Meet our Lake Zurich Tutoring Staff

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Great Teachers Inspire

Our tutors and staff in Lake Zurich consist of passionate educators who love inspiring children to succeed. Warm, caring and great at relating to kids, our tutors in Lake Zurich know how to engage and motivate each child in a personal way—building confidence and smiles, as well as skills and better scores. We selectively choose tutors who know local curriculum and can link Sylvan lessons to what’s being taught in school. Get to know our tutors and staff in Lake Zurich!

  • Ken Frysztak, Center Director/Owner

    Ken Frysztak

    Center Director/Owner

    Ken has been in the education field since 1993. His passion for education dates back to tutoring kids in a Big Buddy program in the ‘80’s. “Once I saw the difference an individualized approach can have on a child’s learning, I knew I would work in education in some capacity!”   After 20+ years with different tutoring organizations, Ken was attracted to Sylvan based on it’s reputation, people and innovation. Sylvan’s recent investment in an iPad driven educational platform for delivering instruction is unique in the tutoring world, and allows for the optimal integration of a high-touch, teacher-driven learning experience and a high-tech, digital environment that fuels results.   Ken’s undergraduate degree is from the University of Notre Dame, and he has a Masters from Harvard University. When not at Sylvan, you can find him shuttling his three children around Barrington, coaching one of their teams, or playing softball (not quite retired yet!)
  • Cassidy Evans, Education Director

    Cassidy Evans

    Education Director

    Cassidy graduated from DePaul University with a BS in Elementary Education and minors in Applied Psychology and French. She went on to teach 2nd grade for five years at a dual-language school. Cassidy joined the Sylvan team in 2016 as a part-time teacher, and in 2018 she became a full-time Education Director at the Lake Zurich center. Cassidy's favorite thing about working at Sylvan is watching her Sylvan students grow their academic self-confidence. She says, “Not only do we teach the kids how to read and solve math problems, but we also teach them to believe in themselves”. When Cassidy is not at Sylvan, you can find her seeking adventure with her dog at the local forest preserves.
  • Laura, Education Director/Lead Teacher

    Laura

    Education Director/Lead Teacher

    Laura holds a BA in English/Secondary Education from Northeastern IL University and a MA in Environmental Studies with a concentration in Sustainable Development & Policy. She's been with Sylvan of Lake Zurich since January 2002 as a tutor, was interim Director at the Barrington center, and is a parent of a former Sylvan student. As Laura puts it, "I came to work for Sylvan because I know how effective the programs are. Sylvan taught my son the reading skills he needed to be successful." Laura teaches our reading, writing, math, study skills, ACT/SAT, and homework support programs.  When not at Sylvan, you can try to find Laura out in a forest preserve or up at her summer cabin in MI.
  • Christa , Teacher

    Christa

    Teacher

    Christa has taught middle school aged students for 27 years.  She has a B.S. in Elementary Education from Illinois State University with a minor in Psychology.  She also has middle school endorsements in Language Arts and Social Studies from National Louis University and 15 credit hours towards her Master's Degree.  She enjoys tutoring at Sylvan of Lake Zurich where she can utilize various techniques to help students achieve success.  Christa has been with Sylvan since 2013 and enjoys her time spent working with Sylvan students, especially in reading, writing, math, and study skills.
  • Susan S., Teacher

    Susan S.

    Teacher

    I have been with Sylvan Lake Zurich since 2005. I graduated from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign with a BSEE degree and I worked as an electrical engineer for 10 years. I tutor the Sylvan Math Essentials, Advanced Math, and Study Skills Programs. In addition, I provide homework support in Pre-Algebra, Algebra 1 and 2, Geometry, Trigonometry, Pre-Calculus, Statistics, and Finite Math. I also teach the Math and Science portion of the ACT Preparation Class. I greatly enjoy helping students realize their maximum potential in mathematics.
  • Kelly F, Teaching Assistant

    Kelly F

    Teaching Assistant

    Kelly started working at Sylvan while in high school and we are thrilled she stayed with us when she went off to college. She is currently a Junior attending Illinois State University studying Middle Level Education with endorsements in Math and English as a Second Language.  Kelly wears multiple hats while in the center: administering diagnostic or progress tests, teaching our STEM programs and homework support, as while as a host of other duties.  Kelly can be found in center while on breaks from school (winter, spring and summer), and when she's not at Sylvan, she enjoys time with family and friends while she takes a well deserved break from her studies.
  • Patricia, Teacher

    Patricia

    Teacher

    Patricia has been with Sylvan Lake Zurich since October 2019. She has a BS in Speech Communications and a MS in Exercise Physiology from UCLA. Patricia currently works full time at her private fitness studio during the days while teaching here during the evenings and weekends. She enjoys working with students of all ages and seeing them excel at learning. The Sylvan program has opened her eyes to what a great addition it can be to any student’s education.