About APL

The Academy for Precision Learning (APL) is an independent, inclusion-based school for students of all abilities from kindergarten through 8th grade.

We are committed to the social and academic development of all children, regardless of their learning differences, and we provide a structured learning environment in which children both with and without challenges can grow and learn. APL recognizes that all children are highly capable, and through the proven method of Precision Teaching, we enable each child to reach his or her fullest potential.

APL offers instruction to children of all abilities, from gifted to special needs, with a primary focus on instructing children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Faculty and staff

APL's faculty and staff include:

Incoming Executive Director -- Jennifer Annable, M.Ed is APL’s Incoming Executive Director. Jennifer comes to APL after 25 years at the University of Washington’s Experimental Education Unit where she was Principal and most recently Director. Jennifer’s stewardship was vital in growing the EEU into the category defining institution it has become. The EEU serves children birth – 7 and consistently drives ongoing innovation in how special needs and typically developing children can learn and thrive side by side. She has experience with children with and without special needs from birth through high school. Jennifer received her Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education from Lesley College in Cambridge, Massachusetts. She has a Master’s in Education and a Principal’s certificate from the University of Washington. She is certified in Early Childhood Special Education, K-12 Special Education and K-8 Elementary Education. Early in Jennifer’s career, she was a teacher and Administrative Coordinator at Spaulding Youth Center in Northfield, NH. She has worked in residential care and also been a foster parent. Jennifer is the mother of two sons and proud grandmother of a granddaughter who currently attends the EEU.

Alison Moors, MA, BCBA. Alison is Director of Educational Services of APL. She is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst and has a master’s degree in Educational Psychology/Applied Behavior Analysis from West Virginia University, as well as a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. Alison has been a passionate and dedicated therapist/educational consultant for students and their families for the past fourteen years. Alison’s expertise includes providing training and consultation to programs delivering high-quality education to academically gifted and mainstream students, as well as addressing the specific needs of students with learning challenges, including autism and ADHD. Prior to starting APL, she directed FEAT (Families for Effective Autism Treatment) of Washington’s inclusion-based summer program for five years. She also served as a Master Teacher and consultant for Morningside Academy, where she specialized in elementary mathematics instruction.

Click here for her curriculum vitae

Valori Berends is the upper elementary teacher at APL. She received a Master’s degree in Applied Behavior Analysis from the University of North Texas (UNT). Her undergraduate degree is from Wisconsin Eau Claire in Organizational Communication and was the origin of her interest in Organizational Behavior Management, which she continued to study at UNT. Her experiences with children include teaching reading to preschoolers and 5th graders in the Denton Independent School District, providing in-home Applied Behavior Analysis services to children with autism, student teaching in the Morningside Academy summer school, and assisting as a paraprofessional in the Families for Effective Autism Treatment summer program. In addition to working with children, She spent 3 years teaching behavior management tools to at-risk parents in both the Behavior Management and Parenting Services Project at UNT and the Behavior Analysis Service Project at the University of Florida. She is thrilled to be at APL to continue to learn and grow alongside the children and APL’s impressive staff.

Sara Pahl is the lower elementary teacher at APL. Sara is a Board Certified Associate Behavior Analyst. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and is currently completing her Master’s Degree in Systems Counseling. Sara has over 10 years experience with Precision Teaching and 14 years of experience teaching individuals from ages 3-55 on the Autism Spectrum. She began working with Miss Ali as a Lead Therapist for elementary age students with autism in home programs and later became a consultant for the Fabrizio Moors Consulting group. Sara’s consultative work has focused on helping K-12 private and public school teachers incorporate teaching methodologies from Applied Behavior Analysis/Precision Teaching into both inclusive and self contained classrooms.

Lovelle Suarez - Head Paraprofessional Lovelle received her BA from the University of Washington and her Graduate Academic Certificate in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) from the University of North Texas. She is currently pursuing her M.Ed. from the University of Washington in Special Education with an emphasis in severe and low incidence disabilities and Applied Behavior Analysis. Lovelle has been working in homes with children and adolescents as an ABA therapist for the past 6 years. In addition, she spent 2 summers working in a summer school inclusion program and the APL tutoring center. With these experiences, Lovelle has gained expertise in Precision Teaching Methodologies, Applied Behavior Analysis, Direct Instruction and work with Augmentative Communication Devices. In her free time she enjoys reading, outdoor activities, listening to music and going out with friends.

Amanda Daylong joins the APL staff as the new Administrative Assistant and Bookkeeper. She received her Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science from the University of Washington. While there, she obtained extensive administrative experience in growing a local real estate company from one to five branch offices across four states. Having a two-year-old, Amanda knows the joys and challenges of teaching and interacting with children and is thrilled to have the opportunity to work with the families at APL!

 

Ryan Turner is a paraprofessional teacher at APL and has been been working with kids and adolescents for the past ten years. He received his BA in Sociology from the University of North Carolina and is currently prospecting various graduate programs to obtain his Master’s in Social Work. Ryan enjoys listening to music, reading, outdoor activities, cooking and Seahawks Football.

