Bright Ideas has been open since 1985, a total of 24 years. This year will be our 25th anniversary! Our enrollment is quite high this year and has necessitated our adding many new staff members. The children at Bright Ideas are incredibly fortunate to have this highly qualified group of teachers, with a total teaching experience of 265 years! The administrators and their staff have a total of 138 years of experience. Bright Ideas attracts truly gifted and experienced teachers who continue to bring us their own “bright ideas”.

Carl Plummer has been the Superintendent of Bright Ideas for 11 years. He’s also the PEIMS Coordinator, Technology Director, and now the Judo instructor. He has a BS in Criminal Justice from Midwestern State University and 1 year in law school. He was the land manager for Strategic Resources Corporation for 23 years. He’s been in martial arts for 46 years, and has a 3rd black belt in Judo, a 2nd in Jujitsu, and a 2nd in Kenpo. He’s taught Judo and Jujitzu for 11 years and is a certified national level coach with USA Judo.

Prek-K: Tiffany Mueller has a BA in Arts and Sciences and will have a Master’s in Elementary Education Instructional Curriculum in May, 2011. She is certified to teach Early Childhood through the 4th grade. She has two years experience at Kinder Kids Learning Center. She teaches all classes for Prek-K except Culture, and teaches PE for her class and Ms. Newberry’s. She also teaches Rosetta Spanish.

K-1st: Jamie Newberry has a BS in Elementary Education and a BS in Bible/Theology. She is certified in EC-4th. She has 16 years experience teaching at many Elementary levels including 4 in kindergarten. She teaches all classes for K-1st, except PE and Science, and instead teaches Culture for both her class and Ms. Mueller’s, and Math for both 1st grade classes. Ms. Newberry also teaches Rosetta Spanish.

1st-2nd grade: Danielle Sanders has a BA in Elementary Education and is certified to teach EC-4th and 4th-8th grades. She teaches all subjects, including Rosetta Spanish, except Science. She has 3 years experience teaching this level, including 1 year at Bright Ideas.

3rd-5th: Kim Jones is certified to teach Elementary. She has a BS in Elementary Ed with a minor in Psychology. She has 26 years experience teaching Elementary and as a Principal. She’s been at Bright Ideas for 7 years and is also the school’s Instructional Leader. She teaches 3rd-5th grade Math.

Crystal Hart teaches English, Reading, and Rosetta Spanish. She has a BS in Occupational Education with a minor in English. She is certified in 4th-8th grade English Language Arts and Reading. She has 2 years of experience.

Jeanette Perez is our new Social Studies teacher. Jeanette has a BA in Liberal Arts with a minor in English, and a Master’s of Education. She has 5 years of experience.

6th-7th: Shannah Anderson has a BA in English, American Indian Studies, and a Master’s of Arts in Secondary Education with a Language Arts endorsement. She has 6 years of experience teaching 9th-12th high school while simultaneously teaching at the University of New Mexico and working with Teach for America. She taught 7th grade in the summer for Teach for America. Before that she volunteered for Americorps for one year. She is teaching English, Social Studies, and Rosetta Spanish.

Kristin Mahurin has a BS in Interdisciplinary Studies and is certified in 4th-8th grade Math. She is teaching 6th-8th grade Math, 6th-9th Infinity, and SAT Math.

Karen Newman is our 1st-8th grade Science teacher. She is certified to teach Elementary and Science, has a BS in Elementary Education. She has 18 years experience teaching science at all grade levels. She’s taught Science at Bright Ideas for 11 years.

8th-9th: Jason Byrd has a BA in Religion and Religious Education and a Master’s in Divinity. He’s enrolled in Alternative Certification and has passed the certification tests for both Social Studies and English 8th-12th grades. He has one year’s experience at Bright Ideas. He teaches English, History, Kuder, Web Design, and Rosetta Spanish.

Exie Nicholas teaches Math, grades 9th-12th, has a BS in Math, is certified in Secondary Mathematics, and has just retired from WFISD with 34 years of experience. She has taught at Bright Ideas for 3½ years.

