Faculty & Staff
Administration - Lower School - Middle School - High School - Athletics - School Within A SchoolAdministration
Head of School – Kay J. Belknap
Bachelor of Arts in Music Education - Charleston Southern University, Charleston, SC
Upper School Principal – Steven Breedlove
Bachelor of Arts in Classics - University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC
Master of Arts in Private School Leadership - Columbia University, New York, NY
Lower School Principal – Lynn Gilpin
Bachelor of Arts in Education and Special Education - University of Puget Sound, Tacoma, WA
Post-Graduate - University of Puget Sound and Lesley College Graduate School
School Within a School Director– Allison Burdette
Bachelor of Arts in Secondary Education English - Clemson University, Clemson, SC
Master of Arts in Special Education - Lynchburg College, Lynchburg, VA
Business Manager - Lorraine Knapp
Admissions Director - Jenny Turnipseed
Bachelor of Science in Management / Marketing - University of North Carolina at Asheville, Asheville, NC
Development Director - Mike Morgan
Bachelor of Science in Communications - Wingate College, Wingate, NC
Development Coordinator - Amy Sundt
Bachelor of Arts in Communications - Moody Bible Institute, Chicago, IL
Administrative Secretary - Karen Benfield
Bachelor of Arts in Sociology/Criminal Justice - University of North Carolina at Asheville, Asheville, NC
Athletic Director - Jason Alexander
Completing degree in Sports Marketing - University of North Carolina at Asheville, Asheville, NC
Facilities Maintenance - Kenneth Dupee
Lower School
Head of School – Kay J. Belknap
Bachelor of Arts in Music Education - Charleston Southern University, Charleston, SC
Lower School Principal – Lynn Gilpin
Bachelor of Arts in Education and Special Education - University of Puget Sound, Tacoma, WA
Post-Graduate - University of Puget Sound and Lesley College Graduate School
Pre-Kindergarten – Sandra Hankins
SonShine Preschool Director – 1992-2002
Pre-Kindergarten – Claudia McMahan
Bachelor of Arts in Early Childhood Education - Santo Domingo, de Guzman
Kindergarten – Julie Rose
Bachelor of Science in Elementary and Special Education - University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN
Kindergarten – Diane Herman
Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education - Warren Wilson College, Swannanoa, NC
First Grade – Robin Duncan
Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education - Liberty University, Lynchburg, VA
First Grade – Kristin Kelly
Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education - Lenoir-Rhyne University, Hickory, NC
Second Grade – Margo Brown
Bachelor of Arts in Education - University of South Florida, Tampa, FL
Bachelor of Arts in Social Science - University of South Florida, Tampa, FL
Second Grade – Courtney Clinton
Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education - Piedmont Baptist University, Winston-Salem, NC
Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education - High Point University, High Point, NCThird Grade – Lynne Cipro
Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education, Bachelor of Arts in English Education Berea College, Berea, KY - Berea College, Berea, KY
Fourth Grade – Heidi Fairbanks
Bachelor of Arts in History - University of North Carolina at Asheville, Asheville, NC
Fifth Grade – Michelle Hill
Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education - Oral Roberts University, Tulsa, OK
Lower School Latin - Maryanna Jensen
Bachelor of Arts in Classics - University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC
Master of Arts in English - North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC
Lower School Fine Arts Department
Music (Grades K-7) - Frank Argento Bachelor of Arts in Music - University of Hartford, Hartford, CT
Art (Grades Pre K-2) – Jennifer Lipsey Edwards
Bachelor of Fine Arts - University of North Carolina at Asheville, Asheville, NC
Master of Fine Arts - Western Carolina University, Cullowhee, NCArt (Grades 3-5) – Elisa Petree
Bachelor of Arts in Art - Pepperdine University, Malibu, CA
Lower School Athletics Department
Physical Education (K-8) – Layne Kasischke
Bachelor of Science in Physical Education - Central Michigan University, Mount Pleasant, MI
Middle School (Grades 6-8)
Upper School (Grades 6-12) Principal and High School Philosophy – Steven Breedlove
Bachelor of Arts in Classics - University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC
Master of Arts in Private School Leadership - Columbia University, New York, NY
