Educational Support Team

Carolyn Beall came to AACS in the summer of 2015 after spending almost 15 years in Anne Arundel County Public Schools. In her former jobs, she taught first and second grade and special education. She was also the special education department chair for her school.   She currently oversees the ed support program from Pre-K to 12th grade at AACS and is the Ed Support Coordinator for the Annapolis and Severn Lower School.  She loves working with students and helping them to figure out how they learn.  There can be such a joy that comes from learning new things-whether it’s reading and math or learning about how to be a good friend.   One of her great passions is helping to integrate all students, including those who learn differently, into the larger community.  She’s thrilled to be part of a school where families and teachers walk alongside each other every day to encourage students to display God’s splendor to those around them.  

After graduating from AACS, she completed a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Towson University.  She is certified in Special Education, and has a counseling certificate from Christian Counseling Education Foundation. 

Sherry Bell joined the AACS team as a full time Student Aide in August 2016 as our school began its journey into providing special education opportunities for families and students. Sherry taught 6th grade math (2017 - 2021) while continuing to implement education support strategies for her students. Currently, Sherry works at the Annapolis Lower School campus to primarily assist our 4th and 5th graders and their teachers to develop strategies for success for all students. She is mother to two AACS graduates (David 2014 and Tommy 2019) and wife of AACS bus driver, Ricky Bell. 

Sherry has a BS in Business from the University of Maryland, an MBA from Johns Hopkins University, and is ACSI Certified.

Bio coming soon

Karyn Brookes came to AACS in the summer of 2017 when her family moved back to the United States from the Middle East. She is one of our Ed Support Instructors at our middle school and she is currently the Assistant Varsity Volleyball coach at our upper school. Karyn has been an elementary classroom teacher in several states while her family moved around during her husband’s military career. Working with students to help them discover their strengths, teaching students how they learn, and encouraging students in areas where they struggle are some of the reasons that she enjoys teaching. Karyn has also spent time as a church youth leader, substitute teacher, athletics coach, and military spouse’s coordinator. Her oldest daughter is an AACS graduate, and her other two children currently attend AACS.

Karyn graduated from Cedarville University with a degree in Elementary Education and a minor in Bible. One of her favorite verses is Nahum 1:7, “The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in Him.”

Bio coming soon

Bio coming soon

Bio coming soon.

Cindy Grunert has been teaching in Christian schools for more than 26 years. Currently, she is an ed support instructor at the Annapolis Lower School.  She has a special love of reading, math, history and Bible. Additional teaching experience includes teaching in a traditional third/third-fourth grade classroom, teaching adults to read, and teaching children to play the piano. This mother of three college graduates feels that working and relating to students is a God-given gift.

Cindy has a degree in education from the University of Portland.  She has taken additional classes in 'Teaching Reading' at Western Oregon University with an emphasis on 'Teaching Reading to Children with Reading Difficulties' at Southern Oregon University.

Hope Handschuh is an Educational Support Instructor at the Annapolis Lower School with previous experience at the Upper School since the fall of 2018. Hope is passionate about integrating resources and accommodations for students with learning differences and facilitates reading intervention and reteaching in core subject areas. Previously, Hope spent four years as a foster parent with Mentor Maryland Therapeutic Foster Care to accommodate basic goals and milestones in development and learning. She also has eleven years of ongoing experience as an advocate for students with IEPs in Anne Arundel County Public Schools. Her favorite verse is from Galatians 6:2, “Bear one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”

Char Hudlow came to AACS in 2010 as a volunteer for all campuses.   In 2015 she began working at the Annapolis Lower School.  Currently she works as an Ed Support Staff member.  She also works at the Upper School as a cheerleading coach.   Previously she worked in Anne Arundel County Public Schools in the special education department.   Her experience working with students with diverse disabilities gives her great knowledge about how to work with students in the classroom.  Every day her students’ curiosity and enthusiasm for learning fills her heart with joy. Char attended Old Dominion University and Mary Baldwin College. 

