Gifted at Recker Campus

San Tan Charter School’s Gifted program, at our Recker Campus, offers tuition-free, 1st-6th grade, self-contained gifted classes. Qualifying Gifted students enjoy the support and challenge that a peer group of similar academic interests and abilities provides. The goal of this program is to provide students who have advanced intellectual, academic, and/or creative thinking skills the opportunity to dynamically interact with teachers who specialize in Gifted education.

San Tan Charter School is committed to keeping students at their cutting edge of learning. Our Elementary Gifted program offers self-contained classes and cluster groupings.

Our Gifted Elementary program resides at our Recker Campus while our Junior High and High School program is offered at our Power Campus. All teachers within the Gifted classroom are highly qualified gifted endorsed or working towards gifted certification.

Students identified as Gifted in Kindergarten receive individualized instruction in the advanced Kinderversity class.
The self-contained Gifted Elementary program runs from 1^st grade through 4^th
The Gifted Middle School program begins in 5^th grade and maintains the self-contained model while incorporating classroom/teacher changes between subjects and choice of elective courses, intended to prepare the student for High School expectations.
The Gifted Junior High and High School program begins in 7^th grade and is tailored to each student through Honors/Advanced Placement courses, academic competitions, and an extensive electives catalog.

Each gifted student is made responsible and held accountable for their learning at every stage and level. All programs include the Roadrunner Roadmap which addresses the specific academic and emotional needs of each student. Each students Roadrunner Roadmap is discussed during the quarterly parent-teacher conferences, which include parent contributions surrounding homework levels and character goals.

At San Tan Charter School, our curriculum is standards-based and incorporates Physical Education, Health and Music into each student’s weekly routine.

If you feel you have a Gifted student who has not yet been tested for Giftedness, please review our Gifted Information page to learn more about testing and program placement. In addition, see how our Gifted Community is supporting our students, families, and school programs.

If you have any questions about our Gifted Program, please call us at 480-222-0811 or email Michelle Tischer.

My “Why” Story

Danielle Talley

5th Grade ELA & SS Teacher

This is my first-year teaching at STCS and I am so excited to work at a school and in an environment where I feel supported. I love the family dynamic that San Tan has here and appreciate all they do for their staff and students.

I am originally from California but have lived in Arizona since 2010. I attended Arizona State University, where I received my bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education. I have previously taught 2nd and 3rd grade, so this will be my first-year teaching 5th grade ELA and Social Studies and I am so excited. I am highly qualified in ELA and have a huge passion for Social Studies.

Erica Sibley

2nd Grade Teacher

I was born and raised in Southern California and moved to Arizona in the beginning of January 2021. I attended Chapman University and graduated with a degree in the Bachelor of Arts – Theater and a Minor in Leadership. From there, I followed a path into event planning and hospitality, where I really focused on creating strong relationships with clients.

I always knew that I wanted to be a teacher, but it wasn’t until my daughter was born and Covid hit that I really got to follow through with that dream. When I was laid off due to Covid and events in the hotel being required to cancel, I worked diligently to earn my teaching credential and apply for jobs. I was ecstatic when I got the call that my passion and dream was going to become a reality. I absolutely love working with children and thrilled to work with 2nd grade students. Teaching is where my heart is and I’m so excited to begin my 3^rd year at this amazing school.

Stefany Camba

Kindergarten Teacher

I am thrilled to be teaching Kindergarten for another year here at San Tan Charter. I love the family like feeling at San Tan Charter School and love how each individual child is important.

I am a teacher because I have a passion for learning.
I am a teacher because I want to grow lifelong learners.
I am a teacher because I love to laugh and kids are hilarious when free to be themselves.
I am a teacher because I have many talents and teaching allows me to use them all.
I am a teacher because I want every child to have a positive school experience.
I am a teacher because I had great teachers who inspired me.
I am a teacher because I know that a true understanding of life isn’t measured on a test, but in the way we treat others.
I am a teacher because watching a child’s growth from August to May is unlike anything any other profession can offer.
I am a teacher because although it’s far from the perfect job, it’s the perfect job for me.

Marty Stevens

School Nurse

I have been a part of the San Tan family from the beginning when it was just a dream. It has been amazing to see it grow from the rooms in a church to the two campuses of today. I love being around all the kiddos and helping them through their days with a band-aid, ice pack, and sometimes with only an extra hug.

