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Melissa ("Missy") Benton
4th grade English, 4th grade Social Studies
Missy joined our faculty in 2010. She has a BS in Child Development and Learning from Trevecca Nazarene University, as well as more than 6 years of elementary teaching experience. Her husband, Randal, is the Administrative Pastor at Crossroads Tabernacle in Fort Worth. They have two children; Brady, a 3rd grader here, and 5-year-old Jackson.
"It is a blessing and an honor for me to be a teacher at this quality and Christ-centered institution, Grace Preparatory Academy. I am excited to be working with students and parents who, like me, share a love for Jesus Christ."
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Lisa Bullington
6th grade English, 6th grade Social Studies
Elementary English/Social Studies Department Head
Lisa began teaching at Grace in 2003. She has a BA in English from the University of Texas at Arlington, as well as elementary education certification. She and her husband Paul have three children, all who currently attend Grace. Sam is in the 10th grade, Maggie is in the 7th grade, and Claire is in the 5th grade.
“Grace Preparatory Academy is a wonderful combination of home and school for me as both a mom and a teacher. It provides a learning environment focused on strong academics with Christ as the core. I feel blessed to be a part of it.”
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Barbara Curreri
1st and 2nd grade Art
(also oversees Academic Enhancement and assists with Kindergarten P.E.)
Barbara joined our faculty this 2011-12 school year. She has a BA in elementary education (with a minor in child development) from Arizona State University. After homeschooling all six of their children at one point or another, she and her husband Charlie chose Grace Prep for their family and have been actively involved in our student body ever since. Her daughters Hannah and Bekah graduated from Grace and are now married (Bekah married a GPA graduate!). Their son Caleb is also a GPA graduate and is currently a student at Texas Christian University. Their youngest three children, Jacob (a senior), Sam (an 8th grader) and Lydia (a 2nd grader), all currently attend here.
“At Grace Prep, you can really know the students and be known by them. Grace Prep is like family...in the good sense!”
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Kim Driggers
3rd grade Science
Webmaster
Kim began teaching at Grace in 2008. She has a BA in journalism (with a minor in marketing) from Baylor University and an MA in English (technical writing emphasis) from the University of North Texas. She and her husband David have three children, all of whom attend Grace. Clay is a freshman, Matthew is in the 6th grade, and Caroline is in the 4th grade.
“Grace Prep is the perfect “home away from home” school. With the wonderful combination of caring teachers, creative classroom learning, loving Christian reinforcement, and more time at home, my family loves it here, and I feel doubly blessed to be co-teaching with like-minded parents in such a positive place.”
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Emily Gordon
5th grade Math
Elementary Spanish
After working as the lunch/study hall monitor for 3rd and 4th grade in the spring of 2011, Emily joined our faculty for the 2011-12 school year. She has an AA in psychology from Tyler Junior College, and a BA in both modern languages and history from Texas A&M. She has completed coursework in ESL and holds secondary certification in Texas. She taught Spanish and US History in public school (Euless Junior High) for 8 years. She and her husband Glenn have two children, both in their second year at Grace Prep. Evan is a 4th grader and Adam is a 2nd grader.
"Grace Prep has been a blessing to our family and now I am blessed to be a part of that family. I love watching the Lord work through the staff, faculty, and students at GPA."
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Sandi Kunasek
4th grade Math and 5th grade Social Studies
Sandi joined our faculty in 2010. She has a BA in elementary education from the University of Arkansas. She taught in public school systems and has ten years of experience teaching her own children in our university model setting. She and her husband Greg have four children attending Grace Prep.
"It has been a joy to partner with Grace Prep in teaching our children. With Christ as the center of each day and wonderful parents sharing in the learning process, I am grateful to be a part of the teaching team at GPA."
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Suzy Lindem
3-6th grade Art, 7-12th grade Art and Pottery, Spanish 1
Elementary and Secondary Fine Arts Department Head
Elementary and Secondary Foreign Language Department Head
Suzy began teaching at GPA in 1996. Her children Scott, Jenny, and Katie all graduated from Grace in ‘99, ‘01, and ‘04, respectively. Suzy majored in Spanish and minored in art at Fort Lewis College in Durango, Colorado. She has ESL (English Second Language) certification. She also has her WSI (Water Safety Instructor) certification and enjoys teaching swimming in the summer.
“One of the main reasons I love teaching at Grace is the people…not just the staff, which is great, but the students as well. They make teaching a joy!”
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Donna MacKenzie
3rd grade English and Social Studies
Donna began teaching at Grace in 2008. She has a BA in child psychology from Bryan College (Dayton, TN). She and her husband Brian have four boys, three of whom attend Grace. Kevin is a senior, Adam is in the 8th grade, and Seth is in the 6th grade. Her oldest son Jesse graduated from Grace in 2010 and is a sophomore at UT Arlington.
“I enjoy helping students realize how incredibly special they are to God. I love the freedom I have at Grace to put Christ at the center of everything I teach.”
