WORLD ACADEMY - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Member of the Advisory Board
- Operations for Continental Paving
Job Titles:
- Middle School Spanish Teacher
Ana is entering her ninth year as Spanish teacher for our World Academy Middle School. She holds a Masters Degree in the Arts of Teaching Spanish from Rivier University and is currently working on her NH State certification. She also holds a Bachelor of Arts from National Polytechnic Institute in Mexico. In addition to teaching Spanish to our Middle School students, Señora DeAnda successfully introduces our World Academy students to the culture and traditions of Spanish speaking countries.
Ana was born and raised in Mexico City and came to the United States to study after college, settling down in Nashua, NH where she has been living for twenty four years. She loves spending time with her husband, two sons and her two little dogs; working out; and learning about ancient cultures. She loves to travel and she visits Mexico, frequently, to visit her family and friends.
Señora DeAnda believes that "the key element in teaching a foreign language is keeping students motivated. Learning Spanish should be fun, engaging and meaningful." To increase the motivation to learn Spanish, she brings a mix of enthusiasm, cultural elements and grammar to the classroom. Teaching her native Spanish language enables her to draw
Job Titles:
- Administrative Staff Member
- ECE Director
Angela is the ECE Director at World Academy, supervising our Early Childhood Education program quality, licensing and accreditation. She came to World Academy in 2011 as a Lead Teacher in the Toddler Program before joining World Academy's Administrative Team in June, 2016. She currently serves on World Academy's Curriculum, Professional Day and NEASC Committees and is a member of the National Association of the Education of Young Children. Angela enjoys working at World Academy because, here, Early Childhood Education is greatly valued and held to higher standards by teachers, families and administration. "The teachers I get to work with everyday are highly educated, extremely knowledgeable, and continue to push the boundaries in ECE in order to have the greatest impact on our ‘World'." Angela graduated from the University of New Hampshire with a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology, focusing on Child Development, with a minor in Elementary Education.
Angela was born in Nashua and moved around the state before finally settling back in Nashua in 2012. She recently moved to Milford with her husband, John and sons, George and Russell (both students at World Academy). Angela discovered her passion for education when she started coaching cheerleading at the age of seventeen. She continued to coach cheerleading for the next 10 years, finishing as the Head Coach of Milford High School.
"I believe that a child's education, development and love of learning begins and ends with the passion and knowledge brought to them by the educators in their life - family, teachers, and community. As an educator, I value the importance of understanding each child's specific needs in order to create an appropriate environment in which to grow and develop into lifelong learners. Within this environment, a child should be given experiences that allow the child to: 1. Gain respect for themselves, each other and their environment 2. Gain a sense of pride and individuality as learners, and 3. Find their own love of learning through both guided and unguided experiences.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Advisory Board
- Owner, Nashua Pediatric Therapy Center and Parent of Two World Academy Students
Job Titles:
- Administrative Staff Member
- Executive Administrative Assistant
Brooke joined World Academy in 2006 starting out as our Front Desk Receptionist, later becoming our Office Manager and currently our Executive Administrative Assistant. With a background in Early Childhood Education and Business Management, working in a school setting and having an Administrative role is the best of both worlds.
Originally from Vermont, she resides in Litchfield with her husband, Jason and her two daughters, Ava and Leigha, both students at
World Academy. When she is not in the office, she enjoys time with her family and friends, beach trips and doing home improvement projects. She truly keeps our "World" turning!
Job Titles:
- Member of the Advisory Board
- Vice President of Universal Decor, Inc
Job Titles:
- Administrative Staff Member
- Director of Technology and Engineering
Dan partnered with World Academy in 2014 to bring exciting STEM educational opportunities to our community. He currently provides a Robotics curriculum to all of our students from Kindergarten through Eighth Grade, making us one of the first schools in the state to embed Robotics into our curriculum for such an age range!! LEGOMAN Dan, as he is known by the students, has a Bachelor of Science and has been teaching LEGO Master building and Robotics since 2009. Since coming to World Academy, Dan has introduced five different robotics platforms to our students at every grade level! His teams have competed and excelled in national and global competitions. In 2021 our World Academy team finished 2nd in the world in the Sphero Global Challenge.
