St. Francis Academy
FACULTY
Jacqueline Knox
Throughout Jacqueline's childhood, she had the opportunity to experience and learn in private, homeschool, and public school settings. Of these three systems of education, she has chosen to homeschool her two boys with the assistance of Saint Francis Academy. She teaches the introductory Nature Study and Drawing classes and assists with Language Arts. Jacqueline also holds a bachelor's degree in Business Computer Information Systems (BCIS) from the University of North Texas.
Alexandra Ferguson
Alexandra (“Alex”) received a bachelor's degree in Elementary Education from the University of North Texas and a master's degree in Multicultural Education from Texas A&M University. She has taught in various settings, both public and private, and has been homeschooling her children for the past three years. At Saint Francis Academy, Alex teaches Language Arts, Spanish, and Math Fun, and greatly enjoys learning alongside her students.
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Nicholas Sungenis
Nicholas “Nick” Sungenis holds a M.A in Philosophy with a concentration in Ethics from Holy Apostles College in Connecticut, and a B.A. in Philosophy from Providence College. Nick is also an experienced musician & music teacher with a specialty in violin. After teaching philosophy as an adjunct professor at a community college for several years, and classical courses for the upper school at Regina Caeli Academy, he is enthusiastic to share his gifts at SFA. He enjoys spending time with his wife and son especially during family walks by the lake, enjoying the beauty of God’s creation. He is delighted to teach several subjects for the upper school cohort, with the philosophy of Kierkegaard in mind: that life is a gift and a task to fulfill, for God’s glory.
Upper School Faculty
Lana Johnson
Lana teaches Language Arts and PE classes at Saint Francis Academy. She is a wife to Charles and a stay-at-home mom to four children. She loves the opportunities SFA provides for her daughters and enjoys working with her students. Lana graduated from Midwestern State University with a bachelor’s degree in Mass Communication.
Sarah Ripple
Sarah Ripple teaches handicrafts and is our school's administrator at Saint Francis Academy. She has a bachelor's degree in hospitality management and is a mom of three. She is the owner of ZippleCo, a non-profit consulting company where she supports her clients in nonprofit database management and donor relations. Sarah supports both the academic and operational heart of the school.
Janelle Beck
Janelle teaches Mapmaking and Geography, as well as a play-based learning class for younger children. She is a homeschool graduate who spent several years serving with Teen Missions International and graduated from their two-year bible school. She and her husband, Andrew Beck, have six children, ages 3 to 12, and are deeply committed to being involved in every aspect of their education.
Mandy Cave
Amanda “Mandy” Cave earned her BFA in Watercolor from the University of North Texas in 2011, shortly before the program was retired, and feels privileged to have studied under Millie Giles. Mandy continues to paint whenever life with little ones allows.
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For the past five years, she has focused on fostering a love of learning in her children and is now excited to teach Painting and Language Arts at Saint Francis Academy. She previously taught art at a private classical school in Flower Mound and first discovered her passion for Classical and Charlotte Mason education while working as an art teacher’s aide at a charter school in Colorado Springs.
Marianna Cornejo
Marianna is a happy wife and mom of three who teaches Immersion Spanish at Saint Francis Academy. Classically trained in music from a young age, she also has a background in theater and has performed in plays at the Denton theater. In her free time, Marianna enjoys crocheting, cooking, and reading books.
Kelley Jumper
Kelley received a bachelor’s degree in Spanish from University of North Texas. She and her husband, Ben, have 5 kids. Kelley teaches drawing and Spanish at Saint Francis Academy. Homeschooling her own children reignited her love of learning and gave her a newfound passion for discovering the beauty of God’s world through books.
Alyssa Green
Alyssa is a wife and a stay-at-home mom to two little girls. She received a bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Development with a focus on Human Services and Special Education from Granite State College. She is passionate about helping children develop a love for learning through hands-on experiences. Alyssa enjoyed teaching at a private preschool for several years before starting her family, and she now teaches the Montessori Class at Saint Francis Academy.
Elizabeth Yarbrough
Elizabeth ("Liza") teaches Spanish, Music, Latin, Folk Dancing, and Language Arts. She has been homeschooling her children for seven years, while also offering private piano lessons, singing in church choir, leading Zumba fitness classes, teaching in prior co-ops, and homemaking. She received a BA in Music from the University of Texas at Austin, a teaching certificate from Texas State University, and has taught in a variety of schools, states, and countries before staying at home with her kids. Called to be a teacher, she loves not only teaching her own little ones, but also forming the hearts, minds, and souls of other children in our community. She is thrilled that SFA gives her the chance to do both.
Marianna Wallace
Marianna earned a Bachelor in Fine Arts from the University of North Texas in 2012. She has since been involved in education and spends her time using her gardening and homestead experience to show children God's beauty through His creation. Her passion is for plotting and cultivating her four acres with fruit trees, vegetables, ducks, and livestock. Marianna teaches several courses at SFA including drawing, gardening, farming, and language arts.