Harold Horry teaches Environmental Science, Physics, Chemistry, Hydroponics, and AquaCulture, and has both Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Biology. He’s certified in Elementary Science and in All Level Science. He just retired from Windthorst ISD with 32 years of experience. He’s been teaching here for 3½ years.

10th-12th: Robin Hibbard has a Bachelor’s degree in History and is completing her Master's degree in History. She taught at MSU for 2 years and Bright Ideas for 8 years. She teaches high school English, History, Geography, Journalism, Government/Economics, and Speech.

Rachelle Stebbins has a BS in Education and 17 years teaching experience with 6 years at Bright Ideas. She is the Vice-Principal for University High School. She teaches English for 9th-12th and University Planning.

Leslie Fernandes teaches high school Art. She has a Master's degree in Fine Arts. She is certified in Secondary Art and Secondary Life Science. She has been teaching 21 years with 9 years at Bright Ideas.

Laura Richardson is our high school Spanish and French teacher. She has a degree in Humanities-Social Sciences and a BS in Political and Social Sciences, both from Ecuador in South America. She also has a certificate in French Language and Civilization from the Sorbonne University in Paris. She taught Spanish for 10 years in New York, plus one year at Bright Ideas. She teaches Spanish and French with Rosetta assisting.

Stephanie Swalwell is our Special Education teacher and 504 Coordinator. She has a BS in Mathematics and is certified in Secondary Math and Special Education. She has 6 years experience teaching.

Michael Christian is the Dyslexia teacher and the Dance instructor. He has a BA in Elementary Education and is certified in Special Education. Michael has 5 years experience teaching Special Ed and dyslexia. He was a professional dancer and was in Wicked and The Color Purple.

Judy Mowery-Ingle teaches Violin, Guitar, and Chorus. Judy has a bachelor’s in Music Education. She has 34 years experience.

Tony Perez is assisting Sensei Plummer in Judo. He is presently enrolled at MSU. He just retired from the US Marine Corps, where he trained as an instructor for the US Marine Corps Martial Arts Program. Sensei Perez has a black belt in Tang Soo Do.

Support Staff:

Frances Edwards writes our Culture Study curriculum. She has a Bachelor’s of Arts. She taught Intermediate at Bright Ideas for 10 years, and then moved to Seattle. She began writing the Culture curriculum in 1990 and has continued to write it for the last 9 years.

Lisha Ruda is an English tutor. She has a BBS and is certified in English. She has taught for 14 years, 3 of which were at Bright Ideas.

Juli Plummer is the records administrator. She has a BA in Speech and Hearing Sciences and 13 years experience at Bright Ideas. She is working on her Master’s in Counseling.

Sharon Elliott is the bookkeeper and does PEIMS data entry. She was the business manager for Seymour ISD for 30 years, and has been working for Bright Ideas for 3 years.

Stephanie Norris is the head Administrator Assistant. Ms. Norris has worked at Bright Ideas for 1½ years.

Melody Sanchez is our Paraprofessional. She works part time as a special ed aide and part time as an aide in the classroom. She is also one of the lunchroom attendants. She has one year’s experience as a Paraprofessional.

Liana Plummer is the school’s advertising consultant, and together with Alyvia Plummer, are designing an interactive website for the school that will advertise as well as deliver information to the school’s parents and students. Liana has a BS in Marketing, and will graduate this year with a Master’s in Advertising. Liana has 11 years experience at Bright Ideas. Alyvia has a BA in International Studies and is working on her Master’s in Illustration. Alyvia has 7 years experience at Bright Ideas.

Jessica Mobley is assisting the bookkeeper by inputting the daycare information and will be the Friday D-Hall attendant.

Verlene Green has a Certificate in Early Childhood Development.

Ms. Green is one of the lunchroom attendants and is in charge of daycare and breakfast. She also is the weekend shopper. She owned her own daycare in Seminole for 5 years, ran her own group home for 5 years, and was a nurse’s aide for another 5 years.

Next Page: Bright Ideas Board of Directors.