AAI TODAY

VOLUME 1

APRIL 7, 2016

| aaiutah.org

| facebook.com/AAIUtah

Directors Message
by German Lopez, AAI Director
Students, teachers and mentors who

activities that will impact the minds of the

participate in this school will be endowed

students for a lifetime.

with the power to act well in todays world,

with the power to think critically and clearly

At AAI we cannot waste time we will

and to appreciate life to its fullest.

promote insatiable curiosity in the minds

of all who participate with us. We welcome

American Academy of Innovation is an

you all: students, parents, and teachers. We

important part of the solution to modern

congratulate you for your wise decision to

After 30 months of intense work,

life needs; it is a beacon of innovation in

be a part of this school, and we confirm to

American Academy of Innovation is now

many ways, combining the art of teaching

you our willingness and excitement to work

a reality.

and learning with sports, fine arts, an inter-

along with you on this inspiring endeavor.

national educational network and engaging

Community members, parents, students,
scholars, government officials, investors
and many other people that have been
involved in this school believe in what
will become one of the best educational
models that will impact positively the lives
of many.
Students will find in AAI a place of wisdom
and personal growth, a place of learning,
full of opportunities that will boost their
potential to grow their character
emotionally, physically and intellectually.

Win exciting prizes!

Bring your friends to AAI.
Our next student events
will be April 16th and 30th

Invite your friends to our upcoming student events. For every new friend you
bring to the AAI student event youll get an entry into the raffle. Prizes will be drawn
at the end of each event. The more potential AAI students you bring, the better your
chances to win! And to top it off, the person with the most referred registrations
before the end of June will win the Ultimate AAI Prize Package.

Teacher Qualifications
by Julie Goldklang, AAI Board Chair

Charter schools may only employ educators who

hold valid teaching certificates or who meet State
Board requirements for alternative certification or
authorization. USOE FAQ
The primary motivation I had to

Board members, parents, and employees.

college-level teaching experience jump at

get involved with Charters was driven by

Historically, weve had to do more with less

the opportunity to partner with our school

the overall performance management of

in the Charter environment. But this isnt a

to make our vision a reality.

teachers in traditional public schools. With

bad thing. We maximize our resources in

my background of over 17 years in Human

large part by minimizing costly administra-

We look forward to introducing our AAI

Resources in IT Consulting, I was having

tive overhead, locating grants, exercising

Teaching Team at future events and on our

a hard time wrapping my mind around

creativity, and engaging with volunteers.

website aaiutah.org/teachers

entrusting my childs education with

Also, and very unlike many traditional

teachers who had no incentive or

public schools, charter schools are able

Click here for more details on Alternate

disincentive to perform in their jobs.

to manage poorly performing out of our

Route to Licensure (ARL)

school environment in order to make sure

So why charter schools as an answer?

only the best and most committed teach-

Heres a special opportunity to take an

ers are involved with our school.

Julie Goldklang has more than 17 years of experience

active role in building a unique educational

experience for the children in our commu-

What motivates teachers to join a Charter?

driving IT consulting business success at Accenture,

nity. Ultimately, charters are managed by a

The answers are as diverse as the teachers

EMC and Datalink. Currently on the leadership team to

Board consisting of volunteers and held to

themselves. The most common response,

legal and educational standards at a state

however, is the excitement to work in an

level. Our teachers are highly qualified

environment where they can be creative

and include a combination of experienced

and directly impact the direction of their

performance management, on-boarding, resource

and entry-level teachers, ranging from

class in their area of expertise. Imagine

management and business analysis. Julie was also

Bachelors to Masters degrees, and even

being in a school with a start-up company

the vice president of the founding board of Early Light

some with Doctorate-level education. Our

mentality where leadership, students

Academy, a highly successful charter school founded

AAI teachers will all either have their Utah

and parents are energized by new ideas

in 2008 in South Jordan that serves 1,000 students in

Teaching License or will be in process

and have the freedom to implement them.

through Alternate Route to Licensure

The reality is we are less likely to attract

(ARL typically due to out of state trans-

poor-performing teachers from traditional

fers). Weve leveraged a hiring committee

schools as they are much safer in a union

her husband, David, live in South Jordan with their

which consists of our school Director,

setting. In fact, we often find teachers with

four children.

create a multi-million dollar consulting business in an

established hardware reseller company with primary
responsibilities in strategic planning, driving recruiting
efforts, management coaching, organizational design,

grades K-9.

Julie received a business degree from the University

of Washington and graduated cum laude. Julie and

MEET OUR TEACHERS

ALLISON VILLASTRIGO

KATHERINE LALONDE

LYN BERMAN

6th Grade

Foreign Language French

History Latin and Greek

Allison Villastrigo is excited to bring her

As a passionate educator with an M.S.

Lyn has been working towards a Masters of

passion for education to AAI. She studied

from the University of Utah focused in

Arts in Teaching for Latin at Mount Holyoke

Psychology and minored in Education

Experiential Education and a BA in French

College in South Hadley, Massachusetts

at Albertson College of Idaho, a small,

and Psychology from the University of

and will receive her degree in May. She

private liberal arts school. There, she

Colorado at Boulder, Katherine has a lot

attained her Bachelors of Arts in Classical

learned the value of a well-rounded,

to contribute to the community of AAI.

