Our Staff
Kimberley Brown,
Jennifer Fluney,
Corrie Leismeister,
Alana Toews,
Susan Sampson,
Teresa Learmont,
Tom Devries,
Sheila McIlwain
Marci Penner,
Rene Hoeksema,
Shauna Crotser,
Emily Christoperson,
Valerie Fleming
Kimberley Brown
Principal
Subjects: Administration, CTS, Social 7
Teaching Experience: 12 years teaching experience in grades 1-12 in a wide range of courses,
teaching with NorthStar since 2001
Education: B. Ed. From
Canadian University College
Certification: Province of Alberta
Corrie Leismeister
Subjects: SS9-12
Teaching Experience: Three years with Yellowhead Koinonia Christian School and 5 years with NSA-C
Education: B.Ed from University of Calgary
Certification: Alberta permanent certificate
Corrie is from Red Deer Alberta where she lives with
her husband and four children. She is passionate about responsible
leadership in Canada and encouraging students to make a difference in their
communities and nation. In her rare, spare time, she enjoys sewing, reading
and being outside (in nice weather). Her dream holiday would be Christmas in
Barbados, although she would also love to have the opportunity to travel
across Canada to gain a greater understanding of what she teaches.
Jennifer Fluney
Subjects: Bible 5/6, Science 9, 14, 24, Math 5, 6, PE 5/6, 7, Community Health, Foods, Work Experience
Teaching Experience: Teaching since 2003 and with NorthStar since 2004 with experience in a variety of grades and courses. Five years teaching at Koinonia Christian School, Red Deer with four of those years also teaching for NorthStar.
Education: B.Ed from University of Alberta
Certification: Alberta permanent certificate
Jennifer was born in England and currently lives in Red Deer, Alberta with her husband and daughter who was born in March 2010. She enjoys reading, playing games, camping, swimming, walking, travelling, music, cooking and entertaining and spending time with her husband, daughter, family and friends. She has a passion for math and science and loves teaching these subjects.
Susan Sampson
Subjects: Social 5, 6, and 8; LA 5, 7, and 8; Bible 7, 8, and 9, CALM 20
Teaching Experience: 15 years teaching experience (10 years with Chinook’s Edge School Division, 5 years with NorthStar Academy)
Education: Bachelor of
Education, University of Calgary
Certification: Province of
Alberta
This is Susan's sixth year teaching for NorthStar Academy. Before NorthStar, she taught for 10 years in a small rural community in central Alberta.
Susan and her husband reside in Red Deer with their 5 children (ages 12, 9, 6, 3, 3). She enjoys camping, reading, running, photography, flower gardening, and spending time with family. She also enjoys cheering on her kids at their various sporting activities, helping with events in her children’s school (Koinonia Christian School), and working with kids and families at their local church in Red Deer.Teresa Learmont
Subjects: Science 10; Chemistry 20/30; Applied Math 20/30; Computer 10/20; Financial Management
Teaching Experience: 10 years teaching mostly math, science and computers at the high school level. I have been teaching with NSA since 2004.
Education: Bachelor of Education & Bachelor of Science from the University of Lethbridge
Certification: Province of
Alberta, Canada
Teresa Learmont currently resides in Calgary, Alberta, with her husband, Craig, and two wonderful girls, Lynae and Alison. She enjoys playing piano, reading, baking anything with chocolate, family games night, movies and tag at the park.
Tom Devries 
Subjects: Math 7, 8, 9, Math 10C, Pure Math 20, 30 and Math 31
Experience: 28 years
teaching experience, mostly
math, with some other courses from time to time. 2 years teaching overseas in Hungary. 1 year
as a home schooling facilitator and the past several years teaching in online
schools
Tom Devries has been teaching for NorthStar since 2008. He enjoys hiking and cross country skiing, being outdoors in general. He enjoys music and reading and yes, he actually does think math is pretty cool.
