Established 2004
Affirming Christ, Achieving Excellence
Established 2004
2014-2015
Faculty Directory
Liz Allegar
Liz Allegar feels blessed to be able to return to her calling as a teacher where she
can use her gifts to instruct children in learning more about God’s world. She is
particularly excited to partner with parents in educating their young learners.
A native of St. Louis, Liz earned her BA from Monmouth College, Monmouth,
Illinois with academic concentrations in both Elementary Education and Religious
Studies. The first six years of her professional career were spent teaching
Kindergarten and fourth grade. In 1996 Liz re-entered the classroom at
Whitefield Academy, a Classical Christian school, where she taught first grade for
14 years. During her time at Whitefield, Liz taught both the highly effective
Spell to Write and Read and Cursive First curriculum. In 2010 she stepped away
from teaching to take care of family responsibilities.
Liz’s son Drew and his new wife Meghan live in Ft. Lauderdale where family visits
have spectacular perks! Her daughter Katie Theiss, a former Brighton Progym
teacher, and her husband Matt live in Shawnee with their two adorable
daughters. Granna Liz loves enjoying life with her granddaughters and she is
extremely excited to greet granddaughter number three in February!
Bridget Barney
Bridget attended William Jewell College where she graduated with degrees in
both chemistry and secondary education. After graduating, she taught science
classes and coached high school track for two years in the Liberty School
District. She then worked for seven years as a Research and Development
Chemist for what was then Marion Laboratories. With the Lord's prompting,
Bridget retired her lab coat and began her new career as a stay-at-home
mom. She and her husband, Marshall, have been homeschooling their four
children for the past fourteen years. Bridget has taught chemistry and physical
science classes for the last nine years to home schoolers in the area. This will be
her fourth year teaching chemistry at Brighton. She also enjoys helping her
husband coach a home school track and cross country team.
Jenny Behrens
Jenny grew up in the Kansas City area and graduated from the University of
Kansas with degrees in English and Psychology. Jenny completed the Ministry
Apprenticeship Program during which she interned in Small Groups and Pastoral
Care at Christ Church, while also receiving seminary level education through
Heartland Community Church. After graduation from that two and a half year
program, Jenny joined the staff of Christ Church as the Director of Pastoral Care in
2007.
In addition to her other responsibilities on staff at Christ Church, Jenny started
and oversaw the Stephen Ministry Program and subsequent trainings, and she
was invited to preach during Sunday services a couple of times a year. In early
2011, Jenny left her job at Christ Church to stay at home with her young daughter.
Jenny's husband, Dean, is the Director of Student Life at Christ Church, and Jenny
has used her teaching gifts by writing the middle and high school Bible study
curriculum as well as teaching the middle schoolers and occasionally preaching at
a Sunday service. Jenny is mentored in Classical Composition (The
Progymnasmata) by Jim and Elaine Selby.
She began teaching at Brighton is 2012 and is passionate about helping her
students become good thinkers, good writers and good communicators!
Christy Berry
Christy is excited to be returning to Brighton this year! She has missed being with
all the Brighton families while taking time off to spend with her growing family—
her daughter (4) and son (1). But the break has given her new inspiration and
motivation to return to teach general art classes and two new sewing classes. In
her free time (which is somewhat limited with two toddlers!) she enjoys creating
many types of fiber art including sewing, embroidery, felting, silk dyeing, weaving,
and knitting, and is an active member in the Kansas City Weavers Guild.
Lindy Conner
Lindy has been working on her M.Ed. in Secondary Education in
English/Communications for the past year and should graduate from Baptist Bible
College and Seminary (Clarks Summit, PA) the summer of 2015. She received her
B.A. in Communications from William Jewell College in 1992. Lindy is happily
married to Chris Conner and combined they have four children, Hannah is a senior
in high school, Isaac is in 8th grade, Cameron is in 7th grade, and Cassidy is in 5th
grade. Lindy grew up in church and has been a Christian since 1995 she and her
family attends Pleasant Valley Baptist Church.
Margaret Del Debbio
Margaret is originally from Chicago where she attended Loyola University and
received a Bachelor's degree and a Master's degree in Religious Education with an
emphasis in Ethics. She also has a Master's degree in School Administration. She
has 15 years of teaching experience which includes two overseas positions in
Samoa and Nigeria. She taught courses in English and Literature including during
her overseas experiences as well as ESL courses in stateside positions. Her
emphasis has been teaching courses in Ethics primarily in the Chicago land area.
