Meet the Team

Melissa Stokke Larson joins the Virtual Preparatory Academy of Florida with nearly twenty years of experience in education. She started her career as a teacher in Duval County before making the shift to virtual education in 2012. Dr. Stokke Larson has served as a teacher, lead teacher, and school leader in the virtual setting. Most recently, she worked as a Proposal Writer for ACCEL schools where she helped to craft Virtual Preparatory Academy proposals for several states, including South Carolina, Wyoming, and New Mexico. Dr. Stokke Larson holds a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education from North Central College, a Master of Arts in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Alabama, and Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership and Policy from Florida State University.

As a school leader, Dr. Stokke Larson strives to inspire educators to feel empowered to try new instructional strategies, implement non-traditional procedures, and collaborate with families in ways that leverage the myriad of communication tools that are available to them. She hopes students feel connected to their school community, safe to express themselves, and comfortable taking risks in learning. Her wish is for families to choose Virtual Prep of Florida every year because it meets their children’s needs in academics, as well as social engagement and culture.

Dr. Stokke Larson lives in St. Augustine with her husband, Steve. They have four children, four dogs, and one grandson. When not working, you will find her walking the dogs, reading a book, or on the Peloton.

Dr. Amber Pennington now serves as the Assistant Principal for Virtual Preparatory Academy of Florida. She started her career in Duval County as a teacher where she serviced various student populations. One of the aspects she enjoyed witnessing in the classroom setting was students reaching the “light bulb” moment once a concept “clicked”. 

Dr. Pennington has served as a teacher, instructional coach, testing coordinator, and assistant school leader in the elementary and middle school settings. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education, Master of Arts in Human Resources Management/Management Leadership, and Doctor of Education in Leadership. This year, she strives to collaborate with teachers to ensure scholars receive rigorous and quality instruction which will keep them engaged and create a joyful virtual experience.

Dr. Pennington resides in Northeast Florida. In conjunction with her work as an educator, she is a licensed real estate agent in the state of Florida and a financial professional who focuses on life/health insurance, debt consolidation, estate planning, and finance education. When not working, she enjoys spending time with her family, traveling, and learning about financial literacy. 

Wendy Ross serves as the Operations Manager for Virtual Preparatory Academy of Florida. Wendy is an experienced virtual leader having served as Online Program Coordinator and Principal for Medford Online Academy, Vice Principal and Teacher for Oregon Virtual Academy, and an Advanced Math Teacher. Wendy holds a master’s degree in administration, a master’s degree in Secondary Education completed at the University of Phoenix, and a bachelor’s degree in biology from Southern Oregon University.

As School Operations Manager, Wendy plays an important role in developing and ensuring the day-to-day operations of our school, supporting our mission and vision to deliver quality education to students. Wendy has a broad oversight our school and works to ensure compliance with our policies and standards. She enables teachers and academic staff to focus on their primary objective to create an environment conducive to learning and growth.

Mrs. Ross resides in Central Florida with her husband and daughter. She enjoys the outdoors, traveling, and being creative!