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FACULTY
Little Acorns Preschool
Sidney Johnson is excited to begin her first year teaching Pre-K at Morgantown Learning Academy. With over 10 years of experience in early childhood education, she is passionate about creating a positive and engaging environment where young learners can grow, explore, and thrive. Sidney believes in teaching with compassion and loves helping children build a strong foundation for lifelong learning.
She is married and the proud mom of three sons—all of whom attend MLA. In her free time, Sidney enjoys attending her children’s sports events, traveling, vacationing, and spending time outdoors with her family.
Kindergarten
Corinne Seese is our Kindergarten teacher. She graduated from WVU in 1993 with a Bachelor's Degree Elementary Education. Corinne started teaching preschool at MLA when it opened in 1995 and is very excited to be currently teaching kindergarten! She believes that it is important to build a family of learners in her classroom and encourages the children to care for and help each other. She often teaches summer workshops at MLA and tutors during the summer and school year. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her three kiddos.
Early Elementary 1
Amanda Cain is our Early Elementary teacher. She was born and raised in Morgantown. She received her Bachelor's degree in Social Work from WVU as well as her Master of Arts in Elementary Education. In her spare time she enjoys being with her family, friends, dogs and cats. She enjoys traveling but is mostly a homebody who can be found relaxing with her dogs and reading a book!
Early Elementary II
Haylee Hickman is the Early Elementary 2 teacher at MLA. She graduated from WVU in with a Bachelor's Degree in Interactive Design for Media and a Master’s Degree in Elementary Education. She believes in creating a welcoming environment where students interests and strengths are valued. She is so excited to teach early elementary and make connections with MLA families. In her free time, she likes camping, reading, playing games with friends, and spending time with her pets and fiancée.
Middle Elementary
Alexa Spangler-Davis is our Middle Elementary teacher. She graduated from West Virginia University with a Masters degree in Elementary Education and a Bachelors degree in Speech Pathology and Audiology. Alexa is a Morgantown native and has worked with our summer program for two years. She loves teaching math and problem solving skills. Alexa enjoys spending time with her husband, family, and four cats.
Upper Elementary
Paula Taylor is our Upper Elementary teacher. She graduated from West Virginia University with a Master's Degree in Elementary Education and a Bachelor's Degree in Journalism. She has been with MLA since 2003, and has taught classes from Early Elementary to Middle School. Ms. Taylor works closely with the Mountain SOL school and is involved with their in-school, after-school, and summer programs. Originally from Charleston, she enjoys spending time with her pets and gardening.
Middle School
Claire Doemland is our Middle School teacher at MLA. Originally from New Jersey, Claire moved to West Virginia to work as an AmeriCorps VISTA at the Katherine Johnson NASA IV&V Center in Fairmont where she worked to develop and support K-12 educational robotics programs throughout the state. Claire earned her B.A. in Environmental Education from Warren Wilson College and her M.Ed in Curriculum and Teaching from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. In her free time, Claire enjoys playing ultimate frisbee, exploring national parks, and skiing as often as possible.
Ancillary Teacher: Mountain SOL In-School Director and Instructor
JenOsha Buysse, or "Senora Jen", is currently directing and co-teaching the outdoor education program at MLA starting with the Little Acorns. Over the last 15 years at MLA, she has taught geography, WV history, Spanish and music at our school! JenOsha is the director and co-founder of the Mountain Stewardship and Outdoor Leadership Program (Mountain SOL) which provides in school outdoor programming every Thursday for MLA students as well as afterschool and summer opportunities for local students. This year JenOsha is continuing to integrate National Geographic programs such as the Slingshot video project and the Explorers Classroom into MLA geography classes.
JenOsha has also taught at the Human Path, the West Virginia Scholars Academy, Yale University, the New Jersey School of Conservation, Salem International University, in the geography department at West Virginia University, and at Escuela Superior Politécnica de Chimborazo. She received her BA in English from the University of Virginia, her Masters in Forestry from Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, and her PhD in Geography from West Virginia University. She is a National Geographic Certified Educator and was a fellow at the WVU Center for Resilient Communities. She is a trained EMT and Wilderness First Responder and an instructor in wilderness medicine.
Ancillary Teacher: Art
Jeff Ryan is the Art teacher at MLA. He received his B.F.A in Ceramics (with K-12 Certification) from West Virginia University in 1996. He has been teaching pottery, handbuilding, and sculpture in many community based arts organizations for over 20 years. In 2006 he traveled to China to study porcelain production and ceramic history. In addition to ceramics, he loves paper maché and mask making. Jeff received his Master Gardening certification in 2018 and has since had the opportunity to lead an MLA 4-H club, our school’s vegetable garden, composting and MLA's recycling program.
Ancillary Teacher: Physical Education
Tristan Price is originally from New Athens, Ohio. He started working at MLA in 2018 as a summer camp counselor, substitute teacher, and is our full-time current Health & PE Teacher!
