Lisa Beach
K-8 Teacher
Lisa Beach loves being a teacher with MVPS. Her goal for each student is to motivate and encourage them to excel in ways they didn’t know they could. She provides care and support to her families and students and values her relationships with them. She guides students to achieve their own personal success, both in and out of the classroom. Lisa received her BS in Education at Kent State University and her MS. ED in Curriculum and Instruction at Emporia State University.
Family is important to Lisa, and she loves spending time with them. She enjoys being outdoors, writing, and reading. One of her teaching passions is inspiring her students to grow and flourish as writers by using examples from wonderful children’s books like The Secret Garden, by Frances Hodgson Burnett.
Lyn Carnes
Kindergarten Teacher
Lyn wants her MVPS families to know that she’s been there! Lyn homeschooled 3 of her own children, which has helped her understand the needs and pressures that families face schooling at home. She loves the opportunity to build relationships with parents and encourage them as parent educators. She understands and respects the educational choices they have made for their families. For Lyn, watching her students learn to read is like watching them take their 1st steps. She likes walking beside them and encouraging them in their educational journey. Lyn has a BS in Education, as well as a Master’s in Education and Special Education from Kansas State University.
Lyn enjoys spending time with her family, especially her grandchildren. She likes to “go on adventures” with her kids and their families. She enjoys knitting and doing creative things. And she uses her creativity to help her students find their joy in learning.
Amber Coker
High School Math Teacher
A previous math department chair, Amber has taught just about every math class, from Pre-Algebra up through dual-credit AP Calculus, giving a wide range of teaching experience across her subject area.
Teaching students in an online environment allows Amber to combine two of her passions: mathematics and instructional technology. I love working with students to build their confidence and strengthen their understanding of math!
Sara Finley
Instructional Resource / Special Education Teacher
To Sara Finley, coming to Maize Virtual Prep School was like coming home. She loves the positive learning environment and staff at MVPS and working with families and students to find their love of learning. She likes that our school embraces the fact that every student learns differently. Sara is dedicated to meeting the needs of students where they are educationally and helping them grow and achieve personal success. Sara received her MS. ED in Special Education and Administration from the University of Kansas. In her downtime, Sara likes spending time with her family and her pets.
Nicole Flynn
6-8 Teacher
Nicole Flynn’s passion is math and working with middle schoolers. She loves watching her students gain confidence in their math skills as they persevere to meet their goals while encouraging independence. She also loves working with parents to empower them to meet their child’s needs. Nicole received her degrees from KU. She has her M.S.Ed. in Teaching & Leadership and B.S. Ed. in Education with minors in math & French.
Nicole loves being outside and spending time with her husband and three adult sons. She loves to learn and try new things. She wants her students to know that so-called “mistakes” are nothing more than an opportunity to learn- an “OTL” as she calls them!
Ruth Graber
K-8 Teacher
Ruth Graber transferred to Maize Virtual Prep School from another school in the Maize District. She loves the close relationships and personal connections she has made with each family at MVPS and the ability to create individual learning plans for each student. She has always loved school, both as a student and a teacher, and hopes to pass on that love of learning. She received her BS in Education from Fort Hayes State University.
In her spare time, Ruth likes scrapbooking, cross-stitching, and watching classic movies, while snuggled up with her pug. But she especially loves to read. To her, reading is like jumping into another world, and she hopes to share that sense of adventure with her students.
Adrianne Graham
High School Teacher – History
Adrianne Graham has a Bachelor’s Degree in Secondary Social Studies Education and a Master’s Degree in Instruction and Curriculum from the University of Kansas. Over the years she has taught social studies courses to students in grades 6th-12th. Adrianne lives in the Kansas City area with her husband, two daughters, dog and several guinea pigs. When she she isn’t teaching she enjoys traveling, hiking, camping, running, knitting and pottery. Her favorite thing about being a part of the MVPS family is the opportunity to connect with new students and families.
Aly Hethcoat
K-8 Teacher
Technology gets Aly Hethcoat excited, and she is bringing that excitement to her classroom. She also hosts her Innovative Technology Class (ITC), where she integrates coding through Code.org, LEGO Robotics, and fun! She loves the creativity of using math and technology to problem solve. She brings an energy and playfulness to her classroom that students and parents really respond to. Aly received her MS. ED in Technology from MidAmerican Nazarene University. She is also a LEGO Education Master Educator. Aly enjoys gardening and spending time with her family. She also loves finding innovative ways to teach students the skills they need to be successful.
Dena Holgerson
K-8 Teacher
As a prior homeschooling parent herself, Dena Holgerson strives to equip parents with the tools they need to be able to successfully educate their children at home. She loves the Maize-By-Design approach to tailoring the curriculum to meet the individual needs of each student. Dena received an MA from Northeastern State University in Education, and her BA in Education from Tulsa University.
In her downtime, Dena enjoys spending time with her grandkids doing crazy things like jumping on the trampoline with the sprinkler on. She also enjoys tennis, working out, and spending time outdoors at the lake.
Caroline Miros
K-8 Teacher
Caroline Miros knew she would be a teacher from an early age. Her family and childhood friends can tell you – if they were going to Caroline’s house, they would be playing school.
Caroline has taught in public, private, and charter school classrooms, as well as teaching her children at home. She has had the opportunity to learn from some incredible administrators and educators, as well as the children and families she has had the privilege of working with over the years. She received her BS in Early Childhood and Elementary Education from Evangel University and her MS. ED from Baker University. Caroline is a passionate educator who thrives in collaborating with fellow teachers and the families she partners with. She values fostering relationships and encouraging kids to develop skills that will carry them through life. Her joy is to work with children and to see them grow in their love of learning.
