Our Staff

Jessica Clark is so excited to be returning for her 3rd year here at LPA! She was born and raised in St. Louis but spent 12 years living and teaching in Kansas City, MO. Jessica graduated from Missouri Western State University with a degree in elementary education with an emphasis in early childhood and a minor in mathematics. This will be Jessica’s 9th year teaching kindergarten and 12th year teaching early childhood. Her classroom runs off of love, excitement, and exploration, and she cannot wait to meet the students and families that she will get to share this year with! A few of Jessica’s favorite things are the color pink, country music, traveling, and her 9-year-old son Cooper!

Tina Edwards is so excited to join LPA this year. Tina grew up in Arkansas (WOOO PIG) and received a bachelor’s degree from the University of Central Arkansas. The 2023-2024 school year will be her 3rd teaching. Tina has a true passion for working with our youngest learners! She loves that she can make a difference in her student’s lives every day. She strives to create a warm, loving, and fun environment where her students can grow as readers, writers, and mathematicians. 2023 is already the best year. Starting at LPA in the fall and getting married in October. Outside of school, Tina loves to try new charcuterie boards, read anything by Colleen Hoover, travel the world, and scuba dive. Tina already feels at home with LPA. Bring on the 2023-2024 school year!

Amy Hertert joined the first grade team at Lafayette Preparatory Academy in 2014. Amy moved to St. Louis from Oregon where she taught for 4 years. Amy graduated from the University of Oregon in 2008 with a bachelors degree in education and a bachelors degree in ethnic studies. In 2009 she received her masters degree in educational studies. Before attending graduate school, she worked for several years providing early intervention services for young children and has a strong background in differentiated instruction. She is dedicated to supporting each student individually and creating a learning environment that is purposeful, meaningful, and empowering. When Amy is not teaching, she loves reading, gardening, and riding her bike around the city.

Kayomi Williams is excited to be in her second year at LPA. She is a native of St. Louis and graduated from the University of Missouri- St. Louis last year. She has one son who is a great basketball player and Playstation gamer. Kayomi has been in education for the last seven years working as a Teacher's Assistant and long term substitute. She has worked at many schools in the St. Louis area. Kayomi loves spending time with family and friends. Her favorite thing to do is to sing karaoke. She loves watching her students get excited about learning and reaching their goals.

Lisa began working at LPA in the 2014-2015 school year. Before working at LPA, Lisa gained experience in both early childhood and special education settings. Lisa resides in St. Louis with her husband, stepson and daughter.  When she is not working, she loves to read, watch movies, and be with her family.  Lisa believes that teaching is a lifelong learning process. She is consistently inspired by the LPA community of teachers, parents, and students to always learn and grow. She works to instill that same love of learning in her students.

Hello! My name is Jordan Jackson! I am so excited to leap into my first year of teaching here at LPA as a second grade teacher! I was born and raised in St.Louis, Missouri. I graduated from Cardinal Ritter College Preparatory High School and furthered my education at Thee illustrious Jackson State University located in Jackson, Mississippi where I received my Bachelors Degree in Elementary Education. While in school I was granted the opportunity to be  an instructional assistant working throughout their sped department and also had the chance to teach kindergarteners for a semester. Those moments were some of my best memories while being away at college. In my free time I enjoy working out, spending time with my family and friends, and also spending quality time with my guinea pig. I will begin working on my masters at Lindenwood University very soon. I am so happy to be a part of the LPA community!

Erin Mikel is excited to start her eighth year of teaching and sixth year with the LPA team. She teaches 3rd grade with an emphasis in Reading along with sponsoring Student Council, coaching cheerleading, and chairing the elementary events committee. Erin grew up in Eureka and after college she moved to the city. She attended the University of Missouri where she received a bachelor’s degree in Communication and minors in Human Development in Family Sciences and Leadership & Public Service. After college, she joined Teach For America Saint Louis where she taught 2nd and 3rd grade at Aspire Academy. In addition, Erin has earned a Master’s degree in Elementary Education from the University of Missouri-Saint Louis. Erin loves to spend time with her puppy, Auggie, and crafting. She can’t wait for your students to join her loving, exciting and innovative treehouse!

