Westminster teachers must hold a Bachelor’s degree or higher from an accredited university, demonstrate a mastery of and love for the subject material they are teaching, and hold a current teaching certificate. Teachers must profess a personal faith in Jesus Christ and display godly character and personal decorum, serving as a role model both in and out of school to students and as an example to parents and fellow faculty members.

Our faculty and staff are highly committed to investing in the lives of their students and believe that goes hand in hand with imparting knowledge. They themselves embrace a biblical worldview, which is the foundation of their instruction. Our teachers strive to keep parents informed of their child’s strengths and weaknesses. Realizing that God gives different gifts and even the same gifts in different measure, our teachers help students recognize their unique gifts and talents within a supportive environment. These dedicated men and women who make up our administrative and teaching staff are our most valuable assets at Westminster.

Administrative Staff
Dana James	Headmaster
AS	Young Harris College
BSED	UGA
MED	UGA
Total years in teaching and education:	27
Years at Westminster:	12
Favorite teaching moment: The Lord has been so gracious through the years to show His pleasure with Westminster. This was never more evident than during the senior trip to Mexico with the class of 2007. I could write pages about the amazing things that happened on that trip, but one thing stands out most to me as headmaster of this school. Each evening we would gather together as a group just before bed to pray and share about the day. On one particular night, Mark Dover, the missionary we were staying with, invited five students from his Bible College to speak to our group. Each student shared how they had been called by God to minister in their villages and how excited they were about the opportunity to attend the Bible College to receive the training they needed to effectively minister. Then each student shared that this journey had begun for him or her when they had prayed to receive Christ at the Youth Revival that our class of 2006 had led the previous year. I was overwhelmed! What an amazing gift for our school to be used in such a magnificent way to further the gospel. Our students were truly moved by the obvious work of the Lord, and their faith (and mine) grew to new levels.
Becky Callaway	Lower School Principal
BSED	UGA
MED	UGA
Total years in teaching and education:	24
Years at Westminster:	11
Favorite teaching moment: During my first year here, 1997, my classroom was an old trailer situated behind Watkinsville First Baptist Church. One warm fall Friday afternoon, I had the doors open as I was trying, with moderate success, to hold my fourth graders' attention for a Bob Jones history lesson. Willing to be distracted by most anything, when a wasp flew through the open door, each of my 13 students immediately turned their attention from the lesson to the insect. Undaunted, continuing to teach, I walked over to the doorway where the wasp had landed on the edge of the window curtain. Nonchalantly, I picked up a nearby book from the shelf under the window, and using it as a makeshift swatter, I tapped the critter with just enough force to plummet it to the floor where I would then end his life under the force of my foot. What happened next roused the attention of not only my restless fourth graders, but that of the middle school PE class playing basketball on the court across the parking lot as well. For in the same motion I had used to brush the wasp off the curtain, I had also caught the paper-thin window glass with the corner of the book, sending it exploding with a crash onto the deck outside the door. Of course, the history lesson in my room, as well as PE on the basketball court and whatever was going on in class next door, were over at this point. In a sea of astonishment filled with squeals and laughter, as the other teachers and I gathered our wits we all knew what came next: we had to locate Coach James, who was probably at "the new school property," and break the news to him so he could get the glass replaced before church time on Sunday. Needless to say, the pane was replaced with one of better quality than the original and by Monday, the excitement had passed. However, thanks to Peter Scheidt (class of 2006), whose version of the story contains one slight unverified embellishment, to this day I am still the new teacher who killed a wasp and broke the classroom window with the BIBLE!!! Funny how the little things can cause such a stir.
Judy Childs	Assistant Upper School Principal, Dean of Women, Discovery Program Director
BSED	Georgia Southern University
MED	UGA
EdS	Lincoln Memorial University
Total years in teaching and education:	25
Years at Westminster:	4
Favorite teaching moment: When the "lightbulb of learning" turns on and a student says with a smile, "I get it! I understand!" This is the greatest.
