Lower School Faculty
Amanda Ward, Pre-K Director and Teacher
Education: B.S. Early Childhood Education
College Attended: Middle Tenn. State Univ.
Teaching Experience: Began PCA in 2003
Church: North Boulevard Church of Christ
Family: Husband – John
Hobbies/Interests: Spending time with family,Running, Reading, Home Decorating, Helping with family restaurant: Through The Grapevine
Favorite Scripture: John 15: 15-16
Favorite Quote:“When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would have not a single bit of talent left and could say, ‘I used everything that you gave me’.” -Erma Bombeck
Personal Mission Statement: As Christ as my Mentor, I aspire to nurture, encourage, and impart a never-ending desire for learning in all my children.
Melissa Powers, Pre-K
Education: B.S. Early Childhood Education
College: Middle Tennessee State University
Experience: Began PCA in 2009
Church: World Outreach Church
Hobbies/Interests: spending time with family and friends, traveling, reading, musical theatre, MTSU – Be proud! Be loud! Be Blue!
Favorite Scripture: Hebrews 4:16
Favorite Quote: “And I’ll let my words be few – Jesus, I am so in love with you.”
Christy Bramble, Kindergarten
Education: B.S. Elementary Education
College Attended: Middle Tenn. State Univ.
Teaching Experience: Began PCA in 2005
Church: Northside Baptist
Family: Husband-David, Children – Baylor ,Macie , Brady
Hobby: Scrapbooking
Favorite Scripture: III John 4
Personal Mission Statement:To fulfill and balance my calling as a wife, mother, teacher and child of God!
Jana Wade, Kindergarten
Education: B.S. Social Work, M.A. Education K-6
College Attended: Middle Tennessee State University, Trevecca Nazarene University
Teaching Experience: Began PCA in 1997 and 2008
Church: World Outreach Church
Family: Husband – Steve, Children – Jane Carson, Lily Grace
Hobbies/Interests: Keeping in touch with friends, exercising, spending time with family, sharing time with others, learning to balance time and having a stronger friendship with the Lord.
Favorite Scripture: 2 Timothy 1:7, Phil. 4:8
Favorite Quote: “If one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams & endeavors to love the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours.” Henry David Thoreau
Personal Mission Statement: To live a balanced life in all realms…spiritually, mentally, emotionally, socially and physically.
Katie Horn, Kindergarten
Education: B.S. Early Childhood Education
College: University of Tennessee at Martin
Experience: Began PCA in 2009
Church: Calvary Baptist Church
Family: Husband, John
Hobbies/Interests: Reading, exercise, enjoying friends and family
Favorite Scripture: “Now to Him who is able to do immeasuably more than we all ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us.” Ephesians 3:20
Favorite Quote: “Too much of our time is spent trying to chart God on a grid, and too little is spent allowing our hearts to feel awe. By reducing Christian spirituality to formula, we deprive our hearts of wonder.” Donald Miller
Debi MacKay, 1st Grade
Education: B.A. Elementary Education with emphasis in Language Arts
College Attended:Olivet Nazarene University
Teaching Experience: 19 years, Began at PCA in 2005
Church: First Church of God, Murfreesboro
Family:Husband-Terry, Children- Matt (married to Janelle), Cassie (married to Darin), Justin, Granddaughters-Addison and Madelyn
Hobbies/Interests:Reading, Gardening, and beach!
Favorite Scripture:Proverbs 3:5
Favorite Quote: “The greatest work you will ever do will be within the walls of your own home.”
Personal Mission Statement:To bring glory to the Father through my daily words and actions.
Kim Florida, 1st Grade
Education: B.S. Elementary Education
Colleges Attended: MTSU, Peabody School of Education
Teaching Experience:17 years, Began PCA in 2002
Church: Northside Baptist
Family: Husband – Edwin, Children – Jesse (married to Katie), Christi, Jeremy, Granddaughter – Cadence
Favorite Scripture: II Chronicles 16:9
Favorite Quote: “People before things
People before projects
Family before friends
Husband before children
Husband before parents
Tithe before wants
Bible before options
Jesus before ALL”
Libra Lukasick, 2nd Grade
Education: B.S. Elementary Education, Masters in Education – Reading
College Attended: Western Kentucky Univ. & Middle Tennessee State University
Teaching Experience: 10 years, Began PCA in 2007
Church:World Outreach Church
Family: Husband – P.J., Children -Madeleine, David , Caroline
Hobbies/Interests: Tennis, Watching my kids play soccer, Shopping for bargains!
Favorite Scripture:Romans 8:31
Favorite Quotes: “Your attitude, not your aptitude, will determine your altitude!” -Zig Zigler
“Perfect practice makes perfect. Practice the way you play the game” - Dad
Personal Mission Statement: To set myself apart for God’s kingdom – building purposes in the lives of children and adults around me.
Stacy Deberry, 2nd Grade
Education: B.S. Elementary Education Reading and Kindergarten Specialization
College Attended: Baylor University, Waco, TX
Teaching Experience: 7 years Began PCA in 2008
Church: First United Methodist
Family: Husband – Cliff, Children – Phillip and Taylor
Hobbies/Interests: Reading Children’s Literature, Time with Family, Aerobic Dance, Watching football with my boys!
