Meet Our Teachers

Amy Fluharty
Founder & Teacher of Plutarch, Ancients, Classical/Christian Studies, & Literature
Amy holds a Bachelor of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies, with a focus on education, social sciences, and religion, from Liberty University. She worked in early childhood education for ten years before transitioning to homeschooling. Amy has continued her education by completing the CMI Core training, and she is currently pursuing her Master's in the Great Books. For the past 17 years, Amy has dedicated herself to homeschooling her children and helping others unlock their children's potential. Two of her sons have graduated from college, and she is now teaching her youngest son. Amy serves as a mentor in the Alveary with CMI, hosts a local Charlotte Mason book club, manages a local homeschool library, directs a community outreach program for homeschoolers, and has organized co-ops based on the Charlotte Mason philosophy. Her goal is to ensure that every child receives the life-giving education that Charlotte Mason advocated, teaching one child at a time.

Angelynn Ballew
Teacher of Spanish
Angelynn Ballew is a Canadian missionary kid to Brazil. She grew up in Brazil and loved the people, the rich culture, and Portuguese. Angel went to a small Christian college in Northeast Georgia, where she played volleyball and basketball, and got a Cross-Cultural Studies degree with a focus in Second Languange Acquisition. Angel married her husband right out of college, and they have three daughters ages 16, 14, and 12. She loves to sing, crochet, and be in nature. Angel and her family have been missionaries in Colombia for seven years. They homeschool, and lead a co-op of mostly new-to-homeschooling Colombian families.

Christina Wagenet
Teacher of Composer Study
Christina has been singing and performing for as long as she can remember. She has a Master of Music in Voice from the Eastman School of Music and a Bachelor of Voice from Biola University, Summa Cum Laude. She has also completed CMI’s CORE class, a teacher training course in the Charlotte Mason method. In the past, she performed in opera, musical theater, and as a recitalist in New York and the Los Angeles areas. Now she sings in church using an ancient form of music known as Byzantine chant. As a second-generation homeschooler, she spends her days raising four children ranging from middle school to a toddler, and has been using the Alveary from the start. Besides music, she loves nature, good books, kitchen adventures, science fiction, and spending time with family and friends.

Marcia Mattern
Teacher of Science
Marcia Mattern completed her BS in Sciences (food and nutrition) from Eastern Illinois University and went on to work as a Dietitian for 27 years. She began homeschooling her children in 2002 and has two children, of the six, still learning together under her roof. She’s a nature lover and spends a lot of time out of doors in Central Illinois. Biology and Chemistry are two of her loves! The Charlotte Mason Peoria community (CMPeoria.com) has been an outpouring of work for Marcia and her husband over the past 20 years through monthly book groups, coops, and conferences. The community has also been a sharing of life with other families on the path of embracing a Charlotte Mason philosophy. Marcia has been a speaker at various homeschooling conferences such as Charlotte Mason Institute, Living Education Retreat, Kansas City Area Catholic Homeschoolers conference, and the Charlotte Mason Peoria conferences. Marcia and her husband created the first Charlotte Mason Family camp in 2017. Marcia loves to speak on habit and virtue including practical ways of living with a large family. Marcia hopes to ignite the love of science in your child through her class!

Sarah-Beth Gould
Teacher of Writing
Sarah-Beth (B.Ed, MA TESOL) is a Canadian-South African currently living in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. She teaches English literature, poetry, and writing to homeschool youth in person and online, tutors students in preparation for Cambridge English exams, and runs community classes at her home for local homeschool youth. On the side, she teaches English to adults who have moved to South Africa from other African countries-lots of fun!
Sarah-Beth has been an English and TEFL teacher for 25 years and homeschooled her three sons for 17 years. She does work for CMI as one of the facilitators of their CORE training and Charlotte Mason's philosophy and methods have been- and still are- the main influences on how she views teaching and learning. Her writing classes are a mix of clear thinking (writing is a thinking exercise), reading and discussing good models, experimenting and being playful, encouraging the writer's voice and personality, and teaching good style and technique.

Amy Jo Murray
Teacher of Rhetoric & Research
Amy Jo is an American missionary kid who loves and lives in South Africa. She has a PhD in Research Psychology, with an undergraduate minor in English. She moonlights as a social psychologist and has published in a range of academic journals based on her research about paid domestic labour and qualitative research methods.
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Amy Jo homeschools her five (busy) children who are ages 8 to 15. She teaches classes in Logic, Rhetoric, Apologetics, and English at a local Charlotte Mason co-op. She has completed CMI’s CORE class, a teacher training module, and continues to grow in her knowledge and skills related to Charlotte Mason's philosophy. Her goal is to encourage others to value Truth through clear communication and critical thinking. She loves to learn and laugh with teenagers!
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Rachel Gaston-Pifer
Teacher of Latin
​Rachel holds a Bachelors of Arts in Fine Arts and a minor in Latin from Wilson College and a Masters of Latin from the University of Florida. Her master's degree program was an innovative hybrid program that married both in person and online learning. Rachel began her adult career as a motor transport operator for the United States Army, while there she had the opportunity to live in Kentucky, Maryland, and the Netherlands. She has taught Latin in both public and private schools for several years. Before settling into teaching Latin, Rachel worked in multiple positions in academic libraries in Pennsylvania and Arkansas. Besides teaching Latin, Rachel enjoys reading, traveling, and playing Pokemon the card game. She discovered Charlotte Mason in 2020 when her family chose to homeschool through the pandemic. Since then, Charlotte Mason’s methods have heavily influenced Rachel’s approach to teaching Latin.

Jenny Elias
Teacher of Spanish, Geography, & History
Jenny has a Master of Arts in Curriculum Development and Instruction from Grand Canyon University and a BA in Sociology from Cal Lutheran University. She lives in Southern California with her husband and their six children. She has been homeschooling for over 18 years. The introduction to Charlotte Mason (CM) was welcomed warmly after reading Real Learning: Education in the Heart of the Home by Elizabeth Foss. She started a CM discussion group, Learning Charlotte Mason in Conejo and Simi Valleys, with other homeschooling mothers in 2011. This group blossomed into a weekly CM co-op community known as the “Large Room” from 2012-2020, which she gladly moderated.
Lately, you will find her teaching CM-inspired classes to private homeschool groups and the City of Thousand Oaks Teen Center in the Conejo Valley. She is also part of the Alveary Curriculum Team and enjoys lesson writing. She has been serving as a board member at IvyTech Charter School, part of the Moorpark School District, since 2022. Through dedication to her Christian faith and the principles of a CM education, she finds grace in her daily life.

Amanda Nelson
Teacher of Math & Middle School Literature
Amanda Nelson loves helping middle schoolers discover the joy of learning. She has taught every age from preschool through college but finds her sweet spot with curious, creative, hands-on students. Amanda’s classes are full of projects, exploration, and real-world connections. In Pre-Algebra, Amanda helps students build confidence and problem-solving skills through applied learning. In Literature, she inspires them to think deeply, express their voice, and connect stories to life and faith. She encourages curiosity, critical thinking, and a sense of wonder in everything her students do. Amanda holds a Master’s in Counselor Education and has additional training in Orton-Gillingham, which helps her support diverse learning styles and needs.
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Outside of teaching, she enjoys hands-on science experiments, creative writing, and adventures with her four children. She loves exploring the outdoors, experimenting with creative projects, and hosting get-togethers for friends and family. Amanda also values quiet moments for reflection, prayer, and planning new ways to make her classroom an exciting place for students.

