years at the church in different areas; as a Sunday School Teacher for toddlers, kindergarten, middle school, and adult ladies. She was also a College and Career counselor and ladies’ president at her church.

Mrs. Sigala is looking forward to welcoming all the students, parents, and visitors at Great Hearts Live Oak with a true mind, a good heart, and a beautiful smile!

Michael is originally from Fort Collins, Colorado. As the son of a math teacher and a computer programmer, penmanship is not his forte but he has a knack for all things math, science, and biology. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at The Johns Hopkins University. He used his engineering prowess as a Captain in the United States Army, Engineer Branch from 2011 to 2019.   

His civilian career has focused on project management in residential and civilian construction. His positions ranged from airport projects contract coordinator to commercial door and countertop fabrication machine programmer. He thrives on finding creative, expedient solutions to complex engineering or operations challenges. 

He enjoys anything outdoors in any weather from swimming to snowboarding, running, rock climbing, and mountain biking. When possible, he brings along his three kiddos, Reina, Felix, and Elowen, as well as his wife Megan, a Soldier in the US Army. They have been married since 2012 and hope to beat the current longest marriage on record. He’s hoping Megan can put up with him for just another 78 years.

On the rare occasion he is relaxing, you can catch him sitting on the living room sofa, piloting his micro first-person-viewer drones with which he chases the three family cats. 

Ms. Silvas is excited to be part of the Great Hearts Live Oak team as the Co-Curricular Coordinator for our Athenaeum program and Homework Club.

Ms. Silvas found her passion working with children while residing in Germany serving our military community. She continued working for child youth programs for 12 years which inspired Ms. Silvas to change her major. She has graduated with her Child Development Associate and Childhood Education and Family Studies A.A.S in San Antonio and plans to continue her education and be a lifelong learner.

 Ms. Silvas is excited to provide a fun and safe GHLO environment for all GHLO children and families, as she has her own GHLO Owl attending this year. She loves being a mother and enjoys spending her extra time with her family, traveling, and crafting.

Mrs. Melgoza, is overjoyed to be the English Language Learners Coordinator at Great Hearts Live Oak.

This will be Mrs. Melgoza’s fifth year as a certified teacher in the State of Texas. Mrs. Melgoza obtained her Bachelor of Arts, Magna Cum Laude from the University of the Incarnate Word’s School of Education with minors in Reading and Special Education.  Mrs. Melgoza is certified in General Elementary Education K-6, Special Education and English as a Second Language.  Additionally, she is certified by Region 20 to implement dyslexia intervention to students K-12.

Mrs. Melgoza loves spending time with her husband and three children, and you might sneak a peak of them walking a trail in the area or on a rollercoaster at a theme park. Her hobbies include piano, basketball, reading and running.

Hello! My name is Chelsie Aguado. I’ve been in second grade as an Apprentice Teacher and this year I’m excited to join the Emergent Bilingual team as a teacher. I’m a first-generation college graduate from Our Lady of the Lake University where I obtained a bachelor’s degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders.

I enjoy spending time with my family, I love animals and the environment, and I enjoy making crafts. I’m so excited to be here!

Laura Jackson is a native of San Antonio who returned after living and working in numerous cities in the United States and abroad. Mrs. Jackson’s interest in case management began while assisting community members remove barriers in gaining employment.  She was able to hone these skills by helping students achieve their academic goals while working for a private faith-based elementary school in Germany.

During this time, she maintained student records while she managed the school’s budget, served as the de facto nurse, and substitute teacher to the student population.  Her interest in the Liberals Arts was prompted after taking literature courses for her bachelor’s degree.  It was further cemented when she visited the Louvre Museum in Paris and the Wallraf-Richartz Museum in Cologne.

Mrs. Jackson’s interests include spending time with her family, serving her community, and crafting.

After graduation from Sam Houston State University in 1990, Mrs. Duty began her teaching career in special education. She taught multi-handicapped and life skills in Texas City while coaching the Special Olympics. She and her husband moved to Houston, and she continued her career as the Special Education Coordinator and resource teacher. After eight years, her family moved to Sugar Land, and she was the inclusion teacher for fourth grade for seventeen years.

After retiring in 2018, Mrs. Duty taught Sunday school and helped her community. She has truly missed teaching students and seeing the wonder in their eyes through learning. She is moving to New Braunfels to be near to her family and she is very happy to be a new member of Great Hearts Live Oak.

Ms. Pruette is thrilled to be a member of the Live Oak family. As a mother of four, Ms. Pruette has seen, first hand, the beauty of the Great Hearts Community and culture as her children have attended Great Hearts schools for more than seven years. Her oldest child graduated with Northern Oaks inaugural class in 2021. The remaining three children are continuing to strive for their hard earned Great Hearts diplomas in the years to come.

Ms. Pruette devoted her early parenting years to her home and children and, when it was time to enter the workforce once again, found her way to Live Oak to serve as an Apprentice Teacher on our upper school Special Education team. She has since transitioned to serving our community as our Student Services Clerk and plans to continue to foster truth, goodness and beauty within our community as we build a strong culture of growth and education.

Brian was born in Chicago, IL and moved to San Antonio in 1980. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology and Education from Texas State University. He has been teaching Special Education for 9 years and specializes in behavior management.

Brian joined the Great Hearts Live Oak family in 2021 as part of the inaugural staff and quickly fell in love with the rich curriculum and high quality of education offered at Great Hearts.

In his spare time Brian enjoys spending time with his family, traveling, reading, and rooting for his favorite Chicago sports teams.

Savannah Arismendi has been working with children for twenty years. In addition to teaching in various classroom setting, she is also a certified Early Intervention Specialist. Prior to joining Great Hearts Live Oak, Mrs. Arismendi was providing specialized skills training to families of children with disabilities.

Mrs. Arismendi received her Bachelor of Arts in Early Childhood Education in 2017 from Texas A&M University of San Antonio. While attending the university, Mrs. Arismendi was invited by one of her professors to write an article for the academic journal, Early Years. She wrote the article highlighting the educational benefits of the Art Crawl, hosted at the San Antonio Museum of Art.  She is currently pursuing her teaching licenses for Special Education through an alternative teaching program.

Mrs. Arismendi was born and raised in Texas. She has been married for fifteen years. She and her husband have two children. When she is not working with students, she enjoys drawing, cooking, and spending time with her family. 

Starting my career in education in 1996, I homeschooled my two girls. After receiving my bachelor’s degree in Special Education, I entered the doorsteps of public education in 2014. I have taught various aspects of Special Education for seven years. I am certified as a General Teacher EC-6, ESL, and Special Education EC-12. 

I have been married to my wonderful husband Kyle for 2 1/2 years. We have six daughters between us and seven grandchildren. I am a proud fourth generation born and raised Texan. This is my first year at Great Hearts and I am so excited to be here!

