Our Staff

Anna Wilkinson

annaw@inspireschools.org Teacher Trainer
Coordinator

"Anna Wilkinson is a Homeschool Teacher and Teacher Trainer Coordinator for Yosemite Valley and Monarch River Academy.

Anna graduated from Fresno Pacific University with a BA in Liberal Studies in 2003. She completed her credential there immediately after and has been in education since then. She has taught almost every elementary grade (2, 3, 4, 5, and 6th!) and also adults. She is passionate about teaching and loves to continue learning herself! Anna believes that education should be accessible to all and that through schooling at home, students’ individual needs are met and their education can be personalized.

Anna has been married to Ken for 16 years and has 3 children. She grew up in Fresno and loves raising her family here as well."

Kathryn Buckley

kathrynb@inspireschools.org Homeschool Teacher

Kathryn Buckley understands the importance of individualized education and knows there is no "one size fits all" when it comes to learning. This is her 3rd year as a homeschool teacher and 7th year as an educator. Kathryn spent her early years as a high school history teacher and loves all things historical. She completed her undergraduate degree at Fresno State with a Bachelors in History in 2011 and immediately went on to finish her Social Science Credential at Fresno State in 2012. She lives in Clovis with her husband, Dustin, and two young children, Morgan and Avery. She is ready and excited to begin a new year helping families on their homeschool journey!

Kristen Kroeker

kkroeker@inspireschools.org Homeschool Teacher

"If asked what is the most important bit of advice you would give a new homeschooler, Kristen Kroeker would answer, “Teach the child you have.” As a credentialed teacher with a Masters of Arts degree in Teaching and Curriculum, as well as a mother of five children who has homeschooled for more than ten years, Kristen knows well the beauty and the challenges that come with educating children at home. She knows that no child fits perfectly into a “box” and that each child has strengths and weaknesses that are unique to them. As a homeschool teacher, Kristen encourages students to run with their passions, while at the same time gently strengthening their weaknesses, letting them be victorious and not discouraged about the things that challenge them."

Lindsay Hughes

lhughes@inspireschools.org Homeschool Teacher

"Lindsay Hughes is excited to be in her third year at Monarch River Academy as a homeschool teacher. She has a deep passion for homeschooling families, and is excited to work with parents and help foster their child’s learning. Her goal is to encourage and support parents, and walk with them in this amazing journey of homeschooling. She has been homeschooling her three girls for the past seven years. With this this experience, she has learned so much about the homeschool journey and how it looks so different for every family. Before Inspire, she worked as an Independent Studies teacher for high school students. That job taught her how to work one on one with students and families, individualizing each student’s learning needs, in turn leading to their success and graduation! Prior to that, she was a kindergarten teacher for three years. Lindsay attended Fresno Pacific College for her BA as well as her teaching credential. Mrs. Hughes is excited to start this journey with you!"

Margie McIntyre

margiem@inspireschools.org Homeschool Teacher

Margie McIntyre has been a Homeschool Teacher for the past two years. She loves to see students learning about the world around them and is privileged to walk with parents as they support their students in their homeschool journey. Margie taught 8th-grade math and science for seven years prior to coming to Monarch River Academy. She was homeschooled during her own elementary years and has really enjoyed being a part of the homeschool community again. 

Megan Rios

mrios@inspireschools.org Homeschool Teacher

"Megan Rios is a teacher with Monarch River Academy and has been working in the field of education for over 6 years. She has been passionate both about homeschooling and about teaching since she was a child; her mother homeschooled her and her siblings for most of the elementary school years. After completing her bachelor’s degree from San Diego State University and earning her teaching credential through California State University San Marcos, she began her teaching career in Selma. She taught 3rd grade for four years before joining the Inspire family. She enjoys her job immensely and is looking forward to a great year of learning!"

Melissa Ens

melissa.ens@inspireschools.org Homeschool Teacher

"Melissa Ens is someone who loves teaching and loves learning. She is beginning her 3rd year as a Homeschool Teacher, and is happy to be part of the Monarch River Academy family! In addition to teaching TK, 4th grade, and bilingual kindergarten for local public schools for over 6 years, Melissa homeschooled her own children for several years, covering grades K, 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and half of 10th. She knows that some families always planned to homeschool and others found it necessary at some point due to unexpected, sometimes difficult circumstances. No matter their story, Melissa is passionate about supporting each family’s efforts to help their children learn and grow.

