C3 Founders and Educators
Laurie Weir (B.A. Ed.)
Adrienne Collins (B.A. Communications / M. Ed.)
Combined teaching experience of 30+ years in public school, private school, and homeschooling venues.
- Live Scan fingerprinted
Laurie Weir
Adrienne Collins
Art: Vicki Frazier
Kindergarten: Sarah Draper
With a Bachelor's degree in Elementary Education from Brigham Young University, Sarah has dedicated her career to nurturing young minds and creating joyful learning environments. She began teaching in public schools and has since expanded her experience to homeschool campuses throughout Orange County, adapting curriculum and instruction to meet a variety of student needs.
For the past five years, Sarah has also led the children’s program for ages 2–12 at her local church, combining her passion for education with meaningful community involvement. As a mother of four, she understands the importance of balancing structure with creativity, and she brings that same energy and insight into every classroom she enters.
Outside of teaching, Sarah enjoys traveling, working out, reading, baking, and cheering on her kids in their many sports activities!
Math and Science: Ally Contreras
Social Studies and Art: Melinda Pearson
After all five of her children attended C3 classrooms over the years, Melinda Pearson is finally joining the team herself. Melinda sees the world with genuine delight — and has a gift for igniting that same curiosity in others. Her love of teaching was born through homeschooling her own children, where navigating different learning styles became both her greatest challenge and reward. She believes in nurturing the unique strengths of each child and creating an environment where every student's contribution is valued.
In 2012, she joined a local homeschool co-op where she spent seven years as the K–8 art teacher, crafting projects that wove together visual art, literature, and history into something kids actually enjoyed.
Melinda always says, "Yes," to road trips, overnight flights to Europe, and making friends with whatever animals happen to cross her path.
TK and 1st and 2nd Grade ELA and Math: Ashleigh Casad
We are excited to shine the spotlight on Ashley, a creative and dedicated educator who brings both passion and expertise to her classes at C3! Ashleigh Casad is a third-generation educator with a heart for helping children learn, grow, and thrive. She holds both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in education from Concordia University Irvine and has taught in a variety of settings including public schools, private Christian schools, and preschool programs.
Ashleigh especially enjoys small-group learning environments where she can get to know students well and support their individual growth. Her favorite part of teaching is building relationships with kids and helping them grow in confidence and curiosity while developing a love of learning.
When she’s not teaching, Ashleigh volunteers as a puppy raiser for Guide Dogs for the Blind — which means there is usually a puppy somewhere nearby! She is married to the International Fish Man of Mystery and is the proud mom of two amazing, almost-grown teenagers. When she has free time, she enjoys cooking, baking, reading, and walking the dogs.
Math, Language Arts, Science and Social Studies: Ilissa Landsman
Illissa Landsman is an experienced educator who holds a Master of Science degree in Early Childhood Education from CUNY Hunter College. She has taught in both private and public school systems across the country and brings extensive training and expertise in implementing the Teachers College, Columbia University Reading and Writing Workshop curriculum.
Passionate about literacy, Ilissa enjoys incorporating classic children’s literature and nonfiction texts into her everyday classroom instruction to inspire a love of reading and learning in her students. Outside the classroom, she loves spending weekends watching her children compete in sports and going on bird-watching (“birding”) adventures with her 16-year-old son.
Improv: Ryan Fredericks
Ryan Fredericks has been directing throughout Orange County for over a decade. A graduate of AMDA Los Angeles with a Bachelor's degree in Acting, Ryan brings both professional training and real world performance experience to his work.
Since 1999, he has performed across Los Angeles and Orange County and has directed more than 20 productions, including Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Matilda, Shrek, and The Addams Family. His passion is helping young performers build strong fundamentals, confidence, and a love for the stage.
What We Do
We consistently create a learning environment that is: interactive • engaging • collaborative • purposeful • challenging
We utilize the power of collaboration to bring varied skills and styles to our classes.
We provide high quality instruction at fair rates with a desirable student:teacher ratio.
We offer classes for 1st grade through high school students in the areas of: Public Speaking • Speech and Debate • Geography • Literature • Writing • Study Skills • Social Studies • Math Writing • Art • Science
Click here for information on each course.
NOTE: Classes primarily support homeschool students with certain classes being offered at convenient after school times for public and private school students.
Why We Do It
• We love learning and are committed to being lifelong learners!
• We desire to invest in future generations to instill this same love of learning.
• You've told us that what we teach greatly enriches your student's experience and provides valuable skills they will use for a lifetime.