Amber earl, BUSINESS OFFICE/REGISTRAR

Mrs. Earl works as the Business Office Assistant/Registrar and just started her fourth year with the school. However, she has been involved with the Village community since the school opened, helping in the classrooms and with other school events. Prior to being hired on at the school, Amber served as the PTO President for Village Leadership Academy and spent her time as a stay-at-home mom to her six children. Amber grew up in the Treasure Valley area, moved to western Oregon after she married her husband Dustin in 2001, and they moved to Boise in 2008 when Dustin transferred here with his job. Amber loves spending time with her family, doing puzzles, hanging out with friends, and finding ways to serve those around her.

andrea daigle, administrative assistant & school secretary

Andrea grew up in El Paso, Texas, and has considered Idaho home for almost 21 years. Once hitting the tender age of 20, Andrea decided that she needed to leave the west Texas town of El Paso, and she joined the United States Navy. She discovered in the Navy that leadership is not reserved for the few. Andrea spent six years in the active Navy and traveled to the Far East and Australia while deployed on a ship that was stationed in Guam. Once she was out of the Navy, Andrea pursued a career as a dental assistant while living in San Diego, Ca. When she decided on her career path, Andrea decided to move to Boise to live with her family and attend BSU. While attending BSU, Andrea met her husband; they married in 2006 when they also welcomed their first child. In 2011, they welcomed their second child and Andrea began a career as a stay-at-home parent. Andrea has been involved with Village Leadership Academy since it opened in 2011 and began working at the school in December 2019.

candie massey, business manager

Candie grew up in Southern California and moved to Salmon, Idaho in 2009. She moved to the Boise area in 2019 when hired by Village Leadership Academy as the Business Manager/Board Clerk. She has two children, Arianne and Hunter, and two grandchildren, Alana and Oliver.

ANDREA WEAVER, RESOURCE ROOM TEACHER

Andrea Weaver has worked in education for the past twenty-nine years, alongside her husband who is a music teacher. However, she began her education to become a teacher when she moved to Nampa, Idaho with her husband and two sons, Benjamin and Ethan, in July of 2006. In 2015, she graduated from Northwest Nazarene University with her Master of Education degree for the exceptional child. In 2015, Andrea worked in Kuna School District and spent the next six years as a special education teacher working with children and their families During her last year in Kuna she was awarded a Cap Ed grant for improving her practice as a special education teacher and became the vice president of Idaho’s Council for Exceptional Children Organization. This is Andrea’s first year at a charter school. She loves the close-knit community feel of the school and believes the Seven Habits are an amazing tool for students to use when needing to advocate for themselves. This opportunity to teach and lead by example is fulfilling and exciting. Watching children learn and grow personally, intellectually, and educationally is a joy that is not taken lightly. Andrea thanks VLA for allowing her this opportunity. 

When Andrea is not working she loves to travel with her family. This past year they visited New York, Virginia, Arizona, California, Kentucky, and Oregon. Andrea also enjoys playing card or board games, putting together a puzzle, and working out.

JENNIFER MAYES, special education paraprofessional

Jen was born and raised in Meridian, Idaho, and is a 5th generation Idahoan. Jen attended elementary, middle, and high school in Meridian, Idaho. After school, she worked in customer service until becoming a stay-at-home mom. Once her boys were old enough to enter school, she began her journey in working in schools. She started as a playground attendant in the Kuna School District. Jen spent the next 6 years in the Kuna School District in the Special education program. Jen has had extensive training in behavior, trauma, autism support, and many other special education programs. Jen made the move to Village Leadership Academy in 2021. She is a paraprofessional in the MAC room. 

Jen has 4 boys, two humans who are 12 and 15 years old, and 2 dogs. Jen is known for her laugh, her love for tacos, and having fun with the kids.

JENNY LINDSAY, PARAPROFESSIONAL

My name is Jenny Lindsay and I work as a Paraprofessional in the classrooms. I was born in Fayetteville, North Carolina on the Fort Bragg military base, but I moved to Mountain Home, Idaho when I was 2 years old.  I love reading books, and watching crime shows in my down time. I have a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice from Boise State University, but I have been working in elementary schools’ for about 5 years throughout my schooling. I also work at the Boys and Girls Club of Ada Club for the past 2 years. This is my first time working at Village Leadership Academy and I am excited to work with all the students.

lise hansen, music teacher

A native of Utah, Lise Hansen(she/her) majored in choral music and piano pedagogy at the University of Utah. Following time as a missionary in Japan, she studied linguistics and taught English as a Second Language in Illinois and Pennsylvania. Lise found her way back to music after time as a stay-at-home mother and private piano teacher. She began teaching general elementary music in the Middleton School District in 2008. Drawn to the 7 habits focus of The Leader in Me curriculum, she joined Village Leadership Academy in August 2013.  Her interest in the Habits began during college at a student leadership retreat led by Dr. Steven R. Covey.

A life-long performing musician, Mrs. Hansen came to the music classroom after private and group piano teaching, collaborative playing as a pianist, and church service as an organist and choir director.   

She is proud to have expanded the offerings at Village Leadership Academy to include choir and stage crew, Taiko and bucket drumming, marimba and xylophone, and ukulele. The Village ukulele program was spotlighted by Idaho Public Television (https://youtu.be/ogvKVhB7eug).  Mrs. Hansen has been recognized as a Leader in Learning by Idaho’s CBS2 news station: (https://idahonews.com/features/leaders-in-learning/leaders-in-learning-boise-students-exercise-their-mind-through-music) 

Mrs. Hansen enjoys reading, family history, keeping up with extended family, and cultivating her favorite role as grandmother.

