Instructors
Kaia Bakken
Hi! My name is Kaia Bakken, and I’m excited to share my love of creative writing with your kids! I grew up homeschooled, along with my husband of ten years, and together we are doing a blend of unschooling and homeschooling for all four of our kiddos. I have a lifelong love of storytelling and world building - whether that’s through stories or illustration. I’m currently working on my first book to independently publish and illustrate, though I’ve been drawing and writing since I could pick up a crayon. My teaching style focuses on creating a supportive, inspiring environment where students of all experience levels can feel confident exploring their creativity. Outside of class, I own my own illustration business where I make bookish themed merchandise and stationery. I also work directly with independently published authors to bring art to their stories. Forming author connections has been so beneficial in understanding the process of storytelling and publishing. I believe every student has a unique voice, and I look forward to helping them discover and develop it in our class together! When I’m not homeschooling or working, you can find me reading or listening to a book, staring at mgarden waiting for the flowers to grow, and spending time with my beautiful family.
Leann Belz
Leann Belz lives in Wisconsin with her family where she has been homeschooling for 18 years. She is grateful that her six graduates were able to attend SCOPE and her younger children are excited to be part of it. She loves her church and teaching Sunday school. She enjoys the outdoors, gardening, reading and learning. Leann has a degree in liberal arts from the University of Wisconsin.
Lily Benedict
My name is Lily Benedict. As a homeshool graduate myself, I know the joy of learning and discovering new and unique talents and skills that are useful now and in the future with the help and guidance of my parents and other people who played the role of teacher in my life, as well as on my own. I love creating beautiful things, and I believe it glorifies God when we do so. After all, Exodus 35:31-35 describes men "filled with the spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship... to work all manner of work, of the engraver, and of the embroiderer... even if them that do any work, and if those that devise cunning work." I enjoy passing on the love of creativity and the knowledge of how to learn and teach oneself new skills.
Jerusha Betzold
Hi there! My name is Jerusha Betzold, and I am passionate about creating a positive, engaging, and joyful classroom where students feel both challenged and cared for. As a Christian, I believe in leading with love, grace, and integrity in everything I do, especially in teaching.
I’ve always had a heart for children, and I love helping them grow—not just academically, but as individuals. My teaching style focuses on keeping students accountable, involved, and excited to learn. I believe learning should be fun, interactive, and meaningful!
Outside of the classroom, you can usually find me reading a good book, enjoying the outdoors, or staying active. I also love road trips and adventures—whether it's discovering a new trail or visiting a new city, I’m always up for exploring God’s beautiful world.
I’m thrilled to be part of your child’s learning journey and can’t wait for all the growth and fun ahead!
Sara Bocklund
Hello, Families! I'm so very excited to be able to share my love of photography with the SCOPE students this year. I worked as a wedding photographer for 15 years right out of college and worked with some of the best up and coming photographers in the Twin Cities Area. I specialized in natural light photojournaism, capturing fleeting moments that are often missed in the hustle and bustle of weddings.
I grew up in a tiny town in MN where the town was our playground, families were abundant, and neighbors took care of each other. In 1999 I met my husband, we married in 2003, moved to Hudson raising our 4 children together. We have found a home at, and are members of The Assembly of God Church in Wilson, WI which is 30 minutes east of Hudson.
We have tried it all, Montessori, private, and public school and have settled on and have been homeschooling now for 3 years and have found great joy and freedom in it. I have always loved serving my family, friends and community whenever I can. I see homeschooling as not just a great joy, but a duty and service to my kids as well.
I enjoy cooking, gardening, being a homemaker, a mother and a wife, doing anything creative, being active and spending time outdoors and I especially love sharing the things that I find joy in with others. I love the idea of passing along wisdom, knowledge and crafts to the younger generation, and I hope I can do that with this photography class while discovering the students' God given talents as well.
Chad Carlson
Hello! My name is Chad Carlson, but the students can call me Mr. C. I am honored and grateful to be given the opportunity to teach Civics and Biblical Citizenship at SCOPE. I'm a military veteran and a deeply committed Christian Patriot. My number one priority is to see Christ supremely exalted over all things and honored as KING in every sphere of our society, including the political! (Colossians 1:18). As American founding father John Adams declared on April 18, 1775, "We recognize no sovereign but God, and no king but Jesus!”
I'm married to the most beautiful woman ever, named Marion. She's from Kenya, and we met while I was serving as a missionary in East Africa. I have two amazing kids, a son named Zephaniah (age 17) and a daughter named Zaylee (age 7). I'm deeply grateful to GOD for blessing me with the treasures of my beloved wife and kiddos!
