Our Staff
SARAH WATSON
Director of Operations
Sarah is beyond passionate about working with children and has worked with children for as long as she can remember. She has a trusting spirit that seems to draw children and parents to her. Sarah truly values the gift of authenticity and doesn’t shy away from feelings, easy or hard. Her heart for children being successful has always been huge. After taking several years to focus on being a mother, Sarah has a Bachelors in Behavioral Health from Evangel University. Sarah’s heart is not just for the children, but also the parents and families. The Lord has given her the opportunity to walk alongside many families over the last several years , this journey has lit a spark in her to turn this passion into something more. She desires nothing more than seeing a child reach their potential, and walk with their parents as they navigate this journey.
AMANDA NICHOLS
Director of Education
Amanda absolutely lights up the classroom when working with children and has a way of making them feel like they can move mountains. She has a Bachelors of Science Degree in Elementary Education and has worked at Gloria Deo Academy in Springfield, Missouri; as a teacher for the past 8 years. Amanda’s desire to teach began at a very young age, when she would line up all of her stuffed animals and teach them using her school papers. Her love for kids has grown into a deep-rooted passion to instill the love of learning within all students. Her greatest desire is for her children and students to believe in their abilities, work hard to reach personal goals and then celebrate when those goals are realized. She truly delights in working one on one with students and parents to change the landscape of the student’s educational journey.
KATHRYN GOLD
Development Director
SARAH HANSEN
Building Float
& Registered Nurse
Ms. Sarah Hansen serves our team as our Building Float, Secondary Exploratory Teacher and School Nurse. Sarah started in the medical field 22 years ago as a CNA and has spent 8 years as a registered nurse in critical care. She is a wonderful addition to our program who has quickly caught our passion and desire to build Kinetic Bridges! Sarah has a deep passion to see kids learn and grow as an amazing asset to our team.
MELINDA KAISER
School Secretary
Mrs. Melinda Kaiser is our school secretary and helps keep our school running effectively. She holds an Elementary Education degree with a Specialization in Special Education from Southeast MO State University. She brings over 32 years of teaching experience to ensure our school runs the best it can. Her vast educational experience is a valuable asset to our team.
JANET FORTNEY
AIM Plan Coordinator
& Reading Specialist
Ms. Janet Fortney is our AIM plan coordinator and Remedial Reading Specialist. Ms. Janet earned a bachelor's degree in psychology and communications, along with a master's degree in Special Education from Drury University. Ms. Janet brings 16 years of experience working in education/special education in Springfield and Willard Public schools. She loves to teach reading/writing and to lead small group reading clubs. "My favorite part of teaching is the relationship building with students and parents; they are the heart of what we do!"
LAUREN WILLIAMS
Kindergarten Teacher
& K-Day Coordinator
Mrs. Lauren Williams is our kindergarten, specials teacher, and Co-Op coordinator. Ms. Lauren earned a Bachelor of Science in Child Studies Interdisciplinary and Minor in Family Studies and Social Services from College of the Ozarks, and is currently working on a Masters of Science in Early Childhood and Family Development and Graduate Certificate in College Teaching at Missouri State. She has worked with Youth Camps, Social Work and has years of experience working with kids at church, teaching music, and childcare. Lauren loves seeing how excited her students are to learn. “It an answer to prayer getting to work for KB Academy!”
AMY DASCHER
1st–12th English Teacher
Mrs. Amy Dascher graduated with a Degree in Elementary Education from St. Mary's University. She has taught in many different avenues and is energized when working with kids in the classroom. She has homeschooled her sons and taught Composition classes for over 13 years, as well as, World History and Economics/ Government for over 10 years. Her absolutely favorite part of teaching is watching the kids go from disengaged and not understanding to demonstrating a spark of curiosity, understanding, and joy.
JACOB GEORGE
1st–12th History
& Bible Teacher
Mr. Jacob George is our Bible Teacher. Jacob holds a bachelor's degree in Biblical Studies with a minor in Writing from Southwest Baptist University. He recently graduated with his Master's in Divinity with a concentration in Theology from Truett Seminary at Baylor University. He has a heart for teaching and for building up the next generation.
LAUREN WILLIAMS
1st–6th Science Teacher
Our elementary science teacher brings excitement and fun to our elementary students! She plans fun and engaging experiments that actively teach children about the different aspects of Science from a Biblical worldview. She has over 20 years of teaching experience both as a homeschool mom and as a teacher.
WENDY KERNS
1st–6th Math Teacher
Ms. Wendy Kerns earned a Bachelor's of Science from College of the Ozarks and a Master’s Degree from Lindenwood University. Wendy dedicated 25 years teaching at Hollister Elementary and 3 summers teaching in the Explore program with Springfield Public Schools. Ms. Wendy loves serving students and helping them get excited about learning math; she is excited to be a part of KB Academy, and is excited to “have been called by the Lord to do this job!”
Rae-Ann Wade
7th–12th Math Teacher
Mrs. Rae-Ann Wade, has a Masters in Curriculum & Instruction from Illinois State University, and a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics and Secondary Education also from Illinois State University. She has 6 years of Secondary Mathematics teaching experience, and two years as a principal. She loves helping kids learn new things, and is excited to share the love of Christ with her students! Rae-Ann also teaches Geometry and Pre-Algebra for the 22/23 school year.
AMANDA NICHOLS
7th–12th Science Teacher
In addition to serving as our Director of Education, Mrs. Amanda Nichols serves as our secondary Science teacher for the 2022/2023 school year. She graduated from College of the Ozarks with a degree in Elementary Education. Mrs. Amanda loves teaching and finding creative ways to make learning fun, engaging, and effective for multiple learning styles.
JENNIFER STRICKLAND
Licensed Professional Counselor
Mrs. Jennifer Strickland serves as our on-site Mental Health Therapist. She is a compassionate and intuitive mental health professional experienced in a multi-disciplinary theoretic approach including Dialectal Behavioral Therapy and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) modalities. Jennifer achieves positive results utilizing Reality Based Therapy drawing on Cognitive Behavioral and multi-disciplinary interventions to assess, evaluate, plan, educate, inform, and intervene in assisting clients reach personalized goals. Jennifer has been serving families in the Springfield, MO area as a Licensed Professional Counselor since 2005 and enjoys helping children, parents, individuals, and families achieve a better tomorrow.