Mr. Hughes has lived in New Hampshire for more than 45 years and is married with two children. In his spare time, he travels to Maine and is a football booster in his hometown. Dan has developed several programs to allow students all across New Hampshire to learn robotics.
"Robotics is an amazing way to introduce children to engineering. It not only provides key STEM skills, but it also
Job Titles:
- Administrative Staff Member
- Head of School
Lisa Dias joined World Academy in 2001 as a Physical Education and Health Teacher and in 2007 became our Principal. She earned her Masters in Education from Plymouth State University with K-12 certification and earned a Doctorate in Education in Leadership and Learning from Rivier University in 2016. In 2018 Dr. Dias transitioned from Principal to Head of School where she works collaboratively with the school President and the Administrative team.
Lisa developed a passion for sports at a young age and grew up in Ontario, Canada playing competitive ice hockey and soccer. Her talents allowed her to play Division I soccer for UNH on a full athletic scholarship. She now resides in Nashua with her husband, Chris, and son, Nick, a World Academy Alumnus. When not at school, she is a devoted hockey mom and enjoys traveling with her son to all of his practices and games.
"As an administrator and educator, I am interested in research on the topic of brain-based teaching and learning. Understanding how students learn and process new information allows us to better meet the needs of our students. Providing meaningful experiences can help create new neural pathways in the brain. By taking what we know about the brain, development, and learning, we can apply research-based techniques to enhance our teaching and facilitate learning."
Education
Doctorate in Education & Leadership at Rivier College
Master of Education/Physical Education/Health from Plymouth State University
BS in Health & Human Services from University of NH
NH State Certified Teacher
Experience
2017 - Present - World Academy, Head of School
2007 - 2017 - World Academy, Principal K-8
2001 - 2007 - World Academy Principal and Health and Elective Teacher
2001 - 2006 - World Academy Sr. Summer Camp Director, Physical Education & Health Teacher
1998 - 1999 - Therapeutic Recreation Specialist at NE Health Center
1998 - Recreation Therapist Intern at Whittier Rehab Hospital
Job Titles:
- Member of the Advisory Board
- Director, Dental Analytics for FraudLens, Inc
Job Titles:
- Coach
- Athletic Director & PE Teacher
Coach Congdon, our Athletic Director and K-8 Physical Educator, is a graduate of Plymouth State University with a Bachelor of Science in Physical Education and a K through Grade 12 NH Physical Education Teacher Certification. Additionally, Mr. Congdon is the Co-Chair of Basketball for Tri-County Athletics. His future plans include pursuing his Master's Degree.
Erik is from Nashua, NH. He is competitive at heart and likes to face all challenges head on. Our many trophies and banners attest to his incredible talents!! He is always finding extra curricular programs to support our students in gaining additional skills and improving their talents. He is the key to our Division 5 school being in Division 2!!!!Amazing!
Job Titles:
- Member of the Advisory Board
Job Titles:
- Member of the Advisory Board
- Vice Chair / Vice Chairman of Integra Biosciences, Hudson, NH and Parent of a World Academy Alumnus
Job Titles:
- Member of the Advisory Board
- Clinical Social Worker, Massachusetts Department of Mental Health and Parent of Two World Academy Alumni
Job Titles:
- Member of the Advisory Board
- Franchisee Owner, Mr. Mac 's Macaroni and Cheese
Job Titles:
- Elementary Spanish & Middle School Teacher
Heather is happy to be teaching at World Academy after joining the staff two years ago! She has a Master's Degree in Applied Linguistics from the University of Massachusetts/Boston and a Bachelor's Degree in Spanish/Secondary Education from Juniata College in Pennsylvania. She also completed a Study Abroad Program at the University of Barcelona, Spain. Heather currently holds a New Hampshire teaching credential in Spanish as an experienced educator. She has been a teacher for more than 20 years and has taught students in grades K-12.
