After working many years as a Church Administrative Assistant I decided I could retire. After 6 months I was bored and was very happy to join the wonderful administrative staff at South Christian High School. My husband Rich and I are both graduates of SC as well as our 4 children and their spouses. We had 2 grandsons graduate in the last couple of years and soon 2 more will make their way here. As a family we love to camp, play games of any kind, and just hang out together.
Brian Alberda
Julia Hoekwater
I grew up in a home where both my parents were teachers. I was inspired by them both and after I graduated from SCHS (‘04), I attended Calvin College where I received a Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education, with a Major in English. I worked in an intervention classroom in the Caledonia School District for 8 years. Working at South Christian has been an absolute joy and an answer to prayers. My husband Abe and I have been married since 2009, and we have three daughters, Addison, Gemma, and Vivian. As a family, we love being outside together, camping, swimming, and hiking. I love to read, and will happily add any book recommendations to my ever-growing list.
Kari Hoezee
After high school, I went to Grace Bible College and then Grand Rapids Community College and graduated in the Culinary Field. I worked for Grace Bible College/Grace Christian University for nine years in Custodial Services. Now I am here at South Christian and excited to see how I can help the mission of South Christian High School! I enjoy reading and cooking/baking.
Rachel Mefor
I completed a Spanish major from La ULACIT in San José, Costa Rica and then received a B.A. in Spanish, English, and Bilingual Education from Calvin College. Shortly after Calvin, I received an M.A. in International Development with a focus on Education for Women and Girls from Eastern University in Philadelphia. I have had the opportunity to teach in Costa Rica, Puerto Rico, Indonesia, and various Spanish-English bilingual schools within the United States. My husband and I have three children. As a family we enjoy traveling, hiking, kayaking, reading, trying new foods, and learning languages.
Aaron Meckes
A formative summer experience working at the YMCA in my hometown of Saginaw helped me discover that I find great fulfillment and purpose in working with young people as they learn about who God has created them to be and how He desires for them to live. I have loved my experiences as a Biology Teacher, Coach, Principal, and now Head of School in Christian schools and am continually inspired by the mission of South Christian. I am a product of K-12 Lutheran schooling and a graduate of both Calvin University and Grand Valley State University. My wife, Abbie, and I live in Byron Center with our three boys.
Heather Escobar
I graduated from Cornerstone University with a Degree in Learning Disabilities, Physical Education, and Elementary Education. I received my Masters in Cognitive Impairments from Grand Valley State University. Prior to coming to South Christian, I was an Inclusion Specialist for students with special needs for five years. I have experience working with students with special needs from newborns to adults. I am recently married to my husband Daniel. In our free time, we enjoy being physically active playing different sports, cooking, and enjoying theater and musicals.
Ryan Kerstetter
After graduating from Hope College I was hired by Belding High School to teach social studies. I spent 14 years in Belding before making the transition to South Christian High School. As a graduate of South Christian (’99), I am truly excited to get back into this community. I am married to Lindsey and we have three amazing children. Lucy, James, and Charlie will be tagging along to many extracurricular events in the coming years! In my spare time, I enjoy DIY projects around my home, reading, fishing, and watching Tigers baseball.
Susann Shultz
My love for languages and cultures began back when I was a student here at South Christian and continued as I studied at Calvin College, where I majored in Spanish K-12 secondary education and minored in bilingual education. I had the opportunity to travel and live in both Spain and Mexico while in college, and enjoy incorporating what I learned from those cultures into my teaching. My teaching career began at Traverse City Christian School, where I taught all four levels of Spanish for one year. From 2004-2018, I taught at Calvin Christian High School in Grandville. I received my Masters of Education from Grand Valley State University in 2010.
My husband, Rob, and I live in Wyoming with our two children, Tyler and Noah. Besides speaking Spanish and learning about other cultures, some of my other hobbies include reading, cooking, cycling, and traveling (in fact, I’ve taken trips with students to both Spain and Peru!) Our family attends South Harbor Church in Byron Center. One of my favorite passages from the Bible is Psalm 19:14; “May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, Oh Lord, my rock and my redeemer.”
Jordan Barrett
I spent my high school years at a public school in Anchorage, Alaska, and then went to college at Biola University where I received a BA in Biblical Studies. My wife, Erin, and I married in 2005 and have two children who attend Byron Center Christian School. Before kids, we did high school youth ministry together for ten years and I attended Wheaton College where I received an MA in Historical and Systematic Theology and a Ph.D. in Systematic Theology. Our family loves to travel, camp, do life together, and cheer on the Chicago Bears.