Who We Are
A place for children who need extra support in the classroom.
A School Designed for Neurodivergent Learners to Thrive
Some students need more than just a caring teacher and a quiet seat to succeed in school. They need a learning environment designed around their emotional, behavioral, and executive functioning needs — without compromising on academic challenge.
That’s what makes The Burkard School different.
We’re a K–8 program built specifically for bright, curious, neurodivergent students who haven’t found success in traditional settings. Our classrooms are intentionally small — no more than 10 students through fifth grade and 12 in middle school — and each one is led by both an experienced educator and a dedicated Behavior Specialist.
This model allows us to provide the individualized support our students need to stay focused, regulated, and engaged throughout the school day. With that foundation in place, students are able to rise to high academic expectations while also growing in their social-emotional skills, independence, and confidence.
At The Burkard School, students are seen, supported, and celebrated — for exactly who they are. And in the right environment, they shine.
A small independent K-8 school for bright children who need extra support with self-regulation, executive functioning, and/or social-emotional learning in the classroom.
Meet Our Team
Leadership
Agapi Burkard
Head of School
Juris Doctor
University of California, Hastings College of the Law
Bachelor of Science, Economics
Santa Clara University
Agapi has drawn upon her legal training and 20 years of experience as a mother and advocate for an amazing, engaging, and challenging child on the spectrum to create The Burkard School. The Burkard School is her labor of love, commitment, and passion.
Michelle Benham, MA, BCBA
Director of Behavior
Board Certified Behavior Analyst
Master of Arts, Psychology, Emphasis in Applied Behavior Analysis
California State University, Fresno
Bachelor of Arts, Psychology
San Diego State University
Michelle brings deep expertise in behavior analysis and nine years of leadership and dedication to The Burkard School. As our Director of Behavior, she ensures that each student’s behavioral and social-emotional support is tailored to their individual needs, grounded in careful data analysis, and continually refined based on their progress. Throughout her years at TBS, Michelle has been a driving force in the evolution of our behavioral program — strengthening our systems and protocols, developing and refining interventions, training and mentoring our behavior team and faculty, and continually pushing us toward the highest standards of practice.
Prior to joining TBS, Michelle served as a Program Director for FirstSteps for Kids, where she oversaw 12 treatment teams and worked extensively as a behavior analyst in both home and classroom settings. Michelle pairs her clinical expertise and exceptionally high standards with a fun, steady presence that students trust. She knows our students deeply, believes fiercely in what they are capable of, and is constantly asking how we can do better for them. Our students love being around her, and her influence can be felt throughout every part of our program.
View Michelle Benham's Interview
Cooper Zak, MEd, School Leadership
Director of Academics
Master of Education, School Leadership
University of San Diego
Bachelor of Arts, Politics
University of California, Santa Cruz
In his four years at The Burkard School, Cooper has played an integral role in the growth of our academic program, serving for the past two years as our Director of Academics. In that role, he has elevated our curriculum, instructional practices, assessment, and faculty development, establishing a culture of high expectations and continual growth for both students and teachers. Drawing on more than nine years of experience as a humanities teacher, school leader, and curriculum developer at schools dedicated to neurologically diverse students, Cooper believes deeply that neurodivergent students should not have to choose between an education that understands how they learn and one that challenges them intellectually.
Under his leadership, our academic program does both — providing the individualized support students need while holding them to ambitious academic standards and developing the critical thinking, communication, self-advocacy, self-efficacy, and digital literacy skills they need for success in high school and beyond. Cooper’s favorite part of working in education is seeing students recognize their own capabilities and grow in confidence as learners. A native San Diegan, he enjoys swimming, playing music, and hiking.
Kami Kodama
Behavior Operations Coordinator
Bachelor of Arts, Cognitive Science
University of California, Berkeley
Kami brings a unique combination of behavioral expertise, analytical thinking, and operational skill to her role at TBS. With extensive experience providing behavior-analytic services to children on the autism spectrum, she is skilled at analyzing behavior, developing effective interventions, and using data to guide decision-making. Kami also has a particular talent for identifying opportunities to improve how things work, creating thoughtful systems and processes, and turning complex needs into clear, practical solutions that support the smooth operation of the school. A Registered Behavior Technician, she holds a B.A. in Cognitive Science from the University of California, Berkeley, where she graduated with a 3.9 GPA. Kami’s initiative, problem-solving abilities, and ability to bring structure to complex situations make her an invaluable member of the TBS team.
