Wendy Saenz
Principal
Lower Grade Administrator

My name is Wendy Saenz. I am married to Chris Saenz. We have 3 little blessings- Haley, Liana, and Thomas Saenz. When I am not tending to my little ones, I enjoy planting or maintaining flowers. I love chocolate and coffee, even better when they are put together! I was an elementary teacher for 15 years in Covina Valley Unified School District. I was a Homeschool Teacher at Blue Ridge Academy (formally Inspire) for 1 1/2 years.  Teaching children has been such a honor God has blessed me with. I look forward to continuing this journey and working with your family as a partner in developing your scholar(s) for Christ!

Corinne Rocha
Jr. High Administrator

A passion for learning and trying new things is what drives Corinne to do what she loves best, which is teaching children.  She has taught just about every subject in her 10+ years homeschooling her 3 children, tutoring and teaching grades K-8th at Firm Foundation.  Corinne graduated with a B.A. in Education and started her teaching career at a Montessori school as an art and Spanish teacher.  She worked an administrative assistant before coming home to raise her children.  When she is not teaching, Corinne can be found on a sports field with her children, reading or hiking. Through all this, one constant has been serving alongside her husband in their church Youth Ministry.  With God's guidance they look forward to continue serving the homeschool community. 

Josephine Riggs
​High School Administrator

Josephine graduated from the University of California, San Diego, with a Bachelor of Science degree in Biochemistry/Cell Biology and Minor Studies in Spanish Literature.  She has been married to Justin for 25 years and has been homeschooling their four sons for 15 years.  Josephine has also taught science at all grade levels, and her goal is for students to see God in all the workings of His creation.  She is known to incorporate food into her lessons at every opportunity and using red pens is her thing.  Josephine will continue to teach high school science classes with Firm Foundation, fueled by God's grace and a good cup of coffee.

TEACHER BIOS

"Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it."
Proverbs 22:6

Our Friday School teachers are dedicated to teaching your kids every week. 
Get to know them!

Beverly Wolterbeek

Beverly Wolterbeek has been teaching instrumental music for 29 years. She graduated from CSU Northridge with a performance major on oboe. As a public school teacher, she has taken her middle school bands and orchestras across the country winning major festival competitions. Beverly was Music Program Coordinator for the San Gabriel Unified School District, has been a guest lecturer at CSULA, and has also coached with PYSO. Her current mission and passion is bringing instrumental music ensembles to the homeschool community. Her husband and daughters also enjoy playing music, and wild Irish fiddle music can sometimes be heard wafting from their house!
 ​

Lisa Wong

Lisa earned a Bachelor of Science degree  in Finance, Real Estate & Law at Cal Poly Pomona and a Juris Doctorate from University of Denver College of Law.
Married to Anthony for 25 years, Lisa homeschools their sons Matthew and Eric.  “As for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.” (Joshua 24:15)   Lisa is grateful for the Lord's calling to homeschool and to teach in the homeschooling community.  She teaches government and economics, a natural application of her finance and law background.

Marilyn Burke

I have taught Speech and the Bible for 13 years. Have studied 5+ Speech courses.  Have a passion for building confidence and wholeness in students' lives as well as creating  a desire and boldness in the student to stand for Biblical truth. ​

Renee Wherley

The first thing you should know about Renee is that she loves Jesus with all her heart.  She received her teaching credential from Cal State Sacramento after getting her B.S. in Plant Biology from UC Davis.  Her plant biology degree focused on children's gardening and a year-long internship at the UC Davis Children's Garden.  After teaching the children of missionaries for a year overseas, Renee taught in the California public school system for 12 years.  At that point she decided to stay home with her two boys.  She is so blessed by Jesus to be able to fulfill her dream of homeschooling them.
Cheryl Martell
I am a mother of eight children (now adults) and have had the privilege of teaching them all. I have been totally blessed with 13 grandchildren, with another one on the way. The IEW writing program is a great, wonderful, and fun way to learn how to write with structure and style. I have been on the "homeschool mom" side of working with my kids taking this class for quite a few years. The tools given them have improved their writing skills and my writing skills, too. Students will be amazed at the final drafts of their assignments. They will ask, "Did I really write this?" I look forward to meeting you when and if you join my class.
Felisa Chan is a mother of four and she has been homeschooling for six years.  She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Human Development from Pacific Oaks University.  Felisa was an early childhood and development teacher for more than 10 years and a college mentor for a Child Development Laboratory school for three years.  She practiced art with young children in her curriculum, and now she practices art as a hobby.  Today, Felisa homeschools three of her four children and operates an in-home family childcare with backyard art classes.  She also enjoys baking, cooking, scrapbooking and currently gardening.

Hsin Sykeh

Hsin Sykeh (pronounced Sheen See-Kay) holds a Bachelor degree in Liberal Arts with a Music concentration and a Master's degree in Education with a focus on Teaching from Azusa Pacific University.  Her classroom experience in a Title I public school enabled her to work with students from all walks of life and creatively seek solutions for children with all learning needs.   After teaching for 12 years in West Covina USD, she began homeschooling her 3 children full time.  No two days in school are ever the same, whether it be in the classroom or at home, and watching children grow, flourish, and become passionate about their learning is a joy for her to be involved in.  Her interests outside of teaching include playing worship music on her piano, reading a good book, exploring new foods, and date nights with her husband!

