Our teachers are the heart of the exceptional education we provide our students at La Tierra Community School. Their love for students and the learning process shines through in everything they do. As a team, they are innovative, creative, and caring. As individuals, they are outstanding – each bringing their own unique skills to the classroom. Our teachers create the wonderful learning environment at LTCS and we are thankful for every one of them!
Here’s a little more about each teacher:
Kindergarten – Tricia Arnts
- Ms. Tricia is a positive and passionate Kindergarten teacher with a certification in Early Childhood and Elementary Education. She joined the La Tierra Community in 2020 , after having spent 4 years at the Discovery Gardens Early Childhood Learning Center.
- Ms. Tricia has the unique ability to incorporate music and art into lesson plans and everyday teaching.
First Grade – Rachel Cochran
- Ms. Rachel came to La Tierra in 2019 from Virginia with a Master’s Degree in Reading Instruction and experience as a 4th grade teacher.
- Ms. Rachel’s love for her students and willingness to dive into new and exciting curriculum has made her a much valued member of the La Tierra Community.
Second Grade – Dawn Klaiber
- Ms. Klaiber has been teaching at La Tierra for more than 8 years, making her one of our oldest (and dearest) teachers on campus.
- Ms. Klaiber recently earned her National Board Certification as an elementary school teacher and is also an integral part of our leadership team.
Third Grade – David McNelly
- Mr. Dave has been at La Tierra since the school began in 2010. As one of the founding teachers of La Tierra, he brings his deep rooted knowledge of experiential education and a true passion for learning into his classroom every day.
- Mr. Dave is a lover of music and can often be seen playing his guitar on the playground and leading his students in song during morning crew.
Fourth Grade – Barbara Braswell
- Barbara has been the 4th grade teacher at La Tierra since 2016 and she has also been a sponsor of our “Girl’s on the Run” Program.
- Ms Barbara (and every teacher at La Tierra) recognizes and embraces that all people have their own beautiful differences and accepts, values, and appreciates these unique gifts.
Fifth Grade – Logan Smit
- Ms. Logan will be starting her 3rd year as our 5th grade teacher at La Tierra. She came to us with a background in Spanish, having taught English in Argentina and Chile.
- Ms. Logan has traveled all over the world and brings her unique cultural experiences into the classroom.
Sixth/Seventh Grade – Teri Lynn Stout
- Ms. Teri Lynn started at La Tierra as our Spanish teacher and spent her first year as our middle school teacher in 2020.
- Ms. Teri Lynn loves to hike, she loves to write and she is an avid reader.
6/7 Math & K-7 Art – Tasha Weeks
- This will be Ms. Tasha’s first year at LTCS and she will be teaching 6/7 Math as well as Art to all the grades.
- Ms. Tasha has 3 years of experience in Expeditionary Learning and will bring her knowledge and love of EL to our students.
Special Education – Cyndi Reynolds
- Ms. Reynolds has been our Special Education teacher and director at La Tierra for 8 years. She works with students individually and in small groups to deliver specially designed instruction to students who qualify with an IEP.
- Ms. Reynolds’s love for her students and our school community is evident in her years of hard work and dedication in the classroom.