Sean Oleson
K-8 Teacher
“Do you know what’s odd? Numbers that can’t be divided by 2!” What’s not odd is how much Sean Oleson’s students and families love working with him! Dad jokes and puns make it fun, but there is some serious learning going on. He feels privileged to be a part of each family’s academic journey. Sean and his wife homeschooled their children, so he understands and respects a parent’s desire to educate at home. To him, there isn’t anything more enjoyable or thrilling than discovering what motivates his students and gets them excited. He feels blessed to get to work with amazing families and students and help them achieve their academic goals. Sean received his BA in Elementary Education from MidAmerican Nazarene University and has completed post-grad hours at MNU and the University of Kansas.
Outside of school, Sean enjoys spending time with his family and his wife, whom he met in junior high. He loves a good mystery, a clever pun, and is a big fan of Snoopy. He hopes his students will remember him as being one of their biggest and loudest fans too!
Amy Parker
K-8 Teacher
Amy Parker wants her student’s families to know “We are in this boat together”. They will navigate the struggles and successes of each student as they come. She believes in lifelong learning and loves using different strategies to make learning fun. Amy received her M.ED from Rockhurst University and a BA in Art from the University of Missouri Kansas City.
When she is not teaching, Amy is watching her 3 sons on the soccer field. Amy loves how Maize Virtual tailors students’ curriculum to meet their needs. She says, “There are different types of learners and lots of different ways to learn. When a student finds that love of learning, the whole world opens up.”
Dr. Michelle Parks
High School Teacher – English
Michelle Parks has taught middle school and high school English, and in her free time she teaches composition classes at a local community college. She loves to read, and she enjoys introducing students to both modern and classical literature. She challenges students to try different genres and works to help students make personal connections with what they read. Michelle obtained a Master’s Degree in Educational Technology from Mid-America University and a Doctorate of Education from Southwestern. She lives in the Kansas City area with her husband a two children. They enjoy traveling, finding a good book, trying new restaurants, and spending time outdoors.
Tracey Parsons
K-8 Teacher
Maize Virtual Prep School is special to Tracey Parsons because of the guidance from the administrators, the support from the office staff, and the teamwork approach from the teachers. She feels that MVPS staff is a family and they work well together for the benefit of our students. One of the greatest rewards of working with MVPS is getting to know her students and their families, making connections, and building relationships, as she walks beside them. She hopes that her students remember her as someone who cares about and supports them, not just academically, but also for their hopes and who they want to become. Tracey received her elementary education degree from Fort Hays State University. When she’s not busy teaching, she spends time with her husband and makes frequent trips to visit her children and grandchildren.
Karen Podschun
K-8 Teacher
Karen Podschun is driven by her love of people and personal growth. She especially loves working with families and students to discover how each one’s unique brain learns. This allows her to tailor educational plans and methods to each learner. Karen completed her BA in Elementary Education at Wichita State University.
Karen loves to travel, as it puts her in contact with potential friends around the globe. She also loves cooking recipes from the places she has visited. Karen and her husband live in Winfield, where they have raised and educated their eight children, and continue to engage in learning within their community. Teaching in virtual education within the Maize-By-Design philosophy is a perfect fit for Karen’s strengths and passions.
Bill Podschun
K-8 Teacher
Bill Podschun has a love for helping young people learn. He works in both education and youth ministry and believes that problem-solving is one of the most important skills students can learn. Bill completed a BS from Wichita State University in Math and Secondary Education and an MA in Religious Education from Oklahoma City University.
Bill loves playing sports and watching sporting events all over the world. He also enjoys co-teaching at MVPS with his wife, Karen, as they did with their eight children, both in a home school and virtual education setting. Bill loves the individual approach MVPS offers for young people to creatively learn in their educational environment.
Alejandra Prendes
High School Teacher – Spanish and World Languages
Alejandra Prendes is the Spanish and World Languages teacher for Maize USD 266 and MVPS High School. Alejandra studied in Mexico. She graduated from the National Autonomous of Mexico, received her Master’s Degree is from WSU in Spanish Literature and specialized in French from WSU and Orleans University in France. She says, “I love to travel and every single year I travel with my students to discover the best of this world”. She also participates in triathlons in different parts of the world.
Suzanne Wandling
K-8 Teacher
As Outreach Coordinator, Suzanne Wandling enjoys connecting families and students through field trips and enrichment activities. She has served elementary and special education students in person and virtually. Suzanne attended the University of New Orleans, earning degrees in both Elementary and Special Education. She then moved to Kansas to complete her Master’s Degree in Special Education at the University of Kansas. Rock Chalk! Suzanne lives in Overland Park and enjoys spending time with her husband, 2 daughters, and her dog. She enjoys taking walks, kayaking, and fishing.
Suzanne creates fun and educational opportunities for students to meet their virtual classmates face-to-face, and create friendships. She helps foster relationships and support for parents too by bringing our MVPS families together for a little fun and some great conversation. Seeing those connections grow makes her job special.
Judith Young
K-8 Teacher
Judith Young enjoys working with children and parents whose love for learning and family life are incorporated into their lifestyle. She feels it is a commitment on the whole family’s part to learn and grow together. She enjoys working with the whole family, which may include different grade levels. She also enjoys working with the staff at MVPS. She said, “We are all very connected and supportive of one another.” Judith received a BS in Education from Greenville University and an MS in Administration and Strategic Leadership from Baker University. Judith loves to read, swim, ride horses, and spend time with family and friends. The most important thing for Judith is that her students feel loved and accepted, and have fun learning. She hopes they remember her as a creative, caring, and silly teacher who supported them in the classroom and out.
