Mrs. Vienna has been teaching preschool for the last five years at FA.  A normal day teaching the 1-year-old class involves lots of playing, crafts, painting and teaching Bible. Her favorite verse is Philippians 4:13, which says “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me”. After a long day of teaching the class of 2042, she enjoys going home and solving puzzles. When asked, her favorite part of the job is the way she interacts with the kids. 

Her advice to students is to behave and to follow your dream, while still putting God first. Her “role model” is the church community, because you can learn and grow with them. Because of the babies' inability to talk, Ms. Vienna’s biggest daily challenge is trying to understand what the babies are trying to say.

Sonia Batten

2-year-olds Lead Teacher

Ms. Sonia Batten has worked with the preschool for nineteen years. She currently works with the two-year-olds, which she seems to enjoy!

As a Christian herself, Ms. Sonia's favorite Bible verse is Luke 1:37; "For nothing will be impossible with God." She loves working at First Academy because the school shares her biblical worldview and value for family unity. 

Outside of school, Ms. Sonia enjoys going to the beach and playing with her puppies at home. She sees Jesus as her role model and says she hopes to be more kind and loving like Him. 

Ms. Sonia's goal/ambition is to touch the hearts of the children she works with and to know that they know Jesus and to make a difference in their lives. 

Hiedi Mancil

2-year-olds Lead Teacher

Mrs. Hiedi is teaching her first year at First Academy! Currently, she teaches the two year old class. A normal day of teaching for her looks like  "full of energy little ones." Mrs. Hiedi's favorite Bible verse is 1 Corinthians 1:27: "Instead, God has chosen  what is foolish in the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen what is weak in the world to shame the strong." This is her favorite verse because "God does not call the qualified, He qualifies the called!"

Her ultimate role model is Jesus. Mrs. Hiedi says she wants to be more like Him! Outside of the classroom, she loves spending time with her family, working in her yard, and shopping. Mrs. Hiedi's favorite park of working at FA is getting to come into the school everyday to "hopefully make a difference in a kids life!" Her advice to students is to "put God first, love people, [and] be kind!" 

Ultimately, her goal is to make a difference in a child's life so they can see Jesus in her.     

 Ms. Molly teaches the 3-year- old class here at FA, and has been teaching for 6 total years. A normal day in the teaching life is usually busy up until recess, since they move every ten minutes. Currently they are teaching about the five senses and base all of their science on the Bible. Her favorite scripture is Romans 12:2, because it teaches us not to conform to the ways of the world but to be transformed by a renewed mindset. Her favorite part of working at this establishment is the fact that she can meet new kids every year, while watching them grow. Her advice to her students is to never cheat, because if you were to go to college you wouldn’t know anything because you cheated.

After teaching her class, Miss Molly reclines and enjoys crochet and playing with her pets, all while dabbling in some painting. Growing up, Miss Molly’s role model was her mom because she is a good Godly woman. Her favorite animal is a butterfly because in Spanish, it’s name is “mariposa” and she thinks the name is pretty. Her biggest daily challenge is staying awake, and staying patient with her students.

Mary Torpea

Three-year-olds Lead Teacher

Mrs. Mary has been working for FA for nine years. She teaches three-year-olds with Mrs. Beverly. Her favorite part about working for First Academy is the Christian environment. Her biggest challenge during school is when students do not listen; she says it can throw off and disturb the whole class.

She claims 2 Corinthians 5:7 as her favorite scripture. It has helped her endure plenty of personal trials. 

Ms. Danielle has been teaching at First Academy for three years. Her favorite scripture is Philippians  4:13. She says it reminds her that she can get through anything and that God is her strength. Her favorite thing about teaching at First Academy is her ability to share her passion for teaching and get to be with the children. She says that her biggest challenge is not falling or hurting herself in some way.  

When asked about her role model, she confided that it is her mama. She says that her mom never gives up, no matter what. Her favorite activities outside of school are riding ATV's, traveling, hunting , and fishing. Her favorite animal is horses because of their majesty. Her biggest ambition is to be a positive role model and make a positive impact in the world.  

Amanda Stinson

Three-year-olds Teacher

Mrs. Amanda has been teaching at FA for five years, but is currently the teacher of the 3-year-old class here at FA. her favorite scripture is Philippians 4:13 because it tells us how we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us. 

