Teachers & Staff

Kindergarten Teacher

Brittany Jonker

Brad and Mrs. Jonker have been married since 2010. They have two daughters, Harlee and Regan, who attend NLCA, and a younger son, Silas, who is still at home. Mrs. Jonker's favorite Bible story is Moses crossing the Red Sea. She enjoys gardening and journaling. She has been teaching since 2009, spending nine years as a Reading Specialist and the rest in kindergarten.

Kindergarten TA

Barb Salisbury

1st Grade Teacher

Christy Lual

Mrs. Lual (Lu-All) has lived in Gardner for ten years and loves being part of the community she serves in. You might recognize her as "Miss Segura," but she just got married to the love of her life (Buomkuoth, aka BK) and is enjoying married life. Mrs. Lual went to Kansas State University. She got her BA in elementary education with an emphasis in English as a Second Language. After nine years in public education, she was thrilled to help open the school four years ago. She enjoys reading, dancing, photography, playing volleyball, and anything that involves spending time with others (especially time with her husband). She loves digging into the Word and is excited to see all God does in the lives of her students.

1st Grade TA

Sandra Hager

Mrs. Hager has taught in the public schools for a total of 27 years in Kindergarten and First Grade. She is thrilled to be able to continue helping in the first grade classroom at NLCA. When she is not teaching, she's spending time with her family, her dog, Ruby, and serving her church family. She also loves traveling, hiking, cooking, gardening, and reading. Her passion is serving the Lord by serving His people.

2nd Grade Teacher

Nicole Ward

Michael and Mrs. Ward have been married for 18 years. Their daughter, Mikenna (17), is a senior at GEHS, and her twin sisters, Myla and Maci (11), are in 6th grade at NLCA. Mrs. Ward’s favorite Bible story is about Queen Esther and how her bravery saved an entire nation. She enjoys spending time outdoors with family, working out, baking, and watching movies.

2nd Grade TA & Music Teacher

Valerie Pogemiller

3rd Grade Teacher

Amanda Preston

This is Mrs. Preston's 20th year of teaching but her first year at NLCA and she is excited to join this amazing team! When not teaching, Mrs. Preston enjoys spending time with her husband Jeff, reading, and making cards.

3rd Grade TA

Jessa Leach

Mrs. Leach was born and raised in central Missouri. She graduated from Hannibal-LaGrange University, where she met her husband, Matt. They have been married for 13 years, and have three boys, Mason (5th), Jackson (2nd), and Emerson (K). They are students at NLCA. They live in Gardner with their dog, Rex. She loves serving at her church, traveling when they can, gardening, canning, and spending time with her boys, extended family & friends.

4th Grade Teacher

Elizabeth Stone

Liz recently got married and has officially become Mrs. Stone! This will be her 6th year teaching and second year at NLCA. She has loved getting to witness all the amazing things that God is doing here and can't wait to see what God has in store for next year! When not teaching Liz enjoys hiking and spending time with friends and family.

5th Grade Teacher

Ann Thompson

Mrs. Thompson has been teaching in Kansas or Oklahoma for the past nine years. She lives in Ottawa with her husband and enjoys crocheting, reading, and playing board games.

4th/5th Grade TA

Richelle Hansen

TIm and Richelle Hansen have been married since 2010 and live in Olathe, KS. They have 5 beautiful children, and Ellie their dog. Madeline is a college student at Washburn University, Sarah, Bekah, and Evelyn attend NLCA, and Max attends Mighty Oaks. In RIchelle's spare time she enjoys watching her children in the arts, helping make costumes, and homeschooling her son. She loves attending church, and reading the bible as a family. She has been in a classroom for the last 5 years and was a children's hairstylist previously.

6th Grade Teacher

Becky DeNoon

Mrs. DeNoon lives in Gardner with her husband Vern. She loves to spend time with her granddaughter Sadie, laughing at her two goofy pets Jethro and Betty Boop, and is a die-hard Chiefs fan!