For over 20 years, I've served as a youth pastor, teacher, and missionary in East Africa. I've also worked for multiple Christian organizations in the Twins Cities as a teacher and youth minister, including Union Gospel Mission, MN Teen Challenge, and The Salvation Army. Whether it's locally or across the world, I'm p
Rosie Daleiden
Hi! My name is Rosie Daleiden. I am currently privileged to serve on this year’s board as Scope’s Assistant-Director, and to teach our Elementary US Government and Constitution Class. I am a licensed Pastor with a degree in Biblical Studies and a minor in music. I currently serve at Willow Church leading Worship. I have had plenty of opportunities to lead and teach within various ministries over the years, but my favorite people to teach are my two beautiful children around the dinner table.
Katie DesLauriers
My name is Katie DesLauriers. My husband and I have three boys (ages 6, 13, and 15). Our older boys went to a local private school before we made the decision to homeschool. We did this for a year, then sold most of our belongings and traveled fulltime road schooling for 2 years. These were the best experiences in our children’s education, making it to 38 States! We are now settled back in the area, homeschooling, and have loved every hands-on experience we can provide our children in their educational experience.
Adam Flink
Hello, SCOPE parents and students! My wife and I are homeschooling our four kids and have been blessed by the educational opportunities and community of SCOPE for the last two years. I am an electrical engineer and have worked in the electric power industry since graduating from the University of Minnesota in 2006. I am also a licensed Professional Engineer in the state of MN. I love to share my passion for science and engineering and I am looking forward to exploring some important residential electrical knowledge and basic skills this fall.
Melissa Fredrickson
I’m a stay-at-home mom, happily married for nearly 22 years to my wonderful husband, Derrick. We have four amazing kids: Ali (18), Logan (12), Abbie (9), and Millie (6). I have homeschooled all of them. Ali just graduated, which marks a big milestone for our family and for me as a home educator.
I hold a bachelor’s degree in human services, though I originally started my college journey studying math. It’s a subject I’ve always loved and continue to share through tutoring. In addition to homeschooling, I take on a variety of odds-and-ends jobs, including math tutoring and personal care work. These roles keep me connected to my passions while allowing me to support others in meaningful ways.
Life is full and busy, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. I’m especially excited to help my students discover a love for math they may not have known they had, whether through one-on-one tutoring or in my practical math and concessions class.
Alexis Girling
My name is Alexis (AKA Señora Girling), this will be my second year teaching Spanish at SCOPE, and my sixth year as a homeschooling mom. My husband and I have 5 kids, we are a military family, and live in Hudson WI area. Homeschooling our children has been such a gift to our family, so when I was asked to teach Spanish at the co-op although a bit nervous I took the dive head first and had the best time getting to know and spending time with other homeschooling parents/children. Some of my favorite things to do is reading, learning new things, traveling to new places, making a good meal at home, and spending time with my family.
Leslie Glenn
Leslie lives in Stillwater with her husband and daughter. Leslie holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Theory and Composition from UW-La Crosse and a Master’s Degree in Music from King’s College London. She has taught private music for 11 years and has 10 years of experience working in public schools as a literacy tutor, special education assistant, and kindergarten assistant. Leslie also has 7 years of worship leading experience. When Leslie isn’t busy teaching, she enjoys getting outdoors and spending time with her family.
Ellie Johanek
Hello! I'm Ellie Johanek, and I’m excited to be part of SCOPE’s wonderful community. With over 20 years of homeschooling experience, I bring a passion for learning and a flexible, student-centered approach to everything I do. My teaching style is rooted in literature and inspired by unschooling freedoms, allowing curiosity and real-life experiences to guide our exploration. I'm a proud mother of three and have been married for 16 years. My family and I live in Roberts, and we travel as much as possible. When I’m not working on my homeschool consulting business then you can probably find us out tinkering in the garage with some type of car or motorcycle project. Looking forward to a wonderful year with you all.
Isaac Johanek
Hello! My name is Isaac Johanek, I have over 18years in a professional automotive environment. I studied at WyoTech in Laramie, WY and I have experience in Automotive Parts, Service and Repair, as well as Service Advising and Shop Management. I currently own an Automotive Repair Shop that specializes in Off-Road and Overland Systems. Im excited to share my knowledge with upcoming drivers to help navigate the world of vehicle ownership. Im married to Ellie Johanek, who will also be teaching at SCOPE this year and have been homeschooling our 3 children from the start. Looking Forward to meeting you all!