Teaching Teams
Kindergarten & 1st Grade
Jennifer Davidson
Grades K/1 Educator
Bachelor of Arts, Elementary Education Instruction
Notre Dame de Namur
For the past four years, Jenn has brought her exceptional warmth, energy, and skill as an educator to The Burkard School. As our K/1 teacher, her dynamic and engaging classroom presence creates an environment where our youngest students feel regulated, confident, and excited to learn. Jenn has a remarkable ability to balance joy and fun with the structure, consistency, and high expectations young learners need to thrive. She understands each of her students deeply — recognizing their individual strengths, knowing when to support and when to challenge, and finding ways to help every child experience success.
Whether she is building foundational academic skills, fostering independence, or helping a student find the confidence to tackle something difficult, Jenn has an extraordinary ability to bring out the very best in our kids. A Bay Area native, Jenn holds a bachelor’s degree in Liberal Studies with a focus on education.
Cameron Douglas
Grades K/1 Classroom Behavior Specialist
Bachelor of Science, Social Psychology
San Jose State University
Cameron has worked in the field of Applied Behavior Analysis since 2017 and has supported elementary students in the classroom since 2021. At TBS, his steady, calm, and knowledgeable presence makes him especially skilled at supporting our youngest students as they navigate big emotions, build self-regulation, and develop the social-emotional skills they need to be successful in the classroom and with one another. Cameron combines a deep understanding of behavior with patience, warmth, and an ability to remain grounded in even the most challenging moments.
He works closely with teachers and the behavior team to understand what each student needs, develop effective strategies, and provide consistent support that helps children become increasingly independent and confident in managing themselves. Cameron holds a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from San Jose State University and, outside of school, has a strong interest in nutrition, fitness, and exercise.
2nd Grade
Jeremy Boado, MA
Grades 2 Educator
Master of Arts, Education
Eastern Oregon University
Bachelor of Science, Psychological & Brain Sciences
University of Santa Barbara
California Multiple Subject Teaching Credential
Jeremy is a passionate teacher with experience developing and implementing diverse curriculums covering various subjects. He is highly skilled at motivating students through positive encouragement and reinforcement. He recently completed his Master’s of Education and Multiple Subjects credential with a 3.9 GPA. Jeremy prides himself on his ability to construct, plan, and execute lessons and instructions using many modalities to fit the individual. In his previous work at Trivium Charter Schools in Santa Barbara, Jeremy has experience working with students with divergent learning styles and implementing learning plans with care and fidelity.
Roschelle Buenaflor
Grades 2 Classroom Behavior Specialist
Bachelor of Arts, Psychology
San Francisco State University
In her two years at The Burkard School, Roschelle has distinguished herself through her remarkable ability to connect with students and remain calm, thoughtful, and effective in even the most challenging moments. She is exceptionally skilled at de-escalation, reading what a student needs, and helping children move through big emotions while preserving their sense of safety, dignity, and connection. Roschelle develops close, trusting relationships with her students and is deeply beloved by the children she supports. Her warmth is paired with an unflappable presence and strong behavioral expertise, allowing her to provide both the compassion and consistency students need to grow in their self-regulation and social-emotional skills.
With more than a decade of experience supporting students across school, home, and clinical settings, Roschelle has served as a Registered Behavior Therapist, Instructional Assistant, and Special Education Paraeducator, and has worked closely with IEP teams, counselors, and families. Her experience also includes serving as Head Coach at SF Elite Volleyball Club, where she mentored young athletes in resilience, teamwork, and leadership.
3rd & 4th Grade
Alyssa Mandujano
Grades 3/4 Educator
Master of Arts, Teaching and Multiple Subject Teaching Credential (in progress)
Santa Clara University
Bachelor of Arts, Global Studies
University of California, Santa Barbara
Alyssa Mandujano is an enthusiastic elementary educator who is passionate about helping students build confidence, discover their strengths, and develop a lifelong love of learning. As a teacher, she brings experience in phonics, early literacy, language development, and equity-driven instruction, with a strong emphasis on creating joyful and inclusive classroom communities. Alyssa also values meaningful partnerships with families and believes that supporting the whole child is essential to student growth. Alyssa earned her B.A. in Global Studies from the University of California, Santa Barbara, where she also completed a minor in Poverty, Inequality, and Social Justice and earned an Intersectional Justice Facilitator Certificate.
She is currently pursuing a Master of Arts in Teaching and Multiple Subjects Credential at Santa Clara University. Her background also includes curriculum development, community-based education, and youth leadership work, and she is proficient in Spanish.
Mélodie Savaria, MS
Grades 3/4 Classroom Behavior Specialist
Graduate Certificate in Behavior Analysis (in progress)
Florida Tech University
Master of Science, Psychoeducation
University of Québec
Bachelor of Education, Psychoeducation
University of Québec
In her two years at The Burkard School, Mélodie has proven herself to be an extraordinarily skilled and effective behavior specialist. She combines keen behavioral insight with exceptional creativity, designing highly individualized, precisely targeted interventions that produce meaningful and measurable change for her students. Mélodie has a remarkable ability to identify what is driving a behavior, think beyond conventional approaches, and find the strategy that will genuinely move a student forward. Just as importantly, she builds strong, trusting relationships with the children she supports, allowing her to challenge them while remaining firmly in their corner.
