Schola Instructors

As homeschool parents themselves, Schola teachers understand the challenges homeschool families face in providing structure, accountability, and upper-level learning experiences for their students. As teachers, they also understand the interest and synergy created by group discussions of important issues as well as the value of consistency needed to complete subject matter.

All Schola teachers are committed to the historic Christian faith as it is confessed in the Apostles’ Creed. With the Church of all ages, we confess faith in the Lord Jesus Christ who entered history for us, took upon Himself our nature, voluntarily offered Himself as our substitute upon the cross, and conquered sin and death by His resurrection. The Gospel is the Good News that Christ has secured salvation for us. We are set free from sin and death through faith in Christ. In response, we seek to worship the Lord, to grow in faith and obedience to Him, and to serve Him and one another.

Angie Brennan - The Cottage School: Grades 2 & 3 Enrichment; Latin for Children 1 & 2
Mrs. Brennan is a graduate of the University of Houston and has been teaching for 25 years, including homeschooling, teaching Latin and music at a classical Christian school in Maryland, and as a Schola instructor. She also taught private trumpet lessons for several years and worked with the First Colony Homeschool Ensembles instrumental program. Angie and her husband, Terry, have three grown children and are members of Providence Presbyterian Church in Sugar Land. Besides teaching, she enjoys reading, playing piano, and drawing. Mrs. Brennan is delighted for the opportunity to encourage young Schola students to love what is good, true, and beautiful through music, art, and language.

Charlotte Chiang - IPC
Ms. Chiang has been homeschooled all her life and graduated with the Schola program in 2022. The following year, she continued with Schola as a substitute teacher. She is currently taking online credits towards her B.S. in Computer Science. In the past, she has written and published her own novel, Plutopia, co-founded the worldview podcast Spoonful of Truth, worked as a freelance graphic designer and artist, served on the Schola yearbook team for three years and on the leadership board in her American Heritage Girls troop for five years. Ms. Chiang is also the head guildmaster of Gloria Guild, a creative community she founded in 2022 that holds free online classes focused on teaching students to use the arts for the glory of God. She and her family attend Redeemer Bible Church, where she serves on the worship and nursery teams.

Allie Dodson- The Cottage School: Art Explorations
Mrs. Dodson is a wife, mom and artist, born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area. She earned a B.A. in Language Studies from the University of California at Santa Cruz in 1997. She worked in the business world for ten years (art supplies and toy manufacturing), prior to starting her next chapter as a stay-at-home mom. Six years ago, along with her husband Matt and kids Jake and Chloe, she moved to Texas and began homeschooling. A third-generation artist, she is skilled in different art mediums, though she is currently handcrafting creations from paper or fabric. In recent years, she has taught workshops at her home, encouraging students to express themselves through the creative process. In addition to art, she loves birds, baking and being outdoors. She and her family are members at Christ Community Church in Houston.

Nathan Eleweanya - The Cottage School: Grades 2 & 3 Core, Creation Science
Mr. Eleweanya graduated from the University of Texas at Austin in 2017 with a degree in Radio-Television-Film. Having fallen in love with tutoring during his final semester, his first job after graduation was with an educational nonprofit, College Forward, as a peer mentor to college students. There he would make connections to enter education full time. Mr. Eleweanya has been teaching primary aged children since 2018 and is currently pursuing a Masters of Divinity at the Reformed Theological Seminary of Houston. He and his wife Kassie are members of Providence Presbyterian Church in Sugar Land. Mr. Eleweanya (Mr. E to his young students) relishes the chance to cultivate wisdom and virtue, first in himself, and also in his students, to sharpen little arrows for the Lord in His Kingdom.

Kathy Hart - TGC, Science
Mrs. Hart earned a B.A. with honors in Biology, with a minor in English Literature, and a Texas Teacher Certification in Junior High/High School Composite Science from the University of Texas at Austin in 1981. She taught science in the public school system in Austin as well as both math and science in a private school in Austin before having children. For nine years, she and her husband, Barry, served with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship in El Paso and Houston, which honed her writing and speaking skills. The Harts homeschooled their three children for 20 years. Mrs. Hart has been teaching homeschool classes since 1997 including world views, writing, science, and math. The Harts attend Sugar Creek Baptist Church.

Lori Kilburn - Science; The Cottage School: TGC Elementary, Science & Engineering
Mrs. Kilburn earned a B.S. in Criminal Justice from Central Missouri State University in 1985. After graduating, she worked for the Missouri Department of Family Services for ten years . She left the workforce to become a stay-at-home mom. She and her husband homeschooled their two children for 17 years. She has taught a variety of classes at different homeschool co-ops in the area for the last 14 years. She and her family attend The Sanctuary Fellowship.

