Michiana Covenant Academy Instructors
Mrs. Susan Daniels
English, Spanish
lighthouseteacherservices@gmail.com
Mrs. Susan Daniels graduated from Kent State University (Ohio), and taught 9th through 11th grades English and Spanish in an Ohio public high school. Since that time, she and her husband Bob have been raising and homeschooling their 5 children, 4 of whom are now homeschool
graduates. Along with homeschooling, Mrs. Daniels has been teaching Spanish language and English composition and literature to classes of homeschooled students for many years. She also gives presentations for parents on topics related to homeschooling She enjoys helping parents fulfill their calling as home educators.
Mr. Mark Hanson
Computers & Programming
Mr. Mark Hanson has been an electrical and software engineer since he graduated from Michigan State University in 1978. He has worked in aerospace and automotive industries designing and programming microchip circuits for intelligent motors and braking systems, and is currently employed at CTS Automotive. Mark is co-inventor on three U. S. patents involving electronics and software. He and his wife Sally homeschooled their daughter, now a successful Medical Technologist, from 8th through 12th grades.
Mrs. Sally Hanson
Science
Mrs. Sally Hanson graduated from Bethel College in 1978 with a BA in biology, minoring in Chemistry, and from the South Bend Medical Foundation School of Medical Technology the same year. She and her husband, Mark, homeschooled their daughter from 8th through 12th grade. Sally is a retired medical laboratory supervisor and has taught Sunday School for many years. Sally is also a member of the Piecemakers Quilt Guild in Niles, and loves gardening, walking, and birding.
Mrs. Kristina Kain
Literature
Mrs. Kristina Kain graduated with a BA in English and secondary education in 2003
from Northern Illinois University. She then earned her Master’s in Communications in 2005. She taught in the public schools and community college for a short time, and then joined her husband in starting their own small business in real estate investing from 2006 to 2012. She began home schooling her own four children in 2013, and she has facilitated their daily violin practicing since 2012. She has taught classes at home school co-ops for 9 years. She loves bringing literature to life with her students through study in the classroom and productions on the stage. She and her husband Justin were both home schooled as well. Through the rearing of children, she became an avid seeker of knowledge in natural medicine and healthy food. She has kept a daily journal since she was 14 years old, and she enjoys coffee and hiking with her husband.
Mrs. Chrissie Kaufmann
French
Mrs. Chrissie Kaufmann (known to her students as “Madame Kaufmann”) holds BAs in French and English Literature, summa cum laude from Taylor University (1997), as well as a Diploma of French Studies from L’Institut de Touraine, Tours, France (1995). She has a personal passion for the French language and francophone cultures that she enjoys sharing with Academy students through a multi-sensory, integrated approach. In addition to benefiting from traditional classroom instruction, students can sample French food during parties, play “pétanque” (French lawn bowling) together outdoors, listen to French music, participate in French field trip opportunities and more! As a member of the American Association of Teachers of French (AATF), Madame Kaufmann has administered the National French Contest to her MCA high school students during class time, and they have excelled, earning national gold, silver and bronze medals.
Mrs. Rebecca Pinegar
Music
Mrs. Rebecca Pinegar holds a B.M.Ed. from Taylor University (2007). She has taught elementary and middle school music in public schools, directed church vocal and handbell/chime choirs, and taught private instrumental and piano lessons. She plays the oboe, flute, and piano and loves singing and learning new instruments. She and her husband, Elliott, homeschool their two older daughters.
Mrs. Lynn Sunshine
Enrichment
Mrs. Lynn Sunshine has a B.S. in wildlife management and an RN degree, giving her all the qualifications needed to teach preschool. She taught for twelve years at her church’s preschool in Connecticut. She was responsible for leading the children in worship and teaching science for 3-, 4-, and 5-year-olds. She was also a regular classroom teacher for 3- and 4-year-olds. She has been married to her husband Glenn for 44 years and has two children and two grandchildren.
Dr. Peter J. Wallace
History
Dr. Peter J. Wallace graduated from the University of Notre Dame (Ph.D. American History, 2004), Westminster Theological Seminary (M.Div., 1996), and Wheaton College (B.A. History of Christian Thought, 1993). He has served as pastor of Michiana Covenant PCA since 2001. He is an adjunct professor at Mid-America Reformed Seminary, and has conducted numerous church history seminars in churches around the United States. Both he and his wife, Ginger, are second generation home schoolers.
Mrs. Virginia Wallace
Virginia Wallace graduated as a homeschool highschooler and went directly to work at Good Shepherd School and Daycare, Harrisonburg VA, as the Director of the Infant Care. She currently chairs the Women’s Ministry Team at MCPC, caring for the needs of the church and serves on the board of South Bend TradeWorks, a local non-profit which promotes education in the historic trades.
Mrs. Wallace has spent her entire life caring for children, both for others as well as her own! Mrs. and Dr. Wallace have graduated five of their seven children, all of whom have attended MCA. Their graduated children have
gone on to work in the service industry, tutored other homeschool children, worked in historic restoration, and one is entering Graduate School in the fall. After all their children became old enough to attend Academy, Virginia became the assistant to the MCA Administrator. She also monitors Study Hall students, answers questions and generally keeps the day running smoothly.
Mrs. Kathy Williamson
Phonics, Writing
Kathleen Williamson graduated from Michigan State University in 1984 and attended Western Michigan University, pursuing an Electrical Engineering degree. God then provided a strong desire for family, changed her direction and home education became her focus. Studying the Writing Road to Reading program, by Romalda Spalding, she mastered the phonics necessary to teach proper spelling, handwriting, and reading. Becoming a registered instructor for the Institute for Excellence in Writing program, she taught this method at all 3 levels for many homeschooling families for 9 years through Michiana Covenant Academy and also in our surrounding area, as well as at a local Christian school. She has developed a passion for encouraging students to discover their unique imprints from God through writing.
She spends some of her free time tutoring students in many subjects, (all levels of math and Calculus including using Desmos Sketch, the high school sciences, Debate, Latin, Logic, Grammar, Oceanography, American Government, American History, etc.) as she still enjoys learning and sharing the joy of knowledge with them. When students struggle, Kathy loves to help them understand how they best learn so that they can then study difficult subjects by themselves. Her youngest child of 7 will be completing her senior year of homeschooling this year, yet she has been enrolled full-time at Ivy Tech Community College since the age of 14.