Steve Meehan	Dean of Men, Athletic Director
BA	University of North Florida
Total years in teaching and education:	15
Years at Westminster:	4
Favorite teaching moment: I enjoy taking the students to Mexico on a mission trip their senior year. You get to see a side of the students that is a culmination of what we teach, their work ethic and spiritual maturity. You get to see them in a setting outside of the classroom - young adults who are maturing in Christ, living out their faith on the mission field.
Sheila James	Director of Academics, High School Counselor
BBA	UGA
MED	UGA
Total years in teaching and education:	25
Years at Westminster:	19
Why I work at Westminster: It’s a great privilege to work with students over a period of years and witness their growth both personally and spiritually. I firmly believe in the educational philosophy behind Westminster and the classical teaching model used here. I love being part of a team that is committed to providing the strongest academic program possible, and that is equally committed to investing in the lives of students through mentoring and discipleship. I have been blessed to have my own three sons educated at Westminster, and the benefit they have received from this investment in their lives is immeasurable.
Kelly Cole	Director of Admissions
BSED	Bowling Green State University
MED	UGA
EdS	UGA
Total years in teaching and education:	18
Years at Westminster:	5
Why I teach at Westminster: I firmly believe that Westminster provides a strong academic education with a Christian worldview. This is exactly what my husband and I were looking for when we started looking at schools 10 years ago. Our daughters are receiving an education that is in agreement with what they learn at home and at church and they are also challenged academically. I love that I am able to work where my children attend school. I also get to meet all the families that choose to visit our school. The faculty and staff are awesome and have strengthened my own walk as a Christian. I love this school!
Sandra Stowe	Media Specialist
BS	Toccoa Falls College
MED	UGA
Total years in teaching and education:	21
Years at Westminster:	9
Why I work at Westminster: Freedom! Freedom to express my faith and encourage others as well. Freedom from unnecessary red tape – we can get to the heart of education unencumbered by busy work. I also appreciate that we are a team working together to bring out the best in our students. I also love helping a student find that "perfect book."
Mark Heintzman	Director of Development
Years at Westminster:	4
Why I work at Westminster: It's fun to work within a community of believers who are so diverse as individuals and yet so unified in their commitment to their children and to quality, Christian education.
Cheryl Hardin	Office Manager
Years at Westminster:	8
Why I work at Westminster: When I began working at Westminster there was a need that I felt God had prepared me to help fill. Over the years that I have been employed at WCA, the needs have changed and I have seen how God has continued to prepare me to help fill some of those needs. Serving God through serving His people is what I believe I am called to do, and for now doing that at WCA is where God has placed me.
Susan Meehan	Main Office Assistant
Years at Westminster:	3
My favorite Westminster moment: One of my favorite Westminster moments occurred during my oldest son's 7th grade year. He was on the boys' middle school basketball team, and it had been a rough season. They were 0-7 and were in the final minutes of their last game, down by 10 points. There was one young man on the team who had not scored a single basket all season. The coach put him in, and I watched as his teammates fed him balls in an effort to set him up to score. At last, in the final seconds of the game, he shot and scored two points. We lost that game by 16 points, but the team was so excited about this final basket, any onlooker would have thought they were celebrating a huge win. (I'm sure the opposing team walked away confused by our boys' reaction!) I have always felt this seemingly minor incident exemplifies the sense of family, mutual support and well- placed priorities among our students.
Sarah Scheidt	Accounts Receivable
Years at Westminster:	15
Why I work at Westminster: Being a part of an organization whose sole purpose is to teach the gospel and to prepare children to become future Christian leaders.
Alane Howell	Accounts Payable
Years at Westminster:	11
My favorite experience at Westminster: Praying with parents before a huge yard sale fundraiser (when the school still did fundraisers) in the early 1990’s. Prayer undergirded everything we did in the early days of the school, and it still does today.
Karen Heintzman	Assistant to the Athletic Director
Years at Westminster:	5
Why I work at Westminster: I love being involved with the students and knowing them all by name. Here I feel I have the opportunity to be involved with kids in many different ways.