Holly Witte

Gifted 1st and 2nd Grade Teacher

My goal as a teacher is to teach the whole child. I get to know each student so that I can meet his/her academic, social and emotional needs. I build a relationship with each of my students that is based on mutual respect and trust. I love to encourage the students to love to learn.

Kristin Vega

5th Grade Teacher

I am originally from NorthWest Indiana, just outside of Chicago. I grew up there until I was 18 when I left to attend Arizona State University, where I received my Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education. Later, I attended Walden University where I receive My Master’s Degree in Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment as well as my Educational Specialist in Administration. I taught 2nd grade my first year out of college and then moved to 6th grade in a middle school setting for the next 8 years. In 2013, I decided to take a break from teaching in order to stay home and love on my daughters (ages 6 and 8 who will be joining me at STCS). I’m returning to the classroom extremely excited and ready to meet all of our students and our families!

Barbara Cowled

Gifted 6th Grade Math & Science Teacher

I went into teaching in 2002 until I had my oldest son and decided to stay home to raise my children. I started a business in 2007 and ran it until 2018 when my youngest son told me I needed to do what I loved. He was correct so I came back to teaching. I am so happy my 16-year-old was able to teach me an important life lesson. I feel that every person, especially kids, have something to teach us throughout our lives and hopefully I can teach them a few things along the way!

Crystal Claytor

ESS Teacher (Power)

As a small child I have always wanted to be a part of life and what makes it happen, empower, enlighten and encourage. As I grew older I realized I wanted to be apart of lives that would appreciate what you do for them no matter how big or small. I found that I could do that in Education and even more so with the special population. Joy in watching others reach achievement they never though they could.

Megan Hubbard

Montessori 4th-6th Grade Teacher

As a child, I always knew I wanted to be a teacher. When I started teaching preschool at the age of 20, I knew that working with kids was my calling. After ten years of teaching in an outdoor classroom school, I took a five-year break when I had my son and daughter. I decided to go back to school and pursue an MEd in order to further my career and be able to incorporate my love of nature with the growing need for technology in the classroom. I love to teach and working with mixed-age classes has been an amazing adventure.

Stefany D Gustafson

5th Grade Math and Science

This is my 11th year at San Tan Charter. I love the philosophy of the school and the opportunity to be true to myself and what kind of a teacher I want to be.

I worked in real estate and taught piano lessons from my home for many years while my kids were little. I went back to school 13 years ago and received my Bachelors of Science in Elementary Education. I have been a long term substitute in the Gilbert school district, Intermediate Resource aide, 6th-8th teacher at San Tan Learning Center, 5th grade teacher, Jr High Math and now headed back to my favorite grade 5th. I love my students and teaching.

In my time of substitute teaching and being an aide, I realized that I don’t fit into the typical district teacher mold. I have chosen to stay at San Tan because they have recognized, embraced, and valued that about me.

Janie Tomasek

K-12 Electives Teacher – PE/Art

Both of my parents were teachers, my mom P.E. and my dad Science teacher. They created my passion for teaching when I was little, and so I knew growing up how much they touch the lives of their students. It all started when I was little playing Art Teacher, I would pass out construction paper and want them to draw a picture, then my love for art continued in school but always having that imagination. I have always had the loved for art: I was in every art class offered in High school and became a teacher’s aid my senior year. I played sports all my life since both my parents played volleyball I fell in love with that sport, so at age 11 I started playing for an Elite volleyball Club in Illinois. I played 7 years in club and then went on to college to play volleyball. As the love for art I graduated at Elmhurst College with a Bachelors in Fine Arts. I am for sure an athlete, so teaching students how to stay healthy and fit and learn basic of sports is so exciting to see. This is my Third year teaching with PE and Art. This year I get to traveling to the other Campus to teach art for High Schoolers. Can’t wait to start this year and bring joy to your son/daughter.

Katelyn Cabrera

Music Teacher

I chose teaching as a career because It allows me to share my musical knowledge with all of my students. I have taught music ever since I was in High School and loved all the team building and ensemble work music creates. Teaching allows me to show music through different cultures and influences. We as an ensemble get to pick our repertoire to help motivate and make practicing more fun.

Michelle Rigsbee

Montessori 1st-3rd Grade Teacher

From the moment I became a mom 21 years ago, I knew I wanted to be a teacher. My first child struggled to speak and I spent years working with speech pathologists at Duke University to help him overcome the challenges of Apraxia of Speech. The day he read the first page of Harry Potter aloud to me, I developed a massive passion for helping children learn to read.

I homeschooled my children supporting their passions for exploring the world around them as we traveled the country. I have taught reading support for over 10 years. Last year I was an assistant kindergarten teacher and a substitute.