Michelle Owens is so excited to be returning to LPA for her fourth year! She received her undergraduate degree in Psychology from Truman State University and her Master’s in Teaching from Saint Louis University. This will be her ninth year in the classroom, and each year keeps getting better! She is passionate about making each lesson engaging and fun while encouraging deeper understanding, especially in math. She’s from St. Charles originally and now lives in South City with her husband, Spenser, and two daughters, Nia and Serena. When she’s not teaching or chasing after her girls, you can find Mrs. Owens watching documentaries, attempting a DIY house project, reading, or trying out new restaurants.

Lindsay Rector is excited to enter into the fourth grade ELA position at LPA. After teaching in both Chicago and Indianapolis for five years, Lindsay relocated to St. Louis this summer. She received a Masters in Education at Marian University in 2020 and received a Masters in Administration and School Supervision at Loyola University in Spring of 2023. Lindsay is passionate about all aspects of education, including curriculum creation, individualized support, and community involvement. She is thrilled to be joining the LPA team and is looking forward to getting to know the staff, students, and families!

My name is Christopher Mitchell and I will be teaching 4th Grade Math, Social Studies and Science. I am married to my beautiful wife Kenya. I am a member of The Tabernacle Church and director of our Men’s Ministry. I was born and raised in North St. Louis City where I attended SLPS in Elementary, Middle, and High School. I began substitute teaching at SLPS in 2012. Since then, I've held many roles from Instructional Care Aide to Positive Behavior Intervention Specialist. My experience has taught me how to provide a safe learning environment while empowering students to attain exceptional academic and personal achievement.  For the last three years, my residency teaching journey with St. Louis Teacher Residency has built a solid foundation for great teaching and learning. My experience there along with my master’s degree from Washington University in St. Louis has led me to achieve great success in the classroom. I am proud of my ability to develop and implement aligned lesson plans while efficiently communicating with my students. I've worked hard to create a positive classroom community that encourages students to become life-long learners.

Brittani Wade is the current Elementary Dean of Students for Lafayette Preparatory Academy. She is going into her 5th year in this role. She is passionate about building genuine relationships with staff, students, and families. Her work is fueled by her understanding and appreciation for neuroscience and collectivism. Her work with Responsive Classroom and restorative practice seeks to create a positive and safe school environment for all students. She is also the mom to a current 3rd grader.

 Ebony Sanders is excited to start her 5th school year at LPA and be teaching 5th grade Math. She has a B.S in Education and is currently working on her Masters degree.  She loves reading, listening to music and traveling. She has 2 children who both also attend LPA. She's looking forward to enhancing student learning and growth both inside and outside the classroom.  “Education is the most powerful weapon we can use to change the world.”- Nelson Mandela

Olivia Pocost is so excited to be back at LPA for her sixth year to teach the best class ever, 5th and 6th grade science! She believes that everyone is a scientist and hopes her students feel the same! Prior to LPA, she taught middle school science and pre-school in the St. Louis area. Olivia graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a bachelor’s degree in communications and then went on to get her Master’s degree in Education at the University of Missouri-St. Louis. Olivia loves being creative, reading, cooking, and spending time out and about St. Louis with her husband, Jack, and puppy, Leo!

Lester is very excited to return for another year at LPA as the 5th and 6th grade Social Studies teacher! He graduated from Westminster College in Fulton MO, with his Bachelor of Arts in Curriculum Instruction, and Adolescent Development. He is currently finishing his Masters of Education at Missouri Baptist University.

 This will be Emily's fifth year as LPA’s 5th and 6th grade ELA teacher. Before working at LPA, she earned her Master of Arts in Education from Truman State University. She is a St. Louis native who loves reading; doodling; going for walks; eating new foods; playing with her family’s three puppies (Milo, Archie, and Franklin); and laughing with her students. She believes education is one of our greatest opportunities to work for equity, and looks forward to working with her students to build a better world.

