Staff Profiles 

 High School: Math/Science 

Melleretha Moses-Johnson
Principal
Melleretha Moses-Johnson is the Principal at SASA. Mrs. Johnson served many years as the District's Subject Area Coordinator for Mathematics and Mathematics Staff Development before coming to SASA as an Assistant Principal in 1999. She became Principal in 2010 after many years of service there in administration.

She has received her degrees from Southern University in Baton Rouge in Mathematics Education and her Master of Science degree in Secondary Mathematics Education. She has completed hours toward her doctorate at Michigan State University. Mrs. Johnson was also a teacher of Mathematics at Arthur Hill High School, Central Middle School, Delta College and Michigan State University prior to her work for the District as a Subject Area Coordinator. In 2009, Ms. Johnson was the recipient of the 2009 Gerstacker Fellowship through Saginaw Valley State University.

Mrs. Johnson has also served as SASA's Middle School and High School Athletic Director, MEAP & MME Coordinator, and heads up the school's Pupil Service and Attendance Teams.

Paula Dasuqi
Secretary
Paula Dasuqi is a Secretary in the main office at SASA. Hers is the first smiling face one will see upon entering the office each day. She is responsible for student records, immunizations, attendance and general office public relations. She is a daily comfort to students under the weather, staff in need of her expertise, and is an invaluable member of the SASA administrative team.

Leisha Shaler
Living Arts Program Coordinator
Leisha Shaler is the Living Arts Program Coordinator for SASA. As Living Arts Coordinator, Mrs. Shaler combs the news and area agency networks for artists and speakers who can bring the Arts and Sciences and related careers alive for students at SASA.

Mrs. Shaler is also the facilitator for the SASA On-Line Learning Center (fondly known as "Space Camp") which offers countless courses on-line through the Michigan Virtual High School and other national university programs.

Mrs. Shaler's son Jacob is a high school Language Arts Concentration student at SASA. Her two daughters, Abbey and Molly, previously attended and graduated from the Language Arts Concentration.

Cindy Tennant
REAP Coordinator, Security Assistant
Mrs. Tennant joined the SASA staff in the fall of 2000, after having her own licensed day care from 1993 – 2000. Her postion at SASA is part time Security Assistant and part time REAP Coordinator. Mrs. Tennant coordinates all Community Education sports programs and extra-curricular activities offered at SASA through the REAP (Recreation, Enrichment and Athletics) Program. Mrs. Tennant is the Cheerleading Coach for middle school and high school and coordinates the SASA Wear line of clothing for our school. Mrs. Tennant keeps the player and games statistics for our middle school and high school boys and girls basketball and volleyball teams, and announces our games as well as working alongside her husband, Brian Tennant, who coaches the Varsity boys and girls basketball teams at SASA. Her daughter Shannon, a 2005 AHHS & SASA graduate, attended SASA as a 7th year Voice/Keyboard student, and is now in her Senior year at Olivet College, where she plays varsity basketball. Her son Ryan is a 2007 graduate of AHHS.

Dr. David Allan
Instructor
David Allan teaches high school Physics and Chemistry. He joins us after a career of academic and industrial research. Dr. Allan received his Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry and his Master of Science Degree in Macromolecular Science and Engineering from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio. He earned his Ph.D. in Polymer Science and Engineering from the University of Michigan. His research interests over the years have emphasized the chemistry and physics of materials, including electrically conductive plastics, materials for optical computers, gels for baby diapers, architectural coatings and coatings for paper, and biofuels.

Dr. Allan keeps active with a variety of hobbies. Currently, these include metalworking and SCUBA diving. He is married with two teenaged sons, both of whom are presently enrolled at SASA.

Dr. Allan has had a lifelong passion for sharing the wonders of science with others and is delighted to join the faculty of SASA.

Jean Marie Learman
Instructor
Jean Marie Learman graduated from Michigan Technological University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering. She then spent many years working as an engineer for IBM, Spicer Engineering and Ameritech, before returning to Saginaw Valley State University to obtain her teaching credentials in the early 1990's. She also possesses a Master's Degree in Education from SVSU. Prior to teaching at SASA, Ms. Learman was a Science 9/10 and Physics instructor at Saginaw High School.

