Just as the days are shortening, the clouds graying and the leaves changing color, there are strong evidences that trends of change have also hit Columbia Adventist Academy (CAA) in Battle Ground, Wash., as three of the school's four new instructors have come from the “sunbelt states” of Arizona, Florida and Texas.
After 21 years as an English teacher at CAA, Virlys Moller decided to retire. The new English teacher, Stacy Knight, should be at CAA for a long time as she is nowhere near retirement age. Knight, with her husband, Scott, and their 1-year-old daughter, Alana, moved to the liquid sun of the Northwest from the plasma sun of Arizona, where she taught at Holbrook Indian School. Knight spent the summer moving, taking workshops and getting settled into her new classroom. She enjoys reading, traveling and photography and says she is looking forward to “getting to know her students and not being the ‘new teacher’ on campus."
Former chaplain and headmaster Matthew Butte left CAA after 17 years to be part of the Oregon Conference education department. The chaplain position has been filled by Andrew Perrin, whose wife, Jaci, was also a chaplain before becoming a full-time mommy to their 8-month old daughter, Isla. Once again a sun-drenched teacher was rescued and returned to a land flowing with rain, as Perrin has been teaching theology and religion classes at Adventist University of Health Sciences in Orlando, Fla., for the last three years. He brings with him a love for “all things outdoors,” photography and music.
Butte’s “principal replacement,” Gerald Coy, is no stranger to CAA, as he graduated there 52 years ago. He chose to come out of retirement to share his best friend, Jesus, with the students and staff. He can be seen in the halls of the school and standing along the sidelines of the soccer field or gym, supporting the students in their athletic activities. He can be readily identified “in the field” by his Texas Stetson and cowboy boots. That may have something to do with his sunny Texas residence of late. This distinct apparel is quickly removed, though, when he gets down to his hobby of rebuilding his ’60 Chevy Corvair.
CAA’s other “New-bie” is Jeremy New, married to Yulia, a local with minimum sun exposure. In addition to teaching English Language Learners (ELL) and history at CAA, New enjoys his other job teaching at Washington State University as well as photography, music and art.
The CAA school family is glad that “global warming” has come to CAA and welcomes the warmth each new faculty member brings to the school.
CAA's new staff includes (from left) Andrew Perrin, chaplain; Jerry Coy, principal; and Stacy Knight, English instructor.
CAA's other "New-bie" is Jeremy New.
