Meet THE TEACHERS!
Meghan Card
7th-12th Grade Science
loveoflearningak@gmail.com
I am excited to be teaching homeschool classes this year under my vendor name: For the Love of Learning. I was born and raised in Eagle River and live here with my husband and two young sons, along with our two dogs. As an Alaska state certified teacher with 14 years of teaching experience, two state certifications, and six Highly Qualified designations, I enjoy teaching a variety of subjects and levels. I am a homeschool graduate myself, from K through 12th grade, and taught two years of private school, one year of substitute teaching, and then taught 11 years in public school with the last 10 being in Anchorage School District. I am also a 2017 BP Teacher of Excellence finalist.
My experiences left me wanting to pursue more flexible, student-centered teaching opportunities without the hindrances of canned curriculum and artificial pacing. I believe in challenging students to think critically about their learning, providing plenty of hands-on and experiential learning, interweaving cross-curricular connections, and engaging students in real life. I look forward to meeting students and starting classes in August!
Katherine Beaulieu
Elementary & 7th-12th Grade Spanish
Hola! My name is Katherine Beaulieu, but students call me Señora Katherine. Teaching Spanish is my passion and I'm very excited to be joining Eagle River HomeSchool this year! I was born and raised in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic where I attended college at the Universidad Nacional Pedro Henríquez Ureña and earned my degree in Interior Design. I have been in Alaska for over 12 years and I live in Eagle River with my husband and two kids. I have four years of experience working in ASD elementary schools.
I love teaching Spanish and I am honored to be your children's Spanish teacher and bring as much of my culture into the classroom as possible.
Hasta pronto!
Brian Rolston
Physical Education
I grew up in the Midwest playing any sport available. In High School, I competed on the varsity basketball and soccer teams and was also able to play small college soccer for three seasons. I began coaching soccer and basketball soon after graduating college and have been able to coach in Michigan, Iowa, Indiana, and now in Alaska at Chugiak High School for almost 20 years. This is the fifth full year of teaching the PE class for Eagle River Homeschool Classes. It is great fun to be able to teach the basics of so many sports to the youth in the PE classes each year! See you on the Pitch!
I am currently the Program Director for Chugiak Youth Sports Association and assistant Boys Soccer Coach for Chugiak HS among other responsibilities.
Jess Jourdan
Elementary Art, Science, and History
Hi! I’m Jess Jourdan, most kids call me Ms. Jess or Mrs. J. I have been teaching for 8 years. I first started teaching art in 2015 and then turned my focus to leading homeschool education in 2020. I was born in North Carolina while my mother was stationed at Fort Bragg and soon after we moved to Alaska. Here I graduated as a homeschooler with IDEA. I loved growing up here, there’s so much beauty to inspire my artist’s heart. I met my husband 12 years ago while we lived in Juneau and we have 7 children, ages 3-19, and 3 dogs. In the summer we foster puppies while finding them furever homes. I love coffee, reading, listening to music, and watching my boys play hockey.
Kirstin Hills
Elementary Writing and Reading
back2basicsalaska@gmail.com
I am excited to continue teaching Literature and Writing to grades 2-8 with Eagle River Homeschool Classes this year! I was raised in Wasilla and was homeschooled from 5th grade until graduation. I attended Sheldon Jackson College in Sitka, Alaska where I earned a B.A in Elementary Education. Later, I attended Grand Canyon University Online where I earned a BA in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages. I have been working in education since 2005 including 12 years as a teacher in public schools, and 2 years as a teacher in an international school in Ankara, Turkey.
Laura McWhite
7th-12th Grade Integrated English & History
ladymcwhite729@gmail.com
Hello! My name is Laura McWhite. Growing up in Idaho, I watched my Mom go back to college while working nights and raising four kids. When she got her first job teaching at Rigby High School, after school hours would usually find me in her classroom helping to correct papers. When I was ready for high school, my Mom’s English classes were always the highlight of my day. There was no question that I would follow her into the teaching profession. I received my Bachelors in Education from Idaho State University in 1991. My teaching certificate grants me permission to teach both English and History, and my 3.9 GPA earned me a job offer right away. I taught English and Journalism for three years at South Fremont Jr. High in Idaho before the first of my four children were born in 1995. Then a new adventure in my life began when my husband and I moved to Fairbanks, Alaska in 1996. We thought we would only stay a year, but when that year was over, my husband got a great job offer in Anchorage, and we ended up building a whole new life here. Surprisingly, every important person I met during that time homeschooled their children. Witnessing families who did things so differently was truly transformative for me! When my son turned five, I vividly remember standing in my driveway on his first day of kindergarten, breathing in the realization that he was home, with me, and not getting on that bus! I never looked back. All four of my children graduated Magna Cum Laude from Family Partnership Charter School. My BA meant a lot to me when I finished it back in 1991. However, I didn’t really understand teaching until I labored for more than twenty years with my own little ones and with their friends, whose Moms became some of the most important people in my life. I have taught many small group English classes, both online and in-person, and I have learned what works. Sharing what I’ve learned about accountability and about the joys of setting your own schedule gets me really excited. You should trust me– not because I have a degree, but because I love homeschool, and I understand homeschoolers. We are the lucky ones, who do math in our pajamas and spend slow afternoons cuddled up together reading good books. Many people marvel at the sacrifices that are required to teach your own children, but few people understand its joys. It’s a lifestyle that shapes and changes your family forever. I would love to help both you and your children with that process as they experiment, grow and develop into the amazing adults they will grow to be!