Megan Lamb first came to AACS as a parent of a sixth grader in 2014 and became a member of the faculty at the Upper School in 2017. Currently Megan works as the Educational Support Lead Specialist and College Board’s Services for Students with Disabilities Coordinator. Megan enjoys working with and getting to know the students across all curriculars. Being a part of their adolescent transition from unsure freshman to confident student and successful senior is the highlight of her role. Megan initially taught Middle School Language Arts and Reading Intervention in both Anne Arundel and Queens Anne’s County. Hearing the Lord’s call, she came to AACS and served as a 1:1 Student Success aid. In this new role she partnered with teachers to bring inclusion into the AACS community and its classrooms for all learners. 

Megan is a graduate from Virginia Commonwealth University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and is ACSI certified. She has extensive knowledge and training in building inclusive classrooms and how anxiety, Executive Function, ADD/ADHD impact learning. She works with families to determine the best strategies for the success of all students with different strengths and needs.

Sue Liga came to AACS the 2018/2019 school year. Prior to teaching at AACS, Sue taught in Prince George's County as a Special Educator for 10 years total with many years in between at home with her kids. After spending the first three years supporting students at our Middle School, Sue has transitioned this year to our Upper School as an Educational Support Specialist.   Sue loves helping kids understand how they learn best. Sue is passionate about teaching each child to see him or herself as a child of God. Sue is grateful for the opportunity to be teaching in a Christian community where the focus can be on Christ.

Sue studied Psychology in her undergraduate work and began her career in education after earning a Master’s degree in Special Education from Johns Hopkins University.  Sue is certified in both general education and special education. In addition, Sue is currently finishing up her Christian Education Certification.

Michael Molinaro came to AACS in the summer of 2021. He credits God for giving him a deep passion for working with children who have a variety of learning abilities. Michael’s favorite part about working with students is being able to show them how to use a new skill or strategy that addresses a learning deficit. He is now excited to share how those strategies are another sign of God’s grace and mercy toward us. 

Before coming to AACS, Micheal  worked in a public elementary school as part of a multidisciplinary team, at the Kennedy Krieger Institute providing technical assistance and training to public school systems, and at the Waisman Center studying ways to accurately assess the communication abilities of children with cerebral palsy. 

Michael received his bachelors in Communication Disorders at Case Western Reserve University and masters in Communication Sciences and Disorders at University of Wisconsin-Madison. He is also a certified Speech Language Pathologist. Michael’s favorite scripture is Hebrews 12:28-29 “Therefore, since we are receiving an unshakable kingdom, let us be thankful, through which let us serve God acceptably, with awe and reverence. For indeed our God is a consuming fire.”

Debra came to AACS in 2016.  She has previously taught first, fifth, and sixth grades.  She currently works as an Ed Support Instructor at the middle school.  Teaching combined fifth & sixth grade classes gave her experience in working with students at all different levels of ability and learning.  She loves meeting students where they are in their learning and helping them find new ways of learning and understanding that work for them.  

Debra received a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from the University of Delaware. She later completed a master’s degree in education from the State University of New York at Cortland.  

Kristen Rife came to the Education Support Department in 2018 and has been an integral component of support for students in and out of the classroom. As an Educational Support Instructor, Kristen's team teaches various sections of Science and Math and provides opportunities for content reinforcement with students. Kristen’s role is establishing a caring environment in which students realize their God given talents and learning potential. When she witnesses students applying the tools she teaches to reach their academic or personal goals, that is the highlight of her job.

Kristen served her country in the United States Army beginning in 1994 in the Judge Advocate’s Generals Office. It was through her work as a paralegal that she recognized her gift of analyzing and applying documentation to assess needs and apply strategies to those she served. Kristen took time out from her career to build a family and raise two sons before answering God’s call to leave the home and join her sons at AACS. Mrs. Rife is currently working towards her certification in Special Education and is highly trained in addressing how ADD/ADHD, Executive Function and anxiety manifests in the classroom.

Jill  loves teaching children how to read. The best part of being at AACS is the opportunity to teach children to embrace their strengths and appreciate the fact that God created us all with strengths and challenges. 

She and her husband Shane have 2 daughters, Madison who lives in Charleston and is a realtor and Brooke who attends Salisbury University studying sports medicine. She worked for AACPS for 32 years as a Reading Specialist and Interventionist. She is thrilled to join the AACS team!

Bio coming soon

Bio coming soon