How many years have you been teaching?  

I have been teaching at Mt. Salus for four years. Before coming to Mt. Salus, I worked as a teaching assistant for three years and as a college English instructor for several years prior to that.

What brought you to teach at Mt. Salus?

I feel strongly that it was the Lord who brought me to Mt. Salus. I had been working with kindergarten and first grade at a public school when a friend who worked at Mt. Salus told me they were looking for a high school history teacher. When I applied, that position had been filled, but I was asked if I would accept the second grade teaching position instead. I happily agreed since I was used to working with younger grades and loved it. Although there is a much longer back story to how I ended up at Mt. Salus (I had never planned to be an elementary school teacher, but God had different plans for me), I am so thankful that God orchestrated events the way he did.

What do you like most about your profession as a teacher?

I love interacting with the students. I love it when kids develop an interest in a particular subject and I’m able to encourage and nurture that interest. I love when kids discover a certain genre of book or a series that really engages them and I can see their love for reading blossom.

What do you hope to accomplish as a teacher at Mt. Salus?

Of course, I hope to help each child grow academically. Mostly, I hope to show each child how much God values him or her and to help point each one to Christ.

How do you see God using your gifts as a teacher at Mt. Salus?

I hope that God is using me to help improve students’ competence in academic subjects, their knowledge of who God is, and how to glorify Him in their daily activities and interactions with others.

 Beside Mt. Salus, what/where else are you involved that God is using your gifts for His glory?

 

 

How long have you been attending Mt. Salus? 

Joseph Latham: Since the 5th grade.

Kali Lee: All together, 6 years!

Alexia Stasher: 7 years

Ashley Wiegand: I have been attending Mt. Salus since the 1st grade.

 

What do you like most about Mt. Salus?

Joseph Latham: The People.

Kali Lee: Because it is so small, there is a lot of individual help and relationships that I have made and kept over the years that I could not have gotten anywhere else. I also get to openly worship and learn about my God in class.

Alexia Stasher: The one on one teacher/student interactions and the student unity.

Ashley Wiegand: My favorite part of Mt. Salus is how the school is like a family, and gives a really great education.

 

What is your favorite subject? 

Joseph Latham: My favorite subjects are bible and history.

Kali Lee: English because I love writing.

Alexia Stasher: The sciences.

Ashley Wiegand: I like all our subjects but my favorite would be Ms. Moseley’s English class.

 

If someone was interested in Mt. Salus and asked you, “Why should I consider your school?” what would you tell them? 

Joseph Latham: I would tell them that the atmosphere here is good.

Kali Lee: The same reasons why I love it so much. There is so much individual help, the people here are amazing and care so much about every student, I’ve met my best friends here and you are exposed to Christianity in a school setting.

Alexia Stasher: I would tell them about the small class sizes along with the good curriculum of the school, along with how close you can be with other students in all grades.

Ashley Wiegand: This school is the best choice because the teachers, students and staff are all wonderful.

 

What are your plans after you graduate? 

Joseph Latham: I plan to go to Hinds Community College in Raymond and live on campus.

Kali Lee: I am going to Hinds for a year and a half, then hopefully going to USM to major in Psychology and then to RTS to become a marriage and family therapist.

Alexia Stasher: I am going to Holmes for 2 years and then going to Mississippi State University.

Ashley Wiegand: I plan on attending Holmes Community College in Madison, and will most likely major in business.

 

 

How many years have you been teaching? 

35 Years.

What brought you to teach at Mt. Salus?

I was looking for a position in a school that doesn’t just give lip service to a Christian worldview, but fully embraces that concept.

What do you like most about your profession as a teacher?

I get to share my knowledge of English and history, but more than that, I get to play a part, however small it may be, in shaping the lives of teenagers. Teachers have an amazing responsibility because we can have an influence on the futures of our students.  There is no greater compliment a teacher can receive than to have a former student come back to them and say “Thank you.”

What do you hope to accomplish as a teacher at Mt. Salus?

My hope is two-fold: to provide my students with the communication skills they need, a love of good literature, and an understanding of history; and to instill in them the background necessary to defend their faith in a world that views Christianity so negatively.

How do you see God using your gifts as a teacher at Mt. Salus?

