Academics Team

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.

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!

Amanda spent 15 years teaching English Literature and serving as Curriculum Director at Lucas Christian Academy where she oversaw and created courses and curriculum in the English and Worldview/History Departments. She identified and wrote appropriate learning standards and oversaw curriculum mapping, curriculum resource selections, and the school's curriculum archive.  Amanda graduated from the University of Texas at Dallas with a Bachelor of Science in Literary Studies. After graduating from UTD, Amanda worked as a paraprofessional at Austin Academy for Excellence in Garland ISD. During her years at Lucas Christian Academy, she completed the Pathways to Teaching Post-Baccalaureate Program at Dallas Baptist University, holding the certification to teach 7th-12th English Language Arts and Reading. Amanda is a fifth generation native Texan who grew up in the Dallas suburbs. A wife and mother, she enjoys being with her family and their two Labrador Retrievers, Charley and Bear. 

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.

A proud Dallas native, Sanela Pjetrovic holds a Bachelor of Science in Education with a focus in Mathematics from the University of Texas at Arlington. With over 14 years of experience in both charter and public school systems across the Dallas area, she has dedicated her career to improving math education at every level. She began her journey as a Math Interventionist, specializing in closing learning gaps for struggling students. She later served as a classroom educator, teaching grades 5–8, and took on additional leadership as a Math Department Chair. In recognition of her outstanding work, she was honored as Coppell ISD’s Teacher of the Year in 2020. Since 2020, she has served as a District Math Instructional Coach, supporting educators in elevating their instructional practices. Her expertise includes designing comprehensive mathematics curricula—from pacing guides to daily lesson plans—tailored to meet the needs of diverse learners. She currently resides in Dallas with her husband and their newborn daughter. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, exploring new restaurants, and taking walks with her family in their new neighborhood. 
 

Hilary joins The Compass School as the Student Support Specialist. Hilary has taught sixth, fourth, third and first grades in both public and private schools in the Dallas area and served as the Faculty Educator of the Youth Education Department at Temple Emanu-El. She holds a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from American University and a master’s degree in education administration from The University of North Texas. Hilary further developed her professional portfolio as a mentor and coach to other educators. Since earning her ADHD Life Coach certification in 2020, she has supported individuals with ADHD, along with their caregivers and educators. She also served as the North Texas CHADD Co-Coordinator for several years, presented at the International ADHD Conference in 2023, and has facilitated numerous workshops for educators on classroom management and meeting the needs of all learners.