My wife and I live in Sherwood Park, AB, we have two married children and 1 grandchild.
Sheila
McIlwain
Subjects: Language Arts 6, 9 and English 10, 20, 30 and PE 10, 20, 30
Teaching Experience: 20 years teaching experience in grades
6-12 with classes in Language Arts, English, Science, Biology, Bible, Drama,
PE, Life Skills, and Health; teaching with NorthStar since 2001
Education: B.Ed from University of Alberta and Christian Educators Certificate from Mountain View Bible College
Certification: Province of Alberta
Sheila McIlwain been working with children for over twenty years and has taught a wide variety of grades and subjects. She enjoys reading, walking, hiking, traveling, studying, learning, laughing, being outside, and spending time with family.
Sheila calls Lacombe, Alberta home.
Marci Penner
Subjects: Biology 20/30, Physics 20/30
Teaching Experience: 11 years teaching experience, mostly at the elementary level. Had the opportunity to teach pre-service teachers in the B.A. Education and Religious Studies at Prairie Bible College. Teaching with North Star since 2010.
Education: Bachelor of Science majoring in Biochemistry and Bachelor of Education from the University of British Columbia
Certification: Provinces of Alberta and British Columbia
Marci Penner currently resides in Edinburgh, Scotland with her husband Brad and two children, Hanah (age 5) and Landen (age 3). Together with her family she likes to play outside, go on long walks and share a picnic lunch with good friends. She also enjoys reading, scrapbooking and playing games.
Rene Hoeksema
Subjects: Social 9 and 7, Religious Studies 10, 20, 30 Physical Education 8 and World Geography
Teaching Experience: 12 years at Rocky Mountain House Christian School, 2 years at The American Cooperative School, Suriname, South America, 2 years at The Sunchild O’Cheise School and 13 years at NorthStar Academy USA.
Education: B.A. (Dordt College, Sioux Center Iowa), B.Ed. (University of Lethbridge)
Certification: Alberta Permanent Certificate
Rene lives on an acreage with his wife near Condor Alberta which is
between Red Deer and Rocky Mountain House for six months of the year.
The rest of the year they live in Merida, Yucatan, Mexico. He has three married children and 10 grand children. His interests are architecture, anthropology and hiking.
Shauna Crotser
Facilitator
Education: Bachelor of Education from the University of Calgary; Bachelor of Science, in Psychology, from Liberty University in Virginia.
Teaching Experience: Taught preschool for six years; was a substitute teacher at various schools; and began working for NorthStar in October 2010. She has worked with children for over 20 years, and enjoys coaching junior high sports teams, teaching Sunday School, and working at DVBS during the summer. The best part about her job is visiting all of NorthStar’s wonderful families and teaching the students at the Activity Days.
Shauna grew up on a turkey farm near Three Hills, Alberta and she attended Prairie for grades 5-12. She now lives in Three Hills, with her husband and their two children. A few of her favourite things are: scrapbooking, travelling, playing table games, and spending time with family. She likes teaching science and art and loves anything with chocolate in it. Proverbs 3:5-6 are especially meaningful to her.
Emily Christoperson
Emily has been working for NorthStar Academy since June 2010 as the Administrative Assistant, Client Services.
Previous to this position, she completed Office Administration at Olds College and a variety of administrative courses through Red Deer College. Emily is an alumnus of NorthStar Academy; having attended NorthStar from 2006-2008. Emily lives west of Olds, Alberta on a farm. She always loves to learn something new, and also enjoys travelling, exercising, scrapbooking, design, and outdoor activities such as hiking.
Valerie Fleming
Valerie joined NorthStar in the fall of 2008 as Administrative Assistant, Finance. She worked previously at Olds College as administrative support in various departments since 1990 and her last position there as an Instructional Assistant. Valerie is married with two children, Zac & Katelyn whom she home schooled for three years. She enjoys quilting, reading, walking, and summers out at Mara Lake, BC.