Hello! My name is Ellen Whitlock, and I’m so excited to join Tandem as the Art of Communication teacher for 1st through 6th grade. I absolutely love art and believe that every student is an artist. To me, art is more than just drawing or painting—it’s storytelling, creativity, and expression coming to life. I can’t wait to see the stories each child’s project will tell!

For the past 18 years, I’ve worked in childcare, and teaching has always been my passion. It’s truly a gift God has placed on my heart. I feel so blessed to be able to homeschool my children and even more grateful that they get to attend classes in person alongside fellow believers.

A little about me—I’m a Hershey’s chocolate-loving, Christmas-obsessed mama bear! I met my husband 18 years ago at church, and we were married in 2009. We’ve been blessed with four amazing boys: Jayden (13), Jaxon (11), Jasper (9), and our youngest, Jarrison (5). We live in Buckeye and attend Palm Valley Church.

In my free time, you’ll often find me at the baseball fields with my boys, drawing, watching movies, building Legos, or just enjoying time together as a family. One of our favorite traditions is heading up north to visit one of my favorite places—Bearizona! I could spend all day just watching the bears.

I thank God every day for the life He has blessed me with, and I am so excited for the year ahead. It’s going to be amazing!