Skyler Friedman
Pre-K
My name is Skyler and I love teaching Pre-K at MHA! I moved to Texas three years ago from Wisconsin, and I'm still learning to enjoy the hot weather here!! My favorite activities are going to the park with my pitbull mix and binging tv shows! I have two guinea pigs and a pitbull named Nola. Most people who know me say that taking care of kids and animals is my superpower!
This is my second year at MHA and I am finishing my degree in Early Childhood Education at Lone Star College.
I am so excited to continue my journey in my education and and spreading the word of Jesus to our younger generations! I look forward to meeting you all and teaching your wonderful kiddos!
Kristina Cox
Kinder
Hello! I am Kristina Cox!
I am originally from Louisville, Kentucky, but got to Texas as fast as I could! I graduated from Tomball High School and went on to attend Sam Houston State University, where I received my Bachelors of Science in Elementary Education. I graduated with Cum Laude Honors and was a member of the All-Girl Cheerleading Team.
I have been an educator for 7 years, and have taught 3rd grade, 2nd grade and Kindergarten for Cy-Fair and Tomball ISD. I have also spent several summers teaching the pre-school bridge program at Lakewood Montessori School.
I live in the Tomball area with my husband, Justin and our 3 (red headed) children, Weston (9), Reese (5), & Rhett (4).
In my spare time you can almost always catch me crafting and creating pretty things! My family and I spend many of our weekends traveling and visiting family, or down at our little fishing camp in Sargent, soaking up the Texas coast!
My family and I are so excited to start this new chapter of our lives with everyone at Magnolia Heritage. I can not wait to see what GOD has in store for all of us in the coming year!
Nicole Douglass
First Grade
Hi! My name is Nicole Douglass and I am SO excited to be joining the Magnolia Heritage Academy family this year. I was born in College Station and raised in Klein, Texas, but found my way back to Texas A&M for college where I earned my Bachelors in Elementary Education. After graduation, I got married to my husband, PJ, and we made our way to the Tomball area. I have three dogs (Zoey, Aspen, and Raven) and a cat (Sully Ron). I love spending time with my family, traveling, and crafting. I have taught second grade and kindergarten and I’m beyond excited to be teaching first grade this year! I hope to instill a love of Christ and learning in every child that walks through my door. I can’t wait to meet all your sweet kiddos and work as a team for the best year yet!
Haley Thomson
2nd Grade ELAR
The 2022/2023 school year will be Haley Thomson's second year teaching at Magnolia Heritage Academy. She grew up in Conroe/The Woodlands attending Oak Ridge High School. She graduated from Houston Baptist University with a BA in Interdisciplinary Studies with dual teaching certificates in Elementary Education and Special Education.
She has been teaching for 12 years in both private and public schools in the area. She began her career teaching 1st, and 2nd grade then moved to 3rd grade. Most recently, she spent time in a Life Skills classroom. Her favorite thing about teaching is witnessing the pride in her students when they conquer a difficult subject.
Haley lives in Woodforest, TX with her husband, three kids, and their pup. She has a large extended family who love to travel together. Her favorite hobbies include reading, sewing, and volunteering as a leader in her church Women’s Ministry.
Jo Ellen Clark
2nd Grade Math and Science
Hi! My name is Jo Ellen Clark, and I’m so excited to be joining Magnolia Heritage Academy as a second grade math and science teacher.
My husband and I have been married for 15 years and we have 3 beautiful daughters. We believe in raising our girls to know Jesus, never stop learning and always be kind.
I graduated from Texas A&M University with a Bachelors Degree in Educational Psychology(Special Education).
I have a wide variety of teaching experiences in elementary special education as well as Kindergarten in regular education. During the last 4 years, I have enjoyed homeschooling my own children.
Joining Magnolia Heritage Academy is an exciting new adventure for our family and I’m looking forward to getting back in the classroom to share Jesus and my love for learning with a new group of kiddos!
Blessings,
Jo Ellen Clark
Darcee Masden
4th/5th ELAR/Social Studies
My name is Darcee Masden and I am excited to return as the 4th/5th Grade History and ELAR teacher for the 2022-2023 school year! I was born in California and raised all over the world. My unique upbringing has given me a passion to bring the world into the classroom. I graduated from Oklahoma State University in 2017 with a degree in Elementary Education and a minor in Religious Studies. I have been teaching for the past five years in a variety of positions. I recently got married and, although we do not have children yet, my husband and I see the immense value of a home-to-school connection and desire to be involved in such a community.
I love to be outside, be creative, and experiment in the kitchen! In my eyes, life is made for good friends, great adventure, and yummy food!
I believe that Christ has a pivotal role in the classroom and a classroom is not complete without Him. I am excited to be a part of the Magnolia Heritage Academy team and to see God at work.
Melissa Fetzer
4th/5th Math and Science
My name is Melissa Fetzer and I teach 4th/5th grade Math and Science. I have my Bachelor of Science Degree in Human Development and Family Studies from the University of Houston.
I have always had a passion for teaching and I have been in the education field prior to earning my Bachelors Degree. I have taught Pre-K, 3rd grade, and Jr. High. I also spent six years homeschooling Kindergarten through 4th grade. I love seeing children learn and grow through hands on activities and life experiences.
I have been married for 14 years and have three children, ages 13, 11, and 9. We enjoy traveling, hiking, anything outdoors! We look forward to joining the Magnolia Heritage Academy's family this year and are excited for the opportunities ahead!
