Christ

From Him and to Him are all things (Romans 11:36). The Kelly School seeks to put Christ first in everything. We truly believe the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (Proverbs 9:10), and the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge (Proverbs 1:7). All subjects are taught from a biblical worldview.

Community

Love your neighbor as yourself (Luke 10:27). The Kelly School is a safe community where students learn to encourage and challenge each other in a positive manner.

Kerri Stein - Founder, School Director, & Principal

When Kerri meets a student, she sees untapped potential. Kerri takes a 9th grader who can’t read nearly to grade level in a couple years, and the 10th grader with math talent to college level.

But grade-level isn’t the metric, personal motivation is. Self-propulsion and personal responsibility become a way of life for students. Students learn to recognize whether they’re doing their best or just what’s comfortable in every area, from spelling to encouraging others.

Kerri’s helped children surpass their self-imposed ceilings for over 35 years. She holds numerous K-12 teaching certifications, a bachelor’s in education, and a master’s in theological studies. In addition to directing the school, Kerri teaches 6-12th grades and serves as school principal.

Nikki Patterson - Director of K-5 & Upper Elementary Teacher

Nikki makes each child feel like the most important person in the room, and she teaches her students to do the same. She nurtures students’ excitement and personalities to build hearts that love learning and love others.

Her value for each student empowers them to want to try again and to know they can.

Nikki has fifteen years of experience instructing children. She served as the director of children’s ministry at Threshold Church and co-authored Threshold’s Kids Empowered curriculum. In addition to directing K-5th grades, Nikki teaches Upper Elementary.

Mary Dodds - Director of Operations

Mary is the tech, human relations, finance, student records, and every other department that keeps things running behind the scenes. Mary believes good can always be better, and will find a way to make it happen.

She worked as a paralegal for twelve years, has managed websites, and has served as tech support wherever she goes.

Sara Patterson - Middle Elementary Teacher & Program Advisor

Sara helps students understand themselves, who they want to be, and how to get there. She draws out strengths, giving kids a place to thrive, help others, and plan futures they’d love.

Sara’s love and security are a force of nature, propelling each child to her best possible self.

A homeschool mother of six adopted children, Sara’s professional passion is personal. She’s spent over a decade working with adopted and foster children and advising their parents. Sara serves as the Middle Elementary teacher and program advisor.

Anja Oberg - Lower Elementary Teacher

Anja takes rapt interest in every student she meets. Listening to little student’s curious ideas and spending time in their world excites Anja. She has a passion for building an environment that encourages questions, curiosity, and lifelong learning.

Anja taught kindergarten at the School District of Lancaster, substituted as a pre-kindergarten teacher, and has student taught 1st, 5th, and 6th grades. Anja has a B.S. in Inclusive Childhood Education with a concentration in Teaching English to Speakers of other Languages and knows Swedish and French.

Brenda Oren - Upper Elementary & Middle School Teacher

Brenda is passionate about helping each unique student discover who God created them to be. She loves learning, thinking outside the box, and helping others see God through his creation. Brenda’s excitement for experiments and hands-on learning is contagious.

Brenda has taught students for about 40 years in private schools, homeschool, co-ops, and medical settings. She has a B.S. in biology and is a board certified medical technologist.

Gray Good - 6-12th Grade Teacher

Gray draws students into his contagious excitement for learning, especially about the Bible. His insightful questions help students honestly explore the core of anything from worldview to history to character struggles. Every student in Gray’s presence knows what it is to feel loved and to have fun.

Gray joined The Kelly School in 2017 as the first teacher. He has served as chaplain at the Youth Intervention Center, a Sunday school teacher, YIC volunteer, and serves as youth leader at DOVE Christian Fellowship Elizabethtown. Gray teaches 6-12th grades.

Jeremy Schmoel - 6-12th Grade Teacher

Jeremy capitalizes on each student's strengths and helps students handcraft strategies to grow

Jeremy has decades of experience teaching Bible to all ages from Awana to serving as the Director of Adult Bible Education at Hope Community Church. While studying and preaching Bible, Jeremy worked as a master foreman and homeschooled his nine children, four of whom are adopted.

Doug Ruhl - 3-12th Phys Ed. & 6-12th Grade Teacher

Doug has a passion for mentoring students in health and physical education to build healthy minds and bodies. Words and relationships are coached as much as physical activity. Doug has a bachelor’s in marketing, a master’s in educational strategies, and K-12 teaching certificates in business and health and physical education. Doug left a decade of public school teaching to attend ministry school and focus on ministering to youth.

Sherrie Ainsley - Math Teacher

Sherrie loves making math simple, clear, and relatable to her students. She holds a bachelor’s in elementary education with a mathematics minor, a master’s in education, and a middle level math certification. She’s taught upper level math for over a decade and over 20 years of teaching experience in both public and homeschool settings.

Julie Ware - 8-12th Grade Science & Art Teacher

Julie comes alive showing God the creator to students through art and science. She has a bachelor’s in studio art with additional studies in biology. Julie has been teaching since 1996 in private school, home school, and co-op settings. She’s written her own curricula in art history and psychology. Julie has a passion for helping students of all abilities learn well.

Garry Morton - 6-12th Career Counselor

Garry’s enthusiasm for helping students discover their personal, God-given bent is contagious. Owner of The Better Choice Career Coaching, Gary helps students plan careers based off of their personal interests, natural talents, unique values, and spiritual gifts. Gary has 35 years of experience in corporate America, decades of career counseling, and previously taught 5-6th grade.

Marie Rutherford - Substitute Teacher

Marie incorporates each student’s interests into her lesson plans, getting them excited about learning. She connects with student’s struggles, motivating them to succeed no matter what.

Marie holds a bachelor’s in education and an education certification from Messiah College. She worked several years as a full-time teacher at The Kelly School; worked as a full-time, substitute teacher in Reading, PA; has student taught in several schools, and has taught English in China.

Kara Shultz - Substitute Teacher

Kara sees straight to the heart when she meets a child, and she loves seeing students flourish in who they were created to be.

A lifelong, homeschool mom of three, co-op teacher, substitute teacher, and a former full-time teacher at The Kelly School, Kara has a bachelor’s in Liberal Arts with a teaching focus and a minor in Spanish. Kara also served as a division sales manager and has a passion for providing respite care for foster and adoptive families.

Butch Craven - Elementary Reading Buddy

Butch has a heart for seeing students grow, and students feel loved and valued in his presence. A retired systems engineer, Butch blesses elementary students with a patient reading buddy.

Evelyn Keener - Elementary Reading Buddy

Evelyn lavishes love and patience. After over 40 years of teaching kids with challenging needs in Canada, she retired to private tutor most subjects for grades K-12. Evelyn volunteers as an elementary reading buddy.