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Anne Smittle is the Early Elementary School teacher. Anne graduated with honors from WVU with a Bachelor's in History. She has taught Pre-K for five years at a NAEYC accredited school in Virginia and was a substitute teacher in VA and in WV. Anne worked as the Assistant Director at Pleasant Day Schools. She attended ODU to obtain her teaching license in Elementary Education. Anne feels children learn best in a positive, accepting environment. Her husband, Wes, works at Ruby. They have two children: Charlotte is in the Honors Program at UHS and Maggie is in TAG at Cheat Lake Elementary. Her interests are family, reading, writing, exercise, nature, the environment, history, education and chocolate. |
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Carrie McMillen is the Pre-K4 teacher. Carrie graduated from Fairmont State College in 1995 with a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education and a minor in Child Development. Throughout her schooling, she worked in various centers for practice experience. Carrie worked at Whitehall Nursery School, Sunbeam Child Care Center, and Fairmont Head Start. She also worked as a camp counselor and supervisor for two summers at the Marion County Parks and Recreation Center. After graduation, she worked as a preschool teacher at the West Virginia University Hospital Child Development Center. Carrie has also worked for six months as a substitute teacher for Monongalia County Board of Education. Carrie has completed eight hands-on workshops dealing with elementary education and a one week seminar for WV Pre-K Standards Curriculum throughout her eleven years at MLA. Carrie has taught preschool at MLA for ten years and Kindergarten for one year. Carrie feels that every child is special and should have the opportunity to succeed and be happy. Carrie resides with her husband and daughter, Megan, in Monongalia County. |
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Corinne Seese is a Kindergarten teacher. Corinne graduated from WVU in 1993 with a Bachelor’s in Elementary Education. In the past, she has taught Preschool through 2nd grade at MLA. She returned to MLA after taking time off to spend with her children. She also spent time teaching BOPARC workshops during the summer and working with MLA’s summer program. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her husband and two children, Rachel and Zachary. She also enjoys sewing, crafting, and hiking. |
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Erin Lee is the Pre-K (three year olds) teacher. Erin is an Eastern Panhandle native and taught there for three years before deciding that she had found her calling. Erin graduated from WVU in 2004 with a Bachelor’s in Child Development and Family Studies, with an emphasis in Early Childhood Education. She has also taught at Pleasant Day School and Marion County Head Start. Erin developed and implemented our Pre-K Pals program and also worked with our day camp. She plans to continue serving families and children at MLA while working toward a Master’s degree. |
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John Montgomery
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is the Upper Elementary School teacher. John received a MA in Elementary Education at WVU and is excited to teach at MLA this year. John has had a wide variety of positions before landing here at MLA. He worked at a local preschool where he developed a teaching style that is truly his own. After graduating with a BA in Physical Education, John worked over ten years teaching gymnastics to a variety of ages, focusing on the preschool age. Before going back to get his MA, he worked in Fairmont designing websites and repairing computers. John stays active by helping out on his children's ball fields, but squeezes in time to play soccer for an adult league in Laurel Point. While John is not on the sports field, he likes to read, run, and lift weights. Bicycling is a favorite and he often takes his children with him when he goes. He helps out at his family farm. He is really looking forward to spending time and energy with the children at MLA. |
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Josh Waugh is the Physical Education teacher. |
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Kathy Fisher is MLA’s Spanish teacher. |
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Liz Rossi is MLA's Music teacher. Liz is so happy to be working at The Morgantown Learning Academy! A graduate of The University of Michigan's Musical Theatre B.F.A. Program, Liz has Directed, Choreographed, taught and performed throughout the United States and Canada. Director/Choreographer credits include: 42nd Street, Pippin, Crazy for You, West Side Story, Guys and Dolls, Wizard of Oz, Scrooge, Fiddler on the Roof, Annie Warbucks and many many more! Favorite acting roles include "Small Purple Panda" on Mr. Rogers Neighborhood, "Jennyanydots" in Cats & "Shirley/Old Lady" in The Producers with WV Public Theatre, and Elmo/Small Understudy in the Sesame Street Live international tour. Among her favorite experiences, Liz was thrilled to work as an intern to Susan Stroman on the Broadway production of big, the musical. In Morgantown she has written, directed and choreographed musical adaptations of Officer Buckle and Gloria (Read-Aloud for Monongalia County) and A Midsummer Night's Dream (Brookhaven Elementary School.) Originally from New York, Liz chose to raise her 2 kids (Isadora and Elliot Dotson) in Morgantown, WV where she is a Musical Theatre coach and teaches jazz, tap, Pilates and musical theatre dance at the Morgantown Dance Studio. |
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Mary Dumas is the Middle School teacher and the Faculty Lead Teacher. Mary graduated from the University of Arizona with a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education and earned her Master’s Degree from West Virginia University in Gifted Education. She has taught at Morgantown Learning Academy since its inception. She is active in community educational events, including Academic Games. Mary continues to attend workshops, teaching seminars, and conferences in order to stay abreast of the latest developments in educational training. Currently she is one of only five teachers in Monongalia County trained in “Math Scape,” a performance-based math program for Middle School. Mary’s enthusiasm for her profession and her dedication to her students is well known in the Morgantown area. Ms. Dumas enjoys traveling to new places, maintaining her Master Gardener’s status, and spoiling her pug, Widget. |
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Mary Hinchliffe is Middle School teachers' assistant and the art teacher. Mary is a native to Hopwood, PA and graduated from West Virginia University with Bachelor of Fine Arts with a minor in Art History and a Masters in Journalism. Before attending WVU, she studied early childhood development at Westmoreland Community College and worked for Hopwood United Methodist Preschool. She is currently working on her substitute teaching certificate. Before joining MLA, she worked for WVU's newspaper, The Daily Athenaeum, as an assistant arts and entertainment editor and The Dominion Post for five years as a staff writer. Mary resides in Morgantown with her cat, Boots. |
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Pat Morgan is a Kindergarten teacher. Pat is a native of Morgantown and a 1982 Graduate of West Virginia University with a Bachelor’s in Human Resources and Education. She and her husband Terry have three children; Trish and Heather are both married, and have given her two wonderful grandchildren. Ted is currently in the Navy stationed in Japan. Pat has spent her life involved in the growth and development of young children through foster parenting, scouting, church, and teaching. Pat and Terry were also the owners of the Morgan Child Development Center. From 1984-1994 this center provided a safe nurturing atmosphere for infants to preschoolers and their families. Pat believes that children grow to their highest potential with love, respect, acceptance, and choices. After the closing of the MCDC, Pat taught for five years at the WVU Hospital Child Development Center before coming to MLA. In her classroom children will be celebrated for their differences, challenged with fun and humor, and supported by their MLA family. |
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Paula Taylor is the Middle Elementary teacher.Paula graduated in 2002 with a Master of Arts in Elementary Education from WVU. Paula has been with MLA since January 2002 when she became part of the MLA after-school staff. After completing her student teaching at Cheat Lake Elementary and Middle Schools, Paula served as the MLA after-school coordinator and joined the MLA middle school class as a teacher’s aid. Originally from Charleston, she enjoys spending time with her pets and performing in a local traditional Appalachian Folk band. Paula is looking forward to another year as a teacher at MLA. |
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