Meg has always loved math, especially because when she was in school she could check her work and know that she was right before turning in her assignments. When she's not problem solving or analyzing data, she spends time with her family - her spouse Chris, young son George, and their opinionated dog, Vixen. Meg enjoys traveling, cooking (and eating!) new foods, reading, hand lettering, spending time outdoors. In the summer, she volunteers with the American Youth Foundation at their National Leadership Conference held at Camp Miniwanca, a place where she spent her summers growing up and learned to strive to be her own self, at her very best, all the time.

Lexie Hays is so excited to join the LPA community as the 7th and 8th grade science teacher! Ms. Hays graduated from the University of Dayton with a degree in Health Sciences in 2020 and from St. Louis University with a Master's of Arts in Teaching in 2023. When Ms. Hays is not encouraging creativity and problem solving in the classroom, she enjoys outdoor activities such as hiking and cycling, as well as trying out restaurants and coffee shops in St. Louis. She believes that education is one of the most powerful tools to provide opportunities for our young people and looks forward to working with LPA's amazing students and families this year!

Dan Clark is so excited to start his third year at LPA! When he's not teaching, playing video games, or making music, he spends all of his time with his wife Stephanie, dog Desmond, and daughter Evangeline! Dan is a proud resident of Lafayette Square and is so happy to be able to be a part of the community in a big way by teaching at LPA! Dan is a self-proclaimed a kid at heart with a focus on helping each child find their own strengths and passions. Dan can’t wait to meet new students this year and craft some amazing learning friendships!

As she closes in on ten years in the field of education, Miss Stiles is always curious to know what she’ll learn next. If one thing is certain (aside from the students being the best part of teaching) it’s that with each school year comes a cornucopia of knowledge to imbue into the following year as so on. As an avid learner and UMSL alumni, Miss Stiles has an undergraduate degree in Art History, as well as, a Master’s in Secondary Education with a double-certification in primary education. In addition to being a passionate educator, Miss Stiles is a mom to a vibrant LPA lion and enjoys reading (duh!), cooking, making time for movement, a fair share of caffeine, and video games.

My name is Ibrahim Chalhoub, and I am so excited to join the LPA team. I am a first generation Lebanese American born and raised in Houston TX, and a current resident of Ballwin, MO. It is going to be my 4th year in education with no sign of slowing down. I am currently pursuing my Masters in Secondary Education at UMSL. My biggest passion is finding the curiosity in each student through the lens of mathematics. My wife and I love to garden, cook and go to church together. I enjoy chess, math, and making music as a trumpet player. My favorite quote is from Maya Angelou: "People will forget what you do, and people will forget what you said, but people will never forget how you made them feel." This is what I strive for each and every day with your student.

Casey McBride is going into her 10th year of education and is so happy to be at LPA. She graduated from Transylvania University in Lexington, KY with a B.A. in Psychology in 2014 and University of St. Louis- Missouri (UMSL) with a M.A. in Elementary Education in 2016. She recently re-enrolled in UMSL to obtain her M.S. in Education Administration. Casey began her career in education as a fifth grade teacher and transitioned into school leadership in 2020. In her experience, she has codified school-wide systems and restorative practices, created proactive support systems for the student body, and collaborated with students, staff, and families in the enhancement of the school experience. In her free time, Casey enjoys traveling, cooking, watching UK basketball, playing tennis, and spending time with her husband and 2 dogs, Luna and Jinx.

Jess Arnold, aka Coach Arnold has spent the last 16 years as a PE Teacher and coach of various youth sports. Her experience in those positions has equipped her to take on the role of PE Teacher and Athletic Director here at LPA. Jess moved to St. Louis from Alabama 6 years ago to be closer to family. She enjoys playing any kind of sport, especially outdoors and spends a lot of her free time doing that. Jess is excited to get to know the LPA students and help them learn the benefits of moving their bodies.

