IVA Support Staff

Dylan Frazier

b_321_401_16777215_00_images_bioimages_Frazier-Dylan.jpgBehavior Support Specialist

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Dylan is from socal and went to LBCC for a semester then transferred out to a university which he currently attends. He's at California State University of Long Beach studying nursing, hopefully to be an RN(registered nurse) one day and save lives. He likes influencing people's lives and motivating them to always want more.  After nursing he plans to get into real estate so he can solidify two sources of income.

Going to the gym is one of the few hobbies he has, other than going to the beach to hangout just because self care is the best care. Dylan likes to help people in any way he can. His role consists of constant support for the kids whether it's with school or even if they just want to talk about what’s going on at home.

"IVA sets good examples for the kids, especially if they see the teachers and staff practice the virtues and it makes it a good learning environment for the kids. It also molds kids into being young adults and with my role I get to embrace the virtues and pass it on to the kids. I love working with kids knowing that I have an impact on how they will continue to grow by supporting them when needed and teaching them how the real world works and how the virtues are implemented everyday. I’m here to make their middle school experience memorable while teaching them all the virtues so they can carry it on in their lives as they get older. "

Liz Gillies

b_320_427_16777215_00_images_bioimages_Gillies_Liz_StudentID_00868.jpgNutritional Service Coordinator
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Liz Gillies is a West Coast transplant with an East Coast sense of humor. She moved here in 2011 with her husband and children to pursue a lifelong dream of living in California. After a career in restaurant management, Liz decided to transition to working in a school environment. This change allowed for additional work flexibility to be more present daily for her three children. Liz came to IVA as Nutrition Services Coordinator. after working as a Rec Aide in LBUSD for years. Her passion for creating warmth, caring for, and feeding people is nurtured by inviting all students to nourish their bodies and minds. She believes there is a direct correlation between hunger and learning and works to encourage all students to come into the Meal Room to take a meal or snack at break times.

“As an IVA parent, I’ve seen firsthand the devotion, community and care IVA provides to all students. I was thrilled to have an opportunity to become a member of the team and work alongside the wonderful educators and staff to create an environment of love and support in all forms for students at IVA.”

Kai Karafotis

b_321_482_16777215_00_images_bioimages_Karafotis-Kai-StudentID-00902.jpgInstructional Aide/Tech Support

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Kai is a current Chapman student pursuing a BFA in Production Design for Film with a minor in Studio Art. Through his educational pursuits, Kai has retained a strong love for math, and worked as a math instructor for a year and a half. He empowers students through empathy and patience, and hopes to embrace their individuality to help them grow.

"IVAs sense of academic excellence through compassion really spoke to me as an educator. The values of IVA promote genuine learning, and I’m excited to embrace the virtues to create a positive learning environment that I can carry with me to any work environment."

 

Monica Rodgers

b_321_402_16777215_00_images_bioimages_Rodgers-Monica.jpgBehavior Support Specialist

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Ms. Monica grew up locally and attended schools in both Compton and Long Beach. She has worked with kids for over 30 years, with 29 of those years within LBUSD. You can often find her hanging with her 3 sons and 10 grandkids. When she's with her friends, she enjoys playing cards and dominoes. 

Monica found out about IVA through her grandson, who is a proud IVA Alumni (Class of 2022). When her grandson started at IVA, she saw how kind and caring the staff was. Monica saw how IVA cared for the well-being of all students and brought everyone together as a community. She regrets not seeking a position at IVA sooner!

Nathalie Sickles

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Instructional Aide

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Nathalie Sickles is 27 years old and originally from Riverside. She just relocated to Long Beach this year. From 2014-2019, she attended California State University, Monterey Bay. During her undergrad, she had the opportunity to study abroad in Ireland and travel around Europe. Her hobbies are listening to music and hiking with my family.
 
Last year,  she completed her Master's in Historical Studies at the University of Strathclyde in Scotland. Her passion is working with students and providing a supportive environment. She'd excited for this new opportunity to be an instructional aide and part of the IVA community.