Erik Lehman
Title: Administrator
Education: M.A. Ed.in Educational Leadership from Wilkes University. B.S. Ed. in Secondary Education from Shippensburg University.
Church Involvement: Upton Brethren Church - Sunday School Teacher
Hobbies: Reading, playing a variety of sports, and spending time with family and friends.
Family: Sierra (wife), Children - Sadie
Life Verse: Psalm 27:1 The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
Reason for Teaching: Throughout the years, teachers have played a pivotal role in my life. As a teacher I aim to pass on my love of learning and to challenge students in their spiritual journey, nurturing their faith and helping them develop a strong relationship with the Lord.
Dave Brenneman
Title: Principal and Head Teacher
Education: Lake Land Community College. Principles of Teaching - SMBI.
Church Involvement: Grace Haven Mennonite
Hobbies: Spending time with family and friends, traveling, hunting and fishing, anything scientific and theological.
Family: Andrea (wife)
Fun Facts: My wife and I taught together for two years before we got married and one year afterward. My favorite books of the Bible are Phillipians and James. Learning, innovating, and improving things are passions of mine.
Reason for Teaching: I enjoy teaching students life skills such as how to think, why to think, what to think, and how to apply that to their lives, both in and out of the classroom. I also enjoy teaching and training students to walk after God and helping to mold their character to be built for service in the kingdom of God.
Katie Nell
Title: 5th and 6th Grade Teacher
Education: Pleasant Hill Christian School
Church Involvement: Upper Conewago Brethren Church
Hobbies: Spending time with family and friends, kayaking, hiking, anything art, traveling, and skiing.
Fun Facts: I lived in the city of Lewiston, Maine for a year of volunteer service. I love adventure and I have gone skydiving. I’ve worked at a coffee shop for three and a half years and my favorite snack is chips and salsa.
Life Verse: Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.”
Reason for Teaching: I’ve always enjoyed working alongside people, especially children. I love all their energy and spunk! I enjoy engaging with them one on one and seeing them work hard to grow in areas they may be weak in.
Sharita Druist
Title: 3rd and 4th Grade Teacher
Education: Anchor Christian School
Church Involvement: New Hope Mennonite Church
Hobbies: Baking, kayaking, writing letters, singing, and spending time with friends.
Favorite Song: Be Thou My Vision
Life Verse: Psalm 86:11-13 Teach me thy way, O LORD; I will walk in thy truth: Unite my heart to fear thy name. I will praise thee, O Lord my God, with all my heart: And I will glorify thy name for evermore. For great is thy mercy toward me: And thou hast delivered my soul from the lowest hell.
Reason for Teaching: I want to inspire the next generation to live for Jesus and to show His love to the world.
Christi Orendorf
Title: 1st and 2nd Grade Teacher
Church Involvement: Bittinger Mennonite Church
Hobbies: I enjoy spending time with family and friends, especially being an aunt to my 13 nieces and nephews! I also enjoy reading and baking.
Fun Facts: I have lived in Western Maryland all of my life except for two school terms when I lived in Nicaragua. The rules of the English language are more interesting than frustrating to me. As a child, I did not want to be a nurse or a teacher when I grew up.
Life Verse: Habakkuk 3:19 The Lord God is my strength, and He will make my feet like hinds' feet, and He will make me to walk upon mine high places.
Reason for Teaching: I have a fondness for all people but children are the best of the bunch. I enjoy getting to know their personalities, inspiring them to have fun while learning, teaching them to read, and encouraging them to become the people God desires them to be.
Danetta Yoder
Title: Kindergarten Teacher
Church Involvement: Safe Harbor
Hobbies: I enjoy camping, painting, spending time with my nieces and nephews and family, and reading.
Fun Fact: I have lived in 3 different states and moved into 10 different houses. Pennsylvania was a state that I always declared I would never live in!
Life Verse: Isaiah 40:31 “But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.”
Reason for Teaching: I have always loved children since I was a young girl. I have many fond memories of spending time with children whether it was teaching Sunday school, babysitting, or teaching. My heart is to help young children learn about Jesus and that each one is unique and gifted according to His plan for their lives. Watching children learn, grow, and develop never gets old; as well as watching the excitement on their faces when they learn and understand a new concept or fact of life and nature.
Elise Lehman
Title: Special Needs Tutor
Education: Abeka Academy
Church Involvement: Upton Brethren Church
Hobbies: Reading, playing piano, snowboarding, and spending quality time with my family and friends.
Fun Facts: Following my senior year of high school, I spent a year in volunteer service teaching kindergarten.
Life Verse: Psalm 18:1-2, 6 “I will love thee, O LORD, my strength. The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower. In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried unto my God: he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before him, even into his ears.”
Reason for Teaching: Children are so special! I love their unexpected, humorous observations and innocent faith. As a teacher, it is a delight to watch them learn and grow and to see their eyes light up when they finally understand a difficult concept. My goal as a tutor is to help struggling students reach that point of understanding and to point them to Jesus, the greatest Teacher of all!