Jennifer Griffith
Reading Intervention Specialist
I am happy to be returning to MHA this fall! A bit about me... I have a BS in Business from Trinity University and spent the beginning of my career in the hospitality industry in San Antonio. I have been married to Dave for 33 years and we have 4 grown kids! After deciding to stay home with my kids, I delved into the world of homeschooling, and spent 15 years homeschooling, including one son with dyslexia. When we moved to Iowa in 2012, I put the last 2 kids in school and went back to work as a Guidance Counselor and Director of International Students at the Christian High School where my kids attended.
In 2016, we moved to Magnolia to be closer to our parents, our college-aged kids and our extended family. With the knowledge I had gained from tutoring my own dyslexic son, I began tutoring dyslexic students, and I love to see these struggling readers gain confidence and succeed. I'm entering a new season of "empty nesting" this fall, but am excited about the possibilities that lie ahead!
Mary Pat Holt
Upper Math
Mary Pat Holt is originally from Cincinnati, OH. She attended The University of Dayton in Dayton, OH and received a Bachelor of Science in Education, with a concentration in mathematics. Mary Pat has over 20 years teaching experience, mostly middle school-junior high. She has taught in OH, PA, and WI before moving to TX over 12 years ago. She is excited to begin her fourth year at MHA and share her love of math with all students.
Mary Pat met her husband while at UD and they have been married for 28 years. They have 2 children;Emma is a senior at Purdue University and David is a sophomore at the University of Texas at Austin. Mary Pat is an avid reader, walks or bikes every day and loves to travel. Mary Pat & her husband live in The Woodlands and love being empty nesters!
Anne Hale
Junior High Social Studies and ELAR
My name is Anne Hale and I joined Magnolia Heritage Academy in January 2022! I graduated from the University of Wyoming with Bachelor's Degrees in Secondary Education and I have minor degrees in Wildlife Biology, Humanities, and Political Science. I was a public school teacher and taught middle school and junior high for a few years before homeschooling my young children and teaching community homeschool groups and Classical Conversations. I am a mother of three girls and have been married for 13 years. I grew up in Wyoming and have lived in Oklahoma and now Texas. My family loves the outdoors, hiking, running, competing in races and triathlons, exploring national parks and raising animals for enjoyment and 4-H. I love helping students explore new topics and discover new ways to write and express themselves on paper. I'm looking forward to helping each of them in the upcoming year.
Dani Sellier
7th grade through High School English, Latin & History
My name is Dani Sellier, and there isn’t much in life that I love more than learning. I feel like life is such an adventure, and I never know exactly what I’m going to have the opportunity to learn each day. When I was a teacher in Cy-Fair, they published a “Portrait of a Teacher” that included being a lifelong learner, and I knew that I was in the right line of work! The biggest mission I have is to convince others to take those risks and keep reaching further, so I devote a lot of energy towards earning their trust and helping them prepare for that leap. One of the greatest joys I can experience is to see someone I have worked with open their heart and mind to things they hadn’t thought they could handle before. I took a break from being a “full time” teacher for a few years, as I stayed home to give my full attention to my daughter Kaylie, son Trace, husband Richard, five dogs, four horses, and eight ducks. I am excited to return to the classroom!
Lauren Hernandez
High School Math and Science
Lauren Michelle was born and raised in Magnolia Texas, with close roots in Austin and Houston Texas. She is rounding out her last year at the University of Houston, completing a dual degree with a Bachelors of Science in Physics and a Bachelors of Science in Mathematics. Lauren has studied as a classical artist, creating oil paintings and considers painting her passion project. She is an advocate for children’s education and promotes the implementation of software engineering skills and computer programming to children and young adults in K-12.
Lauren loves food from different cultures and cooking adventurous recipes; her most daring kitchen attempt thus far has been stingray tacos (she said is was interesting, but does not recommend). Lauren has a soft spot for animals, and periodically fosters kittens when she has the time. She has a deep soul connection with her sisters and aunts, and their collective childhood dream is to open an animal sanctuary in honor of their (great) grandfather, and his retired Arabian racehorse, Magic.
Lauren will be teaching High school Science and Mathematics. She looks forward to instilling confidence and curiosity for STEM in the students at MHA and cannot wait to meet everyone!
Jennifer Iarussi
Campus Curriculum and Instruction Advisor
Jennifer Johnson will be moving from the classroom into admin as our campus curriculum and instruction advisor. She has taught science for 5 years in the public school system. After that, Jennifer was an instructional coach for math and science and then went on to become an assistant principal for an elementary school. Read a little about her below.
I am an enthusiast of nature and the outdoors. My family and I love to take trips camping and hiking as much as we can! I am an avid runner, and have participated in a few marathons and triathlons and hope to continue this in the future! We have been in Magnolia for 5 years, and cherish being in the 'country' and experiencing new adventures... such as raising our 15 chickens!
I am a strong believer in a hands-on classroom model, and know that science can fuel a passion for learning through inquiry-based teaching. I know that you and your students will love the adventures we embark on this coming school year.
Barbara Molina
Campus Administrative Assistant
Hi! I’m Barbara Molina and I am the Campus Administrative Assistant. As a stay-at-home mom, I was looking for homeschooling options for our daughter and was blessed enough to be brought to MHA. What started as a temporary assistant position, transformed to a permanent position and I couldn’t be more proud to be part of the MHA Family.
I have a wide variety of work experience including working as a Paramedic, an Educational Specialist, Historical Interpreter, and Graphic Designer for Texas Parks and Wildlife, and also an Insurance and Financial Advisor (just to name a few).
Growing up in the Texas Hill Country (Fredericksburg), I grew a love of nature and the outdoors and love to go exploring new areas. My happy place is a nice outdoor venue with live music with my family. I also enjoy traveling and experiencing different cultures and especially food!