Becky Jones

School Director

Becky Jones is the Elementary School Director at Empower College Prep Elementary School (Grades K-8). She started at Empower in 2016 and hopes to remain with Empower for many years to come. She is part of the team that moved our Elementary School from a D to a B on the Arizona accountability report card. She is originally from Texas and graduated with a BA from Texas Lutheran University. She moved to Phoenix in 2006 and obtained her MA in Teaching from Grand Canyon University. She is currently working on her doctoral degree. Becky was the Teacher of the Year at Imagine Camelback where she taught 2nd grade in 2010-11. She has taught all grades K-6th except 4th and has coached cheerleading, volleyball, and baseball. She has also taught in Massachusetts and Ohio. She loves Arizona the best! Becky is a proven leader and manager and she looks forward to taking the elementary school to the next level.

Kimberly Ward

Assistant Principal of Scholar Development

Kimberly Ward is the Assistant Principal of Scholar Development at Empower College Prep (Grades K-12). She has worked in education for over 20 years in the Phoenix area. She has earned a Bachelor of Arts in Education and Master of Arts in Educational Leadership from Arizona State University. Her classroom experience includes Math Instruction (7th, 8th, and Honors Algebra), English Language Arts Instruction (2nd, 3rd, 5th, and 7th ELA), and Instructional Coach. As the Assistant Principal of Scholar Development, she partners with all departments to provide a safe space for all scholars and families to learn and develop their gifts and interests.

Shannon Sarmento

Instructional Coach

Shannon Sarmento attended East Carolina University where she studied Elementary Education. She received her Bachelors of Science in Elementary Education K-6 and a Masters in School Administration. Shannon obtained a certification in Reading K-12. Shannon has worked in education for 30 years. Her classroom experience consists of Elementary instruction (1st, 2nd, 3rd, 5th, and 6th), and served as an Instructional Coach for elementary, middle, and high school.

Shannon is honored to take on the role of an Instructional Coach at Empower Prep. She aims to work as a colleague with classroom teachers to guide and support their professional learning and growth.

 

Minette Klenner

Instructional Coach

Minette Klenner joins us for her first year at Empower College Prep!  She is a native Arizonan born and raised right here in Phoenix.  Minette holds her B.A. degree in History, M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction, and her M.A. in Educational Administration.  She is a K-12 certified teacher as well as a certified principal for the state of Arizona.
Minette has over 17 years of experience as a teacher in grades 3, 5, and 6-12, her expertise is in Social Studies, American History, Geography, and Government.
Minette has served on the Arizona Social Studies Council and was a member of the Arizona Department of Education’s board to develop the new Arizona Social Studies Standards. One of the greatest experiences during Minette’s career was to be known as the “travel” teacher at all of her schools and has the opportunity to take her students all over the world from Washington D.C. to Costa Rica to Europe.
Minette has been an instructional coach for the past five years and has had the opportunity to work with teachers in grades K-12.  She looks forward to working with the amazing teachers at Empower College Prep and empowering them to be the best they can be!