Studies and History from Elmira College

meaningful education in a close-knit,

She has five years experience teaching

New York in 2010. After gaining her degree,

caring community. She continued on

students in a variety of public, private

she spent two years teaching English in

to earn a Masters in Teaching from the

and informal school settings, including

South Korea to 1st through 9th graders.

same institution. Allison feels fortunate

teaching at Salt Lake Community College,

Once she returned to the States she took

to have had the opportunity to travel

Realms of Inquiry, Escalante Elemen-

several Latin courses and taught for a

internationally several times through-

tary and the Leonardo Museum. She

year at a small independent school in

out her education and even study for a

has great communication, relationship

Massachusetts. Lyn is an enthusiastic

semester in Australia. She finds a global

building, presentation and organizational

teacher and believes in creating an envi-

perspective can be helpful in teaching

skills that are beneficial to the students,

ronment where students gain knowledge

students today. Allison has taught for

colleagues, parents, administrators and

by exploring new ideas.

some amazing schools in Idaho,

partners that she works with. Additional-

Washington and Utah over the past

ly, she has traveled to and worked in 14

eight years and has had the good fortune

countries of varying economic stabilities,

to learn from some truly amazing pro-

which has given her a deep appreciation

fessionals and students at these schools.

of the diversity and unity of the human

Her goal is to cultivate an intrinsic passion

condition. Katherines career vision is to

for learning in her students. Allison lives in

enhance the quality of individuals lives

Daybreak with her husband of eight years

within our community through

and her two adorable kids.

Experiential Education and a focus on

Positive Psychology.

MEET OUR TEACHERS

NO PICTURE YET!

ASHLEY PRICE

KATHY NUTTAL

JOANNA BROWN

English

CTE

Integrated Sciences

Ashley Price was born and raised in

Kathy Nuttall received her BS in Animal

In high school JoAnna Brown was a three-

Ogden, Utah and received her Bachelor

Science with a specialty in Veterinary

sport athlete as well as a member of stu-

of Arts in English Teaching from Weber

Technology from Brigham Young

dent government, choir, drama, band, Peer

State University in the spring of 2015.

University. Upon graduation, she moved

Helpers, FBLA, Family Career and Commu-

Ashley spent her first year teaching in

to Denver where she taught and worked

nity Leaders of America, Students Against

rural Alaska and is excited for the oppor-

as a Veterinary Technician for 14 years

Destructive Decisions, NHS, Science Olym-

tunity to return to Utah and begin a new

before returning to Utah. Kathy estab-

piad, Destination Imagination, yearbook,

adventure. Ashley is happily married and

lished Jordan Districts Veterinary Assist-

and prom committee she likes to stay

the mother of a handsome one-year-old

ing program, which was the first sec-

busy! Joanna received a BS in chemistry

boy. Ashley is a fan of all things nerdy;

ondary program in the country. During

education with a minor in philosophy from

Star Trek, Lord of the Rings, comic books,

her 17 years of teaching with the school

Brigham Young University. She transferred

Star Wars, Doctor Who you name it she

district, she was able to see students

to BYU from Southern Virginia University

loves it. With a passion for teaching and

lives change for the better when given

to study chemical engineering. However,

love of working with students, Ashley is

the opportunity to believe in themselves

while working as a TA in the Department of

always working to improve her craft and

and their capabilities. She received an MS

Chemistry and Biochemistry, she realized

be the best teacher that she can be so as

in Agricultural Systems at Utah State Uni-

that she wanted to teach. She received the

to provide the best opportunity for her

versity. While working on her degree she

Outstanding TA Award, as well as Recogni-

students to succeed.

had the opportunity to write the state

tion of Excellence Awards for the chemistry

Veterinary Assisting Curriculum. Kathy be-

and general science Praxis exams. She also

lieves that any student, if given the skills,

had the opportunity to work as a research

opportunity, and encouragement, can

lab assistant in the chemical engineering

become whatever they truly want to be.

department. She believes that its critical to

get to know her students and relate new
information to things they already understand to help them set high goals and
realize they can do hard things.

MEET OUR TEACHERS

Why I Teach
by Ryan Hagge, AAI English Teacher
By way of identification, I am eclectic. I try
to gather educational information from all
relevant sources, and I use the resources
that I believe will work (based on published
research). This preference stems from my
college experience . I began college as a
computer science major, which means I
took several math and science courses
not required for an English Education
degree. I also minored in music for a time,
as well as math, drama, communications,
history, and computer engineering. I grew
up telling people, I am a jack of all trades,
and the master of none. I have several
years of experience working as a mechan-

My name is Ryan Hagge, and

I am a teacher. If you look at my

by the weight of pseudo-learning and

ic for Les Schwab; I grew up on a cattle

pseudo-teaching: pretending to learn

ranch, riding horses, working cows, and

family photo you will notice how my son

(playing the education game) and pretend-

driving heavy machinery. I am a paid-on-

is squinting at something besides the

ing to teach (playing the survival game).

call firefighter for Madison Fire Depart-

camera. This image has come to symbolize

Many students play a guessing game in

ment and run two small businesses from

one of the core purposes for why I teach.

school: how do I change my work to fit the

my home. There is so much in the world

I want to help people discover. I honestly

desires of the teacher, what do I have to do

that interests my curiosity, and I have tried

believe that whatever my son is so

to get an A, how much work is enough?

to discover all I possibly could from this

focused on is more important than the

These questions often undermine the

curiosity. Now, I am trying to share, with

photograph and that he has the innate

desire to discover and lead students and

others, that eclectic experience: the

human right to follow his curiosity. Thus,

teachers into the vortex of people pleas-

experience of discovery.

my educational philosophy revolves

ing. I have been guilty of such antics as a

around something I term pedagogical

student and a teacher, but I often desired

curiosity. This term represents the innate

something more. I have not achieved my

desire of the human soul to discover and

desire, but I strive to seek the curiosity

learn. I believe this desire is being crushed

personified by my son.