A normal day for Mrs. Amanda is “organized chaos” all while still having time for fun activities and teaching the BIble everyday. She enjoys spending time with family outside of school, as well as being outside and enjoying nature. Her most valued trait about working at a Christian school such as FA is the fact that she can teach Jesus everyday, with no chance of backlash. Her advice to students is to be patient and kind to everyone. 

Her role model is her mom, because she continues to inspire her daily. Her biggest goal in life is to leave a positive impact on the world. And her favorit e job that she’s had is being a mom.

Mrs. Barbaree works in the 3-year-old class and has been working at First Academy for a year. Her favorite scripture is Matthew 7:7 "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened for you."

Though she loves working at First Academy, Mrs. Barbaree says her biggest daily challenge is when the children get upset. She says it makes her sad to see them like that. On the bright side of things, Mrs. Barbaree's biggest ambition is to continue to teach kids and to share God's word. 

Outside of school, Mrs. Barbaree loves spending time with her family and enjoys swimming. Her favorite part of working at First Academy is the Christian atmosphere, her fellow staff members, and the students! 

Mrs. Barbaree's role models are her parents, Earl and Faine Watkins, because they taught her about God as she was brought up. Her favorite animal is puppies, because they're just so cute! 

Mrs. DeLaina has worked at First Academy for eight years as a 3-year-old and PreK lead teacher.  Her favorite thing about working at First Academy is that she gets to share the gospel with students and their families. Her biggest daily challenge at school is "handling every situation in a godly manner and remembering they're just kids."  

Her greatest role model is her father because he taught her principles to live by. He always told her that there were two types of people in this world: doers and dreamers, and he told her that she could be a doer through hard work.  He also taught her to never give up when  she's down and to get up and go another round.  Mrs. DeLaina's favorite Bible verse is Isaiah 43:2-3, "2 When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. 3 For I am the LORD thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour: I gave Egypt for thy ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for thee." She likes these verses because they remind her that no matter what you are going through, the Lord is with you and He is always faithful! 

Outside of school, Mrs. DeLaina enjoys thrifting. She says that it's therapeutic and fun. She likes seeing the treasure in what people see as trash. Her favorite animal, although she has no pets, is a dog because they are sweet and loyal. Her favorite place to vacation is the beach. She loves going to Hilton Head and Destin with her family. Mrs. DeLaina's biggest ambition is to make sure her children make it to Heaven and to reach as many people as she can!

Mrs.Mindy has been a teacher here at First Academy for the last three years and a public school teacher for 32 years. A day in the life of Mrs. Mindy usually involves giving her students a devotion and teaching them about the letter of the week. Next, her class goes to P.E., Bible class, lunch, their first recess, then they have reading and rotation groups, followed by math and art or music. They finish their day with another recess. Mrs. Mindy’s favorite Bible verse is Joshua 1:9-10 because it says not to fear or be anxious about anything because God is with us through everything. 

Her favorite part about working at FA would be the freedom to share God and Jesus with her co-workers and students. Her advice to students is to not be a teacher. After a long day of teaching, she enjoys reading a book and spending time with her grandchildren. Her role model is her mother, because she is very close to God and she is a good Bible teacher. Her favorite animal is a Great Dane, because it is a very gentle and loyal animal. Her biggest daily challenge is getting up in the morning, but at school her biggest challenge is not knowing what the day will bring.

Ms. Ashley has been working at  First Academy since March of 2016 and she can only describe her time here as "Nine wonderful years!" She says one of her favorite things about working at First Academy is that she loves her work and who she works with. To Ms. Ashley, First Academy always felt like a family.

This teacher's biggest daily challenge during school is staying on schedule. Time management is not one of her biggest strengths,  but she is certainly working on it! Another thing Ms. Ashley works on is the naps she takes after a long day's work of teaching, tutoring, and watching kids in her Aftercare. 

Ms. Ashley's favorite animal is a dog because of their loyalty and forgiveness. Dogs have a good sense of people's emotions and love to accompany their owners in every way, which is another reason Mrs. Ashley loves them!

Ms. Ashley's biggest ambition is to be the best role model she can for the children she teaches and her own kids at home. Speaking of role models, she says she has so many people who've impacted her life and guided her to be a better person that she can't choose just one. But of course, Jesus is at the top of the list! Her favorite Bible verse is Philippians 4:6-7.

