COVENANT ACADEMY - Key Persons
I have been exposed to the Sino-Tibetan, Indo-European, and Semitic language families, having studied Chinese for four years in high school and Latin, French, Greek, and Hebrew in college. All through my courses of study in languages and philosophy my mind has constantly been occupied with applying and expanding the methods of pedagogy I learned from my CCE courses.
I'm so grateful to my mom who homeschooled me with such patience my entire academic journey. I recently graduated and have previously worked in retail and child care as a before-school leader.
No matter where I am or work, I do it all for the glory of the Lord. I have been blessed to have been a pastor's daughter at North Houston Baptist church my whole life and I love seeing how the Lord can grow a church to be closer to each other and Himself.
I'm enjoying a gap year before pursuing a Certified Nurse Assistant certificate. I love coffee and reading. I have two cats named Winnifred and Hunter who only get along 50% of the time. I'm honored to join the team of Covenant Academy.
Chris grew up in Dallas and received a classical Christian education from St. Mark's School of Texas. He attended Dartmouth College and the University of Texas at Austin, graduating with a History Honors degree and a Master's in Business Administration. Chris has spent his career in cybersecurity and software development and is currently serving as the Chief Product Officer at Raptor Technologies. Raptor provides school safety software for K-12 schools around the U.S.
Chris believes that our nation desperately needs revival, and that Christian classical education will play a prominent role in bringing this about. He celebrates the transformative effect it has had on his children's hearts and minds.
Chris and his wife Jamie, married for 24 years, have three children, Mackenzie (attending University of Texas), Reilly (Covenant Class of 2021) and Regan (attending Regents School of Austin). He and his family now live in Austin but remain committed to Covenant Academy and the special community it has fostered. Chris previously served on the Covenant Board of Trustees from 2013 to 2016.
Job Titles:
- Third Grade Teaching Assistant
Dave was born in California and moved to Texas with his family at age eight. Raised in a Christian home, he came to know Christ at an early age and was blessed to attend Christian schools. Dave graduated from Wheaton College in Illinois with a B.S. in Physics in 1992 and from Texas A&M University with a Ph.D. in High Energy Physics in 2000. Since graduation, he's worked in the field of geophysics for seismic mapping companies in Houston.
Having experienced first-hand the value of Christian education, Dave is eager to extend this precious gift to our children and is grateful for the opportunity to be involved with Covenant Academy.
Dave and his wife Janice have been married 28 years. Their son, Philip (Class of 2022), has attended Covenant since Kindergarten. Dave previously served on the Covenant Board of Trustees from 2013 to 2019.
Job Titles:
- Director of Facilities & Operation
Job Titles:
- Fine Arts and Practical Arts
Job Titles:
- Member of the Advisory Board
- Ex Officio
Dr. Steven L. Jones is a long-time friend and advisory board member of Covenant Academy. He currently serves as the Teaching and Training Pastor of Kingsland Baptist Church in Katy, Texas. In addition to serving at Kingsland, Steve is a professor of Medical Terminology at Rice University, and has held previous faculty appointments at Houston Baptist University, Trinity University, the University of Texas at Austin, and Baylor University.
Steve holds a BA in Greek and Latin from Baylor University, an MA in Greek, Latin, and Classical Studies from Bryn Mawr College, and a PhD in Classics from the University of Texas at Austin.
Steve and his wife Tamber have six children: Bethany, Rachel, Hannah, Madelyn, Asa and Ezra. When not reading, studying, or teaching, he enjoys taking road-trips with his family, watching baseball or football (whichever is in season), drinking ice-cold Dr. Pepper, eating hamburgers, and showing off his parallel-parking skills.
Jackie is a native of Mexico City and has lived in the Cypress area since 2004. Jackie received her Bachelor of Science in Sociology at University of Houston and a Master's in Human Resources and International Business Management at Colorado State University and is a graduate of Southern Methodist University (SMU) Cox Latino Leadership program. Since 1999, Jackie has been working in different areas of Human Resources from Talent Acquisition, Employee Relations, Operations, Talent Strategy, HR Business Partner and most recently as Global HR Director. Her diverse cultural background and focus on growing and supporting organizations' strategy has led her to several global projects and community leadership roles.
Jackie came to know Christ through CyLife Ministry in Cypress and was later baptized. She is excited about the potential opportunity to serve and partner with Covenant Board of Trustees to support the school's Mission, Vision, and strategic goals.
Jackie and her husband, Nelson, were married in 2004 and have two daughters, Kate (Class of 2026) and Jiselle (Class of 2028), who have both attended Covenant Academy since Kindergarten.
Job Titles:
- Athletic Director, Upper School Mathematics
Job Titles:
- Assistant
- PreK Teaching Assistant
I have been working in an administrative capacity in Christian ministry for most of my adult life. I truly enjoy using the gifts and passions that God has given me to serve in a support role helping others to do what they do best. I began volunteering here at Covenant when my grandson, Asher, entered Kindergarten in 2017. Now my granddaughter, Nico, is enrolled as well.