I get to help students see the world from a Scriptural perspective and to evaluate everything from books to movies to music from that perspective. I also try to use my God-given gifts to get students to see that what they often think is dull and boring is part of God’s order in the world and look at things in a new way that can bring some excitement to what they are studying.

 Beside Mt. Salus, what/where else are you involved that God is using your gifts for His glory?

 

How many years have you been teaching?
This is my 13th year at Mt. Salus and I have taught for 14 years total – 1 year at French Camp Academy.

What brought you to teach at Mt. Salus?
 Honestly the Lord really brought me to Mt. Salus. I had come back from China and was helping my sister and brother-in-law with their children while he was undergoing chemotherapy. I didn’t know what the future had in store and a friend of mine who worked at Mt. Salus at the time called me and said, “Hey the science teacher is leaving at the school I work for. Are you interested?” I came, I saw, and I loved it! Sometimes we don’t always see the Lord’s path for us and sometimes He opens a door and shoves you right through, as was the case for me making it to Mt. Salus. 

What do you like most about your profession as a science teacher?
I love science. I learn new things each year I teach a new class, even though these are the same subjects I have been teaching for years. To me science also shouts the handiwork of God. I believe it is a quote by Robert Boyle that says, ” The more I study nature, the more I stand amazed at the work of the creator”. That is something I love about science and the chance to share that is amazing. 

What do you hope to accomplish as a teacher at Mt. Salus?
I want to point kids to Christ bottom line. Yes, I want them to learn about Earth, Rocks, Weather, Chemistry and Physics, but I want them to see the Lord in all of it. I want them to see what an amazing Creator we have, and I want them to see His hands in all of creation, including our lives. I hope to instill a love for science that they can use to better this world.

How do you see God using your gifts as a teacher at Mt. Salus?
I can be a bit of a goofball/nerd, and I think the Lord has used that excitement and goofiness to help make others excited about learning the science.

Where else are you involved that God is using your gifts for His glory?
I love working with kids of all ages and I have a love for Christian camping. Each summer I work at Twin Lakes Summer Camp, where I get to work with high school and college age kids. My job title there is “Wonder Woman”, and I do more behind the scenes work and take care of the staff. I still get to do fun skits for the campers and get my silly song singing on though. I also cook lots of corn dogs – lots and lots of corn dogs. This is a standing joke as I really don’t like corn dogs…

Through Twin Lakes, I learned about the summer camp they put on for Peru Missions in Trujillo. I have been able to travel to Trujillo for the past three Christmases and help with a summer camp there. Kids from four different neighborhoods meet at local churches and are brought to the camp. We play games, swim, do crafts, dance and play octoball. We also have a theme each year in which we tell the kids about the love of Jesus. This year it was Joshua and the Battle of Jericho and putting on the Armor of God. We had over 150 kids this year and several kids and their families have continued to come to church after this week.

I am so thankful to be used during the school year and in the summer to share the love of Jesus.

 

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace— Isaiah 9:6

As we start 2018 and I reflect over the first semester, I am thankful for Mt. Salus and the opportunity we have to partner with parents to teach students through a Christian worldview.   Thank you parents for partnering with us as we “train up a child in the way he should go”.

Here are a few highlights just in this first semester:

• Helping those affected by hurricanes
• Helping the CPC move furniture
• Helping an elderly woman move to a new facility
• Students helping within our school to keep it clean and nice
• Cleaning the bus
• See you at the pole
• Prayer before school sponsored by students
• Chicken Dinner Fundraiser
• Fall Festival
• Grandparents Day
• Thanksgiving as a school with family
• Elementary singing at Brookdale
• Technology use by all our students: iPads 1st-9th and MacBooks for 10th-12th
• Internet upgrade to Fiber to allow high usage by the school
• A weekly chapel service where we can give God glory and worship him

I could keep going, but I want to pause and remind myself that God is the Great Provider and that we get to do all these things things to bring Him glory. Let it never become about us but always about Christ. How are we giving God the glory in these highlights?

We have started the second semester and, Lord willing, it will also bring many great events. Let us not leave the real reason for Christmas behind us “because Christmas is over.” God’s chief gift should be the center celebration every day – Jesus Christ our Savior. Born to save us, lived a perfect life as man without sin, and then died and rose again for our sins. Let us rejoice and reflect on this always.