Our Leadership
Dartmoor School employs a phenomenal group of individuals who understand the unique setting of personalized education. Our educators have experience in working with students who have unique and often highly complex profiles, including ADD, Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), behavioral or psychological issues, and other co-occurring learning challenges. Educational staff hold a Bachelor’s degree or higher in their area of expertise, and, regardless of their roles, combine enthusiasm for learning with dedication to the individual needs of our diverse population of students.
Jeffrey D. Woolley
President
Mr. Woolley rejoins Dartmoor School after working at international schools in Spain and Turkey. He previously served as Head of Dartmoor School and taught at Seattle University. Mr. Woolley believes all students have the desire and capacity to learn and that our role as educators is to provide the right level of support and challenge to ensure students have the opportunity to fulfill their potential. He holds a BA in English from Seattle University, an MA in Renaissance and Romantic Literature from the University of Liverpool, and an MIT from Western Washington University.
Kim Estes
Director of ADmissions & Marketing
Kim comes to Dartmoor with a 20 year background in training, parent education and child advocacy. As our admissions director, she is the main point of contact for parents who are inquiring about a different kind of school for their child. As a parent Kim understands that one size does not fit all and how important it is to find an education that fits your child's needs. Kim attended Pima College and is a graduate of Leadership Eastside.
Jenelle Johnson
Special Education DIRECTOR
Jenelle Johnson attended University of Washington and earned a Bachelor’s in Language and Literature, and her Master’s in Teaching from Seattle University with endorsements in secondary English Language Arts and Special Education. Jenelle taught Special Education classes at the high school and middle school level for several years in Washington State. Working with students with unique learning profiles inspired Jenelle to complete coursework on Dyslexia intervention and the Orton-Gillingham method through the Dyslexia Training Institute of San Diego.
When she is not running Dartmoor’s Non Public Agency/Special Education program, Jenelle is most likely enjoying time outside with her horses and other animals, gardening, hiking or reading a good book.
PAULA BIRCHLER
DIRECTOR OF People and Business Operations
With over 20 years of dynamic leadership, people, and business management experience across various industries, she brings a wealth of expertise to our team. As a SHRM-CP certified professional, she understands the importance of cultivating a people-first culture to drive solid business results. Not only is she a Certified Life Coach and Certified Executive Coach, but she also finds joy in spending time with her 4 kids and 3 grandchildren, as well as indulging in her passions for reading and music. She joined Dartmoor because she wanted to be part of an organization that prioritizes its mission and makes a difference in the lives of children.
Jeff LaPointe
Vice President/DIRECTOR OF CAMPUS OPERATIONS
Mr. LaPointe has a Bachelor’s in secondary education (grades 7-12) from the University of Toledo (OH), as well as a degree in integrated social studies from the same University. Jeff joined Dartmoor in 2006 and immediately felt in sync with its model and teaching methods. Jeff believes that children thrive when they are respected, inspired, and heard.
Jackie Wetzel
Bothell Campus manager
Jackie’s undergraduate degree is in Electrical Engineering with a Master's in Electro-Optics and she completed an MBA as well. She has held various engineering positions in telecom and software companies, both in Seattle and Dallas, allowing her to build skills in communication with different groups such as engineering, finance, operations, marketing, and sales. After having kids, she was drawn into volunteering as a classroom science docent and soon began developing a curriculum for the Girl Scouts and 4H. This is when she discovered how much she enjoyed education. From there she began teaching math and science at Dartmoor. Outside of this, she enjoys family life, gardening, and listening to both classical and heavy metal music as much as she can.
Robert Chow
Issaquah Campus Manager
Robert graduated from the University of Washington with a B.A. in Chemistry. He has previously worked in a research lab at UW that studied the effects of air quality on cardiovascular health. Robert has been teaching math to children of all ages for over 10 years. In his free time, he enjoys playing tennis and spending time with friends and family.
Nick
Campus Manager for Bellevue
Nick graduated Summa Cum Laude from Texas State University with a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics. He then moved to Seattle to complete graduate-level coursework in Mathematics at the University of Washington. Nick has taught students of all ages and levels in math and taught Mathematics for 6 years at the universities he attended as a student instructor and tutor. He also had the opportunity to teach kids, 6-14yrs at the local math summer camp! When he’s not teaching at Dartmoor, Nick enjoys hiking, programming, playing with his cat, Boney, and playing games on PC (such as Minecraft, Overwatch, and Stardew Valley)!
Cherie
Registrar AND Curriculum Coordinator
Cherie went to Trinity Western University in Canada, where she received a linguistics degree and a concentration in teaching English as a second language (TESOL). She taught English in Saudi Arabia and Japan. Cherie enjoys working for a school specializing in one-on-one instruction and has witnessed many students who were frustrated with the traditional school system excel in Dartmoor’s unique learning environment.
