Tutors

Mrs. Stefanie Gazich, ARCHES Administrator
Stefanie Gazich is the mother of six children and the grandmother of five. She and her family are members of Epiphany Catholic Church in Coon Rapids, MN. She has been home educating for eighteen years. She is a graduate of Ohio University where she received her Bachelor of Science degree in Journalism. She did field reporting for an ABC affiliate in Charlotte, N.C. and was offered a writing position for CNN in Atlanta, Georgia. Stefanie believes strong grammar skills polish and enhance one's ability to communicate effectively and professionally. Stefanie has been a tutor with ARCHES for 12 years and loves teaching by engaging students in memorization, recitation, spelling, diagramming, and formation of strong sentence structure. In Pre-Algebra, students participate by working problems on white boards at their desk thus engaging them in the learning process. Struggles her own children had in learning math, sparked creative ways to learn and understand the math concepts. Stefanie currently works part-time at St. Pius X in White Bear Lake as an Administrative Assistant and Elementary Coordinator for Faith Formation. She cherishes the truths of the Catholic church and is passionate in helping children discover the treasures of the Catholic faith.
Courses: Grammar I, Grammar II, Math 8/7, Pre-Algebra, and Typing

Mr. Doug Latawiec
Doug Latawiec graduated Xi Sigma Pi from the University of Minnesota with a Bachelor of Science degree in Forest Products Marketing. Doug has many years of volunteer teaching experience including eights years at the Minneapolis Catholic Youth Center and over fourteen years as a religious education teacher. He has been a home schooling father of fourteen children and is currently planning his seventeenth year tutoring Literature I and II for ARCHES. He is the athletic director and basketball coach of Victory Christian Home School Association serving home school boys and girls from junior high to varsity teams.
Courses: Literature I, Literature II

Mrs. Teresa Pontious
Teresa's background consists of a BS degree in Biology from the U of MN, which she followed up with a Medical Technology internship from HCMC and a MT(ASCP) degree. She worked in a hospital Microbiology lab for 12 years and have taught medical technicians. She was accepted into the ARCH Diocese Cohort program in May, 2006 and completed her Master's degree for teaching. She has worked for Catholic Elementary schools and been involved at St. Timothy's in Blaine in the Faith Formation and Confirmation programs. I enjoy working with children and young adults and look forward to the upcoming academic year.
Course: Biology

Mrs. Debra Sivula
Debra Sivula is happily married to her husband, Joel, a mother of six children, grandmother of eight and a mother-in-law to four. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree from Viterbo University in LaCrosse, Wisconsin. Her first career from 1979 to 1985 was being an oncology nurse at St. Mary's Hospital in Minneapolis and the University Hospital at the University of Minnesota. She retired in 1985 to stay home and educate her children. She is a member of the Church of Saint Paul in Ham Lake and loves science and would like to pass her knowledge on to others.
Course: Life Science

Mrs. Cristy Trandahl
Cristy Trandahl holds a Bachelors of Science in Education with a certificate in Reading/Language Arts. She is a former teacher in the Forest Lake School District and has been home educating her six children within a classical Catholic curriculum for over sixteen years. She has worked as a test writer for Edformation, a leading student progress monitoring company, and has over a dozen inspirational nonfiction works published in some bestselling anthologies including Chicken Soup for the Soul, Ultimate Christian, Cup of Comfort, and Women’s Day magazine.
Courses: Composition I, Composition II, American History, American Letters

Mrs. Basia Zebro
Basia Zebro is the mother of seven children and the grandmother of three. She and her family are members of St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Oak Grove, MN. She has home educated her children over a span of the last 20 years. She graduated from Russell Sage College in Albany, New York, with a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics and has been a tutor for ARCHES for the last 4 years. Not only has she been an educator of the social sciences, she taught Ballroom Dance for 10 years at the Church of St. Paul in Ham Lake through the Home Education Ministry.
Courses: World Geography, American Government, Algebra I, Earth Science

Mrs. Cindy Goldade
Cindy Goldade is a homeschool mom of three. After attending ARCHES and PSEO at A-R, her oldest is pursuing an agriculture degree at the U of MN and the other 2 are of high school age. She and her husband own Direct Bore, Inc, an underground construction company. Cindy has a bachelor’s in education with her Master’s Degree in Montessori education. She currently teaches one course a semester at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls. She is also an international Brain Gym® faculty and is passionate about helping individuals more deeply understand their unique learning styles as well as teaching them strategies to reach their goals. She presents on the brain, learning styles, and movement based learning throughout Minnesota, as well as internationally. Her family is active at the Church of St. Paul in Ham Lake as well as very involved in 4-H at the county and state level. Cindy is excited to share her educational experiences as an employee, employer, adjunct faculty, independent contractor, lifelong learner, etc. Her courses are interactive and collaborative opportunities for self-growth.
Courses: Career Exploration and Preparation