Staff
Staff
Kerri Nelson - B.S. in Psychology, B.S. in Education, Master as Reading Specialist
Owner/Principal/3rd-6th Grade Teacher
The Study was inspired by a teacher who consistently spoke negativity over her students, basically speaking the words, "you will never, and you can’t". Kerri Nelson was one of her students. Kerri decided to go into teaching with a mission of assuring students that they can! After teaching at Cook Inlet Academy and encouraging students that they will and they can; she decided to provide the community with a positive place where students can come and be challenged, coached, and inspired to love learning! Since 2011, The Study has provided the community of Soldotna with an accredited Elementary School, as well as a variety of educational workshops and private tutoring services.
Kerri Nelson has been a teacher on the Kenai Peninsula for over 20 years. She spent ten years at Cook Inlet Academy teaching third and fourth grade as well as Home-Ec. She has her Master's degree as a reading specialist and has experience working with students of various ages and challenges. Kerri is married to an incredibly supportive husband and has three children, Chloe, Ellie and Coel and is a proud grandma.
Diane Reynolds - Administrative Assistant
Diane has been with The Study since 2021 and loves being able to work near her three children and witness firsthand their growth in the classroom along with their love for their teachers and friends. She enjoys getting to know each of the students, as well as, forming relationships with the parents. One of her favorite things to do on Fridays, is jumping in on an art project.
Dakota Moos - 1st-2nd Grade Teacher
Dakota Moos is beginning her teaching career at The Study as the 1st & 2nd grade teacher. She has a BA in English with a minor in Education and hopes to pursue licensure in the future. She has been working with kids in multiple capacities over the past eight years, including as a special education intensive needs aide and tutor at the Study. She enjoys creative activities like writing and quilting and is a passionate lover of classic literature.
Amber Johns - PreK & Kinder Teacher
Amber was born and raised in Soldotna, Alaska. She is a wife and mother, and has a love for kids, plants, and carbs. She has worked in multiple settings involving children such as daycares, preschools, and babysitting. She has also worked as a PCA and CNA; caring for people is something she has always had a calling for. She is excited to be the PreK & Kinder teacher another year. Getting to know, care for, teach, and learn from each of the students is such a fulfilling journey.
Linda Vroman - Special Education Teacher /Reading Interventionist/Tutor
Linda's philosophy of education is similar to the young man that walked along the beach saving one starfish at a time. To her, every child is worth saving. The majority of her over 20 years in education has been in Special Ed., Intervention, & Title I. She has a BA of Ed, K-8 and an Art minor. Currently, she has been at The Study for 7 years working in the classroom and private tutoring during the school year. Her Art minor has opened many doors with students who enjoy creating works of art. She loves teaching different styles of art and seeing wonderful projects come to life. It gives her great pleasure to watch students' progress and know that she has helped them grow and attain their educational goals.
Patti Ireland - Teacher's Aide/Tutor/Music & Piano Teacher
Patti grew up on a ranch in eastern Montana, attending a 1-room school for 8 grades. After attending Miles Community College, Eastern Montana College, and Big Sky Bible College, she earned her Elementary Education certification and went back to teach at that 1-room school. She took some time off to marry and start a family. Her family had moved to Alaska by the time her older child was ready for school. She decided to homeschool; at that time, it required mailing boxes of schoolwork back and forth to Juneau. She wasn't happy with the lack of choice, so started a homeschool program through Cook Inlet Academy. Four years later, she took a position of 1st-2nd grade teacher at CIA. She worked there from 1990 through 2008, making sure to keep her certification current through ongoing education. Several years after her end at CIA, Kerri Nelson started The Study and Patti was her first hire. She's been here ever since, doing whatever is needed: teaching piano lessons, tutoring, being a teacher's aide, and teaching music.
Chloe Luck - Teacher's Aide (3rd-6th Grade)
Chloe is 31 years old and a proud mom of a 1 and 2-year-old as well as two teenage stepdaughters. She has been at The Study for over 8 years and has been mentored by her mom, Kerri Nelson, in teaching PreK - 6th. She absolutely loves teaching and all the kids. Her favorite grades are 3rd & 4th grade because of all the new skills the kids are learning from multiplication to reading. We are truly a family at The Study and she loves it here.
Victor Levinao Fernandez - PreK/Kinder Teacher's Aide, Spanish Teacher
Professor Victor is a native Spanish speaker from Chile and feels honored to share his language and culture in the classroom. He has a heart for working with children and feels blessed to have the ability to teach and grow alongside his students. They have fun learning Spanish songs, games, and activities that motivate them to learn another language. Professor Victor pairs a positive attitude with encouragement to make the learning environment enjoyable and rewarding for each student.