Mrs. Davis (or Sra. Davis) resides with her family in Merrimack. She is fluent in Spanish, understands the Catalan language, and is learning other languages. She is active in her church and in other local service organizations She has many hobbies including spending time with her family, traveling, going to concerts, playing instruments, singing, reading, and photography. She also spends time both participating in and leading professional development and is a member of various professional organizations for language teachers.
Heather believes that it is essential to foster potential by empowering students to think critically and creatively and to act caringly. She values positive relationships to grow a learning community in which respect, kindness, responsibility, patience, and integrity is modeled and developed daily. Students need and deserve safe educational spaces where they can grow intellectually, emotionally, and socially. In her role with students, Heather sees herself as a facilitator to co-construct knowledge, helping learners to achieve agency and increase self-esteem. Her approach to teaching and learning utilizes differentiation and incorporates students' interests and goals while scaffolding appropriately for learners. She values cross-curricular connections and encourages learning beyond the classroom walls. Heather works to break down stereotypes to promote multilingualism and diversity in an ever-increasingly global society. She encourages students to use all of their linguistic resources, to see the power in words, to value connections in languages and cultures, and to self-reflect. Heather is eager to share the fun and joy of learning with her students!
Job Titles:
- Administrative Staff Member
- Assistant
- Early Childhood Director
- Assistant ECE Director
Jessica Labbe is the Assistant Early Childhood Director at World Academy, working closely with the entire Early Childhood team and ECE Director to maintain New Hampshire Licensing status and accreditation for our school.
Jessica has been teaching at World Academy since 2013. She is a graduate of Keene State College with a degree in Early Childhood Education and holds an Infant through Third Grade NH Teacher Certification. She also holds an Alternative SOE Certification in Early and General Special Education and a Lead Teacher Level 6 Teaching Credential.
Jessica grew up in Hudson, NH and lived there until she bought a house in Nashua, NH. She enjoys spending time with her husband, family and friends, decorating her new home and going to the beach.
"As an administrator and educator, I wish to provide a warm, welcoming environment for both students and families. I believe in
an open door policy in which families can share ideas and reflect on their child's learning experience. I thrive on children's successes. Each child is unique and learns at his/her own pace. I support classrooms that are set up with endless opportunities for children to explore, learn and grow. I believe that children should be given a hands-on learning experience where they are engaged and can work cooperatively with one another. I am constantly thinking of new, inventive ideas that I can incorporate into our programs to ensure curiosity. I love seeing children being passionate about learning."
Job Titles:
- Administrative Staff Member
- Chief Financial Officer
- Member of the Advisory Board
- Treasurer / Chief Financial Officer for Resonetics, LLC in Nashua, NH & Parent of a World Academy Alumnus
John Stowell joined World Academy as Chief Financial Officer this year after a twenty-five plus year career in the medical device industry. He was born and raised in Massachusetts. He and his wife, Peggy, moved their family to Hollis, NH in 1997. He has been a member of our school community for several years, playing an active role on our Advisory Board, as Treasurer, in addition to being a parent, and now a grandparent of a World Academy student.
John has extensive expertise in corporate finance, strategy, accounting and controls, mergers and acquisitions, tax management and information technology. Prior to World Academy, he served as the VP of Finance at Resonetics, a
Job Titles:
- Administrative Staff Member
- Founder
- President
Originally from Washington, D.C. and a daughter of the principal of Capitol Page School, Kathy Nelson's perspective was seriously influenced by growing up in a rich melting pot of diversity. Her vision for World Academy was informed by her social justice background and the wonderful role models she found all around her in our Nation's Capital, every day.
Job Titles:
- Administrative Staff Member
- Business Manager
Kellie joined World Academy in March, 2020 as our Business Manager. She earned a B.A. in Communications with a minor in Sociology from University of Hartford in 2007. Kellie grew up in Manchester and currently lives in Londonderry with her husband, Mike, her two sons, Riley and Haydn (World Academy students) and their dog, Shay.
