Meet our Staff!
Ms. Chelsea
Director
cminshull@wwahomeschool.org
My name is Chelsea Minshull and this is my 4th year as the HSC Director!
I am originally from upstate NY, Rochester to be exact. I moved to Colorado in 1998 after visiting a few times and realizing how beautiful and sunny it is! I live in Westminster with my two daughters, Ella (17 years old) and Audrey (15 years old). We have three animals, a dog named Chloie, a pug named Gabee, and a cat named Princess Cleopatra. My parents also moved here in 2009 after realizing I wouldn’t be moving back to NY! It’s nice having extended family close by.
Before working as the HSC Director, I taught as a preK teacher, was the director of The Sunshine House, and an Assistant Director at Primrose School at Standley Lake. I joined WWA as the Enrollment Secretary in 2017 where I also taught Food Experience (an elective for 8th graders), and tutored 1st-5th graders after school. I have been known to moonlight as the WWA staff appointed make-up artist and “glitter girl” when needed!
My motto at our magical HSC world is to make sure that all feel loved and safe first, then the fun and learning is successful!
Ms. Vanessa
Assistant Director
Hello! My name is Dr. Vanessa Ewing. This is my first year serving as the HSC Assistant Director. I received my Ph.D. in Educational Psychology with an emphasis in Individual Differences in Cognition. Over more than 20 years, I have served as a principal, preschool—middle school teacher, school counselor, and academic advisor for gifted and twice exceptional children. My first teaching position was at Woodrow Wilson Academy as a Special Education teacher over 20 years ago so it feels wonderful to be back within the WWA team, now working with amazing homeschool families. My school related passions include the arts, as well as developing academic and social plans for students. I also enjoy teaching psychology and education courses to adult learners and teachers.
When not immersed in the field of education, I love volunteering, spending time with my son Thomas (14 years old and now in high school) and my little schnauzer named Bowzer and schnoodle, Beatrix. Over the last year I have started to study Spanish and love painting, writing, and traveling. I have written a few books, all focused on social emotional health for young children. My travel adventures range from my home state of Minnesota to locations throughout the world. My upcoming year travel plans include visiting Germany, Washington, D.C., and somewhere warm and tropical.
Ms. Antoinette
Health & Safety Manager
I’m a Colorado Native. My husband and I moved to Arvada in 1993 and started our family soon after that. Both my son and daughter have served 7 years (each) in our U.S. Military. I have a degree in Elementary Education and have worked in the healthcare field for over twenty years. I am currently enrolled at MSU Denver, pursuing a degree in Human Development and Family Studies with a minor in Psychology. I enjoy going to the movies, reading, and I love to write. One of my favorite hobbies is cooking and eating with my family. I’m happy to be a part of the HSC and Woodrow Wilson Academy Family. Most of all, I feel extremely lucky to be a part of the lives of our future adults. My goal everyday is to make sure our students are safe and happy. I thank our homeschool community for the opportunity to help and serve.
Ms. Rachel
Instructional Coach
My name is Rachel Bartels and this is my 3rd year working at HSC but my 8th year being involved with the program. I have 3 kids, Brendan (13), Juliana (11), and Christian (8), who have all been at HSC for as long as they can remember. We love the inclusion, options, staff, and friendships that have been fostered here!
I knew I wanted to be a teacher when I was in second grade and that is still true today. I received my Masters in Curriculum and Instruction from CU Denver after graduating from the University of Northern CO with a degree in Elementary Education. I started my teaching career at a Denver magnet school for refugees and immigrants. While at this school, I earned my National Board certification in Reading and Writing. I also developed the SmartBoard curriculum for 3rd grade math in DPS. I taught for 10 years before moving into the homeschool world. I’ve loved homeschooling my kids for the last 10 years!
I am a native to Colorado and have spent most of my life in Arvada, where I still live with my husband, Barrett, our kids, dog (Teddy), cat (Pazza) and a few fish. I adore Colorado and couldn’t imagine living anywhere else! I currently homeschool my 2 youngest kids and my oldest is in high school,, so you’ll see me at HSC on Tuesdays and I’ll be behind the scenes the other days. In my spare time I love to travel, read, garden, bake, camp, and spend time with my family outdoors. We can most often be found at a soccer field where I have coached for many years.
I look forward to seeing you at HSC, where your student is loved and safe!
Ms. Emily
Admin Secretary
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Hello! My name is Emily, and I am an Administrative Secretary for HSC. I graduated from the University of Houston with a degree in Early Childhood Education. Since then, I’ve interned, assisted and taught in various educational settings. I am passionate about working with kids of all ages and feel so lucky to be a part of a team that helps children grow to be kind, empathetic and well rounded adults.
I live in Denver with my Husband, Hayden, and our two sassy cats - Opal and Miso.