Kimberly Williams
Elementary STEM: Fairy Tales & STEM: Physical Science
kawilliams907@gmail.com
I am a fun-loving, happy wife and mom to my amazing 10 yr old twins and a cantankerous but cuddly cat named Lily. I love teaching! I'm a voracious reader, a traveler, an adventurer, a homeschool mom, and an arts & crafts & sewing enthusiast. I've been a flight attendant for Alaska Airlines and Conoco Phillips, I've taught 7th and 8th grade Language Arts in Phoenix, Arizona, I've taught for APU out at their Kellogg Field School in Palmer, and I've substituted for ASD. Last year I graduated from APU with a graduate certificate in elementary education.
Renee Morhain
7th-12th Grade Art & Photography
renee@moosecreekcreations.com
I have lived in Chugiak most of my life. I currently live with my husband Chris, my pug Abby, and my cat Tinker. We added our little girl, Aurora, to our family in September 2023. I have been a committed full-time art teacher since 2020, and have been creating art since I was a kid! Creating art through various mediums helped me get through school and graduate from college. I have started my own art business, Moose Creek Creations, to teach and spread my love of everything creative to those around me. I have taught in various capacities around Anchorage and the valley. I have experience teaching children and adults, and always strive to give each person a positive experience and a fun creative outlook on life!
Brenda I. Almenas
7th-12th Grade - US History, World Geography, Public Speaking, and Career Exploration
info@almenaslearningservices.com
Born and raised in Puerto Rico I moved to Baltimore where I obtained my Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of Notre Dame of Maryland. I started teaching in Washington State for an alternative school as their Spanish teacher and worked with their 9th-12th graders. Later when we moved to Alaska I worked as a substitute teacher for the ASD. Initially, I attended Alaska Pacific University to become an Alaska-certified teacher to homeschool my children. After completing my student teaching I was offered a full-time job and that opened the doors to teach all subjects to 1st graders and to combo classes 2nd/3rd & 3rd/4th, religion and Latin to 7th/8th while also working as a LA & Math tutor for students K-12. After teaching in public and private schools and during the lockdown, I realized I needed to go back to what started it all, and in January 2023 I opened Almenas Learning Services to provide 1:1 and small group classes to support homeschool students.
Scott Bleeker
7th-12th Grade Math
FamilyHeritageConsultants@gmail.com
Scott is a veteran homeschool dad, having taught every level of math to his four daughters over the last twenty years. Math was one of his favorite subjects in his schooling, and he is thankful to have graduated from a high school that used Saxon math and gave him a great foundation. In college, he took advanced Calculus classes and worked as a math tutor. He earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Business and has worked in the financial industry for 19 years where he has combined his love for math and problem-solving with his love for people. In addition, he has taught Sunday school and served in his church as a children’s ministry director for 20 years where a large part of his duties include teaching and training teachers. He will complete his Master’s Degree in Biblical Counseling in Spring 2024. For fun, Scott enjoys adventures with his wife, daughters, son-in-law, and grandson.
Kiri Abbas
Kindergarten
kiri_angel@hotmail.com
I am Kiri Abbas, a born and raised Eagle River mama now raising her three babies. My husband and I love Alaska and all the adventures it provides an opportunity for and really are loving the homeschool friendly environment. We love spending time at our off-the-grid cabin, fishing, and snow machining. My husband works road construction which has led to us exploring all corners of our gorgeous state! We currently live in Peter's Creek with our 3 kiddos, 2 doggies and way too many (per my husband) chickens. I have my Bachelor’s Degree in Early Childhood Development and have been immersed in the world of preschool since 2002. I have taught and administrated My Favorite Preschool Too since 2008. In 2020, we were pushed into the homeschool adventure with my own three children, in addition to preschool education. It ended up being the greatest gift! I am very excited to expand into the world of kindergarten! As a lifelong Chugiak-Eagle River resident, it will be an honor to provide a needed service to our community!