Her most recent school experiences include teaching Ethics at Bishop Ward High
School and Medical Ethics at Donnelly College both in Kansas City, Kansas.
Denna Flickner
Hello! I’m a homeschool mom of more than 22 years. My husband, Allen, and I
have raised 4 children, 3 grown and one left at home. The above picture is of me
and my 2 youngest at a recent dinner out. Three of my children have attended
classes at Brighton, which is why I’m very excited to join the teaching staff. The
classes at Brighton reinforced the Christian worldview we were teaching at home,
and I am looking forward to providing that support to other parents.
By education, I am an RN with a Bachelors of Science in Nursing and am a
Certified Breastfeeding Educator (CBE). I am currently a Maternal-Neonatal RN at
a large, urban hospital. I am a member of American Holistic Nurses Association
(AHNA) and the Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses
(AWHONN). I am currently working on several professional pathways, including
completing my Clinical Aromatherapy certification, and continuing towards my
MSN in Education.
I have more than 20 years teaching experience at the Jr High, Sr High and
University levels, teaching primarily science and Nursing. I really enjoy teaching
the “emerging adult”, those young people in the 16-32 yr age range. My goal as
an instructor is to mentor the young adult in the tools of learning, not just the
“what” to learn – but how they, as individuals, learn. I have a (very) relaxed and
chatty teaching style. Even with young adults, I feel that it’s best to engage all
learning modalities: visual, auditory and kinesthetic/tactile. I like to have an
orderly classroom that’s in motion, with conversation, hands-on and group
activities, and laughter – a lot of laughter….and coffee….a lot of coffee!!
Christi Gramling
I am a homeschooling mom with a BS in Industrial Engineering from the University
of Wisconsin. I worked in technical sales and sales support in the electrical
equipment industry in the cities of Boston and Minneapolis before our children
were born. We have three sons and began homeschooling in 1997. We've
homeschooled in the states of Wisconsin, New York, and Kansas. We have
graduated two from our homeschool and our youngest attends Brighton
Academy. We moved to the Kansas City area in 2005 and I have been teaching at
Brighton since 2006. I am eager to share my love for God, homeschooling, math,
and science with your students!
Christina Hess-Dual Credit Coordinator
Christina Hess is an experienced home school educator who attended Kansas
State University. She has worked in a number of settings including medical offices
and for a retail photographer for many years. She has one daughter who she has
homeschooled since 2008. She enjoys utilizing her gifts of organization and
details to facilitate the dual credit program and administrative assistant at
Brighton.
Barbara Huther
Barbara has been teaching in various capacities for over 30
years. After graduating from the University of MissouriColumbia with a Bachelor of Educational Studies degree, she
and her husband enjoyed sitting on the floor teaching
preschoolers at church. Later, she had the joy and privilege of
homeschooling her three children, now grown and graduated
from college. In the past several years, Barbara has taught
English, including American and British literature, at Southland
Academy, tutored elementary school children in reading and
math, and returned to the floor with the toddlers at her church.
If you are interested in private tutoring services, or would like
to talk about her other passion, landscape gardening, give her
a call.
Dama Johnson
Dama Johnson grew up in the Kansas City area and has homeschooled her own
daughters for 8 years. After graduating from the University of Kansas with a
degree in psychology, she worked in a testing center for U.S. Soldiers and as a
para educator for middle school level kids. She has also worked extensively in
early childhood education. She is excited to be back in the classroom and helping
in the homeschool community. Her girls have loved attending Brighton for the last
three years and she is thrilled to be joining the Brighton family in another
capacity.
Heather Karamath
My bachelor’s degree is in Health and Fitness and is from Ohio University. I
later went back and got my certification to teach elementary school from
Fayetteville State University (in North Carolina). Upon graduation I taught 4th
grade until my oldest son was born. When he was about two years old, I taught
PE part time at a Christian school. I did this for a year, until my younger son was
born. At this point I did not teach other children again until I began
homeschooling my oldest son in 2nd grade. The first year of co-op I taught PE. In
subsequent years I have taught health, science and writing. I look forward to
teaching your children in the next school year.
Heather was homeschooled from 8th-12th grade. She is thankful for all the
opportunities her children have today and feel blessed that they can be part of
Brighton Academy.
