Our Philosophy

Meet Our Teachers & Staff

I graduated from Arizona State University West with my B.A. in Early Childhood Education. I have been here at Mission Charter School since our first day of operation. I began as a classroom teacher in the early elementary classes and after eight years, added the role of mentor teacher for the Mission teaching staff. I am currently serving as principal. I have loved every minute of the time I have spent here and I am very happy to be a part of such a great organization.

I enjoy spending time with my husband and son and time with my family. I also enjoy watching movies, crafts of all kinds, taking pictures and scrapbooking when I have a spare moment.

I was born and raised in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania. After graduating from Cumberland Valley H.S., I started working for a pre-school. I took a few early childhood education classes and found that I love working with children. I continued to work in preschool/daycare in Wisconsin until I had my daughter. I was able to stay home with her until she started kindergarten. In 2000 my husband, daughter and I moved to Phoenix. I began working at Mission Charter School as the teaching assistant and karate instructor with my husband in 2001. I took the para-professional test in 2004 and obtained the highest score possible. I have helped many Mission students learn to read and figure out how math works. Nothing beats the smile and pride that shows on their face when they figure out how to sound out words.

I moved to Arizona from the great state of Kentucky eleven years ago, was hired as a principal of a charter school by Jayne Shaw, and now serve as a curriculum director for the Mission Charter District. My experience in education includes teaching at the elementary level, working as a Reading Specialist, and serving as a college professor. I believe that being an educator is the one of the most important job anyone can have. We change lives everyday.

I come to Mission with Masters degrees in biochemistry and psychology. I worked in marketing for Hewlett-Packard for 21 years in the U.S., Germany, and Asia-Pacific--a life experience that this poor boy from Iowa could not have personally afforded!

I have taught at Mission and have watched children progress to young adults. Mission's educational philosophy and its emphasis on integrative education permits me to create an educational experience which weaves together the wonders of our external and internal universes.

I am from the beautiful city of Caracas in Venezuela. I have lived in Arizona since 2000. I received my Bachelor's Degree in Tourism in 1998 and my Post-Baccalaureate Teacher Certification at Scottsdale Community College in 2006. I worked as a volunteer at Desert Canyon Elementary School, various schools in the Scottsdale district and at Gateway Elementary School. This will be my second year teaching fourth grade at Mission Charter School.

When I think about why I became a teacher, I come up with many reasons, but the most compelling reason to become a teacher is the desire to work with children . I am constantly thinking of ways how to improve things and how to help children.
I enjoy spending time with my son, husband, family, and friends. My hobbies are hiking, dancing, cooking, reading poetry, collecting money around the world and so on.

I was born in raised in Arizona. I am a second generation native. My family has lived and farmed in the west valley since the 1920s. I grew up helping my grandpa on his small farm and went on to study agriculture in high school and college. I was an active FFA member in high school eventually becoming President of the Peoria FFA Chapter and an Arizona Association FFA Vice President during which I toured the state of Arizona and got to meet agriculture students from all over the state. I enjoy sharing many of these experiences and opportunities with my students.

I have been interested in sports for as long as I can remember. I started playing basketball when I was seven and it continues to be one of my favorite sports today. I started football in middle school and continued to play in high school. I enjoy just about any excuse to be outside. I love to plant and grow things as well as spend time in the woods camping and fishing. I love the early mornings, watching the sunrise is one of my favorite things. I have a miniature pincher named Peyton.

Sondra Nusz

I was born and raised in Phoenix with my extended family all out in Michigan. I graduated from Peoria High School and the following year served as the Arizona State F.F.A. secretary. I had the opportunity to travel around the state promoting agriculture education to F.F.A. members and others in Ag. Classes, met with my legislators as well as members of the agricultural field to discuss F.F.A. and the future.

I am currently the lunch coordinator, after-care director, athletic secretary and a teacher’s assistant here at Mission.

I graduated from Taylor University in Fort Wayne, Indiana with a B.S. degree in elementary education. I taught a 1/2nd grade split class in Indiana for a year, and also taught Title one groups (grades 1-5) for two years.

I have an interest in science, and I taught at a hands-on science camp last summer. I also enjoy scrapbooking, playing cards, and the outdoors.

I am a Math and Science teacher for Mission Charter School in the middle school grades. I got my Bachelor’s degree in Mathematics, Science, and Education from India in 1995. I have taught middle school and high school in India also. Math has been my all time favorite subject whereas Science has been a very fascinating subject to me. Having all my students love Math and develop a scientific way of thinking is my goal. With our school’s project based teaching philosophy, I am getting the opportunity to explore the more creative and interesting sides of teaching these subjects and I find it very interesting.

I have also worked as a part time radio compere in India for a couple of years. That was a cherishing experience for me. Apart from my job my whole world revolves around my kids. I like to listen to music, solve puzzles and cook.

I have been teaching with Mission Schools since 2006. During my tenure here, I have taught middle school Language Arts and Social Studies, and high school English, History, Business, and Government.

Currently, I am working on completing my doctorate in Education Leadership with Argosy University. I am hoping to complete my dissertation and graduate this year. My hobbies include reading and writing. I also enjoy traveling across the country during vacation time.