Head of School

Dan Bailey had the amazing opportunity of growing up in Brazil, South America, as a missionary kid. Having graduated from a small boarding school in central Brazil in 1990, he returned to the United States to attend a two year Bible School in Waukesha, Wisconsin before moving to Tennessee in the summer of 1993. He eventually enrolled at Tennessee Technological University in Cookeville and graduated in 2000 with a degree in Secondary Education/Biology. 

After graduating from TTU he taught in the local Putnam County public school system for 6 years before God called him to start a Christian school.

After 7 years as the head administrator at that Christian school, he stepped away from education for a while to refocus, working several jobs in different career fields during that time.

He got back into the public education system in 2018, when he was hired to start a STEM program for at-risk high school students enrolled at the local alternative school.

During the summer of 2020, right in the midst of the global Covid pandemic, the opportunity surfaced, once again, to champion Christian education. This time he was given the opportunity to be a part of starting two Christian schools simultaneously in Cookeville and Crossville TN.

Mr. Bailey has enjoyed the privilege over the years of building several Christ-centered educational programs from the ground up and all of them continue to flourish to this day under various leadership styles and educational philosophies. Whether they serve traditional 5 day academic needs or, in his current role as Headmaster, a hybrid model, each variation on the Christian school theme is a testament to the growing desire amongst local families to see their children grow up to know, love and serve the Lord.

Mr. Bailey’s ministry goal is to partner with Christian parents, providing their children with an academic setting that focuses their young hearts and minds on God’s word, equipping them to grow in their own faith in Christ. In his spare time, he enjoys many activities such as traveling, hiking, camping, hunting and rock climbing, but mostly just spending time with his wife, daughters and grandchildren. 

Assistant Head of School/Elementary Department Head

Tambi Langford Price has over 33 years of knowledge of curriculum, exuding enthusiasm through teaching, and exhibiting compassion and understanding as she mentors, coaches, and trains fellow educators. She is a TTU graduate with a Bachelor's in Arts in Early Childhood Education with work towards a Master's in Instructional Leadership. A native of Cookeville, Tambi is the mom to Drew, the sister to Sharon, Andy, John, and Mike, and the friend and sister to those who call Jesus Christ their Savior and Lord.

Office Manager

Hannah Kistler was born and raised on a farm in Jackson County, Tennessee where she was homeschooled from 2nd grade onward. She graduated from Homelife Academy in 2006 and has worked in administration in multiple businesses and ministries since that time. She is excited to be beginning her 3rd year on staff at NCA. She and her husband, Dan, have three sons - Timothy (6th grade), Josiah (4th grade), and David (1st grade). The Kistler family loves reading good books, camping, hiking, playing board games, or watching a good action movie in their spare time.

Safety Officer

Tabatha Lewis is a dedicated public servant, veteran, and safety professional from Livingston, Tennessee. She served in the Army National Guard and Army Reserves from 2005 to 2013, including a deployment to Iraq as a Military Police Officer. Tabatha holds a bachelor’s in Criminal Justice from the University of Phoenix and a master’s in Professional Studies with a concentration in Public Safety from Tennessee Technological University.

She has worked as a State Probation and Parole Officer, is certified as both an ALICE Training Instructor and a Red Cross Instructor, and for the past four years has served as the Safety Officer at New Colossus Academy. Tabatha is also a Judicial Commissioner for Jackson County. She’s been married for 13 years to Jeremiah Lewis, a police officer at Tennessee Tech University, and they have two sons, Silas and Logan.

High School Guidance Counselor

Assistant STEM Coordinator

Pre-K 4

Mrs Lundholm is thrilled to be teaching Pre-K at NCA! She has been a homeschool mom and a substitute teacher for various schools and grade levels, early mornings she teaches international students English skills online. She previously taught pre-k several years ago and is so happy to be back teaching the grade she loves most. She and her husband Keith have 4 children and one sweet little grandbaby that brings joy to the whole family. They also have three outdoor cats that keep them entertained and busy. When not teaching, Mrs Lundholm enjoys being with her children and grandbaby, reading or listening to audiobooks, and attempting to garden. Flowers of all types are her favorites to try and grow.

Kindergarten

Mrs. Phillips received her bachelor's degree in accounting in 2009. After graduation she worked at the hospital in the billing department for 6 years. She felt this wasn’t her real passion because she had always had a love for children. She decided to be a stay-at-home mom while helping in various areas working with children. She heard of an opportunity as a Kindergarten teacher New Colossus Academy was hiring for in 2020. This will make her fifth year and her daughters Logan and Charlee third year. She has been married for 14 years and has 3 children.