Melissa lives in Fresno, CA with her husband, three teenagers, two dogs, and 11 chickens. She completed her undergraduate and credential coursework at Fresno Pacific University and later lived in Peru for 2.5 years. She has a bilingual teaching credential and loves reading, playing the guitar, living in a culturally rich city, and eating anything she didn’t have to cook. "

Miriam Hofer

miriam@inspireschools.org Homeschool Teacher

"Miriam Hofer is passionate about Homeschooling . This is her fourth year teaching with Yosemite Valley Charter Schools. Miriam is both a Homeschool teacher and a Homeschool mom. Being both an Homeschool Teacher and Homeschool mom gives her great insight as to the ins and outs of what it takes to Homeschool successfully, and also the joys and challenges of homeschooling.

Miriam's passion for Homeschool is evident, as she received Inspire's Heart of Homeschool award in 2018. She works diligently to meet the needs of her students and loves to encourage families to grow in their learning and thrive as Homeschool families. Miriam taught a 3rd/4th grade class at Inspire's Enrichment Academy and led a Book Club at this year's Community Connections Events in Kingsburg. Miriam loves to encourage students to read and she can often be seen with her portable library that she has created out of vintage suitcases.

Miriam has been married for 23 years and has 3 children, all of which she has homeschooled at some point. She is currently homeschooling her youngest child who is in 7th grade.

In her spare time Miriam enjoys baking, camping and spending time with her family. She is looking forward to another fantastic learning year with Inspire!"

Shiela Skibbie

sskibbie@inspireschools.org Community Coordinator & Homeschool Teacher

Shiela Skibbie loves helping homeschool parents and students be successful! She is entering her third year as an Homeschool Teacher and has over 20 years of education experience in public, private, and home school environments as a classroom teacher, charter school leader and administrator, and as a homeschool mom to both a middle school and high school student. She has her multiple subject credential, a Masters in Educational Media Design & Technology, and a passion for helping students pursue their college & career goals.

Stacey Pettitt

spettitt@inspireschools.org Homeschool Teacher

"Stacey Pettitt is a homeschool teacher with Monarch River. She has been a teacher for 26 years and has homeschooled her own children for 16 years. She believes it is the best parenting decision she and her husband have ever made! She has found that the relationships within the family have been strengthened by the time spent learning together at home.

Stacey has a passion for homeschooling and helping other families on their homeschool journey. She enjoys coming alongside other homeschooling families to help them find the best methods and strategies to fit their learning and teaching styles. She is here to be your encourager, cheerleader, advocate, and facilitator. She enjoys children and encouraging and motivating them."

Tami Goossen

tami@inspireschools.org Homeschool Teacher

"Tami Goossen has been in education and teaching for the past 25 years. Her passion for education and love of teaching took her from the classroom to homeschooling her own three children and then to Inspire, where she has been a Homeschool Teacher for the last two years. While schooling her children at home, she saw the truth of the statement made by Charlotte Mason, ""Education is an atmosphere, a discipline, a life."" Throughout her 18 years of home educating, she taught in various co-op and classroom settings and also gained knowledge of different teaching methods, curriculum, and how to foster real-life learning. Tami loves coming alongside families to encourage, support, and help find what best fits the needs of a student. She understands the challenges and joys of homeschooling and enjoys being able to encourage the process of a life of learning!

Tami received her BA and Multiple Subject Teaching Credential from Fresno Pacific University and is looking forward to another wonderful year of learning!"

Valerie Blackburn

vblackburn@inspireschools.org SST Coordinator & Homeschool Teacher

Valerie Blackburn traces her road to teaching all the way back to 3rd grade when she wrote a report on Helen Keller and Anne Sullivan and was forever captivated by the story of the difference a dedicated teacher can make in the life of a child. Mrs. Blackburn has had a wide variety of experiences in education prior to joining the Inspire Family of Schools, which include classroom teacher, independent study teacher, and charter school developer. The most rewarding experience, by far, was the ten years she spent homeschooling her own three children. Mrs. Blackburn received a Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies from California State University, Fresno, a Multiple Subject Teaching Credential from National University, and a Master of Arts in Curriculum and Teaching from Fresno Pacific University. Mrs. Blackburn believes that great teachers are the ones who inspire students to ask their own great questions, and she has always been guided by the words of Helen Keller, "A well-educated mind will always have more questions than answers." Mrs.Blackburn is eagerly looking forward to a great year partnering with families to ensure that their children have everything they need to experience a successful and joyful school year!