Terry Linnemeyer - The Cottage School: Kindergarten and Grade 1
Mrs. Linnemeyer graduated with a BSN from Alfred University in 1979 and has also completed credits towards her MSN/FNP from SUNY Binghamton. Terry has been an educator in various roles: homeschooler, nurse, VBS, Sunday school, Second Mile Mission Center and Schola substitute. Terry and her husband Harry have three adult children and five grandchildren.They have been members at Providence Presbyterian church since 2012. Besides her love for teaching, Mrs. Linnemeyer has a passion for the outdoors, gardening, quilting and being involved with community outreach. She is excited to share her love for God while assisting children to grow and develop.

Alexa Listi - The Cottage School: Math Games, Grammar Workshop
Mrs. Listi, a home school graduate of 2010, earned an A.A.S. in Paralegal Studies from Wharton County Junior College in 2013 and a B.A.A.S. with a concentration in Psychology from the University of Houston-Victoria in 2022. In addition to teaching at Schola since 2012, Mrs. Listi tutors students in SAT/PSAT test prep, math, writing, reading comprehension, and grammar. One of her greatest joys included teaching English each July for six years at a summer camp in southeast Asia. Along with her husband, Mrs. Listi attends Houston Chinese Church, where she leads a discipleship group for high school girls.

Thuy Mooney - The Cottage School: Language Arts
Mrs. Mooney earned a Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine and B.S. in Animal Science at Texas A&M University, and a B.S. in Biology with a minor in Chemistry at the University of Houston. The Mooneys recently moved back to Texas after living in California for the past 17 years. They have been homeschooling their five children since 2011. Mrs. Mooney has taught various homeschool classes at different Christian classical education institutions in California and in the Houston area. She and her family attend Sugar Creek Baptist Church.

Linda Richards- Math
Mrs. Richards graduated with honors in 1987 from Southwestern Assemblies of God College with a Bachelors of Science in Education and a minor in Bible and Spanish. She was only 6 hours from a Masters in Christian School Administration from Oral Roberts University when she stepped away from the private school classroom to become a mother, homeschool teacher, and tutor. She enjoyed 13 years as a home educator to her 5 children, 16 years as a classroom teacher, and over 29 years as a private tutor specializing in math, English, college test prep, and teaching students with learning challenges. Combining seasoned skills with a deep love of students, Mrs. Richards brings energy, enthusiasm, and academic excellence to the courses she teaches. Her deep passion is equipping students to actualize their God-given potential. She and her family attend Sugar Creek Baptist Church.

Patricia Samuelsen- TGC, Latin
Mrs. Samuelsen earned a B.A. in history in 1978 from The King’s College and a Master of Library Science from the University of Texas at Austin in 1980. She worked as an Information Specialist for the Regional Information and Communication Exchange at Rice University and designed a data processing library for a drilling fluids company in Houston before becoming a full-time mom. The Samuelsens homeschooled their three children for 19 years. Mrs. Samuelsen has been teaching homeschool classes since 1999 including world views and Latin. The Samuelsens have been members of Providence Presbyterian Church (Presbyterian Church in America) since 1980.

Susan Shawcross- Math
Mrs. Shawcross graduated with high honor in 2000 from the Georgia Institute of Technology with a Bachelors of Science in Chemical Engineering. She worked for a short time in research before accompanying her husband overseas and starting a family. Susan has taught VBS, religious education, and homeschooled her five children during Covid. She also has experience tutoring high school mathematics and chemistry. In her spare time, Mrs. Shawcross enjoys traveling, hiking, running, cooking, and playing games. She and her family attend St. Laurence Catholic Church.

Tita Vickrey - Spanish
Mrs. Vickrey was born and raised in Mexico City, where she attended a French school, Liceo Franco-Mexicano. Since she was fluent in both Spanish and French, she came to Houston to learn English while attending drafting school. She became an electrical designer and worked for a major engineering company. She homeschooled her three children for 14 years. For the last 18 years, she has taught Spanish and French to homeschool and public school students. The Vickreys attend Calvary Church at the Fountains.

Kathy Zimmerman - TGC Prep, Public Speaking, Speech & Debate
Mrs. Zimmerman earned a B.A. with honors in English from McNeese State University in 1980. She has taught English, Speech, History, Creative Writing, Character Development, and Worldviews of the Western World at Logos Preparatory Academy, CPC, homeschool co-ops, and church since 1997. She was a writer for Lifeway Publications before that, and she has homeschooled her five children and now a grandchild since 1990. She and her husband, Jim, attend Sugar Creek Baptist Church, where she leads Transformation Prayer Ministry.