Faculty and Staff

 Mrs. Ader comes to Ascension Academy with over 25 years of experience in the public school system. She began her teaching career as a middle school special education teacher in Montana, where she was born and raised. After moving in 2007 to Wisconsin, her husband's home state, in she earned her reading specialist certification and worked with students from kindergarten through 10th grade as a Reading and Math Interventionist in Siren and St. Croix Falls. She and her husband, Karl, raised their children in Saint Croix Falls and moved to Cumberland seven years ago. They both have hearts for helping children and families and have written two books with this aim.  It is Gina's calling and passion to work with children of all ages, and she is so excited to serve in a Christian environment with other followers of Christ.    

You can reach Mrs. Ader at 

ginaader@ascensionarrows.org.

Miss Bagley grew up in northwestern Wisconsin and returned as an adult, having developed a great appreciation for its culture, history, and traditions.  Her life story has been less traditional.  Curiosity and a desire to serve have led to a variety of professional and volunteer opportunities that honed an eclectic collection of skills.

Bachelor degrees in Community Health Education and Nursing, along with post-baccalaureate teaching credentials, have provided Kelly with a strong academic foundation.  She enjoys learning, and as an avid reader, actively pursues continuing education, and is always game to try something new.  Bible worldview and cultural issues are two of her driving interests. 

These qualities brought Kelly to Ascension Academy.  "He that takes truth for his guide, and duty for his end, may safely trust to God's providence to lead him alright." - Blaise Pascal. 

A verse central to her philosophy of life is "He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy. and to walk humbly with your God." Micah 6:8.

You can reach Kelly at 

kellybagley@ascensionarrows.org.

Bridget and her husband own a construction company in Barron.  They homeschooled their five children through 8th grade.  Bridget graduated from Barron, and received her bachelors degree Olivet Nazarene University in Kankakee, IL.  

Bridget has enjoyed a variety of work experience including farm work, CNA, radio DJ, volleyball coach, East Coast tour guide, and homeschool mom. When possible, she enjoys outdoor activities and time with friends and family.  She also enjoys listening to bible teachers and learning about christian apologetics.

Bridget feels so blessed to be a part of Ascension Academy, where she can assist with the goal of training students to view the world through the lens of the Bible.  She appreciates the wonder and excitement of younger students as they discover new things and are learning to interact positively with the people around them.

You can reach Bridget at 

bridgetbartlett@ascensionarrows.org

Mrs.Beckergrew up on a dairy farm, where she learned the values of hard work,  responsibility, and perseverance. Her mother owned a café, which  provided Mary with a firsthand understanding of the importance of  community and service. These early experiences instilled in her a strong  work ethic and a deep appreciation for the impact of caring for others.

Mary  graduated from Northland College with a Bachelor of Science in  Sociology. Her studies there deepened her understanding of social  dynamics and the importance of fostering strong, supportive communities.  Inspired by a desire to make a tangible difference in people's lives,  she later returned to college to become a Registered Nurse.

As  a nurse, Mary had the privilege of caring for individuals from all  walks of life, which taught her the value of empathy, patience, and  compassion. These experiences have been invaluable, providing her with a  solid foundation for understanding the unique needs of each child and  how to create a nurturing and inclusive learning environment.

Mrs. Becker has a passion for early childhood education and a belief in the  transformative power of learning. In her new role, she is committed to  guiding young minds with love and biblical principles, as inspired by  Proverbs 22:6, "Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he  is old he will not depart from it."

You can reach Mrs. Becker at 

marybecker@ascensionarrows.org

  Mrs. Kurschner is looking forward to  another year at Ascension Academy!  She has over 20 years of teaching  experience in the public schools of New  Jersey. She is an NJ native with a BA in Italian and certifications to  teach Italian and Spanish from Montclair State University. She holds an MA in Applied  Linguistics with certification to teach English as a Second Language  from the same university.  She has also earned additional graduate credits in Education through the   distance learning program at Marygrove College.

The  transition to Wisconsin began with a series of events stemming from the  circumstances of 2020. These events led Donna's family to  leave NJ and to move to WI where some of her husband's family still  resides.  (In fact, the first Kurschners settled in northern WI, so if you know a  Kurschner, it’s likely you know a relative of Alan!) Donna spent the  first few years  in WI homeschooling their son, but she also missed the classroom. The opportunity to teach in the Christ-centered community at  Ascension Academy while continuing to homeschool has been the perfect  fit! 

A  quick look into Donna’s childhood games would tell you about her love  for both teaching and world languages. She would often play “school”  with family, neighborhood friends, and even her stuffed animals. She  loved learning words in Spanish while watching Sesame Street, and she  often created her own languages among friends.

Donna  knows how strongly both teachers and students can impact the lives of  one another. There are some special teachers who influenced her  throughout her life. Therefore, from the start of her career, she has strived to be a positive influence to her students as well. During her  beginning years of teaching, fellow colleagues and one student had  important roles in her coming to know Jesus as her Lord and Savior. One of her favorite verses is John 6:68, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.”

You can reach Donna at 

donnakurschner@ascensionarrows.org

    Beth grew up on a farm in rural Wisconsin and graduated from Prairie Farm High School. She went to Ripon College, where she started working toward a teaching degree in Phy Ed, Music, or Art, but she transitioned to earn a BA in Art and Music with piano & clarinet being her focus. While at Ripon, she was on the Volleyball and Track & Field teams. She has used her music, art, and sports experience in various ways over the years: playing organ at church, accompanying on the piano, directing small church choirs and the community Christmas choir in Cumberland, leading crafts at VBS, subbing in art, music and Phy. Ed. at Ascension Academy and coaching sports. Beth is currently the JV Volleyball coach and the Pole Vault and High Jump coach at Cumberland High School. She is also currently the Creative & Worship Arts Director at Northern Lakes Church and plays & sings on the worship team with her husband, Kevin.