After graduating from Texas A&M University in 2001 with a B.A. in History, Mrs. Correa spent the next ten years carrying out her passion for assisting children and their families. She worked as a case manager for Communities in Schools in both Dallas and San Antonio, provided chemical dependency counseling at PDAP and RGVC, and pursued her M.A. in Community Counseling.

It was during her time as a case manager at Adams Elementary, HISD that she was asked to consider taking a position as a SPED teacher. While this was not the path she was pursuing at the time, she knew without a doubt that this was where she was being led. She received her Special Education Certification, EC-12, EC-4 in 2008 and fell in love with teaching and the joy she experienced in seeing her students learn, grow and overcome.

Mrs. Correa stepped away from the classroom to help her husband with his business as well as run her own home design business. While this gifted her the opportunity to stay home with her two sons for several years, she wanted to return to what fills her most. Nothing brings Mrs. Correa more joy than assisting others as they strive to live out their calling and purpose in life. She is incredibly grateful and excited to be part of the Great Hearts Live Oak family!

Mrs. Metoyer is joining Great Hearts Live Oak as a Special Education Assistant Teacher. She was born in Humble, Texas and moved to Miami Florida at 8 months old. Rebecca has worked with children from all ages for the past 20 years, including a basketball players family.

She and her husband have two handsome and very energetic boys. They both attend GHLO, Eli is in 4th grade and Ethan is in 6th grade. In her spare time Mrs. Metoyer enjoys playing outside with her boys and going to different parks to explore. She also loves to take her family to the beach! Mrs. Metoyer is excited to be a member of our Great Hearts Live Oak family.

Tiara has always had a servant’s heart. While pursuing her bachelor’s degree in Psychology to become a counselor, in 2016, she had the opportunity to become a camp counselor for The Muscular Dystrophy Association which ignited her passion for working with kids with disabilities.

In 2017, she moved from Georgia to San Antonio after being presented with an opportunity to work as a tutor and mentor to students in at-risk schools. Through this opportunity, Tiara was able to make a difference in student’s lives by helping to change their outlook on life and raise their grades in their English classes.

Subsequently, discovering that she really enjoys working in the classroom, and decided to intertwine her passion with something that she enjoys doing together by applying to work as a Special Education Teaching Assistant for NEISD in 2018. Working as a Special Education Teacher’s Assistant has enhanced her knowledge about students with disabilities and allows her to reach/teach students on a different spectrum.

The mission and core values at Great Hearts align more with Tiara’s values which encouraged her to join such a phenomenal team. Furthermore, she got married in July 2020. Shortly after, she gave birth to a beautiful baby girl in September 2020. Tiara enjoys spending time with family and traveling the country.

Ms. Sereno was born and raised here in San Antonio. She recently graduated from The University of Texas at San Antonio with a Bachelor of Business Management in Marketing. This will be her first year of assistant teaching, and she couldn’t be more thrilled to learn and grow alongside her students.

Ms. Sereno’s love for Great Hearts comes from the classical model as well as the mission of “Truth, Beauty, and Goodness”. She is so excited to share these principles and will be setting the example.

Ms. Sereno is soon to be married to her high school sweetheart and has one dog-child. She enjoys spending time with her pup, reading a good book, and traveling with her fiancé.

Jackie Bankes received her Bachelors of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies from the University of Texas San Antonio, followed by her Masters in Counseling from Wayland Baptist University. She has earned certifications in Early Childhood Education PK-K, Elementary Self-Contained 1-6, ESOL, and in School Counseling.

Aside from substituting, working in preschools and in the children’s ministry at church, Mrs. Bankes has 18 years of experience working in formal education. She has worked in both public and private institutions as an elementary teacher and as a school counselor. She successfully developed the elementary counseling program at her previous school.

Mrs. Bankes is happily married to Eric, her high school sweetheart of over 30 years. They have three amazing daughters. Mrs. Bankes enjoys traveling, her goal is to visit all 50 states. She also enjoys photography and spending time with her family.

Mrs. Bankes loves the look on a child’s face and the excitement they feel when they have mastered a concept. It is one of the best moments of being a teacher. She is excited to be a part of the Great Hearts family.

Mrs. Borden is a founding GHLO faculty member, after six years in a first-grade classroom, she is excited to work with our Owls in need of Reading Intervention and Dyslexia services.  

 Mrs. Borden graduated from Brigham Young University-Idaho where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Sociology with a minor in Family Studies, and Child Development. Her time in the sociology department exposed her to the beauty of Socratic teaching, and she recognizes the importance of a classical education’s role in creating life-long learners.  

 As a native Texan, and San Antonio resident for more than a decade, she feels there are no truer words than “there’s no place like home”. When out of the classroom she is keeping up with her 4 children. She loves time with her family, antiquing, queso-testing, singing like no one is listening, dancing like no one is watching, and roller-skating her heart out. Mrs. Borden also has a weakness for musicals, and enjoys reading classics by Jane Austen, R.D. Blackmore, and C.S. Lewis. All hobbies aside, she is thrilled to continue the pursuit of the Great Hearts mission and provide the best education for all. 

Mrs. Aguillon is a graduate of Christ for the Nations and Southwestern Assemblies of God University and has 13 years of passionate teaching experience. This is her 4th year at a Great Hearts school, and she loves Classical Education. She has a heart for teaching (especially reading) and enjoys building relationships with her students. 

In her free time, she loves spending time with her family, and going on walks. One unique quality about Mrs. Aguillon is that she spent seven years of her life working as a youth pastor in Mexico and learned to speak Spanish fluently. She loves the Mexican culture and enjoys frequent trips with her husband to visit friends and family there.

Mrs. Dilene Witt-Nelson is joining the Owls family from Great Hearts Northern Oaks. Although this is her first year with the Live Oak campus, this is her 5th year with Great Hearts Texas. She has served as a Special Ed teacher and Special Ed coordinator, and is very excited to be joining GHLO as a Reading Interventionist and Dyslexia teacher.

She is currently certified in General Education EC-4 and Special Education EC-12. She obtained her bachelor’s degree in Interdisciplinary Studies with a focus on Special Education from Texas A&M University – Corpus Christi and her Master’s in Educational Technology Leadership from Lamar University.

Mrs. Witt-Nelson has been married to Brian, a retired U.S. Navy Chief, for 29 years and has 3 adult children. Her son, Cassidy, is currently active-duty in the Navy. Her daughters, Kyla and Hayley, still live at home. She has lived in Houston, Tx; Hawaii, and Ingleside, TX prior to moving to San Antonio in 2007. She enjoys going to our state parks, reading, swimming, and traveling when she can.