Connie Rushing	Assistant to the Headmaster
Years at Westminster:	10
Why I work at Westminster: Rather than asking God to bless what I am doing, I want to be a part of what God is blessing. His hand has been on this school since its beginning, and it is exciting to be a part of that. I love working with teenagers! They have so much enthusiasm and energy. Watching them grow in their relationship with God and being part of that is very rewarding for me.
Rhonda Hayes	Library Assistant, Bus Driver
Years at Westminster:	10
Why I work at Westminster: I love children, and here at Westminster I get to work with some of the most precious little ones. Every week brings something new and fun that they come up with to talk about or a new game to play.
Lower School Teaching Staff
Stacey Casuccio	Preschool Teacher, Lunch Bunch Coordinator
AS	Brevard Community College
Total years in teaching and education:	22
Years at Westminster:	10
Favorite teaching moment: I taught a little girl from Nicaragua who hardly spoke English. One of our crafts was "All About Me," where I had to ask her questions about herself. I asked her in Spanish. Afterwards, one of my little boys asked, "Was that Spanish you were speaking?" When I said, "Yes, it was," he responded, "Well don’t you think you need to learn a little English?!" I love children and I love Jesus. My desire is to teach these children that Jesus is their best friend and that He will always be with them.
Cindy Miller	Music, Honors English, Preschool
BS	UGA
Total years in teaching and education:	20
Years at Westminster:	6
Favorite experience at Westminster: I love doing lower school musicals! Last year we did a new musical, "The First Leon." During one of our rehearsals, "Leon" was inside a large refrigerator box that we were using for an inn. "Joseph" knocked on the door several times. "Leon" tried his best to answer the door, but the cardboard was stuck. Finally after hitting and kicking his way out of the box, "Leon" was able to say, "No room!" We thought "Leon" would never get out of that box!
Phyllis McAndrew	Kindergarten Teacher
BA	King College
MED	Georgia State University
Total years in teaching and education:	19
Years at Westminster:	16
Favorite teaching experience at Westminster: Having grown up in the Congo, I always spend the last month of school telling my kindergarteners about Africa. One year a student was very concerned about the children in the Congo and the fact that they have no toys to play with. The Congolese children have to make their own toys out of palm fibers and tire rims, etc. She decided to raise money over the summer by having lemonade stands and various other fundraisers in order to send money to Africa to buy toys for some of the children. Her family got in touch with a Christian organization that works in the Congo and gave money to this group in order for them to distribute toys to the Congolese boys and girls. The girl and her sister were featured in the organization’s newsletter after the toys were received by many children in the Congo! This all started with a little sharing of my experiences with my class as a missionary’s daughter. How great that a kindergarten student felt called by the Lord to do more than just listen to this particular situation! What a joy it was to see this student put James 1:22 into action – "But be doers of the word, and not hearers only…"
Karen Schaefer	Kindergarten Teacher
BA	Stanford University
Teaching Credential	San Jose State
Total years in teaching and education:	29
Years at Westminster:	19
Favorite Westminster fieldtrip: We took about 25 kindergarteners to a bee research farm. The researcher assured us that nobody would be stung, but most of the mothers came along just to be sure. The children put on head masks and heavy gloves, and then we marched out to the hives to see the bees. We even passed around the honey drawers, which had bees swarming all over them. Nobody got stung! Praise God!
Tiffany Rasmussen	Kindergarten Teacher
BS	North Georgia College & State University
MED	North Georgia College & State University
Total years in teaching and education:	10
Years at Westminster:	5
Favorite teaching experience at Westminster: I love every year watching my kindergarteners perform their Thanksgiving play. I love hearing them give thanks to God and reciting Psalm 100 from memory. Of course, all their smiles and hugs are great, too! I love teaching in such a God-filled school. The morale is positive, and we have an awesome administration. The parents here are super supportive with their help and prayers.
