About Us

These certified and well trained teachers are experienced, child oriented professionals committed to growing expertise. All are highly qualified whose instructional expertise focuses on Reading and Writing instruction, Mathematics instruction, Special Education, and early childhood expertise.

*Please contact Alix Orton, Administrative Assistant, to view the resumes of the professional staff. They are on file for your convenience in the reception office.

Click here to read the 'NCLB Right to Know' letter to parents

Our Stories- See what parents and students are saying about our school

Our instructional staff reflects an emphasis on quality instruction:

Richard Valentine - Principal/Director
Ms. Catherine - 6th, 7th, and 8th Grades
Ashley Montano - Primary Grades Teacher
Michele Tatsumi - Special Education
Special Education Specialists
Victoria Harris - Occupational Therapist
Ms. Marie Maeser - 4th,5th, 6th, Grades
Substitute Elementary Teacher

Richard Valentine - Principal/Director

Visions Unlimited Academy Director, Richard Valentine is well known throughout Arizona and New Mexico as a school leader, school quality specialist, team builder and advocate for families and children. He believes it his mission to support personal and academic growth, achievement and fulfillment as people determine it for themselves and seeks to give students and their parents a boost in this direction. He has been involved with Visions Unlimited Academy since its inception and works to bring the humanity, precision and achievement he came to value as child in a close knit community to the life of the school.

Richard is the parent of one adult child, Meaghan Davenport, the step parent of four lively and entertaining younger children and remains close to his siblings and to multiple Valentine nieces and nephews scattered in Missouri, Texas and Kentucky. He likes to read, garden, travel, cook and write. He is the author of "The Washday Special", a Culinary Memoir and is still the aspiring author of that fabled great American novel. Click Here to e-mail Richard

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Ms. Catherine - 6th, 7th, and 8th Grades

Ms. Catherine Prestly teaches upper grades ( six, seven and eighth) at Visions Unlimited academy. She is an experienced, highly qualified teacher with degrees from Indiana University and Louisiana State University. She most recently taught at Town and Country Elementary School in Sierra Vista, AZ and has taught in Christian Life Academy, and in the East Baton Rouge school system. She is am happily married (going on 18 years) and has 4 wonderful children. Their ages are: 16, 14, 12, and 9. My family currently lives in St. David and this will be my third year in Arizona. She was born and raised in Indiana and lived in Michigan, enjoys youth sports and coached junior high girl ’s volleyball and girl ’s basketball in Sierra Vista. I Ms. Prestly holds a Masters Degree in Education from Louisiana State University and a Bachelors Degree in Criminal Justice from Indiana University.

Ms. Prestly loves teaching, children and provides an environment where children can actively grow their intellect, social skills and character.

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Ashley Montano – Primary Teacher

Ms. Ashley Montano is the primary teacher at Visions Unlimited Academy. Ms. Montano is a graduate from Prescott College where she received her teacher training and enters her duties here as a highly qualified teacher. She has considerable experience working with children in addition to her professional training . She having served students as a special education paraprofessional and in afterschool programs. This experience has allowed her to grow as a person and as an educator. Ms.Montano is committed to guiding students to meet their full academic and social potential.

Ms. Montano is committed to guiding students to meet their full academic and social potential. The parents of children in her room and those who are familiar with her work consider Ms. Montano a “life long learner.” She enjoys learning new skills and understandings to help her grow as an educator. Ms Montano maintains a structured and loving learning environment. She demonstrates a strong belief in the importance of modeling and teaching her students to protect our planet. In addition to working with her students, Ms. Montano loves to paint, draw and taking care of her many pets at home.

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Special Education

Several Special Education students profit from deep and supportive relationships with their highly qualified paraprofessionals: Jamie Sue Housley, Joy Berryhill, Andrea Grogg, Lisa Boemer and Gretchen Zibart.

Ms. Michele Tatsumi teaches as special education resource . She joins Visions Unlimited Academy with 12 years experience in education. She has served her communities as a home schooling coordinator, Special education math, life skills and transition teacher as well as resource teacher. Her role at Visions is teaching, supporting paraprofessionals so that each student can meet his or her IEP goals. Her passion is serving students and providing opportunities for them to grow. Ms. Tatsumi is a highly qualified teacher with experience in Iowa, Oklahoma and in Palominas , Az. In addition to student growth and learning Ms. Tatsumi is interested in writing, nature, church and mission work and in making connections with parents and local organizations. She has a sense urgency about the importance of young children to the future of the community, families and the world and will provide special education support to students and their parents.

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Victoria Harris - Occupational Therapist

Victoria Harris, OTR is an experienced occupational therapist specializing in the treatment of children and adolescents diagnosed with physical, mental, and neurological disabilities. These include autism, down's syndrome, learning disabilities, cerebral palsy, and sensory processing disorders. Since graduating from Eastern Michigan University with her Bachelor in Occupational Therapy, Victoria has worked as a lead therapist and director in a variety of settings to include acute and long term rehabilitation, hand therapy, home health services, developmental disability services, and school settings. However, working with children is a particular passion for Ms. Harris. who believes that all children have a desire to learn and grow. Ms. Harris provides therapy to these students along with inservicing to the staff and family members(as needed) on sensory processing disorders and how it effects a child's ability to learn and participate in the school environment.

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Ms. Marie Maeser - 4th,5th, 6th, Grades

Ms. Marie Maeser brings excellent training and experience . She is highly qualified professional educator ; she is intelligent, articulate and provides the flexible focus so students can need to find themselves and their path. She is a single mother of an 18 year old son who is soon leaving for the Army. She was raised on a series of military installations, calls herself an ‘Army Brat’ and comes from a long line of Military family. As a middle child of 5 and through life has learned to possess a great deal of patience, flexibility and perseverance. She is a graduate from U of A and Helen Keller Institute where I received a degree in education and Deaf/Blind intervention. Ms. Maeser taught at Arizona School for the Deaf and Blind (ASDB) for 15 years and is am fluent in American Sign Language and a communication intervener. At ASDB I learned so much from each child as they taught me so much about individuality and to focus on the child’s strengthens to build independence. Her goal is to help each child to know/discover their potential and achieve their dreams. Follow her blog at http://visionsunlimitedacademymarie.blogspot.com.

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Special Services

We could not operate without the careful and even loving care of the facilities by Rocio Cornejo and Javier Macias.

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