Numonohi Christian Academy

NCA Staff

Tim and Diana Askew are "on loan" to the school this year as boarding home parents. Normally, they work with the Nakui people in the Sepik region of Papua New Guinea. Tim and Diana are originally from California. They have three children who attend NCA.

Evie Barkman, an MK who grew up in Japan, is our band teacher this year. She received her teaching degree from Toccoa Falls College.

Emily Bonner is our primary English teacher for junior and senior high. This is her first year teaching at NCA; however, she has taught English and Bible at Canton Academy in Mississippi. Emily graduated from Mississippi College in 2004 with a B.A. in English Education.

Dana Bowers is our Grade 5 & 6 teacher this year, as well as the boarding home program coordinator. In past years Dana and his wife Joanie have been boarding home parents both at Numonohi Christian Academy as well as Malango School (in the Islands Region). Dana has also taught Grade 3 & 4. He graduated with his teaching credentials from Azusa Pacific University. In his spare time, Dana enjoys music, Frisbee golf and Scuba diving.

Joanie Bowers. A former teacher and dorm parent, Joanie now serves as our high school librarian. She says, “The things I love most about serving in the library is the opportunity to interact with the students on a daily basis.” She, her husband Dana, and their three children are from California.

Becky Burleson joins our staff this year to teach Spanish in the high school. She received her B.A. in Spanish and teaching credentials from Texas A&M University in 1992. As a part-time teacher and a full-time mother, Becky spends the majority of her time raising their five children.

Neil Burleson is the high school assistant principal and a social studies teacher. In past years he has also taught mathematics, English, and Bible. Neil and his family are from Texas, where he earned his B.S. in computer science and a minor in history at Texas A&M. He joined the NCA staff in 1996.

Pat Chell comes from Canada and teaches French and Grade 8 English. She is also our school's finance officer. In previous years she has also taught PK music, Grade 5 science, and substitute taught at various levels.

Jim and Carol D’Arcy have joined us this year as boarding home parents. Previously they served with NTM in Mexico for a year. They are grateful to be a part of NTM’s church planting team by serving as dorm parents!

Patrick Eggleton and his family have returned to NCA as associates from Indiana. Patrick has a B.S. and M. Ed in Math Education from the University of South Florida. He also earned his PhD in Math Education from University of Georgia. He has 6 years of high school teaching experience and 11 years experience at the college level. He is teaching Grade 4 & 6 mathematics as well as AP Calculus, AP Statistics, and Geometry. Patrick and his wife Dawn have 3 children (Nathan, Timothy, and Elizabeth).

Frieda Ghabiliha is from Rabaul, East New Britain, PNG. She started teaching at NCA in 1992. She has a diploma in Elementary Ed. and a B.Ed from Lae Teachers College in Lae, PNG. She currently teaches Melanesian Pidgin in the high school and PNG Social Studies for Grade 6.

Britt Hemphill is our high school science teacher. Britt came with his family from Washington to PNG in 1995. He earned his B.A. at UCLA in Geography, and his M.A. and teaching credentials from the University of Washington. Britt taught science for 9 years in public high schools before joining NTM.

Deena Hendrickson is teaching Language Arts for Grade 4 this year. In past years, she was a teacher at Faith Christian Academy in Milwaukee, WI. She has her B.S. in Elementary Education from the University of Michigan with a minor in Social Studies. Prior to joining NTM, Deena and her husband, Buzz, served as dorm parents in Alaska and worked in a migrant labor camp in Oregon. Deena and Buzz have three grown children.

Jenny Hoskins is an alumnus of Numonohi Christian Academy, Class of 1998. She received a B.S. in Elementary Education from Bryan College in Dayton, TN. This year she is teaching Grade 1-4 P.E. in the elementary school.