Marilyn Commins

Media Specialist

Mrs. Marilyn is the media/reading specialist for the entire elementary school, and a day normally includes having several classes brought to the library to read a book, then they choose a book from the library; she also teaches 5th graders about writing four days a week. After a long day of teaching, she enjoys to lay back and read and do crafts, but recently has expanded to working with resin. Overall, working here at FA, the staff and administration are amazing, but working with the kids is her favorite. 

Her advice to her students is just to read books, to make time every day to sit down and read. It calms your mind, encourages you to think, and helps you to keep learning. She has been a dedicated teacher since 1989, when she had her own classroom in New York. After moving around schools and grades, she has been teaching at First Academy for ten years now. Mrs. Marilyn loves all animals, but her favorite are dogs, because she’s had them as pets her entire life, and because they are sweet and loyal companions. 

As you would expect from a librarian, when I asked her what her favorite book was, it was a difficult question. She loves to read the Bible, A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, any of Johnathan’s Cahn’s books, and several children’s books. Her biggest ambition is to someday write and publish a book.

Kayla Pridgen

1st Grade Teacher

A typical day for Mrs. Kayla begins with a devotion that intertwines God with science, followed by engaging activities in phonics and math, using manipulatives to explore the world around us. She cherishes Proverbs 27:1: “Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring.” Outside of school, Mrs. Kayla enjoys cross-stitching, reading, and spending quality time with her cats.

Her favorite aspect of working at FA is the opportunity to share God’s love with her students and incorporate a biblical worldview into her lessons. Her advice to students is simple: Always strive to give your best. “If you have 100% to give, give 100%, but if you only have 60% to give, give 60%.” Throughout her life, her mother has been her greatest inspiration, exemplifying the qualities of an exceptional woman, Christian, teacher, and friend.

Mrs. Kayla’s favorite book is Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus by Mo Willems. She adores cats for their cuddly nature and independence. Ultimately, her ambition is to be a teacher who leaves a lasting impact on her students.

Mrs. Alissa has been teaching overall for 19 years with seven of those being at FA. A usual day for her looks like teaching second graders. While it is usually very busy, there is generally time to add a little fun to most days. Mrs. Alissa loves teaching at FA because she "[loves] the atmosphere of FA. The students, the staff, and parents make it a pleasant experience."

Her favorite scripture is Matthew 7:12. Mrs. Alissa hopes to raise her sons to be kind, compassionate, and successful Christian men. Overall, her advice to students is this: "Always show love and kindness as Jesus taught us. If everyone followed the golden rule, our world would be a much better place."

Mrs. Cherie has been teaching at FA for six years—teaching overall for 30 years! A typical day for her consists of "opportunities to learn, grow, share, make mistakes..., build relationships, trust God, and have fun," all while learning the skills of ELA, math, history and science. Outside of school, Mrs. Cherie enjoys outdoor activities and spending time with her family.

Her favorite aspect of working at FA is the opportunity to share her faith freely with her students. Mrs. Cherie also enjoys working in an environment that is spirit- led. In giving advice to students, it's simple: "Always do your best!"

Her favorite book is the Bible—her favorite verse is Proverbs 4:13. Overall, Mrs. Cherie's role model is Jesus because He is the "perfect model."

Ms. Cheyenne is a dedicated educator who has been teaching here at First Academy for the past five years. She brings passion, laughter, and love to her classroom, creating a learning environment where students feel like part of a family. As the first graders' teacher, her favorite thing about her job is having the opportunity to openly teach and praise God with her students, harboring both academic growth and spiritual development.

Outside of school, Ms. Cheyenne enjoys spending her time hunting, fishing, and watching  GA Bulldogs football. She's also a fierce competitor, often hosting family game nights. When it comes to her favorite animal, she has a soft spot for otters; those adorable little creatures never fail to make her smile.

Ms. Cheyenne believes that it's important for students to know their worth and not let others' perceptions define them. She’s inspired by her parents, especially her mother, Dr. Wooten, who instilled in her the importance of hard work and aligning her actions with her words.

As a lover of books, Ms. Cheyenne enjoys reading dystopian, science fiction, and mystery genres. Her all-time favorite books include Harry Potter and The Hunger Games.

Her biggest ambition is to continue growing in her faith, be a loving mother, and live a life of happiness. And as for her career? Ms. Cheyenne wouldn't trade her job at First Academy for anything; it's her favorite role yet.