Heather Kelso- Administrator
Heather Jarrett, a homeschool mom of grown children who are now in college,
began Brighton nine years ago for her children and their friends. She graduated
from the University of Missouri-Columbia with her BSBA in Finance and her MBA
in Finance and Marketing. Her experience led her through the investment world
and corporate finance as well as non-profits. As her children were growing up,
she actively participated in MPE as a speaker and leader of groups. She taught
science at both Christ Preparatory Academy and Brighton Academy. Outside of
homeschooling, she served as a board of director for the Blazers Swim Team and
team mom for soccer and cheer. A Christian all of her life, Heather worked at
Kanakuk Kamp and is a Board member of Young Life. Currently she volunteers
with youth and as a greeter at her home church, Heartland Community.
Dennis Knight
Dennis Knight was born to missionary parents in Ecuador; Dennis has never lost
the traveling evangelist bug and has been to Europe, South America, Central
America, and Africa on various missions. Educationally, he has managed to
compile Masters Degrees in Linguistics, from Florida International University and
a Masters in Ministry, from Pepperdine University. He has a wonderful family
composed of his lovely wife and four darling children. Currently, Dennis manages
a Starbucks here in Overland Park, is a Youth and Family Minister, and teaches at
Brighton! He has taught at Brighton Academy for the last four years in a variety of
subjects including communication arts, worldviews, critical thinking, Spanish,
introduction to the New Testament, and western civilization. He has also taught
and developed curriculum for teen and adult Bible studies.
Kourtney Krause
Voice, Piano, Flute
A native of Long Island, New York, Kourtney has been studying music since she was 4 years old.
The daughter and sister of choral educators, Kourtney grew up in a musical home where she
studied voice, piano, and flute privately for 34 combined years before entering college. She
discovered her love of teaching when she began teaching privately with her mother’s private
piano and voice studio at the age of 12. Throughout high school, she held musical leadership
roles in all 9 of the musical ensembles she was involved in, was a two-time New York All-State
winner and one of the New York soprano representatives at All-Eastern by her senior year. She
also won the 2008 Long Island’s Music Lovers concert and participated with the New York City’s
Grand Opera Chorus at Carnegie Hall. Noticed for her vocal achievements, Kourtney was given
an internship with Long Island’s USDAN Center for the Creative and Performing Arts and was
entitled the 2009 Eastman School of Music Scholar.
Desiring to continue her love for performing and teaching, Kourtney auditioned for the
Wheaton, IL Conservatory and was accepted into the conservatory’s music program as a double
major in Opera Performance and Choral Music Education, but desired to solely pursue Music
Education later on. Under the direction of Dr. Gerard Sundberg, Kourtney completed a Junior
and Senior Voice recital successfully, was the Honors Conductor of the Women’s Chorale, and
was given the 2012 Virginia Stoner Scholarship for Music Education. She is classically trained
and uses both this style and the Backward Design approach to learning, a method that identifies
the results desired and works towards these goals through formal assessment.
During the 2013-2014 academic year, Kourtney enjoyed teaching over 30 students through
Mobile Music Teachers. She also instructed students in her own private studio, and, beginning
in January 2014, taught Junior High musicians by teaching them all of the music to the musical,
Schoolhouse Rock alongside Kelley Reitmeier, drama instructor.Kourtney is ecstatic to have the
opportunity to direct a choir and believes that through music, students are enabled to find their
passions and who they are uniquely created to be.
Paula Lang
Paula Lang is a mother of four and has been a parent educator for the past 15
years. She graduated from Kansas State University and worked in management at
the University Of Kansas Medical Center for 25 years. During that time Paula
worked alongside individuals from a variety of fields. Many people have spent
years attaining their education goals only to realize they had not adequately
researched career fields before beginning their post-secondary education. She
has been teaching at Brighton Academy for the past four years. As the Student
Council Sponsor, Paula coordinates the Presidential Service Award for Brighton
Academy. Her desire is for all of the students to find how God has gifted them and
to help them set a plan to succeed with education, career and college planning.
Judy Logan
Judy Logan attended Moody Bible Institute and is a graduate of Calvary Bible
College with a B.S. degree in Bible and Secondary Education with a history
emphasis. She is currently nearing the completion of a master’s degree. In
addition to home schooling her own children, she has taught at Kansas City
Christian School, Shawnee Mission Christian, Southland Academy, Wednesday
Workshop and currently teaches at Brighton Academy. She has also worked in
the insurance industry where she had opportunities involving teaching, managing
and public speaking. She has conducted workshops at educational conferences,
written several curriculums and served as a judge at the state level for public
speaking and debate competitions. She has had the privilege of facilitating the
academic advancement of many students throughout her years of being an
educator. Spiritual growth and development of her students is her primary
objective; and educating young people is her passion.
