Faculty

Kaysie Polad earned a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education with a minor in Special Education from Southern Utah University and completed her Master’s degree in Educational Technology and Instructional Design in 2024. Since joining WPA as a teacher intern in 2023, she knew she had found a special community.  Kaysie loves kindergarten, especially getting to watch the incredible growth her students make as they learn to read and build confidence. She strives to create a classroom where every child feels safe, cared for, and excited to learn. Outside of school, Kaysie enjoys reading, crocheting, spending time with her two corgis, Mabel and Dipper, and is excited for her wedding in October!

Ms. Beal earned a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education and a Master’s degree in Performing Arts. She is also certified in Early Childhood Education and interpretation. Originally from Uruguay, Mrs. Beal began her career in education in 1998 and has worked with students of all ages. After teaching preschool for five years and directing a childcare center for two years, she joined Wasatch Peak Academy, where she is now in her fourth year. Her passion for education comes from her belief that every child deserves access to a quality education. She loves WPA both as a teacher and as a parent and appreciates that staff and students are valued as individuals and given meaningful opportunities for growth and development. Outside the classroom, she enjoys dancing, hiking, and reading by the fire.

A Utah native, Aimee Leonce began her teaching career in Davis School District, where she taught first grade for three years. Over the past 11 years, she has worked with students of all ages in a richly diverse school community in Washington state. Aimee earned her Bachelor’s degree from the University of Utah in 2012 and holds two Master’s degrees from Western Governors University in Curriculum and Instruction and Technology and Learning. Inspired by a passion for helping students discover their strengths, she is committed to supporting every learner’s success. Outside of school, Aimee enjoys spending time with her family, traveling, reading, and creative projects.

Abby has been teaching first grade at WPA since 2018. She loves being part of such a welcoming and kind school community. Her goal is to create a classroom where students feel safe, supported, and excited to learn. Abby earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Utah and her master’s in Curriculum and Instruction from Western Governors University. Outside of school, she enjoys reading and spending time with her family and friends. A big Disney fan, Abby especially loves visiting Disneyland!

Ellie Sainsbury is excited to be returning to first grade at Wasatch Peak Academy for another wonderful year of first grade! Mrs. Sainsbury earned her Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from Southern Utah University and is currently pursuing her Master of Education in Administration and Supervision through SUU. Go T-Birds! Mrs. Sainsbury was inspired to become a teacher by the caring and creative educators in her own life who made learning meaningful, engaging, and fun. Mrs. Sainsbury believes every child learns in their own unique way and is committed to meeting the diverse needs, strengths, and interests of each student through thoughtful, differentiated instruction. Earlier this year, Mrs. Sainsbury got married and is loving life with her husband, their cat Percy, and their dog Lorelai. They love to build Legos, go to the lake, and watch good movies! 

Missy Davis joined Wasatch Peak Academy in 2018 as a Kindergarten TA. In 2021, she began teaching afternoon Kindergarten and now teaches First Grade. She loves helping young students become confident readers and build strong learning habits. Missy holds a Bachelor’s degree in Education, and has earned her LETRS endorsement. She values the Wasatch Peak community both as a teacher and as a parent—her three children have attended the school. Outside the classroom, Missy enjoys spending time with her husband, Ryan, their kids—Jackson, Ayden, and Macie—hiking, and playing sports.

Rylee John is an enthusiastic and supportive teacher! Rylee was born and raised in North Ogden, Utah. She grew up loving all sports and has always loved to be around her family and friends. When she’s not prepping for her second-grade class, Rylee is either relaxing on the couch while watching a movie or exploring new areas in the world we live in today. The 2026-2027 school year will be her sixth full year teaching, and she loves being a part of Wasatch Peak Academy! She began her journey in 2017 at Westminster College. Rylee had the opportunity to teach full-time while also completing her student teaching in January 2021. She then graduated in May 2021 with her Elementary Education Major with two Special Education minors. Go Griffins!

Melinda Abel has always wanted to be a teacher. She felt the love of her teachers in her own life and wanted to make a difference for children by making sure they also felt love. She first fell in love with Wasatch Peak Academy while volunteering in her own children’s classrooms.   She worked as a TA for 6 years, and then finally made the decision to jump into teaching in 2022. This will be her 5th year teaching. She loves helping her students feel excited about learning and she loves to watch them grow! She loves all of her students with all her heart, and she puts her soul into teaching. She creates a classroom environment where she hopes that all students feel happy and safe at school. When she’s not at school, she loves spending time with her husband and 2 teenage daughters. She loves to build puzzles, play games, ride her bike, and is a huge Disney fan.

Macey Tom discovered her love for teaching during her time as an intern and long-term substitute for third grade at Wasatch Peak Academy. However, it was in the second-grade classroom where her passion truly blossomed. She is dedicated to creating a classroom environment where every student feels loved, appreciated, and empowered to reach their full potential. She is originally from Chattanooga, Tennessee and moved to Utah in 2016 to attend the University of Utah, where she competed on the gymnastics team. Outside the classroom, she enjoys hiking, snowboarding, and spending quality time with her baby, family, and two pups. 

