TEACHERS and STAFF

Leslie Anyanonu
Mrs. Anyanonu is new to Oak Grove this year, as its first program director for Pre-K. She has a BA and MA from Texas Tech University, and also teaches college-level algebra at various universities in Albuquerque. She has been happily married for nine years, and has been blessed with two amazing young sons. Her family is active at their church, and aside from spending time with them, she enjoys volunteering in the classrooms of her children, a good cup of coffee with friends, and her new found love of Jazzercise!

Julie Ashcraft
Mrs. Ashcraft is the Art teacher. She was raised in Carlsbad, NM and moved to Albuquerque in 1994. In 2003, she received her Associate of Liberal Arts degree. She is an Oak Grove home schooling mom to one daughter and sometimes a few foster children. She loves being outdoors and is awestruck by the beauty of creation, desiring to capture it’s very essence in film and print. She also is a rescue coordinator and caregiver to endangered tortoises and turtles.

Jennifer Box
Mrs. Box is the third grade teacher at Oak Grove Classical Academy.  She graduated from the University of New Mexico with a B.A. in Elementary Education and a M.A. in Special Education. Mrs. Box has six years of teaching experience in public and home-school education, including: inclusion teacher, resource room teacher, gifted teacher, and home-schooling mom.  She was born and raised in New Mexico and attended both Christian and public school in Albuquerque. She has two children, Caden and Caleb.  She enjoys spending time outdoors with her family and friends. She feels very blessed to be a part of Oak Grove, both as a teacher and a co-teacher, and is grateful for the opportunity to minister to teachers and parents.

Allen Clupny
Mr. Clupny is new to Oak Grove this year and retired from the U.S. Air Force. He has been married for 30 years and has two grown children. He is looking forward to teaching 6th grade with the simple plan of having fun, helping the students love learning and guiding them to think about the world around them and how they fit into it with the gifts God has given them. He believes that the truth of God is revealed in His word, the world around us and that it can be seen if we look. His hope is that the students will begin to see that wonder through their own eyes of faith.

Melissa Duerksen
Mrs. Duerksen was born in Portland, Oregon and moved to New Mexico when she was five so considers herself a native. She met her husband when she was a senior in high school and is thankful to God for putting such a wonderful man in her life. Their daughter, Hope, is the reason she wanted to become a teacher in the first place. Mrs. Duerksen received an Associates degree with honors from CNM community college and is currently attending the University of Phoenix. When she heard that there was a position available for a first grade teacher at Oak Grove her and her husband prayed about it and decided to apply. After meeting with the administration she felt the school was an incredible place, with wonderful direction and dedication to its students. Not only was it a place of excellence in regards to learning, it was a place where her daughter could learn openly and freely about her Heavenly Father. This is Mrs. Duerksen’s second year at Oak Grove.

Lesley Gilmore
Mrs. Gilmore teaches Kindergarten at Oak Grove. She has lived in Albuquerque her entire life and loves it here. She went to Texas Tech University and received a Bachelor’s Degree in Early Childhood Education. She has taught Kindergarten, 3rd, and 4th grade, but Kinder is her absolute favorite! Her husband Ryan is also a teacher, and they enjoy many activities together including running, cycling, watching movies, cooking, and reading. She is thrilled to be a part of Oak Grove for a third year!

Celeste Green
Mrs. Green is our Dean of Academic Support.  She holds a BS in Interdisciplinary Studies with an English Emphasis and has a Masters pending in English and British Literature. She taught 1st and 2nd grades for 4 years in the Lubbock public school system. Her hobbies include reading and freelance writing. She and her husband, Noel, are local business owners and enjoy traveling, drinking coffee, and volunteering. Mrs. Green has a passion for classical education and is thrilled to be part of the Oak Grove family.

Jenny Litfin
Ms. Litfin grew up in a small farming town in northwest Kansas. After high school, she attended Grace University in Omaha, Nebraska and there received a Bachelors Degree in Bible and Elementary Education with an endorsement in ESL. Two months following graduation, Jenny moved to China where she lived and served as an elementary ESL teacher at Kunming International Academy. Three years later, she moved to New Mexico to teach on the Navajo Reservation. After a year on the reservation, Ms. Litfin began looking for teaching positions in Albuquerque and was thrilled to receive the position of 2nd grade teacher at Oak Grove Classical Academy. Jenny has a wide variety of enjoyments that generally include whatever involves people, learning, and being active.

Dawn Montgomery
Mrs. Montgomery is a first grade teacher at Oak Grove. She graduated with a B.A. in Elementary Education from Northwestern College in Orange City, IA. She lived in Colorado Springs for most of her life, but moved to Rio Rancho two years ago when her husband Kirk was transferred with Hewlett-Packard. She taught first grade at Colorado Springs Christian School for eight years, then started her role of being mom to three children. She has been married to Kirk for 22 years, and her children are now 15, 14 and 10. Her hobbies include reading, cooking, and spending time with her family. She has enjoyed returning to the classroom and loves watching children grow in knowledge and love of the Lord!

Clint Moore
Mr. Moore, in his first year with Oak Grove, is teaching the 6th grade formations course. Clint holds a BS in Civil Engineering from NMSU as well as a MS in Water Resource Engineering from UNM. Clint worked as a Hydraulic Engineer for three years before being hired by Desert Springs Church to lead their global and local outreach initiatives. Clint’s studies also include theological courses from Bethlehem Institute in Minneapolis and Covenant Theological Seminary in St. Louis. Clint loves to stay active with sports, fishing and hunting. He and his wife Joanna have been married for six years and anticipate adopting their first child from Uganda in the fall of 2011.