Julie Cohron	1st Grade Teacher
BSED	UGA
Total years in teaching and education:	25
Years at Westminster:	17
Why I teach at Westminster: I believe that God has called me to teach here. It’s about more than just academics. It’s about the whole child. It is about discipleship. I love to see people grow and to see their potential as a child of God. I want to help build a strong foundation of faith in my students, to see them learn to fully depend on God, and to walk in obedience to His call in their lives.
Holly White	1st Grade Teacher
BSED	UGA
MED	Brenau University
Total years in teaching and education:	4
Years at Westminster:	1
Why I teach at Westminster: I love being able to teach from a biblical perspective. It is such a blessing to share God’s truths during the school day. The parents are incredible - such support from parents, other teachers, and administration.
Teri Ware	2nd Grade Teacher
AA	Truett-McConnell College
BA	Mercer University
MED	Southern Baptist Theological Seminary
Total years in teaching and education:	5
Years at Westminster:	3
Favorite teaching experience at Westminster: One of my favorite teaching moments was watching the shyest girl in my class stand in chapel and sing. She had grown so much! I love seeing "my children" grow! Teaching at Westminster allows me to be close to my three sons. I love being able to talk about God’s grace and love all the time! It is amazing to watch children come to know Jesus more.
Jackie Booth	3rd Grade Teacher
BS	North Georgia College
Total years in teaching and education:	14
Years at Westminster:	10
Why I teach at Westminster: I love to teach! Westminster’s philosophy and purpose provide the framework for an excellent place to teach. My co-workers are godly, talented and accomplished, which spurs me on to work hard and make a difference – not only academically but also spiritually in my students’ lives.
Betsy Adams	4th Grade Teacher
BSHE	UGA
BSED	UGA
Total years in teaching and education:	15
Years at Westminster:	6
Why I teach at Westminster: I teach at Westminster because I want to be able to encourage the spiritual development of young people. It is such a joy to see how they mature in Christ throughout the year. The staff is always loving and supportive and work together. I also enjoy seeing my own children during the school day!
Faye Kinney	5th Grade Teacher
BS	UGA
MED	UGA
Total years in teaching and education:	30
Years at Westminster:	12
Why I teach at Westminster: Westminster offers me the awesome opportunity to teach all academic disciplines with a biblical approach. Since biblical truth is integrated into every part of the educational experience at Westminster, I feel that I am helping to shape Christian character among students I teach, and this is a very rewarding experience.
Pat Tice	Discovery Program Teacher
AA	Truett-McConnell College
BS	UGA
MED	UGA
Total years in teaching and education:	18
Years at Westminster:	6
Favorite teaching experience at Westminster: When I am able to help a student learn how to do a math problem that has been troubling. I love to teach at Westminster because of the Christian environment.
Sandra Stowe	Honors Math
BS	Toccoa Falls College
MED	UGA
Total years in teaching and education:	21
Years at Westminster:	9
Why I teach at Westminster: Freedom! Freedom to express my faith and encourage others as well. Freedom from unnecessary red tape – we can get to the heart of education unencumbered by busy work. I also appreciate that we are a team working together to bring out the best in our students. I also love helping a student find that "perfect book".
Anita Sharpe	1st – 6th and Upper School Art Teacher
BS	UGA
Total years in teaching and education:	14
Years at Westminster:	4
Why I teach at Westminster: I enjoy having the freedom to be myself during my workday as well as I am at home and church. I feel privileged to be able to pray for others and ask them to pray for me. I also think it is important for students to see adults living out their faith in their everyday lives. My classes are so good. The students are willing to try new things, and they are very respectful to adults and one another. Every day is a good experience in this setting!
Jared Bryant	1st – 5th Grade PE
BBA	UGA
Total years in teaching and education:	4
Years at Westminster:	4
Why I teach at Westminster: I teach at Westminster because I love PE, love working with kids, and I love helping others see how the gospel impacts all aspects of life.