1st Grade

Priscila is a family-oriented woman who lives with intention, purpose, and unwavering faith. She prioritizes a healthy lifestyle and cherishes spending creative, meaningful time with her loved ones. Actively involved in her local church, Priscila serves in several ministries, including the worship team. She finds joy in bike rides with her husband, cooking alongside her daughter, and hosting gatherings for family and friends. A lover of scenic beauty, she is happiest when traveling—whether abroad or nearby—with her family, often capturing moments through her natural eye for photography.

Driven by her love of languages, she spent six years teaching Spanish and English to speakers of other languages in public schools and has tutored children of different backgrounds in previous years. She now has the opportunity to serve younger students in a Christ-centered environment she already cherishes.

At the heart of it all, she believes teaching is a sacred calling—one that goes far beyond academics. She feels strongly that God has given individuals the gift of teaching to uplift and guide the next generation in truth. By weaving biblical principles into everyday learning, she sees her role here at NCA as a way to honor God with purpose: to uplift, protect, and spiritually equip children while honoring God through the gift of teaching, and reflects a deep commitment to being a good steward of her home, her family, and her community.

2nd Grade

Rebecca has served in the field of elementary education for 30+ years. She earned a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in Elementary Education, emphasizing Curriculum and Instruction. She has held teaching certificates in Oregon, Washington, and currently, in Tennessee. Her service has been in teaching various grades, Literacy Coach, Art Teacher, Principal, and Tutoring. Small group and private art lessons in her home studio are a beloved part of her teaching as well. Most of Rebecca’s work has been in lower grade classrooms, primarily at Christian schools. She is passionate about integrating Biblical truths in all teaching and discipleship, and leading children to love and value learning and a relationship with Christ. The potential and uniqueness of each child is respected and enjoyed.  Personal experiences that children love to have her share about include sheep ranching, traveling on a sailboat with her husband as a missionary, and writing, illustrating, and publishing a children’s picture book.

1st Grade

We welcome Ellee Brooks as our 2025/2026 3rd grade teacher at New Colossus Academy. She is a native to Sparta, TN and a Cookeville High School graduate. While attending Cookeville Ellee excelled on the volleyball court. She earned a full-ride athletic scholarship to further her education at the University of Tennessee at Martin to study Fashion Merchandising. While attending UTM she was very active in FCA (Fellowship of Christian Athletes), and this is where she ultimately began her walk with Christ.

Once she graduated, she moved to Nashville to begin her career with Brooks Brothers as the lead Visual Merchandiser. She was also the assistant volleyball coach at Franklin Road Academy for 3 seasons before relocating. Over the last 8 years Ellee has been a dedicated stay at home parent before joining us at NCA.

 She decided to step back into the workforce after her son, Samson, begged her for two continuous years to work at NCA. Ellee has been married for 9 years, and has two children Samsom and Delia Kay. The Brooks household has been a part of the NCA family for four years. She is so excited to embark on a completely new journey and hopes to make a lifelong impact on her students. Ellee’s hobbies include: spending time with family, word searches, traveling, baking, writing/painting, coaching/playing volleyball, and being outside with her children exploring.

4th Grade

Mike Carmen was an associate minister in the Christian Churches and Churches of Christ for twenty-one years with ministries in Ohio, Indiana, and Tennessee. He has also served as a classical, Christian school teacher for twelve years and is a certified teacher with the Association of Classical Christian Schools.

He graduated from the Cincinnati Christian University in 1995 with a B.S. degree in Biblical Studies and in 1999 with a M.A. degree in Biblical Studies with an emphasis in Old Testament. In 2012 he graduated from Liberty Theological Seminary with an M.Div. in Professional Ministry. He has also completed course work towards a PhD at the Kearley School of Theology at Faulkner University.  

His wife, Sondra, is a Park Ranger for the Army Corps of Engineers. Together they enjoy traveling and sightseeing, exercising, their church, and just being together.

Elementary and M.S. Language Arts

LaDonna is a native to Upper Cumberland.  She earned her Bachelor’s degree from MTSU many moons ago.  After graduating, she taught 5th grade in Clay County before transferring to Overton County where she taught 7th grade Science and 6th grade ELA/Reading and Social Studies. 

LaDonna enjoys traveling, going to the lake, and training her Standard Poodle, Benji.  On a typical day, you will find her outside chasing her granddaughters around the yard, building forts, and taking them on adventures.  She finds joy in cultivating an atmosphere where her grandchildren can grow at their own pace in the direction God planned for their lives.  She looks forward to doing the same for students at New Colossus Academy.

Teacher’s Assistant/Yearbook Editor

Brittney Bennett is in her second year as a teacher’s assistant at NCA where she enjoys helping others in any way she can. She is married to Derek and has a son in the second grade. Brittney also holds a Bachelor's degree in Nursing and works part-time as a nurse, with both of her jobs fulfilling her servant heart. Outside of work, she loves spending time with her family, watching her son play baseball, camping, and appreciating the little things in life.