Laurie has been a well regarded Teacher and Enrichment Specialist at World Academy for over 30 years. When the Administration first launched our Elementary program, Mrs. Collins looped with her Kindergarten class to teach our first Multi Grade (1st, 2nd and 3rd Grade) Elementary Class. Some of the credentials that prepared her for this important position included an AA in Music and Performing Arts, a BA in Music Education K - Grade 12, and an ECE Certification. Since then, she has added her M.Ed. in Music to her impressive credentials, all of which were earned from Rivier University. In 1997, Mrs. Collins became our Music and Choral Director and has been developing our outstanding Music Program ever since.
Laurie resides in Nashua with her husband, Dillard. Their son, Daniel, his wife Lindsey, and children, Alexandra & Grant, have a home in nearby Burlington, MA. and their daughter, Maria, her husband, Matthew and daughter, Penelope Jane, have made their home in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. Mrs. Collins is fortunate to live next door to her parents and her older brother & sister- in-law live nearby as well. It is apparent that family means a lot to Laurie! When she is not with her World Academy family, you will find her cooking and preparing for frequent family gatherings. Laurie and Dillard often visit with his family on Cape Cod and also travel near and far with longtime friends from church. They have also traveled internationally to perform in special choir presentations.
Mrs. Collins takes every opportunity to celebrate each day and all that life offers. She works with devotion and compassion with each person that shares her day. "Together, we create a caring, positive, and supportive community where exploring, creating, problem-solving, and collaborating become the framework of our learning in Music and Character Education. The K - 8 Music Program features interdisciplinary connections that articulate the fundamentals
of Music Theory, Composition, Lyrical Writing and Performance. We study to properly express how our cultural enrichment enhances and empowers each of us through the performance of our thoughts, ideas, and emotions." Mrs. Collins is truly a beautiful person, inside and out!!!
Job Titles:
- Administrative Staff Member
- IT Support, Instructional Coach, Special Projects Coordinator
Job Titles:
- Member of the Advisory Board
- Secretary / Retired Assistant Director of World Academy and Current School Consultant
Job Titles:
- Administrative Staff Member
- Co - Principal
Meagan joined the World Academy community in 2022 as an Assistant Principal and is thrilled to return as a Co-Principal for the 2023-2024 school year! She holds a Bachelor's Degree in Art Education from Roberts Wesleyan College with K-12 Teaching certification, English Learner Authorization, and Cross Cultural Language and Academic Development Certification. Her Master's Degree is in Educational Leadership from American Public University. She brings over 12 years of teaching and leadership experience in New York, California, and New Hampshire.
Meagan grew up in, and currently lives in Manchester, New Hampshire, with her husband, Randy and two children, Jack and Lucy. She enjoys spending time with family and friends, creating art, and being active. She likes to travel and learn about different cultures,
Job Titles:
- Administrative Staff Member
- VIEW ALL STAFF Member
- Front Desk Receptionist
Rhiannon joined our World Academy team in the Fall of 2022 as the full-time School Counselor. She is a graduate of Southern New Hampshire University with a Master's Degree in Adolescent Psychology. Rhiannon holds a Bachelor's Degree in Social Work and successfully completed her internship in the City of Lawrence working with youth and their families.
Rhiannon grew up in Lawrence, MA and currently lives in Derry, NH. She enjoys spending her free time with family and friends, especially her five nieces and nephews. Rhiannon also enjoys going up to the beach, North Conway and spending time outdoors, shopping, reading and embracing the warm weather.
During her last ten years working with youth and families, Ms. Sumner has connected with students in a variety of settings and taught a wide range of curriculums.She has much experience as a special educator and as a school counselor and we are so grateful to have her in our "World!" Rhiannon believes "that students learn best when they are encouraged
and supported. Meeting students where they are and adapting content to their learning style is so important for them to reach their full potential. Our world is ever changing and we must teach our students how to adapt and be resilient. Our work is to provide them the skills and tools they need to be the best version of themselves and to build positive, healthy relationships in a safe, educational setting." Rhiannon also enjoys teaching social emotional learning and mindfulness classes and skills to students. She is thrilled to continue to support the World Academy community and our families.
