The Academy of Excellence

Eureka Springs, Arkansas

And the Lord shall make you the head, and not the tail; and you shall be above only, and you shall not be beneath, if you heed the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you this day and are watchful to do them. Deuteronomy 28:13

Tim Adams ~ Administrator

Tim received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Public Administration from Stephen F. Austin State University. He has lived in Northwest Arkansas for 14 years, and is blessed to be able to work with his wife Teresa. His daughter, Rachel, attends school at the Academy as well. Tim also currently serves as the Youth Minister in the church. Tim and his family enjoy life in Beaver, Arkansas, where they have a house on the lake and a few pets. In his spare time Tim enjoys drawing and painting, a hobby that he has had since childhood. As the administrator Tim says “ It is my goal to teach these children to be strong and successful in life, to be the head and not the tail. It is my goal to see each of these young people develop into the person that God has called them to be.”

Teresa Adams ~ K-4 preschool

Ms. Teresa received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, Texas. Ms. Teresa serves as the Preschool Director in addition to teaching the K-4 class. She has been teaching for 3 years. “I am blessed to have a wonderful husband and daughter. They get to benefit from my love of cooking. They allow me to take care of myself by running and when everything is done and I have a few minutes I read, read, read. Since becoming a teacher I have learned so much. Teaching has enabled me to grow in every area of my life.” Her favorite quote about teaching is “In the classroom everyone is a student, everyone is a teacher.”

Sharon Gould ~ Kindergarten

A native of Eureka Springs, Ms. Sharon enjoys teaching the Kindergarten class. Ms. Sharon has received her Childhood Development Associate certification, and has taught at the Academy of Excellence in various positions for over 10 years. She has two wonderful daughters, Leah and Amber. Ms. Sharon enjoys reading, bowling, bowhunting, fishing, and spending time with her family and friends. She says “ My goal is to teach with the love, patience, and understanding of my Father. I want my students to have the opportunity to learn, grow and develop spiritually, mentally, and academically in a secure and comfortable environment. In teaching and almost any other profession, they won’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.”

Ann Price ~ Pre-3

Mrs. Anne has been with the Academy of Excellence since November of 2000. Although it was her first time to teach preschool, she had worked with children in church for many years. In 2003 she received her Childhood Development Associate certification. She loves working with children and knows that it is a continual learning experience. Mrs. Anne says “My faith in God is a very important part of my life. I love serving God and being a part of His ministry.” Mrs. Anne and her husband Jim have four children, and all are growing up into wonderful adults. Mrs. Anne likes to hike, go canoeing, and other outdoor activities. But even on her days off she thinks about activities she can do with the kids and craft materials she can prepare for her next lesson.

Ann Reed ~ 3rd and 4th grade

Ms. Ann has been teaching for 15 years. She is a graduate of Baylor University in Waco, Texas. She is a mother of three lovely children. Her daughter Rebecca is a freshman at James Brown University and her twin sons David and James graduated from The Academy just last year. Her husband Doug is the Pastor of Thorncrown Chapel. Ms. Ann loves to cook and read. She also sings in the choir and plays the handbells. It is Ms. Ann’s desire to share God’s faith, hope, and love with each child she teaches. 1 Corinthians 13:13 “And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest is love.”

Patty Sanders ~ 6th, 7th, and 8th grade

Ms. Patty teaches math, literature, and history. She has a BSE from the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville with a major in Secondary education and minors in both communications and history. She has 20 years of teaching experience and has been here at the Academy since 1998. She and her husband James have two children, Jenna and Tyler. They both graduated from the 8th grade here at the Academy and are now attending High School in Berryville where Tyler plays football and Jenna plays basketball. They are very active in the church here, where they have been members since 1981. Patty says “My purpose here is to teach my students as God would teach them. I strive to love them with His love and give them my very best. I hope to inspire them and instill in them that God desires them- has called, summonsed them- to excellence in their lives. I pray they leave here strong and secure in who they are and that they are to “build a better world.” Her favorite quote: Every job is a self-portrait of the person who does it. Autograph your work with excellence.” -anonymous

Gloria Taff ~ 6th, 7th, and 8th grade

Ms. Gloria was born in Odessa, Texas and graduated from high school in Odessa. She attended Texas A&M University and received a Bachelor of Education degree in 1985. She began teaching in 1986 in Ft. Smith at Harvest Time Christian Schools, and then she helped to start the Academy of Excellence in 1990. She has taught for twenty years in Christian schools with experience ranging from preschool to middle school. Ms. Gloria has been married twenty-two years and has three children, all of whom have attended the Academy of Excellence. The older two have graduated from our eighth grade and attend a local high school. Gloria says, “ I believe students will find their greatest success as they choose to follow God and be obedient to His Word. I believe students should be encouraged to reach their greatest potential by keeping high standards and expectations.”

Karyanne West ~ Toddlers

A recent addition to the Academy of Excellence, Ms. Karyanne takes care of our toddlers between the ages of eighteen months and three years old. When Karyanne is not taking care of toddlers, you can find her in the Passion Play where her main role is the part of Salome. Karyanne lives at home with her parents,younger brother, and her pet chihuahua. For fun she likes to play the guitar.

Sharon Young ~ 1st and 2nd grade

Ms. Sharon received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Southwest Baptist University in Bolivar, Missouri. She then attended the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville where she received her Master’s Degree. She has been teaching for 28 years. She is happily married to Carl Wayne Young, has three wonderful stepsons and four adorable grandchildren. Ms. Sharon loves life on the farm with he two cats, 3 dogs, and various other farm animals. In her spare time she likes to read and work puzzles. Her goal is to challenge every student during the year and to have high expectations of what they can learn. Her favorite Bible verse is Colossians 3:23. “Whatever may be your task, work at it heartily (from the soul) as something done for the Lord and not for men.”