Faculty and Staff

Kelly 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.  Kelly enjoys learning.  She is an avid reader, actively pursues continuing education, and is always game to try something new.  Bible worldview and cultural issues are two of Kelly's 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 Kelly's 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 High School, and received her bachelors degree for teaching Biology at Olivet Nazarene University in Kankakee, IL.  

Bridget has enjoyed a variety of work experience including farm hand, CNA, radio DJ, volleyball coach, East Coast tour guide, and homeschool mom. When possible, she enjoys kayaking, camping, gardening, traveling and spending 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.

One of Bridget's heroes in the Bible is Daniel, who as a young person "purposed in his heart" (Daniel 1:8) not to dishonor God, and remained faithful throughout his life.

You can reach Bridget at 

bridgetbartlett@ascensionarrows.org

Mrs. Mary Becker is thrilled to join Ascension Academy  as the new kindergarten teacher. Her path to this role has been shaped  by a deep commitment to education and service, and she is excited to  bring her diverse experiences to the classroom.

Mary  grew 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.

The  transition to teaching is a natural progression for Mary, driven by her  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."

Mary  is excited to embark on this new chapter at Ascension Academy and looks  forward to partnering with you in your child's educational journey

You can reach Mary at 

marybecker@ascensionarrows.org

  Teresa began her journey as a professional educator teaching math, music, and Bible at Rock County Christian School in Beloit, WI. She previously taught grades 7-12 students in four states and college students at four universities.  Most notably she spent 18 years as professor of mathematics education at University of Northwestern - St. Paul, teaching all levels of mathematics in the Mathematics & Engineering Department and coordinating the math teacher licensure program in the Education Department. Teresa enjoyed mentoring the future teachers and often told them someday she’d return to teaching middle school.  While at UNWSP she also had many opportunities to collaborate with K-12 teachers in area schools. 

Teresa acknowledges that learning should be active, engaging, collaborative and involve connections across subjects because God created this world with both fascinating variety and amazing order.  She is thankful that as a young person she was allowed to experience difficult circumstances through which the truth in Romans 8:28, “We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to His purpose,” became very real as an anchor to trust through life’s storms.

Following college graduation Teresa attended the Association Free Lutheran Bible School and later earned a MA in Mathematics and a PhD in Educational Mathematics with Applied Statistics & Research Methods from the University of Northern Colorado.  While living in Colorado she also was blessed to meet her husband, John Rock, at Snow Mountain Ranch YMCA of the Rockies.

Teresa grew up on a dairy farm west of Rice Lake, was involved in many school, church, and 4-H activities, and is very pleased to return to the rural community roots and family ties.  She enjoys spending time gardening, sewing, playing piano, speed skating, and cross country skiing.

You can reach Teresa at 

teresagonske@ascensionarrows.org

  Donna 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

Mrs.  Barbara Oduor 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 Barbara at 

barbaraoduor@ascensionarrows.org

  David had the privilege to grow up as an MK (missionary kid). He spent most of his childhood in Quebec, Canada before his family was called to start a church plant in French Guiana, a small country in South America. Because of his background, David speaks French fluently and has encountered a great variety of cultures and people.

In 2019, David left home and began working towards a bachelor’s degree in social studies education at Maranatha Baptist University in Watertown, Wisconsin. While there, he met his future wife, Brooke. They were married in January of 2021, and welcomed their daughter, Harper, in February of 2023. He graduated in the fall of 2023. David and Brooke hope to buy a house and start a hobby farm someday.

David is a member of Faith Baptist Church in Chetek. There, he serves as a leader in the youth group. David also serves as treasurer in the local Trail Life Chapter in Chetek. David serves as an infantryman in the Wisconsin National Guard and is proud of his service to his country. In his free time, David enjoys firearms training, reading, and playing chess.

David’s decision to enter the field of education stems from a deep appreciation of history that he has had from a young age. He strongly believes that history can help equip young people with a sense of identity, ground them in reality, and provide a perspective that will guide them into their future. David believes that God has clearly called him to teach young people and greatly looks forward to fulfilling this calling at Ascension Academy.

You can reach David at 

davidteachout@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 serves as an afternoon teacher and STEAM teacher for 4th to 8th grades. 

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