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Board Members

Chairman

My name is Laura Brasher.  I have been a teacher for twenty years.  I teach science, but I’ve also taught math.  My favorite age group to teach is middle school students.  I have a lot of experience developing hands-on science lessons.  In fact, every lesson I teach has an activity or lab to enhance understanding.  I also integrate with language arts, social studies and math.  Integration makes the lessons much more meaningful and increases understanding. 

I have been with Kaleidoscope from the beginning.  We worked on developing the school over 14 years.  I am passionate about structured play and cooperative learning.  I have seen the benefits first hand in my classroom.  I am also excited about the integration across subjects.  It makes learning so much more relevant and fun.  I believe Kaleidoscope is a school for every child.  We have stimulating, accessible curriculum and loving and dedicated teachers.  I am so excited to be a part of the Kaleidoscope family!

Executive Director

My name is Robin Soare.  Being one of the founding members of Kaleidoscope School, I have a complete vested interest in the school as well as the students.  I have taught for over 20 years, grades 2nd through 8th. I have a Master’s in Education in Curriculum Development. 

I have spent the last 5 years opening and managing Kaleidoscope Preschool, utilizing the same concepts that Kaleidoscope School will incorporate: structured play, grouping students, parental involvement and community involvement.  Prior to being a teacher, I spent 10 years in the business world, working in Human Resources and Sale. 

Vice-Chairperson / Principal

My name is Kathleen Wingo and I have been teaching for 17 years in both Charter and Public Schools. I am currently teaching 6th grade math and have also taught Kindergarten and 1st grade. My Bachelor’s in Elementary Education was earned from ASU, along with my Master's at Grand Canyon University in Educational Administration and Leadership.

Life keeps me busy with four children and an active family. Kaleidoscope encompasses focused and fun child centered learning. It is my pleasure to take a vested interest in supporting the future of education by serving as the Vice-Chair of the board.
Brodie Soaré serves in the capacity of Treasurer for IEF.  He provides financial direction and management for the organization and helps the board to meet its financial oversight responsibilities.  Brodie moved to Phoenix to pursue his degree at DeVry University.  Since that time, he has worked in various capacities in the field of technology.  Initially entering the field in project work allowed Brodie to learn from a wide variety of challenges and experiences, including managing project teams and the design and deployment of a nationwide employee productivity tracking system.  In 1996, Brodie opened Gecko Technologies, an Information Technology business, which he grew from a small owner/operator business to a multiple-employee corporation.  During this time, in addition to managing the day-to-day operations, he also handled marketing, taxes, and legal compliance.  In 2006, he accepted an offer from Gecko Technologies’ largest customer, Precision Roller, to become Director of Information Technology and Facilities.  Overseeing a team of 4, he handles staff development, team building and training.  In the role of Director of IT, he manages the technology budget, designs and implements both the company’s hardware and software infrastructure, promotes the company’s web presence, both traditionally and through social media, and handles applicable legal and compliance issues.  It the role of Facilities Director, he coordinates vendors, keeps up daily and annual maintenance tasks of the facility, and plans/coordinates capacity changes.  In addition to his career in the IT industry, Brodie and his wife run BR Properties, a small company managing 3 rental houses in the Phoenix area since 2003, which has allowed him to further expand his skills in accounting, management and marketing.  Brodie is a strong proponent of the charter school system, and is actively involved with the charter school his children have attended since kindergarten.

 

Member

My name is Tracy Lange and I am excited to be the Director for Kaleidoscope Preschool. I am an Arizona native, and am married and have two incredible college-aged children that I respect and adore. I have been teaching for over 18 years in both public and private school placements.

My educational background is diverse with experience in both business and educational settings. I earned a Bachelor of Science Degree from Arizona State University and my teaching certification from Rio Salado College. I have experience educating and administering preschool and elementary aged students, and coordinating high quality enrichment classes. In addition to teaching, I have managed all aspects of program development and administration in the roles of Director of Early Childhood and Summer Program Coordinator.

I am passionate about providing children with high quality, engaging early childhood experiences, and believe that the social and emotional development of children is equally important to their academic development. I also believe strongly in the essential role of guided discovery and play in the growth and development of young children. I look forward to a new chapter at Kaleidoscope Preschool!

Treasurer

My name is Terri Emerson. I began my career in Finance in 1999 when given the opportunity to transfer from a supporting Admin role to Accounts Receivable for a publicly traded Technology company in north Phoenix.

I currently am the Accounts Manager with WR Group, Inc, located in north Scottsdale, which is a privately held International e-Commerce specializing in Health and Wellness In the almost 11 years I have been with the company we have grown from less than 20 employees to 74. We have more than doubled Revenues from $19M to almost $50M. In this role I manage all aspects of our Financial transactions including payroll, day to day operations, financial reporting and a $3M line of credit. Due to our International business model, I have experience managing Foreign currency, including the establishment of foreign banking relationships and managing the accounts, FX Trading, Hedging.

Member

Cassandra Turner is an internationally-recognized Singapore Mathematics teacher, trainer, curriculum author, and presenter. Cassy’s company, Math Champions Professional Development, provides training services worldwide designed to help teachers make every child in every classroom a competent and confident mathematics student. Since 2001, Cassy has been involved with charter schools as a volunteer, parent, teacher, and as a trainer/coach for more than 100 charter schools. Cassy previously served on the Board of Directors of Liberty Common School, an award-winning charter school in Fort Collins, Colorado. 
My name is Stacey Stephens, and I am a proud member of the Kaleidoscope Charter Board. I have been teaching in Arizona for 23 years in both Charter and Public Schools. My teaching career has spanned many grade levels from Kindergarten-7th grade. I am currently teaching 6th/7th grade middle school Language Arts. I received my Bachelor’s in Education from Arizona State University and a Master’s in Educational Administration and Leadership from Grand Canyon University.I have 3 children; my two boys are currently attending Arizona State University and my daughter is an 8th grader. It is my honor to serve as a Kaleidoscope board member. I do so because I strongly believe in their values and commitment to all students and families!