Hello! My name is Laurie Claffey. At heart, I have been a nurturer and an educator nearly my whole life. My teaching career began at eight years of age, when I set up school on my front porch and taught my neighborhood playmates what I had learned in 2nd grade. Sixteen years later, after earning my Bachelor of Arts in Education, I spent one year as a substitute teacher in Washington before moving to Alaska to teach 1st and 2nd grade in a Christian school. In recent years, I have worked at a Christian preschool, tutored at a local charter school, and assisted in 2nd and 5th grade classrooms in the Grants Pass school district. I have also privately tutored children of various ages and abilities and am proud to have been co-founder of the Grants Pass Homeschool Co-op. I have also worked with the Big Sisters program, taught Sunday school, mentored single mothers, foster parented, and provided respite for friends with special needs children.​

Educating my four children at home has been a rewarding challenge. Two of my kids were honors students, one of whom was awarded a $40,000 scholarship. My other two children struggled to learn in traditional ways and motivated me to spend many hours researching alternate, effective approaches to their education. All graduated with a home school diploma. I love the homeschooling lifestyle and am eager to come alongside younger parents as they live out their own home school journey.

Hello families. My name is Abby Sheets. When I don't have my nose in a book, you'll find me drinking black tea, playing in the garden or acting  ridiculous over my newest baby farm animal. As far back as I can remember, I have loved learning and helping people. I didn't always know I wanted to be a teacher, but am profoundly glad that God kept nudging and leading me until I took the leap to go back to school and get my teaching license about seventeen years ago. Since making that decision, I met and married my husband of sixteen years, have instructed at RCC, worked as a teacher's aide in public school, substitute taught for public and private schools for grades K-12, become a mother of four, helped in my older children's schools, home schooled my children for five years and taught in a local homeschool group.  I am now looking forward to the best of both worlds as I plan and prepare to teach first grade at Arrows this coming year while still homeschooling my two youngest kids the other days of the week.  I love the flexibility and opportunity to be a bigger part of my kids' lives through homeschooling, but I also love the energy, learning and friendships that come from being involved in a small classroom setting. I am truly grateful to be given this opportunity to teach and to encourage other families as they embark on their own homeschool journeys.  

Hello friends!  I’m Jeanne Van Buskirk or Mrs. Jeanne to the kiddos.  I’ve been married to my husband, Mike for 29 years!  Together, we have five children who are all grown.  The last five years, we have been caring for my 94-year-old grandfather who served in the Navy for 22 years.  We also have a dog, Princess Reia who truly IS a princess.    I have spent many years in Administration and even worked at Disneyland before the Lord helped me find my passion for teaching.  Since moving back to Oregon, God has put all the right people and opportunities in my path.   I have been at Grace preschool the last two school years working with Preschool-Kindergarten a couple days a week.  I discovered my love for working with children is colossal.  To be a part of the beginning of Grants Pass Arrows this fall, is an honor and a privilege and I can’t wait to meet your kindergartners this fall!

Hi! My name Kathy Mikels. I feel so blessed to be a part of this wonderful group of ladies and amazing kids at Arrows! I’m the mother of 10 children and 23 grandchildren so it’s no wonder I love working with kids!

My children are all grown, graduated, and well into their careers so I now have the opportunity to impact another generation! I’ve been married to my husband, Ted, for 41 years. We enjoy living out in the country in the Illinois Valley. I’ve been in the homeschool world for 33 years as I have educated many of my children from home. I have a passion for seeing kids flourish academically, emotionally, and spiritually. Character formation and fun are important to me. I’m truly honored to spend time with your children and look forward to seeing all that God has in store for Arrows this year!

Helo, I am Renee Brumbach. I grew up in a suburb of Chicago. I always thought you had to go on vacation to see nature. Little did I know I would someday live in a vacation setting. I met my future husband when I was 10 at Napervile Bible Church and we grew up in the youth group together. I graduated from Taylor University in Indiana with a BA in Business Administration and continued at Aurora University in Ilinois with a MA in Teaching. I worked in Human Resources at a business in Chicago for a year and then I taught in an elementary school for a few years in I linois before getting married and moving to Oregon 18 years ago. My husband and I have 3 kids; 17, 15 and 12. I’ve been a stay at home mom and have enjoyed homeschooling my children from the start. It’s been such a gift to be able to homeschool al these years in beautiful Oregon. Hiking, biking, picklebaling, floating on the river or just walking in my neighborhood get us outdoors to enjoy God’s amazing creation. We’ve been involved in various homeschool co-ops along the way and settled into Central Point Arrows Co-op last year with my 6th grader and 9th grader. We adore the Arrows community and mission and are so excited to be a part of the Grants Pass Arrows Academy this fall. I am thrilled for the opportunity to help Amie Blore direct the Grants Pass Arrows Academy and team together with the Grants Pass families and teachers to pour into the hearts of the Arrows kids in Grants Pass.