Mitch Hoskins works in our Discovery Program (for learning disabilities) and also teaches high school P.E. He has a B.S. in Business Administration from Bryan College as well as a M.A. in Curriculum and Instruction. Previously he has taught special education at Rhea County High School in Evensville, TN. He has also coached wrestling and volleyball.

Wanda Hull is our Kindergarten and Pre-School teacher. Wanda and her husband Brad were with NTM in Thailand for nine years working with the Pwo Karen people before joining the PNG team in 1993. Wanda’s other interests include cross-stitching and jogging.

Dan Janssen and his family are from Michigan where Dan taught for four years at West Ottawa High School. He has a B.S. in Mathematics from Grand Valley State University. This year Dan is teaching Mathematics, Computer Applications, and Typing. He also serves in technology support for our school computer systems.

Linna Kuta is from the local area and has joined our staff in the mornings as elementary secretary.

Our Grade 1 teacher, Bonnie Morton, received a BA in Missions from Bob Jones University in 1985 and an MS Ed from Philadelphia Biblical University in 2002. She has been our Grade 1 teacher since 2003. Her husband, Bud, is our mission's medical doctor. She and Bud have also been very active in short-term mission trips to Brazil, West Africa, and Manitoba.

Brenda Nelson is teaching Grade 2 language arts and Grade 7 English this year at NCA. She studied elementary education at Tennessee Temple University and received her English degree from Avondale College in NSW, Australia. She and her husband Russ have 2 children and call Bonnells Bay in Newcastle, Australia home.

Karl Nielsen joins our staff this year teaching math and Bible, as well as helping with numerous administrative duties. He is a graduate of Wheaton College and also has an M.S. from Nova Southeastern University in Davie, FL. Karl has previous teaching and administrative experience at Dade Christian School in Miami, and Christian Heritage School in Trubull, CT. He and his wife Kristen have two daughters.

Carrie Nowland comes to NCA as an associate from Los Angeles, California with a background in Special Education. She currently works in our NILD (Discovery) program for students with learning disabilities.

Ruth Patton is a welcome addition to our Discovery Program team this year. Although this is her first time in PNG, she has been serving with NTM since 1981 in places such as Mexico, Columbia, and the USA. Ruth has a B.S. in Elementary Education and Psychology; she is also a certified Educational Therapist. Ruth and her husband Charles have four grown sons.

Gail Posenjak serves NCA as our elementary principal. She graduated from Western Baptist College with a B.S. in Liberal Studies and Elementary Education. Throughout her career she has taught at schools in Washington, Oregon, and the Philippines before coming to NCA. When not at school, she enjoys quilting and scrap-booking.

Scott Sasaki is our high school principal. He originally came to PNG in 1993 as an associate missionary to teach science. Scott returned to PNG in 1998 as career members of the mission with the aim of serving full time in school administration. Scott holds a B.A. in Sociology from the University of Washington with secondary teaching credentials in science. He has received a Masters of Administration from Western Washington University. Scott and his wife Terry have three boys: Kyle, Nathan, and Andrew.

Barb Schrag is our elementary librarian. She has previous experience in education in home-schooling and as a substitute teacher. She is also a career nurse. She and her husband Nate (one of our missionary pilots) are from Kansas. They have three children.

Laurel Schroder works in the high school office as secretary. She first visited PNG in 1989 on a summit trip; her and her husband, Tim, then decided to come back as full time missionaries in 1993. For thirteen years they worked in the Pukapuki village in the Sepik region of PNG. They have three children.

Roi Suke and Samuel Dogapo are from our local area and are our maintenance workers.

Chad Willson is teaching Bible, Math, and Social Studies for Grades 7 & 8. In the past, he has taught Jr. High math in California, and he student taught in Darmstat, Germany. Chad has an M.A. in Intercultural Studies and a B.A. in History, Social Science, and Bible. He has been on short term missions to places such as Cote d’Ivoire, Benin, Mexico, Nicaragua, and Russia. He and his wife, Nichole, have been married six years and have two children, Tyler and Tori.