Meet the Apt Team!

At Apt, the talented team of educators serves each student and creates a dynamic classroom environment.

Pre-K & Kindergarten

Molly Crawford is a dedicated preschool and kindergarten educator with a passion for nurturing young minds. Growing up in a large family instilled in her a deep appreciation for hard work, community, and connection. Her teaching journey began at a summer day camp, where she worked with children ages 4 to 14, sparking her desire to make a difference in early childhood education.

With three months as an assistant in Early Childhood Education (ECE) under her belt, Molly quickly transitioned to become a teacher, specializing in caring for toddlers aged 1.5 to 2.5 years for two enriching years. Her expertise lies in classroom management, lesson planning, and communication, evidenced by her engaging newsletters and detailed report cards that keep parents informed and involved.

Molly believes that every child deserves a nurturing environment where they can thrive. She treats her students as if they were her own, creating a warm and welcoming classroom atmosphere.

As a college senior, Molly continues to seek innovative ways to inspire and educate the youngest learners. With her organizational skills, passion, and caring nature, she is committed to shaping a bright future for her students and making a lasting impact in their lives.

1st & 2nd Grade

From a young age, Mrs. Brubaker developed a love for children. As she volunteered to work with children, her joy and love for teaching blossomed. Mrs. Brubaker attended Portland State University where she received a Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education. For over 15 years she volunteered to work with children within the community. For 18 years, she homeschooled her three children.

Over the years, Mrs. Brubaker has created curriculum unit studies and led several homeschool co-op classes and tutored students ranging from pre-school through 7th grade in reading, writing, spelling, and math. Other joys in her life are spending time with her three beautiful granddaughters, enjoying the great northwest outdoors with kayaking, hiking, camping, and biking.

3rd-5th Grade

Mr. Brandon Jackson comes to Apt Academy with over a decade of experience in the educational field.

As an educator it is jis responsibility to protect and educate every student that enters his classroom. He must do the best of his ability to exhaust every resource he possess to ensure his students succeed.

In addition to teaching at Apt Academy, he is the owner/ operator of Oregon Texas Line Fitness (OTL). With teaching classes at both the Academy and the gym he is able to reinforce that repetition is the key to learning and that it is about progress, not perfection.

6th-8th Grade

My name is Tristan Holechek, and I teach the 6th, 7th, and 8th grades for Apt Academy.  I grew up in Molalla, Oregon, graduating from Molalla High School in 1993.  Following high school, I attended Oregon State University where I majored in agricultural business management.  After obtaining my Bachelor of Science, I did not feel like the corporate world was for me.  Therefore, I went back to Oregon State University and completed a master’s degree in education.  

My first teaching position was teaching agricultural science in Elgin, Oregon.  Elgin High School was a great place to work, but I wanted to experience life in the military.  This was before September 11th, 2001, so most of the branches of the military were only training.  I wanted to be doing something.  Therefore, after I completed my first year as a teacher, I resigned and enlisted in the United States Coast Guard.  

Once I fulfilled my four-year commitment to the Coast Guard, I decided I wanted to go back to teaching.  Since that time, I have taught in Monument, Oregon; Clatskanie, Oregon; and Boardman, Oregon.  

In 2019, I needed a break from public education.  Upon learning of an opportunity to work for Canby Public Works, I applied and was hired.  I spent two years working on a geographic database for the City of Canby.  This was a wonderful position, but in 2021 I was yearning to return to the classroom.  This is when I found Apt Academy.  

Apt Academy has been a wonderful opportunity, and I wholeheartedly believe in our mission of providing a Christian based education to our students.