I love hiking, reading, cooking, baking, going to concerts and thrifting! I’m passionate about making old things new again, and pursuing sustainability where I can.
My goal everyday at HSC is to show up with patience, gratitude and flexibility! I believe these are vital to being a great Educator. I'm excited for what's to come and feel so lucky to be here at HSC!
Ms. Jess
Admin Secretary/Educational Assistant
Hi! My name is Jess, I am new to the HSC team this year and I am looking forward to being part of this amazing program. Before joining HSC, I was an assistant teacher in an upper elementary classroom at a Montessori school and I have over eight years of experience in outdoor education. Over the summer, I continue to expand my knowledge in the outdoors and enjoy running outdoor education programs for children and adults. I am passionate about working with kids and helping them find their “whole self.” My goal here at HSC is to create an environment where everyone feels welcome and has the room to grow into the person they want to be.
Currently I live in Arvada with my husband and lab mix. I grew up in the foothills of Colorado and in my free time I enjoy hiking, climbing, camping, disc golf, and anything in nature! In the winter, I enjoy snowshoeing and frequent visits to the hot springs. I look forward to getting to know all the families and students and having a great year!
Ms. Jessica
Educational Assistant
My name is Jessica Wehling (Ms. Jessica) and I am an Educational Assistant here at HSC. I started working at HSC in October, 2020. Before working at HSC I worked at the Children’s Museum in Denver for about 4 years and I also worked in the Veterinary field for 5 years. I love getting to work with children and I love getting to hear their stories and all their different ideas. It’s so exciting getting to see how much they grow and how much they learn. I am really looking forward to this school year!
During my free time I love hanging out with my two children (my son and daughter) and my amazing husband. I also love spending time with my many pets at home. We have 2 dogs, 2 cats, 2 guinea pigs, and a green cheek conure. We also enjoy plenty of time outside which includes camping, hiking, and going to the park. I also really enjoy mountain climbing and doing pretty much anything outdoors. My favorite indoor activities are reading, watching movies, and drawing.
Ms. Andrea
Art Teacher
Hello! I am Ms. Andrea, your Visual Art Instructor. I am excited to begin my sixth year as a teacher with Woodrow Wilson Academy’s Homeschool Connection.
My teaching experience has been with ages K-Adult in both public school and private studio settings in the states of PA, IL, AZ and CO. I currently hold a Colorado Professional Teaching License with a K-12 Art Endorsement and have a BA in Fine Art/Education from Wartburg College, Iowa.
Skill areas include painting, sculpture, and design/illustration. I have exhibited and sold my art professionally, including the illustration of a few children’s books.
I enjoy spending time with my husband, daughter, son and baby granddaughter. Copper and Moose are my amusing pet Dachshunds.
In my free time I love to swim, hike and make art in my home studio! My goal as an educator and artist is to encourage the importance of art in everyday life as we learn, reflect, create and connect to one another.
Mr. Dan
Physical Education Teacher
Hello everyone! My name is Mr. Dan. I will be instructing Physical Education classes this year. I am a Colorado native and enjoy spending all of my free time outdoors playing in the mountains with my wife and dog. I graduated from Colorado State University in Fort Collins with my Health and Exercise Science degree. I am passionate about living a healthy lifestyle and encouraging others to do the same. My hobbies include mountain biking, snow skiing and snowboarding, rock climbing, camping and hiking 14ers.
I returned to CO after living 7 years abroad in Ecuador! I began teaching English to children and graduate students in Quito and believe this to be my greatest accomplishment yet!
I am looking forward to working with all my students while educating them on the several aspects of what a healthy balanced lifestyle is. The main goal of the PE classes is to give students the correct tools to know how to live a high quality lifestyle.
Ms. Tiffani
Home Ec Teacher
Hello! I’m Ms. Tiffani and I’m thrilled to be back for my 4th year at HSC as the Home Economics Teacher. I’m a Colorado native and absolutely adore Colorado and the outdoors. I live in Arvada with my husband and our two wonderful and energetic little ladies, Quinn (9) and Paige (5). Prior to joining the HSC family I was a stay-at-home mom, homeschooler and sewing instructor to both adults and children at Fancy Tiger Crafts, a sewing and knitting shop in Denver for more than 8 years. My passion for hand crafts, cooking, fiber arts and sewing.
Ms. Paige
Martial Arts Teacher
Hello HSC students and parents!! I’m Dana Paige- known to my students as “Ms. Paige”. I am both excited and honored to be teaching Martial Arts, Dance, and drumming.