Ms. Canales received her bachelor’s degree in International Relations from TEC de Monterrey in Monterrey, Mexico and MBA from the Universidad Autonoma de Madrid in Madrid, Spain. She worked at Mexico Green Building Council as an Education Program Manager and at a startup in Madrid before transitioning to teaching.

Ms. Canales has been involved in education for 7 years and has worked with middle school and elementary students throughout her career. She worked at a private school in Monterrey before moving to San Antonio. This will be Ms. Canales’ second year at Great Hearts and first year at Great Hearts Live Oak.

Aside from teaching, Ms. Canales enjoys jigsaw puzzles and spending time with her family. She has a passion for traveling and has visited over 25 countries. She loves to learn about different cultures and meet people from all over the world.

Mr. Phillips began his adventures in adulthood by enlisting in the U.S. Army shortly after graduating high school.  While in uniform, young Mr. Phillips was stationed overseas in both Japan and Germany.  Eventually, after attaining the rank of Staff Sergeant (where he first discovered a talent for inspiring people to success), he decided to rejoin civilian life and completed a bachelor’s program in Political Science at the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA).  After spending a year abroad in a Mandarin Chinese language immersion course, Mr. Phillips returned to UTSA and finished a master’s program in International Relations.

This will be Mr. Phillips’ 5^th year teaching math to young people, and he is very excited to continue doing so at Great Hearts Live Oak.  Mr. Phillips is also a big fan of history and may reliably be expected to launch into an overly detailed description of the 6,523 occurrences that led to any particular noteworthy event.  Finally, Mr. Phillips is an adherent to the old axiom of “Fit Body, Fit Mind”.  Accordingly, he tries to maintain an active lifestyle by hiking, biking and otherwise maintaining a vigorous physical training regimen.

Ms. Clark first combined her love for children with her love for art when, as a teenager, she served as a counselor at a community arts camp. Still informed by these two passions, she is excited to work with the students of Great Hearts Live Oak.

Ms. Clark holds a B.A. from the University of the Cumberlands in Williamsburg, Kentucky, with a dual major in art and religion and a minor in biblical languages. At Cumberlands, she worked with a variety of media, though she was perhaps best known for her oversized acrylic
portraits and her use of vibrant colors.

In addition to her studio and academic work, Ms. Clark volunteered with Mountain Outreach, helping to build homes and wheelchair ramps for local residents, and traveled to Naco, Sonora, Mexico to work at an orphanage. Remaining in the Kentucky mountains after graduation, Ms. Clark worked as a houseparent at Oneida Baptist Institute, mentoring at-risk middle- and high-school dormitory students.

Later, she managed OBI’s daycare facility (infant to pre-K), where she improved safety while introducing new ways to stimulate age-appropriate exploration and learning. A native Texan, Ms. Clark relocated to San Antonio in 2016. Before joining the faculty at Great Hearts Live Oak, she served as housemother to boys and young men, aged 10 to 18 years, at Boysville.

Aside from teaching, Ms. Clark enjoys reading, working out, spending time with her children, and exploring Central Texas.

Ms. Robinson has always had a passion for art, especially art history and its importance for the future generation of artists. She has a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor in Art Education which prepared her for introducing multiple mediums to her students. While in college, Ms. Robinson became known for her nature symbolism and giant watercolor paintings. Ms. Robinson believes her students should see their teacher growing in artistic skills. Thus, she will continue to work on projects outside of school to show her students art is a continual process not a destination.

Ms. Robinson spent two years in college as the education and curator intern at the Bell County Museum in Belton, Texas where she led summer camps, Saturday community events, and aided in setting up exhibits. This experience allowed Ms. Robinson to develop a deeper love for teaching and for elementary school children.

When Ms. Robinson is not creating art, she can be found reading with her two cats, country dancing, and trying new food places around San Antonio. Ms. Robinson is extremely excited to begin her teaching career at Great Hearts Live Oak as well as instilling the importance of art to the future generations.

Mrs. Marianne Orton is honored to be a founding faculty member of Great Hearts Live Oak. Previous to coming to Live Oak, Mrs. Orton taught private piano and voice lessons for the last 15 years, which
allowed her to stay at home with her 4 children.

She obtained her bachelor’s degree in Vocal Pedagogy from Weber State University in Ogden, Utah. There she had many cherished opportunities in the choral program and their budding opera program. Music has been an integral part of her life. Taught to play the piano by her mother, good and beautiful music filled their home, and she knew at a young age that music would be her profession.

After college she became a certified Kindermusik teacher, which helped
her discover her love of teaching music to young children. Mrs. Orton has also been blessed with many service opportunities in her church, where she is often playing the piano or organ, leading choirs, or teaching the young children scripture stories through music. She believes strongly that music teaches children to recognize beauty, and it will fill their lives with more compassion, gentleness, and goodness.

When she is not playing the piano or singing, she also enjoys reading, quilting, doing yoga, playing pickle ball, and baking cookies or pies for her family.

James Martinez is delighted to begin his teaching practice at Great Hearts in the pursuit of Truth, Goodness, and Beauty.  He is the Music Teacher for 3-5th grades where he will share his passion for music with our GHLO scholars. This will be his first teaching year after spending 10 years in the workforce.

Mr. Martinez is a San Antonio native and comes to us with a strong musical background with expertise in percussion, drums, and piano.  He is an ardent admirer of live music and enjoys supporting the arts.  He acquired a Bachelor of Music degree from Texas Lutheran University, and it was there where his appreciation and understanding of a classical education began.    

Mrs. Alvarez received her bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of Texas Pan-American with a minor in sociology and another in Spanish and is currently working towards her teaching certification from early childhood to 6^th grade. She is excited to teach Spanish to our K-2nd scholars!

She has had plenty of experience within the education field, ranging from working as an elementary school math tutor during her college years to teaching ESL online and substituting in bilingual and ESL classrooms.

Mrs. Alvarez considers herself a life-long learner and is always looking for the next book to read or skill to learn. During her free time, she likes painting ceramics, playing trivia games with her husband and two children, exercising, and traveling around the world. Mrs. Alvarez is thrilled to start this new adventure. Go Owls!

Betsabé Sigala is very excited to be a part of the Great Hearts team in Live Oak with an amazing opportunity to serve the community as an upcoming teacher.

Betsabé graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Interdisciplinary studies (UTSA) which was focused in Bilingual Education. Her experiences in working with children led Betsabé to find her vocation and passion in becoming an educator. She continues to have the honor to volunteer in numerous organizations. She worked for a program called P-20 initiatives as a mentor in UTSA and developed more professionally as she worked in the Special Education field for NEISD.

Most of her life has been filled with creativity, the love of the outdoors, the enjoyment for novels and the yearn to learn. Betsabé’s goal is to make an impact on her students and help them succeed to their fullest potential.

