Five new teachers were added to the Education Team in the Iowa-Missouri Conference for the 2021-2022 school year. Two of the five teachers are returning to teach in the Iowa-Missouri Conference.
Cam Bieksza is the new teacher for grades 1 and 2 at College Park Christian Academy. Cam joined the school in the middle of last school year going from part time in the pre-kindergarten program to a combination of half day teaching pre-kindergarten and half day teaching grades 3 and 4. Previously, Cam taught English and religion in Korea, Ukraine and the Philippines. Cam has a bachelor’s degree in elementary education.
Francie Hamilton is the new principal and grades K-8 teacher at the Prescott Adventist School located in St. Joseph, Missouri. Francie is not new our conference. She last served as the middle grades teacher at Sunnydale Elementary. She most recently served the Topeka school district as an English Language Learner elementary teacher before moving back to Missouri. Francie has a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education and a master’s degree in administration and leadership.
Karli Kuehmichel is the new principal and grades 5-8 teacher at the Des Moines Adventist School. Karli most recently served as the grades 7-8 teacher at Midland Adventist Academy in Shawnee, Kansas. Karli has a bachelor’s degrees in elementary education and music education with a master’s in educational leadership.
Geraldine Markham is the new principal and grades K-8 teacher at the Rolla SDA School located in Rolla, Missouri. Geraldine is not new to the conference as she taught for two years at the Bourbon SDA School in Bourbon, Missouri before it closed in 2019. Since then, Geraldine has taught kindergarten for the Bourbon School District. Geraldine has a bachelor’s degree in elementary education.
Ashton McMillen is the new grades 3-6 teacher at Hillcrest SDA School in St. Louis, Missouri. Ashton is a 2021 graduate from Southern Adventist University with a bachelor’s degree in elementary education. She is replacing Julie Abrahamson who transferred to the Maranatha SDA School in Moberly, Missouri as principal and K-8 grades teacher. Ashton is no stranger to Adventist education as she attended Springfield Junior Academy for several years. She also is a third-generation teacher following in the footsteps of her grandfather and mother.
Gabriel Mendez is the new grades 5-6 teacher at College Park Christian Academy located in Columbia, Missouri. Most recently, Gabriel taught at the Lighthouse SDA Christian School in Fort Morgan, Colorado. Gabriel has a bachelor’s degree in elementary education.
