FACULTY & STAFF

I’ve been at TCA for several years after teaching developmental reading to middle school students in Indiana. I graduated from Taylor University with a degree in Health and Physical Education and a minor in English and have done graduate work at West Chester University. I love coming to work every day because every day is different with its own challenges and joys. Every student that has crossed my path is unique and is valued in God’s eyes and I am grateful to have watched them grow through their struggles into Godly caring adults. How fun it has been to now get to teach some of their children! I appreciate working alongside teachers with a caring heart for every child that enters the doors of TCA. I’m an animal lover and my 96 year old mother and I share my home with Samuel Joseph, a 1 year old puppy, and cats Trooper, Peaches and Buster Allen. The rest of my family live in South Carolina. The beach is my happy place but lately Gatlinburg, TN has stolen my heart with its hometown charm and beauty. In my free time, I enjoy going to yard sales, landscaping, reading, doing jigsaw puzzles, and any type of water sports. I’m a huge college sports fan and my teams are the Florida Gators and Clemson Tigers. I’m looking forward to being back in person with the students and teachers!

Taylor University, BS

I’m thrilled to return to TCA in a full time capacity this year working with our Concurrent Learning program in addition to filling in as a Sub and working with the Drama Department as I’ve done for the past several years. This is my silver anniversary as an educator and, while I’ve retired from classroom teaching for the past 21 years to raise my own family, I’ve kept busy gaining experience on 3 continents teaching ESL, Bible, Fitness, Drama & Outdoor Education classes as well as working on stage and film productions notwithstanding my full time job of soccer mom to 6 extraordinary kiddos (two of whom are now TCA alum) whom I raise with my life partner and hubby of 23 years, Jeff! (He’s amazing!) In my spare time he supports me caring for our family while I volunteer for Delco’s Blue Army which is a Citizen’s Corps providing emergency and disaster recovery relief. Originally a Philly girl, we’ve lived in Chester, Pa for the past decade. Not only do I love God’s Word, I’m passionate about applying it to all areas of life as I’ve profoundly experienced Jesus’s power to bring change within my own life. I seek to extend that same Hope to others. Hiking, biking, boating and caring for furry friends are some of my favorite activities but anything that draws me into God’s marvelous creation whether it’s outdoor grandeur or indoor calm with my loves is my happy place. Put a little ginger in my water and a power salad with a whole fruit smoothie in front of me I’ll keep it going just don’t sit me at a desk and expect me to stay there. I won’t. Can’t wait for whatever adventure the Lord has for us together this year! He is so good to us. All the time.

This is my sixth year at The Christian Academy, teaching high school history and senior ethics. I went to college locally before spending five more years in school in Texas (Sic ’em, Bears). I’m delighted to be back in the Greater Philadelphia area. Please email me at dchen@tca-pa.org if I may be of service.

Haverford College, BA; Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, MATh; Baylor University, MSEd

I graduated from TCA in 2006. When I was in 10th grade, I knew I wanted to study mathematics and return to TCA as a high school math teacher. I studied mathematics at Messiah College, graduated in 2010, and began my teaching career in Milford, DE. I’ve taught 5th – 12th grade students in the classroom, through tutoring, and summer school. In 2017, I married my best friend, who sat three pews behind me in my home church, and moved back to Pennsylvania. I taught one year in inner-city Wilmington, DE and then in 2018, I was blessed by the Lord to return back to TCA to teach, as I had always wanted. It means so much to me to teach the content I love at the school I love. This summer I gave birth to my beautiful son, Sebastian. He’s currently 4 months old and 23 pounds (he’s a big dude!), and loves to play! I am excited to return to school (though I will miss my little boy, but he’s in good hands with his grandparents :)) and see my students! Thank you for the privilege of teaching your children – they are a blessing and joy to instruct!

Messiah College, BS; Wilmington University, MEd

Philadelphia Biblical University, BS; Wilmington University, MS

I am celebrating my 12th year at TCA. I teach Elementary Art and High School Photography. In addition to my teaching, I am the set designer for our High School Drama department as well as a member of our Marketing team. I thoroughly enjoy teaching the entire range of our student body, engaging with their everyday lives, and being a support to them as they grow. I am also a parent at TCA, my daughter Iris is in 5th Grade and I am so grateful that I have the privilege to be a part of her educational experience. My husband Joel and I met in college, moved from Pittsburgh and Chicago to start our life in Southeastern, Pa. As a family, we love to listen to music and be outdoors. TCA has been wonderful to us and we are thankful to be a part of the TCA family.