Lisa Gallagher, Kindergarten  

My name is Lisa Gallagher and I grew up in North Dakota. I left at 18 and after living all around the States and abroad, I settled in Boise, Idaho about 20 years ago. I have a Bachelor of Science in Communications from the University of Maryland, and a Masters Degree in Elementary Education. I have 17 years of teaching experience which were primarily in grades, kinder, first, and second grade.  I’m super excited to be back in the kinder element and work with these sweet cherubs’ first brush with school! 

 In my free time, I love hanging with my 3 kids and my pooch. I love music, hiking, yoga, plants of all kinds, interior design, being outdoors and hanging with friends and family. I am excited to be at VLA and look forward to a great year! 

KATELYN FRANKLIN, FIRST GRADE

Miss Franklin is teaching first grade this year and enjoying every part of it. She received her B.A. degree in 2021 from California State University, Chico. Miss Franklin also earned credentials in Multiple Subject Education and Special Education from there as well. Miss Franklin says she chose to pursue a career in education because she wanted to support young learners in developing a love for learning. She loves seeing the progress that students make during the year both academically and socially. Miss Franklin believes that teaching means having a partnership with families to develop the whole child. One of her favorite things about teaching is being able to make connections with her students and their families because it creates a positive and safe environment for children to thrive. 

Miss Franklin has two cats, named Apollo and Daisy, who love to snuggle with her and chase after her lost hair ties. In her free time, Miss Franklin enjoys eating out and discovering new restaurants with her boyfriend of two years, thrift shopping, and making her own matcha lattes at home!

LUCIA DAVIS, SECOND GRADE

Hello! My name is Ms. Lucia Davis (she/her). I grew up in Oregon and moved here in 2017 to be a part of the Boise State Swim & Dive team where I swam distance freestyle. During that time, I fell in love with education and began pursuing my elementary education degree. I graduated in 2022 and accepted a 2nd-grade position here at The Village. I was drawn to the school because they hold similar values to me: community, recognizing genius, and teaching the whole child- mind, body, and spirit. Teaching is a passion of mine, and I love the opportunity to work with students in such an exciting time in their education.

My other passions include being in nature, cooking food with/for family and friends, and petting as many dogs as possible (though I am partial to my rescue pup named Otter). 

Jeanette Epp, Third Grade

Mrs. Epp recently moved to Idaho from Colorado to be closer to her children who are both grown and live in the Northwest.  Mrs. Epp has been in education for over 20 years as a paraprofessional, reading interventionist, reading tutor, licensed elementary teacher, and certified reading specialist. She received her B.S. in both Elementary Education and Early Childhood Education at George Fox University in Oregon, returning to complete her Reading Endorsement.  

Mrs. Epp is excited to join a school community that practices Leader in Me having seen how students flourish when given the opportunity to take ownership of their learning, learn 21st-century skills, and develop a positive mindset. She loves watching students light up when they get it!

Some of her interests include reading, traveling, cooking, gardening, and a new interest in kayaking and paddleboarding; still very much a work in progress!

JULIA GROVER, FOURTH GRADE

Julia is a 4th-grade teacher at Village Leadership Academy. A Boise native, she earned a B.A. in Music from St. Olaf College in 2009 and a B.A. in Elementary Education from Boise State in 2012. She has worked with children ranging from ages newborn to middle school in many different capacities for the last thirteen years, including as special education para-professional, a camp counselor, an early childhood education teacher, and as an Au Pair in both Germany and Italy. Ms. Grover is proud to teach at Village Leadership Academy and has seen firsthand how meaningful and impactful the Leader in Me program is, both in and out of the classroom. It is her passion to teach children how to think, not what to think, and she lives for the moments when the lightbulbs turn on above her students’ heads! 

Outside of the classroom, Julia enjoys spending time with her delightful nieces and nephews, gardening, reading, playing board games, and solving any kind of puzzle you can throw her way!

AYSIA KERNIN, MIDDLE SCHOOL math

Born and Raised in Idaho, Aysia Kernin graduated from Boise State University. A non-traditional teacher, Ms. K's academic background started in psychology with a BS and then moved to teaching through CSI.  This is Ms. K's second year teaching middle school math at Village Leadership Academy. Ms. K was drawn in by the school's commitment to Leader in Me and the close community. Ms. K believes that teaching, regardless of grade or subject, should take a holistic approach providing students with the tools and knowledge they need for life within and beyond the classroom. 

 When outside the classroom Ms. K loves spending time with family.

STEPHANIE WRIGHT, MIDDLE SCHOOL social studies

Stephanie has been Village Leadership Academy’s 6-8th grade Social Studies teacher since 2017.  She grew up in Washington where she received an Associate in Arts degree. She transferred to Boise State University to finish her education and received her Bachelor of Science in elementary and secondary education. She previously taught P.E. A lifelong sports lover, she has played and coached basketball, flag football, fast-pitch softball, baseball, volleyball, tennis, gymnastics, and golf. She has coached at all levels in K-12 and received her coaching certification from Boise State University. 

It was a love of history and seeing firsthand the values at Village Leadership Academy that brought Stephanie back to the classroom. All four of her children attended school at Village and she fell in love with the 7 Habits, education, and values.

Her motivation for teaching stems from a love of working with students and helping create that lightbulb moment where they truly connect with a concept. She also loves helping students realize that they can do hard things.