Bachelor's Degree in Elementary Education - CPR and First Aid Certified.
I'm the Owner and Director of Mustard Seeds Academy. I have two children of my own. My daughter is 21 and a nursing student at UAB and is a new mommy of my beautiful granddaughter, Everlee. My son is 18 and is a student at Gadsden State Community College. My heart has always had a huge love for children. In August of 2006, God allowed me to open Mustard Seeds Academy. My hope is to instill in every child, that if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, nothing will be impossible for you.
Taylor Brady - Infant Room (5 weeks - 8 months)
CPR Certified
My name is Taylor Brady. I am a graduate of Ashville High School. I moved to Alabama in 2008 with my family from Brevard County Florida. I have been working at Mustard Seeds Academy for one year. I also work at Ashville Elementary School in their after-school program and teach cheer and tumbling. Working at Mustard Seeds Academy is a very rewarding job. I enjoy caring for the children and working with their families. In my spare time, I enjoy spending time with my family and friends, shopping, and traveling.
Hunter Ashcraft - 18 months to 2 1/2 year Old Classroom
CPR and First Aid Certified
I am a graduate of Southside High School, class of 2016 and am looking forward to starting Wallace State Community College in the Spring of 2018 to achieve a two year degree in Medical Administrative Assistance. I like watching Auburn Football (WAR EAGLE), going to concerts and in general, being active.
Lyndsay Beal - Substitute - All Classrooms
I graduated from Southside High School in 2014 and am currently at Gadsden State Community College working on a degree in Surgical Technology. After I graduate in December, I plan to work at Children's Hospital so I'll be able to help children all the time. I have one sister and two step-sisters, and a whole lot of Aunts and Uncles. I've always loved to help take care of children and we have plenty in my family! I have a five year old Great Dane who is a huge cuddle bug. I have the best family and friends ever!
Tuesday Buice - Baby Room
CPR Certified
I graduated from Ashville High School in 2016 and am continuing my education at Gadsden State Community Collge. When I'm not caring for babies/children at Mustard Seeds, I enjoy kayaking, hiking, and being outdoors with my fiancee and my friends.
Adlie Cash - 2 1/2 to 3 Year Old
I am a 2016 Southside High School graduate. I started cheerleading at a very young age to which I continued throughout my high school years (GO PANTHERS!). My favorite subjects in high school were Math and English. I graduated with honors and an advanced diploma. I have a very large family, so I have always helped care for children. I have a sweet fur baby named Wrangler Duke. He is a spotted Great Dane and German Shepherd mix. I also have a three year old foster brother that we are in the process of adopting. I spend a lot of time with him, and he is the main reason I want to work with children. Seeing the difference we have made in his life inspires me to make a difference in another child's life.
Angie Roden - Assistant Director and Cook Supervisor
CPR and First Aid Certified
I am a graduate of Etowah High School Class of 2004. I am married with two children ages 11 and 8. I have been an employee at Mustard Seeds for 8 years now. I was a 3K teacher for five years before I moved to the kitchen. I have recently become Assistant Director and I enjoy my job and all my co-workers. I enjoy spending time with my kids and anything outdoors with my family. I am very involved in my church and would do anything I can to be a helping hand to anyone in need.
Crimson Self - Baby Room (5 weeks - 8 months)
Daycare Standards and CPR Certified
Hello! My name is Crimson. I attend Gadsden State Community College and plan to transfer to University of Alabama Birmingham to major in Elementary Education. I graduated from Ashville High School in 2014 and I have loved working at Mustard Seeds Academy for the year that I have worked here. I am currently certified in Daycare Standards and in CPR. After graduation, I plan to pursue a career in Elementary Education because I love working with children. Being in the baby room has been so rewarding and I really enjoy loving on and cuddling the kids in my room!
Kacy Dixon - OSR Pre-K Teacher
Bachelor's Degree in Early Childhood and Elementary Education
CPR and First Aid Certified
I am the lead Pre-K Teacher for the OSR First Class Pre-K at Mustard Seeds Academy. I have a Bachelor's Degree in Early Childhood Education AND Elementary Education. I have a passion for working with kids and truly feel this is the career path God has chosen for me. My husband and I have two children, ages four and two. When I'm not with my preschool kiddos, I love monogramming, camping, and spending time with my family and friends.
