The faculty and staff at Sterling Academy are dedicated to ensuring our students' success.
Nicole Grant, Math teacher
Nicole Grant has been teaching at Sterling Academy since the school opened in 2010. She graduated from the University of South Florida in 1997 with a B.S. in Special Education. She has certifications in Mathematics (6-12), Specific Learning Disabilities (K-12), and Elementary Education (1-6). Since graduating from USF, Mrs. Grant has taught in a variety of environments including parochial school, public school, private tutoring, and virtual school. She has a passion for teaching, especially in the virtual setting where instruction can be customized to accommodate students with different learning styles, backgrounds and goals. Mrs. Grant has two children and resides in Orlando, Florida. When not teaching, she enjoys running, cooking, and spending time with family.
Karen Richard, Science teacher
Karen Richard has enjoyed teaching science for the past 35 years. She has a teaching certificate with an endorsement specifically for teaching biology and an additional endorsement for teaching any type of science course. Mrs. Richard earned a Bachelors of Science degree from Central Michigan University, with a major in Biology, and a Masters of Arts from Michigan State University in Secondary Education and Curriculum Development.
Mrs. Richard has taught children in grades 7 - 12, in both private and public school settings, in Colorado and in Michigan. During her career she has developed curriculum, designed lessons/activities, and taught AP Biology, AP Environmental Science, biology, physics, forensics science, anatomy/physiology, physical science and other life science courses. Mrs. Richard lives in a rural part of northern Michigan with her husband and enjoys outdoor activities like skiing, hiking, biking, and walking her two dogs.
Liz Restivo, Language Arts teacher
Liz Restivo has been teaching for over twenty-five years, both in the classroom and on the stage.
Dr. Restivo holds a BFA in Theatre, a Master of Arts in Teaching English, and a Ph.D in Educational Leadership. She is a Florida state certified teacher in English (6-12), Drama (6-12), and Exceptional Student Education (K-12).
In addition to her high school experience as an English Department Chairperson and teacher, Dr. Restivo is a private tutor, working with students on all the language arts sections of standardized tests, the writing process, and even theatre pieces for performing arts auditions. Dr. Restivo is also an accomplished drama and musical theatre director and has amassed a diverse (and fun!) acting resume.
Dr. Restivo currently resides in her hometown of Boca Raton, Florida, where she plays softball, cooks (and eats) vegan meals, and sings showtunes.
Jamie Heringer, Language Arts teacher
Bob Strodtbeck, Social Studies and Art teacher
Mr. Strodtbeck has been teaching in Orange County, Florida since 2005, and at Sterling Academy since the school opened in 2010. His service in Orange County schools has been split between five traditional schools and work in a charter school since 2012. The charter school operates much like Sterling Academy, in that all of the classes are provided for the students through a computer program. Along with this experience, Mr. Strodtbeck also brings his personal experience as a homeschooling father of his daughter and son, who were born in 1988 and 1990 respectively.
Mr. Strodtbeck carries a teaching certificate from the state of Florida in Social Studies, Art, and English, which includes endorsements in Reading and ESOL. He has been married to his wife since 1984.
Christopher Swanson, Social Studies teacher
Christopher Swanson has been teaching since 2001. In that time, he has taught every grade from middle school up through undergraduate courses in college. He has taught mostly in and around Detroit, in high schools and multiple colleges since 2008. He has worked primarily online teaching since 2016. His BA in Secondary Education is from University of Detroit Mercy, and his MA in History is from Wayne State University. He lives with his wife and two children in Midtown and enjoys dancing, football and tailgating, traveling, and anything historical.
Carey Fabacher, PE/Health, Health Science & Medical Careers teacher
Dr. Fabacher comes from the medical field with over 20+ years of Clinical experience. He completed his undergraduate studies at McNeese State University in Louisiana. He then moved to Texas where he graduated from Parker University where he received his Doctor of Chiropractic Medicine degree. He then later obtained his master’s degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Health Care Management. He has taught school for over 5 years in both an on-campus & online model. Dr. Fabacher holds certifications in both ECG as well as Patient care.
When not working Dr. Fabacher enjoys spending time with his wife, and outdoor activities. He has two grown daughters -- one of which has recently graduated college and one grown son who is currently in college.
Richard Vital, Business teacher
Mr. Vital holds a B.S. in Accounting from California State University of Los Angeles and a M.B.A in Management from Aspen University. He has been an educator for over 7 years with experience teaching on campus and online. Over the years of his teaching experience, he has taught courses in the Accounting, Business, Computers and Tax fields. He enjoys teaching and sharing his knowledge of business to help his students expand their interest in the field of business.
Mireya Leon, Technology teacher
Mireya Leon is a dedicated technology educator with a strong background in full-stack development. She earned her B.S. in Computer Science from CSU Monterey Bay and furthered her studies with an M.S. in Human-Computer Interaction from UC Santa Cruz. Mireya began her career as a developer, working with technologies such as WordPress, Ruby on Rails, the MERN stack, app development, and microcontrollers before transitioning into education.
