Meet the Team
Dedicated & Qualified
Sara Tapley
Owner/Lead Teacher
I have a degree from North Central College in Elementary Education and Spanish. I also have two Masters Degrees in Education. I have 13 years of teaching experience in all settings from preschool-8th grade. I am also a parent, and my philosophy has changed and developed over time. I realized there were not many options for alternative schools, so I created one! I started with a small group of five children after the pandemic started and supported their homeschool journey, and my love of teaching continues to grow.
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Julie Petricca
Assistant Teacher
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I have a degree from North Central College in Psychology and Studio Art. My focus of study was Child Development, and I always wanted to work with children. My artwork varies greatly but centers around nature. I focus largely on horses in charcoal or acrylic paint. Last year I taught art in elementary school. I joined Barn Owls in 2020. I love sharing my love of art and creativity with children!
Ranja Moore
Assistant Teacher
I have a degree from the Ludwig-Maximilian’s University of Munich in Comparative Literature and Linguistics. I have been teaching German, Spanish, English and Latin at various institutions. I enjoy theater and music, and I have organized children’s plays and music groups, which sparked my interest in the Waldorf teaching concept. I am excited to share this with our Barn Owls as we explore the world.