I have been teaching at HSC since the Fall of 2008. As a martial artist, I’ve studied Tae Kwon Do and Wushu. I am a 5th degree black belt. I own and operate Full Circle Martial Arts-Colorado’s Premier Kids School, which holds Zoom and in-person classes at Family In Christ’s activity room several Saturday’s each month. I have a dance and Martial Arts background so I like creating classes that allow me to teach what I love doing. I am also a professional drummer in a local band and I love to inspire passion in students through music.
I homeschooled my daughter and it was the best experience! My daughter attended HSC for many years and she graduated from CSU in Fort Collins.
When I’m not teaching martial arts I play guitar, piano, drums, write songs, dance and take cool photos of people.
I LOVE teaching at HSC because I love spending time with young students and I want each one of them to feel confident and happy about all of their learning adventures.
I look forward to each new year at HSC where I will get to meet new students and I also get to see my awesome students from last year!
Email: dpaige@wwahomeschool.org FCMA website: www.fcmacolorado.com
Mr. Wolf
Martial Arts Teachcer
Hello everyone! My name is Nick Wolf and I am a martial arts and coding teacher at the Home School Connection. I have been training in Taekwondo since the age of 8 years old, and currently hold a 4th degree black belt in Shimsan Taekwondo, as well as in Haidong Gumdo, the Korean sword arts. I started coding in college at Regis University while pursuing a Computer Science degree. From there, I found out about Scratch, and was able to share my love of coding with my students as well!
I own and operate Superior Martial Arts in Conifer, Colorado with my brother. We work with students of all ages and ranks to share the joy of learning Taekwondo together! Taekwondo, and working with my students, are always the highlights of my day. I love seeing a student finally get something they have been struggling on for a while!
My coding company is called MindDance, and we teach coding in Scratch to elementary aged students across the Denver metro area. Scratch is a coding language developed at MIT for young coders. We host Scratch Lab, a fun and creative environment for kids to learn how to code and share their creations with each other!
When I'm not teaching, I enjoy working on my coding projects, reading a good book, and going hiking in our beautiful Colorado weather. I am looking forward to meeting a new group of students this year!
Ms. Hayley
Performing Arts Teacher
My name is Hayley Cotton (Ms. Hayley) and I am your Theatre Arts teacher at the Home School Connection! I currently hold an MA in Theatre Education from the University of Northern Colorado and a BA in Theatre Arts from the University of Wisconsin-Parkside. Before moving to Colorado in 2016, I worked as a teaching artist and professional actor in various cities across the country, including Minneapolis, MN, Oakland, CA, and Milwaukee, WI.
My personal teaching philosophy revolves around the idea that theatre education has the power to cultivate life skills which can be used both on and off stage. I believe that my job as a theatre educator is not necessarily to create the most talented theatre artists, but rather to create well-rounded and loving human beings who will ultimately make our world a better place.
Ms. Shannon
Science Teacher
Hello HSC Families,
As a dedicated science teacher, I bring 9 years of educational experience and 6 years of classroom leadership to my role. With a strong background in nature sciences and conservation education, I am passionate about teaching my students the wonders of the natural world. I am well-versed in supporting students with learning disabilities and fostering a growth mindset, ensuring every child feels valued and capable of success. My teaching philosophy is based on the 7 principles of Leave No Trace, promoting environmental stewardship and responsible outdoor ethics.
Outside the classroom, I enjoy cozy video games and spending time with my family, especially my son Huey. We love going on nature walks and bird spotting together. I also have a hobby of keeping terrariums, where I create thriving homes for bugs, reflecting my love for these micro-animals. This combination of professional expertise and personal passions helps me create a dynamic and engaging learning environment for my students.
I look forward to another year with HSC and sharing science experiences with students.
Ms. Jamie
Kindergarten Teacher
My name is Jamie Williams (Ms. Jamie) and I teach Kindergarten at HSC. I graduated from Adams State College and have had the opportunity to work with many different children in various settings. I have been at The Home School Connection since 2007.
When I am not at Home School Connection, I am enjoying time at home with my husband and our two daughters. We enjoy camping, being in the mountains and attending sporting events.
I love teaching kindergarten because it is full of discovery and excitement. We cover so many topics in kindergarten and it is so fun to hear a kindergartener’s view on why things work the way they do. It is exciting for me to watch the wheels spinning inside a student’s head and to see the light bulb light up once the ideas presented become understood in a student’s mind.
Ms. Keri
Kindergarten EA
My name is Keri Campbell. I am the Education Assistant for Kindergarten here at HSC. I love working with Kindergarteners because of their energy and enthusiasm. I started at HSC in 2023. Prior to HSC, I worked at Lincoln Academy for 6 years. I love to see the kids growth and development as the year progresses. I am looking forward to the new school year!
Outside of school I am busy with my 3 children and my husband. We enjoy hiking, boating and snow skiing. We spend long weekends at the soccer field and baseball field. Our 2 cats and 2 dogs bring us lots of joy. We also foster puppies for Lifeline Puppy Rescue in Brighton.
