Who’s Who at Academie Da Vinci
School Year 2007-2008
Kindergarten: Ms. Leanne Megesi is thrilled to begin her first year at Academie Da Vinci. She has taught elementary education for the past twelve years. Ms. Megesi has received her Master’s Degree in special education with a minor in elementary education from the University of South Florida. She has a passion for biking, riding, and gardening. She has lived in Florida for the past 32 years and resides in the Palm Harbor area with her two cats.
First Grade: Ms. Bethany Weinzetl is enjoying her first year at ADV. She has been teaching for four years in Pasco County where she taught grades K-2, and worked primarily with students with learning disabilities as well as English speakers of other languages. Ms. Weinzetl is originally from Wisconsin and has lived in Florida for 15 years. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Elementary Education, with an ESOL endorsement from USF. She lives in Largo with her eight year old son, Carsen, and two wonderful dogs, Simba and Rocky.
Second Grade: Mrs. Karen Swain is teaching in second grade. She started at ADV in March 2006 when Mrs. Contreras went on maternity leave and then return as a co-teacher in second grade last year. Mrs. Swain has a B.A. from West Virginia State University. She currently holds a professional teaching certificate from the state of Florida. Mrs. Swain and her husband, Bob, live in Oldsmar with their two children, Erin, 10, and Connor, 9. She can be found at the hockey rink watching her children play.
Third Grade: Ms. Rebecca Bramblett is beginning her fifth year at ADV. She graduated with honors from University of South Florida with a B.A. in Education. After graduating, she taught for two years at Westlake Christian School. She has attended seminars for cooperative learning, classroom learning systems, discipline, population and environment, character education, and the CRISS writing program. Ms. Bramblett holds a professional elementary teaching certificate from the State of Florida. She has a passion for diving, biking, camping, kayaking, and spending time with her twenty-three year old son, Christopher.
Fourth Grade: Mrs. Jessica Clements is beginning her second year at ADV. She graduated from USF with a B.A in Elementary Education, ESOL certification, and Florida state certification to teach elementary school. She is currently working toward her Reading Endorsement. Mrs. Clements is in her fourth year of teaching. She is married and has a two year old daughter, Abigail.
Fifth Grade: Cindy Fuller has been teaching for 9 years. She attended Marymount Manhattan College where she majored in acting and performed in two Off-off Broadway productions. She received her Bachelor of Science in communications from St. John’s University in New York. While at St. John’s she was a featured soloist in venues such at St. Patrick’s Cathedral, the Waldorf-Astoria, Pan-Am Building, and opened for Wilson Pickett. Ms. Fuller returned to her home state of Maine and attended the University of Southern Maine to receive her Masters in Teaching and Learning. She taught in Berwick, Maine for six years while still acting for the Children’s Theatre of Maine and soloing at St. Joseph’s Church in Portland, Maine. In 2005, Cindy and her children relocated to Florida. As a certified teacher, she has taught at Jamerson Elementary for 2 years. She also models for Bealls, HSN, and sings in Tampa with a band. Ms. Fuller currently resides in Palm Harbor with her 2 children, Kennedy and Connor.
P.E./Director of Before and Aftercare: Mrs. Zaneta Ludka is a newcomer to Academie Da Vinci. Prior to working at ADV, Mrs. Ludka worked at The Children’s Home in Tampa as a part time caregiver for abused and neglected children as well as ran a daycare group for children whose parents were attending evening classes. Later, she worked for Wellington Schools Aftercare program, where she remained for the next 1 ½ years. While there, she also taught 4th grade students during 2 consecutive summer sessions. Mrs. Ludka will be receiving her B.A. in Human Development with an emphasis on early and middle childhood development at the end of this year.
Dance: Mr. Andrew Guilfoil has begun his second year at Academie Da Vinci. Mr. Guilfoil has more than 25 years of professional dance training experience. As the founder and artistic director of The Guilfoil Academy of Dance, he has produced, directed and choreographed a wide variety of performances. Mr. Guilfoil has had a host of professional performance experience including being the principal dancer for the Scottish American Ballet. He hopes that his passion for all forms of dance motivates the students to do their very best .
Music: Mrs. Poppell received a B.A. in Music Education from Florida State University and is professionally certified in music education by the State of Florida. Mrs. Poppell has been married for 13 years and has two children, Stephanie, age 10, and Joshua, age 8. Mrs. Poppell is a true Floridian, living most of her life in Tallahassee. She moved to Dunedin with her family immediately after college graduation. Music has always been a part of Mrs. Poppell’s life. She began taking piano lessons in 2nd grade and was singing solos by the time she was 11. Music has always been a joy in her life and she hopes to share that joy with your children.
Art: Mrs. Merry Vasterling is currently in her first year at ADV. She is the “face” of the new partnership between ADV and the Dunedin Fine Arts Center. Mrs. Vasterling has come to education as a second career, earning her B.A. in Fine Arts from Eckerd College. She has worked in Pinellas County Schools as an art teacher and is certified to teach art to students in grades K-12 by the State of Florida. Mrs. Vasterling lives with her husband and daughter in St. Petersburg.
Gifted: Mrs. Nickie Contreras is in her fourth year at ADV. However, while doing her college internships she taught 5th grade at ADV. She graduated from USF with a B.A. in Elementary Education, E.S.O.L certification, and Florida state certification to teach elementary school. Mrs. Contreras has taught in the district, most recently at Sutherland in 3rd grade. She is a creative part of ADV as she sings, plays the piano and guitar, and enjoys drawing and painting. She has been married for 8 years. Mrs. Contreras and her husband, Alberto, have an eighteen-month old son, Alejandro.
Small Group Instruction: Mrs. Donna Rao started at Academie Da Vinci in February 2006 as our SLD/small group instruction teacher. Mrs. Rao has taught in Pinellas County for fifteen years and holds a professional certification in both general education and exceptional student education. A graduate of University of South Florida, Mrs. Rao is married and has two children in college.
Secretary/Bookkeeper: Mrs. Paula Janssen is starting her fourth year at ADV as the secretary/bookkeeper, and all-round assistant. “Ms. Paula” began working in Pinellas County in 1997 as a part-time cafeteria/teacher aide at Curlew Creek. She came to ADV from Leila Davis Elementary where she worked as an office clerk for 6 years. Ms. Paula has had a variety of training and work experience including college accounting, working for Volvo North America, and secretarial work for the Superintendent of schools in Chester, NY. Ms. Paula, her husband Harald, and their daughter Ashleigh reside in Clearwater with their dog Dudley.
Administrator: Mrs. Dawn Wilson is beginning her fourth year as administrator at ADV. While receiving her Master’s degree of Urban Education from Clark University, Mrs. Wilson taught in the inner-city public schools in Worcester, MA. Upon graduation she moved to Florida to accept an elementary teaching position at Admiral Farragut Academy in St. Petersburg. After over four years of state certified teaching experience, she entered charter school administration as the assistant principal of Pinellas Preparatory Academy in Largo. Mrs. Wilson is currently pursuing her Ph.D. in interdisciplinary studies at USF. She and her husband, Mark, reside in Safety Harbor.