Mrs. Cortney Gonzalez comes to Great Hearts Live Oak after being at home with her daughters for almost 11 years. She had the privilege of teaching elementary physical education for three years in New Mexico before starting her family. She is looking forward to rejoining the mission, with her fellow Great Hearts educators, of teaching and guiding students on their journey to becoming well-rounded individuals in pursuit of learning.

Mrs. Gonzalez has a passion for Physical Education and considers it essential to a child’s development. She believes teaching children the fundamental skills and concepts of physical movement so that they can build and improve their physical abilities. Her goal is leading students to enjoy physical activity and motivate them to continue being active for their lifetime.

Mrs. Gonzalez earned her Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology with emphasis in Physical Education from the University of Texas at San Antonio. She grew up in a small town in South Texas and married her high school sweetheart, Jaime, two years after he joined the military. They have enjoyed the adventure of military life but are thrilled to be back in the great state of Texas. She has 3 beautiful daughters, Bella, Callie, and Lilly. Mrs. Gonzalez loves spending time with her family, photography, and enjoying the outdoors.

Mr. Bollinger holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Phoenix and recently retired after 32 years as a UPS driver. He is excited to begin his first year of instruction teaching Physical Education in our lower school. Mr. Bollinger also had the privilege of being an assistant coach for the Owls basketball team last fall.

He and his wife Lisa have been married for twelve years and have three children attending Live Oak this fall. In his spare time, Mr. Bollinger enjoys watching and playing baseball, listening to music, and spending time with his family.

Mrs. Handa grew up in New Delhi and Mumbai, India after which she moved to the USA in 1996. Since then, she has lived in New Jersey, Virginia and San Antonio which has been her home for the last 5 years now. She lives with her husband and two sons, 15 and 9. Her oldest will be a freshman at Northeast School of Arts magnet program (NESA) and is also on the path to get his Eagle Scout rank. Her youngest will start 3rd grade this fall.

Mrs. Handa graduated from the School of Visual Arts, NYC earning her Bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts. She subsequently received her Elementary Montessori Teacher Certification from the Princeton Center for Teacher Education in Princeton, New Jersey.

Mrs. Handa has over 12 years of teaching experience and owes her love for teaching to her mother who has been an elementary teacher for more than 25 years. Mrs. Handa fell in love with the Great Hearts core values after her younger son started at GHNO two years ago and she saw a deep love for learning develop in him.

Mrs. Handa loves to cook, travel with her boys, and enjoys doing art projects in her free time. She looks forward to welcoming her young students as she guides them in laying their educational foundation. She loves being a part of the caring and student-centered community at GHLO.

My name is Mrs. Griffin and I will be the Apprentice Teacher for KA this year. This is my first year at Great Hearts and I am so excited!

I am a mom to two little boys, Avery and Brayden, who keep me on my toes. During my free time, I love to craft and cook.

I look forward to getting to know each scholar this year as we learn and grow together!

Mrs. Lund aspired to become a teacher since elementary school. Her found passion for education formulated while attending The University of Texas at San Antonio from where she received her Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies – EC-6.

As a mother of an incoming second grader, she saw firsthand the joy and beauty in learning Spalding and Singapore math. This is when she found herself falling in love with Great Hearts philosophy and curriculum.

Mrs. Lund is from San Antonio, Texas. She enjoys spending quality time, bike riding, swimming, and taking nature walks with her husband and children.

Mrs. Sandoval was born and raised in Los Angeles, California and she moved to San Antonio in 2020. Mrs. Sandoval attended Cal State Dominguez Hills where she studied assistive technology and child development. She loves working with children and has a passion for education. She has spent her entire career working in the child development field; ranging from preschool, pre-k, special education, and school age children. Mrs. Sandoval started her journey working at Great Hearts Live Oak as an Athenaeum teacher in 2021. This year she is thrilled to be joining the kindergarten team as KB Apprentice Teacher!

During her free time, Mrs. Sandoval loves to create arts and crafts projects, go on nature walks, and swim at the beach. She also enjoys baking treats and cooking new recipes for her family

Mrs. Chapa grew up in McAllen, Texas in the 1960’s, and moved to San Antonio when she was 10 years old. She has lived in San Antonio since 1972. Mrs. Chapa graduated from Texas A&M University with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Education and has taught all grade levels at some capacity. Her love for teaching comes from her mother who taught Kindergarten for 40 years.

Mrs. Chapa’s love for Great Hearts comes from the classical model which was part of her elementary education. She has worked for Great Hearts for three years and is one of the founding members of Great Hearts Live Oak.

Mrs. Chapa is married to her husband of 40 years and have three children and six grandchildren. She enjoys spending time with her grandchildren, cooking, sewing and traveling with her husband.

Mrs. Sharipova started working at Great Hearts Live Oak as an Apprentice Teacher in 4th grade in 2020. This year she is joining the Kindergarten Team, and she is so excited to explore, learn and apply new curriculum. She has also taught Russian language when she oversaw the Russian Language Owls Club at Great Hearts Live Oak previously.

Mrs. Sharipova was born in Tajikistan. She has 8 years of teaching experience in her native country teaching English as a Foreign Language (EFL) to children, teenagers and adults. She has also taught in Ukraine and Moldova. She holds a Bachelors degree from Nosiri Khusrav University. She is fluent in English, Tajik (her native language) and Russian, but also has an intermediate level of the Uzbek language.

Her passions are reading books about history and visiting historical places in order to get a taste of the past. In her free time, she likes to play the harmonica, outdoor activities such as playing basketball and tennis and she loves hiking. She is grateful to be part of Great Hearts Live Oak and is excited to be part of this amazing community.

Ms. Alison Palomino was born in Mexico and moved to the United States at the age of eight. Being an English language learner herself, she found a passion for teaching others. She is a college graduate of Texas A&M San Antonio where she earned her Bachelor’s of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies at A&M San Antonio and Texas certification ranging from Early Childhood to 6th grade. 

Ms. Palomino first joined Great Hearts in the 2019-2020 school year. This is when she found herself falling in love with Great Hearts philosophy and curriculum. She is thrilled to continue to teach Kindergarten, as her heart belongs with the little ones. It is an honor for Ms. Palomino to get the opportunity to instill an early enthusiasm for learning and help lay the foundation for education and discovery. 

In her free time, Ms. Palomino enjoys cooking and baking. She enjoys trying out new restaurants around the city and spending quality time with her loved ones. Ms. Palomino is looking forward to being part of your child’s education and providing a welcoming, safe and loving environment for your scholar.

Born in Ponce, Puerto Rico Maria grew a passion for teaching witnessing her mom teaching as a child. Wanting to follow her steps she began volunteering as a teenager in the drama and puppet team for children’s ministry for over 2 years. Wanting to grow her knowledge in childcare and child development she worked at a Preschool for six years, four of those years being a lead of her own classroom.

