Family Engagement Coordinator
Email Me

Mrs. Brown was born and raised in Dayton, Ohio and graduated from Stivers school for the Arts- Choir and Band. She serviced children and families for 18 years with emphasis in preschool education. She is a wife and a mom of 5 and a bonus mom of 4. She and her Husband are founders of Verb Ministries where they hope to continue to expand. She am also a parent of DLA which has been an added bonus to her position as Family Engagement Coordinator, to be able to share a space with her children while at school. She truly enjoys assisting and being a service to children and families and people in general and helping to make positive changes and connections.

So the role as Family Engagement Coordinator is the perfect fit.

3-5 Academy Assistant Principal
Email Me

Brooke Ellington was born and raised in Dayton, Ohio. She graduated from Thurgood Marshall STEM High School in 2014 and went on to earn her bachelor’s degree in Middle Childhood Education (Grades 4–9) with a certificate from the Urban Teacher Academy at the University of Dayton in 2018. After college, Miss Ellington began her teaching career at Dayton Leadership Academies, where she served as the 5th Grade ELA teacher for six years. During her time at DLA, she returned to school and earned her Master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Cincinnati in 2022.

Following her graduate studies, Miss Ellington took on leadership roles at DLA, first as the 3–5 Teacher Representative on the Lighthouse Team, and then as the English Department Chairperson—a position she proudly still holds. She is thrilled to serve as the 3–5 Dean of Academics, continuing her mission to support teachers and empower students. In addition to her role at DLA, Miss Ellington is also an adjunct professor in the School of Education at Wright State University. Passionate about student achievement and lifelong learning, she is committed to making a meaningful impact in the lives of both her 3-5 and college students.

Outside of her professional life, Miss Ellington is a proud mother to two energetic toddlers who keep her hands full and her heart even fuller. She enjoys traveling, spending quality time with loved ones, and making memories that last a lifetime.

Middle School Academy Assistant Principal
Email Me

Sharell Ford is the Senior Dean of Academics with more than 25 years of dedicated experience in education. A proud product of Dayton Public Schools, she is a graduate of Colonel White High School and has spent her career committed to serving the community that shaped her.

Ms. Ford earned her Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education from Central State University and her Master’s degree in Educational Administration from Grand Canyon University. Her professional journey reflects a deep understanding of teaching, learning, and instructional leadership, grounded in both strong pedagogy and a genuine care for students.

Passionate about supporting students and families, Ms. Ford is deeply committed to creating a warm, nurturing, and academically rich environment where all students can thrive. Having lived in Dayton her entire life, she takes great pride in giving back to the community she calls home and looks forward to continuing to support the families and students of the area she grew up in through strong academic leadership and meaningful partnerships.

Principal
Email Me

Mrs. Kreischer was born and raised in Columbus, Ohio. She earned a Bachelor's degree in Early Childhood Education and two Master Degrees in Reading and School Administration from Bowling Green State University. After graduating from BGSU, she moved to Las Vegas, NV where she taught preschool and 1st grade for 5 years. She served as the grade level chair and teacher mentor.

In 2017 she joined DLA as a kindergarten teacher, and shortly after stepped into the teacher coach role. As the Teacher Coach for Data and Instruction, she worked with the administration team to lead professional development, coach teachers, and analyze school data. She also served as the track coach for the past two years and is passionate about helping our students find the best in themselves. She is excited to continue to help grow DLA to be an amazing education opportunity for students in our community.  

6th Grade ELA Teacher
Email Me

Debra Walls was born and raised in Dayton, Ohio. She graduated from Dunbar High School. She attended Wright State University where she received her Bachelors of English degree to teach Middle and High School English. She received a Masters degree in Educational Leadership from Antioch University. After completing her education, she left Ohio to move south, She has lived and taught middle school English in Little Rock, Arkansas and Memphis Tennessee.

She returned to Dayton six years ago where she began working at DLA as a 6th grade English teacher. In the time she has been at DLA, she has been a Teacher Leader in multiple ways. She was the English Department Chair for two years and spent one summer as the Summer Launch Coordinator. Ms. Walls has also been the DLA cheerleading coach for the past 5 years. After teaching 6th grade English for five years and being a Reading Interventionist for one year, Ms. Walls is excited to step into her new role as the Middle School Coordinator.

Ms. Walls has one child, a five year old daughter who keeps her very busy and young at heart. Ms. Walls has always been passionate about working with middle school inner city students. She finds great joy in helping grow students academically as well as socially. Ms. Walls strives to prepare students for not just high school, but the real world and help them realize that they are capable of anything they put their minds to.