Angie Thor (formerly Rohr) started teaching at WPA in 2017. The 2026-2027 school year will be her 14th year as a teacher and 10th year at WPA. She has endorsements in mathematics, English as a second language, special education, and gifted and talented. She earned her undergraduate degree in mild/moderate special education at the University of Utah and her master’s degree in Elementary Education at Utah State University. She has experience in teaching K-9th grade students of all abilities. She enjoys art, music, and nature. She loves animals and fosters cats and kittens through CAWS. Mrs. Thor is excited to see another class of amazing third graders blossom into confident, kind, hardworking learners!

Emily Pope first fell in love with Wasatch Peak Academy while volunteering in her own children’s classrooms many years ago. Since then, she has worked as a TA and then finally jumped into teaching in 2021. She loves helping her students feel excited about learning and hopes that they all feel happy and safe at school. When she’s not at school, she loves spending time with her family hiking, reading, scuba diving, and traveling to new places.

Bree Ammons loves the community and culture of WPA and is excited to enjoy another year teaching. Bree started volunteering in her children's classrooms several years ago and joined the WPA staff as a TA in 2024. She jumped into teaching and hasn't looked back. She loves seeing her students get excited about learning and discovering new ideas and ways of seeing the world. She is furthering her education at Western Governors University with a degree in elementary education. Bree enjoys community theater and also teaches private voice lessons. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, spending time with her children, reading, and learning new things.

Emily Normandeau has been a teacher for 20 years. She graduated with a BS in psychology and human development from Utah State University and an MAEd in elementary education from University of Phoenix. She has taught 3rd, 4th, and 5th grades as well as middle school science. Mrs. Normandeau was also a teacher at Primary Children's Hospital. When not teaching, she loves to read, travel, hike, and ski. Mrs. Normandeau is excited to be teaching 4th grade at Wasatch Peak Academy this year!

This is Mrs. Swink’s first year teaching fourth grade at WPA. She was a TA last school year at WPA in Special Education with the 4th-6th graders, where she learned to really love the differentiation of instruction, the SpEd staff, the students, and their families. She studied at the University of Utah. She is LETRS certified. She speaks just enough Spanish to get by. She has one husband, two children of her own, and two chubby cats who adopted their family one winter, and never left. She enjoys reading up to three books at a time (one Kindle book, one physical book, and one audiobook), traveling as often as life allows, going to the gym before the sun comes up, and playing really geeky board games. She loves a crisp Diet Coke from McDonald’s. She is looking forward to getting to know the WPA students and families this school year. 

Keeli Shakespear earned a dual bachelor’s degree in Elementary and Special Education from Utah State University in 2026 and is excited to start her career as a 4th grade teacher at Wasatch Peak Academy. She first decided to become a teacher in high school after writing a tall tale that she read to students at a local elementary school. Keeli is passionate about inspiring the next generation of leaders to be kind, love to read, learn from making mistakes, and believe in themselves. In her spare time, Keeli enjoys getting crafty, reading, performing, and spending time with her friends and family.

Mrs. Smith has been involved with Wasatch Peak since it opened its doors in 2005. She’s experienced the wonderful, supportive WPA environment as a parent, T.A., and teacher, and couldn’t imagine a better place to teach. She is excited to be in 5th grade again this year sharing her love of literature, math, science, and U.S. history with eager young minds.

In her free time, she enjoys puzzles of all kinds -- Sudoku, crosswords, logic problems, jigsaw puzzles – as well as hiking, biking, paddle boarding, camping, and road-tripping. She also likes to sing, play the piano, read or listen to audio books, and attend the theater.

Emily Schacht earned both a bachelor’s degree in Education and a master’s degree in Curriculum and Instructional Design from Western Governors University. Her passion for working with children and helping them grow academically and personally inspired her to pursue a career in education. She enjoys building strong connections with students and supporting their overall development. This is Emily's 6th year at Wasatch Peak Academy. She was drawn to the friendly people and educational standards of Wasatch Peak Academy. Outside of teaching, Emily loves spending time with her family, watching movies, and baking.

Anna Zucchero is thrilled to be joining the WPA learning community. Anna is originally from the Boston area and earned a Bachelor's degree in Education from Vassar College in 2021. She is proud to have played on the Vassar Women's Volleyball and Women's Ultimate Frisbee teams. Anna then moved to Denver to pursue her teaching license and Master's degree in Elementary Education, graduating from the University of Colorado Denver in 2023. After graduating in December, Anna taught Kindergarten for the rest of the school year before moving to 5th grade for the past two years. When Anna is not learning and growing with her students she enjoys spending time in nature by rock climbing, hiking, camping and skiing, or relaxing at home with her cat and practicing yoga.

Heather Chance earned her teaching degree from Western Governors University in 2018. From a young age, she dreamed of becoming a teacher—even creating her own classroom in her parents’ basement as a child. That lifelong passion inspired her to pursue her degree while raising her children as a stay-at-home mom. Heather has taught both 2nd and 4th grade at WPA and is excited to now be teaching 6th grade Literacy. Over the past 8 years at WPA, she has been dedicated to creating a classroom where every student feels safe, respected, valued, and supported. Heather lives in Centerville with her husband and four children. As a family, they enjoy spending time together and baking.