Her work reflects both the science and the art of exceptional behavioral support—careful observation and analysis, thoughtful intervention, creativity, persistence, and an unwavering belief in each student’s capacity for growth. Mélodie’s expertise is informed by extensive international experience in psychoeducation and behavioral health, including work as a Special Educator, Parent Partner, and Lead Behavior Therapist. Fluent in French and English, she is an extraordinary member of our behavior team and has made an immeasurable contribution to our students and our program.
5th Grade
Karamjyot (Karam) Grewal, MA
5th Grade Educator
Master of Arts, Public Administration
University of Punjab, India
Bachelor of Arts, Education
University of Punjab, India
Bachelor of Arts
University of Punjab, India
Karam is an experienced elementary educator who is passionate about creating supportive, engaging, and inclusive learning environments where every student can thrive. She has taught across multiple grade levels and brings a strong background in lesson planning, classroom management, social-emotional learning, and adapting instruction to meet a wide range of learning styles and abilities. She especially enjoys incorporating hands-on activities, the arts, and collaborative learning into the classroom. Karamjyot holds a Bachelor’s degree in Education, a Master’s degree in Public Administration, a Bachelor’s degree in Arts, and a Diploma in Painting. Her background also includes extensive coursework in Early Childhood Education. Outside of school, Karamjyot enjoys reading, gardening, and painting, and she also speaks Hindi and Punjabi.
Alexandra (Aly) Zuasola, BS
5th Grade Classroom Behavior Specialist
Master of Science, Applied Behavior Analysis
Capella University
Bachelor of Science, Health Sciences, Minor in Philosophy
Notre Dame de Namur University
Aly is passionate about early intervention and supporting children with developmental, behavioral, and mental health needs. She has worked as a Registered Behavior Technician, Behavior Specialist, and Early Intervention Specialist in both clinical and school settings, developing individualized supports for children on the autism spectrum. Her experience spans direct intervention, behavioral assessment and support, and parent collaboration, always with a focus on helping children thrive in their environments. Aly holds a Master’s degree in Applied Behavior Analysis with a specialization in Autism Spectrum Disorders and brings a strong foundation in behavioral science, along with energy, compassion, and skill, to her work at TBS.
6th, 7th & 8th Grade
Robert Lohrer
Middle School Humanities Educator
Bachelor of Arts, History
Princeton University
Robert brings an extraordinary depth of knowledge, intellectual curiosity, and genuine love of language and literature to The Burkard School’s Humanities program. In his classroom, a book is never simply something to read and finish — it is something to question, analyze, debate, revisit, and delight in. Robert has a remarkable ability to draw students deeply into literature, teaching them to notice the choices an author makes, wrestle with complex ideas, find meaning beneath the surface, and experience the satisfaction of truly understanding a text. His enthusiasm is contagious, and students who may never have thought of themselves as lovers of literature discover the joy of squeezing every last drop from a great book. The sophistication of the literary analysis, discussion, and writing he cultivates gives our middle school students an experience in the Humanities that rivals what many students encounter in high school.
Before entering education in 2018, Robert spent more than 15 years in journalism and publishing, including serving as President and Editorial Director at RLL Associates, Inc., and Editor-in-Chief at Fairchild Publishing in New York. A graduate of Princeton University, Robert pairs that remarkable professional and academic background with the rare gift of making students want to think harder, read more closely, and fall in love with the power of words.
Arob Sulieman, MA
Middle School Math Educator
Master of Arts, Mathematics Education
University of Haifa
Teaching Certification
Oranim College of Education, Israel
Arob is an exceptionally accomplished mathematics educator whose depth of subject knowledge and more than 15 years of teaching experience allow her to meet students wherever they are—and take them as far as they are capable of going. Having taught mathematics across grade levels, she understands not only the concepts in front of a student, but the skills that came before them and what comes next. This makes her equally adept at identifying and filling gaps for a student who is struggling and challenging an advanced mathematician ready to move far beyond grade level. At TBS, Arob has supported students from foundational middle school mathematics all the way through calculus, emphasizing deep understanding, problem-solving, and critical thinking along the way.
Prior to joining TBS, Arob taught mathematics at Gideon Hausner Jewish Day School in Palo Alto and served as a math tutor, teacher examiner, and teacher instructor. She holds a Master of Arts in Mathematics Education from the University of Haifa, where she graduated with distinction, as well as a Teaching Certification from Oranim College. Fluent in Arabic, English, and Hebrew, Arob gives our students the extraordinary benefit of learning mathematics from a true expert in her field.
