Our Educators
Robin Davis
Co-Founder/Program Director
Hello! My name is Robin Davis and I am the program director and lead teacher for our Kindergarten through second grade classroom.
I started teaching in 2000 when schools looked very different than they do today. My kindergarten classroom still had play centers like building, housekeeping, art, and imaginary play. There was balance between learning, achieving daily academic goals, and hands-on experiences. We had long recesses, outdoor picnics, and built relationships between singing silly songs and making up long winding stories. It was a time when students were happy, loved school, and clearly enjoyed their childhood.
As years passed, centers were taken out of elementary classrooms. Testing and data collection became the norm and the pressure on both teachers and students increased. It seemed we all became stressed and anxious; worried about the next benchmark or documenting why it was missed. Hands-on learning experiences were repackaged into artificially scripted programs and missed the mark of what they were designed to do. I tried for several years to balance what I knew worked in the past with the new realities of traditional education, but found myself frustrated and burned out.
I left the school system after my children were born and got back to my educational roots: spending time with my children outside or in the kitchen, reading tons of books, and doing hands-on projects. I saw my children’s love of learning grow and knew that there was a need for this in our community.
When the events of 2020 shut down schools, families began asking me to homeschool their children. An answer that at first was a solid, “no,” became a “yes!” when I couldn’t ignore the harmful policies that had been voted in by the local school board. Three weeks after that vote, Freedom Academy was born.
Since Freedom Academy opened in Fall 2020, we have helped many families find the balance between education and childhood. Our educational experience combined with positive relationships with the families we serve, is resulting in our students growing academically, socially, and emotionally while enjoying the simplicities that childhood offers.
Russ Davis
Co-Founder/Business Manager
My name is Russ Davis and I am the co-founder and business manager for Freedom Academy.
Behind the scenes I am responsible for all the business operations that go into running this part-time tutoring business. In addition to working at Freedom Academy, I am an engineer and project manager with over 25 years in the defense contracting sector.
Freedom Academy has been a blessing to our family and others. It provides a place for homeschooling families to have community and support outside of the traditional school model, while also meeting the educational needs of students.
Karen Rhein
Co-teacher - Early Elementary
My name is Karen Rhein and I’m Robin’s mother! I have been in the early childhood classroom as both a teacher and program director for over 35 years. Over the years I have seen traditional education change in many ways. When I started, emphasis was placed on language development, early literacy skills, socialization, and play. As the years went by early childhood classrooms became more academic and pressure filled. Learning to read and write before the age of 5 was now the expectation, not the exception. The requirements of administrators and teachers has steadily increased taking the fun out of learning.
I am enjoying the transition from my role as a preschool director to co-teaching with Robin. We both believe that learning environments full of stories, rich vocabulary, imagination, games, and hands-on experiences benefit all children and I’m excited to be able to continue that within this new role.
Michelle Lewandowski
Lead Teacher - Grades 3 & 4
My name is Michelle Lewandowski and I am the 3rd & 4th grade tutor at Freedom Academy. I grew up in Florida and graduated from University of Central Florida with a Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education.
Before moving back to Florida in 2020, I worked at a classical Christian school in Texas as an academic support teacher. I’ve taught various grade levels throughout my career—even preschool!
Joining Freedom Academy has been an enormous blessing. To partner with parents to meet student needs is what teachers’ dreams are made of! Freedom offers the ideal balance of academic support, social encouragement, and something you’re never too old for—PLAY!
When I’m not at Freedom, I’m a homebody at heart. I love spending time with my teenage daughter. We have 1 stubborn mini Golden doodle named Shelby and 2 Guinea pigs named Jack and Nibbles.
Angela Cook
Lead Teacher - Grades 5 & 6
My name is Angela Cook. I am a former Brevard Public Schools educator turned homeschool Mom. I have educated my own children at home from the very start of their schooling experience. My two oldest have graduated and the two others closely behind. I enjoy using my experience in the classroom and at the kitchen table as a way to encourage and assist other families in their own successes in homeschooling.
I hold my professional teaching certificate through the state of Florida.
Freedom Academy has been an amazing opportunity for me as an educator as in it provides the best of collective and collaborative learning with the benefits of home education.
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