Laura Gill

Creative Arts Preschool

​Laura Gill was raised in the St. Louis area. She received her Bachelor’s Degree in Special Education from Harding University, in Searcy, Arkansas, where she graduated Summa Cum Laude, and received her Master’s in Social Work with a Concentration in Children and Youth from Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri. After receiving her Master’s Degree, she worked for 3 years as an elementary school social worker for the Alton Community School District in Illinois. She then began working as an adoption specialist for six years, conducting adoption home studies for both domestic and international adoptions. She also has experience assisting children and families with crisis counseling, trauma and grief support, and child safety issues, including work she has done at St. Louis Children’s Hospital as a pediatric medical social worker. Laura began teaching Sunday school classes for children at church in 1996 and continues to do so. In addition, she served for 2 ½ years as the education coordinator for her church’s education program for children ages birth through 6th grade. Since 1995, she and her husband have been, and continue to be, foster parents for children ages birth through six years old, many of whom have special physical, developmental, and medical needs. Laura developed and began teaching the Creative Arts Preschool at DaySpring in 2008. She also enjoys homeschooling her 4 children, all of whom participate in a variety of classes at DaySpring.

Angela Yonker

Kindergarten

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Stephanie Graeler

Creative Arts Preschool

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Jenoa Olson

Third and Fourth Grade | Middle School Math

​Jenoa Olson is excited to bring her love of teaching to DaySpring Academy. She is a lifelong resident of North County with a degree in Secondary Education, Unified Sciences from the University of Central Missouri. She has previously taught at McCluer North High School, as a long-tem substitute at Trinity Catholic High School, and as a substitute teacher in the Hazelwood School Distirct. In addition to being a Stay-at-home mom for 12 years, she is the Head Coach of the Florissant Swim Team, Boys Diving Coach at Parkway West and Parkway South High schools and Head Girls Swimming Coach at Nerinx Hall High School. She resides in Florissant with her husband and three children and is active at her church, Trinity Church of the Nazarene. If she's not at school or the pool, she can be found on the volleyball court, training for a triathlon, on the softball field or attending one of her kids many extracurricular activities.

Allen Moore

High School Math & Science

​Allen Moore was raised in Springfield, Missouri where he attended Evangel University graduating with a major in Speech/Theatre Education and a concentration in Mathematics. He tutored Math throughout college with students from middle school through college. Since college, Allen has taught 13 years in public schools in drama, speech, math, and computer science. Allen is married to Kristy and together they homeschool their three children. Allen enjoys reading, bicycling, web design, music, and drama.

Mariah Scott

Middle School & High School Science | High School Math

​Mariah is a recent graduate of Greenville College, where she earned her Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education with endorsements in Biology, Chemistry and Middle School Science and graduated with honors. Mariah has seven years experience working with children ages 2-18 in a variety of settings. Mariah is excited to join the DaySpring staff and looks forward to working with a variety of students and parents.

Emily Scott

High School & Middle School Social Studies

​Emily Scott is thrilled to begin her first year teaching Social Studies to the Dawn Treaders and Springboarders at Dayspring! Emily spent three years as a Secondary Education – Social Studies major at the University of Missouri – St. Louis before graduating in 2015 with her Bachelor’s Degree in History and a certificate from the Pierre Laclede Honors College. During that time, she completed many hours of observation at local middle and high schools, worked with the SUCCEED program for college students with special needs, worked on an honors capstone project examining mid-20th century American literature, and completed a Bachelor’s thesis on the work of women’s suffrage groups in St. Louis, which she presented at the 60th Annual Missouri Conference on History. After completing her degree, Emily began working towards her Master’s degree in World History, while also working as a graduate teaching assistant. She assisted in and taught several undergraduate history courses covering the history of scientific discovery, postbellum American history, and world history, all while completing several courses and an independent study in Latin, and later working as a tutor for the Foreign Language department. Emily graduated with her Master’s degree in May of 2018 after defending her thesis, which covered the effects of popular literature on political attitudes in late-19th and early-20th century Germany.
In addition to her work in academia, Emily has spent the last 8 years as a dance instructor at Center Stage Dance Studio in Florissant, where she teaches ballet and lyrical to students ages 8-18. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her husband John-Mark, her son Declan, and her dog Hazel. Emily is looking forward to working for the Academy at Dayspring and believes in the Academy’s progressive approach to education. She can’t wait to share her love of history with her students!

Adina Covaci-Prince

Enrichment, Middle, & High School Spanish

​Adina Covaci-Prince has been teaching most of her adult life. She taught French and has been studying and teaching Spanish as well for a few years. She was born in Romania, and has also lived in Serbia, France, and England. When she is not working with her students she enjoys reading, going to church, visiting with family and friends, walking, gardening, and cooking. She and her husband travel home to Romania as often as possible, where they visit family and friends, and enjoy the pastoral landscapes dotted by grazing sheep tended by shepherds and their dogs.