Teacher's Assistant

Hillary Murphy grew up in Allons, Tennessee just a few miles from Dale Hollow Lake. After graduating high school in 2011, she lived in Atlanta, GA, Nashville, TN and Cookeville, TN working in the restaurant industry. She now lives in Livingston, TN with her family. She married Phillip in 2014 and they have two children, Eva and Rowan. Both attend NCA and she became a teachers assistant in 2024. The Murphy family loves the lake, the ocean, traveling, cooking together, hiking, going for walks and watching funny movies together. 

Teacher’s Assistant

Jenna Lee is excited to start her 1st year as a teacher’s aid at New Colossus Academy. She is a Kentucky native and moved to Cookeville with her husband, David, 8 years ago. They have 2 wonderful twin daughters who also attend NCA.

She has a bachelor’s degree in public relations and worked in graphic design and marketing before becoming a stay at home mom.

Jenna has always had a love for children and serving others. She loves to spend her time serving in the children’s ministry at her church. Her hobbies include baking, gardening, singing songs with her daughters, and drinking coffee with a friend.

5th-6th Grade Science

Alicia (Ray) Sheumaker is a Cookeville native and graduated from Cookeville High School in 1992. She earned a bachelor’s  degree in Science and Math Education in 1997 and a master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction in  1998, both from the University of Tennessee. After graduating, Alicia began teaching 5th grade math and  science in the Putnam County School System, and continued in that position for 5 years. In 2002, Alicia married Jonathan Sheumaker, who is from Portland, Tennessee. The delight of her life is raising her own children in the same town she grew up in with childhood favorites, like Ralph’s Donuts, TTU sports, and nearby family. The Sheumaker children were home educated until NCA opened in the fall of 2020. Samuel graduated from NCA in 2024. The youngest 4 are NCA students: Elsie (12th grade),  Annabel (10th), Lucy (7th), and Micah (4rd). The Sheumaker family attends Oaks Church in Cookeville. They enjoy playing and watching sports, traipsing through the woods, backyard fires, road trips, good books, friends & family,  and are usually up for a feisty game of driveway pickleball. 

5th-6th Bible & H.S. Apologetics

Bryan Vaughn is entering his first year as a middle school teacher in Bible and History at NCA. Bryan graduated from Tennessee Tech with a B.S. in Multidisciplinary Studies in the College of Education, and has done graduate work at Southern and Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminaries. He has served in churches and ministry for 28+ years, including five years with his family living out their faith in Central Asia. In addition to teaching at NCA, along with his family and several close friends, Bryan is starting a new church family in Cookeville, called Oaks Church, where he is serving as the lead Pastor. When he isn’t teaching or working, Bryan enjoys spending time laughing and doing life with his wife of 26 years, Meredith (a nurse at the Cookeville Pregnancy Clinic), and their kids, Carson (22 yrs old and married to Abby), Eli (21 yrs old and married to Kate), Luke (19 yrs old and a nursing student at TTU), Kaylyn (18 yrs old and rising freshman at TTU), and Joel (9 yrs old and 4th grader at NCA). As a family they love sharing meals around the table, biking, camping and hiking, and pretty much anything outside.

7th-8th Grade Science & History

Tracy Roper was born in Columbia, TN.  She now resides in Baxter with her husband Randy, who is a minister, and their two dogs.  She has two sons and five grandchildren. She just retired from the public school system after thirty years of service.  She has been a follower of Christ since 1979.  She enjoys gardening, shopping, and working in her church. She is looking forward to a great year at NCA.

M.S. Language Arts

Amy Norris is thrilled to be joining the New Colossus family this year as the middle school Language Arts and Literature teacher! She is a TTU graduate, military spouse, home-school educator, and Executive Function Skills Coach. Over the past 25 years, Amy has taught and tutored hundreds of students across the U.S., Germany, Mexico, and China. With her husband, Ward, and their four children, she has moved eleven times in the past twenty-two years, so she is delighted to now be settling down in Cookeville. Amy enjoys loving on her family, hosting story-time at local bookstores, and becoming genuinely awestruck by a variety of things.

STEM Instructor

 As a Cookeville native, I graduated from TTU in 2004 with a BS in Child and Family Studies - Child Development Family Relations. My past employment has primarily focused on working with disadvantaged youth, mental health case management, children’s ministry, and teaching. This is my second year teaching middle school at NCA. My favorite pastimes are reading, creative writing, and spending time with family and friends. I homeschooled my 3 children for 10 years before joining the NCA family last year. My husband, Matt, and I have been married for 20 years, and we have 3 children (Noble age 8, Fisher age 14, and Addison age 16). I firmly believe that writing is simply talking on paper, and if you do not like reading, it is only because you have not found the right book yet. A personal goal of mine is to help unlock and cultivate the inner resident writer and reader within each student. I am looking forward to working with you and your student in the year to come.

