Teacher Biographies

De Popolis

De Popolis graduated from Loyola University with a B.S. in English, and began teaching middle school in a Chicago private school. Several years later she served as assistant principal and principal. While earning her C.A.S. in L.D. and S.E.D. (teaching students with learning disabilities and/or social-emotional disabilities) from National Louis University, De taught at a private school for adult education (adult literacy) and a psychiatric hospital. Until retirement, De taught 6th-12th grade special education students for Indian Prairie school district. Additionally, she was an adjunct professor at Roosevelt University where she had earned an M.A. in teacher leadership. Among the subjects De teaches are ACT/SAT and high school entrance preparation, social sciences (psychology, history); reading, both for comprehension and Wilson; literature; religion; writing; grammar (including diagramming); study skills (test-taking, organizational skills, executive functioning); and writing college applications. De enjoys her grandchildren, gardening and is a Cub fan.

Itri Papanikolla

Itri Papanikolla has a Master’s Degree in Applied Mathematics from University of Illinois and wants to continue his education in a higher level of Abstract Mathematics which gives him the chance to teach his favorite subject. He was a tutor at College of DuPage. He speaks Albanian, Greek, Ancient Greek, and French. Itri has a medal in Math Olympiad and is a member of the Golden Key International Honor Society. His interests include the study of history and economics, painting on canvas, aquarelle, music, and sports. Itri wants to create a new model of how students can observe mathematics and science.

Diane Spiotta

Diane Spiotta is an experienced teacher who tutors all levels of Spanish in both public and parochial schools. She holds a Bachelor of Art degree in Spanish education with a minor in French education from the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana. Diane has recently received a Master’s Degree in Reading with an endorsement as a Reading Specialist from Benedictine University. She has taught at the pre-school, middle school, high school, and post high school levels. Diane enjoys reading, puzzles, and spending time with her family of nine (soon adding her first grandchild). The Spiotta family was honored with the Knights of Columbus Family of the Year award for the State of Illinois.

Rick Klimas

Rick Klimas is a graduate of Loyola University and taught school in Chicago for ten years. He tutored mathematics and science in the Blue Gargoyle adult education program. He teaches science, math, history, economics, philosophy, religion, humanities, music and art history, and language arts courses at the high school level, as well as organizational skills and test preparation classes at all levels including Honors and AP. Rick also teaches ACT/SAT/GRE test prep. A book dealer specializing in scholarly volumes, he also enjoys classical music and plays basketball. Rick and his wife live in Warrenville where he serves as a Park District commissioner.

Jenna Micko

Jenna Micko holds a B.A. degree in English education with an endorsement in Journalism from Elmhurst College in Elmhurst, Illinois. She has studied Shakespeare and Art History abroad at Oxford University in Oxford, England. Jenna taught English at the secondary level for 11 years and Special Education. In addition to teaching British Literature, Reading, Literature as Film, American Literature, Study Skills and Humanities, Jenna has tutored in History, Religion, Biology, Earth Science, Psychology, ACT Prep, as well as other content areas. Jenna has also worked as a reporter for local papers in DuPage County covering local high school sports. She enjoys spending free time with her husband and daughter, as well as watching baseball and football, playing softball, acting in community theatre and creative writing.

Kim Olson

Kim Olson is a certified kindergarten through eighth grade teacher with 38 hours toward her MAT from National-Louis University. She received her BA in Graphic Design from Grand View College in Des Moines, Iowa, where she grew up. With a passion for teaching reading, she has been trained in the Wilson Reading System in Applied Methods, Fundations, Just Words, and Fluency, and had completed all on-line courses. She has done extensive substitute teaching in the Naperville and Aurora areas. Kim is a mother of one teenager and has interests in keeping physically fit and young at heart in addition to traveling, cooking, and gardening.

Andrea Sorensen

Andrea Sorensen graduated from Wheaton College and has a Secondary Certificate Endorsement. She completed an internship at Fermi Lab and a pre-med course of study. In 2003 Andrea studied Argentine culture and literature in Argentina. She took numerous college-level courses in Spanish, psychology, biology, chemistry, organic chemistry, and physics. Currently, she is studying for the GRE and researching schools for a Ph.D. program in psychology. Apart from her broad academic interests, Andrea is a long distance runner, loves to cook new recipes and tweak old ones, enjoys reading, and watching good science fiction.

Michael Spencer

Michael Spencer graduated from University of Illinois with a B.S. in Mathematics where he was active in German Club and other recreational activities. He was an Eagle Scout and earned perfect scores on the math portions of ACT and SAT. In private educational programs, he tutored high school math including Calculus I and Calculus II. Michael enjoys ultimate Frisbee, running, reading, writing poetry, and volunteering at A.D.O.P.T., a local no-kill animal shelter.

Joan Treland

Joan Treland has a M.A.+ in Learning Disabilities and B.S. in Socially Maladjusted. She holds four certificate endorsements (K-21): Learning Behavior Specialist, (Learning Disabilities, Social/Emotional Disorders); Standard Secondary Teaching; Standard Elementary Teaching. Her background includes the multisensory Orton-Gillingham approach and the Wilson Reading System. She taught regular and special education kindergarten, elementary, middle school, and high school, co-founded a private school, and has been in private practice for forty plus years. She is currently owner-director of our accredited school and served on the Education Industry Association conference planning committee. She is a member of the International Dyslexia Society and the American Association of University Women. Interests include reading, cooking, traveling, and music. Treland and Associates has accreditations with North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement and NCAA Initial-Eligibility Clearinghouse. All staff members teach executive function and metacognitive strategies.