Upper School Teaching Staff
Emma Stephens	10th & 11th Grade Language Arts
A-Levels in English Literature and Language, European History Clarendon College, England
BSED	UGA
Total years in teaching and education:	5
Years at Westminster:	2
Why I teach at Westminster: I work at Westminster because I enjoy working in a Christian environment where my beliefs can be reflected in my work. The warmth and love I have received from my fellow staff and students reflects the kind of Christian attitude that could change the world.
Sherri Wilkerson	MS & 9th Grade Language Arts, Graphic Design
BA	Georgia State University
Total years in teaching and education:	5
Years at Westminster:	2
Favorite teaching moment: Last year my 7th grade class made a connection between a novel we were reading and a figure in classic Greek mythology. It had been four or five months since we studied mythology, so this was definitely a "Yes!" moment. I also love having the freedom to point my students to the gospel.
Charlise Rowley	12th English, Drama, Literary Events
AA	Truett-McConnell College
BA	Mercer University
Total years in teaching and education:	15
Years at Westminster:	9
Why I teach at Westminster: I love teaching here because I want to communicate to students how to see the beauty of language. Our God is a speaking God, using figurative as well as literal language to communicate this love to us – I think we should be able to reciprocate with skill and passion.
Jonathan Evans	AP English Literature
BA	Ashbury College
MA	Indiana University
PhD	Indiana University
Total years in teaching and education:	27
Years at Westminster:	8
Why I teach at Westminster: My wife, Susan, and I want to see Westminster seniors prepared for the challenges of university English classes. We want to help them acquire a sophisticated and spiritual understanding of both sacred and secular literature. I love seeing most of our seniors score high enough on the AP exam to "test out" of 1101. Note: Jonathan is also a professor at UGA. Jonathan and his wife, Susan, co-teach our AP Literature class.
Donna Rae Woods	Speech
BS	UGA
Total years in teaching and education:	12
Years at Westminster:	2
Why I teach at Westminster: I am so thankful to be back after 17 years and have the same opportunity (Donna Rae was our first kindergarten teacher) to teach children in a Christian school. The freedom to be able to pray with the students, faculty, and staff is the best thing about teaching at Westminster!
Christen Richardson	Spanish
BA	University of Kentucky
MA	University of Kentucky
Total years in teaching and education:	12
Years at Westminster:	6
Why I teach at Westminster: Spanish is the "vehicle" to bring me into the lives of my students. I want them to learn Spanish, but more than that I want them to know Christ, to love God and to experience Him in their everyday lives. Teaching gives me the opportunity to have a discipleship relationship, particularly with the high school girls, both inside and outside the classroom.
Mark Hamilton	7th – 9th Latin, 8th History, 12th Bible, Logic, Rhetoric
BA - Latin	UGA
BA - Classical Languages	UGA
Total years in teaching and education:	4
Years at Westminster:	4
Why I teach at Westminster: Watching the 3rd year Latin students using grammatical terms of an advanced nature without confusion, unaware of the significance of what they have accomplished. I love the opportunity to work at a school that allows me to teach about Christ and that is also implementing the classical education model.
Jerry Ediger	Middle & High School Bible
BA	Columbia Bible College
Total years in teaching and education:	7
Years at Westminster:	7
Why I teach at Westminster: I teach at Westminster because I love people and I love the Word. I believe this is the best way to use my gifts and invest my life for God’s glory. It is the best job in North America!
Sonya Carter	6th & 7th History, Discovery Program, Drama
MSED	UGA
Total years in teaching and education:	16
Years at Westminster:	8
My favorite teaching moment: I explained a military tactic of "forming a square" to my students. We need to protect each other’s backs when we are being attacked by the enemy, and since we can not see all sides of an attack we must stand together. We discussed how this needs to be "our stance" in the spiritual realm as well: When one is struggling, we need to "form a square" with our prayers and our attitudes rather than gossiping or judging each other. My 6th grade girls were struggling with gossip, so my boys decided to form a square around them and pray against the attacks of the enemy in the lives of the girls. The boys did not stand in judgment, but prayed scriptures they had memorized on behalf of the girls. This was one of my crowning moments as a teacher.