Rachel Manley
Rachel is a certified K-9 teacher and math tutor. She taught math at the CHET
homeschool co-op in Nashville, TN before moving to Overland Park a few years ago.
Rachel loves teaching in a homeschool setting.
She holds a Master’s in Education and a Bachelor’s of Science in Engineering. Rachel
has years of experience in both corporate America and the education field. She is
passionate about teaching math and science and have been a math tutor for 5 years.
Brent Morgan
Brent Morgan has been teaching with Brighton 3 and half years. First acting as a
semester long substitute for Pre-Calculus then taking on the Calculus
class. Outside of Brighton, Mr. Morgan has a wife, Vesta, and 3 children all of
whom are currently being homeschooled. His family also regularly hosts foreign
exchange students. In the business world, Mr. Morgan serves as the Chief
Technologist for a company called MTW Solutions.
In college, Mr. Morgan originally studied Secondary Education with an emphasis
in Mathematics and Literature at Vanderbilt University. He subsequently moved
on to Missouri State University where he completed his degree in Computer
Information Systems.
The Morgan family are very active in their home church, Emmanuel Baptist
Church. Where Mr. Morgan serves as a Sunday school teacher for the college and
university group. He also helps lead the collegiate ministry at Emmanuel.
Cathan Prinzing
Cathan Prinzing is a teacher and freelance violinist in the Kansas City
area. After graduating from the University of Washington with a BA in Violin
Performance, she switched back to her first love of piano to pursue a
master's degree in Piano Performance. In addition to over 25 years of
teaching a variety of classes and private lessons, Mrs. Prinzing also worked
for many years as an accountant in her father's CPA firm. Her diverse
interests and love of children have led to teaching music, theater arts,
public speaking, literature, history/geography, and math classes.
After 6 years of teaching at Brighton Academy, Mrs. Prinzing can say she
truly loves teaching here. Brighton families are respectful and supportive
of her efforts to provide a fun yet comprehensive learning experience for
all of her students.
Mrs. Prinzing homeschools her son after a successful homeschooling
experience with her daughter, who now attends St. Olaf College. When she is
not educating others, she educates herself with reading, martial arts, and
traveling.
Joel Reed
Joel Reed attended Whitefield Academy in Kansas City, MO for grades 1-12. Being
classical and Christian in its design, Joel enjoyed his studies under Mr. James
Selby. Beowulf remains his favorite classical piece of literature. On the soccer field
and basketball court in high school, Joel loved the brotherhood he shaped with
his teammates and coaches while competing. He graduated from High School in
2008 when he went on to study Sports Ministry at Moody Bible Institute in
Chicago. While attending Moody he was the Intramural Director for two years,
orchestrating all events and sports for the program. After four years of being
trained in biblical studies and how to utilize his life to glorify God through the
avenue of Sport, he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in 2012 and currently lives
in Kansas City. Joel delights in and has had the privilege of traveling outside the
United States on several occasions including studying abroad in Hungary in
between his junior and senior year of college.
Jeanne Schmidt
Jeanne Schmidt is the mother of six children ages 28-11, and she has
homeschooled since 1990. Jeanne has a B.S. in secondary education, English
concentration, from the University of Illinois. She graduated with high honors. Her
teaching credentials include licenses in Illinois, Kansas and Missouri. She taught in
a public school in Illinois before becoming a stay-at-home mom. As her children
got older, she looked for classes for her children in the subject areas she felt less
qualified to teach. Brighton was the perfect fit! Her children have attended
Brighton for 8 years.
The 2014-15 school year will be Jeanne's 4th year working at Brighton. She very
much enjoys the students and her co-workers. Brighton allows her wonderful
opportunities to share her walk with Christ as the students' fellow traveler in the
Christian life.
Jeanne enjoys movies, current events, reading, hiking, gardening, art, culture,
museums, and nature. She's grateful to know that her only strength is the Holy
Spirit living in her.
Elaine Selby
Elaine Selby has taught Classical Composition (aka: The Progym) at Brighton since
2009. She has taught at Whitefield Academy, Johnson County Community College
(ESL), and in many other schools, as well as teaching her own children at home for
ten years. She has a degree in English Literature from Oral Roberts University and
a Master’s degree in Education from Boston University. Elaine loves the diligence
and passion for language of her Progym students and is thankful that God has
provided classes at Brighton to strengthen and assist the home schooling
community. She rejoices that she can be a part of Brighton’s mission and help
train students through the wonderful exercises of the Progym to be better writers
and thinkers for the glory of God. Elaine is married to Jim Selby, Dean of Faculty
at Whitefield Academy, and has four grown children, two daughters in law, and
three grandsons. In her spare time she enjoys reading, especially well-written
novels as well as poetry. She also likes learning more about classical education
through reading and studying.