Laura Bayer is so excited to be joining the LPA community. She can’t wait to share her love of art-making and art-learning with the artists of LPA. Ms. Bayer has a Bachelor’s degree in Visual Art from Seattle University and a Master of Fine Arts in Comics from California College of the Arts. Before teaching, Ms. Bayer was a graphic designer at local firms and companies in St. Louis. She is looking forward to exploring many diverse mediums with the students at LPA, and creating an Art space where we can question, collaborate, and create!

Mrs. Emily Kilgore is a first generation college graduate from Western Kentucky University (WKU) in Bowling Green, KY where she obtained her bachelor’s degree in K-12 music education. She is passionate about teaching music and is excited to share her passion with the students at LPA.  Mrs. Kilgore will teach and create musical memories with her students through playing various instruments, singing songs, doing movement activities, and playing games that will provide the students with skills and knowledge they can use both inside and outside the music classroom. Outside of school walls, you can find her spending time with her husband, Murphey, building lego sets, baking, traveling, or enjoying a latte at a local coffee shop. She is so excited to join the LPA family this year!!

My name is Bethany Miscannon (or Ms. M), and I’m very excited to be returning for my second year at LPA.  I am incredibly passionate about performing arts education and the benefits it has for students.  Seeing young performers learn and grow, whether in class or in school play rehearsals, brings me so much joy!  I have a BFA in Acting from Lindenwood University and recently graduated with my Masters in Teaching from Saint Louis University.  Outside of school, I enjoy attending theatrical productions, reading, and playing with my two dogs. 

Anne Williamson is excited for her second year at LPA. Anne will be returning as English Language Learner Support and also teaching Eighth Grade Spanish this year. She is delighted to be a part of the LPA community, joining her nephews, Liam in Fourth Grade and the triplets Henry, Malcolm and Owen in First Grade. Anne was born and raised in St. Louis and is a proud lifelong resident of the Shaw neighborhood. She graduated with a B.A. in Spanish and a Masters in Teaching (Communication emphasis) from Webster University. Anne spent 19 years teaching Spanish at MICDS. Prior to that she was a travel agent and taught English for a year in France. Anne loves to play the bass and sing with her band The Sadie Hawkins Day String Band. One of her dreams is to be on Jeopardy someday. She has two amazing twin daughters, Rosie and Mayme, who are two and a half years old, and two crazy cats named Cora and Midgie.

Emily is excited to start her sixth year of teaching. She graduated from Fontbonne University in 2017 with her B.A. in Art Education and then from Lindenwood University in 2020 with her M.A. in Art History. She was raised in St. Louis but enjoys traveling often. She recently traveled to Colorado and Utah for an off the grid camping trip. Her other interests include painting, reading, going to her sewing classes on Wednesday nights, and spending time with her three pets.

Danny graduated in 2013 with a degree in Kinesiology from Southern Illinois University Carbondale. He taught Physical Education for five years at a K-8 school in Decatur, Illinois before coming to St. Louis in 2019. Danny is currently teaching in his 5th year at LPA, this year teaching K-5 students. He is also the proud parent to a 4th grade student at LPA, Delia. When he is not teaching, he loves spending time with his wife and daughter, going on outdoor adventures, playing games, watching movies & shows, and hanging out with friends. Danny has a passion for PE and wants to instill his love for physical activity, games, and sports to all of his students.

Sarah Hunt is excited to begin her eighth year at LPA. As the technology teacher, Ms. Hunt enjoys working with students to build basic computer skills, dynamic portfolios, and an understanding of the role of technology in our lives. A St. Louis native, Ms. Hunt graduated from Webster University with two B.A. degrees, one in Studio Art and one in Communications. She also earned her Masters in Education from the University of Missouri – St. Louis. Ms. Hunt enjoys cooking, reading, working on projects around the house, and spending time with her husband, Colin, and their three dogs, Texas, Journey, and Sirius.