Middle School Science and Math - Sheri Sullivan
Bachelor of Arts in Biology - Carson-Newman College, Jefferson City, TN
Middle School History and Math - Sharon Madison
Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and Accounting, Asbury College, Wilmore, KY
Master's Degree in Accounting, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL
Middle School Literature - John Hathaway
Bachelor of Arts in English - Auburn University, Auburn, AL
Middle School Literature, Latin and Christian Studies - Maryanna Jensen
Bachelor of Arts in Classics - University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC
Master of Arts in English - North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC
Middle School and High School Latin - Mary Taneyhill
Bachelor of Arts in Classical Philology - University of Dallas, Dallas, TX
Upper School Mathematics – Mark Thompson
Bachelor of Science in Mathmatics - Mars Hill College, Mars Hill, NC
Upper School Theology and Apologetics – Ruth Vann
Bachelor of Arts in Psychology - University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC
Master of Divinity in Higher Education - The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville, KYAdvanced Studies and History – Sedrick Dellinger
Bachelor of Arts in Bible and Theology, Asbury College, Wilmore, Kentucky
Master of Theology, University of Edinburgh, Scotland
High School (Grade 9-12)
Upper School Principal and High School Philosophy – Steven Breedlove
Bachelor of Arts in Classics - University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC
Master of Arts in Private School Leadership - Columbia University, New York, NY
High School Science - Suzanne Willis
Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science - Appalachian State University, Boone, NC
Master of Science in Health and Exercise Science - Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC
High School Latin and Greek - Eddie Kotynski
Bachelor of Arts in Ancient Languages - Wheaton College, Wheaton, IL
Master of Arts in Classical Studies - Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN
High School History – Nick Phillips
Bachelor of Arts in History - University of North Carolina at Asheville, Asheville, NC
High School Literature – Jonathan Councell
Bachelor of Arts in English Literature, Wheaton College, Wheaton, IL
Bachelor of Arts in Economics, Wheaton College, Wheaton, ILHigh School History - Mike Burnette
Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice, Western Carolina University, Cullowhee, NC
Masters in Public Affairs, Western Carolina University, Cullowhee, NC
Doctorate Degree in Education, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NCHigh School Literature – Jenny Kate Till
Bachelor of Arts in English - Kings College, Bristol, TNUpper School Theology and Apologetics – Ruth Vann
Bachelor of Arts in Psychology - University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC
Master of Divinity in Higher Education - The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville, KY
High School Spanish and ESL – Claudia Yepez
Bachelor of Science in Education - Universidad Anahuac, Mexico
Associates Degree in English as a Second Language - Instituto Anglo-Mexicano De Culture, A.C., Mexico
College Counselor - Cheryl Jordan
Bachelor of Science in Education - Millersville University, Millersville, PA
Upper School Fine Arts Department
Music (Grades K-7) - Frank Argento
Bachelor of Arts in Music - University of Hartford, Hartford, CT
Middle School Art – Jennifer Lipsey Edwards Bachelor of Fine Arts - University of North Carolina at Asheville, Asheville, NC
Master of Fine Arts - Western Carolina University, Cullowhee, NCHigh School Art – Elisa Petree
Bachelor of Arts in Art - Pepperdine University, Malibu, CA
Middle School Performing Arts/Chorus – TBA
High School Drama, Theater Appreciation (8th Grade) and High School Chorus– Becky Stone
Bachelor of Arts in Drama - Vassar College, Poughkeepsie, NY
Master of Arts in Elementary Educational Counseling - Villanova University, Villanova, PA
Upper School Athletics Department
Athletic Director, Middle School Physical Education– Jason Alexander
Completing degree in Sports Marketing - University of North Carolina at Asheville, Asheville, NC
Physical Education (K-8) – Layne Kasischke
Bachelor of Science in Physical Education - Central Michigan University, Mount Pleasant, MI
School Within A School
School Within a School Director– Allison Burdette
Bachelor of Arts in Secondary Education English
Master of Arts in Special Education