IBIS Instructors
*The following is a sample of our instructor list. Course instructors are determined based on availability.

Brendan Praniewicz
English Instructor
Mr. Praniewicz is an English teacher with a Masters of Creative Writing from San Diego State in 2007. He has almost two decades of teaching experience, superb teaching skills, and focuses on cultivating students to master the basic skills of reading comprehension, rhetoric patterns, grammar and critical thinking, and help students further improve their English and communication skills. He focuses on the development of students' creativity and is able to communicate with students on their level. At the same time, he uses humor in his class to encourage his students to learn and master public speaking skills in a happy atmosphere.

Stephen Giannotti
History Instructor
Mr. Giannotti is an AP-certified high school history teacher from Virginia who earned his master’s in teaching from the University of Virginia. Mr. Giannotti is committed to advancing a progressive, hands-on approach to learning. Each lesson is designed to first expose students to background information on a particular topic. Following direct instruction, students work to apply and enhance their understanding of that information through collaborative exercises. An interesting fact about Mr. Giannotti is that he is currently teaching at the high school he graduated from. Mr. Giannotti always makes it a priority to support his students and he hopes you consider joining his classes!

Eugenia Badger
English/Spanish Instructor
Dr. Eugenia Badger is a high school English teacher from Indiana and is certified to teach AP English and AP Literature. Dr. Badger also serves as the Speech and Debate team coach and teaches Spanish and Agriculture. Dr. Badger has a flexible teaching style that she adjusts to match a student’s needs by asking questions and learning more about what a student does and does not know. Her goal is to make class fun and productive in order to enhance the learning experience. An interesting fact about Dr. Badger is that she shows American Quarter Horses. She welcomes and invites all students to take her class!

Jonathan Doyle
Language Instructor
Jonathan Doyle graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM) with a Master's degree in teaching. He has taught English, French, Italian, German, and Japanese for many years. He specializes in integrating multiple intelligences into the curriculum to achieve better teaching results. Mr. Doyle hopes students will be curious, not afraid to make mistakes, and use mistakes as opportunities to learn and grow.

Carl Gaines
Social Studies Instructor
Carl Gaines is an experienced teacher who is certified as an AP teacher in Social Sciences at the University of California. He has strong professional skills and has worked in the AP testing center to help evaluate and feedback students' AP scores. He graduated from the University of New Orleans with a Master's degree in history. In nearly 30 years of teaching, Gaines has always adhered to the concept of student-centered teaching, using guided interactive teaching methods in the classroom to help students understand difficult concepts. In addition, Gaines is proficient in C++, JAVA, program evaluation, educational technology and instructional design. He looks forward to meeting you in class, discussing academic issues with students and helping you succeed in your studies.

Samirah Merritt
Economics Instructor
Dr. Samirah Merritt is a Business professor from Florida with a passion for education and experience teaching college courses in Business such as Intro to Business, Organizational, Management, Personal Finance, and Intro to Economics. In addition to having a doctorate in Business Administration, Dr. Merritt is currently pursuing an additional degree in healthcare information systems to further her knowledge of medical record functions. Dr. Merritt is a life-long learner and the mother to one son who recently graduated from high school. An interesting fact about Dr. Merritt is that her hobbies include running marathons, fitness, and traveling. Dr. Merritt looks forward to working with students and welcomes you to her class.

Mira Thomas
Math Instructor
With more than 25 years of experience in mathematics, Ms. Mira Thomas is an experienced teacher who is able to teach students math learning strategies at the college level. She integrates these strategies into the curriculum to help students master them and improve their math skills. She has always believed that in order to do well in math, students must understand the "why" behind these strategies. She enjoys open discussions with students, encourages them to ask questions, and helps students review the causes of common mistakes.

John Bryant
Science Instructor
Mr. John Bryant has taught many different subjects of science in his 17-year career. He has taught Chemistry, AP Chemistry, Biology, Anatomy & Physiology, Zoology, Physics, and Physical Science. He has a genuine love for all areas of science. Mr. Bryant is a teacher who teaches by inquiry. He thinks it is important to show the students not only to learn the curriculum, but how to learn by showing them how to think critically and with scientific inquiry. His class will be one of open discussion, collaboration, and exploration. Mr. Bryant enjoys many things in his free time. He enjoys music, technology and absolutely love sports. He also enjoys tennis and fishing. Mr. Bryant invites all students to come learn with him. He is a teacher who has success by building connections with my students that promote learning and a fun environment at the same time.