Cath Howarth

Cath Howarth - Being able to homeschool her three children was the fulfillment of a lifelong dream of being a teacher.  As an elementary student, she would gather the younger students on the playground and read them stories during recess.  Later after receiving her BA in Biblical Studies, she married and did not pursue her goal of becoming a teacher until she enrolled in the Sonrise Christian Homeschooling program through which she was able to teach her now-grown children from kindergarten through eighth grade.  For the past 20 years, she has worked at Temple City Education Center as a tutor and writing instructor.  It brings her great joy to assist with the homeschooling of her grandchildren and to continue her connection with Firm Foundation Christian Academy by teaching writing for the Friday School program.  ​

​Irma Salcido

Hello,
My name is Irma Salcido. I am forever grateful to our Lord Jesus Christ, I am a wife, a mother and a grandmother. I was educated in Mexico and moved here several decades ago. I have been teaching children of all ages for many years. I specially love to teach Spanish. I enjoy quiet evenings with my husband.
Thank you for the privilege to teach your children!

Chris Saenz

Chris Saenz has a Master’s Degree in Theology and Biblical Studies from Azusa Pacific University. He has 15+ years of experience teaching students of all ages in subjects like Bible, Theology, Church History, Philosophy, and Apologetics. The Firm Foundation community is a major priority for him, and his desire is to bring Christian thinking and living to the community in any way that will bring benefit.
 
For more information on any current or future classes, or any other way he can benefit the community, you can contact him by email at chris@saenz.ca.
 
His thoughtful perspective on Christianity and culture is currently on display at his blog: www.PostChristianEra.com

Christie Chong

Christie Chong has been playing piano, competing, and performing since age 5. In college, she was a member of the award-winning a cappella group, The Harvard Opportunes, as well as the Kuumba Singers (gospel choir). She has been serving in music ministry ever since she was a teen, and later started and directed 2 adult gospel choir ministries at churches in Boston and Los Angeles. While in Boston, she attended the Berklee College of Music for two years, where she studied Voice as well as Contemporary Writing and Production. Moving to Los Angeles, she worked in film scoring, producing, and vocal recording for the film & music industry, eventually recording and producing her own album of original praise songs. Christie has been married for about 13 years now, and is the mother of 3 girls currently attending FFCA. She has been homeschooling for 5 years and is passionate about teaching kids and inspiring them to use their gifts of music to glorify God!

Jennifer Villasenor

Jennifer Villasenor earned her B.A. in English Literature and her teaching credential from Azusa Pacific University. She taught 7th and 8th grade ELA and Social Studies in Rialto for two years, and then began teaching high school English Literature at West Covina High School. She had the privilege of teaching all grade levels, including AP English Literature.  By far, her favorite type of literature is British, and she is quite partial to Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. She felt led to homeschool her children when her oldest was only two years old.  As a result, she “retired” from the public school and really learned about education as a homeschooler.  This journey brought her to Firm Foundation Christian Academy. Her family has been a part of FFCA since 2010.

​Grace Favatella

I am an art lover through and through. A proud veterans wife and mother of 4 amazing brave and wild kids. I graduated from Azusa Pacific University with a Liberal Studies degree concentrating in English, Art and Special
Education. I was a private tutor for five years and a remedial teacher for two.  I’ve been homeschooling for over 10 years, which has proven to be the greatest decision we have ever made for our family. I was a proud assistant facility manager at Bithiah’s House for over two years and am currently a Trauma Informed Care/Classroom advocate and trainer for Bithiah’s Family Services. Proud believer in neurodiversity and in meeting a child exactly where they are. I adore my pups, chickens, cats, wild garden and messy imperfect life. My laundry is never finished, there will
always be dishes in the sink, and fidgets and sensory toys out at all times. I love bacon, In-n-Out, coffee and Knott’s Berry Farm. In reality I’m simply just a mom, leaning on Jesus everyday.
​Liz Gomez
Hello! My name is Liz Gomez.  I have four fantastic kiddos that I homeschool and an amazing husband. I am a graduate of Azusa Pacific University where I earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Liberal Studies and Master’s Degree in Education. Go Cougars! I taught public school for Azusa Unified School District before staying home full time to raise my kiddos and homeschool  them. I love teaching and am honored to be able to serve in this role here at Firm Foundation Christian Academy.

Celeste Miller

Celeste earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, majoring in Interior Architecture, from Woodbury University in 2006.  For 12 years she worked with architect Richard F. McCann, growing a firm that specialized in performing arts theaters.

After marriage and the arrival of her children, Celeste's focus turned to service in both her church and community.  Service in church includes the Children's Ministry with Vacation Bible School and participation in the music ministry's yearly Christmas choir program.  Celeste currently sits on the Claremont AYSO Regional Board as the U6 Divisional Commissioner for the girls soccer program.  She has also been a soccer coach going on 3 years, coaching her children's teams each season.

Celeste is excited for her second year of homeschool with her children, and thrilled to be included in the talented Firm Foundation team of educators.  Teaching is a door God opened unexpectedly, and because of her obedience to His will, she has been tremendously blessed by it.

If Celeste isn't singing with the children in class or at recess, she's teaching them how to hula-hoop or jump rope.  Every day with children is a beautiful adventure.
Hi, my name is Tracy Lima, and I have actually never been on a stage! However, I have found a love for musical theater through my talented kiddos, and have learned so much watching them take lessons, rehearse, (and rehearse, and rehearse....) and of course, perform MANY shows. I live in Arcadia with my husband Jim, my son Ezra, who will be in his first full year of college this year, and my daughter Avery, who will be a junior in high school. Looking forward to hanging out with my fun theater friends, and meeting new ones!