Our Story
Kayla Phipps
Born and raised in Arizona, I graduated from Kellis High School before attending Arizona State University, where I earned a Bachelor's degree in Elementary Education. I later went on to earn a Master's degree in Teacher Leadership and Curriculum Instruction.
With these degrees, I have pursued my passion for teaching and guiding children through their early years of development. I have experienced both traditional public-school teaching and microschool education, which has given me a unique perspective and equipped me to navigate the many challenges young learners may present. These experiences have helped shape my growth mindset and reinforced my belief that, with the right support, encouragement, and care, every child is capable of success.
In my personal time, I enjoy exercising, hiking, growing in my faith, reading, swimming, and spending time with friends and family. I am the proud mother of three beautiful children and love watching their curiosity and personalities flourish. I am married to a marvelous husband who has been by my side for 20 years. My family means everything to me, and they inspire me every day. I am a charismatic, enthusiastic, passionate, and sometimes goofy mom who loves helping children learn and grow. I cannot wait for you to join our little microschool family!
Richard Phipps
Born in Arizona, I traveled throughout the United States while growing up. Sports have always been a constant in my life, from playing ice hockey in Ohio and Michigan to basketball and football in Arizona. Athletics have provided an outlet for relieving stress, building friendships, and developing lifelong skills.
In the last few years, I have been blessed with the opportunity to begin coaching and volunteering at my local church. Through these experiences, I rediscovered my passion and love for sports. While it is rewarding to see kids succeed, I feel even more privileged to help them grow through failure. Sports provide a valuable opportunity to teach young athletes respect, resilience, and perseverance when they do not achieve their goals or experience the outcomes they hoped for. Being able to guide and encourage them during those moments is a blessing that I have gladly embraced.
In my free time, I enjoy spending time with my three amazing kids: Elli-Rose, Arlo, and Olan. We enjoy everything from hiking, working out, and swimming to watching movies and playing video games together. When time permits, we also tackle Mom's "honey-do" list as a team. My family is my guiding light, and I wouldn't know what to do without them.
Our Vision & Values
Empowerment
Bold Stripes Academy and Athletics empowers students and athletes to face challenges head on, building self confidence, critical thinking skills, and the ability to take control of any situation.
Integrity
Integrity is the commitment to act with honesty, trust, fairness, respect, and responsibility in all educational pursuits. This is applies to both the classroom and on the field.
Growth
Helping students thrive through a growth mindset means teaching them that intelligence and abilities can improve through effort, resilience, and proper strategies. This also applies to athletes learning to overcome short falls and grow through failures
Discovery
At BSA & Athletics, we foster a discovery-based learning environment where curiosity leads the way. Through exploration, hands-on experiences, critical thinking, and real-world problem-solving, students actively construct their own understanding.
Community
We strive to create an environment where every student-athlete feels a genuine sense of belonging, acceptance, and purpose. Through meaningful relationships, collaboration, mutual encouragement, and shared experiences, students learn to support one another while growing as individuals.