PURSUING EXCELLENCE FOR THE GLORY OF GOD
Faculty & Staff
Since our founding in 2006, God has assembled a team of dedicated, well-qualified faculty and staff. Our teachers are perhaps best known for loving their students, but they also strive to continually sharpen their educational skills enabling them to provide the best possible academic experience for the students.
Pastor Lee Atkinson
Administrator
Pastor Lee’s life goal is to magnify and exalt the name of the Lord (Psalm 34:3). He is also an adjunct professor at Pensacola Christian College in Florida.
Interests: He is a father of four who enjoys soccer, landscaping, splitting firewood, collecting Pez dispensers, and peanut butter & pickle sandwiches!
Graduate of Practical Theology;
B.S. Biology Education;
M.S. Secondary Science Education;
Ed.D. Education Administration
Mrs. Lerand
Elementary Principal
Mrs. Lerand loves Jesus’ invitation to children in Mark 10:14. It's a joy for her to help young children learn to read, so that they can read the Bible for themselves.
Interests: She is a mother of two who enjoys reading, playing music, gardening, baking, Carrabba’s Italian Grill, Bath & Body Works, & Necklaces!
B.S. Elementary Education;
M.S. Educational Leadership
Mr. Bender
High School Principal
Athletic Director | History & Government
Mr. Bender is our upper elementary and secondary Principal. Luke 14:22 reminds him to remain yielded to the Lord’s will and always press forward seeking to accomplish more for God's glory.
Interests: He loves reading, basketball, Steelers football, Cheddars restaurant, and Nutrageous candy bars. He also has a large sock collection!
B.S. Business Management;
M.S. Educational Leadership
Miss Jody
Secretary
Miss Jody has been our church and school secretary since 1995. She loves Proverbs 3:5-
Interests: She enjoys making cards, writing, sewing, and all kinds of other crafts (which she is quite good at). Payday candy bars and gooseberry pie are some of her favorites too, as well as McDonalds (where she worked for 21 years).
Mrs. Candice Terry
Secretary
Miss Candice joined the secretarial team when the south building was opened in 2016. Philippians 1:20 is her life verse, "so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death."
Interests: She likes dutch apple pie, ice skating, Starbucks chai lattes, chocolate cookies, and Culver's cheese curds. She also enjoys spending time with her husband and her three children.
Mrs. Deb Terry
Administrative Assistant | Physical Education
Mrs. Deb Terry has been a part of Dyer Baptist Church for decades, and has always been in volunteer support roles since the founding of the Academy.
Interests: She has always enjoyed serving people, and can usually be found wherever volunteer work is happening. She is a loving mother of 12 children, who come from a variety of cultural backgrounds.
Mrs. Bird
K-3 Preschool
Mrs. Bird, one of our founding teachers, loves Psalm 119:165 for its promise of peace for those who love God and His Word.
Interests: She is a mother of six who enjoys camping, visiting historical places, reading, crafts, black licorice, turtle ice cream, the color purple, and scarves!
Has over 40 years experience teaching 2-5 year olds
Mrs. Gray
K-3 Preschool
1 Samuel 12:16 has become Mrs. Gray's favorite verse as she is constantly struck with awe at what God is doing in her life.
Interests: She enjoys water color and acrylic painting, saving money, playing with her kids, and spending time in the outdoors with her husband. You have a pretty good chance at seeing her at Cabelas or Bass Pro Shops.
Three years college training in general education
Mrs. Belousov
K-4 Preschool
Mrs. Belousov was introduced to her husband by his sister who also taught at our school! She cherishes the comfort of Isaiah 41:13 for its reminder of God’s presence and help in every season of life.
Interests: She enjoys playing mountain dulcimer, working on puzzles, peanut butter Twix, blueberries, and her favorite accessory is her coffee mug (with coffee).
B.S. Elementary Education (Early Childhood)
Mrs. Harned
K-4 Preschool
Mrs. Harned is a lifelong resident of NW Indiana and was a substitute teacher for our school for several years before joining us full time in the preschool.
Interests: Mrs. Harned is an expert at finding good deals and loves spending her free time garage-sale-ing with friends. A loving mother of four, she often can be seen spending time with nephews and extended family!
Has over 30 years experience teaching children
Mrs. Baggech
Kindergarten
Mrs. Baggech loves the peace of knowing God will guide her (Proverbs 3:5-
Interests: She is a mother of four who enjoys collecting items of cobalt blue glass, camping, Culvers, the Detroit Tigers, Lindt chocolates, Hobby Lobby, and jewelry.
B.S. Elementary Education
Miss Bardwell
Kindergarten
Ms. Bardwell grew up in Ukraine as a missionary, and her grandparents live here in NWI. She worked her way through college in Florida, and joined us in 2019.
Interests: She loves being around children and arousing their imaginations in learning. Kids naturally are attracted to her warm and kind personality.
B.S. Elementary Education in Early Childhood Development
Mrs. Rosnik
1st Grade
Mrs. Rosnik moved from Colorado with her family to join our faculty. As a dedicated teacher, she throws herself wholeheartedly into preparation, making the classroom very interesting for her students!
