We have a few new members of our staff this year, and we would love to take a moment to introduce them to you!
CHELSE SHAUM
Chelsea Shaum teaches Art 1, Art 2, Art Foundations, and Photography. This will be her fifth year teaching. In the past, she has taught Graphic Design and Photography (beginning through advanced) at Weber High in Ogden, Utah. Before that, she was a Special Education aid in an Elementary school and a substitute teacher. Her favorite thing about Mountain Heights Academy is the ability she is given “to help people gain and progress in their talents and to be creative and see art and life in a new way.”
JENN BEECHER
Jenn Beecher teaches Social Studies and is an adviser for the Creativity Club. She has been a teacher for nine years. She taught history for eight years in California at a Title 1 school with over 3,500 students. Jenn also served as the activities director overseeing all activities at the school. She also oversaw the leadership class where she trained and developed leadership abilities in the high school students. She worked for a year at a wilderness therapy program in Arizona with youth and taught them how to work through difficulties they were facing in their lives. Her favorite part about teaching is “building relationships with the students and watching them grow and learn!”
JULIE STOKER
Julie Stoker is a Mathematics teacher at Mountain Heights Academy. She has been teaching for eight years. Prior to her experience at Mountain Heights Academy, she taught at Churchill Junior High for 7 years, teaching seventh to ninth grade. She attended BYU and graduated with a Bachelor’s of Science in Math Education. She loves teaching and her favorite thing about Mountain Heights Academy is “Working with the students!”
Kaisa Freeman is a School Counselor for Mountain Heights Academy. She brings nine years of experience to the table. Kaisa has experience counseling in all grades, K-12. In addition to her work at Mountain Heights Academy, she also oversees the Kid’s Ministry at her church called “The Well.” She enjoys working with students of all ages and likes to see them learning new things. Her favorite thing about Mountain Heights Academy is “being able to help students and parents. I love sharing tools with students and empowering them to be successful in their educational journey.”
KATE PLEWE
Kate Plewe is a Special Education teacher for Mountain Heights Academy. This is her fourth year as a teacher in the industry, and she has experience with private sector instruction and with students ranging from moderate to severe in their support needs. She brings a very family focused, community perspective to her teaching. She has worked with special needs students as an occupational therapy assistant, Special Olympics coordinator, and recreational support provider for families of students who have graduated. Her favorite thing about Mountain Heights Academy is “watching students find success and thrive because our unique online environment has been so rewarding. I’ve seen struggling students experience the internal reward of achieving placement on the honor roll for the first time. That is a tremendous transformation to watch!”
KATHRYN ABBOT
Kathryn Abbot teaches Reading and Study Skills at Mountain Heights Academy. She has three years of experience in the education field, and has worked as a substitute ESL teacher for adults. Due to her experience, Kathryn has learned unique ways to connect with students and present material in understandable ways. Her favorite thing about Mountain Heights Academy is the chance she gets to spend more time with individual students. “In a traditional school setting, a teacher might have five minutes to spend with a struggling student between teaching a lesson, helping other kids, and having to do it all over again in sixty minutes. During my office hours, I can work with a student for twenty minutes if that’s what they need.”
KATIE HACKETT
Katie Hackett is a Music Teacher at Mountain Heights Academy. She has five years of experience as a music teacher. She has a broad musical education background, including receiving a French Horn Music Scholarship to BYU-I. Her favorite thing about Mountain Heights academy is “being able to teach music from a new angle. Teaching online is a way for me to continue my teaching career while also being able to be home with my children.”
LORA GIBBONS
Lora Gibbons is a seventh grade Science and PE teacher at Mountain Heights Academy. She received her degree over 15 years ago, taught for six, and is now getting back into the swing of things. She has taught eighth grade Science, Biology, Medical Anatomy/Physiology, Physical Science, and Ecology. She ran a grant for Shelby County Schools in Tennessee that was funded through the EPA to help clean up storm water. She also taught at Alpine Academy, a school for at risk girls. Her favorite thing about Mountain Heights is the students. “I love to see them participate and love what they learn. I love to see them get excited and share with me their experiments. I love to meet with them weekly to make sure they understand the material. They are why I LOVE teaching.”
MEGAN ELLISON
Megan Ellison works at Mountain Heights Academy as a Paraprofessional and Tutor. She is just starting her career in education. In college, she was a tutor and during high school finished internships in elementary schools. She graduated from the University of Utah with a bachelor’s degree in Economics. Her favorite part about working for Mountain Heights Academy is that she can work from home and spend more time with her daughter, Laura.
SHANNA HAWS
Shanna Haws is a FACS Teacher at Mountain Heights Academy, teaching Child Development, Foods 1/2, CTE Intro, and Teen Living. She has been in the education sphere for five years. She has taught almost every FACS course available: Foods 1&2, Clothing 1&2, Fashion Strategies, CE Interior Design, Child Development, Pro Start 1&2, Teen Living, and CTE Intro. Shanna has also worked extensively with FCCLA, and even took a group of students to the National Leadership Conference in Washington, DC last summer. She has coached many successful Pro Start and FCCLA culinary teams. Her favorite thing about working at Mountain Heights Academy is “Working with young adults as they figure out what they want to do with their lives. I am passionate about helping students discover what they are passionate about. I also love teaching subjects that teach valuable life skills.”
TAREN GOING
Taren Going is a Math teacher at Mountain Heights Academy. She has been teaching for the past three years. She has extensive research experience in physics and mathematical modeling, and a love for numbers and learning! Her favorite thing about working with Mountain Heights Academy is “getting to work one-on-one with students.”
Tiffany Swenson teaches Biology and Chemistry at Mountain Heights Academy. She started teaching in the fall of 1998, and has been working with students ever since. She has taught a variety of science courses to students in grades 6-12. Her favorite subject to teach is Cellular and Molecular Biology. In addition to teaching, she spent a few summers studying Molecular Biology at the University of Arizona. She loves working at Mountain Heights Academy because “I enjoy working with kids and getting to know them. My students are constantly teaching me new things.”