Accelerated Schools

Accelerated Schools is open for on-campus, in-person learning for the 2021-2022 school year.

Accelerated Schools is an independent, co-educational day school for students in middle school and high school. Our positive atmosphere guides students that have not thrived in a traditional school setting to achieve social and academic skills. Our comprehensive learning environment supports the success of students with learning differences such as Autism Spectrum Disorder, ADHD, OCD, depression, anxiety as well as gifted and talented students who need to be challenged.

Services include:

•Individualized Curriculum
•Executive Functioning SkillsDevelopment
•Positive Behavior Intervention Supports
•Social Skill Development
•Applied Behavior Analysis
•Self-Discipline Strategies
•Relationship Mentoring
•Character Development
•College Advisement
•Career Exploration
•Social Coaching
•School-issued laptop
Our Goal:

Accelerated Schools exists to provide a unique, alternative, and rigorous approach to learning. Our goal is to produce highly skilled students that have a positive attitude toward themselves. We strive to give each student the tools to improve their overall academic skills, help them to have greater self-esteem, and be goal-oriented. We encourage and prepare them to be college-bound and have the confidence to move to the next level.

Accelerated Private Schools

Drop Us A Line

Email: info@acceleratedschools.org

Phone: (303)-758-2003 | Fax: (888)-770-2176

2160 S. Cook Street
Denver, CO 80210

Staff and Faculty

Accelerated Schools employs carefully screened professionals in every area of administration and instruction. All teachers are certified or eligible for certification in the specific fields of their assignments, and all have a specialty that complements the background of their associates.

Many teachers hold advanced degrees in education, special education, psychology, sociology, mathematics, and reading. Each teacher must also complete extensive independent study courses in behavior and computer classroom management.

In addition to the teaching staff, head teachers and educational counselors with special training in behavior management analyze the education background and factors of psychological motivation affecting each student. They hold regular conferences with students and parents throughout the school year.

Because the faculty holds itself responsible for the student’s education, weekly staff-training and review sessions are held. This allows the entire staff the opportunity to contribute to an individual’s progress.

Michelle Tuengel

Executive Director

Michelle earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Metropolitan State College with a minor in Reading. She earned her teaching license in 1994 and has 16+ years’ experience in education. Michelle is the coordinator for the Middle and Elementary schools at Accelerated Schools as well as recruiting and enrolling new students. She enjoys studying genealogy and traveling.

Aundrea McCormick

Principal

Aundrea has a Bachelor’s of Science with a major in Physical Education and minor in Health from the University of the Ozarks in Clarksville, AR. She also holds a TESOL Certification from the International Language Institute in Washington, D.C. She obtained her principal's license and Master’s degree in Teaching and Learning from CSU-Global. Aundrea spent seven years as a collegiate basketball coach, instructor, and academic advisor. In addition, Aundrea has also been an ESL, English, and Reading teacher. Most recently, she managed an SES program in both Denver and Aurora Public Schools.

Evan Simpson

Dean of Students

Evan Simpson is a Colorado native and received his Bachelor’s in English Education from Colorado State University in Fort Collins. He has worked as a youth counselor and mentor for traditional schools as well as outdoor education programs and is now in his fifth year of classroom teaching. He works to have students engaged in their own education by helping them find their passions and interest.

Liam Murphy

High School Instructor and Community Outreach

Liam A. Murphy has a lifeline relationship with marketing & education. Growing up in a Northern Suburb of Chicago, IL, he played for one of the best soccer clubs in the nation: The Chicago Kickers Soccer Club. It was there he lined up alongside Ken Snow (2-time Herman Award Winner) and Steve Snow (United States, U17, U20, U23 National Teams & the 96 Olympic Team). Liam enjoyed numerous successful seasons at High School, Club, and College levels.

During his tenure at school, he played on world-class teams in the United States, as well as in Europe. While injury sidelined the possibility of a professional soccer career, it allowed Liam to channel his talent in another direction. As an Executive for many large Chicago Advertising firms, he implemented successful sports marketing programs centered around special events, outreach, promotions, and cooperation advertising. Also, as a Director of Coaching and Education for large soccer clubs in Chicago and Denver were he created many staff education, training programs as well as age-specific curriculum for all genders, skill-level and age groups.

When Liam is not working, he enjoys family time with his two kids; daughter, Breckyn, and son, Liam Jr. (LJ)

Kyle Pepper

Educational Recruiter and Enrollment Counselor

Kyle has a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology from the University of Colorado at Boulder. In 2016, he completed a Master’s in Strategic Human Resource Management from the University of Denver. He has worked as a small-group, intensive math tutor for 4th graders in Denver Public Schools and as a job coach/instructional assistant in a school providing life and vocational skills to students with autism and other developmental disabilities. Before joining Accelerated Schools, Kyle worked as a technical IT recruiter.

Daniel Richter

High School Instructor

Dan Richter is a veteran special educator with Colorado Dept. of Education endorsements in elementary and secondary education in the following areas:

English, sciences, general and special education with specialty graduate-level certifications in reading and writing disabilities and ASD. He has taught in youth incarceration settings as well as in the public school sector, concentrating on highly impacted poverty areas that feed underprivileged and underserved students into incarceration or residential treatment centers in the Denver area. He brings charisma and hope to our struggling students while consistently improving student knowledge, confidence, and competence.

Deborah Sharp

Middle School Instructor

Debby has a Masters in Education from Framingham State University in Massachusetts. Debby started her teaching career in Fairfax, VA where she worked for 13 years as a Kindergarten, First and Second grade teacher in Fairfax County Public Schools. Debby was the Science Lead teacher at Flint Hill Elementary in Vienna, VA where she helped her school become a Green School. Debby moved to Denver in 2013 and recently left Denver Public schools where she worked as a First Grade teacher for three years.

Evyn Marsh

High School Instructor and Middle School Instructor

Evyn earned her BS in Mathematics at Colorado State University in Fort Collins, and is a Denver native. She has worked as a math tutor since high school, and gained teaching experience through being a lead instructor and assistant center director at Mathnasium before arriving at Accelerated Schools this year. She has worked with students from 1st through 12th grade, and tutored some of her classmates in college. Although Evyn's favorite subject has always been math, she went to high school at the Denver School of the Arts and hopes to also share that knowledge with the students at Accelerated.

Valerie Montano

Music Instructor

Valerie earned her Bachelor of Music degree from Indiana University, Master of Music degree from the University of Arizona, and Professional Teacher License from the University of Missouri in Kansas City. She has taught music at every level, from preschool through college and post-graduate students including Avila University, Jefferson County, Cherry Creek, and Colorado Springs School Districts. She has over forty years of teaching experience. Valerie is the founder and artistic director of the Denver Chorale.

Jessica Machetta

Middle School and High School Instructor

Jessica Machetta has a B.A. in English with minors in journalism and French from Lincoln University in Jefferson City, Mo., an HBCU founded for black Civil War veterans who were turned away from seeking an education just up the road at the University of Missouri. This belief, that everyone deserves an education, is what drives her passion to teach children from all backgrounds and with all ability levels. After two decades as a boots-on-the-ground reporter, she decided to bring her life's experience to the classroom, where she can inspire students to learn anything they set their minds to. She has also tutored ESL students for several years and loves to connect with people from all cultures and walks of life. She speaks French fluently and bits and pieces of several other languages. She has experience teaching K-12 and loves the diversity of students that make up the Accelerated Schools community.