Staff
Mrs. Shelly Allen
We are grateful for Shelly Allen. With her help, letters become sounds, then words, sentences, paragraphs, and ideas. Mrs. Allen delights in the wonder of students as they begin the adventure of reading. She received her Bachelor's degree from BSU in '87 with an emphasis in Reading and in Early Childhood Education. Now in her twelfth year at Heartland, Mrs. Allen says she enjoys "not only getting to know the students but working with their parents as a team." She and her husband Chris have been married 20 years and have three children, all of whom attended Heartland.
Mrs. Kelly Coffin
"All I really need to know about how to live...I learned in Kindergarten." Besides teaching students about dinosaurs, math, and turning simple lines into letters, Kelly Coffin is wonderful at helping students to learn about sharing, respecting each other, valuing their God-given talents, and letting others go first. Mrs. Coffin has been laying this foundation for the past 17 years at our 3-day-a-week Kindergarten class at Heartland. "I love the close family feeling we have at Heartland and the opportunity to share our faith freely." Mrs.
Mrs. Sonja Connell
Sonja Connell is serving Heartland students as music instructor this year, with a gift for teaching both music and the meaning and history behind it. She is an instrumentalist in the Bemidji Symphony Orchestra, and teaches both instrument and voice. Her family is very gifted musically, and has performed in chapel to the delight of both students and staff. We especially appreciate her gift for playing the cello.
Alyce Daline
"Miss Alyce" Daline has been ministering to Heartland students, staff, parents and board since 2008 through the use of her organizational gifts in bookkeeping and office management. Dr. Roach considers her indispensable as she assists him in the day-to-day functions of running a school. Alyce has a heart for integrity and excellence, as well as a strong commitment to Jesus Christ.
Mrs. Jane Gislason
Jane Gislason is our PE teacher. She has two daughters enrolled at the school.
Mrs. Carolyn Johannsen
Mrs. Carolyn Johannsen, affectionately known as Mrs. J, likes to teach and play with her students in and out of the classroom- basketball, broomball, kickball, and 4-square. In her twelve years at HCA, she has taught 3rd/4th grade and is now in her tenth year of teaching the combined 7th/8th grade. She received her Bachelors of Science in Education from BSU ('93) with an emphasis in History. She and Norm, married for 32 years, have four children (12-26 years old) three of whom have attended Heartland. She likes gardening and watching her own children play sports.
Dr. David Myers
Dr. David Myers serves Heartland as our District Health Aid and as a regular substitute teacher. Dr. Myers is Pastor of Ridgewood Baptist Church in Bemidji, and serves as an officer for the local Civil Air Patrol.
Mrs. Michelle Plotts
Mrs. Plotts received her teaching license for English/Language Arts in 1993 from Bemidji State University. She taught in the public school setting prior to coming to Heartland in 2004. She has special gifts in creative writing and enjoys teaching English and World Literature. Mrs. Plotts is familiar with computer applications and has graduate studies in special education. She is currently working to expand the wonderful puppet ministry that has been developed recently at Heartland. Mrs. Plotts also serves as the "Writing Road to Reading" instructor for Heartland's upper grades.
Dr. Robert Roach
Dr. Robert Roach was asked to consider serving as the Principal of Heartland Christian Academy after an extensive search during the 2005-2006 school year. Little did the Personnel Committee realize that they had to look no further than the list of the school’s substitute teachers! According to Dr. Roach, “After being selected to provide leadership for the school, I told the middle school students that they needed to be sure to treat their substitute teachers well, since you never knew when one of them might come back the next year as their Principal!”
Mr. Matthew Stinar
Matthew attended Heartland between 1986 to 1994 for a total of seven years and now he's back as Heartland's technology coordinator. This includes managing the school's website, email, computers, and network. Before moving back to Bemidji from Illinois, he filled a similar role at his home church as well as being their audio/visual expert. He also imparts some of this knowledge to interested students in fifth through eighth grade when they join Heartland's computer club.