Barb Twist	9th – 11th History
BSED	University of Kansas at Lawrence
Total years in teaching and education:	11
Years at Westminster:	2
Why I teach at Westminster: I love to watch students rise to the challenges given them and see them exceed all expectations! That is pure joy! We have a wonderful staff and such smart and creative students! I love to teach history, and hopefully my enthusiasm for it is contagious!
Paula Canup	Government/Economics
BS	UGA
Total years in teaching and education:	23
Years at Westminster:	11
Favorite teaching moment: There are too many to choose from! I loved our upper school trips to Washington D.C., Boston, and St. Augustine. Once when I took a group of tenth grade students to the Renaissance Festival, the kids surprised me by having three young troubadours come serenade me. I also enjoyed doing the medieval simulation with my seventh grade World History classes. It is also rewarding when a student returns to thank me later on for being so "hard" on them. I love the family atmosphere of a small school. I also love seeing the kids from year to year and watching them grow and mature. The people I work with are great, and I have made lasting friendships here.
David Fish	AP Biology, Biology, Physics, Life Science, Anatomy
BS	Covenant College
Total years in teaching and education:	5
Years at Westminster:	5
Why I teach at Westminster: I like teaching at Westminster because I get to integrate my faith and vocation in a very open way. Also my job allows me to do three of my favorite things: soccer, gardening (David manages our grounds), and teaching.
Ed Fish	AP Chem, Chem, Physical Sci, Earth Sci, Astronomy/ Meteorology
BS	Southeast Missouri State
MED	Regent University
Total years in teaching and education:	35
Years at Westminster:	3
Why I teach at Westminster: It is a real blessing to teach with my son David. Teaching science at Westminster gives me an opportunity to interact with students concerning God’s order in the "big" (universal) and "small" (atomic) of His creation. It is interesting to discuss with students the concepts of order and chaos that become evident with an investigation into the world around us. God’s creation is a great wonder; understanding it is a great challenge!
Steve Meehan	9th Health & PE, Senior Seminar
BA	University of North Florida
Total years in teaching and education:	15
Years at Westminster:	4
Favorite teaching moment: I enjoy taking the students to Mexico on a mission trip their senior year. You get to see a side of the students that is a culmination of what we teach, their work ethic and spiritual maturity. You get to see them in a setting outside of the classroom - young adults who are maturing in Christ, living out their faith on the mission field.
Mike Ediger	MS Math, MS PE, Weight Training, Algebra I
BA	The Master’s College
BA	University of Nebraska
Total years in teaching and education:	13
Years at Westminster:	10
Why I teach at Westminster: I love teaching at Westminster because we have the freedom to preach the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ without hesitation. Discipling young people is priority number one at Westminster, and I am encouraged to do this unashamedly.
Susan Lehmann	Euclidean Geometry, Algebra II
BA	University of Kentucky
MED	University of Louisville
Total years in teaching and education:	16
Years at Westminster:	1
Why I teach at Westminster: I truly believe that the Lord has led me here. In His perfect timing He opened the door for me to teach here and for my sons to attend school here.
Dana James	Precalculus and AP Calculus
AS	Young Harris College
BSED	UGA
MED	UGA
Total years in teaching and education:	27
Years at Westminster:	12
Favorite teaching moment: Watching a student work so hard during the 2004-2005 school year to make a 100 final average in my class. Since I give no extra credit and do not grade homework, he had to get every problem correct on every test the entire year. As he came closer to his goal, his classmates became very interested and cheered him on. He succeeded and became the only student I have taught in 27 years to get a final grade of 100 in my class.
Carol Meredith	Algebra III
BSED	UGA
Total years in teaching and education:	9
Years at Westminster:	1
Why I teach at Westminster: I enjoy the teaching environment. It is such a blessing to teach where God is a participant in the learning process.