Maria has two children who will also be attending Great Hearts this school year. It was through her son’s learning disability that her passion grew as she learned tactics on how to better help him through his learning experiences. She is currently pursuing a degree in Early Childhood at UTSA.

On her time off Maria loves to spend time with her family outside, travel, and cook.

Mrs. Sanchez was born and raised in Northern Illinois. She was homeschooled through 12^th grade and was taught many of the tenets of a classical education. She moved to Texas in college, ultimately graduating from the University of Texas at  San Antonio with a B.A. in Criminal Justice.

Since her college graduation, Mrs. Sanchez has had over 5 years experience working in elementary & preschool classrooms. She is excited for her first year of  lead instruction here at Great Hearts Live Oak!

Outside of the classroom, Mrs. Sanchez enjoys cooking, reading, cheering on her favorite Chicago sports teams, and spending time outside with her husband and daughter.

Mrs. Beheler is excited to join the Great Hearts Live Oak family as a First Grade Apprentice Teacher. She is a native Texan, born in Laredo and eventually moving to San Antonio, TX.

She received her Bachelor’s degree from U.T.S.A and has many years of experience in a classroom setting. When her children were in elementary school, she spent much of her time volunteering at their schools and eventually substituting as well. Her love of wanting to help children learn and grow has kept her in a teaching environment.

Mrs. Beheler has been married for 26 years and she has 2 children. She loves spending time with her family, going to museums and taking road trips.

From the age of 8 years old, Victoria Cisneros knew she was destined to be a teacher. Her dream never wavered as she continued to pursue a degree in interdisciplinary studies at the University of Texas at San Antonio. She is also a Texas certified teacher ranging from early childhood to 6th grade. Mrs. Cisneros has had plenty of experience within the education field such as substituting, tutoring, ESL teaching online, and Great Hearts very own Athenaeum program. Mrs. Cisneros is excited to be pouring out her passion at Great Hearts Live Oak! She is ready to bring a spirit of excellence and carry the unique culture of Great Hearts!

Mrs. Cisneros is committed to being a lifelong learner. She continually challenges herself to grow as a leader. Spending time with her family and growing in her faith bring Mrs. Cisneros the most joy. She also enjoys reading, exercising, and eating lots of sweets!

Marcela Lytch was born in San Salvador, El Salvador, after which she moved to the USA in 2002. Since then, she has lived in Los Angeles, California and now San Antonio. She appreciates the cultural diversity as well as the family-oriented feel that this city has to offer.

Mrs. Lytch has an Associates Degree in Psychology from San Antonio College. In 2020, during her son’s kindergarten year, she fell in love with Great Heart’s core values, classical education and leadership that are at the forefront of the curriculum. So, it comes with great excitement that she will be joining the Great Hearts Live Oak team as a First Grade Apprentice Teacher. She is ready for this new adventure, the opportunity to create a love of learning in the classroom in the pursuit of Truth, Beauty and Goodness.

She and her husband will be celebrating 10 years of marriage this October. Together they have two beautiful children that attend GHLO. Mrs. Lytch loves spending time with her family, going camping, taking beach trips, swimming, good coffee, trying new and delicious food, and creating long lasting memories. She also loves serving her church and community. It was during her time as a stay-at-home mom when she realized her passion and love for children. She wanted to provide families and their children a safe, loving, and trustworthy environment. This led her to open an in-home day care to which she dedicated the last 6 years of her life. Those years have been the most rewarding years of her life. 

Mrs. Day has a degree from the University of Texas at San Antonio in Criminal justice and started off working with juveniles in the Bexar County Juvenile Probation Department. Her dream is to help children achieve their goals and be successful by inspiring a love of learning that will offer them many future possibilities.

She is also a Texas certified teacher ranging from early childhood to 6th grade. Mrs. Day has had plenty of experience within the educational field such as Early Childhood Education with toddlers to age 3 with 3 prior years of teaching. Mrs. Day is excited to be pouring out her passion at Great Hearts Live Oak. She is ready to bring a spirit of excellence and continue the unique culture of Great Hearts!

Mrs. Day is committed to being a lifelong learner. She continually challenges herself to grow as an educator. Spending time with her new family and growing in her faith brings Mrs. Day the most joy. She also enjoys reading, swimming, and exploring the world around her!

Mrs. Ashley Hejl is an Apprentice Teacher in first grade working alongside Mrs. Day. She is a graduate of Texas State University with a bachelors’ degree in education. She has been a part of the Great Hearts family as a parent first and it exceeded expectations, so she couldn’t wait to be a part of it. She has a 3rd and 1st grader here at GHLO.

In her free time, she enjoys being outdoors with her husband and kids – camping, road trips, hiking, fishing and the beach. This summer her family took a trip to Colorado Springs to see Garden of the Gods and then Utah to see Arches National Park.

She cannot wait to start her second year at Great Hearts Live Oak and help children develop a love of learning and exploration. She knows with high expectations of all students for success, they will do wonderful and amazing things this year! 

My name is Melissa Wilson, and I am very excited to join Live Oak this school year! I am thrilled to be your scholar’s teacher, and I am looking forward to a year of joyous learning, wonderous fun, and beautiful adventures. I can’t wait to learn all about your scholar, but first I would like to tell you a little about me.

I am originally from Washington State and I graduated from the University of Arizona. I have taught for over 10 years from Pre-K to 6th grade physical education, a director at Sylvan Learning Center, SAT and Speed-Reading course, and assistant taught. I have lived in San Antonio for 5 years, with my two wonderful children William and Savanah.

There is so much I am looking forward to doing this school year! One of my favorite things to teach is literacy. I am looking forward to sharing my love of reading with your scholar this school year. 

Mrs. Winstead is originally from Southern California. She is a 22-year Air Force veteran and a graduate of Columbia Southern University. Her military assignments included Military Police, Personnel Management, and Career Assistance Advisor. As a Career Assistance Advisor, she discovered a passion for educating, mentoring, and guiding people to make educated career decisions. Overall, her military career included 9 assignments and three deployments.  

After retirement, Mrs. Winstead and her family chose San Antonio as their permanent home. She has been married to her husband Scott for 19 years and have a 7-year-old daughter, Riley who inspires her to teach and see the world through her daughter’s eyes. Mrs. Winstead is proud to be part of the GHLO community and excited to be your child’s apprentice teacher this year. Together we will learn, grow, and explore new things.

I look forward to an Owlsome year!

Miss Maia Russell is a native of San Antonio and is a college graduate of Texas A&M University- San Antonio where she earned her bachelor’s degree in English.

