Rapoport Academy Public School

Ileane Santos is joining the Rapoport Academy Elementary team as a 1st Grade Teacher. Mrs. Santos comes to us from Saint Paul's Episcopal School. She taught at SPES for five years. Prior to that, she worked at different schools, both here in Waco and in California, in the SpEd department as an Educational Interpreter for the Deaf. Mrs. Santos just celebrated her 11-year anniversary with her husband, Tim! They enjoy living the mini farm life with their two boys- both of whom will also be joining the RAPS family (kindergarten and 3rd grade)! In their spare time, the Santos' enjoy gardening, camping and exploring new places together. Mrs. Santos is very excited to share her love of learning with the RAPS students and faculty! Welcome to the RAPS Family! #WorkatRAPS #RAPSFamily

We kicked off the school year STRONG with a fantastic day of professional development for our returning teachers and a warm welcome to our amazing new hires! 📚 So excited to have these incredible educators on our RAPS team. 🤩 #RAPSRavens #WorkatRAPS #RavenPride

We are thrilled to introduce Bridget and Ryan Townsley, who are joining the Rapoport Academy family this year. Bridget Townsley will be joining our district team as a Speech-Language Pathologist. She graduated from Baylor University with a B.A. in Communication Sciences and Disorders and earned her Master's Degree in the same field from the University of Texas at Dallas. With 20 years of professional experience, including 14 years in educational settings and a background in early childhood intervention, Mrs. Townsley is passionate about helping students build their communication skills. She looks forward to creating strong connections within our school community. Ryan Townsley will be joining the secondary team as the new 8th Grade Science Teacher. After a career in the automotive industry and a year of substitute teaching for middle school, Mr. Townsley decided to pursue his passion for teaching. He is excited to embark on this new journey and make a positive impact on his students' lives. The Townsleys, who have two dogs, Brody and Bella, are eager to explore and get connected in Waco. In her free time, Mrs. Townsley enjoys spending time with family, walking the dogs, trying out different fitness groups, watching new series, and decorating their new home. Mr. Townsley loves cooking and is the chef at home. He also has a passion for plants and enjoys spending time with Bella and Brody. We are delighted to welcome the Townsleys to Rapoport Academy and look forward to the contributions they will bring to our community! #WorkatRAPS #RAPSFamily

Lauren Vaughn is joining the Rapoport Academy Secondary team as an Instructional Coach for ELAR and Social Studies. Mrs. Vaughn has been a teacher for several years. She has taught English, History, and Theater Arts. She received her Masters in Education in 2018 and as of this month, she has earned her second Masters degree in History. Mrs. Vaughn is thrilled to be joining a committed team to help all students and teachers thrive and love learning. Originally from California, Mrs. Vaughn has moved back to her husband's home state as he transitions out of active duty military into the reserves. Mrs. Vaughn and her husband have a cat and dog together and hope to extend their family in the future. #WorkatRAPS #RAPSFamily

Madison Maccarino is joining the Rapoport Academy Elementary team as a 2nd Grade ELAR Teacher. Madison Maccarino is from New York and has been working with kids for the past two years as a special education substitute teacher as well as a general education teacher assistant and substitute. She also teaches dance to kids aged from 4-18. Ms. Maccarino embodies the values of compassion, patience, and enthusiasm in the classroom. She enjoys spending time with her family, traveling, baking, and reading. Ms. Maccarino is thrilled to be moving down to Texas and working with the amazing faculty, staff, and students at Rapoport Academy. #WorkatRAPS #RAPSFamily

Abigail Bragg is joining the Rapoport Academy Secondary team as a 7th-grade Texas History Teacher. Ms. Bragg graduated from Baylor University in May of 2023 with a Bachelor of Science in Middle Grades Social Studies Education and a minor in Educational Psychology. Following graduation, Ms. Bragg moved to Orlando, FL to participate in the Disney College Program where she worked in merchandise at Disney's Hollywood Studios. In her undergrad education, Ms. Bragg worked for a semester as a teacher's assistant in 8th grade American History at Midway Middle School and as a student teacher in 6th grade World Geography at River Valley Middle School. Ms. Bragg is so excited to return to the world of education following her Disney World hiatus! In her personal life, she enjoys drawing, jogging, baking, and reading. Texas History was the subject that originally captured her heart for history and she is thrilled to get to share that love with her students! #WorkatRAPS #RAPSFamily

Nancy Dykes is joining the Rapoport Academy Elementary team as a 4th Grade ELAR Teacher. Mrs. Dykes has been working in education for 6 years and is so excited for this new journey! Her favorite thing about teaching is building relationships with her students and helping them to reach their goals. She has been married to her husband Justin for 9 years and they have been living in the Waco area for 8 years now. In her free time, she enjoys taking walks at Cameron Park, playing board games with family, or reading a good book with a cat on her lap. #WorkatRAPS #RAPSFamily

Reagan Collard recently joined the Rapoport Academy Secondary team as our 8th Grade ELAR Teacher. As a 2020 graduate of Rapoport Academy, we are excited to welcome her "back," now as an employee! About Ms. Collard: Ms. Collard, an English Education graduate from John Brown University, has a deep-rooted passion for her subject matter and students. Growing up, her vivid imagination fueled countless wondrous stories, as she diligently wrote down her thoughts and dreams. As she matured, her keen observations of the world and its diverse people shaped her perspective. Her parents, a pastor and a teacher, modeled love through their interactions with others. During her junior year at Rapoport Academy, she decided to pursue a career in education. After graduating in 2020, she spent two years at Friends University before seizing an opportunity to transfer to John Brown University, a nurturing environment that offered abundant educational resources. There, she interned and studied under teachers in the Siloam Springs District, further fueling her passion. Ms. Collard’s ultimate goal? To know and understand her students—how they think, what they believe—so that their learning journey becomes a reciprocal process of growth and enrichment. #RAPSRavens #WorkatRAPS #RavenPride

📆 July 1-5: Summer Break ☀️ All campuses & offices will be closed. Artwork by Vanessa B., Rising 8th Grader Taught by Ms. Becker

Here's another look at the Rapoport Academy Public School jobsite. The area has been cleared and leveled, and we're moving onto the next phase. Exciting progress ahead! Stay tuned for more updates. Eddie Mazanec, LEED AP Vicky Mazanec Rapoport Academy Public School