HOPE HOMESCHOOL ACADEMY
Inspiring parents to be their child's best teacher
Our Teachers
Mrs. Amber Clark
Director
Upper Classroom / Technology Teacher
My name is Amber Clark, and I wear many hats at our school. I am the Founder, Director, Special Education Coordinator, Educational Technology Specialist, and Upper Classroom Teacher. I have a PhD, abd in Educational Psychology: Gifted & Special Education, and an M.Ed in Educational Technology. This is my 9th year as a hybrid-homeschool teacher, and my 13th year as a homeschool mom of my 3 adult step-children, and my 14 year old daughter, Julie, who also attends Hope. God has steered the course in every element of the founding and growth of Hope Homeschool Academy, and I treasure every day I have the honor of working with homeschool families to individualize education for their students.
Mr. Ivan Clark
Upper Classroom Teacher, Levels 7-12
History Teacher, Levels 4-12
Hello, my name is Ivan Clark, and I am the co-teacher in the Upper Classroom, as well as the history teacher for levels 4-7. I have a Master's degree in History, and I also enjoy teaching economics, literature and philosophy. I have developed several history courses in the years of homeschooling my own children, and I look forward to helping your students develop a love of the humanities!
Mrs. Melissa Payseur
Middle Classroom Teacher Levels 4-7
I graduated high school from Niangua, MO; and I went to college at Missouri State University where I received a degree in Family and Consumer Sciences Education. I married my wonderful husband and we moved to Lamar, MO in 2011. I taught High School Health, Foods I, Foods II, Child Development, Personal Finance, Interior Design, and Career and Family Leadership for 3 years at Lamar. We then moved to Mansfield to be closer to family and spent 4 years there. I taught 6th grade and High School Health, International Foods, Foods and Nutrition, Introduction to FACS (7 & 8th grade), Career Introduction, and Child Development I & II. After 7 years in public school I decided I needed a change and became stay at home mom to my son who was two at the time. I missed teaching but not the public school atmosphere and was ecstatic when I found Hope Home School Academy. I am looking forward to what God has in store for these next chapters of my life.
Mrs. Leslie Jones
Music Teacher
Leslie Jones, MMT, MT-BC, is the primary therapist and founder of Musical Bridges Music Therapy in Springfield, MO. She holds a masters degree in Music Therapy from Drury University and received her Board Certification in Music Therapy in 2008. In addition to her work with Musical Bridges, Leslie teaches on the music therapy staff at Drury University, as well as students in her private studio. She provided clinical supervision to the university students for nearly 10 years, and is now supervising music therapy interns through her private practice. She works in a variety of settings including early childhood education, public and private schools, hospitals and skilled nursing facilities.