Meet our 2015-2016 FBCA Faculty and Staff!
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Joanie Terrell, Preschool Administrative Assistant
I am Administrative Assistant/ Preschool. This will begin my second year in this position. I taught Preschool for 12 years and MDO for 3 years here at FBCA and have loved every minute. I have 3 sons, 2 of whom went to preschool here and 4 grandchildren who attend today. I love this school and it has been so exciting to see what God has done over the last 25 years! I am truly humbled that He allowed me to be apart of that and the privilege of pouring into the lives of children for so many years. |
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Alana Young, Curriculum Administrative Assistant
Alana is a seasoned Administrative Assistant with over 10 years experience. Having held positions in the Financial Management and Estate Planning field, she has extensive knowledge in Administration and Operations. Alana is confidently able to tailor those skills to meet the demands as Curriculum Assistant of First Baptist Christian Academy. Alana is thrilled to be a part of our team and is excited to see what The Lord has planned for our community and school. FBCA has been a blessing to her family for several years. The staff, students, and parents have played an important and crucial role in the life of her son. She feels it is such a blessing to be able to serve in a school that not only excels academically, but more importantly puts Jesus Christ first and foremost. |
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Denise Oubre, Program Director Mrs. Denise is a native of New Orleans, and has lived in Moss Bluff for the past 20 years. She has been married to her husband, Todd for 25 years. Together, they have 2 children. Chaz, who is a student at LA Tech, and Ali, who is currently a student of St. Louis. Both children attended FBCA. Denise graduated from Southeastern LA University with a BA in Communications/Public Relations. She has owned and instructed Denise's Swimming School for the past 18 years. Additionally, Mrs. Denise has taught Physical Education, here at FBCA, for over 11 years. |
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Niki Conrad, Kindergarten
I've taught at FBCA for 2 years. I have a Bachelors degree from McNeese in Early Childhood Education and an add on in Early Intervention. I choose to work at FBCA because I love that I can teach my students about Christ. I love that I can talk about Him in everyday conversations with my students. Our whole class is centered around Him and being Christ-like and treating others the way Christ would want us to treat them. We teach more than just academics that will last a lifetime. We teach things that will last for eternity. We help our students grow academically but most importantly they grow spiritually. I love that I can just stop what I'm doing and pray with a student who is scared, has a Bo-bo, or any need. If they come to me and ask we will pray about it. This job keeps me humble I can't imagine myself anywhere else. Also, I love the ABEKA curriculum. The students learn so much. They don't just get introduced to something then have to move on. My students get to master it because we are constantly reviewing new concepts. I love my job, my students, and our staff. Our students aren't the only ones who grow spiritually. Just being at the school surrounded by Christian teachers has made my walk strengthen. I am truly blessed to be able to teach at FBCA. |
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Shyla Palmer, Kindergarten
-Bachelor from McNeese State University in 2008 -Masters of Art in Teaching from McNeese State University in 2010 -LA certified to teach Prek-3, Grades 1-5, and Social Studies for Middle & High School This will be my third year at FBCA. I love teaching at a Christian school and being able to have meaningful discussions with my students and coworkers about God's love and forgiveness. It is a pleasure to be in a daily environment that encourages prayer, scripture, and praise. I love my school, and I have been blessed to work with some amazing individuals. It has been a true blessing to be able to teach young minds, and I look forward to seeing how my students grow and prosper throughout the years. Our ABEKA curriculum in kindergarten has been, by far, the most advanced and rewarding curriculum I have had the pleasure of teaching. I can not see myself teaching anywhere else. |
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Laura Parker, 1st Grade
I have been in the teaching field since 2008. I worked at Maplewood middle school for 5 years prior to joining the FBCA family. I received my Masters degree in art of teaching from Louisiana College in 2010. Teaching at FBCA is truly a ministry for me. I feel blessed that God entrusts me with the responsibility of sharing His word with His children. |
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Amber Bowles, 2nd Grade