Outside of school, Ms. Learman is a locally celebrated and talented musician and composer of music. She plays guitar, flute, whistles, and concertina, but her primary instrument is her voice. Ms. Learman has performed in many community theater productions - including Quilters, Fiddler on the Roof, and West Side Story. She performs in a Celtic band known as EQUINOX, and is a folksinger for many events. In 2003, she and her band helped to re-open the Temple Theatre in Saginaw with their performance in "Saginaw On Stage". She has two CDs with original music as a solo artist and three CDs with her band.

John Barnes
Instructor
John Barnes is a returning staff member at SASA in the fall of 2007. He is presently teaching high school Physics, middle school Science for grades 7 in SASA's morning Concentration blocks, and core Physical Science for grades 9-11.

Graduating from the University of Michigan Aerospace Program in 1989, Mr. Barnes worked in cellular phone development and manufacturing for Motorola Inc. in Chicago. After riding the incredible wave of growth that industry saw in the 90's, he moved on to computer development and manufacturing at Intel corporation in Seattle. Although his engineering career was successful and rewarding in certain ways (a patent in computer design among them), Mr. Barnes found it lacking in intrinsic meaning. He heard his second calling while in an elementary classroom for National Engineering Week.

Mr. Barnes went back to school in 2001 to be an educator, and received an ACE certificate from SVSU in 2002 after a year of student teaching at SASA. He worked at Arthur Hill until 2006, writing several successful grants that culminated in a new computer lab for that building, and coaching Science Quiz Bowl and Cross Country.

Mr. Barnes is currently pursuing his Master's Degree in Instructional Technology at SVSU and is involved in curriculum development for nanotechnology in a state-wide project. He is over the moon about coming home to this "august temple of learning" at SASA. We are very pleased he is back with us to stay.

Matthew H. Miller
Instructor
Mr. Miller received his Bachelor of Science degree from Alma College. He was a Graduate Teaching Assistant in General Biology and Zoology at Central Michigan University and a research assistant at the Children's Research Institute in Columbus, Ohio in the field of Molecular Biology. Mr. Miller currently teaches Science in the Math/Science Concentration program at both the middle school and high school level at SASA. His courses are Life Science/Biology, Advanced Placement (AP) Biology, and AP Environmental Science.

Rose Meister
Instructor
Mrs. Rose Meister is in both the High School English and Middle School Science departments at SASA. She has a Bachelor of Science in Biology and English from the University of Michigan in Flint, Michigan. She is currently pursuing her Chemistry minor at Saginaw Valley State University.

Prior to beginning her teaching degree, Mrs. Meister served as a Military Police officer and Combat Medic in the Army for seven years. Prior to teaching our students at SASA, Mrs. Meister worked in both alternative and traditional High Schools.

Mrs. Meister is a wife and proud mother of two, and loves to knit and read classic novels in any spare time she can find.

Sarah Swartz
Instructor
Sarah Swartz graduated from Georgia State University with a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Respiratory Therapy and worked for 10 years in the field with a neonatal specialty. She then attended Saginaw Valley State University to obtain her teaching credentials in science. She also earned her Master’s of Science Degree from the University of New England in Educational Leadership.

Sarah taught at the Saginaw Career Complex before coming to SASA to teach Physics and Chemistry. She is currently working in the classroom along with Dr. David Allan for these disciplines.

Sarah is a wife and a proud mother of two children. Her hobbies include reading, coaching volleyball and basketball, as well as attending the many sports her children play.

Stephen Tack
Instructor
Stephen Tack received his Associate's Degree for Delta College and his Bachelor's and Master's degrees from Central Michigan University. His major is Mathematics, and he has a minor in both Physical Science and Physical Education. His Master's degree is in Humanities.

Mr. Tack previously taught Math and Physics at Nouvel Catholic Central High School. Mr. Tack is deeply involved in SASA's award-winning Math and Science competitions and teams. He is a mentor for the FIRST Robotics Team 703 Team Phoenix at the Saginaw Career Complex. He also has a black belt in jujitsu and is active in Boy Scouts and the Order of the Arrow.

He is currently working on a second Master's Degree in Physical Education which will be finished the summer of 2007.