WESTAREDU

Jerry Schrock

My name is Jerry Schrock and I have recently retired from 30 years of active teaching. For the past 30 years I have encouraged over 8,000 students to dream big, focus on excellence, and grow in personal responsibility and community action. While teaching social studies and computer science to students in grades five through twelve, I have also served as mentor and coach for various sports at the junior high and high school level.

Not only will I be able to help students prepare for their studies in their local high school, improve their writing, reading and research skills, I will also be able to help them better understand the American culture and find success during their time here in the United States. I look forward to helping every student I work with to achieve their goals and advance their academic skills to provide the best opportunity for university placement after high school graduation. I'm excited to meet you.

Elizabeth Stranko

Hello! My name is Beth Stranko. I am a licensed educator who specializes in English literature and composition. I bring experience from one of the top districts in my state, including four years of work with proficient English language learners (ELL). I earned my master’s degree in English from Middlebury College where I focused on methods for teaching classical literature to secondary students. I have lived in Dubai for the past four years honing my cross-cultural communication skills and engaging daily with non-native English speakers. I provide students a challenging environment with high expectations.

Carlos Lopez

My name is Carlos Lopez and I currently live in Mason Ohio. My undergraduate degree is in Education I am also finishing my masters in English Language Learning along with TESOL certification. I have taught students from different parts of the world, young students and adults. I teach Business Professional English, Academic English and Spanish. I have tutored several students for Westar in preparation for their educational experience in the United States. I also continue to tutor many of them while they are attending American schools. Integrative learning has made a big impact for these students in learning content while acquiring English. This has also worked to get students very excited and interested in what they are learning.

Having lived in four different states, I have learned a lot about what it takes to succeed in American education. I have also learned how to make it exciting and meaningful for each student. My philosophy around education can be best summed up by a very well known proverb by an unknown author:
“Tell me and I forget. Show me and I remember. Involve me and I understand”

Michelle Belliston

I hold a current teaching license for grades pre-k through 8th grade, and am certified to teach language arts, math, science, and social studies. I also teach a religion class to a group of 12 and 13-year-old girls each Sunday. I have a bachelor’s degree from Brigham Young University in education, as well as a minor in teaching English to speakers of other languages. I spent 4 years as a full-time teacher for both 3rd and 4th grade. My husband is an attorney in Cincinnati and we have two children.

Troy Ballinger

My name is Troy Ballinger. I received a Bachelor of Science from Wright State University in Middle School Education with an emphasis on Math and Science and an endorsement in Reading. In addition, I received a Master's in Education. I currently have 11 years of teaching experience at an intermediate and middle school level. I am in my 10th year of being head coach for Varsity men's soccer. I enjoy working with students of all ages and helping them grow and be successful.

Kim Testas

Hello, my name is Kim Testas. I graduated from Miami University with a Bachelor of Science degree in English Education, and I have completed 12 credit hours toward a Master’s degree. My certification is 7-12 English and K-12 Reading. I hold a current 5-year professional license in the state of Ohio and am designated “highly qualified.” I am currently employed by the Lakota School District as a Title Reading Tutor. I provide assessment, interpret data, plan and implement instruction to improve student reading levels. Previous experience also includes: ESL instruction at an English camp in the Czech Republic, more than 5 years substitute teaching experience, 8 years homeschool teaching experience, and various volunteer teaching positions.

Lee Hunt

Hello! My name is Lee Hunt, I have a lot of hobbies: reading, playing games, writing, sports, and watching movies are some of my favorite things to do. I especially love Star Wars and The Lord of the Rings! I am excited to be a teacher for Westar because it means I get to interact with students. I think that simply talking with students and carrying out a conversation is a great way to build confidence in using English skills. This is something every student needs in order to master English, and it is something I feel many students have not had an opportunity to do in their formal learning experiences. I look forward to working with students and helping them reach their English goals!

Jodi Murphy

Hello! My name is Jodi Murphy and I am currently in my 35th year of teaching! I live in Cincinnati, Ohio, in the United States. I have a bachelor’s degree from Bowling Green State University and a Master’s in Education with a Reading Endorsement from Xavier University. I am a team leader for special education in my building, a mentor for new teachers, and also have coaching experience. I love teaching and I most of my teaching experiences has been as a math and reading intervention specialist with 5th- 12th grades. I am currently working with 7th and 8th graders to help build stronger reading, writing, and math skills and enjoy teaching and building relationships with my students. When I am not teaching, I love to spend time with my family, travel, run and enjoy several sports.

Daniel Braun

Hello! My name is Daniel Braun. I am from Cincinnati, Ohio in the United States. I graduated from university with bachelor's degrees in both Psychology and Spanish. I also have a Master of Education in TESL (or, teaching English as a Second Language). In my career, I have worked with many people seeking to learn foreign languages, including both children and adults and seeking to learn either English or Spanish. Many of my students applaud my natural ability to simplify typically-complex concepts while making learning both fun and informative. When I'm not teaching, my interests include spending time with my family, playing soccer, traveling, and learning. I look forward to helping you achieve your goals in English!

Lisa Smith

Hello, my name is Lisa Smith. I reside in Middletown Ohio. Currently, I work as an English Second Language (ESL) instructor weekdays at both Wright State University and Miami University. My student population consists of Chinese, Arabic, Korean, Italian, and Spanish second language learners. I am a seasoned instructor and has taught students with beginner to advanced English skills. Because of my passion for teaching English, I have an instantaneous connection with my students. I hold a Bachelor of Arts degree in Spanish and Master of Arts degree in TESOL.