The Dream Team

Joanna Blaszynska

k-3 TEACHER

Joanna was raised in Chicago and has worked with children all over the city for the past 11 years in various settings and programs. In the past 5 years, she has worked as a classroom teacher in pre-k, kinder, 1st, and 2nd grades. Joanna obtained her teaching license and degree from the University of Illinois at Chicago with a B.A. in Elementary Education: Urban Education. She has additional training and certifications in math, visual arts, and phonics education.

Her passion is creating learning spaces where young children can feel safe and encouraged to be their authentic selves as they grow, learn, and experience the world around them. In the classroom, she places importance in integrating social justice education and social emotional learning across all subjects, with the objective of teaching young children empathy, kindness, and self confidence.

When she is not teaching she loves reading, oil painting, and being in nature!

Nedaa Alwawi

FOUNDER + HEAD OF SCHOOL

Nedaa Alwawi was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois. Prior to founding Prairie Academy, she spent the first 12 years of her professional career in Chicago Public Schools as a classroom teacher, department chairperson and a teacher consultant for the Chicago Board of Education. She completed her undergraduate degree in education from DePaul University and her Masters in Educational Leadership from North Park University.

Nedaa is committed in leading the work in Prairie’s spiritual, character, and academic development. She spent the last five years focused on creating a personalized curriculum that engages students on the cognitive, physical, social, emotional and spiritual level.

Nedaa is a currently pursuing a Masters Degree in Educational Leadership at the Harvard Graduate School of Education.

Dr Jennifer Moore

PRE-SCHOOL TEACHER

Dr. Jennifer Moore has spent her 20-year career as a classroom teacher, teacher coach, and principal, helping schools define and meet the needs of children, their families, and their communities. From writing curricula that work with students’ developmental stages to providing educators and parents with the resources they need to nurture confidence, security, and an intrinsic love of learning, Dr. Moore has touched every part of education. Her current work is focused on helping support different dimensions of student and educator well-being. She does this through consulting with schools, writing curriculum and providing professional development to teachers in China through DePaul University.

A consummate learner herself, Dr. Moore holds a Doctorate of Education in Organizational Change from Pepperdine, dual Masters from DePaul and Lesley University—in Educational Leadership and Urban Education Reform, respectively, and a Bachelor’s in Early Childhood Education and Family Studies. She has logged scores of hours of continuing education, and certifications that include National Board Certification as a Master Teacher in Early and Middle Childhood Literacy, as well as TOEFL. She is originally from New York, but has lived and worked in Cambridge, Massachusetts; Cali, Colombia; Long Beach, California and now Chicago, Illinois. She loves traveling, meeting new people and spending time in the sunshine. 

Maham Akmal Haq

Islamic Instructor, Soccer Coach + Music Mentor

Maham was born in Ireland and predominantly raised in Pakistan. She graduated from the University of Sydney in Australia with a Bachelor's in Molecular Biology & Genetics, followed by a Master's degree in Pharmacology from Oxford University in the United Kingdom. After a brief stretch pursuing a PhD in neuroscience at the University College London, she altered course and instead completed an additional Master's degree in Religious Studies from the University of Chicago. Her love for teaching began while tutoring her peers science while at the university, which she subsequently grew to become a thriving online tutoring company.

Maham prides herself on being well-rounded and has invested a significant amount of time into exploring both her musical abilities and her love for soccer. She learned to read and write music starting at age 13 and specialized in the acoustic guitar. As the music president of her high school, she ultimately began to sing and cover songs at various charity events including playing her own songs. Maham played soccer for both the Sydney University Soccer/Football Club (SUSFC) and the Oxford University Women’s Association Football Club (OUWAFC), which culminated in the Eurokonstantia international sports tournament as a defender. When Maham is not teaching, you may find her hiking the Andes mountains, scuba diving in the Gulf of Mexico, training for the next Chicago marathon or most importantly spending time with her son Hamza and husband Samir.