Stacy Kangar
Hi, I’m Stacy Kangar. My husband Ben and I have six boys. The oldest four have graduated from SCOPE and the youngest two are still attending classes. My family has been involved in SCOPE for 14 years and homeschooling for 23. My husband and I have served with SCOPE in many various roles over the years. The last 2 years I have taught our pre-k and kindergarten class. This year I will be teaching kindergarten again and our new First grade Homeroom! I am excited to study the continents this year in a classic homeschool unit study style.
Mr. Jeremy Lubich
Mr. Jeremy Lubich
Known to students as “Mr. Jeremy,” he’s a passionate parent-educator of five who brings deep experience in programming, CAD design, electronics, and robotics. His family lives in Afton, MN and attends River Valley Church in Woodbury, where he serves faithfully on the worship team as a keyboardist.
Jeremy’s teaching reflects his life verse—“He who began a good work in you will be faithful to bring it to completion.” He believes God is patiently refining each of us, and that the process of learning technology mirrors this slow, beautiful shaping. Whether wiring a circuit or building a robot, his students experience growth not just in skills, but in mindset: persistence, stewardship, and the joy of discovery.
He loves to demystify the complexity of tech, showing young learners that even the most advanced machines are built from simple, knowable parts. “Technology,” he says, “is a force multiplier for creativity.” He designs his classes to spark aha moments—those lightbulbs that say, I get this. I can build this. I can solve that.
Lynsie Oswald
Hello I am Lynsie Oswald! Besides being on the board as Secretary this year I am also excited to be the 2025-2026 Pre-K Teacher! I have always had a love for kids including babysitting when I was younger, graduating to being a Mom myself, having my own in-home daycare, and last year being Miss Stacy’s Kindergarten helper. I am a big believer in being creative, exploring, and making learning fun. I have incorporated this into the last 5 years of homeschooling my own 3 kids. My husband and I have been married for 14 years and our family has been enjoying living in the outskirts of Hudson with our 3 dogs and chickens. I love spending time with my family including road tripping together, love summer and being outside, love a good book, and love anything crafty!
Crystal Randgaard
Crystal has a Bachelor of Arts degree and several years of experience working with children. Performing was a big part of her life from elementary school through college. She enjoys spending time with her cats and writing in her spare time. This is Crystal’s third year teaching Drama at Scope, and so far, each year has been a rewarding adventure.
Brendon Thompson
My name is Brendon Thompson. I was homeschooled from kindergarten through high school, which gave me a strong foundation in both faith and education. After graduating, I attended Ambassador College of Bible and Ministry, where I deepened my understanding of God’s Word and my calling to serve. I currently work on staff with Teens For Christ, a ministry focused on reaching and discipling youth. Over the years, I’ve had the opportunity to be involved in a variety of ministry and teaching roles, including serving as a Bible Club leader, volunteering with the Awana program at my church, working as a camp counselor, and teaching Sunday School.
This is my first year teaching at Scope, and I’m looking forward to an amazing year of connecting with students and encouraging them in both their faith and their education.
Brittany Watts
Hello Families!
My name is Brittany Watts. I live in Prescott, WI with my husband, Nate, and our two energetic boys, Boston and Brecken. We’re an outdoors-loving family who enjoys exploring, learning through hands-on experiences, and fully embracing the beauty of all four seasons! I’m passionate about making learning as interactive and meaningful as possible. I love following curiosity-driven “learning rabbit trails” that spark excitement and deeper understanding. Whether it’s a beach day or fishing along the St. Croix River, hiking new trails, camping, reading a great book, or getting in a workout, I truly value experiences that connect us to the world and each other. I’m so excited to get to know your child and family—and to share a joyful, discovery-filled journey this year!
Young Engineers
We would like to share our story about how we found our inspiration to start this learning program. We are parents living in Woodbury and proud owners of the e² Young Engineers franchise in the Twin Cities Metro area of Minnesota.
Owners: Varsha Pavagadhi and Nina Desai
Based on our teaching experience with our kids, we realized the importance and benefit of STEM learning at an early age. We also realized that conceptual knowledge coupled with practical application reinforces the learning and will stay longer with the kids. We were passionate in sharing our experiences and explored multiple such programs and were excited to look at offerings from e2 Young Engineers, an Israel based company.
e2 Young Engineers approach aligns with our experience in the field of STEM and we believe that this program will offer the learning opportunity to your kids at an early age to better prepare them for the future.
Thank you for reading about us. We look forward to meeting you and your little genius!