Contact Information
| New Students: | (877) 431-5826 |
| Current Families: | (425) 413-2625 |
| Fax: | (425) 413-0306 |
| Monday: | 1:00 PM - 7:00 PM |
| Tuesday: | 1:00 PM - 7:00 PM |
| Wednesday: | 1:00 PM - 7:00 PM |
| Thursday: | 1:00 PM - 7:00 PM |
| Friday: | By Appointment |
| Saturday: | 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM |
| Sunday: | Closed |
Meet the Tutors
Our Sylvan trained and certified tutors are dedicated to your child’s success. Working together with you, we will:
- Pinpoint your child’s learning needs using the Sylvan Skills Assessment®
- Develop a personalized learning plan based on your child’s goals
- Offer unique insights about what will work for your child
- Teach each lesson the way your child learns best
- Build a relationship with your child to provide learning that’s fun, engaging and rewarding
Kristin Haney
Center Director
Kristin earned a B.A. in English Literature and a B.A. in Social Work from Pacific Lutheran University. After graduating, she worked with homeless families for several years before deciding to return to school to pursue a career in education. In 2009 she received her Masters of Education degree and teaching certification. She taught in both public and private elementary schools and started teaching at Sylvan after school at both the Kent and Maple Valley locations. She is now Center Director of Maple Valley and enjoys working with schools and families to help children of all ages gain confidence and knowledge that will help them achieve at school and beyond. In her free time, Kristin enjoys spending time with her husband and three dogs, visiting California where she grew up (and traveling to other new places), going to Seahawk football games, and, of course, reading!
Laura Brady
Teacher
I have been teaching professionally since I graduated in 2007 from a university in Indiana where I obtained my B.S. in Elementary Education/Special Education. I have been a private tutor since 2001 and a part of the Kent and Maple Valley Sylvan teams since 2010. At Sylvan, I teach Beginning Reading, Academic Reading, Writing, Math Essentials, and Study Skills. When not at Sylvan, I can be found subbing for the Tahoma School District, hiking one of Washington’s beautiful parks with my camera in tow, at a local venue watching live music, or on an adventurous road trip.
Tiffany Holland
Teacher
Hello Sylvan families! My name is Tiffany and I have been teaching at Sylvan since 2008. Working at Sylvan allows me to do the two things I love: be a stay at home mom and a teacher! I am originally from Florida and I received my Master’s of Education degree from the University of Florida. I taught for three years in my home town, and then moved to Washington. I taught for three years in the Issaquah School District before becoming a stay at home mom here in Maple Valley. While I teach, I strive to meet each individual child’s learning needs. The Sylvan program makes this easy to accomplish. I teach Beginning Reading, Academic Reading, Math Essentials, Academic Writing, Study Skills, Homework Support, and administer assessments.
Brittany Sivertson
Teacher
I graduated from Trinity Bible College in 2002 with a B.A. in Elementary Education. Before moving to WA with my husband Eric, I taught 6th grade for 3 years in Iowa and helped develop the district’s writing & science curriculum. I have been working at Sylvan since September 2005 and really like that it allows me to spend time at home with my son and soon to be daughter, yet still do what I love-teach!! Teaching at Sylvan is extremely rewarding; I love getting to work with students of all ages.
Alicia Dempsey
teacher
Hello! I am Alicia Dempsey, and I graduated from Brigham Young University-Hawaii in 2010 with a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education. Since my graduation, I have been keeping busy working with various districts as a substitute teacher. I enjoy working for Sylvan because I get to know each of my students and I get to work with all different age groups. In my spare time, I enjoy going to the movies, and shopping. Reading, however, is my passion.
Diane Kitz
teacher
Diane graduated from Central Washington University with a Bachelor of Arts in Education and obtained a Masters Degree in Curriculum and Instruction from City University. She has taught in the Enumclaw School District for 22 years. When looking for an additional part time job Sylvan seemed the logical choice as it allows Diane to work with children one on one and continue her love of teaching. In her spare time, Diane enjoys camping, hiking, gardening, spending time with family and friends and, of course, reading. She is very proud of her two sons who are growing into superior young men. She especially enjoys memoirs and biographies. Her favorite adult author is Jodi Picoult and her favorite book is Charlotte’s Web.
Jessica Lex
Teacher
Jessica knew she wanted to be a teacher at age 7 when she first began her “school” for her two younger brothers and their teddy bears. Since then, she has pursued her career, graduating from UC Santa Cruz in 2007 with a BA in English Language Literature, Saint Mary’s College in 2008 with a teaching credential, and again in 2011 with a Masters in Teaching Leadership. She and her husband recently moved to the beautiful Evergreen State from California and are typically found on a lake in their kayaks. When not paddling around, Jessica enjoys reading and writing. She is excited to join the Sylvan team and to have an opportunity to make a difference in students’ lives!
Holly Wright
teacher
Hello! My name is Holly Wright and I love the language of mathematics! I earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Mathematics from Washington State University in 2001. Since then I have worked for the Tahoma School District as a math teacher/substitute. I have also privately tutored since 2003. Here at Sylvan I teach Math Essentials and Sylvan Advanced Math. I love having the opportunity to teach in a small group setting where the needs of each individual can be met. Besides teaching, I enjoy reading, photography, and spending time with my family. My husband and I have three children.
Mike Senzer
teacher
Mike graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a BA in Government and a BBA in Business Management. Before he became a teacher, Mike served in the Navy and worked as a computer analyst. He moved to Washington in 2007 from Los Angeles where he taught third and fifth grade classes and middle school science. Since moving here he has worked as a guest teacher and has been an AVID Tutor in the Kent high schools the past three years. A passionate supporter of student excellence, he judged California’s State Academic Decathlon for several years and has continued in a similar role as a judge for the regional and state levels of Washington’s National History Day competition. Mike is a voracious reader and occasional poetry writer – and lifelong baseball fan. “A teacher’s role is to instill the desire to learn and provide the student with the skills to learn effectively.” At Sylvan he teaches Academic Reading, Math Essentials, Writing, Algebra and SAT Math.
Brian Pasley
teacher
Brian Pasley is a certified teacher who received his Bachelors of English degree from Westmont College and his Masters Degree in Education from the University of California at Santa Barbara. Brian currently teaches honors English-Language Arts and Debate at Chinook Middle School in Bellevue. His favorite part of working for Sylvan is helping students succeed in achieving their academic goals. When not teaching, Brian enjoys photography and traveling internationally with his wife, Erin.
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