Job Titles:
- Administrative Staff Member
- Director of Admissions
- in 2011 As Our Director
Samantha Wingate joined World Academy in 2011 as our Director of Admissions and Advancement. She earned a BS in Business Administration /Marketing from the University of New Hampshire.
She was born and raised in Nashua, NH where she currently lives with her husband, Steven, and two children, Arianna and Jackson, who both attend World Academy. In her free time, she loves hiking, fishing, and spending time with her family.
Samantha never expected to work in a school. "I love it and can't
see going back to a corporate job ever again. I am not the person
Job Titles:
- Member of the Advisory Board
- Chairman / Human Resources Senior Recruiter, Intuit and Parent of a World Academy Student
Job Titles:
- Administrative Staff Member
- Co - Principal
Tara is excited to begin the new school year as Co-Principal and Middle School Math Department Head! Mrs. Osinski has previously taught Math, Science, and Social Studies at our school. She has also had the privilege of serving the World community through involvement with cross country, ski club, and track and field. Tara has previously been involved in research in the field of education. Through the American Federation of Teachers' Leader Program, she conducted and presented action research on the impact of curriculum and associated instructional practices on student engagement, academic achievement, and school climate. She graduated summa cum laude from the University of New Hampshire with a Bachelor's Degree in History and from Rivier University with a Masters in Education. She is currently working on a second Masters of Science in Educational Leadership at the University of Southern Maine. She is certified K-8 and enjoys Highly Qualified Teacher status in multiple subject areas.
Mrs. Osinski is a Nashua native who lives in the community with her husband and sons. When she is not in the classroom she enjoys outdoor adventuring of all kinds, including skiing, hiking, camping, and biking with her family. She is always ready to learn something new! It is this passion for adventure and knowledge that drove her to become an educator. She believes inspiring students to explore, to take a risk, and to fall in love with knowledge are some of the greatest gifts teachers can provide for their students. Her energy, enthusiasm, patience, compassion, and love for learning, coupled with the interests of her students, set the tone for her classrooms and will serve us well with her as Principal!
Mrs. Osinski believes in creating an educational community that is grounded in a strong school- home partnership. Her educational philosophy strongly centers around the importance of growth mindset, inquiry based learning and evidence driven analytical thinking. She believes in building a curiosity focused, student centered environment that challenges students to think critically and creatively, solve problems, ask original questions, and understand the application of their learning to their present and future lives. She deeply values the importance of student voice and develops meaningful, supportive relationships with students, encouraging them to flourish.
We are looking forward to this wonderful relationship-building tenure she will be providing.
Teresa is entering her tenth year of teaching at World Academy as our Visual Arts Teacher for students in K through 8th Grade. She holds a BA in Graphic Design from The Maryland Art Institute and Paier College of Art, and holds a Highly Qualified Teacher Certification in Visual Arts through the NH Department of Education. She has taken courses in Early Childhood Education and is deepening her knowledge of Art Education through classes online. Teresa has over 17 years experience teaching the visual arts to all age groups. Prior to teaching, Teresa worked in the corporate environment as a graphic designer and freelance artist for over 13 years.
Originally from Connecticut, Teresa has lived in New Hampshire for fifteen years. She lives under Monadnock Mountain with her husband, James, and has three adult children, two grandchildren, a dog, and 15 Chickens! She has twenty-two nieces and nephews, and seven great nieces and nephews! In her spare time, she explores her faith, enjoys doing creative DIY projects, gardening, photography, reading, cooking, drawing, painting and loves to spend time with her family and her extended family in Connecticut. .
Mrs. Iannone believes that each individual has his/her own unique way of expressing oneself through the visual arts. Part of her teaching strategy is "to bring out that 21st century creative-innovative problem solver in all students. If a
Job Titles:
- Member of the Advisory Board
- President, Firefly Medical Corporation and Parent of Two World Academy Alumni
Job Titles:
- Member of the Advisory Board