Agapi Burkard
Middle School Science Educator
Juris Doctor
University of California, Hastings College of the Law
Bachelor of Science, Economics
Santa Clara University
In her five years teaching Science at The Burkard School, Agapi has built a classroom defined by contagious enthusiasm, strong relationships with students, and a highly structured, predictable rhythm that allows students to dive confidently into challenging scientific ideas. Using the hands-on, inquiry-based FOSS curriculum, she engages students in investigating real phenomena, gathering and analyzing evidence, and using what they discover to make sense of the world around them. Science in Agapi’s classroom is not about memorizing facts or vocabulary — it is about observing closely, asking good questions, testing ideas, making connections, and learning to think like a scientist.
Her enthusiasm for discovery is infectious, and she loves nothing more than watching students become genuinely excited by what they have figured out for themselves.
Arob Sulieman, MA
Middle School Math Educator
Master of Arts, Mathematics Education
University of Haifa
Teaching Certification
Oranim College of Education, Israel
Arob is an exceptionally accomplished mathematics educator whose depth of subject knowledge and more than 15 years of teaching experience allow her to meet students wherever they are—and take them as far as they are capable of going. Having taught mathematics across grade levels, she understands not only the concepts in front of a student, but the skills that came before them and what comes next. This makes her equally adept at identifying and filling gaps for a student who is struggling and challenging an advanced mathematician ready to move far beyond grade level. At TBS, Arob has supported students from foundational middle school mathematics all the way through calculus, emphasizing deep understanding, problem-solving, and critical thinking along the way.
Prior to joining TBS, Arob taught mathematics at Gideon Hausner Jewish Day School in Palo Alto and served as a math tutor, teacher examiner, and teacher instructor. She holds a Master of Arts in Mathematics Education from the University of Haifa, where she graduated with distinction, as well as a Teaching Certification from Oranim College. Fluent in Arabic, English, and Hebrew, Arob gives our students the extraordinary benefit of learning mathematics from a true expert in her field.
Brandon Carlton, MS
Grades 7/8 Classroom Behavior Specialist
Master of Science, Applied Behavior Analysis
National University
Bachelor of Science, Psychology
San Francisco State University
Brandon combines deep behavioral expertise with an exceptional ability to connect with adolescents and prepare them for the transition to high school. With our 7th and 8th graders, he serves as equal parts behavior specialist, mentor, and coach — helping students develop the self-awareness, independence, judgment, and self-advocacy they will need as they move into increasingly complex academic and social environments. His SEL lessons are a particular strength: fun, funny, relevant, and grounded in the real situations middle schoolers are navigating, making students genuinely want to engage with skills they can immediately put into practice. Brandon brings more than 15 years of experience supporting students with learning disabilities, ADHD, autism, and behavioral challenges, including a decade at Esther B. Clark School.
His extensive background includes developing individualized behavior and treatment plans, managing complex and crisis behavior, supervising behavior specialists, and training staff. A certified Pro-ACT Assault Crisis Trainer, Brandon pairs this depth of expertise with an approachable, engaging style that earns the trust of his students. He understands where our middle schoolers are headed and knows how to coach them toward being ready for what comes next.
Support Staff
Rebecca Diggs
Assistant Behavior Specialist
Bachelor of Science, Human Services
University of Phoenix
Rebecca brings more than 15 years of experience supporting children and young adults with developmental and behavioral needs in school, clinical, and community settings. Her background includes work as a Registered Behavior Technician, Behavior Intervention Specialist, Inclusion Specialist, and Early Intervention Specialist, with extensive experience supporting students on the autism spectrum and other students with disabilities. Throughout her career, Rebecca has implemented individualized behavior support plans, collected and analyzed behavioral data, collaborated with teachers and families, and used evidence-based strategies to help students build independence and succeed in the classroom. She brings a deep understanding of child development, special education, and applied behavior analysis, along with a thoughtful, student-centered approach to her work at TBS.
Anthony Curiel, RBT
Administrative Assistant
Child Development (in progress)
California State University San Francisco
Registered Behavior Technician
Anthony has 6 years of experience in ABA as an RBT, most recently as a Registered Behavior Technician with EBSI out of Morgan Hill, focusing on health and nutrition with varying medication and food allergy considerations with adults with disabilities.
Prior to rejoining the field of behavioral science, a break was taken to join the United States Army and serve from 2010-2014. After serving, his focus shifted to aiding more in health and nutrition alongside his behavioral science scope. He encourages students’ questions about cuisine and how you can elevate any dish from simple and plain to robust and elegant, all while maintaining proper nutritional balance through clean eating. He enjoys an active lifestyle outside of work, taking part in a wide array of activities, including skateboarding, surfing, and hiking, to name a few.