He graduated from West Virginia University in 2020 with a Bachelor’s of Science Degree in Athletic Coaching Education with a Double Minor in Special Education and Sport & Exercise Psychology. He also earned a Master’s Degree of Science in Coaching and Sport Education with an Emphasis in Sport Management from WVU in 2022.
Mr. Tristan lives in Morgantown with his wife, Julie and their dog, Moose. He also coaches local High School & Semi-Pro Football in the area!
Ancillary Teacher: Music
Dr. Nathaniel Burke is an economics professor, private pilot, and active musician. "Mr. Nate" has been studying music for almost 30 years and is a classically trained violist and jazz-trained saxophone player.
Nathaniel has performed with off-Broadway theaters in NYC, the Manhattan College Orchestra, Manhattan College Jazz Band, Northern Lights String Orchestra, the University of Arkansas Symphony Orchestra, the University of Arkansas Theatre, and many more. He taught private and community music in multiple states before joining MLA and serving as a sectional coach for strings and saxophones in Alaska and Arkansas. Nathaniel has extensive experience working with elementary and middle school students in New York, Alaska, and Arkansas. He has been the director for inner-city educational programs, marginalized groups, and educational access and mentoring programs.
Nathaniel earned his Ph.D. in economics at the University of Arkansas and received his M.S. in Resource and Applied Economics at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. Nathaniel did his B.A. in Economics at Manhattan College in NYC where he was also a D1 Track and Field athlete and scholarship musician. Prior to entering his Master's degree program, Nathaniel spent 5 years in the Army on active duty and received an honorable discharge in 2016. While in the military, Nathaniel received an A.A.S. in Intelligence Operations from Cochise College and a Linguistic Certification in Korean linguistics from the Defense Language Institute - Foreign Language Center at the Presidio of Monterey, CA.
Ancillary Teacher: Spanish
Faviola Aguilar-Burke is excited to be the Spanish teacher at MLA. She graduated from University of Central Arkansas with a Bachelor’s degree in Biology. She is a native Spanish speaker, and a MLA parent! In her free time she enjoys traveling, teaching Mexican Folklórico dance, figure skating and working with fiber arts!
Ancillary Teacher
Greg Knight began his college education at Columbia Union College in Silver Spring, MD with a B.S.in Elementary Education; then pursued a Master of Public Health at Loma Linda University and Master of Curriculum & Instruction from Salem College. After teaching ten years at the Toll Gate SDA School, Greg taught gifted K-8 students in Doddridge County. For the next fourteen years Greg was the Healthy School Coordinator and Regional Tobacco Prevention Specialist at RESA VII where he developed Teen Institute. In 2002 Greg went back to the classroom and taught Social Studies and Health for Doddridge County Middle School. After retirement in 2011, Doddridge County Board of Education contracted with Greg to provide Health Education for grades K-4 in addition to working with administration as Student Assistant Manager doing school programming, coordinating field trips and working to improve school attendance. During his education and teaching years Greg became a specialist in Health Education, Social Studies, Gifted Education, and History. He was a national trainer for Know Your Body Health Education Curriculum, Developing Capable People Drug Prevention Curriculum, Life Skills Training, Drug Prevention Curriculum and TATU (Teens Against Tobacco Use) as well as a trainer for Get Real About Violence, Violence Prevention Program and Nonviolent Crisis Intervention, Violence Prevention Program. As over educated as he sounds, Greg is still a pretty normal guy who loves kids and has a tendency to burst out in song occasionally.
Kindergarten Aide
Leslie Hinerman is one of our Kindergarten aides. Before joining the faculty 2023, she was an active parent volunteer with Mountain Sol and MLA.
Originally from Keyser, WV, she came to Morgantown to attend WVU where she graduated with a Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Social Work. In her free time, she enjoys reading, nature, cooking, and spending time with her family and friends.
Kindergarten Aide
Emily Ward is one of our Kindergarten aides. She joined MLA as a staff member in 2019 (but has been a part of MLA since 2003!), and has been working with our Kindergarten classroom since 2022.
She is originally from Morgantown, but now resides in Fairmont with her partner. Emily earned a bachelor's degree in Social Work from West Virginia University and is currently enrolled in a master's of Business Administration from Fairmont State University. She enjoys playing board games with her dad, reading, and loves music - especially choir!
It is with special care and consideration that we choose our faculty and administration. The unique blend of personalities and professional strengths found in this outstanding group of individuals helps Morgantown Learning Academy offer its students an outstanding education. MLA has set strict guidelines and high expectations for its faculty and administration. Not only must they be certified in the content area that they teach or administer, but they must also be actively involved in personal continuing education goals. The MLA faculty and administration not only meets these guidelines but also enthusiastically searches for ways in which to become better teachers and administrators for your children.
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