Bryce Beard
Leadership/Staff
Laura Leavitt
School Directorlleavitt@apamail.org
Laura Leavitt
School Director
Mrs. Laura Leavitt has been with the American Prep family since 2003. Before coming to the
West Valley 1 campus in 2010 she taught third grade for six years. She holds a BA in Art from
Brigham Young University, a Level 2 Elementary Teaching License, and a Master’s in Educational Leadership from Central Michigan University. Laura loves reading, movies, gardening, camping and cooking for a crowd. She and her husband, Dave, have seven children and twenty-one beautiful grandchildren. In Laura’s words: “I love coming to work each day. Our APA students, parents and staff are so wonderful. It is a privilege to work with them and for them.
MaryCarmen Gamez
Administrative Directormgamez@apamail.org
MaryCarmen Gamez
Administrative Director
Ms. MaryCarmen Gamez has been with the American Preparatory Academy West Valley 1 since they opened in 2009. She received her Bachelor's in Business and an Associate Legal Studies degree. MaryCarmen was born in North Mexico and has lived in Salt Lake for 17 years. She likes to read books and enjoys being around kids.
MaryCarmen has 3 daughters and 3 grandchildren. MaryCarmen has a wealth of experience at American Prep and is very excited to take on the role as Administrative Director for West Valley 1.
Academic Support
Melanie Ferlo
Academic Coordinator
Mrs. Melanie Ferlo has been with American Preparatory Academy since 2005. She graduated from Ricks College (BYU-Idaho) with her Associates Degree and continued her education at BYU-Provo where she met her husband. (He is also an educator--teaching at the High School and College levels.) She is the mother of three sons, all alumni of American Preparatory Academy. What she enjoys most of all in life is spending time with her family. Her involvement in teaching includes the following areas: Groups Instructor, PACE Teacher and her current position as an Academic Coordinator at WV1.
xSecretarial Staff
Lindsey Oveson
Front Office Secretary
Mrs. Lindsey Oveson joined our APA WV1 campus in January 2018, filling in the position of front office secretary. She graduated from Cyprus High School in 1994. She was born in Farmington, New Mexico and has lived in West Valley City since she was 5 years old. She married her high school sweetheart, Brian and has been married for 23 years. They have 4 children - 2 boys and 2 girls, and recently got their first grandson. When she is not sitting at a baseball/softball/football/basketball game, or a choir/theater performance of one of her children, she enjoys reading, singing, playing the piano and decorating cakes. She loves being creative and making messes. If she could travel anywhere in the world, she would sell everything and live out her life on a quiet tropical island somewhere.
xKindergarten Teaching Team
First Grade Teaching Team
Second Grade Teaching Team
Justina Spencer
Teacher
Mrs. Justina Spencer has been with APA for 6 years, starting out as an instructor. Now she is a second grade teacher. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Human Development and Family Studies with a minor in Disability Studies. She grew up in West Valley City and now lives in Magna. In her personal time she is the Prop Master at the Empress Theatre in Magna. She also loves to play the ukulele.
xThird Grade Teaching Team
Fourth Grade Teaching Team
Fifth Grade Teaching Team
K'Leena Furniss
Teacher
Mrs. K'Leena Furniss - (5th grade) attended Utah State University where she majored in Sociology. After graduating, K’Leena became a Camp Director, where she had the opportunity to work with and educate children of all ages. In addition to teaching children in a professional capacity, K’Leena has enjoyed working with children in her personal life as well. She has volunteered and served on several committees and boards associated with helping teach children throughout her life. She is currently working towards obtaining her Utah Teaching License through the ARL program. K’Leena’s enjoys swimming, hiking, biking, boating, painting, photography and traveling. And she especially loves hanging out with family and friends.
xSixth Grade Teaching Team
Science
Amy Hugh
4th/5th/6th Science Teacher
Ms. Amy Hugh has been with APA since 2011, when WV2 opened where she started . She taught 5th grade at WV1 for 2 years and currently teaches 5th & 6th grade Science at both campuses. She has a BS in Sociology from Utah State University. Also an MS in Special Education with an emphasis in Rehabilitation Counseling from USU. She has a Level II Elementary Education license USOE. She lives in Fruits Heights, the City of Good Neighbors.
Amy’s favorite subjects in school are math, science, history, writing, literature and music. She’s into traveling, especially river trips, biking, hiking, backpacking, cross-country skiing, going to museums, art galleries, historical sites, and attending the theater. Her favorite place on Earth is in a canoe on the Green River in Stillwater Canyon of Canyonlands. The best place to bike so far is along the River Danube from Passau, Germany through Vienna to Budapest or the vacant lots, hollows, and open spaces right around from her house. Her favorite place to ski is Bryce and around the neighborhood before the snow plows come out. She likes to relax with yoga, photography, watercolor, reading, storytelling and cooking/eating good food around a campfire under the stars. She says she’s always on the lookout to learn, reading about and try new challenging things. Favorite sayings: “What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.” & “If you think you can, or you think you can’t, you’re right.” She says she always thinks “I CAN!”
Specials - PE, Art, Music
Skyler Frickelton
K-5 Music Teacher
Mr. Skyler Frickelton is our talented WV1 music director. He has a Bachelor's Degree in Music Education from the University of Wisconsin - La Crosse. He was born and raised in Wisconsin (Go Packers) and currently lives in Salt Lake City.
While growing up and going to school in Wisconsin, he discovered his passion for teaching others. Music was also a huge part of his life as he participated in many musical ensembles during high school and college. He thought, what better way to combine his passions than to teach others the joys music. Mr. Frickelton taught five years in Wisconsin as a middle school vocal and general music teacher. He also enjoys coaching various school athletic teams and loves to see his students be as involved as possible.
His journey in Utah has been a wonderful experience so far. In his free time, he enjoys being outside in the mountains hiking, biking, skiing, and climbing.
xInstructors
After School
Connie McCullough
Sistema Director
Connie McCullough is the Sistema Utah Director at American Preparatory Academy West Valley One Campus. She manages and runs an Afterschool music program where 125 kids receive three hours of free music instruction daily. Mrs. McCullough manages 16 staff members, and 13 are highly skilled musicians. She loves teaching music. She and her partner in Sistema Utah, Trina Christensen, manage Sistema Strings, a performance group. Sistema Strings has performed at the many University of Utah sporting events, Afterschool Day on the Hill at the Utah State Capitol, Salt Lake Local Leaders Summit, and side-by-side performances with the Utah Philharmonic and the Draper Philharmonic. With eight awards, Sistema Utah won Utah Best of State 2020, 2021, and 2022. Connie won Utah's 2022 Best of State Early Childhood Music Education.
Mrs. McCullough has been teaching violin and viola for over 20 years. She has been a Suzuki Violin/Viola teacher for over a decade. Her music training is through the University of Utah School of Music, Suzuki training at Institutes, conferences, and workshops, on-the-job training as an Elementary School Orchestra Teacher and Private Suzuki Violin/Viola Teacher, and through performing with many different quartets, orchestras, symphonies, and bands. She received her Associate of Science degree from LDS Business college. She has in character development (social-emotional learning), trauma-informed practices, and working with students with ADHD, autism, and special needs.
Mrs. McCullough served on the board of the Suzuki Association of Utah (SAU) for five years, with three of those years she served as President of the organization. She was the conference coordinator for four state-wide conferences for SAU. In 2015, Mrs. McCullough was Chairman of the SAU's Celebration IX Concert, where they had over 1300 children performing on nine different instruments. She has taught, headed committees, and spoken at local, national, and international conferences. She won the Builder of the Year award in 2018 from American Preparatory Academy.
x