Lauren Bodell graduated from Catawba College in 2026 with a double major in Elementary Education and Special Education. As a former student of Wasatch Peak Academy, Lauren developed not only strong academic skills, but also important life skills such as time management, discipline, and work ethic. These experiences inspired her to pursue a career in education and become a positive example for her students both inside and outside the classroom. Outside of school, Lauren enjoys playing indoor and beach volleyball, watching movies, attending live sporting events, and spending time with friends and family.

Sydney Bartra Buice holds a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of West Georgia and a Master’s in Teaching from Kennesaw State University. Her passion for education was ignited by an inspiring Creative Writing teacher during her senior year of high school who motivated her to create that same impact for her own students. Outside of the classroom, Sydney enjoys listening to music, writing books, and experimenting with different coffee flavors and brewing methods at home.

Yessica Andrade is a teacher with a true passion for educating children, youth, and adults. She earned her bachelor’s degree in education in 2007 and completed her master’s degree in 2014. Also, she is a professional journalist and a pastry chef. She brings 18 years of experience in the field of education in her home country, Ecuador. This year marks her second at WPA, where she is excited to share her native language as a Spanish teacher. Outside the classroom, she enjoys walking, being with animals, volunteering for social causes, and most of all, spending time with her family.

Marvy Rocha brings eight years of experience in education. Originally from Mexico, she holds a degree in Chemical Engineering with a specialization in Industrial Process Management. In her home country, she dedicated her time to scientific research and teaching middle school science, including Biology, Physics, and Chemistry. It was during this time that she discovered her passion for education. In addition, she led chess classes for elementary school students. Later, Marvy received Montessori training in Texas and worked as a Spanish instructor. She is now honored to be part of Wasatch Peak Academy and looks forward to working with talented and promising young minds. Outside of her professional life, Marvy enjoys spending time with her family, hiking, weightlifting, playing chess, and exploring new places.

Randi Enriquez has her bachelor’s in special education with a minor in health/physical education from College of the Southwest, Hobbs, NM. She also has her Masters of Exercise and Sport Science from the University of Utah. Mrs. Randi has been teaching at WPA for several years now. She came to our school when she saw a job post opening for a PE teacher back in the spring of 2007 and has been there ever since. What Mrs. Randi loves about teaching at WPA is the students and everyone who works there—being there is like being part of a huge family. We laugh. We have fun. Sometimes we struggle. Some days are harder than others, but when it comes down to it, we all work so hard for each other. To make each other better—students, teachers, and staff. It truly is an amazing place to be a part of!! Randi Enriquez' favorite sport is pickleball. She cannot get enough of this amazing sport! She would play every day if she could. She also loves to walk, read, do puzzles, crochet, and hang out with her family. She collects magnets from the various places she visits.

Emily Polanco is entering her sixth year of teaching art. She has enjoyed it immensely and has especially enjoyed her time here at Wasatch Peak Academy. She graduated with her Bachelor of Arts degree in Art Education from Brigham Young University-Idaho. Emily continued her education at Open University and received a certificate in Humanities. She has a deep appreciation for both art history and the three-dimensional arts and loves working with clay and getting her hands dirty. Emily is looking forward to yet another year of amazing art and working with all the wonderful students here at WPA.

Halia knew from a young age that she wanted to teach, inspired by her parents, both educators, who instilled in her a love of learning and helping others succeed. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from BYU–Hawaii in 2016, with a minor in American Sign Language. With over a decade of experience, Halia has served as a classroom teacher and most recently as an administrative assistant in the Granite School District. She’s excited to return to the classroom. Outside of school, Halia loves to dance hula, bake, devour audiobooks, and read uplifting non-fictions. Most of all, she enjoys spending time outdoors with her family whenever she can.

Ruthann Hertel is excited to serve as the school's Literacy Specialist. She has been in education for over 11 years, with experience as a classroom teacher, instructional coach, and early literacy coach. She holds endorsements in Reading, Instructional Coaching, and English as a Second Language (ESL). In 2023, she earned her master's degree in Curriculum and Instruction. Ruthann is passionate about helping students become confident, successful readers and supporting teachers in providing high-quality literacy instruction. Outside of school, she enjoys reading, hiking, and spending time with her dogs. 

Mr. Thorpe has a passion for learning and taking on challenges. As an educator, he believes that we grow best by using what we learn in real ways.  He took a winding path to get to WPA, studying astrophysics and then pursuing a career in martial arts before deciding that he wanted a real challenge - early childhood education. He completed a B.S. from the University of Utah and a M.Ed. from WGU as well as continuing education through Westminster, SUU, and UVU. He was a classroom teacher, gifted and talented coordinator, and computer science teacher at a Montessori charter school before joining Wasatch Peak Academy as the math specialist.

Chaylee graduated Southern Utah University in 2025 with her Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice. She has always been interested in working with kids and creating a culture and place where kids are able to learn and grow. She wants to be able to create consistent supports that will help encourage positive behavior and an environment where every student feels seen and heard. Outside of school she loves to read, hike, run, and play games with her friends and family.