Ms. Russell first joined the Great Hearts team at Monte-Vista South where she served as a second grade Apprentice Teacher and part-time Athenaeum Teacher. She is excited to be at Great Hearts Live Oak as a second-grade Lead Teacher. Maia has a heart for education, learning and growing the minds of herself and her scholars.

She enjoys the company of her close friends and family, discovering new books to read and trying new and delicious foods the city has to offer.

Ms. Jones is a GHLO parent and joined us at the end of the 2022 school year. She has lived in Seattle, Northern Virginia, and Columbia, South Carolina, but has been in San Antonio since 2013. Her daughter attends GHLO and her sons will follow when they reach school age.

Ms. Jones has three dogs, two cats, and is an aspiring homesteader. She loves to learn about outdoor and survival skills, and eventually wants to have a second home in Alaska to summer in. Hobbies include singing, spending time with her children and friends, attempting to garden, fishing, cuddling with her animals, and being as active as possible in her church. 

Ms.  Jones is excited to be a lifelong learner and aspires to advance her career with GHLO.

Kasey Mayfield is a San Antonio native and has lived here her whole life. She loves her city and all it has to offer. She can sometimes be found walking downtown finding new adventures and things to see. She also loves to find beautiful places in nature to walk around with her two dogs, Nora and Itsy. She has her bachelor’s degree from Texas A&M San Antonio in Interdisciplinary Studies.

Ms. Mayfield was led to Great Hearts because of her love for students and education. She was a Great Hearts Apprentice Teacher for three years at Great Hearts Northern Oaks and loved every minute of it. Ms. Mayfield learned so much from her time there and is excited to join the Great Hearts Live Oak team as a Lead Teacher.

Hello Live Oak Family! My name is Lexi Esparza or Miss Esparza as the kids will know me. While I was not born in San Antonio, I consider myself a San Antonian at heart. I grew up here with my mom, my stepdad and my two little brothers.

There is so much here to discover, and I am still finding new things to love here every day. You can find me exploring coffee shops, walking through the aisles of bookstores, or taking trips to Target for fun. I love music, pastels, and spending time with kids every chance I get.

I graduated from Roosevelt High School where I was a part of the dance team for four years. I spend a lot of my time leading and caring for the children within my church. This is where I found my love for both kids and teaching. This will be my first year a part of Great Hearts Live Oak and I am so excited for the journey that awaits me with your scholars!

Mrs. Divina Shelley is so thrilled to join the Great Hearts Live Oak family. She and her husband will be celebrating their 25th wedding anniversary this year and being a mother to 4 children has been her greatest joy. 

Mrs. Shelley received her bachelor’s degree in Education, an associate degree in Psychology, and a minor in Bible. Her love for children and students started at a young age. As she traveled abroad in missions and served in her local community and church, serving and helping came naturally for her. Mrs. Shelley and her husband worked full time in youth ministry, children’s ministry, and family ministry for over 25 years. She valued her 10 years as a full time stay at home mom. But even during that season, she invested in women and families across the city as she served in leadership with MOPS. 

Mrs. Shelley began her teaching career in Dallas, TX. This will be her 15th year in elementary education. She observed her friends for the last few years speaking fondly about Great Hearts Academy. The virtues and the pursuit of Beauty, Truth, and Goodness truly was inspiring to her, and she wanted to be a part of the vision at Great Hearts. She taught last year at Great Hearts Western Hills and transferred to Great Hearts Live Oak to be closer to her community. 

She is so thankful to invest in her 2nd Grade Scholars!

I am very excited to be in this new position here at Great Hearts Live Oak. I have loved Soccer since I was 7 years old and started playing from age 7 through high school. I also ran Cross Country for my last two years of high school. I took a break during college to focus on academics and then picked up a coed soccer league as an adult, for fun and fitness. After I graduated from Texas State University, with a degree in Family and Child development, I had to opportunity to go back to my Alma Mater High School to be on the other side and coach Soccer for two years and one year of Volleyball. I had the wonderful privilege of coaching our First Soccer team here at Great Hearts for 2020-2021 inaugural year, and we had an amazing season!

I am absolutely looking forward to expanding our Athletic program this year, and more in years to come. The mission of Great Hearts, “Truth, Beauty, and Goodness”, not only lives in the classroom, but also on all fields. We are growing character and personal development in all capacities for future greatness.

Jasmin is so excited to be the soil for these little ones to grow and blossom, as she has her own future Kindergartener who will join GHLO Owls. She enjoys being a mother and spends much time on puzzles and creations on her nifty Cricut machine.

Mrs. Montano was born and raised in the Rio Grande Valley, Tx. She has six years of early childhood education. She obtained her Bachelor’s degree in Applied Science in early childhood development.

Mrs. Montano has three children in their early twenties and her hobbies include going camping and going out to the beach. She is excited to be a part of Great Hearts that is educating young minds to pursue truth, goodness, and beauty.

Brooke Hardy is thrilled to be starting work with young scholars at Great Hearts Live Oak. She graduated from the University of Virginia in 2018 with a Bachelor’s degree in government and media studies. She previously worked as a campus staff minister to college-aged students in a parachurch ministry, where many of her students had physical and cognitive learning disabilities. She is ready to the bring skills she learned from teaching that diverse student body to her GHLO class, and she is especially excited about the third grade history and language arts curriculum this year.

Mrs. Hardy got married in May 2021 and moved down to San Antonio (from Virginia) for the start of her husband’s medical residency. In her free time she can be found watching movies, playing video games, and rock climbing. She also hopes to learn Spanish while she’s living in Texas, and loves spending evenings playing with her cat Mordecai.

Amanda Turner is excited to be a part of the Great Hearts Live Oak community. Ms. Turner has worked as a substitute for the Judson School District for two years. She graduated from University of Texas of San Antonio with her Bachelor’s degree in Interdisciplinary Studies with a concentration in English as a second language. She also recently graduated from Texas A&M International with her Masters degree in Curriculum and Instruction with a concentration in Reading.

Ms. Turner is ready to bring and use her skills in the classroom. She is looking forward to the third-grade history and science curriculum this year. In her free time she enjoys reading, playing video games, and gardening.

Nathalia Carmichael is delighted to be returning to Great Hearts Live Oak. Mrs. Carmichael taught for five years at Great Hearts Archway Trivium West in Arizona before moving to Great Hearts Live Oak last year. 

Mrs. Carmichael graduated with honors from Biola University and the Torrey Honors Institute, where she studied English literature and creative writing through a Great Books program. While reading is one of her passions, she can also be found knitting and or cooking new foods.

She looks forward to coming alongside parents to cultivate a heart of virtue and a desire for truth, goodness, and beauty in each young scholar.

Mrs. Graebener joined Great Hearts Live Oak as a founding faculty in 2020. Since then, she has been working as an Apprentice Teacher in 3^rd grade and she is thrilled to share the joy of learning with the future owls.