Job Titles:
- Director of Student Support, Grammar School Latin
I had the privilege of being classically educated since kindergarten. Growing up in a family of educators, I knew what I wanted to do with my life from an early age. I began teaching fourteen years ago and am grateful for every moment I have to teach the next generation.
Teaching Latin is a great source of joy for me. It is a beautiful combination of history and language. I sometimes feel like an archaeologist as I dig into the etymology of words and symbols alike. For example, Did you know that Roman writers used the word "io" to express their joy? As the years went by, this expression turned into the exclamation mark (!). Similarly, an ampersand (&) came from the Latin word "et" which means "and". If you look closely at an italicized ampersand you can make out the letters "E" and "T". I love when my students see these connections and become more intrigued by the history of the world we live in.
I love reading children's literature and a good cup of tea. My husband and I share a love for Jesus, history, and cultures around the world. We are grateful for our energetic toddler. Deus est bonus - God is good!
Welcome to Covenant Academy, a classical Christian school located in Cypress, on the northwest side of Houston, Texas.
We are an intentionally small school, focusing on curriculum, character, and community as we train servant leaders. At Covenant, partnership with families is the backbone of our mission. Students study the Scriptures, read great books, and discover the wonders of God's creation through math and science in beautiful classrooms surrounded by the natural light of our center courtyard.
Would you like to stop the cycle of cram, pass, and forget and instill a life-long love of learning in your child?
Are you looking for a school where your child can flourish in a positive environment?
Job Titles:
- Assistant to the Head of School and Director of Admissions
Currently residing in Cypress, Texas, Michael Gaines is a professional communicator and speaker, with a majority of his experience coming from leading broad domestic and international communications strategies for Fortune 500 energy sector companies.
Michael holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Marketing from LeTourneau University, a Master of Business Administration from Amberton University, and is a graduate of NOV Ventures - a joint Technology Commercialization program between NOV Inc. and the University of Texas McCombs School of Business.
Born in Dallas, Texas, Michael came to understand his need for a Savior and accepted Christ at the age of 11. He was later baptized at his then-home church Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship. Michael and his wife, Rachel, were married in 2008 at Second Baptist Church in Houston, where they currently attend the Cypress campus. Michael is an ordained deacon in the church and has directed and taught in bible study classes since joining Second Baptist. They have two daughters, Emily (Class of 2032), and Madison (Class of 2034), who both attend Covenant. Michael is fully aligned with the Covenant Academy mission of serving Christ and His Kingdom by sharing the Gospel and partnering with parents to train students by way of Scripture and the classical liberal arts.
Job Titles:
- Third Grade Assistant Teacher
Job Titles:
- First Grade Assistant Teacher and Barton Tutor
Rob grew up in Sherman, Texas and during his freshman year in college, came to know Christ through the ministry of Campus Crusade for Christ. He graduated from Stephen F. Austin University with a B.B.A. in Accounting in 1994 and has worked in public accounting, performing audits of hospitals and other not-for-profit organizations. Since 2006, Rob has worked for Houston Methodist Hospital in the supply chain management department.
Cathy and Rob have been married since 2003 and have three sons, Witt (Class of 2022), Charlie (Class of 2026), and Sam (Class of 2034). They are members of Houston's First Baptist Church, where Rob serves as a Deacon, and where Rob and Cathy both teach third grade life Bible study. They have attended Covenant since 2016 and are beyond grateful to be part of the Covenant community.
Job Titles:
- College Advisor, Upper School Math & Science
Job Titles:
- Second Grade Assistant Teacher
Currently, I am attending Houston Christian University, earning my master's in divinity; I am happy to use my knowledge and skills in a classical Christian school, and to sow seeds of Christ in this environment. I am passionate about learning the teachings of Christ, and I am very thankful that I was taught and given a firm foundation in my younger years. For this reason, I am eager to teach your students in an engaging, positive, and fun manner in the classroom!
Job Titles:
- Director of Human Resources and School Registrar
Job Titles:
- Principal
- Upper School Principal
Job Titles:
- Dir. of Student Life, Upper School Humanities, HS Boys Basketball Head Coach
Job Titles:
- Student Support / Practical Arts at Kingsfield Farms
I love science and the innumerable ways all creation shouts of our amazing God. The anatomy of a starfish, the chemical reactions in the lab, the properties of electricity, and the mysteries throughout science are just a few of my favorite things. I believe the best way to get a grasp of the world around us is to explore and experiment. I'm also a math geek who thinks it's as much fun as a ride on a zip line (which I'm known to adore.) I strongly encouraged all of my students to come in and get help when they are struggling with a concept. I love the light bulb moment of watching a face brighten as understanding occurs.