Mollie Free - Baby Room and Substitute for All Classrooms
CPR Certified
I am a 2016 graduate of Southside High School and am currently a student at Gadsden State Community College where I am also the President of Gadsden State's Rho Rho Chapter of the Phi Theta Kappa National Honor Society. My plans are to graduate this upcoming Spring with an Associate's Degree in Elementary and Early Childhood Education. Next Fall, I will attend either Jacksonville State University or Troy University to earn my Bachelor's Degree in Elementary Education K-6. I also help coach softball at Southside High School which is another career I would love to obtain in the future. My two favorite parts about working at Mustard Seeds Academy is being able to watch all of the children grown and getting tow work some awesome women who care so much for every child in our building.
Mikie Ghavassi - 4K Teacher
CPR and First Aid Certified
I attended college with a major in English Education and have three years experience teaching preschool. I was born in North Carolina but spent most of my years in Spring Garden, Alabama. I currently live in Southside, Alabama with my husband and two children. Some of my favorite hobbies include reading, baking, crafting (or watching my husband build me stuff), and all things Harry Potter. I love working with kids and feel that one of the most important jobs is to teach our children with compassion and build them up with the word of God.
Mallory Glenn - Baby Room
Certified Nursing Assistant and CPR License
I am from Steele, Alabama and currently attend Gadsden State Community College. If I'm not working at Mustard Seeds Academy caring for all the sweet babies, then I am outside with my horse and dog. I graduated from Ashville High School in 2016 and I earned a license for CPR as well as my Certified Nursing Assistant License.
Kim Harrington 3 Year Old to 4 Year Old Room
CPR Certified and Choking First Aid Certified
I was born in Etowah County and graduated from Westbrook Christian School in 1981. I attended the University of Alabama (Roll Tide), studied Nursing at JSU, was a flight attendant based in Atlanta, was a realtor for Corporate South Realty, and was a manager at Kirklands. I have a 25 year old son and a 22 month old grandson. I have a shih-tzu named Piper. My position at MSA is to incorporate lessons through songs, teaching child development basics such as speech and language, identifying colors, numbers, shapes, and letters, fine and gross motor skills, and social skills. Then, I track the children's progress and record and report the information to the parents.
Shelby Russell - 18 Month to 24 Month Room
CPR Certified
I am married with no children )of my own) and I've worked in childcare for five years, starting at Rainbow City Presbyterian Church. I am now the teacher of the 18m-24m at Mustard Seeds Academy and every day is a blessing! I continue to work at RPC during church services and also babysit on the side. God has given me a special connection to children and really, they are MY teachers. They teach me every day to love, be kind, and accept everyone as they are.
Victoria Sanders - 3 Year Old Classroom
CPR Certified and First Responder
I have been married to my high school sweetheart, Brandon Sanders, for 16 years. He is a self-employed carpenter. I have worked as a Day-Care Teacher for three years and am the mother of two boys, Gage (9 years 0ld) and Grant, who is five. When I'm not tending to children, doing laundry, cleaning up after someone, or cooking, I like to color, paint, and do crafts. I also enjoy doing nails. My husband and I usually spend our downtime sitting around the fire pit in our backyard. When I was a kid, I remember telling my mom that I did not like kids and I was never having any children. Little did I know that God would give a passion for teaching children. This is the most rewarding job I've every had!
Kali Stapler - After School Care Teacher
CPR Certified
I graduated from Westbrook Christian School in 2017. I am attending Gadsden State for my basics and plan on transferring to Jacksonville State University to major in Elementary Education. I played volleyball, soccer, and softball while in high school and still love to play them all when I can. I love crafts and I am very creative.
Melanie Thrasher - OSR First Class Pre-K Teacher
CPR and First Aid Certified - Upcoming Graduate in Child Development
Everyone calls me "Mel Mel". I am the auxilliary teacher fot the OSR First class Pre-K at MSA. I am currently attending Gadsden State Community College pursuing an Associate's Degree in Child Development and will graduate in May of 2018. I have been working with ages birth to four year old at MSA for over eight years and know that this is where God has placed me and has touched my life in many ways by so many children and their parents. I have been married to Johnny Thrasher for over twenty years and we have two boys Joshua age 19, and Jacob age 14. I have lived in the Southside/Rainbow City area all my life and graduated from Southside High School. When I'm not with my MSA children, I enjoy spending time with my family, my three Yorkies, and spending time with my friends. I enjoy coloring in adult coloring books because I'm just a kid at heart, I guess!
