Teachers and Staff

Caleb Ripple

Headmaster, History, and Singing

I have been married since June 2007 to a most wonderful wife, Erin (EJ). We have eight children yet alive, Ephraim Alexander, Noah Elliot, Gideon Paul, our twins Luke John Owen and Ezra John Calvin, Evangeline Joanne, Josiah Anthony, and Esther-Jubilee Martha.

I am an elder at Christ Fellowship Church and a board member at Koinonia Classical Christian School which I helped to establish.

I have been the official song leader at Christ Fellowship Church since 2007 after I graduated from a two-year music, leadership, and technology training program out of a church in St. Louis, MO. My training is not classical however, my aim for KCCS students is to equip them, to the best of my ability, to sing well together, from their hearts, to the Lord. I want to impart a love of music and singing with the hopes that the generations that come after me and my students, will be better and better at glorifying God through music and songs!

Catherine Ulmer

Math

I grew up in Arkansas in a small town quite similar to Taylor. I found my passion for math tutoring while I was in high school, volunteering a good deal of time to help my peers. I continued this course of work throughout college, where I earned my bachelor’s degree in business administration. Upon relocating to Texas, I tutored at Lyndon B. Johnson High School. I stopped working when my husband and I started our own family, and I’ve since learned that for me, few joys compare with that of seeing my children not only learn but fall in love with the timeless logic God gifted to us in math.

I am married to Bennett and we have 4 happy children, Alden, Anderson, Ellie, and Oakley.

Denise Lenz

PreK

I was born and raised in the Midwest. My parents were not Christian but I was always searching for the Lord. I married a man (Lou), who was a Christian from a beautiful, loving family who loved and served the Lord. We had six children who all love and serve the Lord (EJ Ripple is one of them!) AND a bunch of grandchildren! We were foster parents for years and were always involved in Children’s Ministry in our church. We’re sold out to Christian private education because of the deterioration of the public school system in our country. I’m teaching the preschool class and LOVE that age…they are fun and we can laugh as we learn.

Erin (EJ) Ripple

Headmistriss, English

Growing up in a large family in a small suburb of St. Louis, I knew I wanted a lot of kids, and I knew I wanted to teach. I pursued a degree in Spanish Elementary Education, but got married and moved to Texas before finishing the program. After starting our family, I soon began homeschooling. My husband and I agreed we wanted a solely Christian education for our kids and quickly fell in love with the classical approach as well. Three years into it, we finally moved forward in the dream of my husband’s to start our own classical Christian school. With 8 kids, I am living out my childhood dream and walking in the calling God has given me to be a mother, and train children up in the way they should go. I did not have a classical education, but I am thrilled that my kids will. I want all of our kids to be able to get the kind of education that enables them to be Kingdom builders and culture influencers.

I am married to Caleb and we have 8 children on this side of Eternity.

Jan Humphrey

Literature, History, Kindergarten aide

I grew up in Houston, moved to Ft. Worth in 1986 and moved to Rockdale in 1998 to work and help care for my grandmother. Taylor became my home in June, 2007, when I married the man God placed in my life. My senior year in high school I realized I wanted to teach and work with children, so I headed off to college. Working with children has always been a love and joy to me, something I will never grow tired of doing. God has blessed me with this love for teaching children. I have taught Sunday School at Christ Fellowship Church since 2005. I am blessed to teach our KCCS students and hope they enjoy learning in these classes as much as I do.

Jeff Ripple

History, Literature

I was born and raised in Victoria, Texas. I moved to Austin in 1981 to attend the University of Texas. Upon graduating in 1984 with a BA in Marketing, I moved to Taylor with every intention of going back “home.” Well, God had different plans and here I am at home in Taylor, Texas. I pastor Christ Fellowship Church, which closed its K-12 Christian school in 1985. Now, God has resurrected our school under a new name through the hard work and dedication of its founding families. I am pleased they allow me to teach History, a subject vitally important in the education of our children and the future of our world.

I was married to Andrea, the founding KCCS kindergarten teacher, who passed away in February of 2024. We have three amazing children and children in-law, Caleb and EJ, Victoria and Matthew, Spencer and Mareli. They have blessed us (currently) with 17 earthbound grandchildren. I am a blessed man!

Lou Lenz

Literature

Born in El Paso, TX (yay!) but raised in the Midwest all my life. My wife (of 52 years) and I raised six children and have been blessed with many, many grandchildren 🙂

After being born again in the eighties, my wife and I immediately became involved in Children’s Ministry at our Church – and that has been our focus for over forty years. We had a wonderful outreach to underprivileged kids for ten years at our last Church and it is our heartbeat to reach the next generation (and the next and the next) for Jesus. I look forward to relating to the kids in my literature classes as we discover the classics. God bless.

Madison Henchman

English

I grew up in the small town of Snohomish, WA where I was fortunate enough to have a private Christian education for most of my schooling years. In 2016, I graduated from Pacific Lutheran University with my Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing. I’ve always enjoyed working with kids and getting to know each unique personality. Throughout my highschool and college years, I spent several summers working at a camp for kids with special needs and was involved in many years of VBS at my home church. I worked as a nurse for 4 years before moving to TX in 2020 with my husband Zach, and becoming a stay at home mom to our daughter, Lydia. 