Jodi Boyd is excited to begin her tenth year with the LPA team. Jodi graduated from Missouri Baptist University in 2011 with her degree in Early Childhood, Elementary and K-12 Cross-Categorical Special Education. She worked with the Special School District of St. Louis County for four years in an early childhood special education classroom and was then chosen to help start an intensive behavior intervention team in May 2012. While working on the behavior intervention team, she had the opportunity to work in districts all over St. Louis County helping students with high frequency and high intensity behaviors become successful within their classroom. Jodi believes that all students can succeed and enjoys helping them reach their fullest potential. She is happy to be a part of establishing Lafayette Prep and their Special Education program. In her free time, Jodi likes hanging out with her friends and family, exploring the city and spending time outdoors.

Tory is starting her 1st year at LPA and 2nd year in special education. She is originally from Aurora, Illinois and is proud of her Chicago-ish roots! Tory graduated from St. Louis University in 2022 with concentrations in Early Childhood Special Education and Special Education K-12. She is passionate about school-wide inclusion practices, Universal Design, and multi-tiered systems of support to benefit all learners. In her freetime, Tory loves coaching volleyball, trying new recipes, camping, and hiking with her dog, Bonnie. She is excited to join  the LPA community!

Gianni Gardiner is excited to return for her 8th year as part of the special education team at LPA.  Gianni is both a parent and a teacher at LPA - her two children, Milo (7th) and Scout (6th) also love being a part of our LPA community. Gianni has a master's in social work and worked in social work education and evaluation, specializing in and teaching research methods, prior to coming to LPA. She has taught learners of all ages, from Kindergarten through graduate school, and finds something special about teaching at all levels. She has a firm belief that all people deserve the opportunity to learn, and is excited to support the growth and learning of all students in an intentionally diverse environment. When she is not at school Gianni enjoys spending time with her husband and two children, making music with her sisters, and finding a few spare minutes to stick her nose in a good book.

Kaelin Lawler is very excited to start her third year on the LPA team! Kaelin has degrees in Elementary Education and K-12 Cross-Categorical Special Education Mild/Moderate. She graduated from Saint Louis University in December 2017. Before joining LPA, Kaelin taught special education from kindergarten through sixth grade. She is passionate about being an advocate for students and supporting them in achieving their academic goals. When Kaelin is not teaching, she loves to spend time with her friends and family, go hiking, reading, and playing with her kitten, Fiona. She’s looking forward to another school year at LPA!

Ciera has been part of the LPA community since the 2015-2016 school year and cannot imagine spending her time working anywhere else! She is excited to continue building out our Family Resources and supporting our community this school year. Ciera is continuously in awe of the educators she is surrounded by and cannot wait to see where LPA’s 10th year will lead us as Team LPA. Before LPA Ciera spent time as a Director in several aftercare programs, a youth leader, working in early childhood, and as co-teacher in a lower elementary Montessori classroom. She continues to ground herself in her belief that all children deserve a quality education and someone to believe in them. When Ciera is not at LPA she loves exploring the city, spending time with friends and watching their kiddos grow, and hanging out with her 2, four-legged children. 

Kristine is excited to return to the LPA team for a 4th year! She comes to us from the Carondelet Leadership Academy where she was the Business Manager for 7 years. Mrs. Wentzien is a graduate of Truman State University with a B.A. in Business Administration. Born and raised in St. Louis, she loves to explore and enjoy the city and its parks, see live music, enjoy great food, and spend time with her family and their dog Russell. She is looking forward to a another great school year at LPA!

My name is Kim Hinton. I’m a mother of two adult children and I have seven fantastic grandchildren. I will be joining the support staff at Lafayette Preparatory Academy as their Office Assistant. I come with over 15 years of experience in the field of administrative assistance. I am organized, hardworking, very versatile and have excellent communication and people skills. I love children. The mission of LPA aligns with my beliefs. I am passionate about preparing children for academic excellence and truly believe in creating a diverse and healthy environment for them to succeed. My approach is to always treat parents in a way that assures them that their students are in a safe and caring environment. I enjoy spending time with my family and friends, swimming, bowling and watching gymnastics. I plan to meet my social obligations of volunteering and giving back to my community. My bucket list includes traveling outside of the US to explore beautiful destinations throughout the world.