 

Allison Winger is a paraprofessional teacher at APL. Allison graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology from the University of Washington in 2008. She has worked with children for several years before joining the APL team last year. Allison loves doing anything outdoors as a result of being born and raised in Seattle! She enjoys traveling any chance she gets and has had many amazing opportunities volunteering and traveling in South America.

Kelly Pipe is a paraprofessional teacher at APL. Kelly started working at APL at the beginning of January 2009. Before joining APL, she graduated with a B.A. in Communicative Disorders at the University of Redlands in California where she took many classes focused on Autism. When she moved to Seattle in June of last year she began working in one of Miss Ali’s home programs. She is thoroughly enjoying her time at APL and absolutely loves the children.

 

Paige Colgan is a paraprofessional teacher at APL. Paige is a Seattle native and a graduate from Central Washington University with a B.A. in Elementary Education and Early Childhood Education. Paige has been working with children in the field of education since 2002. Paige and her husband, Patrick, love living in Seattle and try to take advantage of what the northwest has to offer. The couple hopes to have future travels around the world, but for now they are both focusing on their work as educators.

Nicolle Simon is a paraprofessional teacher at APL. She has a degree in Photography from the Art Institute of Seattle and intends to pursue a degree in teaching. Nicolle has worked with children for several years prior to joining APL, including summer camp programs.

 

 

 

Danni Sandall is a paraprofessional teacher at APL. She recently graduated from the University of Washington with a degree in Speech and Hearing Sciences, focusing on communication disorders. She intends to pursue a graduate degree in Speech pathology as well. Danni has experience working with kids in and out of the school setting and is excited about starting her first year at APL!

 

 

Julia Stacey is a paraprofessional teacher at APL. She graduated from Hawaii Pacific University with a degree in Human Resource Development. While obtaining her degree she worked at (TIFFE), The Institute for Family Enrichment out in Hawaii where she gained valuable experience working with kiddos with special needs. After obtaining her degree she returned home to Washington where she worked at A.P.P.L.E Consulting. Julia has been working with children in the field of education since 2001 and plans on returning to school to get her Masters in Special Education. She is very excited to be a part of APL and looks forward to its bright future.

Michael Ruehlen is a paraprofessional teacher at APL. Mike is currently pursuing his Masters Degree in Special Education at the University of Washington where he earned his BA in Psychology. Mike has been working with children and adults on the autism spectrum for the last ten years. While in Seattle he has worked as an ABA home-therapist and for FEAT as a head teacher in their summer program as well as lead clinician in their TFT program. During his undergraduate work he was involved with the EEU as a classroom aide in the preschool and with project DATA in the infant and toddler program. He and his wife moved here from Santa Cruz, California in 2005 and enjoy backpacking in the Teanaway and North Cascades.

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Board of Directors

APL's current Board of Directors includes:

  • Matt Gordon, President
  • Jennifer Vertetis, Vice President
  • H. Herman Mohazzabfar, Treasurer
  • Erin Brewer, Secretary
  • Diana Abson
  • Kevin Bank
  • Jon Gelsey
  • Nancy Gordon
  • Samia Mohazzabfar
  • Tom Vertetis
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Advisory Board

APL is proud to have a distinguished advisory board consisting of the following:

  • Jennifer Annable - Principal of the Experimental Education Unit at the University of Washington, a comprehensive early childhood center providing inclusive educational services for children with and without disabilities
  • Dr. Gusty-Lee Boulware - PhD, BCBA -  Specialist in integrating empirically validated, research based strategies into social skills programming for students who need help with self regulation, executive functioning and sustaining quality relationships with peers
  • Jill Geary - Attorney/Parent Representative with Stokes Lawrence P.S.; former Special Education Administrative Law Judge and Hearing Coordinator with the Washington State Office of Administrative Hearings
  • Michael Grella - Independant consultant to private schools with a 42-year professional career in education including 28 years of experience heading schools
  • Susan Malmquist, Ph.D., BCBA - A leading advocate and educational consultant for children and families in Washington State; Dr. Malmquist is one of the foremost experts in student assessment that is based on an integrated model of psychoeducational assessment and Applied Behavior Analysis. She is noted for her development of a multi-level system of assessment that can be used to monitor student progress and improve learning outcomes for children of all skill levels and learning styles.
  • Dr. Stacy Shook - PhD, BCBA - Executive Director of Northwest Behavioral Associates, a Kirkland, WA non-profit that provides quality educational and behavioral support for children and their families
  • Beth T. Sigall is an attorney who specializes in representing parents and their children with disabilities, with an emphasis on serving the unique needs of the autism community. She is a member of the District of Columbia bar, Washington state bar, and bar of the U.S. Supreme Court. She is also the mother of 3 boys, including one who has autism.
  • Dr. Owen R. White - PhD - Professor, University of Washington in the College of Education and one of the world’s leading academic experts in Precision Teaching

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Donating to APL

The Academy for Precision Learning has 501(c)(3) non-profit status under EIN #91-2143623. We accept donations to supplement tuition and operating expenses. Donations may be sent to our mailing address:

Academy for Precision Learning
P.O. Box 51241
Seattle, WA 98115

APL wishes to thank the following for supporting the school:

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