Mrs. Graebener’s journey as a Great Hearts family started when she discovered the best interest for classical education while searching for a curriculum for her children. What she believes in classical education is that its focus is to provide a well-rounded education to children and every single child deserves a high-quality education.

Mrs. Graebener was born and raised in South Korea where she attended Daegu university. There, she majored in English Literature and Language, and during that time, she discovered the joy of reading classic novels. Before she joined Great Hearts Live Oak, she worked as a preschool teacher at Trinity Christian Academy for 3 years.

She is happily married to an Army veteran and has her own two scholars at home. During her free time, she enjoys spending time outdoor painting and listening to classical music so you will see me either outside painting or listening to classical music.

Joseph Schuster is truly thrilled to join the founding faculty of Great Hearts Live Oak as a lead teacher!  Mr. Schuster hails from Swanton, Ohio and recently graduated from Franciscan University of Steubenville with a B.S. in Early Childhood Education, Intervention, and Theology.  From daycare to middle school, Mr. Schuster has engaged learners of many different ages and needs across a variety of educational settings.  He is very eager to apply his experience to the unique mission and classical pedagogy of Great Hearts schools.  Above all, he can’t wait to see his students grow in virtue and develop a life-long love of learning and of things True, Good, and Beautiful.

When he is not teaching, you might find Mr. Schuster spending quality time with his two sisters, reading one of his favorite children’s books, or learning a new piano piece.  He also enjoys musical theater, singing in choir, and drawing pictures. Go Owls!

As a wife and mother of four children, Mrs. Davison cultivated her passion for teaching and instruction through the rigors of homeschooling. After 5 years in that role she decided to enroll her children into Great Hearts Live Oak as one of the inaugural families. After watching her children excel and grow in the structured atmosphere of classical education, she is excited to join the Great Hearts Live Oak staff as a Third Grade Apprentice Teacher.

Rione is happily married to Brandon, her husband of 14 years and they enjoy spending time together along with their 4 children (Mayah, Mikaela, Micah, and Malachi) affectionately known as the M&M’s. During her free time Rione enjoys event planning, working out and all things craft.

As Sara grew up, she naturally developed a love of helping others. Her passion is to work with children and help them grow academically. Each child deserves to be pushed to their greatest academic capability and have access to love and support during their journey at Great Hearts. This is Ms. Poole’s second year at Great Hearts Live Oak and her first year as Lead Teacher in third grade. Ms. Poole has also coached the GHLO girl’s soccer team!

She has worked with refugee students, kids with mental struggles, and kids who have disabilities. Growing up, Sara resided in San Antonio, Texas, as an only child, with a loving mother. During her time at MacArthur high school, she played in the band and played soccer.

Sara is a graduate from UTSA with a bachelor’s degree in Psychology. To further her education, she will be pursuing grad school and get her Special Education certification. During her free time, she enjoys playing soccer and spending time with her Chihuahua, named Diesel!

Ms. Saavedra is excited to be returning to Great Hearts Live Oak for a second year as an Apprentice Teacher for third grade!

Ms. Saavedra was born and raised in Mexico and moved to San Antonio when she was 15 years old. She attended the University of Texas at San Antonio and graduated with a bachelor’s in History. During her time in college, she did research on immigration, minority groups, civil rights, and international relations.

When not at work, you can find her painting, on a road trip, at the gym, and trying new restaurants alongside her friends and family. She also enjoys reading a good book with the company of her dog Frodo and cat Boba. Go Owls!

Ms. Castaneda joins the Great Hearts Live Oak community as a new faculty member. She is ready to learn anything and everything to help make it a great year! 

Ms. Castaneda received her B.A in Criminal Justice in 2020 from the University of Texas San Antonio. While working for her bachelors, she interned with BCFS Health and Human Services with PAL. Ms. Castaneda helped educate youths in foster care about Preparation for Adult Living services. After a year and a half of working as an educator, she decided to join the general education field!  

She was born in Houston, TX and raised in San Antonio, TX. Ms. Castaneda loves gardening, crafts, home decor, and spending time with her daughter with family activities.  

My name is Elizabeth Mathews. I was called to educate the minds and hearts of children at an early age. I am excited to teach 4th grade here at Great Hearts Live Oak. My hope is that my years of experience teaching will benefit my students and their families.

Overall, I have been an educator for 22 years and I believe that education is of the utmost importance for the betterment of our society. I received my bachelor’s degree from Governors State University and I am currently pursuing my graduate degree in education at Grand Canyon University. During my career I have taught everything from PreK4 to 4th grade. I am a widow with three amazing sons, my oldest is 23 years old and the twins are 15 years old. I have a one year old granddaughter and recently I gained another beautiful granddaughter to further fill my heart.

I know how important their education is to me and I want to provide the same level of passion for my students that I desire for my sons and granddaughters. I am excited for my journey to begin and my future here at Great Hearts Live Oak!

Mrs. Leyva is a recent graduate of the University of Texas at San Antonio with a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature with Summa Cum Laude honors. During Mrs. Leyva’s studies, she served as a college writing tutor. This provided Mrs. Leyva with a unique opportunity to immerse herself in her many academic interests while also preparing her for a future in the field of education.

All her life, Mrs. Leyva has adored literature and the humanities. As early as elementary school, she naturally gravitated towards subjects such as history, art, and poetry. The skillful instruction and careful guidance of her teachers helped cultivate these academic curiosities into productive passions. As someone who was shaped by the intelligence, care, and dedication of her former educators, Mrs. Leyva understands how deeply a phenomenal teacher may impact a student’s life.

She strives to pay this forward as a Lead Instructor here at Great Hearts Live Oak. Mrs. Leyva considers it a great honor and responsibility to participate in a students’ journey towards intellectual and moral growth.

Ms. Adeline Busekrus (or Miss B) is a new Apprentice Teacher here at Great Hearts Live Oak and will be in 4B with Mrs. Leyva. Miss B was born and raised on the island of Oahu where she attended elementary school and after graduating from high school, she attended Windward Community College where she graduated with her Associates Degree in Hawaiian Studies. Although she has a strong passion for Hawaiian Language and cultural studies, she moved to San Antonio this summer to broaden her perspective and gain teaching experience at Great Hearts Live Oak. 

Miss B began working in her Junior year of high school at a small coffee shop as well as volunteering at an after-school care program for grades K-5 at a homeless shelter twice a week. She was also an assistant teacher for religious education at her parish St. John Vianney Kailua for two years. Miss B hopes to expand her knowledge in the field of education and return back to school to receive a Bachelor’s degree in either elementary education or Hawaiian Immersion Education.

In her free time, Miss B loves to be outdoors whether hiking, swimming, or going for a walk. She is very excited to engage with this year’s fourth grade scholars and wishes both students and teachers a wonderful year ahead. 