Nailya Jarocki

Lead English Language Learner Coordinator

Rachael Jantzen

rachael.jantzen@inspireschools.org English Language Learner Coordinator

Rachael Jantzen is a Homeschool Teacher and is excited to have the opportunity and honor to work with amazing families and students at Yosemite Valley Charter School. Mrs. Jantzen was born and raised in the Central Valley and loves taking little trips here and there or simply barbecuing in the backyard with her husband, son, and extended family. Before deciding to pursue a career in teaching, Mrs. Jantzen wanted to be an attorney, so she worked at a law office while in college and earned her B.A. in Philosophy Pre-Law and Communication. She was also coaching high school pep and cheer while in college and realized how much she enjoyed working with students. So, Mrs. Jantzen earned her single-subject credential in English. Mrs. Jantzen taught English to every grade from 8th grade to 12th grade. While earning her Master’s in Educational Administration and Leadership and Administrative Credential, she was a campus culture director at a middle school. Mrs. Jantzen also taught at the Center for Advanced Research and Technology in Clovis, CA. Mrs. Jantzen enjoyed how students were excited to learn English because it was presented using a theme that intrigued them. One of the many amazing things about homeschooling is that students have the opportunity to study what interests them and pursue experiences that make learning fun. Mrs. Jantzen strongly believes that learning should be fun and exciting for students. Not all students learn the same way and homeschooling provides students with the ability to find curriculum options that appeal to them. When Mrs. Jantzen became a homeschool teacher, she saw the excitement and creativity in her students’ work samples which is a true testament to parents knowing their children and tailoring learning experiences to fit their needs. Mrs. Jantzen and her husband are also foster and adoptive parents and have seen how beneficial homeschooling is to fellow foster and adoptive families. Mrs. Jantzen looks forward to collaborating with Yosemite Valley families and seeing all of the amazing examples of learning!

Becky Bennett

rbennett@inspireschools.org English Language Learner Coordinator

"Becky Bennett is a Homeschool Teacher for Yosemite Valley Charter School. She believes in preserving the dignity of childhood and has made it a priority to make students feel important, loved, and capable. This is her fifth year as a professional educator and second year with the Yosemite Valley team. She received her bachelor’s degree and teaching credential from Brigham Young University in 2016 where she also minored in Teaching English as a Second Language.

Becky believes that every student has the right to an individualized education. She has seen how homeschooling allows children to discover, learn and explore the world through the lenses of their own interests and questions. Becky encourages teaching to the whole child with a focus on movement, art, imagination and storytelling as key foundations in a child’s journey.

Becky lives with her husband and one-year-old daughter in Madera Ranchos. They love being outdoors and in their free time are developing a small homestead on their property."

Vikki Shumaker

vikki@inspireschools.org 504 Coordinator

"Hello! Welcome to Yosemite Valley Charter School! This is Vikki Shumaker's third year as a teacher with Yosemite Valley, and her eighth year of working in the homeschool and online schooling environment. She has experience working with all grade levels, and feels blessed to have the opportunity to continue to work with all ages while teaching with Yosemite Valley Charter.

Vikki fell in love with this career and feels truly blessed to be able to connect with so many children and families through teaching. She enjoys learning along with her students and continues to still grow in her education by adding up to date courses to her degree and credentials. Homeschooling has opened so many new opportunities for little learners, and Vikki loves being a part of that. She enjoys seeing the growth and development that our school can provide for the students. Vikki welcomes you and cannot wait to join you on the path of learning and help your students achieve their academic goals!

Vikki was born and raised in Fresno and loves that with teaching at Yosemite Valley Charter she can connect with others from the Central Valley. When not busy with students, Vikki enjoys exercising, running, and spending time with her family of two teenage children and their cute Goldendoodle dog. They especially love spending quality time together traveling, mostly to the beach.

Vikki is very excited for the new school year and is looking forward to meeting other local families to connect and explore this amazing academic journey together! "

Kellie Hickey

kellie.hickey@inspireschools.org Lending Library Specialist

Hello! I am one of your Library Specialists. I began working with Inspire in the summer of 2020. I was born and raised in Fresno California. I have been married to my husband Michael for 2 years and together we have a daughter named Lorelai who is 1. In our spare time, we love to swim and play water polo together (Lorelai is taking her first swim classes to join us soon). I have a degree in Liberal Studies with a concentration in English Writing. I love working in education and building relationships with students and parents. I am very excited to meet all of you!