Mrs. Holliday is the middle school ELA teacher and has been faithful to her job teaching for 23 years, six at First Academy! A day of teaching for Mrs.Holliday usually starts with her entering the school with a bag of schoolwork in one hand and a smoothie in the other. Then she starts her homeroom class with a devotion and prayer time. Her classes for the day are  6th, 7th, and 8th grade ELA, all while teaching Georgia studies for the 8th grade class until lunch. In the afternoon she teaches a student one-on-one.  

Her favorite part about working here is that she can teach from a biblical perspective all while working with amazing teachers. Her advice to her students is to "remember that you all are loved and understood by your Heavenly Father more than anyone else. "

Her favorite scripture is Philippians 4:6-8, which reminds her that God gives her peace when she prays and turns over her anxious thoughts to him and then thinks of things that are worthy, true, and pure. Her hobbies outside of school usually include playing the piano and singing, traveling the world, and spending time enjoying puzzles and vocabulary games. 

Mrs. Holliday's role model growing up was her mom, because she showed great courage to face multiple challenges in her life; she also worked as a nurse until she was 84 years old. Her biggest ambition is to leave a legacy of pointing others to Christ. C.T. Studd once said   “Only one life, ‘twill soon be past; only what’s done for Christ will last.”

Sandy Davis

Middle School Science 

Mrs. Page has an afternoon work day of 11:30-2:45. She teaches three classes: 5th, 6th, and 7th grade math. Her favorite thing about working at FA is the students! She has over 30 years in education, and she says that it's her favorite job of any she's had. Her biggest daily challenge is signing in, because she always forgets.

Like Mrs. Katie, Mrs. Page hails from Creole country--Louisiana. She attended school at the University of New Orleans and SLU of Hammond, Louisiana. Her favorite animal is a bunny and her favorite color is pink. 

Mrs. Page's advice to students is to love like Jesus. Her favorite Bible verse is Psalms 46:10: "Be still and know that I am God."

Paul Scheeser, our much-loved upper school history teacher, is known by his students for always starting his day with a banana and some hot coffee before his lessons. Mr. Scheeser's favorite part of the Bible is Acts, because of the well-displayed growth of the early church. 

When Mr. Scheeser is away from the school environment, he loves spending his free time collecting watches, wood working, and making improvements on his house. He is extremely passionate when it comes to helping his students find themselves, following a biblical worldview and investing his time in their lives to better improve their education. His role model has been his mom because of her selflessness and strength she showed, all while having a full plate. 

As an experienced teacher, Mr. Scheeser started off his journey at SGSC and continued teaching at FA and at CMS----although in all his teaching experience, if he had to choose an all-time favorite job, it would be when he was working as a college advisor at SGSC because of his love for helping people find what they are passionate about. 

When asked about what his favorite animal, Mr. Scheeser said it had to be a brachiosaurus because of his love for the famous movie Jurassic Park that he enjoyed watching as a kid. Everyone knows Mr. Scheeser absolutely loves football and his favorite colors are also the colors of the Pittsburgh Steelers, yellow and black. He finds that on a daily basis, he is trying to teach his students the importance of respect and believes that if they find that, it provides a positive impact in their lives.

Dr. Wooten is our High School ELA teacher here at First Academy with over 30 years of experience. She currently teaches 9th-10th grade English and facilitates The Lion's Pen at First Academy. Her typical morning is split between a 60-minute class of juniors, seniors, and freshmen, and then an ELA class with those freshmen.

One of Dr. Wooten’s favorite things about First Academy is the close, family-like environment. After teaching in public schools for so many years, she enjoys the deeper connections she can build with students here. She says the students at First Academy are a "different caliber" and she loves being part of their growth.

Outside of school, Dr. Wooten enjoys writing books about her family’s history, making crafts, and traveling. She has traveled to Europe twice and hopes to see more of the U.S. She is inspired by her oldest sister, who taught her the value of hard work, and she shares this wisdom with her students.

Rose Suttles

H.S. Science Teacher

Andrea Gray

High School Math Teacher

Mrs. Gray is a dedicated teacher with 23 years of classroom experience. She currently teaches 8th grade pre-algebra and 10th grade geometry, making complex concepts fun and accessible to her students.

Outside of her classroom, Mrs. Gray enjoys reading, traveling, and spending time with her loved ones, including her puppy and grandchildren. Her favorite scripture, Isaiah 40:28-31, reminds her of God's power and love, and she often reflects on its one message.