Encounter Teacher

Calyn K-O

Mrs. K-O has been facilitating and coordinating learning for her four sons over the last 20 years, as well as teaching and volunteering in various academic settings. She enjoys learning and helping others learn. One of her favorite Bible verses is Philippians 4:19 as it reminds her that our God is faithful to supply our needs. In her free time, Mrs. K-O loves to participate in outdoor activities with family and friends. She especially enjoys watching sunsets and chickens!

Art Teacher

Stephanie Dulin

Stephanie Dulin graduated from MNU in 1999 with a B.A. in Psychology but after many years as a caseworker she took a different path and chose to spend more time focusing on her love of Art. She began painting children’s murals and eventually started individual and group Art lessons for children in her home Art studio. She loves giving kids a space to be creative and use their imaginations. She feels that Art is important for a child’s development and well-being and tries to provide opportunities for children to be expressive in their work. She is a Mama Bear to six kids and one big golden retriever.

Spanish Teacher

Jenny Yust

We are excited to introduce Jenny Yust! She will be our middle school Spanish teacher beginning next school year. With 20 years of teaching experience—from Shawnee Heights to Mighty Oaks—she brings a passion for Spanish and a heart for students of all ages. Jenny loves serving her community, leading Bible studies, and spending time with her family. She’s excited to join New Life Christian Academy this year—trusting God’s amazing plans ahead!

Reading Specialist

Debbie Williams

Mrs Williams has been a Christian school teacher for 30 years in K -4th grade. She also served as an educational therapist with training in Language/ Reading difficulties. She is so excited to serve the Lord at NLCA as the reading specialist. Her passion is helping children who struggle with their learning. Mrs. Williams has 3 grown children and 12 grandchildren and a wonderful and supportive husband of 44 years. She and her husband live here in Gardner.

Athletics & Advancement Coordinator & PE Teacher

Brad Jonker

Tech Director

Allen Vonderschmidt

Office Manager

Suzanne Erwin

Suzanne Erwin serves as the Office Manager at New Life Christian Academy and had the privilege of helping open the school in 2023. With a bachelor’s degree and nearly two decades of experience in office administration, she enjoys using her gifts of organization and service to support the students, families, and staff of NLCA. She is grateful to be part of a school community that seeks to honor Christ and serve families well. Outside of school, Suzanne loves being a mom, cheering on the Kansas City Chiefs, and supporting her daughter as she dances on her high school dance team and pursues her dance goals. Suzanne lives in Gardner with her daughter and their cavalier puppy.

Admissions & Marketing Coordinator

Ali Mays

I feel so blessed to be part of the NLCA team and love getting to welcome new families into our school community! One of my favorite parts of my role is sharing the story of what God is doing through NLCA. I’ve been married to my husband for five years, and we welcomed our first baby last spring! Outside of work, I love sewing, crocheting, reading, hiking, and playing board games with family and friends.

Receptionist

Tara Johnson

With almost 20 years of experience as a classroom teacher, teacher’s aide, and children’s ministry assistant, I am overjoyed to be the receptionist at NLCA. I love serving our families and daily speaking God-given identity and truth over each of our precious students. Outside of school, I am blessed with a wonderful husband, Mark, three amazing boys who are currently thriving in college and Med school, a lovely daughter-in-law and a sweet dog named Max. I look forward to welcoming you with the love of Christ every time you walk through our doors!

Meet Our Team!

The NLCA School Board consists of five members ranging from parents of students, community leaders, and staff from our partner New Life Community Church. They will serve as vision casters and direction setters for the school's Head of School, making sure NLCA is on track to mirror God's vision for the school and His students.

Vision casters and policy makers:

NLCA Schoolboard

Meredith is a spirit-led leader with experience in education since 2007. Over a decade of her career has been dedicated to work as an elementary classroom teacher in both the public and private school settings. Each of these experiences has provided her with a breadth of knowledge and excitement for school leadership. Meredith’s educational background includes a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from Emporia State University and a Master of Arts in Education from Baker University. Driven by the belief that all children are a gift from the Lord, she is passionate about partnering with believing families to foster academic excellence and spiritual growth. She is strongly committed to creating an environment at New Life Christian Academy that helps children learn and apply God’s ways.

NLCA Head of School:

Meredith Hall

Join the Team!

Check Current Openings