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Tracey L. McEntyre: Pioneering an Inclusive Educational Journey

Tracey McEntyre's remarkable career as an Early Childhood Educator spans over three decades, leaving an indelible mark on countless young minds. With her unwavering passion and expertise in Early Childhood Education, Tracey has revolutionized the way we approach teaching and learning for children aged 3 to 7.

Throughout her extensive tenure, Tracey held various key roles in Early Childhood management, including Assistant Director, School Director, and Teacher Trainer. Her vast experience and innate ability to connect with both students and educators earned her a reputation as a mentor and guiding light in the field.

However, Tracey's life took a profound turn when she embraced the beautiful journey of motherhood, welcoming her son Roman into the world. Determined to provide the best for her child, Tracey made the difficult decision to temporarily step away from her teaching career. Little did she know that this would be the catalyst for a remarkable transformation.

When Roman was diagnosed with Autism, Tracey's path took an unexpected but purposeful redirection. Inspired by her son's unique needs and armed with a burning desire to make a difference, Tracey resolved to create a safe and nurturing learning environment for children of all abilities. She yearned for a place where every child, regardless of their differences, could be celebrated and understood for who they truly are.

Driven by this vision, Tracey embarked on an intensive research journey, combining the lessons learned from her personal educational experience and her years of teaching expertise. The culmination of her efforts was the birth of The Little Elm STEAM Academy—a groundbreaking institution dedicated to providing a stress-free, inclusive space for children to thrive.

At the heart of Tracey's educational philosophy lies the belief that we must tailor our teaching to the individual needs and experiences of each child. By embracing diverse learning styles and honoring every child's unique journey, she has crafted an environment that nurtures the potential of each young learner.

Tracey McEntyre's legacy is one of unwavering love and dedication to all children, ensuring they have a meaningful and transformative educational experience. Her extraordinary journey exemplifies the transformative power of education and the profound impact a single individual can make in the lives of many. Today, her pioneering work continues to inspire educators and parents alike, shaping the future of inclusive education.

Katrena Lopes: Middle School/ High School Facilitator

As a high school student, Katrena’s interest in education was sparked by a teaching internship class that she took in high school.  Throughout her junior and senior years in high school, Katrena served as an elementary school teacher intern for Mrs. Brown, who was also her second-grade teacher.  This is when she fell in love with connecting with students and making a difference in their lives.

She would go on to graduate high school and study Business Administration at the University of North Texas.  In addition to her business degree, she received a certification in education for middle and high school students. After graduating both high school and college, she had a strong desire to come back to her community in Richardson, Texas to give back. Katrena officially began her teaching career in 2004 at Richardson High School as a Career and Technology educator. Throughout her 17 years in the district as a high school and junior high school teacher, she served in leadership roles such as Head Girls’ Gymnastics Coach and a writer for much of the curriculum that was adapted.  Due to a lack of resources from the district, Katrena became a pioneer in Project Based Learning (PBL).  She created countless projects encompassing the state’s TEKS while allowing the students to have fun experiencing hands-on learning opportunities.These resources are still being used by the district’s career and technology department many years later. Throughout her time in Richardson ISD, Katrena taught a vast amount of career and technology classes including:

  • Business Computer Information Systems ( Intermediate and Advanced)

  • Business Communications

  • Business Marketing

  • Accounting

  • Business Finance

  • Entrepreneurship

  • Advertising

  • Web Design

  • Social Media Marketing

  • Coding

  • Personal Finance

  • College and Career Readiness

  • Keyboarding

  • And many others

During her time working in the district, Katrena began to see that the education system wasn’t serving students in the capacity that they deserved.  Students were graduating from high school, but not prepared for college or the world.  This was true for students that she taught, as well as her own son.  She began to search for ways to add value to her students’ education but still felt the pressure of operating within the guidelines of the education system. She eventually resigned and homeschooled her own children.Katrena is ecstatic to now be working alongside Tracey to complete the amazing work that she does with young minds at Little Elm STEAM Academy, where her own daughter is a student.  She will continue the mission of learning through exploration in Project Based Learning.  She is highly driven to discover where each of her students’ talents and passions lay, and create individual learning plans that adhere to the career path that they love!

Meet the Team

  • Ariana

    TEACHING ASSISTANT

  • Kameisha

    GRAPHIC + WEB DESIGNER

  • Roman

    DIRECTOR OF HAPPINESS