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Christy Meinecke
Kindergarten
Christy began teaching at Grace in 2009. She holds a BS in education from Howard Payne University. She also has 1st-6th grade certification. Christy has taught on the elementary level for six years. Five of the six years have been spent teaching kindergarten. She and her husband Dale (our Dean of Students) have two children, both attending Grace Prep. Claire is in kindergarten and Katie is in the 4th grade.
"As a parent, Grace Prep Academy has given our family an opportunity to be uniquely involved in the education of our daughters, Katie and Claire. As a teacher here, I feel equally blessed to take part in the development of the minds and hearts of the other students; after all, children are our most prized gift from God. "
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Nancy Offutt
1st grade Academic Block
Nancy taught language arts for five years in local public schools before joining us in 2006. She has a BS in speech communication from the University of Texas at Austin and certification in K-12 special education. She also has 1 ½ years of additional early literacy training. She and her husband Gary have two children who both attend Grace. Carter is a sophomore and Morgan is in the 8th grade.
“I love working with students who love to learn and parents who love to help their kids learn. Plus, I have some of the cutest kids in school.”
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Dana Parkhurst
6th grade Math and Science
7th grade History
Elementary Math/Science Department Head
Dana began teaching at Grace in 2005. She and her husband Keith have one son in high school here at GPA. She holds a BS and ME in education, both from Stephen F. Austin State University. She also has ESL (English Second Language) certification. With 17 years’ teaching experience and three years as a children’s minister, Dana is a tremendous asset to our school.
“Teaching at Grace provides a place to train and teach children in a loving,
Christian environment with exceptional academic standards.”
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Kathryn Peck
5th grade English and Science
After teaching 4th grade for five years in public school, Kathy began teaching at Grace in 2006. Kathy has a BS in education (with specialization in reading instruction) from Baylor University. She also has additional teaching certification, including elementary self-contained (grades 1-8) and elementary reading (grades 1-8). Her practical experience includes eight years home schooling and 14 years teaching Sunday school, AWANA, and other children’s programs at church. She and her husband David have three children. Emily graduated from Grace in 2011 and is currently a freshman at Texas A&M University. Hannah, a freshman, and Sarah, a 7th grader, are both students here.
“I enjoy teaching at GPA because I get to teach in a Christian atmosphere where I can join my students in worshipping God through our learning.”
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Debbie Ruhde
Elementary P.E. (K thru 6th grade)
After-school Tae Kwon Do program
After six years of teaching and coaching at another school, Debbie began teaching at Grace in 2002. She has a BA in physical education (for K-12) and a BS in psychology, with a minor in German, from the University of Texas at Arlington. She is a 4th degree Black Belt in Tae Kwon Do, which she has been teaching since 1991. She has also been a swim instructor every summer since 1990. She and her husband Phil have three children, two of whom have graduated from GPA and are now in college. Their youngest, Landon, is still in high school here at Grace.
“I enjoy watching the children participate in physical and nutritional education; they are developing life-long habits for staying fit and healthy and having fun while doing it!”
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Kelley Sawyer
Kindergarten
Kelley joins our faculty this 2011-12 school year. She holds a BS in biology and and a BA in Spanish from the University of North Carolina (Wilmington). She has a teaching license and Texas certifications for early childhood through 4th grade (generalist) and 6th-12th grade Spanish. She taught elementary Spanish (K-4), pre-kindergarten, kindergarten, and third grade for five years at a Dallas private school prior to joining us here.
“I have always felt that the most important things for a successful school year are academic excellence, an emphasis on spiritual growth, and a solid partnership with parents. Those qualities define Grace Prep, and I am excited to be a part of it!"
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Barbara Wadley
3rd grade Math, 4th grade Science
Barbara has a BS in medical technology from the University of Texas at Arlington. She worked as an ASCP-certified medical technologist for 7 years before starting her family. She and Greg have four children, all of whom have attended or currently attend Grace. Reese and Alyssa graduated in 2009 and are now juniors at the University of Texas (Austin). Zach is a freshman, and Emily is in the 7th grade.
“I love teaching at Grace because the school is just as committed to encouraging students’ faith and building good moral character as it is with teaching strong academics. I also enjoy partnering with the wonderful community of committed parents we have here.”
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Angela Walraven
2nd grade Academic Block
Angela began teaching at Grace in 2008, but her family has been here for the past six years. Emily is a junior, Amanda is in the 8th grade, and Matthew is in the 5th grade. She holds a BA in history and English from Texas Tech University, and she has additional certification in secondary teaching. Before joining us here, she taught 7th and 8th grade English at a junior high in Lubbock, TX.
”Teaching at Grace allows me to combine my two greatest passions: being a stay- at-home mom and teaching children.”
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Lori Walsh
5th and 6th grade Journalism
High School Yearbook
Lori began teaching at Grace in 2002. She has a BS in occupational therapy from the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston. She also home schooled her children for 6 years and has taken courses in yearbook design and development through Taylor Publishing. She and her husband Frank have two children, Elizabeth and James. Elizabeth is a 7th grader here.
“I love to empower the students to pursue developing student publications that chronicle their history as well as Grace’s history. As a teacher, I am continually challenged to learn more so that I can encourage my students to achieve better and more cutting edge publications that accurately reflect the student body and faculty at Grace.”
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