I never would have guessed I would become a teacher, but reflecting on the value of my own private education and the desires I have for Lydia’s education makes me excited to be a part of KCCS.

Mareli Ripple

Science and Singing

I am originally from South Africa and transplanted to Austin, TX just 5 days shy of my 5th birthday. I enjoy life with my husband, Spencer, and our 6 children. I’d like to think I’m a semi-successful small farmer (mostly thanks to my husband’s constant provision and efforts). I never expected to get married young or to become a teacher, but I’m enjoying the way my story is unfolding. From early on, animals and nature have been something I’ve found pleasure in exploring and learning about. Naturally, Science and Math became my favorite subjects because they “made sense”, seemed logical, and were easy to follow. I look forward to sharing the glories of God’s creation through teaching and I hope I can spark wonder in the lives of my students as we examine what’s been laid out in this world before us. 

Veneza Grillo

Art

I grew up in Allen, Tx to parents who were both devoted educators. Growing up, witnessing their zeal and over a few summers of helping my mother teach in summer school, they instilled in me a passion and love of service, specifically with teaching. My first memory of realizing my love for creating Art was when I was about 7. I was sitting with my family at a restaurant coloring on a paper menu when my father took a crayon and peeled its paper wrapping off and began to color with the side of the crayon instead of the pointed end! Little did I know that by him changing my perspective, as I watched him create colorful variated ribbons on the paper, he would plant the seeds for my future!

I have four precious children with my husband Rico, all of whom inspire me continually to create! 

As an Art teacher, I find that understanding new perspectives, developing a curiosity for the language and techniques of Art, and delighting in a love for God can enable any one to develop a toolbox for artistic expression, and a love for craftsmanship. 

Victoria Berry

Kindergarten, Recitation, and Creative Writing

I was raised in Taylor Texas where I attended a private Christian school for a couple of years, but received most of my education through Christian homeschooling. I continued my education at the University of Texas at Austin where I majored in English and minored in classical civilization. I didn’t intend to become a teacher, but God had bigger plans for my life than I could imagine. After graduating with my BA in English, I completed the Texas Teacher’s certification and began teaching at a public charter school as a Reading Interventionist. My desire had been to teach at a Christian School so when KCCS began, I knew I wanted to be a part of this vision. 

I am a published author currently with two children’s books and a young adult fantasy novel. After graduating high school, I discovered my love of writing and since have not put down the pen and paper. I write poetry, fiction short stories, children’s stories, and young adult fantasy novels. 

I am married to Matthew, and we have three children. I am thrilled my children will have the opportunity to get a classical Christian education. 

Whitney Johle

Home Economics, Enrichment, History/Handwriting

I was born in a small town in East Texas called Henderson where I spent most of my younger childhood. When I was in middle school, my father’s career brought us to the grand town of Taylor, Texas where I later graduated, met my husband, became a mother of two beautiful children, and put down roots as a member at Christ Fellowship Church. It wasn’t long before I was recruited to help substitute teach at KCCS, which quickly sparked a desire in my heart to be a more permanent part of this mission. I now find great purpose and joy in helping my students discover the wonders of History, master the skills of excellent penmanship, and appreciate and understand the economy of running a household. It is always my prayer that I would faithfully encourage these students to joyfully acknowledge Christ in all their ways and to never be satisfied in their appetites for knowledge and truth.

Andrea Ripple

December 11, 1961 – February 29, 2024

IN MEMORIAL

Andrea Ripple was born and raised in Austin, Texas. Because her mother, Martha Burghart, was a kindergarten teacher, for as far back as she could remember, kid-friendly crafts, songs, activities, games and teaching ideas were a part of her life. After moving to Taylor and marrying her husband, Jeff, in 1985, she began to get involved in teaching the children in her church (Christ Fellowship) at every opportunity, including homeschooling all three of her children. She was a substitute teacher with Head Start in Taylor for 11 1/2 years. She enjoyed finding ways to instill the love of learning to the children all around her while playing and engaging in everyday life.  She was one never afraid to swim against the tide and preferred biographical blurbs to be written in the third person perspective. 😉

Upon her passing into glory on Thursday, February 29, 2024, when she met her Jesus face to face and a handful of grandchildren who had gone on before her, Andrea and her husband Jeff had 3 happily married children and 17 grandchildren yet alive, all of whom are a part of KCCS in one capacity or another. Her heart was to teach children to love learning about God and the world around them.

Just after the 2022-2023 school year began, Andrea became sick and eventually she could no longer continue teaching her beloved class. She took a sabbatical from teaching in 2023-2024 as she was led by her Good Shepherd through the dark valley that is a cancer diagnosis. Through that time, though she was physically unable to do much, she was still an integral part of the KCCS family and helped to guide and support the work in various ways, striving to ensure that what our Father was building through her labor would continue well beyond her short life.

All who knew her well know that Mrs. Ripple’s death has left a gaping hole in our hearts and in our school, but her memory remains and her legacy continues to bear fruit. Today, we award the Andrea Ripple Memorial Award to one student each year who demonstrates a keen eye to selflessly bless those around them in great and little ways, just like Mrs. Ripple did for all of those around her.