Melanie Nixon
Mrs. Nixon is a second grade teacher at Oak Grove Classical Academy. She graduated from Modesto Jr. College with an A.A in Behavioral and Social Sciences. Additionally, she attended Cal State University, Stanislaus and Trinity College—where she completed courses in Biblical Studies with a concentration in Christian Education.
Mrs. Nixon has numerous years of teaching experience in public, private, and home-school education. Melanie’s experience includes: sign language instructor and teacher’s assistant for Modesto City Schools in California, and home-schooling mom. Melanie and her husband, Brian, have been actively involved in Christian and Classical education for 15 years. She has three children, Isaiah, Sutherland, and Cailan. She enjoys the outdoors, and traveling with her family.

Meghan Ochoa
Mrs. Ochoa holds a BS in Government and International Relations. She has been teaching with
Oak Grove since 2010, and has developed a deep love for classical education. Outside of the classroom, she adores being a mother, reading, and continuing her study of government independently. She and her husband, Memo, enjoy parenting, being a part of their church community, and relaxing with a coffee at a great bookstore.

Julie Rhodes
Mrs. Rhodes is excited to join Oak Grove this year and will teach kindergarten.  She has been married for 40 years and has grown children and three granddaughters. She has taught kindergarten and preschool for over 24 years. Mrs. Rhodes duties not only include teaching but management of a summer school program and prayer ministry.  She loves teaching little ones and especially integrating Bible into all areas of school.

Troy Simons
Mr. Simons is beginning his fourth year as headmaster of Oak Grove. Troy graduated from UNM with a BA in Secondary Education with an emphasis in Spanish. His graduate work has included Intercultural Studies at Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary and studies in Apologetics at Biola University. Troy is the full-time teaching pastor of Northside Church, a church-plant he co-started in 2004. Troy loves spending time with his wife and five sons. His other interests include reading, Latin, Puritan theologians, travel, Celtic music, mountain biking, hiking, and all forms of wilderness survival.

Sayra Siverson
Ms. Siverson begins a new adventure this year as the Director of Music at Oak Grove Classical Academy. She also returns to the podium in her eleventh season as Conductor for the Albuquerque Youth Orchestra. As a conductor, she is known for her passionate musicianship and versatile baton technique, as well as her connection with players and audiences. She has been noted for her dedication to creative programming and her focus on educational outreach. Along with her regular season performances and tours, she is active in the community life of Albuquerque, acting as a guest conductor, adjudicator and clinician at local schools and music events.

Vince Zunic
Son to a mother and father in the United States Air Force, I was born in Huntington England and have lived in many places both overseas and here in the mainland. My family was a secular family until my mom was led to Christ by a neighbor upon which we all eventually became Christians. I enjoyed and participated in most organized sports as a child. However, basketball soon rose to top them all in talent and potential. In God’s Sovereignty, I tossed the ball aside and picked up a pencil to graduate from the University of Arizona with a degree in Architecture. I met and married my wonderful wife in Arizona. Shortly after, we moved to New Mexico and started a family with the addition of our son Isaiah, then daughter Lily. We currently attend Desert Springs Church and live day by day in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

SCHOOL BOARD

Tim and Cara Ray
Tim and Cara both attended the University of New Mexico.   Tim has a BS in Entrepreneurial Studies and Cara has an AA in Legal Assistant Studies from TV-I, and is a graduate from the School of Ministry. Tim is a co-Principal of Premier Choice Mortgage which he started in 2002. Tim is an elder at the church they attend and they are both involved in various ministries and mission work. They enjoy spending time with family, travel, fellowshipping with friends and especially good food. They feel so blessed to be a part of Oak Grove and are thankful for this schooling option for their family. They have four delightful children.

Jay and Leah Rush
Jay and Leah both hold bachelors degrees from Texas Tech University. Leah worked in secondary education at the middle school level before leaving the teaching field to stay home with their children. Jay attended Multnomah Biblical Seminary in Portland, Oregon and is now the Community Groups elder where they attend church.  He provides for his family through the medical sales industry.  They have four children, three biological and one adopted from Ethiopia in 2009. As a family they are extremely involved in their church, love to do outdoor activities and are avid Texas Tech Football fans. The Rushes have felt blessed to be a part of the foundation of Oak Grove, and value the opportunity to provide a classical Christian education for their children.

Troy and Ruth Simons
Ruth and Troy planned to be missionaries in China. Instead, God had other ideas, and led them to help start a school and a church in Albuquerque. After studying at the University of CA at Berkeley and Westmont College, Ruth completed her BFA at the University of New Mexico, where she and Troy met. (See Mr. Simons’ bio above.) Ruth and Troy completed a year of graduate studies at Golden Gate Theological Seminary after they married in 1998. Troy is both headmaster at Oak Grove, as well as the teaching pastor of Northside Church. Ruth counts it privilege to serve alongside him in both endeavors, while staying home with her boys and blogging as a creative outlet. Troy and Ruth have five beautiful sons. Ruth and Troy love spending time together as a family, travel, exploring and cooking ethnic foods, extending hospitality, and investing in others. They are humbled to serve and be served through the community of Oak Grove Classical Academy.

Noel and Celeste Green
The Greens have been married for 7 years and love all things creative, linguistic, thought-provoking, family-oriented, musical and indoors. They consider themselves blessed to own and operate their own advertising agency. It’s their preference to be different, as evidenced by their choosing to live in a multi-generational home. By grace, they have 2 daughters. Noel and Celeste consider it a privilege to be part of the OG staff and board.