Middle School Math

Ellie Fuhrer is a Cookeville native with over five years of tutoring experience in secondary math, English Language Arts, ACT preparation, and introductory Spanish. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Spanish with a minor in English, as well as a Master of Business Administration, both from Tennessee Tech University. Ellie finds joy and fulfillment in guiding students toward academic success while also cultivating personal growth and discipline in their studies. This fall, she is excited to join New Colossus Academy as a middle school math teacher, where she will continue her mission of helping students develop both skill and confidence.

A committed Christian, Ellie serves on the worship team at the traditional service at Life Church. She values being part of a school community that integrates faith and learning. In her free time, Ellie enjoys reading, spending time outdoors, and making memories with her husband and their dogs.

H.S. Department Head and Science

Kristen Wilcox is excited to start her 3rd year at New Colossus Academy continuing her role as one of NCA’s enthusiastic Science Teachers. Her classroom is known for fostering curiosity, whether it be from trying to decipher her morning lecture before she has finished her first cup of coffee or observing students tackle challenging projects and experiments. When she is not in the classroom Kristen Wilcox can usually be found trying to keep up with her very energetic 2 year old, hunting for old board games at local thrift stores with her husband, or reading mystery novels.

H.S. History

Bryan Knowles graduated magna cum laude from Bryan College in 2020 with a B.A. in history and a concentration in politics and government. Mr. Knowles was homeschooled from K-12 and graduated from Daniel 1 Academy, where he met his wife through the high school basketball program. They were married in 2021, and welcomed a baby boy in March of 2023. The Knowles live in Sparta and attend Jefferson Avenue Church of Christ in Cookeville. This is Mr. Knowles’ third year with NCA. He enjoys coffee, outdoor activities, traveling with his wife and son, and reading books.

H.S. Math

Carey Wilson is thrilled to be with New Colossus Academy for her fourth year at New Colossus Academy. She facilitates high school mathematics. Her classroom is follows a non-traditional approach to learning mathematics that is student-centered. She encourages students to have fun learning mathematics first, and prioritizes students gaining an appreciation and deeper understanding for mathematics. When Carey Wilson is not teaching, she is finishing her final year at Tennessee Tech to get her doctorate in STEM Education. She loves to learn new things, and can typically be found at the STEM Center at Tennessee Tech working on STEM outreach projects with one of her mentors. In addition, she loves to hang out with Kristen Wilcox and her husband for fun game night! She also enjoys gardening with her husband, Steve Wilson, and enjoys spending time with her two dachshunds, Bug and Huckleberry.

H.S. Spanish

Lidia Whitted is a native Spanish speaker from Guatemala who grew up in NY. She has always been fascinated by the power of language and its ability to connect with people. This fascination led her to pursue a master’s degree in Communication Disorders, becoming a board-certified Speech Language Pathologist. It will be an honor for her to be teaching such a beautiful language in the most natural and nurturing approach through immersion and interactive activities. 

M.S. Science & H.S. Physical Science & Chemistry

Kim Thorpe brings 17 years of teaching experience to New Colossus Academy, where she is in her second year teaching middle school science and high school physical science and chemistry. Her career includes 11 years in public school classrooms, 6 years teaching in a homeschool co-op, and now investing her talents in NCA’s hybrid model. She holds a degree in Secondary Education—Chemistry from Tennessee Tech University and a Master’s in Curriculum and Instruction.

Kim has a deep passion for science and for helping students see it as man’s explanation of God’s creation. She loves guiding them to discover the beauty of the world through the lens of God’s glory, with each lesson pointing back to the Creator’s handiwork.

Outside the classroom, Kim is a wife to Jimmy and mom to Ruthie (8th grade) and Joah (4th grade). Her family has been part of NCA for four years, enjoying the flexibility and balance the hybrid approach provides. She also serves part-time as an administrator at Oaks Church, enjoys coffee and pizza, and can often be found relaxing with a good TV series to binge-watch.

High School Literature

Heather Anderson is excited to join the New Colossus Academy high school staff this year, teaching high school literature. She believes words are important—after all, God spoke the world into existence and chose to reveal Himself through the written Word. Because of this, she is passionate about helping students engage with literature thoughtfully and purposefully. Her classes center on rich discussion, critical reading, and writing that challenges students to think deeply about different times, cultures, and ideas while applying a biblical worldview.

Heather is a 2007 graduate of The University of Tennessee. She has been married for nearly twenty years and is raising three kids. She loves travel planning, trying new restaurants, reading for fun, and catching up with friends over coffee—preferably paired with chocolate.