Melissa Louidor is excited to be a part of the Great Hearts Live Oak community! She officially became an owl in the winter of 2022 when she joined the team as an Apprentice Teacher in 2nd grade. She is ready to take on the Lead Teacher role in fourth grade here at GHLO.

Mrs. Louidor is a New Jersey native where she earned her Bachelor’s Degree from Rutgers University.  After decades of growing and training talent for companies; she received the call to teach and is certified in several subjects and grade levels.  

This will be her sixth year teaching and she looks forward to the pursuit of the truth, the good and the beautiful.

Hello, my name is Gianna Martinez, and this is my first year at Great Hearts Live Oak! I will be joining the team as a 4th grade Apprentice Teacher. I graduated from the University of California at Davis in 2020 with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and I look forward to fostering your scholar’s growth. 

In my free time, I love to read, paint, and lounge with my two cats, Mishi and Dahlia. I look forward to a spectacular school year! Go Owls!

Katharine Weaver is thrilled to be joining the Great Hearts Live Oak family. After residing in Michigan and graduating from Eastern Michigan University with her Bachelors in Elementary Education, Ms. Weaver moved to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania where she quickly found a home as a Kindergarten Teacher with a local charter school that focused primarily on the impact of the environment. She thoroughly enjoyed helping to create the curriculum from scratch and utilizing the gorgeous city park directly behind the campus. Taking her students on hikes and constantly discovering the beauty that nature has to offer was by far her favorite part of teaching with that charter.

After being a Kinder teacher for several years, Ms. Weaver took a break to become a mother to her two amazing daughters and later moved to Texas to be closer to her parents. Last year was her first year back to the world of classroom teaching!

When Ms. Weaver isn’t teaching you can find her spending time with her daughters and parents. Exploring the Texas outdoors and day trips are a favorite past time with her children. Ms. Weaver also enjoys live music and discovering intimate venues the surrounding cities have to offer.

Clinton McKee is a Fifth Grade Apprentice Teacher at Great Hearts Live Oak. After spending most of his life living in Austin, he moved to San Antonio to pursue a degree. He recently graduated from UTSA with a double major Bachelor’s in Communications and Modern Language Studies. While attending UTSA, he had also been taking Japanese language classes. He has been learning Japanese for over 3 years now, in the hopes of one day visiting Japan.

Aside from tutoring friends in college, this will be Clint’s first professional teaching experience. He is eager to follow the example set by the fantastic staff at Live Oak. During this academic year, he hopes to inspire a great love of reading within his students. He also looks forward to the upcoming history units that Ms. Weaver will be teaching; the Japanese history unit in particular is something he believes he can greatly contribute to. 

His hobbies include hiking, film, journalism, and practicing kanji characters. The most recent book he read was The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, by Robert Louis Stevenson. Additionally, he has been studying Egyptian history in his free time.

Mrs. Kuiper found a passion and a love for classical education when her children were very young and embarking upon their educational journey. She was drawn to the classical approach and began to educate her children at home in the classical model. Upon moving to San Antonio in 2016 she discovered the wonderful opportunity for her children to receive a tuition- free classical education. When the time was right she was eager to enroll them in Great Hearts. This will be their third year as a Great Hearts family.

Mrs. Kuiper was thrilled to join the inaugural faculty of Great Hearts Live Oak as a First Grade Apprentice Teacher. Mrs. Kuiper graduated from Texas Tech University in 2004 with a Bachelors in Science in Human Development and Family Studies. She has over 15 years of experience working with families and children. She has been a teacher in classrooms both abroad and state-side, a case worker for social services, worked at the collegiate level in Residence Life, and homeschooled her children.

She loves a good book, good coffee, and spending time with her husband and children playing games or going camping. Mrs. Kuiper is beyond excited to be in her role as a Fifth Grade Teacher! She cannot wait to discover and explore wonderful new things with your scholars.

Hoot Hoot Hooray!

Mr. Johnston is a Northern California native that feels privileged to be a part of the work that Great Hearts Live Oak is doing in the Live Oak community. After high school, he spent eight transformative years in the military. While in the US Navy, he lived in various states and spent two years living in Japan. While in the military he was in a bad car accident that resulted in the amputation of his left leg below the knee. While it was a serious setback at the time and remains a permanent physical disability, it was also a springboard into some truly unique opportunities that resulted in substantial personal growth. One such opportunity was representing Team USA on the world stage in the sport of triathlon for five years. The intense physical training that is demanded to compete competitively in such a strenuous sport simultaneously builds an athlete’s mind. Johnston found that through sports a mental tenacity and dedication were forged.

While racing was a tremendous opportunity and deeply developed his character, he knew that his long-term goal was to make a lasting impact in an elementary school classroom. While he was in third grade, he had a male teacher that believed so deeply that he could be someone great that it profoundly altered the course of his life. Although his childhood mentor’s shoes are large shoes to fill, he wants to similarly captivate and breathe life into young students’ belief in themselves so that they embrace their potential for excellence.

Ms. Valerie Baca was born and raised in the “Sun City” of El Paso, Texas. She then continued with her educational career at Sul Ross State University in Alpine Texas where graduated with a B.S. in Mathematics with a minor in Political Science. Ms. Baca always knew that she wanted to pursue her dreams of teaching, so she made the wise decision of getting her degree in her favorite subject.

She then made the best choice of moving to San Antonio where she discovered Great Hearts Live Oak. Ms. Baca is extremely enthusiastic to start as a lead teacher this school year! The faculty and staff at GHLO have made the experience so magical and she cannot wait for the scholars to step into her classroom and make this dream into a reality. Ms. Baca is looking forward to starting her new journey and growing her love of learning with her students.

Outside the classroom, Ms. Baca spends her time weightlifting, enjoying her family and friends’ company, or exploring the beauty that San Antonio has to offer. She also enjoys visiting plant nurseries, listening to music, and lounging with her dog Emmy.

Mrs. Kent is passionate about investing in young lives. Her goal every day is to pour everything she has into each of her students. This passion for investing started young with every opportunity she could get her hands on. Whether it was babysitting and helping in Sunday School as a youngster, or being a full-time Nanny and Tutor as a young adult; her heart has been drawn to every form of nurturing a child might need.

It’s no surprise then, that the Apprentice Teacher position is what drew her to Great Hearts. Here was an entire role designed to support learning and growth in the classroom; partnering with the lead teacher to cultivate the minds and hearts of each student. She loves getting the opportunity to invest one-on-one with students and be a source of accountability for their behaviors. 

Mrs. Kent has been with Great Hearts since 2019, and has served as an Apprentice Teacher in Kindergarten, 2nd Grade, and 5th Grade. She is proud to be part of the founding faculty here and has found a home at Great Hearts Live Oak.