Colegio's Designers
The Colegio project has been a labor of love of a diverse planning team over the past three years, with many participants representing parent, elementary, and pre-k leaders and stakeholders. As the project prepares for to open in the fall, three key members of the planning team have dedicated (and will continue to dedicate) significant time and energy to Colegio. With backgrounds in education, and as parents themselves seeking a bilingual elementary option for their own children, these individuals have worked to design and realize Colegio Petite. Here's a little bit about each team member:

Michele Kaye has been an innovator in education in Arizona since 2000. At the campus level, she has worked as an English and ELL teacher, assistant principal, and curriculum coach in secondary schools. At the system level, she has served as Leona's Director of Quality Schools Initiatives. Since 2006, she has served The Leona Group as its Chief Operating Officer, responsible for the operations of all Leona K-12 schools across its five states: Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Florida, and Arizona. As the visionary for Leona, Michele is passionate about starting and supporting schools that serve unmet needs in the communities Leona serves, and Colegio continues in that tradition by providing a quality elementary school choice for Phoenix's bilingual community. Michele is the mother of three children, ages 4, 2 and 7 months.

Emily Britton's passion for this project started as a parent's search for a great bilingual elementary school for her own daughter, who is now finishing up her final year at a Spanish immersion preschool and is fluent in both English and Spanish. Emily found tha t she was not alone in this search, and began participating on the Colegio design team from a parent perspective. After completing her Master's Degree in English and Education 18 years ago at the University of Iowa, Emily has worked as an English teacher, ELL teacher, curriculum coach, and assistant principal at the high school level. She currently serves as Leona's Director of Quality Schools Initiatives, providing support in curriculum, instruction, assessment, and professional development to Leona's Arizona secondary schools. She also serves as an external team leader for AdvancED, chairing accreditation visits to schools and districts across the state.
Other invaluable superheroes of Our LEONA START-UP team . . .
Mary Berg
Teri Knick Darla Eddy Heather Williams Heidi Sinkovich Alicia Alvarez Scott Shelley Rachael Parks Christina Enriquez Lorisa Pombo |
VP of Academic Services
Human Resources Director of Data Management Director of Food Service Director of Exceptional Student Services Alta Vista High School Principal Budget Manager Director of Technology Director of Facilities Management Director of Elementary Initiatives |