As a teacher, Mrs. Gray advises her students to build good habits in all areas of life. She says her parents are her role models, and she strives to follow their example of service to Christ and others. She believes in the importance of perseverance and trust in God's plan.

Mrs. Gray's favorite color is blue, which reflects her calm and gentle spirit. Her biggest ambition is to glorify God and ensure that her grandchildren know Jesus.

Tressa LeBrocq

Reading Specialist

Mrs. Tressa is the reading specialist for K-4th grade. As of now, this is her first year at First Academy. When at FA, her day looks like "smiling faces and pure joy." One of her favorite jobs she had was being a reading intervention teacher. Overall, her favorite thing about First Academy is our amazing staff.

Mrs. Tressa's advice to students is "you don't have to know everything, but you do have to try." Her favorite Bible verse is Proverbs 3:5-6. It serves as a good reminder to everyone to trust God through all things, even when it seems impossible.

Outside of school, Mrs, Tressa loves reading, writing, and spending time with her family. One day, she hopes to be a published author. 

Coach Josh has been a gym teacher at First Academy for a year and a half. A normal day on the job for Josh Fletcher usually consists of setting up for his classes of the day, then doing maintenance and teaching his classes of the day. Some of his after school hobbies include basketball, music, and listening to podcasts. 

His favorite Bible verse is Matthew 6:33, because it promises that God will provide during good and bad times. His favorite thing about working at First Academy is learning how the kids learn, and getting to know them. His advice for the students here is to not get overly competitive, and remember that it is just a game. Josh's role model was his great grandma, since she helped strengthen his relationship with Jesus, but his biggest daily challenge is getting his students invested into his classes and exercise.

Ms. Sarah is an athletic director and school counselor. A normal day in the life of Ms. Sarah begins with her working on details for all of FA’s sports and helping out with PE classes. Then, as a counselor, she is always on the lookout for scholarship opportunities for the seniors, while still managing her time to have one-on one-sessions with other students with specific needs. Every now and then Ms. Sarah visits classrooms to do activities that involve scripture and a moral lesson. After all that work, she likes to relax by reading, watching movies, and being outdoors.

Her favorite thing about working here is that she can do everything centered around Christ. She also loves that everyday is different, and that it is never boring around here. The advice she would give to students is to pray constantly, to make your relationship with Jesus your # 1 priority, and to find joy even in the little things. 

Her role model growing up was her mom because she shows kindness to everyone, works hard, and is dedicated to her relationships with Christ. Her favorite animals are dogs because they are loyal companions and can love and be loved unconditionally. Her biggest goal in life is to be a Christ-like example to others.

Justin Thomas

Music/Drama Teacher

Mr. Thomas is teaching his first year at First Academy! Currently, he teaches music to grades K-12 and has had several years of experience leading worship and choir. His favorite scripture is Proverbs 3:5-6: "Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding; in all your ways know him, and he will make your paths straight." Mr. Thomas's role model is Jesus; "There is no one greater."  For him, a regular day of teaching looks like "herding cats---musical ones."

Outside of school, Mr. Thomas enjoys playing golf. His main goal in life is to  teach others to praise God through music. As a teacher,  Mr. Thomas advises his students to "do justly, love mercy, and walk [humbly] with your God."

Mrs. Christy is starting her first year teaching at First Academy after 31 years in public schools. A normal day of teaching is a little crazy---Mrs. Christina teaches high school, kindergarten, first grade, middle school, and elementary school.  She says, "It is a little mind bending." Her favorite Bible verse is Isaiah 43:1, "Really the whole chapter, but who could hate knowing that you belong to the one most high and that you are never alone?"

Her favorite part of working at FA so far is how supportive all the students are to their fellow classmates. Mrs. Christina's advice to students is this: "No success ever comes without a little bit of failure. We learn from our mistakes, and we can't learn if we don't try, YET is a word of extreme hope and promise." After a long day of teaching she loves to spend time with her own children and her grandchildren. Mrs. Christina also enjoys sewing, drawing, painting, and doing yard work.  Being well traveled, she speaks a little of a lot of different languages; she also enjoys her time in the sunshine.

Her role models are her mother and paternal grandmother. Mrs. Christina says they loved to learn and read; they both have always encouraged her creativity and what makes her unique. During class, she loves breaking out into characters or song when a student reminds her of song lyrics. Ultimately, Mrs. Christina hopes to one day to "move back to the mountains of my youth, and to be closer to my grand kids."