Favorite Scripture: Proverbs 3:5-6
Favorite Quote: Poem “Bag of Tools” by R.L.Sharpe: “Each is given a bag of tools, a shapeless mass, a Book of Rules; And each must make; ere life has flown, a stumbling block or stepping stone.”
Personal Mission Statement: To glorify God as I introduce children to the joy of learning about God’s world.
Michelle Gonzalez, 3rd Grade
Education: B.S. Elementary Education
Colleges Attended: Northeastern Bible College and The King’s College
Teaching Experience: 14 years, Began at PCA in 2007
Church: Northside Baptist Church
Family: Husband – Glenn; son, Nathan
Hobbies/Interests: Reading, Home Improvement Projects, Visiting Historical Sites, Time With Family
Favorite Scripture: Romans 8:35-39
Personal Mission Statement:To love the Lord with all my heart, soul, mind & strength. To love Christ, grow in Christ, share Christ, and serve Christ through the ministry of Christian Education and to lead my students to do the same.
Johannah Mackin, 3rd Grade
Education: B.A. in English
College Attended: Emory University
Teaching Experience: 6 years, Began PCA in 2007
Church: World Outreach Church
Family: Husband – Daryl, Children – Zach, Nadia, Malakai
Hobbies/Interests: Running, Reading, SongWriting, Singing, Playing Piano, Watching Movies, Walking on the Beach, Traveling,Spending Time with Family
Favorite Scripture: Isaiah 61
Favorite Quote: “You are most glorified in me when I am most satisfied in You.” -John Piper
Personal Mission Statement: My heart’s desire is to stay so connected and intimate with Jesus, the living water, that I continually grow and bear fruit that a hungry world can feast on. I want everything I put my hand to, including my marriage, my family, my friends, my job, my church, and my community to prosper. I cling to the vine and in doing so I find nourishment not just for my own soul but for those God puts in my path. Let my life be an everflowing fountain from the very heart of God to hurting and hopeless people all around me.
Amy Goen, 4th Grade
Education:B.S. Elementary Education
College Attended: East Texas State University
Teaching Experience: 11 years, Began PCA in 2004
Church: Life Point Church, Smyrna
Family:Husband – Kyle, Children – Jordan, Peyton, Evan
Hobbies/Interests: Painting, Calligraphy, Drawing
Favorite Scripture:Romans 5:8
Favorite Quote:“The world is a book and those who do not travel read only a page.” -St. Augustine
Personal Mission Statement:Love God and love people with alll you have.
Heather McMurry, 4th Grade
Education: B.S. Elementary Education, M.A. Christian Education
Colleges Attended: Samford University, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary
Teaching Experience: 2 years, Began PCA in 2008
Church: Chapel Hill Community Baptist
Family: Husband, Don; Children, Trey, Grace, Zach, Max
Hobbies/Interest: family, camping, reading, outdoors, music
Favorite Scripture: Zephaniah 3:17, Isaiah 61, Romans 4, Lamentations 3
Favorite Quote: “Nothing in my hand I bring: Simply to your cross I cling.” – Augustus Toplady
Personal Mission Statement: 1. To so freely walk in the love God has for me that the reality of my living is complete obedience to Him. 2. To love my God, my husband and my children with the gratitude that comes from realizing they are all undeserved gifts in my life. 3. To live each day helping others grasp the amazing love of Christ for us and our great need for Him.
Caroline Ott, 5th Grade
Education: B.S. Early Childhood Education, M.A. Curriculum & Instruction
Colleges Attended: University of Tennessee, Middle Tennessee State University
Teaching Experience: 18 years, began at PCA in 2006
Church: St. Mark’s United Methodist
Family: Husband -Carl, Children – Coleman and Connor
Hobbies/Interests: My children, Reading, Traveling, Cooking, and Jogging
Favorite Scripture: Philippians 4:8
Favorite Quote: “Before me, even as behind, God is, and all is well.” -John Greenleaf Whittier
Personal Mission Statement: “Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as ever you can!” –John Wesley
Dawn Schueler, 5th Grade
Education: B.S. Elementary & Special Education, Masters in Special Education
Colleges Attended:University of Kentucky, Middle Tennessee State University
Teaching Experience: 7 years, Began PCA in 2007
Church:Calvary Baptist Church
Family: Husband - Russ, Children – Trey, Sydney
Hobbies/Interests: Spending time with family and friends, camping, bike riding, reading Christian literature, serving in children’s ministry at my church
Favorite Scripture: Psalm 62: 5-8
Personal Mission Statement: It is an honor & privilige to be called by God to teach at PCA. God has put it on my heart that my main focus is to make a special connection with each child and to focus on identifying and highlighting their special gifts that He has given them. I pray that I will help each child grow to be the best that God created them to be.
Tiffany Shipp, After School Care
Education:
College:
Church: Belle Aire Baptist Church
Family: Husband – Scott, Children – Jake and Chandler
Hobbies/Interests:
Favorite Scripture:
Personal Mission Statement:
