Hello! My name is Stacey Zaccagnini, and I was born and raised in Titusville, PA, which is known as the birthplace of the oil industry. I attended Edinboro University of Pennsylvania, where I got a degree in Early Childhood and Elementary Education. I also received my master’s degree through Lesley University. I have been teaching since 2003, with experience in Kindergarten, 2nd grade, and 4th grade.  

My husband and I are the proud parents of 2 boys, Carson and Samuel. Outside of school, I enjoy going to our lake house at Lake Gaston, reading, getting pedicures/manicures, watching my kids play sports, and cheering on the Carolina Hurricanes and Pittsburgh Steelers.

I was born in Cali, Colombia, and I hold both a Master’s degree and a specialization in Foreign Languages. I have been an EFL teacher for 27 years, with experience teaching all secondary school grades as well as third through fifth grade in elementary school. Before coming to the U.S., I worked as a homeroom teacher in a public elementary school in Jamundí, a small city near Cali. This is my second year at JGMES.

I am married to Ramiro, who is a High school teacher in Colombia. We have two sons: José Daniel, an architect currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Valencia, Spain, and Juan David, who is completing his final year in Filmmaking. Our family also includes Lolita, our sweet dog.

I am very proud of my Colombian culture and heritage, and I am excited to share them with my students and school community. Teaching is not only my profession, but also my passion, and I look forward to another wonderful year at JGMES.

Hello! 

My name is Andrey Vargas. I am from Colombia. I am an English and Spanish teacher with more than 17 years of teaching experience. I hold a master's degree in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL).

During my years as a teacher, I have worked in elementary, middle, and high school. This year, I will have the privilege of serving fourth graders at this important school.

I take my responsibilities as a teacher seriously, constantly striving to foster creativity and provide diverse resources, activities, and learning environments that enhance my students' understanding. Check out my youtube channel to know more about it: https://www.youtube.com/@cienciaencasa2116 

Thanks for all your support, and let’s have a successful school year. 

Hi! My name is Lisa Little, and this is year 27 in education. I am so excited to be returning to The Grove for the 25-26 school year! I previously taught 5th grade at JG when we first moved to North Carolina from Georgia in 2012. I am originally from Maryland, where I graduated from Salisbury University. Go Gulls! 

My son attended and “graduated” from JG in 2017! He is now a sophomore in college and still shares memories of his teachers and friends from his 4 years here. 

Outside of school, we like to take day trips around North Carolina. There is so much to see and do, and we love to soak in any opportunity to EXPLORE! Unfortunately, our dog, Mac, is 13 years old and not able to travel with us on these adventures, but he enjoys the extra time napping in a quiet house.