Meet Us:
While we define ourselves as lifelong learners and teachers, we are essentially parents first. So, when our two children were trying to independently navigate the difficult SAT/ACT test prep, college application, and college essay processes, we knew we had to lean in with them and immerse ourselves, to educate ourselves more fully about that environment and everything it took to be successful within it.
Ever since that first year, in 2018, when our daughter began her fledgling research into college requirements and took her first trip to tour a university campus, we have become more and more knowledgeable about the required exams, the application processes, and the expectations of admission committees. In our classrooms, teaching and advising seniors deepened our knowledge of these topics. Now, we hope to more widely offer our services (essay advising & SAT/ACT test prep) to parents in similar situations, who are also trying to help their children navigate that journey through high school and into college and beyond.
Our Experienced Team
David A. Wood, M.Ed, NBCT
Co-Owner/Educator
Thirty-three years of experience in the classroom has shown David that every student deserves a quality education and, when provided the right tools and conditions, can learn to their fullest potential. Certified in both Math (6-12) and English (6-12), David is capable of tutoring students in both subject areas.
He holds a BA in English and a Masters in Instructional Technology from Florida Atlantic University and has been National Board Certified since 2002.
In addition, he has extensive experience with SAT/ACT content (tutoring verbal and math for more than 30 years), AP English Language & Literature curriculum, and the International Baccalaureate English courses, and his work as a Literacy Coach has had a direct impact on his targeted diagnostic teaching style.
The vast majority of students he has tutored have seen gains of over 100 pts in their total SAT scores, with many achieving more significant gains. His tutoring clients have been accepted to such prestigious schools as Duke University, Rice University, Northwestern, University of Florida, UCF and others.
Paula A. Wood, NBCT
Co-Owner/Educator
With 23 years of teaching experience, Paula has spent the last decade helping seniors master the challenging AP English Literature & Composition course content as well as guiding them through the college application, essay-writing, and scholarship application processes. She holds a BA in English Literature and a BBA in Human Resources Management from Florida Atlantic University, and she has been a National Board-Certified Teacher for the last 15 years.
Paula has taught a wide range of high school subjects from English 9-12 and SAT/ACT prep to AICE General Paper, from Women’s Studies to Journalism I-IV. She also has a wide range of experience with student extra-curriculars, having sponsored National Honor Society, Students Working Against Tobacco (SWAT), Newspaper, Anime & Manga Club, and class sponsor, etc.
She most enjoys helping students discover their “voices” in their writings, and she (admittedly) can sometimes lose herself focusing on the nuanced rules of grammar. Many of her students, with whom she has collaborated on college essay writing, most recently have gained acceptance into some of the nation’s best schools, including Princeton, University of Notre Dame, Duke University, MIT, University of Michigan, and Northwestern, as well as Florida universities like UM, UF, FSU, NSU, UCF, and others.