Interests: She likes American Food restaurants, milk chocolate, flowers, almonds, and shopping at Kohls. Her kitchen is decorated in birdhouses!
B.S. Elementary Education
Mrs. Crandall
2nd Grade
Mrs. Crandall grew up in Valparaiso, and met her husband while working at The Ark Encounter. She likes John 15:4-5 reminding her that she can't do anything without the True Vine, Jesus!
Interests: Photography, playing the guitar and piano, scrapbooking, Panera bread, Dove Chocolates and dark chocolate covered almonds.
B.S. Elementary Education
Miss Stalcup
3rd Grade
Miss Stalcup draws courage and strength from Isaiah 41:10 as God’s promise to strengthen, help, and uphold her.
Interests: She enjoys board games and group games with friends, traveling, gardening, Chik-
B.A. Church Ministries;
M.S. Curriculum & Instruction (Elementary)
Mr. McCarville
4th Grade
Mr. McCarville has lived around Lake Michigan his whole life, most recently coming to us from Wisconsin. He likes the gospel of Luke best, as Dr. Luke had to research and compile his information, yet it still matches the other gospels.
Interests: He enjoys mexican food, skiing, disc golf and other outdoor activities. For snacks, he enjoys flavored corn chips and chewy candy.
B.S. Elementary Education
Miss Forslund
5th Grade
she is a native cheesehead and enjoys kayaking and crochet. She finds peace in finding and doing God's will for her life.
Interests: She enjoys the outdoors, including mowing grass. Her favorite foods are sushi and Chipotle. She like decorating and DIY crafts as well as coffee, traveling to foreign countries, and hanging out with friends.
Bachlor of Ministry
Mrs. Kuipers
6th Grade
James 1:22 speaks to Mrs. Kuipers of the need to make sure God’s Word is actively changing the way she lives out her life.
Interests: She enjoys crocheting, hiking with her husband and dogs, trying new restaurants, and the Scrambled Diner in south Dyer. She can usually be found at Goodwill on half-price day, and loves scarves!
B.A. English Teaching; M.S. Curriculum & Instruction (Elementary)
Mrs. Atkinson
Secondary
English | Spanish
Romans 8:32 assures her that if God would give the very best in giving His Son, He will take care of everything else in her life.
Interests: She is a mother of four who enjoys camping, gardening, reading, cooking, music, Carrabba’s Italian Grill, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, and Bracelets.
B.S. English Education;
M.A. Biblical Counseling
Miss Boucher
Secondary
Mathematics | English
The first Bible verse that Miss Boucher ever memorized was Proverbs 3:5-6, and it has been her life's verse ever since.
Interests: She enjoys roadtrips, reading, and adventure, anything with dark chocolate and sea salt, Oreos, and goldfish. She also likes Chipotle, Dunkin Donuts, the color teal, and fall!
B.S. English Education
M.S. Curriculum & Instruction (Secondary Education)
Mr. Hornish
Secondary
Bible | Science | History
In Ephesians 6:18, he likes to see the often overlooked leg guards of the armor of God as a reminder that prayer is one of our most powerful tools in combating the enemy.
Interests: Chess, studying languages (he spent two years in Honduras), coffee, and baby carrots. His favorite candy bar is Butterfingers.
B.A. Pastoral Ministries
M.S. Educational Administration
Pastor Peter Knezevich
Secondary
Bible | Technology
Pastor Peter’s goal in life is to make God smile just as Hebrews 11:5 says that Enoch pleased God.
Interests: Playing with his children, disc golf, ultimate frisbee, reading books with his wife, HTML programming, Legos, coaching cross country, dramatizing Bible stories, and eating chocolate covered granola bars.
A.A.S. Computer Information Systems;
Bachelor of Religious Education (Pastoral Theology)
Miss Terry
Elementary Music | Piano
Psalm 18:1-2,30 is an anchor for Miss Terry when she's facing difficult and large projects.
Interests: She loves spending time with her family, music, photography, the outdoors, reading books, and taking missions trips around the world! She also enjoys coffee, dark chocolate, Olive Garden, and the Fall and Winter seasons.
B.A. Bible and Music
Mr. Lerand
Fine Arts | Creative Design
2 Corinthians 15:10a reminds Mr. Lerand that nothing is accomplished without God’s grace. Dealing with Tourette Syndrome has been a key element in shaping his life.
Interests: He has two children and enjoys creativity, horticulture, music, BBQ & ice tea, photography, time to reflect, nice thick lawns, exploring, & the Green Bay Packers!
B.A. Youth Ministries
Mr. Dang
Secondary Bible
Mr. Dang grew up in China, and has three children. He also serves on the pastoral staff of the church.
Interests: He has learned to appreciate various aspects of American culture, and is always eager to try or taste something new.
B.E. Thermal and Power Engineering
M.E. Thermal Energy
M.S. Mechanical Engineering
M.A. Biblical Studies
Mrs. Kerr
Preschool Classroom Assistant
Mrs. Kerr has been education for several decades, and has filled just about every role in the classroom and school management. She currently has two grandsons in the Academy.
Interests: She has a passion for education.