Concurrent with her role as technology teacher serving Sterling Academy students, Mireya is also a Computer Science Adjunct Instructor at Hartnell College. She combines her industry experience with a passion for teaching. Mireya focuses on making complex concepts accessible and engaging, believing that a deep understanding of both programming and students is key to an effective learning environment. Outside of teaching, she enjoys exploring the latest tech innovations, drawing, and comic books.
Mireya resides in Salinas, CA, where she continues to be influenced by the region's unique blend of agriculture and technology.
Yueming Guo, Chinese teacher
Yueming/Sophie Guo is a native Chinese/Mandarin speaker. She gained her master’s degree from the University of Delaware for Teaching English as a Second Language. She is certified in teaching Chinese/Mandarin and ESL (English as a Second Language) in Virginia, Maryland, and Illinois. She has been teaching Chinese, Japanese and ESL for many years with different school districts and colleges, such as Cecil college, Chicago public schools, Appoquinimink school district, Reid Temple Christian Academy, and other schools. She loves her students. She is good at singing and dancing. She would like to try her best to help her students to improve their Chinese.
Sara Wietbrock, Latin teacher
Sara Wietbrock graduated from Depauw University with a dual major in Classical Civilizations and English Literature in 2004. During her time at DePauw, she also spent summers excavating and sketching sarcophagi on an archaeological project in Turkey. After spending a 5th year as an Geographic Information Systems intern at DePauw, Ms. Wietbrock decided to continue her education and went on to earn a Masters in the Art of Teaching from Washington University in St. Louis. She spent the next six years teaching at a public school in St. Louis before relocating to her home state of Indiana. From 2012-2021, Ms. Wietbrock taught a fabulous group of students who won the Indiana Junior Classical League State Convention trophy every year and also performed highly on a national level. Due to a recent autonomic condition, Ms. Wietbrock has now exchanged her brick-and-mortar classroom for a virtual one in her home office. She currently lives with her husband and identical twin daughters in rural Indiana where they are pursuing a sustainable lifestyle
Sylvia Holagh, German teacher
Sylvia Holagh is an accomplished educator with a rich background in foreign language education. She earned her BA in French and German Language and Literature from John Moores University, Liverpool, UK.
Mrs. Holagh holds a teaching license in Foreign Language Education, supplemented by an ESOL endorsement. Her teaching career has been diverse, ranging across various grade levels in Europe and the United States, in both public school settings and online education platforms.
Since 2006, Mrs. Holagh has been an educator at a high school in the metro Atlanta, Georgia area, where she specializes in teaching German. Her passion for fostering cultural understanding and global awareness among her students has been reflected in their achievements, with many earning national awards and scholarships in the German language.
Outside of the classroom, Sylvia Holagh and her husband share a love for exploring national parks, and they enjoy visiting museums and art galleries. They also often travel abroad with their two grown children: a son who resides in Atlanta and a daughter in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Evangeline Prosper, French teacher
Evangéline Prosper, is a native French speaker, grew up in Montréal, Québec. She has lived in 6 different states, and currently resides in Benton Harbor, Michigan. She has been teaching for over 20 years in public schools K-12, virtual school, and community college. She has a passion for teaching all ages.
She earned her Bachelor of Arts in French and Science in Family Studies, and master’s degree in Secondary Education with a French emphasis from Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan, and earned a Master of Special Education degree (Cognitive Impaired and Learning Disability) from Indiana University in South Bend, Indiana. She is certified in Youth Mental Health. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with family, crocheting, writing poems, traveling, sewing and taking walks on the beach.
Ligia Alves, Spanish teacher
Ligia Alves is a native Spanish speaker with extensive experience teaching in the classroom. She graduated from the City University of New York, Queens College, with a B.A. in Psychology and continued to earn a Master of Arts degree in Education from Fairleigh Dickinson University in New Jersey. She is certified to teach K-12 Spanish.
Before going into teaching, Ms. Alves worked as a Staff Manager for AT&T. After leaving the corporate world to take care of her children, she followed her passion for teaching as a substitute teacher, and then went on to become the official Spanish teacher for The Washington Township Board of Education in New Jersey for ten years. She was instrumental in the development of the Spanish Curriculum.
Ms. Alves moved to Central Florida with her husband of 29 years in 2008. She enjoys exercising, quilting and oil painting. They have four children and three grandchildren.
Christine Schneider, Music Appreciation teacher
Christine Schneider is a native German speaker. She has taught German at a private high school in Austin, Texas, and tutors. Mrs. Schneider has a Bachelor's Degree in Music from the Boston Conservatory and a Certificate in Russian Church Music & Conducting from the Russian Orthodox Monastery in Jordanville, NY. Besides German language & culture and music, her passions include Interior Decorating, in which she holds a Certificate, and living with her family in the beautiful Texas Hill Country.
Liz Restivo, Advisor
Robert Strodtbeck, Advisor
Ligia Alves, Advisor
Nicole Grant, Lead Teacher
Jamie Heringer, Assistant to Lead Teacher/Office of the Administrator
Mireya Leon, IT Support
Julie Sandler,
Registrar
registrar@sterling.academy
954-859-2082
Accounting
954-859-2083