Staff Members
Eileen’s passion for education began when she was a child. After helping her teacher clean out her classroom at the end of the year, she took home
the materials she was rewarded and set up a classroom in the garage, where she taught her younger sister to read. From there Eileen has spent her life supervising and teaching children in various capacities, helping instill a love for learning in all her students. She went on to the University of Georgia and obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education. With almost a decade of classroom experience in elementary and middle school, Eileen had the opportunity to teach children in different grade levels, serve in various leadership roles, obtain her gifted certification, and lead county wide staff development sessions. She also has management and training experience from her years spent working in customer service organizations.
Having grown up in DeKalb County, Eileen moved back here in 2005 with her family. She lives in Smoke Rise with her husband and 2 children and has been supporting education in t he community by being a founding board member of the Smoke Rise Elementary Foundation, serving on the PTA Board for 2 years, and volunteering at the elementary school. Eileen is an active and respected member of the Smoke Rise Community and we are honored to have her as our founding director!
Ms. Oleksinski is excited about becoming the newest addition to the Smoke Rise Prep educational team. Teaching is her passion. This will be her tenth year in the classroom. Wendy feels that the best part about being an educator is helping children discover their inner passions and strengths, and believes that school can and should be fun!
Wendy received a Master of Arts degree in Early Childhood Education at Piedmont College in 2003, and a Bachelor of Science degree in Early Childhood Education from Georgia State University in 1996. Before joining the Smoke Rise Prep team, Wendy was a teacher in Gwinett County, where she won Teacher of the Year in 2003 at Harbins Elementary. Her hobbies include being a busy mother of three, reading, and going to the beach. She has two lovely daughters, an active three-year-old son, and a new puppy named Bodhi.
Sherrie Waddell, Intermediate Teacher
Sherrie Marie Waddell hails from Birmingham, AL where she graduated from Shades Valley International Baccalaureate High School in 1999. From there, she attended Benedict College in South Carolina and graduated Summa Cum Laude in the field of education. Sherrie moved to Atlanta, GA where she taught in Cobb and Fulton County, and Sylvan Learning Center during the ensuing eight years.
Sherrie attended Kennesaw University and graduated Summa Cum Laude in 2007 earning a Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership with a concentration in Technology. While teaching elementary school, she was exposed to diverse student populations and rose to the challenge of meeting the needs of each child in her care. She decided to utilize her degree to benefit students on a more personal basis th
rough a successful tutoring business, where she incorporates technology and solid teaching practices which have shown consistent, positive results.
Sherrie firmly believes that each child is a unique individual needing an optimum environment in which to grow and mature emotionally, intellectually, physically, and socially. It is her desire as an educator to help students meet their fullest potential in these areas by providing an atmosphere which is supportive, and which invites children to openly share their ideas. She believes that the building and maintenance of such a classroom environment must rest on three elements: (1) the teacher as guide and support, (2) the belief that children’s natural curiosity directs learning, and (3) the golden rule of respect and dignity for all people.
Julie was born and raised here in Tucker, Georgia. She graduated from UGA in 1994 with a degree in Early Childhood Ed. Recently she took a few continuing education classes: hooked on phonics, early literacy, and the Orton Gillingham Method. These classes really enriched her strong foundation in education.
Julie believes that each child wants to learn and as the teacher she enjoys the challenge to see which method works best. Everyday in the
classroom should be a type of learning adventure that pulls the child in. Their little minds are amazing and so absorbent. Every child should be
provided with the tools needed to achieve their goals.
She is mother of three amazing boys. Julie's hobbies are golf, outdoor activities, and anything involving her boys!!!
She says, "Life is a gift and a very precious one that goes by too fast. My goal is to encourage each child and give them the confidence to thrive in any life situation. Children are a fantastic little treasure and they need to see and understand that they have a very important place in life."
She is very excited to be a part of Smoke Rise Prep.
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