I have studied at Grand Canyon University to obtain a Bachelor’s of Science in Elementary Education k-8 and I’m in the last couple of credits to adding a reading specialty. I have taken courses with AMI and NAMC for Montessori education.

This will be my first year at San Tan Charter School teaching in the Montessori program.

Kelly Beard

Infant Teacher

I have chosen to pursue and become a part of STCS Montessori because I feel very aligned with the Montessori method and am happy to be giving back to the staff and their families whom are welcoming my own children into their classrooms. I believe education is one of the most important elements of growing up and working alongside an amazing team of individuals whom all have a common goal is something to be proud of. And proud I am!

Dr. Kristofer Sippel

Chief Executive Officer/Superintendent

Dr. Sippel has been with San Tan Charter School since its inception back in 2005 serving as the Principal of San Tan Learning Center. He believes that it is his life mission and calling to provide an amazing education experience to all students.

Fancy Simister

Montessori Assistant (1st-3rd)

I have a passion working with children and helping to support and encourage them in their educational
journey. After a long career in fashion and managing a hair salon, my move to Arizona sparked an interest to make a career change. I volunteered throughout my children’s time in school and loved it. I had wanted to be a teacher when I was younger but life came along and I switched courses. My last two years of being in the classroom have brought great joy and I have loved helping the children to grow socially as well as academically.

Kim Aguilar

Montessori Kinder Teacher

Teaching became my passion when I volunteered in my daughter’s Montessori classroom, I decided I wanted to become a Montessori teacher when I witnessed firsthand the academic, social, and emotional growth of my daughter and her peers. I started training in a toddler classroom in a Montessori school in 1999, I knew this is what I wanted to do and took my Primary Montessori training, and completed at the National Center for Montessori Education in Los Alamos, NM in 2006.

It is my mission to instill the love of learning in my students and develop their desire to become life-long learners. I feel very lucky and grateful to have had the opportunity to grow as a teacher these past 20 years and look forward to continue learning from my students and become a better teacher with each passing school year.

Tanna Dean

Montessori Makerspace/Outdoor Environment Teacher

I moved to Arizona three years ago from New England. My husband and I choose the Northeast because I really wanted to raise my children to be close to family nature. Some of my fondest memories are spending time at educational gardens and farms with my kids.

I think one of the most influential experiences was when my daughter (three years old at the time) and I were volunteering at Stonewall Farm and she asked what a creature she found in the garden was and what it did. I told her it was beetle and said she should watch it for a while and see what it did. She diligently followed her little subject down the row of beans. I went back to weeding and a moment later she was running back to me, beaming with pride and shouting that “It flies! It flies!”. That moment of wonder and pride is what draws me back to teaching again and again.

This is my first year at San Tan Charter School and I am looking forward to cultivating opportunities for exploration and discovery in the outdoor environment.

Gifted at Recker Campus

5th Grade ELA & SS Teacher

2nd Grade Teacher

Kindergarten Teacher

School Nurse

Gifted 1st and 2nd Grade Teacher

5th Grade Teacher

Gifted 6th Grade Math & Science Teacher

ESS Teacher (Power)

Montessori 4th-6th Grade Teacher

5th Grade Math and Science

K-12 Electives Teacher – PE/Art

Music Teacher

Montessori 1st-3rd Grade Teacher

Infant Teacher

Chief Executive Officer/Superintendent

Montessori Assistant (1st-3rd)

Montessori Kinder Teacher

Montessori Makerspace/Outdoor Environment Teacher

SCHEDULE A TOUR OR CONTACT US

Recker Campus (Pre K – 6th)

3959 E Elliot Road, Gilbert, AZ 85234

Phone: 480-222-0811

Fax: 480-471-5990

Email: Email Us

Power Campus (7th – 12th)

3232 S Power Road, Gilbert, AZ 85234

Phone: 480-222-0811

Fax: 480-809-6467

Email: Email Us

SCHEDULE A TOUR OR CONTACT US

Recker Campus (Pre K – 6th)

3959 E Elliot Road, Gilbert, AZ 85234

Phone: 480-222-0811

Fax: 480-471-5990

Email: Email Us

Power Campus (7th – 12th)

3232 S Power Road, Gilbert, AZ 85234

Phone: 480-222-0811

Fax: 480-809-6467

Email: Email Us

SCHEDULE A TOUR
OR CONTACT US

SCHEDULE A TOUR
OR CONTACT US