My name is Megan King-Popp and I am so excited to be joining the support staff at Lafayette Prep Academy. Some of you may know me from Gather Cafe and Urban Fort Play Cafe. I am a problem solver who loves a good challenge and a bit of chaos. This position at LPA is a perfect fit for me, taking my love for children, my passion for building relationships, and my natural desire to provide excellent customer service. I am a proud parent of two kiddos, aged 8 and 4. My 8-year-old will be a 3rd grader at LPA and we are both happy to be in the same school this year. When I’m not at LPA or Urban Fort, I am cheering Gideon on at his gymnastics practices and meets, doing art with my 4-year-old, Verona, playing pickleball with friends, or lounging in my backyard with my family.

Amanda Armer is in her third year of Aftercare and second year as a full-time member of the LPA community. When she's not assisting staff and students, she can be found taking care of books in the school library. Amanda loves sharing and discovering stories with students as well as recommending personal favorites and classic gems. She lives a short drive away with her fuzzy feline monsters, Felix and Muddy, as well as shelves of treasured books which she started collecting as a child. Amanda has been a resident of Saint Louis since 2014, after growing up in Los Angeles, California. She got her bachelor’s degree in English and minored in Studio Arts at Loyola Marymount University in LA. Working with kids of all ages inspires her curiosity and sense of wonder. Helping students explore worlds within literature is an endless source of joy, and one she’s very excited to continue at LPA.

Amanda Riley, Manda as she prefers to be called, is excited to be starting her second year at LPA. Manda has a Bachelor's Degree in Human Services and has worked in many school districts across Missouri, but has enjoyed her time at LPA. When not out enjoying the outdoors, Manda enjoys spending time with her family, 3 dogs and her bearded dragon. Manda is super excited to be a Gigi for the first time this year!  Her family is what she values the most and loves spending time with them. She loves the community feel at LPA and feels so lucky to be a part of such a welcoming team.

Dahlia Cassidy has been working at LPA for 2 years as an aftercare assistant and 5 years as a TA.  She is currently becoming Para certified so she can continue to work with all the kids she loves at LPA. When not at work Dahlia enjoys spending time with friends, doing her makeup, and playing with her cats, Coffee and Matcha.

Déja Miller is excited to return for her third year as a Teacher’s Assistant here at LPA! Déja always wanted to work with the youth for the betterment of the world and found LPA to share similar values. Déja is big on emotional and social learning after studying psychology. She enjoys navigating the rollercoaster of life with children as they grow into the future.

Jill McInnis is excited to be working in her 11th year at Lafayette Preparatory Academy.  Jill has worked as a Kindergarten teacher, 4th Grade teacher, and now an Instructional Coach at LPA. She graduated from Mizzou in 2009 and UMSL in 2018 with her Master’s. Jill has experience working with students from many different backgrounds in both St. Louis County and St. Louis City, and she was a founding Kindergarten teacher at LPA. Jill loves working at Lafayette Prep! Jill and her husband, John, welcome baby Mara in June 2023. When she is not at LPA, Jill and her family like to catch a musical at the Muny or the Fox, travel, read, walk their dog, and explore this wonderful city.

Christy feels so lucky to get to live out her passion for math and science with students and teachers at LPA every day. Christy was a founding fourth grade teacher at LPA and has also taught middle school science, 7th and 8th grade math, and Algebra.  Prior to joining the LPA community, she taught third grade and worked as a Program Director for a mentoring and tutoring program in Saint Louis Public Schools. She attended William Jewell College and Lindenwood University, earning her M.A.T. in Elementary Education. Her unwavering belief in the genius of every student drives her teaching every single day. Christy is from rural Missouri, but now enjoys living in Benton Park. She frequents ice cream shops, hiking trails, and the many restaurants along Cherokee Street with her husband and two kids--who are also LPA Lions!  You can find her working in her garden with her two chickens and chasing around her pug puppy, Benny.