In addition to her creative pursuits, Beth brings a wealth of diverse work experience. She has worked in customer service and accounts payable at a tractor salvage yard, served as a bank teller at Cumberland Federal Bank, and partnered with her husband on construction projects. These roles have helped her develop strong people skills and a broad perspective.

Beth loves to explore God's creation by going hiking and kayaking/canoeing with Kevin and finds joy in the little things like spring flowers and fall leaves in full color. Spending time with her grandchildren is a new joy that God has given her in the past few years, and each moment brings a new blessing as she watches them grow. Life is full of seasons, and as Ecclesiastes 3:1 says, "To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven." Beth is excited to start a new season as a Phy. Ed. teacher at Ascension Academy. She will also assist with our bookkeeping needs. 

You can reach Mrs. McClain at 

bethmcclain@ascensionarrows.org

   Mrs. Millerman grew up in the Cameron/Rice Lake area. She graduated from Cameron and went to college at UW-La Crosse, graduating with a bachelor’s degree in early/middle childhood education. Mariah has taught for eight years in Black River Falls, Eau Claire, and in Amery. She currently lives in Cumberland with her husband, Steven and their cat, Rudy. They attend church in Clear Lake at United Covenant Church, and enjoy being outside and exploring nature together. Some of their favorite pastimes together are fishing, roadtripping, and cooking new meals. Mariah enjoys reading, puzzles, crafting, and playing games of all kinds. After taking a year off from teaching, Mariah is excited to get back to what she truly loves and can’t wait to meet all of the students, staff, and families at Ascension Academy! Mariah will be the lead teacher for our 3rd/4th-grade classroom. She will also teach math classes for the 5th/6th grade classroom and 7th/8th grade classroom.

You can reach Mrs. Millerman at 

mariahmillerman@ascensionarrows.org

Mrs. Barbara Oduor (Mrs. O) was born and raised in France as a missionary kid. She has had a variety of education experiences in French public school,  homeschooling, and missionary boarding school in Germany. She went to Moody Bible Institute, where she met her husband, Otieno. Barbara  graduated with a BA in Bible Theology (Biblical Language), then studied Applied Linguistics at the University of Texas for literacy and Bible  translation (Wycliffe).

The couple got married,  joined a mission, and lived in Tanzania, Chad, and France, welcoming  four children into their family. In 2016, they moved to the area and  have been working with the immigrant community through the Well  International. Barbara was a substitute teacher in area schools before getting her teaching license in Special Education. She has taught in that capacity in the public elementary school for the last five years,  enjoying her work in the grade classrooms as well as interventions.

Barbara  is very excited to join Ascension Academy this year as the 1st/2nd  grade teacher. She has a passion for caring for the whole person and can  now freely care for spiritual growth. Colossians 1: 9 and on: "asking  that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will ... so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit ...  increasing in the knowledge of God; being strengthened ... giving  thanks..."

You can reach Mrs. O at 

barbaraoduor@ascensionarrows.org

   Growing up in a family of nine children, Mrs. Pederson has worked with kids for her entire life. When she finished high school, she decided to continue that path. She graduated from UW-Eau Claire in 2022 with a degree in Choral Music Education and has since been serving as the middle and high school choral director at the School District of Flambeau. Promise loves baking, making coffee beverages, and spending time outside. She is thrilled to join the Ascension team as the music teacher and teach private music lessons to Ascension's students! Promise will be available to teach vocal, violin, and piano lessons. Reach out to Mrs. Pederson or the school office to find out more. 

You can reach Promise at 

promisepederson@ascensionarrows.org

  Ruth Westendorf and her husband Peter have been a part of Ascension Academy from the beginning, serving on the steering committee (both), curriculum committee (Ruth), and school board (Peter). The children of Christian school teachers, principals, and school-starters, they are deeply committed to Christian education. Ruth homeschooled their five children through high school, and served on the leadership team for the GRACE (Greater Rice Lake Area Christian Educators) homeschool group until she accepted a part-time teaching position at Ascension. 

Ruth’s list of hobbies is too long to list, but she tries to bring as many of them into her STEAM classes as possible, believing that a skill learned in one sphere could easily lead to the next innovation in another. Past STEAM classes included 3D printing, basic computer programming, renewable electricity generation (building and using a wind turbine and solar updraft tower), applied microbiology (making cheese and pizza crust from scratch), pharmacology (studying the medicinal benefits of the herbs in pizza sauce), and practical use of natural resources (spinning, weaving, and sewing stuffed animals out of raw llama wool; making apple cider; hatching chicks in an incubator; and learning all about honey bees and maple syrup production). Many of these skills are then used in service to the students' families and our school community. 

She also loves studying Christian apologetics, and doesn’t shy away from difficult conversations with her students. Her blueprint for life comes from 1 Thessalonians 4:9-12: “You yourselves have been taught by God to love each other . . . we urge you, brothers, to do so more and more, and to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life: You should mind your own business and work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.”

You can reach Ruth at 

ruthwestendorf@ascensionarrows.org

 Rylie grew up in Barron, WI where she graduated from Barron High School. Recently Rylie graduated from Northwood Technical College with a degree in business management, and is now pursuing a degree for her true calling education in Early Childhood Education. Rylie has a passion for making a positive impact on young minds. 

When Rylie has free time, she loves being outside hammocking, being on the lake, and exploring new areas.  A Bible verse Rylie thinks of often, “I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” John 15:5

You can reach Rylie at 

ryliewilliams@ascensionarrows.org