Meet Our Passionate Team of Credentialed Educators!
Our team at I Can Academy is driven by a shared commitment to your child’s success and growth. With passion and expertise, we strive to provide a nurturing and supportive environment where every student can thrive academically and personally.
Dedicated Experts Committed to Your Child’s Success
Welcome to our inspiring team page at I Can Academy! Here, you’ll meet our exceptional and credentialed educators, each passionate about nurturing your child’s learning journey. Get to know the dedicated experts who are wholeheartedly committed to empowering your student’s success and providing a supportive environment for their growth.
Sarah Cuyno
Sarah Cuyno is a passionate educator with over 7 years of experience in the education field. She entered the profession intending to be a teacher who could create and encourage different learning styles that would allow all students to thrive, no matter their learning styles and abilities. Her career started in Canada where she worked in a private school as a Grade 2 Teacher. Since then, she has worked in schools in Fiji and Australia before finally settling in California where she taught in a Montessori school for 2 years. When COVID hit, Sarah saw an opportunity to step outside the traditional school system and into private teaching where she could focus on small-group learning, build stronger relationships with her students, and focus on building a supportive environment that would allow her students to reach their academic success faster and more effectively.
Sydney Burton
Sydney Burton is a certified educator with over seven years of diverse experience spanning from elementary to high school levels. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education and Special Education with additional experience as an ABA Therapist. Sydney specializes in 9-12 English instruction and enhancing educational programming for students with special needs. Additionally, Sydney offers independent tutoring services covering a spectrum of elementary and high school subjects, including but not limited Algebra I, Geometry, Physical Science, and Study Skills. Committed to empowering students, Sydney seeks to deliver academic guidance that fosters independence and confidence in navigating any classroom environment.
Brooke Cano
Brooke Cano graduated from UCI with her masters in teaching and multiple subject credential in 2021. She has loved teaching and watching her students grow. Ms. Cano believes that today’s students must have a safe and caring community that allows them to grow in their confidence as well as their skills. It is her goal to create this type of atmosphere where students can reach and exceed their goals.
“One child, one teacher, one book, one pen can change the world.”
– Malala Yousafzai
McKenna Elo
Meet McKenna and read her “WHY”:
“I strongly believe that every student has the power to do great things as learners, as leaders, and as world changers. I feel fortunate to have the privilege of working with so much amazing potential each and everyday in the classroom!”
Sarah Garey
Sarah Garey has over 10 years of experience in the field of education working as an Education Specialist for Irvine Unified School District. Her passion lies in creating warm and inclusive environments for her students to ensure that learning is possible for all.
Mrs. Garey received her Bachelor’s degree from University of California Riverside and her Master’s degree & Multiple Subject Credential from Concordia University. She has spent her career teaching students with varying needs ranging from TK-6th grade.
She is enthusiastic about having the opportunity to create engaging experiences through small group learning.
April Sonnenberg
April Sonnenberg is a certified educator who obtained a multi-subject bilingual teaching credential from Chapman University, California, in 2002.
Her teaching experience includes instructing 1st and 2nd-grade students within the Santa Ana Unified School District. Additionally, she served as a bilingual substitute teacher within the Spanish Immersion program for Capistrano Unified School District.
Over the course of nine years, she provided academic support to independent study students TK-12th grade while working in the public charter school system.
April is enthusiastic about facilitating engaging learning experiences.
Sofie Mullen
Sofie Mullen is a GATE certified educator who earned her Multiple Subject Teaching Credential and her Masters in Education at CSUF. She is also in the process of earning her Foundational Level Mathematics Credential.
She worked as an intervention support teacher before teaching 1st, 4th, and 5th grades. This will be her 8th year in education.
Emma Kremer
Emma Kremer received her BFA in Theatre Design from USC in 2022 and her Master’s of Arts in Education from UCI in 2023. She is a passionate educator in SVUSD and loves the opportunity to further support younger generations outside the traditional classroom setting here at ICA. Emma’s goal is to to help foster engaging learning experiences that will ignite her scholars’ interests in learning and growing.
“Knowledge is power. Information is liberating. Education is the premise of progress in every society, in every family.” —Kofi Annan
Haylee Embree
“In learning you will teach, and in teaching you will learn.” -Phil Collins
Haylee’s Why:
Becoming a teacher was driven by my strong commitment to igniting a passion for learning in students and my unwavering belief in the life-changing potential of education. My primary motivation as an educator is to inspire and enable students to realize their fullest capabilities.
Denise Olson
Denise Olson is a seasoned educator with a distinguished 35-year tenure within the Irvine Unified School District. She specializes in primary grade instruction. Her expertise as a reading specialist makes her an asset in promoting literacy development.
Denise’s educational journey includes the acquisition of a Bachelor of Arts degree in Liberal Arts and Psychology, as well as a multiple subject teaching credential from California State University,Long Beach.
Following her retirement from IUSD, Denise transitioned into the role of a dedicated tutor. With a wealth of experience and a passion for fostering academic success, she continues to inspire and empower students on their educational journey.
Amanda Ralph
Amanda Ralph is a certified educator who obtained a Multiple Subject Teaching Credential and Masters in Teaching from UC Irvine. She has worked as a classroom teacher and an intervention teacher.
She is passionate about fostering engaging and meaningful learning experiences and believes every student is capable of success!
Justine Vidovich
Justine Vidovich is a certified educator with a multi-subject teaching credential. She has experience working in k-5 classrooms and spent 4 years teaching 2nd grade. She is passionate about creating a positive learning environment where students feel emotionally safe to be themselves and express themselves and their ideas without judgment. Learning should always be fun and engaging!
Peggy Aungst
Peggy Aungst completed her multiple subject teaching credential at Cal State University, Northridge. She was recognized as one of the Top 20 Educators in Orange County by OC Parenting magazine. Peggy is committed to providing a safe, supportive environment for students to gain confidence in their academic skills and increase their love of learning. With over 30 years of teaching experience, teaching grades first through fourth, Peggy uses her experience, passion, and current best practices in education to ensure each student’s success academically and personally.
Rebecca Hauptman
Rebecca Hauptman is a credentialed teacher, with both primary (Multiple Subject Credential) and secondary (Foundational Level Math Credential) experience. She obtained her Bachelor of Arts in education, with an emphasis in special education, and her teaching credential from Loyola Marymount University. She has taught elementary school as well as 7th & 8th grade mathematics, where she loved helping academics “click” for her students. Rebecca’s approach of simplifying complex concepts into easily understandable language has helped students achieve academic success and develop their own passion for learning. She has 9 years of experience working with her tutoring clients (K-12), where she excels at adapting teaching styles to meet individual student needs. In her free time, she loves traveling, relaxing at the beach, and achieving new personal records in Sudoku!
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