The Center for Redemptive Education exists to articulate, cultivate, demonstrate and facilitate the quest to align with God’s design for teaching and learning, using an approach that is Biblical, Relational, Integral and Experiential.
Biblical
A Biblical approach flows from the Person of Christ and a truth-centered worldview that permeates every aspect of the school, from curriculum, to methods, to board deliberations, to scheduling of classes and activities. It asks, “How does this thing we are considering match up with God’s original intent? How is it messed up? What is God’s message to us from this study? And finally, what is His mission for us now, in response to our study?” Biblical truth infuses and informs every lesson, game, activity and field trip, rather than being confined to “Bible class” or chapel.
Relational
A Relational approach to teaching and learning combines both delight in and respect for children, parents, teachers, individuals, the family, the community, the culture, the world, the Creator. This explains our commitment to parental involvement at school, multi-age classes, and nurturing the uniqueness of each child. It informs our interest in discipleship, stewardship, instruction, integrity, humility, collaborative work, individual work, obedience, honor, courtesy, dialogue, character development, service to others, love for God. It’s all about relationship!
Integral
An Integral approach to curriculum and instruction seeks to reflect the cohesive nature of God and His creation using multi-disciplinary thematic units of study organized meaningfully around important ideas. It minimizes the artificial separation of the typical school “subjects,” seeking to continually show the real connections between them, in order to create authentic and enduring understandings. It likewise informs our view of the child as a holistic being comprised of “head, hand, and heart” rather than merely an intellect to be filled with academic data and information.
Experiential
An Experiential approach to teaching and learning combines both delight in and respect for nature, people, ideas, literature, mathematics, the arts, science, the material and the immaterial. This explains our use of multi-sensory teaching for whole-child learning; encouragement of student initiative; fresh instructionaland assessment practices. It leads us in engagement with all that is “true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, of good repute, excellent, and worthy of praise.”
President & Executive Director
Amy Imbody has been teaching teachers (and kids!) for over thirty years. As of July 2016, Amy is the Director for the Center for Redemptive Education in Ashland, VA. She writes poetry, stories and songs; develops curriculum; offers professional development and spiritual formation for teachers; and corrals her little grandchildren in an endeavor called “Boots & Roots” while feeding the local birds.
Erica Reiter
Assistant Director
& Secretary
Erica Reiter especially loves working with teachers and children in the outdoors and has worked most recently on developing school garden and outdoor education curriculum for our programs. A graduate of Grove City College (BS Biology) and University of Virginia (MA Social Foundations of Education), Erica loves developing programs that embrace God's natural world as the classroom. At home, she enjoys illustrating children’s books, gardening, and walks with
her good dog, Tulsi.
Susan Martin
Treasurer
Susan Martin has worked for over 18 years in advancement operations for non-profits and higher education. She is a “number cruncher” and actually LIKES preparing financial reports. Susan has a BS in Speech Pathology from Penn State. A life long Nittany Lion Fan, she also loves music, the beach, and camping with her daughter and granddaughters. She cherishes her husband, three adult children, two daughters-in-law and four granddaughters.
Grace Andringa
Trustee
Grace Andringa has invested in Redemptive Education as a parent, perpetual learner and volunteer teacher over past 12 years. She lives with her husband, Mark, in Chapel Hill, NC, and is a graduate of Boston College. Grace loves her vocation as a spiritual theology student, wife, and mother of 3 young adults continuing their education adventures. She serves the body of Christ as a prayer minister, intercessor, conference speaker and bible study leader seeking to help others live redemptively in the shalom of the Kingdom of Christ. She treasures the way Redemptive Education places us all in God's story and allows us to delight in his beauty, trust His provision, share His grace and be equipped to partner in his continual redemptive mission.
Caitlin Nunery
Trustee
Caitlin Nunery earned her Masters in Education from Covenant College in Integrated Curriculum and Instruction. She taught 4th and 5th grade for seven years before writing curriculum for The Center for Redemptive Education. She also taught kindergarten at The Geneva School of Manhattan. Caitlin finds delight in inviting children to wonder at God's design and to see all of creation as telling us more about Him, the Creator. She and her husband are from Washington, D.C. and have two young children.
Abigail Westbrook
Trustee
Abigail Westbrook finds joy learning alongside students and sharing adventures in literature and music. Beyond the classroom, Abigail enjoys writing and other creative outlets, daily cups of tea, and being outdoors with her husband and family.
Heidi Poniatowski
Curriculum Developer
Heidi Poniatowski has a life-long love of learning and finds great joy in helping children (and grown-ups!) marvel at the beauty in God’s creation. Heidi has a Master’s Degree in Education in the field of Integrated Curriculum and Instruction from Covenant College. She has worked in the Education field for over 15 years as a teacher, leader of various non-profit organizations, and freelance curriculum writer. Heidi has also been blessed to teach her own children as a homeschooling parent.