The Art Institute of Pittsburgh, BS

I am so excited to join the faculty at TCA! This is my 22nd year as a teacher, and I have been fortunate enough to spend 12 of those years working in Christian education. I have taught pre-school through college, but teaching High School English has always been my passion (I love grammar, my favorite punctuation mark is the semi-colon, and in my free time, I like to diagram sentences!). I received my B. A. in Speech Communications from Lipscomb University in Nashville, TN and have a Master’s degree in Education from West Chester University. My husband, Paul, is an advisor in the Graduate College of Technology at Wilmington University, as well as a pastor. He and I both also teach at WilmU. We have a daughter, Piper, who graduated high school in 2020 and will major in Business and Psychology at WilmU this fall. Our family also includes two rescue pit bulls, Pee Wee and Pax.

I have been part of TCA for a long time. I went to TCA from pre-K to 12th grade (minus my eighth grade year) and then started teaching at TCA right after college. Lynn and I have been married for 29 incredible years. My oldest son, Brit, graduated from TCA and now works at NAVSEA (a department of the Navy). Lindsay, my only daughter, also graduated from TCA and is now a junior at Messiah University. Colton (10th grade) and Jackson (8th grade) still attend TCA. I am the athletic director and I believe athletics is another avenue to honor the Lord with the abilities He has given us. I am looking forward to seeing the returning students and meeting the new ones.

Cedarville College, BA

Messiah College, BS

Hi TCA Families!  My name is Janice Johnson and I have been involved with Christian Education for 24 years both as a parent and a teacher.  I am very excited to begin teaching science this Fall at TCA and look forward to meeting everyone.  I have a BS from Messiah College in Chemistry/Biology and enjoy teaching both of those subjects.  I began my science career working as a chemist for the E.I. DuPont Company in Wilmington, DE and after 12 years the Lord led me to become a Christian School teacher at Red Lion Christian Academy and then later at Wilmington Christian School. I live in Elkton, MD and I am married with three children. My husband, Chris, is a self-employed contractor in the Elkton/Newark area and my oldest son, Jordan (26), is an Arborist in the Baltimore area.  Jenna, my oldest daughter (22) is currently attending college to become a Physical Therapist and my youngest, Madison (18) just graduated from WCS and will be attending Messiah College in August to study Nutrition/Dietetics and play field hockey.  I also have a dog named Josie that I love to spend time with every day. I am originally from State College, PA so I am also a huge Penn State Football fan.  

This is my 4th year teaching math, science and Bible to sixth and seventh graders. I love the energy, enthusiasm, and self-discovery of middle school and truly feel blessed to work with our students each day. I want to partner with parents as they train their children in the way they should go. I have a bachelor’s degree in communication studies from West Chester University and a master’s degree in education from Neumann University. My husband Ron and I have been married for 16 years. He’s also a TCA alumni. Our two boys, Ronnie and Josh, both attend school here, and I’ve been a TCA parent longer than a TCA teacher. I love hiking, making things, and am learning to be a runner.

West Chester University, BA Neumann University, MS

I can’t believe this will be my 10th year teaching art at TCA! Art has always been a part of my life since I was two years old doodling on my Mom’s bulletin at church. I received my degree in art at the University of Delaware and now painting and drawing and sharing my art as a testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ is what I do. While I was on a missions trip in Kenya I met my wonderful husband Shem and we wrote letters back and forth for 2 1/2 years before we got married 27 years ago! We have 3 amazing children and live in Wilmington Delaware. I love teaching art and I love my family, but most of all I love Jesus!

University of Delaware, BFA

I have been working in Christian education since 2016 after a year at Starbucks. I graduated from Moody Bible Institute in 2015 with a B.A. in Bible Secondary Education. For five years, I taught middle school history at a school in suburban St. Louis where I also spent two years as an administrator. My wife, Janel, and I are happy to be back in Delco with our two cats and our first child on the way. I am a huge fan of Philadelphia sports, especially the Eagles. When I am not teaching, I love to spend time camping, hiking, kayaking or anything else in nature.