Grades K – 9th: Math | Reading Specialist | Homework Support
Tutoring one-on-one is my passion. I love connecting with students, getting to know them, and customizing lessons to bring out the best in them. My background includes teaching at a Sylvan Learning Center, homeschooling our three kids for 13 years, being their learning coach while they attended online schools, classroom teaching and a teaching degree from Switzerland. My hobbies include photographing nature, hiking, drawing, journaling, reading and spending time with my family.

Melissa, the founder of Gold Star Tutoring, specializes in Math, Reading, Writing & Spelling: K - 5th |Homework Support: 6th - 11th Grade | Homeschool Support: K - 11th. 

Melissa founded Gold Star Tutoring and created a multisensory language program that has supported hundreds of struggling readers with varying language delays. With her team of certified teachers, Gold Star Tutoring has developed its own language program, complete with 5 different levels of phonetic advancement. She started her high school senior tutoring career while attending La Center High School, receiving credit for supporting math teachers. When she graduated from Washington State University in 2009 with a Finance Degree, she returned to her passion for working with students and building connections with them through their academics. Melissa opened Gold Star Tutoring in the fall of 2009 with her own in-home classroom. As her team grew, so did her students’ needs. In 2014, Melissa began taking coursework in the Orton-Gillingham approach through the Blosser Center in Portland, OR. Melissa is excited to see the impact her services are making in her community and looks forward to many more success stories. And the learning never stops! Melissa enjoys attending multiple conferences around the area and online regarding multisensory reading approaches to learn from other language educators worldwide. 



64

Grades K – 5th:Math | Reading Specialist | Homework Support | Homeschool Support 
Lisa has been teaching grades K-6, in Vancouver, over the past 24 years after earning her Master's degree in Teaching from Washington State University. She taught Highly Capable 3rd and 4th grade for 18 years, and has also worked as a school librarian. Lisa loves working with kids and has enjoyed getting to know her students at Gold Star Tutoring. She is excited to have the opportunity to work with each student, to individualize lessons, and make a lasting impact on their learning.

Grades K – 12th: Math | Reading Specialist | Homework Support | Homeschool SupportBreeann has always known she wanted to go into education, spending her childhood in classrooms helping teachers prepare for their students returning in the fall. She later graduated from Central Washington University with a Bachelor's in Elementary Education, a major in Special Education, and a minor in math. She wasted no time and started her teaching career as a high-school English and Math teacher in the Vancouver School District. She worked with learning support students to ensure their needs were met and was responsible for creating individualized education plans. Ms. Petty dedicated her summers and breaks to seeing the world and experiencing other cultures and school systems. She has come to a firm understanding that all students learn differently and that motivation cannot be taught. She works to get students interested and excited about her lessons so they want to learn and helps them find a new approach to learning.

Math Grade 6th-College Level Calculus | Science | SAT/ACT/ASVAB Test Prep

Mike is going on 20 years of experience in tutoring! He started as the lead tutor at Lower Columbia College while pursuing his Bachelor's in Mathematics. After transferring to Clark College, he continued with their tutoring staff and was even allowed the opportunity to help instructors in the classroom. In 2003 Mike received his International Tutor Program Certification and spent the next three years fine-tuning his skills in teaching all math classes through college calculus and physics with the Sylvan Learning Center. He is also trained in preparing students for SAT, ACT, and ASVAB testing.

Grades K – 8th: Math | Reading Specialist | Homework Support | Homeschool SupportAs a daughter of a teacher, Rebecca has been surrounded by academics and education since a young age. After graduating from Portland State University in 2010 with a Bachelors in Anthropology, she attended Concordia University where she got her Masters in Early Childhood and Elementary Education. Since graduating, Rebecca has taught English Language Arts at a middle school in Phoenix, Arizona and spent the last 5 years working for Portland Public Schools as a kindergarten teacher. During her summers, Rebecca has tutored middle school through high school English and worked for Oregon Department of Education as a curriculum reviewer. In addition, Rebecca has a deep understanding with implementing multisensory, phonetic processes, necessary to support students in K-6th, with their reading, writing & spelling skills. In her free time she likes to hang out with her goldendoodle Odin and her family, woodburning and crafting. She is expecting her first child this fall!