Empowering Young Minds

Renee A is our 3-5th teacher. Her resume contains an incredible amount of experience in a variety of school settings. She has been a teacher for 20 years and in that time has taught everything from Pre-K to 12th grade. Her specialized training is in Science and Spanish Education. She is highly skilled at creatively adapting the learning material so that students are engaged with the subject and build understanding from multiple perspectives. When asked about the most exciting part of learning, she said “I very much enjoy those ‘Aha!’ moments. It’s fun to watch them learning through the struggles and come out the other side saying, ‘I can do it now!’” The opportunity to be a part of building a school with a focus on hands-on learning and a focus on different learning styles is what initially drew Mrs. Renee to be involved with BHA. In school her favorite subjects were Science, Spanish, and English. When she’s not busy with school or church, Mrs. Renee likes to sew, crochet, read, and play with her kitties.

Chrissy Gruell teaches the K-2 Class here at BHA. With a passion for teaching that was born from years of experience as a Sunday school teacher and a love for working with young children, she brings a plethora of experience in teaching various models. She strongly believes in the importance of intertwining Bible and academics in the educational and child development process. She described the best part of teaching as, “the excitement that comes when a student discovers something new to them and the opportunity to be a part of the developmental process of a young life and seeing that growth is so rewarding.” When Chrissy was in school her favorite subject was Literature and Writing. She enjoys being creative in the kitchen, discovering new coffee shops, walks with her 2 adopted dogs, and adventuring around Montana with her husband.

Mark Matthews is the 6-8th grade teacher at BHA. His resume is wide and varied, including serving in the military, working as a youth pastor, teaching reading and test taking in the Idaho Dept. of Corrections, fostering 15 children and adopting 3 with his family, and serving as a Crisis Chaplain for many years. He earned his degree at Moody Bible Institute and his Chaplain licensure at Wheaton College. Mr. Mark was drawn to the mission and vision of BHA and the Board immediately recognized his heart for the success of young people. For him, the most exciting part of teaching is having the opportunity to invest in the future of some of our young great minds, youth that have a real passion for learning. In school his favorite subjects were Literature and History. With the demands of the teaching position, continuing to serve at church and in the Chaplain ministry, and spending time with his family, Mr. Mark doesn’t often find time for hobbies, but he does appreciate the therapeutic process of chopping firewood.

Mrs. Renee comes to us with a wealth of school experience. She has taught in all types of school settings, worked with public schools, private schools, online, in-person, elementary, middle school, highschool, Pre-K. Any kind of school you can think of, she’s probably been involved or knows someone who has. With 20 years of teaching experience and having been a teacher with BHA since our launch, Renee brings great insight to the board. Her favorite moment in a classroom setting is that “Aha!” moment when students grasp a concept. There were a number of things that drew Mrs. Renee to be part of the BHA team, but she notes that the most important is, “I sensed that God wanted me to be here”. In her own school journey, Science, Spanish, and English were her favorite subjects. When she can find the time, she enjoys sewing, crocheting, reading and playing with her kitties.

Sarah Gusaas comes to us with a plethora of organizational, curriculum, and instructional experience. She has spent multiple years as the facilitator of a local homeschool co-op, including many classes of student groups spanning multiple age ranges. She also has been homeschooling for 12 years now. Sarah is passionate about Neurodiversity and how it affects children in the classroom. When asked what excites her about learning, she says “I love education and the privilege of watching young minds unfold and expand as they absorb information in the wonder-filled world around them”. She brings insight on types of curriculum and learning styles within the classroom. The opportunity to be involved with BHA intrigued and excited Sarah from the first time she heard about the proposed school and she hopes to use this platform to bless the wider community. When she was in school, Sarah’s favorite subject was Literature, though History comes in at a close second. In terms of hobbies, she loves to read and also works as a photographer and creates beautiful wedding florals for family and friends.

Russell Agin is our building and safety guy, who also brings a business acumen, from his 20 year experience as an entrepreneur and small business owner and safety expertise from 20 years as an EMT. Additionally he has a unique perspective on education, as he was a student for whom a traditional classroom system was not easy. In his words, “I am the guy that hated school and I am the guy that everyone thought was stupid, but I’m a dreamer. Dreams produce goals and goals are meant to be achieved! Creating an environment that can foster dreams and goals is what education is all about and that is exciting to me.” He became involved with BHA as a joint goal and project with his wife, Christine. Russ’ favorite subject in school was science! An avid and talented guitarist, he loves to play music with his friends whenever he gets the chance.

Rachelle Rodriguez provides a uniquely invested perspective for the Board, as our parent representative. She has extensive leadership experience in a variety of settings, including serving as the Secretary and Treasurer for her children’s previous school PTA. She has also overseen and conducted multiple research projects from conceptualization through publication. She describes the best part about education as being that moment when the proverbial light clicks on, which then starts the student on a journey to further explore and understand the concept. When asked what drew her to serve on the Board, Rachelle said, “My daughter is a scholarship recipient. We are so grateful for this opportunity for her, and the impact the tight community of BHA has been for her, that I wanted to give back and provide support to the team.” In her own education experience, Rachelle’s favorite subjects were Biology, English, and Spanish, though she really liked all of school and was her high school’s Valedictorian. In her free time, she loves to sew, bake and complete DIY projects of all kinds.

Megan was brought onto the BHA team by Christine, as a Co-Founder and the Principal. She is currently teaching and navigating the highschool pilot program. Her resume is rather eclectic, including 6 years of teaching at the collegiate level, 3 years in Church Administration, and 5 years at a therapeutic boarding school. She graduated from the University of Montana with a Master’s in Organizational Communication with an emphasis in non-profit organizations. Megan’s passion for learning comes from a long family history of teachers and is incredibly excited for the opportunity to create a unique educational system that fosters a love for life-long learning. Her favorite subject in school was Reading & Language Arts because that’s how stories get told. She loves hiking, which is one of the best reasons to live in Montana and is also obsessed with music; both listening to it and playing a variety of instruments.

Christine Agin is the Chair of the board and the driving force behind BHA. Her tireless work on the business side of the school has made it possible. Starting a non-traditional school was a dream that God put in her heart several years ago and finally last year, the timing was suddenly right. She began to organize a team to build a school. She brings 10 years of homeschooling experience, the financial prowess of her accountant expertise, and has been on multiple non-profit boards. She was the President of the local homeschool co-op board for 4 years and contributed to its success in a multitude of ways, including organizing and teaching classes. Christine is excited to be building a learning environment that breaks out of the traditional mold of education and changes the way we view how children learn. In school, Christine’s favorite subject was History. When she’s not working, she you’ll find her gardening, hiking, kayaking, and biking, often with her family.

Pastor Brad Rhodda is the lead pastor at Light of the Valley Church where the school is housed and was brought on for his spiritual and organizational insight. His professional experience includes being a former Sheriff’s Deputy and owning Strong Tower Security firm. While we’re not sure if enduring all the noise and chaos from his office, which shares a wall with the 6th -8th grade class, is good for him, the students and teachers so appreciate that he is on site. He loves to see children being educated with truth in a culture that denies truth even exists. When asked what drew him to support BHA and serve on the board, Pastor Brad said, “As a graduate of area public schools and watching my own kids graduate from area public schools, I saw a desperate need for a true Christian education experience for area kids.” In school, Pastor Brad’s favorite class was English. When not working you will find him out in the woods doing Motocross, mountain biking, fishing, and just enjoying God’s creation.