 Sarah was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York. She is Haitian-American and speaks Haitian Creole fluently. Sarah attended Stony Brook University in New York where she received a BA in English. In 2011, Sarah moved to St. Louis and started her career as an Early childhood educator with the support of Teach For America-St. Louis. Sarah worked at Sigel Elementary as a preschool teacher for 3 years. During her time at Sigel, she gained her MEd in Early Childhood Education at University of Missouri-St. Louis. She was a Kindergarten teacher for 4 years and a 2nd grade teacher for 4 years at LPA. She is now taking her skills and strengths as a teacher to help coach teachers to be the best educators for students. She enjoys reading, singing, loves to try new food, and spending quality time with friends, family, and her dog Pharah.

Mrs. E has been a joyful part of the LPA community since 2016 in the role of Speech-Language Pathologist (CCC-SLP). She has a Bachelor’s in Speech-Language Pathology & Audiology from Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville and a Master’s degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders from Saint Louis University (2010). Before joining LPA, she worked in various settings with children from preschool to high school. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, camping, and cheering for St Louis City SC with her husband and 2 daughters.

Natalie has been a part of the LPA community since 2017. She is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) and a Registered Play Therapist (RPT). She received her Bachelor’s in Psychology from Southeast Missouri State University, her Masters in Clinical/Counseling Psychology from The Chicago School of Professional Psychology, and a Certificate in Marriage and Family Therapy from The Adler School. Before coming to LPA, she worked for the Miriam Learning Center providing therapeutic services for Head Start Programs, and provided counseling for children and adolescents at DePaul’s Inpatient Behavioral Unit. Natalie grew up in southern Missouri but has called St. Louis home for the past 13 years. She enjoys cooking, board games, gardening, and exploring new foods and places with her husband Jon, their two boys Rafferty and Jasper, and their dog, Leo.

Dee Dee is entering her sixth year of teaching and is excited to be at LPA! She has an eclectic background in education and has worn many different hats during her career. She started as an elementary PE teacher in San Francisco, then transitioned to an Auxiliary Programs Coordinator in Arizona, and most recently was an Office Manager at Kairos Academies.  She graduated from Kansas State University in Manhattan, Kansas, with a B.S. in communications studies and from Manhattan Christian College with a B.S. in bible and leadership. In her free time, she loves spending time with her husband, playing competitive sports, and rooting for her favorite Kansas City teams!

Dr. Sarah Ranney has been with LPA since 2014 and is a proud LPA parent to a 7th grader. She believes that every child has an inalienable right to attain an excellent education no matter their economic status, residential location, or background. Sarah joined LPA after four years working as an instructional coach with Teach For America where she focused on developing Early Childhood and Elementary teachers across the metropolitan area. She supported more than 300 teachers in more than 40 schools during her tenure there. Prior to Teach For America, Sarah spent several years in the classroom in the St. Louis Public Schools and an Independent, Private School. Sarah has an Ed.D in School Administration as well as an Education Specialist and Masters in School Administration from the University of Missouri- St. Louis, a Master of Arts in Teaching from Webster University, a Bachelor of Arts in Media Relations and a Bachelor of Arts in Women's and Gender Studies from the University of Missouri-Columbia. She is a certified Teacher, Principal, and Superintendent. Sarah is also a Doula and Certified Lactation Counselor. When not at school, you might find her playing strategic games like War Chest or Settlers of Catan or hanging out in Tower Grove park with her family.

Dave is excited to be going into his 3rd year as LPA's Head of School. This will be his 10th year working at LPA and 12th year working in education. Before becoming the Head of School he spent time teaching 2nd, 4th, 5th, 6th, and 7th graders and was the founding Middle School Dean of Students. Previously, Dave worked as a 4th and 5th grade classroom teacher in the St. Louis Public School District and founded the DIG it! after-school volleyball program. As a lifelong St. Louis citizen Dave is excited about continuing to help LPA work toward fulfilling its mission and vision. Dave has a Master’s degree in Educational Leadership and Business Administration (MBA) from St. Louis University, a Master’s degree in Elementary Education and Teaching from the University of Missouri-St. Louis (UMSL), and a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature from Marquette University. He is a Lafayette Square resident and loves spending time with his two sons Robbie (3) and Jay (1), cooking, and traveling.