Academics

Suzanne serves as the Director of Academics & Instruction, and brings two decades of rich leadership, instructional, and curriculum expertise to her role. As part of the founding team at The Compass School of Texas, she enthusiastically committed as a teacher and curriculum team member because of her excitement and alignment with the bigger school vision. In prior roles, she served as an Instructional Coach, Curriculum Coordinator, and Teacher at Lucas Christian Academy where she played a key role in designing a comprehensive curriculum map for grades K-6, ensuring alignment with state standards and enhancing school-wide academic achievement outcomes. Suzanne collaborated to seamlessly bridge the elementary and secondary curriculum progression, fostering the implementation of creative instructional strategies through targeted professional development, comprehensive parent and teacher training, and effective curriculum development and implementation.

Beyond the classroom, Suzanne operates independently as an Education Consultant, offering hands-on training for schools, administrators, teachers, and parents. Her commitment is to foster every child's academic, spiritual, social, and emotional success. With a solid foundation in business and leadership, she has successfully owned and operated businesses as a sole proprietor, showcasing her entrepreneurial spirit.

Suzanne is a lifelong learner, always seeking to grow and improve. She is currently undertaking a doctoral degree in Educational Leadership at Liberty University. She previously completed the Pathways to Teaching Post-Baccalaureate Program at Dallas Baptist University, holding certifications to teach PreK-6th grade with an emphasis on the Science of Teaching Reading. She graduated with honors earning a Master of Science in Applied Social Research & Evaluation, a terminal degree shared between the Education and Sociology departments at the University of Denver. She also holds a Bachelor of Arts with a double major in philosophy and sociology, and a criminology concentration.
In her personal life, Suzanne values family time with her husband and three children, spending time outdoors, tending to their mini-farm, traveling, and volunteering at Life Fellowship Church in McKinney.
 

Reference Remarks:

“Integrity defines her.”

Jessica spent 7 years at Greenhill School as both a 3rd grade Language Arts/Humanities Teacher and Kindergarten teacher and team lead. She also served at PHPS as the Director of Curriculum and Instruction and Reading Specialist. Additionally, she has served students in a private practice capacity for five years. She also spent 12 years in CFBISD public schools as the Behavior Specialist, social skills instructor, reading interventionist, and as a general education teacher and team lead.

Jessica graduated from the University of Texas at Austin (UT) with a Bachelor of Science degree in Social Work, allowing her to focus on child welfare, early childhood development, and serving children with developmental disabilities. After graduating from UT, Jessica moved to the east coast where she served children as a Licensed Social Worker in state and non-profit child welfare agencies in Manhattan and Queens. Upon returning to Dallas years later, Jessica received her Master of Science degree  in Social Work from The University of Texas at Arlington, with a concentration on Early Childhood Development, so she could serve children with learning differences. Jessica also worked as a Licensed School Social Worker in PreK to 4th grade, a Behavior Interventionist, and Reading Interventionist while acquiring her various teaching credentials and state certifications. Jessica is a CALP (Certified Academic Language Practitioner) specially trained to support students who have language-based learning differences such as Dyslexia and Dysgraphia. 

In her free time, Jessica enjoys running, reading, and hanging out with her two teenagers and her fellow educator-coach husband!”
 

Reference Remarks:

 “She is a natural with children; her heart is huge. Jessica knows what they need and provides them with it. Clearly, early childhood education is her true passion."

Mercedes Macedo serves as the Spanish educator and the Pedagogista for all of the Compass School of Texas. Mercedes has taught children for nearly twenty-five years. Most recently, she taught preschoolers at Temple Emanu-El ECEC in Dallas for five years and guided many teachers as the Pedagogista for the last two years. Prior to teaching in Dallas, Mercedes taught in early childhood education preschools in Austin, Berkeley (CA), and Alexandria (VA). In addition, Mercedes has presented the Reggio Emilia approach to the Education department in her home country, Peru. Mercedes holds a Bachelor's degree in Education from St. Agustin University in Arequipa, Peru.

Mercedes is committed and passionate about inquiry-based, emergent curriculum, and the Reggio Emilia approach. In her words, "These approaches promote and support an education where every child is the main character on 'stage' and having an essential role in their learning." As the Compass School of Texas Pedagogista, Mercedes assists with professional development and provides ongoing support around documenting projects and the learning process. Mercedes is excited to share her love for her native language and to bring the culture of other Spanish-speaking countries alive for her students.

Mercedes enjoys collecting materials outside school to spark children's wonder and inquiry. When Mercedes is home, you will find her snuggling her little dog Mocha Marie, enjoying good music, and cooking. Mercedes is married and, with her husband Eric, loves traveling and attending concerts.

Reference Remarks:

"I have witnessed her hone her interpersonal skills, creativity, and eye for engaging programming. While teaching, Mercedes can see the whole child and build on their strengths and interests."

Ashley Noland serves as a part-time Curriculum Coordinator at The Compass School of Texas to assist our growing curriculum team. Ashley’s experience in education spans almost two decades in public, private, and international schools. She served as a Pre-K, Kindergarten, and 1st grade teacher in a wide range of school settings in Highland Park, Dallas, San Francisco, and Hong Kong. Her thirst for travel and experiencing different cultures led her to Asia, where she served as a Lead Teacher in an International Baccalaureate school. Ashley believes learning is a lifelong journey, and  as such, she partakes in extensive professional development and is deeply committed to continued growth. At previous schools, she was instrumental in curriculum development and served as a team lead and mentor to new teachers.

As an educator, Ashley strives to provide a nurturing, engaging environment where children develop a love of learning and grow in a spirit of curiosity, collaboration, and mutual respect. She deeply believes in the whole child approach and values and loves the uniqueness of each individual child. Ashley strives to help each child unlock their full potential and help them understand the importance of their place in the world.
Outside of the classroom, Ashley enjoys venturing outdoors, traveling, serving her community, and spending time with family and friends, especially her husband and son. She received her undergraduate degree from the University of Texas and is hoping to pursue her master’s degree in the near future.
 

Reference Remarks:

“She is an expert in pedagogy and has a very high E.Q.  She is very supportive of students and exhibits outstanding classroom management skills.”