Faculty

ADMINISTRATION:

Doug Tader (USA)

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Position: Director

Experience: Over 22 years of educational and leadership experience in the USA, Asia, and South America. Came to AVA after serving six years as Head Principal at Wuhan Yangtze International School in Wuhan, China.

Education: M.A. in Organizational Leadership from Crown College; M.S.E. from the University of Wisconsin-River Falls; B.A. from the University of Minnesota.

Certification: ACSI

Kris Tader (USA)

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Position: Librarian; On-line Learning Liaison; ESL Tutor

Experience: Six years as librarian; 12 years of as a one-on-one classroom aide for students with health and educational disabilities. Came to AVA after most recently serving as the Head Librarian at Wuhan Yangtze International School in Wuhan, China.

Education: Diploma from the Association Free Lutheran Bible School

ELEMENTARY:

Jennifer Bates (USA)

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Position: Elementary Lead; Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten Teacher

Experience: Sixteen (16) years of teaching; District ESL Coordinator

Education: B.A. from Mars Hill College

Certification: Georgia (Elementary, Middle School, K-12 ESL & Spanish)

Judy Epley (USA)

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Position: Elementary Specialist; Elementary Teacher & NILD Discovery Therapist

Experience: Over 50 years of teaching including 20 years as an NILD therapist in both the USA and Brazil

Education:  M.A. from Lesley University; B.A. from BIOLA University; N.I.L.D. Professional Therapist Level III with Level I of the F.I.E. cognitive training from National Institute for Learning Development and Freurstein Instrumental Enrichment

Certification: California

Karin Lacerda (Switzerland)

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Position: Third Grade (G3) Teacher

Experience: Eight (8) years of teaching in Brazil; broad ranging experience including G1-6 general subject matter, ESL, and French as a foreign language

Education: University do Vale do Acarau, Fortaleza, Brazil; Diplome de Langue Francaise AF, FFL teaching Alliance Francaise Belem

Certification: Brazil (State University); Alliance Francaise France

Darla Hansen (USA)

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Position: Sixth Grade Teacher

Experience: Over 30 years of teaching in the USA and Costa Rica; broad-ranging experience covering most K – 12 core subject matter, as well as general music, band, choir, specific language disability, and ESL.

Education: B.S. from the University of Minnesota; graduate work in reading, specializing in Specific Language Disability (dyslexia).

Certification: Alaska, Arkansas, Missouri, and Texas

SECONDARY:

Maurice Harton (USA)

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Position:  Science Teacher

Experience: Three years of teaching

Education: M.Div. from Capital Bible Seminary; B.A. (2) from the University of Maryland

Certification: ACSI

K-12 SPECIALTY:

Sharon Gorman (USA)

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Position: Art Teacher

Experience: Over 40 years of teaching in the USA and abroad; ten years with NICS. 

Education: M.A.E. from the University of Southern Mississippi; B.S.E. from Delta State University; A.A.S. from Hinds Junior College.

Certification: Texas, ACSI