My name is Amber Bowles, and I am excited for this upcoming school year. I will be teaching second grade for the 2015-2016 school year. I have been married for 12 years to my husband, Matthew, and we have two sweet boys, Ethan and Evan, who also attend FBCA. I received my Masters of Arts degree in Elementary Education in 2012. This will be my fourth year of teaching at FBCA. I enjoy teaching at this school so much because I get to see how God works in the lives of my students as well as our faculty. We pray for one another, discuss Christian values, and apply Biblical principles in our lessons all thorough out the school day. There is no other place where I would rather be, and I consider everyone at FBCA my family. |
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Julie Laughlin, 2nd Grade My name is Julie Laughlin. I am 36 years old and have been happily married to Marcus for 12 1/2 years. We have 2 children, Addisyn Claire age 8 and Tanner Jack age 6. I have lived in Moss Bluff most of my life and graduated from Sam Houston High school. I obtained a Bachelors Degree in Business and an Associates Degree in Computer Technology from McNeese State University. I feel truly blessed that God has opened the door for me to be a 2nd grade teacher at FBCA. I am so excited for the up coming school year and the opportunity to witness all the great things God has in store for the students of FBCA! Shelly Ralston, 3rd Grade I am excited for the opportunity to teach 3rd grade for the 2015-2016 school year! I grew up in Wichita, KS and received a Bachelors of Elementary Education from Wichita State University.I have been happily married to Jeff Ralston for 17 years this November and we have 4 children - Abigail, Nick, Luke and Levi ages ranging from 14 years to 3 months. I know God has great things in store for First Baptist Christian Academy for the upcoming school year and am very happy to be a part! |
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Miranda Vinson, 4th Grade
My name is Miranda Vinson. I have been happily married for 12 years and have two children, Caden and Brooklyn. This is my 9th year of teaching, and I absolutely love teaching 4th grade. I am currently pursuing my Master’s degree in Educational Leadership. I can honestly say that being at FBCA has been the best place for me and my children. I know that teaching is my calling, and I am so thankful I get to the opportunity to share God’s love with my students every single day while teaching them to be responsible and productive citizens of society. |
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Lara Riley, 5th Grade
This will be my fifth year at FBCA, and I love being part of the Eagle Family! I will have a 5th grade homeroom class, where we I will teach Bible, Reading, Handwriting, and Spelling. I will also teach language to all the 5th through 8th grade students this year. I hope to teach art and start a chess club with the middle school students. I received a BA in Art Education in 1991, but continue to learn more every year. I've taught in public and private schools, I have homeschooled, and been a director of an after-school program. I am originally from Jennings, and returned to Louisiana after my husband retired from the U.S. Army. I have a son at MBMS, a daughter at LSU, and three grown daughters. I also have seven grandchildren. I am thankful to share my days with the sweet students of FBCA, and look forward to a terrific year! Sarah Thornton, 5th Grade I'm currently one of the 5th grade teachers at FBCA and have been here since I graduated from McNeese in 2014. I have my bachelors degree in Elementary Education and have wanted to be a teacher my whole life. I chose to teach at FBCA because I wanted to be able to not only teach children, but guide them to be better Christians. I love being able to pray and talk about Jesus with my students. |
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Ashley Willis, 6th Grade
Hi! I am Ashley Willis and I will be the 6th grade homeroom teacher, as well as, the middle school Social Studies teacher. I am originally from Texas, but I married a Moss Bluff native and I have quickly fallen in love with this area. I graduated from Liberty University with my Masters of Arts in Teaching in 2011. I taught 5th grade for two years at Covenant Christian Academy in Houma, LA. My husband and I moved to Moss Bluff over a year ago and I choose to stay home to take care of our precious baby boy. I am anxious to get back into the classroom. Teaching is a chance to invest into the next generation. I am so thankful to be at a school where I can plant seeds of truth, scriptures and what it means to be a Christian into the next generation! I am looking forward to getting to know everyone and build new relationships and friendships! |
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Elaine Pullen, 7th and 8th Grade
I grew up in South Carolina where I met and married my husband of 43 years and earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Elementary Education from Clemson University. I have since made three other states my home where I have been blessed to touch the lives of many students. My classroom experience includes second grade in Seneca, SC, and then fifth grade in Albany, GA. When our sons were born, I stayed home to become a full time mother for seven years, but I kept in touch with youth by serving five years as a Junior and Senior High United Methodist Youth Fellowship leader. Upon my return to teaching, I taught sixth grade in Rock Hill, SC, at both Westminster Christian School and York County Public Schools. During this time I also earned a Master of Education degree from Winthrop University. Subsequently, I have taught fifth grade in Corpus Christi, TX, sixth grade math in Bay City, TX, eighth grade language arts in Wilmington, NC, and seventh and eighth grade math in Santa Fe, TX. Most recently I served as an Instructional Coach in Santa Fe Independent School District, allowing me the opportunity to work with teachers in improving their instructional strategies. The majority of my 35 years as an educator has focused on the empowerment and success of middle school students. As my husband and I have been led to Lake Charles, I am delighted that I will be teaching seventh and eighth grade math at First Baptist Christian Academy. I truly believe that we are all lifelong learners in both the classroom and God’s kingdom, and I am looking forward to the opportunity to share this belief with the students at FBCA. Seeing a child’s face light up when he finally “gets it,” hearing a child exclaim, “I can do it!”, or observing a child so excited about learning he is almost “bursting at the seams” is my profession, my passion, and my calling in life. |
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Jordy Stanley, Music
My name is Jordy Stanley, I am twenty two years old, and I will be teaching Pre-K through 8th grade music. I recently graduated from McNeese State University with a Bachelor's of Music Education with a concentration in Voice. My previous experience in working with children comes from the five and half years of working at the Children's Museum of Lake Charles. I also am involved in working with the Children's Ministry at my own church, Open Door Baptist, in Moss Bluff. I currently sing, play keyboard, and fill in for our music minister when needed. I have taught many children's bible studies, music classes, VBS, and summer camps. I have chosen to be a part of FBCA because I want to teach at a school in which I could not only teach music but minister to children through the music I teach. I look forward to beginning my first year of teaching music and the opportunity to impact the lives of my students. |
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Katy Young, Technology Coordinator/Librarian
I graduated from McNeese in 2007 with a Bachelor's in Elementary Education. This will be my 8th year of teaching, my 4th year at FBCA, and my second year as the Tech Coordinator/Librarian. I am also the person everyone calls when they have a computer problem! I enjoy the challenge of this position, and love the opportunity to teach children new and exciting things about using the computer. I am very excited about the wonderful technology opportunities we will have this year! I have two little boys, Beau and Trey. My husband Jared and I have been married for 7 years. He is the Technology Vice President at a credit union and helps me tremendously with my technology position! |
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Courtney Haynes, Spanish
Hello everyone! My name is Courtney Haynes (previously Merchant). This year at FBCA, I am thrilled to begin teaching Spanish classes in our school! Last year I taught 2nd grade at FBCA, which was also my first year to teach. I am a graduate of McNeese State University, where I earned my Bachelor's degree in both English and Spanish. FBCA provides a wholesome, Christ-like atmosphere for students and teachers alike, and I am so blessed to be a part of this special school. |
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Miranda Thibodeaux, PE
My name is Miranda Thibodeaux. I have taught at FBCA for 5 years now . I taught Physical Education at Hamilton for two years as well . This upcoming 2015 school year I will be teaching PE . I plan to implement SPARK curriculum into our elementary program . I also plan to implement Crossfit training into our middle school program . I am excited about starting a character kid program as well school wide ! I have three children (Carson, Conner, and Kinsey) who all attend school with me here at the academy . I look forward to teaching them all next year . I am married to Ryan Thibodeaux ( 13 years) who was a PE coach as well . |
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Kristen Osei, Nursery Teacher
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Lori Carlson, Nursery Aide
Welcome new Fbca family. My name is Lori Carlson and this will be my 7th year at Fbca.This year I'm blessed to work with the teacher's babies. I feel that caring for children and guiding their way is one of the ways I serve the Lord! Looking forward to another great year! |
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My Name is Kyla Martin. I'm married to Jacob Martin. Maddox is 8 years old and Mason is 5. This will be my fourth year at FBCA. I'm excited about working with 2 year olds. God has given me a heart for children and I love every minute of it. I'm so blessed to have the opportunity to take care of those babies. I'm looking forward to a wonderful year.
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Dena Fairchild- 3 Year Old Pre-K Teacher
Hello! My name is Dena Fairchild. My husband Eddie and I have been married for 33 years. We have one daughter and son-in-law, and a beautiful granddaughter. I have been in the Early Child Development field for over twenty years. I'm ABEKA certified and have attended numerous educational workshops throughout the years. I am very excited to be joining the FBCA family as a PreK 3 teacher. It's a great opportunity for me to work in a Christian environment where I can extend my passion for teaching preschoolers while inspiring and challenging children to love learning. Meagan Griffen- 4 Year Old Pre-K TeacherMy name is Meagan Andrus Griffin. I am so excited to be teaching PreK for the 2015-2016 school year! I have an Early Childhood Education degree from McNeese State University. I have worked with children my whole life. It is something I am passionate about. From being a nanny, daycare worker, Sunday school teacher, babysitter, and teacher, I've done it all. I have been married for 10 years and have 3 precious babies. Two of them attend FBCA. I have been fortunate to be a stay at home mom for the past 8 years and have loved every minute of it. I was asked to be the physical education teacher for FBCA for the last half of the 2014-2015 school year. I absolutely loved it. I fell in love with all the students, teachers, and the great Christian environment. I knew from then that FBCA is where I was meant to be. I am so excited to be apart of the FBCA family for the upcoming year. To not only give children a quality education but to share God with them. To see God shine through them everyday and to see how he blesses the school! I consider myself blessed to have the opportunity to teach in an atmosphere where we can freely talk about how good God is everyday! |
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Amy Cormier, State Approved 3 Year Old Pre-K Teacher
My name is Amy Noel Reinninger Cormier. I will be teaching PreK3 for the 2015-2016 school year. I am married to Matt Cormier and we have one son named Gabriel. I received my B.A. in Early Childhood Education in May of 2006. I have over 9 years of teaching; 4 of those being in PreK. I choose to be a part of the FBCA family to be an intricate part of young ones Christian lives. I love being part of shaping their minds and hearts to be centered on the Lord. I want to be able to be a witness in young people’s lives and their parents. |
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Amy Morgan, State Approved Pre-K 4 Teacher
Amy Morgan graduated from McNeese State University with a Bachelors of Science degree in General Studies. She also completed Post Baccalaureate course work in Speech and Language Pathology at Lamar University. She has worked with children since High School in various roles, from coaching gymnastics, tutoring in various subjects and caring for children of all different needs and ages. Amy was born and raised in a Christian family. She is excited to teach Pre-K 4 at FBCA. Her love for Christ and working with children is abundant. She is grateful for the opportunity to share her gifts with the children to help them learn and grow. |
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Kristi Buford, Pre-K Aide
I'm Kristi Buford and I am the PreK 4 aide here at FBCA. I have been a stay at home mom for the past 10 years and I'm so excited that God is calling me to work with children during this time in my life. I was called to serve in the children's ministry at FBC Moss Bluff 2 years ago and I'm so grateful to be a part of those young people's lives ,they are such a blessing. I did not chose FBCA The Lord chose it for me. My girls have all attended the academy and I could not have ask for a place and staff better than the one here to have my girls be a part of. I'm so excited to to be a part of what God is doing here at our school and in our community, He knows the plans He has for us and it will be all for His glory! |
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Kristin Bennett, Support Staff
My name is Kristin Bennett and this is my second year at First Baptist Christian Academy where I am a Library/Computer Lab Aide and assist the administration. I am also the coordinator for the Box Tops for Educations Program. I am a former First Baptist Christian Academy student and a 2005 graduate of Sam Houston High School. I am a life long member of First Baptist Church Moss Bluff where I have taught preschool Sunday School classes and at Vacation Bible School. I have always had a passion for kids, and I believe that God has called me to First Baptist Christian Academy. |
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Erin Havens, Support Staff
My name is Erin Havens. I have been married to Matt for eleven years. We have two children. Jackson is 8 years old and Tatum is 5 years old. This will be my third year at FBCA. This year I have the opportunity to be the support staff. I'm excited about the new year. |