Ms. Kate
STEAM/Social Studies/Music Teacher
Hello, students and families! My name is Kate Grigsby (Ms. Kate), and this semester I am thrilled to be teaching Music (Melody Makers, Choir, Musical Theatre, Cantemos, and Ukulele 1)! I have taught in various capacities for the past 20 years, including music, Spanish, theater, and lead first, second, and fourth grade. I have a bachelor’s degree from UNC in vocal music performance, as well as a Master’s in Education from Regis University. In addition to teaching, I love being outdoors and working in my garden, spending time with my daughter Ella and our many pets, and playing and listening to music. I’m looking forward to another awesome semester at HSC!
Ms. Kim
Social Studies Teacher
Events/Student Scheduling
Hello! My name is Kim Ross, a social studies teacher and administration team member here at the Homeschool Connection. This is my 7th year with the Homeschool Connection. I started as a science teacher, then switched to social studies… a subject dear to my heart! The last few years, I also took on the role of Events and Scheduling Coordinator. I get the best of both worlds, being a part of student learning, as well as a part of scheduling students, as well as events for our whole school community to enjoy.
In 2010 I began my teaching with WWA as a 4th grade teacher, then moved to the Homeschool Connection. Before teaching for WWA and HSC, I taught 4th and 5th grades in NE and other Jeffco schools here in CO since 2004. I was born in New York and raised in Omaha, NE, where I earned my BS in Elementary Education from the University of Nebraska at Omaha.
I have been lucky enough to live the Colorado life since 2005. My family is very active with the outdoors, and we truly love what activities and experiences Colorado has to offer. My 3 boys keep me busy with mountain biking, off-roading, paddle boarding, hiking, and more!
I have always been a “History Buff’, and love learning about our world around us. I most specifically love learning about the wonders of our amazing state of Colorado. I look forward to teaching students about Colorado and the world around us. I am equally excited about providing learning experiences around citizenship and leadership.
I wear many hats here at HSC, and I enjoy them all! I am truly excited for another year of learning and adventure with the students and families of HSC.
Ms. Kelly
STEAM/Social Studies Teacher
Hello! I am a Colorado native and received my degree from the University of Colorado at Denver. I am celebrating my 11th year at HSC! I teach the student newscast class as well as other tech and social studies classes.
I first came to HSC as a parent when I was homeschooling my two daughters several years ago. I love the freedom of tailoring lessons to the unique needs of my students and to show them how fun learning can be!
When I’m not teaching I love spending time with my two daughters, two dogs, two cats and two birds as well as cooking, hiking and working in my garden!
Ms. Bethany
STEAM Teacher
I am thrilled to continue teaching at HSC, I've been teaching in Colorado since 2007, focusing on STEM for almost five years. A Colorado native, I grew up in the Arvada/Westminster area and attended college in Chicago. My husband, Cameron, and I have two boys, Caden (10th grade) and Parker (8th grade), and a 6-year-old miniature Goldendoodle named Libby. Skiing occupies our winter weekends, while the rest of the year, I enjoy reading, golfing, boating, and cheering on my kids at their sports events. I'm passionate about STEAM education and am eager to contribute that enthusiasm to the HSC community!
Mr. Ramsey
STEAM Teacher
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Hello everyone! My name is Ramsey Bernard, and this will be my second year with HSC as a Multimedia STEAM Teacher. I am a Colorado native, and received my Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies from Pomona College in southern California. My background is in environmental education, audio engineering, and robotics & coding education. I love working with young people and helping them find and explore their passions and equip themselves for success in the future. My teaching philosophy involves using tech-based educational tools as a basis for teaching students about larger life concepts, such as teamwork, being creative, and making the world a better place. I aim to help my students grow into empathetic, curious-minded, well-rounded adults.
In my free time I like to experience live music, travel, and spend time in the great outdoors - camping, hiking, playing disc golf, and skiing. I also enjoy cooking and being creative, and trying my hand at various artistic endeavors.
I love being a part of the HSC family and can’t wait for what’s to come this year!
Ms. Rose
Middle School Teacher
Hello! I’m Rose Hasz, and I’m absolutely thrilled to join the HSC family! With 15 years of teaching under my belt, I’ve developed a true passion for creating hands-on, interactive learning experiences that ignite curiosity and get students excited to jump in headfirst. From elementary to middle school, I love connecting with students of all ages and watching them light up when they discover something new. When I'm not in the classroom, you can catch me buried in a good book, biking new trails, traveling to fresh destinations, or taking a walk with my golden retriever, Brinkley—who’s definitely the real star of the show. I’m also an avid fisherman, though, fair warning, I might bring back more stories than fish! I’m beyond excited to continue this adventure with the amazing HSC team!
