Here are pictures of the 2004-2005 New Life Christian School Staff. We are truly blessed to have such talented people "ministering" as teachers at our school. They all have hearts for our children.
Anita Horner, the school principal and the site administrator at the Wood Street Campus, homeroom teacher for grades seven and eight, has a wide variety of educational experience having taught in the public school system for the Sacramento City Unified School District, the Rio Dell Elementary School District, and also as a substitute teacher when she first moved to Humboldt County.
In 1974 she felt a burden to begin a Christian school locally and Christian Life School was the result starting in 1976. She served the school in many ways and was appointed as the principal in 1992 serving there until that school merged with North Coast Community Christian School in 1998. She is a member of Calvary Christian Center in Fortuna. Married for 39 years to husband Carroll, they have two adult children, Clay and Susan, two granddaughters and make their home in Rio Dell.
Karen Johnson is the site administrator at the Newburg campus and is the lead teacher for the preschool and kindergarten. She works in the afternoons with older individual students developing their reading and listening skills. She holds her early childhood certification and teaches and oversees the preschool and kindergarten program with great expertise and skill. She has had experience and much success in working with students who have learning disabilities, focusing on the area of reading development. She comes to NLCS from North Coast Community Christian School where she taught and was the principal and administrator. She attends Redwood Christian Fellowship. For many years she and her husband Ralph successfully opened their home and their lives to foster children.
Ann Selby, our school secretary, is the wife of Darryl and the mom of Brandon, Breanna, and Ashley. Her greatest strength is the ability to remain unfrazzled (at least outwardly) when there are all kinds of things coming at her. She takes care of the book keeping and payroll for the school, SCRIP sales, school records, typing, filing, copying, answering the phone or whatever needs to be done "yesterday" and all the while smiling! She started as a volunteer for North Coast Community Christian School where she taught kindergarten and did the books for the school. Prior to that she was employed by an insurance company in Eureka and was also an insurance agent herself for awhile. The family attends Calvary Chapel in Fortuna.
Tara Chown is the teaching aid for our kindergarten and preschool. She and her husband have five children and attend Calvary Chapel, Fortuna. Prior to motherhood Tara served as a group counselor at Humboldt County Juvenile Hall. She home schooled her children and for several years and has experience with a variety of Christian curricula and is trained in Vision Phonics which is a written and hand-cued phonetic approach to reading. She holds a Bachelor's Degree from Humboldt State University in Early Childhood Education. We are excited about the addition her giftings bring to our school. She says, "I grew up in a non-Christian home, but attended preschool at a Christian school. Those happy, secure memories stayed with me the rest of my life."
Sharon Edgmon, who attends Rio Dell Baptist Church, is newer to our preschool . She has much experience having taught at Rainbow Junction and in other preschool capacities. She was also an aide to the resource specialist at South Fortuna Elementary School. A fun "Grandma" for our smallest students, she enjoys helping them learn the important lessons that prepare them for life.
Susan Cunningham returns to us to teach full time in our first and second grade classroom. She previously taught first and second grade when our school first started in 1998. Before that she taught for North Coast Community Christian School, and before that substituted in local public schools for many years. She taught for the Pine Hill Elementary School District for seven years in grades one through three. She brings a wealth of experience and commitment to our children and to our Lord. She and her husband have two children: Sarah, who will be a Senior at NLCS, and Hannah, who will enter eigith grade at NLCS in the fall. They attend Hydesville Community Church.
Jolon Wilson has been working with children practically all her life mostly in church related programs. She has units in Early Childhood Education from College of the Redwoods, but her greatest experience has been in teaching mathematics at the former Christian Life School where she taught in various capacities for fifteen years. This year she will continue teaching third and fourth grades. Jolon and her husband Frank have two adult children, Mary and Peter, and they attend Calvary Christian Center.
"Grandma" Ruth Wilson is our volunteer librarian and official "counter" and record keeper. She keeps track of the incoming Campbell's Soup Labels and makes sure orders go out when they should. She volunteers as an aide in the 3rd and 4th grade class. She has been tremendous help over the years picking up those little tasks that wouldn't be done if there weren't someone like her. She is the mother of Frank and Jolon Wilson and attends Calvary Christian Center.
Diana Godinho teaches the fifth and sixth grade. In the past she has worked closely with the school as a substitute teacher, helping where ever and whenever needed. Diana loves science and extra projects and employs a very "hands on" approach to learning. She and her husband have one child, Addie, who will enter fourth grade at NLCS in the fall. They have been a tremendous help to the school in many areas especially with the annual plant sale.
Steven Jones teaches at the high school level. He is responsible for out electives: physical education, driver's education, Spanish, and art. Steven is a "local" who was raised in the Redcrest area where he lives with his wife Ann and son. After high school graduation, he made the US Navy his career and served there spending time at several different posts including Spain, developing his conversational Spanish abilities. He is a gifted wood worker, having worked in construction, and quite musical, playing the mandolin and singing on the Rio Dell Assembly of God worship team where he attends regularly.
Elizabeth Kilmer is our "English" English teacher. She holds teaching credentials for kindergarten through grade twelve from Lady Spencer Churchill College of Education (now Oxford Polytechnic), UK and a special credential as Teacher of the Deaf & Partially Hearing from the same institution. She has a Bachelor of Arts Degree from the University of East Anglis, UK, has taught piano in the area for years and the Ferndale Bible Club for 11 years. She and her husband are pastors of Ferndale Community Church. She was a teacher at CLS and CLHS for several years before becoming part of the NLCS staff. She is a gifted teacher with good knowledge of English literature and writing skills and is especially helpful to those students who plan on future academics after high school graduation.
Susan Natt teaches piano and worship team. She is a product of Christian education attending and graduating from Christian Life School which eventually became New Life Christian School. She has attended college and worked several years for a local oral surgeon before she and her husband started their family. They are very involved with the music ministry at Calvary Christian Center where she is a worship leader. They have two daughters.
Lloyd Bice has been credentialed through ACSI and the State of Washington. He teaches mathematics and science full-time in the high school and junior high. In the past he taught for three years at Chula Vista Christian High School and at Christian Life High School for eight years. He retired as a Master Chief from the U.S. Navy with over twenty-five years of experience. He is a great teacher who is well loved by the students and staff. Lloyd and Marcella, his wife, attend Hydesville Community Church. They have two adult children.