Julia Shaw
Julia Shaw has a Bachelor of Science in Art Education from Kansas State
University. She has extensive field experience working with students ranging
from grades K-12. As a member of the National Art Education Association, Julia
believes that art is a discipline that can be applied to all aspects of life, and can
assist in the general cognitive growth of all students. Julia aims to challenge her
students to think deeply and abstractly in order to find creative solutions to
problems both inside and outside of the classroom. She believes in a highly
supportive learning environment, and encourages students to work hard, use
their imaginations, and most importantly: have fun.
For personal and classroom portfolios, see:
jshaw245.wix.com/juliashaweducation
Jennifer Vrablic has a Bachelor’s degree in Spanish Language, Literature and
Culture from the University of Kansas and a Master’s degree in Spanish Applied
Linguistics from the University of Illinois at Chicago. She has been in the fields of
Spanish education, translation and interpretation for the past 22 years. Her past
experiences include interpreting and translating services for corporations and
government officials, but her real joy is that of being an educator. She has taught
a variety of courses at the University of Illinois including Spanish language,
Hispanic literature and culture. She also worked as the Assistant Coordinator of
the Spanish Department at the University of Illinois helping to train and supervise
instructors, as well as aiding in course planning, syllabus design and test
development for basic and intermediate level Spanish language classes. She then
took time off from teaching at the university level to be with her family. Since
having her two children, Jennifer has taught Spanish classes for elementary school
children in the Olathe School District, has tutored high school students, and has
enjoyed being a part of the Brighton family teaching Spanish for the last seven
years. It has truly been a blessing to have such wonderful, hard-working,
dedicated students and supportive families to serve while at Brighton.
Jennifer has always enjoyed working with all her students. Her goals are
not only to help her students learn a new language, but also to help them to learn
about their own language, along with a vast array of cultural information about
the many Spanish-speaking countries around the world. She is looking forward to
sharing her love of the Hispanic language and cultures with her students and
getting to know each of them.
Fred Wambua
Mr. Wambua was born and raised in Kenya-Africa. In 1991 Mr. Wambua moved to
the U.S. to attend Emporia State University. While there, he started the Emporia
State University Tae-Kwon-Do club, and he was the instructor and president. He
graduated in 1995 with a Bachelor's Degree in Marketing and moved to Olathe
where he studied under Master Kim for a short time.
In 1995 he started teaching at Spring Hill Community Center. He also started
studying Tae-Kwon-Do from Master Gautreaux, Jujitsu from Master Ed Griffin,
Kobudo from Grandmaster Larry Williams, and Hapkido from Pat Wells.
In 1996 he opened his school in Gardner, Kansas. In the same year he also taught
at Penn Valley Community College and ran programs with the Gardner Parks and
recreation. In 2003 the school relocated to Spring Hill, Kansas.
Matt Zimmer
Matt and Jeni Zimmer are parents of three teenagers which includes Brighton
students Carissa (senior) and Caleb Zimmer (Freshman). Their oldest daughter
Christen will be a Freshman Business/Marketing major at MidAmerica Nazarene
University. Matt grew up in Olathe since moving there in 1976. With the
exception of eleven years in Oklahoma and Arkansas, Olathe has been "home."
Professionally Matt has an earned Masters degree in Ministry from Southern
Nazarene University and earned his B.A. at MNU in Theology and Urban Ministry
Development. He is an ordained elder in the Church of the Nazarene, licensed
work place chaplain, and holds life insurance certification in Kansas, Missouri,
Nebraska, and Illinois. He is a certified trainer/coach of the Infinite Banking
Concept and enjoys helping people in the world of personal and business
financing. He has been a youth pastor and now serves as senior pastor at St.
Paul's Church of the Nazarene (80th Terr and Blue Ridge). Matt also works as a
sports referee for the Olathe YMCA.
As principal of Brighton Academy Lees Summit location it is Matt's goal to foster a
learning environment where teachers can excel in their field of expertise, where
students feel safe and are stretched academically, and where social ties among
students and faculty are strong and healthy. All this happens among a student
body where caring, honesty, respect and responsibility are nurtured between
teachers and students and student/peer relationships. Mr. Zimmer welcomes you
to Brighton Academy East!