Who We Are

Faculty & Staff

Beth Stohlmann

K4- Preschool for four-year-olds
This is Mrs. Stohlmann's first year teaching at Petra Academy. Beth holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Foreign Area Studies from the United States Air Force Academy and a Master of Science degree in International Relations from Troy State University. She served as an Air Force Intelligence officer for five years and spent three of those years living and working in Germany. Beth and her husband, Andy, have three children, one a pre-schooler and two at Petra. She is a member of the Bozeman Masters Swim team and also enjoys kayaking and skiing with her family.

Bobbi Miller

Kindergarten & Afternoon Enrichment
Mrs. Miller began teaching at Petra Academy in 2010. Bobbi and her husband Craig have two children attending Petra. Her formal education and work experience are in the fields of early education and children's ministry. She has thirteen years of experience working in early childhood education, including a position developing curriculum at a private preschool program. Bobbi has been a substitute teacher at Petra since 2005 and attended the SWR phonics workshop Petra Academy hosted in 2009. Bobbi enjoys spending time with family, reading, camping, and cooking.

Jean Snyder

First Grade
Mrs. Snyder began teaching at Petra in 2006. Jean holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing. Jean and her husband Bob have three children, including a math teacher in Virginia, a mom of Jean and Bob's first grandchild, and a graduate of Montana State University. Jean is an experienced homeschool mom having taught her own children through grade 8. She has also been teaching a mid-week Creation Class to third and fourth graders at her church since 1998. Jean enjoys horseback riding, camping, gardening, hiking, and reading.

Susan Turbuck

Second Grade
Mrs. Turbuck began teaching at Petra Academy in 2007 after completing her Bachelor of Science degree through the distance learning program of Excelsior College, Albany, New York, with history being her major field of undergraduate study. Susan is a product of an excellent homeschool education in Stevensville, Montana, where she grew up as the eldest of five girls. One of her sisters is with her in Bozeman studying at Montana Bible College. Extra-curricular passions include reading, music, and walking. On December 18, 2010, Susan married Chris Turbuck, a wonderful young man who is an adjunct art professor at Montana State University.

Emily Grasser

Third Grade
In 2007, Mrs. Grasser began teaching at Petra Academy. Emily graduated from Feather River College, Quincy, California, and holds Associate of Science degrees in Equine Science and Liberal Arts. Emily is married to Ralston Grasser. Her other interests include training horses, hiking, reading, and camping.

Jennifer Mann

Fourth Grade
Mrs. Mann began teaching at Petra Academy in 2007. Jennifer holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Education from Crown College, St. Bonifacius, Minnesota. Jen is from Frenchtown, Montana, where her family still resides. Before coming to Petra, Jen completed student teaching in Minnesota, and substitute taught in California while completing a nine-month basketball coaching internship. Jen stays active in and out of school with interests in hiking, biking, reading, swimming, pottery, fishing, and camping.

Mark Christofferson

Fifth Grade
Mr. Christofferson joined the teaching staff at Petra Academy in 2008. Mark's teaching career began in 1992 and includes twelve years at Heritage Christian School in Bozeman, two years at a Christian school in Taiwan, and another two years at a public high school. Mark holds a Bachelor of Science degree in English Teaching with a minor in History from Montana State University where he graduated with honors. Mark and his wife Tammy have two children, Eli and Emily. His other interests include music (singing, guitar, and trumpet), hunting, bird-dog training, cycling, the informal study of the Chinese language, and story-telling.

Sarah McClaflin

Sixth Grade; Secondary Music
Mrs. McClaflin joined our teaching staff in 2008. Her husband Shane is no stranger here as he taught secondary history and literature at Petra from 1998 to 2002. Sarah and Shane have four children: Ellie, Nathaniel and Abigail are at Petra and Samuel is still at home. Sarah has a Bachelor of Music Education degree from Baldwin-Wallace College where she graduated Magna Cum Laude. She has teaching experience both in homeschool and teaching music in private, public, and homeschool-cooperative settings. Sarah and Shane own an outfitting business, “Sunrise Pack Station,” that specializes in educational and flyfishing-multi-day-horseback trips into the backcountry of Yellowstone National Park (see http://www.sunrisepackstation.com).

Rebecca Sykes

Elementary Latin, Latin 7th
This is Rebecca's first year teaching at Petra Academy. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in biblical studies from Montana Bible College. Her experience in Latin comes from teaching Latin at Mission Valley Christian Academy in Polson, Montana, and at Heritage Christian School in Bozeman. Rebecca also has a love for the biblical languages, Greek and Hebrew, which she studied at Montana Bible College. Rebecca is originally from western Montana where many of her family still reside. She enjoys a variety of activities, including hiking, skiing, reading and traveling, to name a few.

Tyler Ashley

Elementary P.E.
Though serving as a P.E. substitute teacher in 2010-2011, Tyler joins us this year as our elementary P.E. teacher. Tyler holds a bachelor's degree in Physical Education and Health Enhancement, with a minor in Coaching, from Montana State University. Mr. Ashley has coached football and club soccer for a number of years. Tyler is married to Kari Ashley, a Bozeman native, and they have been blessed with two young boys, Everett and Isaac. In his spare time, Tyler enjoys playing with his sons, snowboarding, playing soccer and basketball, and playing music as a drummer for Evangelical Free Church.

Jeff Knapp

Secondary Sciences: Earth Science, Physical Science, Biology; Algebra 2
Mr. Knapp has been at Petra Academy since 2008. Jeff attended and graduated from Concordia College, Seward, Nebraska. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Education with majors in Biology and Health. Jeff and his wife Anneli have two sons, Kris and Isaac. Isaac is an elementary student at Petra. Jeff began his teaching career in 1995 and has taught in Denver, Colorado, and Salt Lake City, Utah, at Lutheran schools. Jeff co-coaches ultimate frisbee with Mr. Koenen and is the athletic director responsible for promoting sports at Petra.

Gregg Valeriano

Secondary Formal and Material Logic; Rhetoric I; Ninth Grade Humanities (Modern I): Modern US and British History I, Doctrine/Theology III, Modern US and British Literature I
Mr. Valeriano began teaching at Petra Academy in 2003. Gregg earned a Bachelor of Arts from Northeastern Bible College, a Master of Arts from Wheaton College Graduate School, and a Master of Divinity from Princeton Theological Seminary. From 1998 to 2000, Gregg taught at L'Abri Fellowship in Huémoz, Switzerland. Gregg splits his days between Petra and Montana State University where he teaches philosophy classes as an adjunct instructor. Gregg's extra-curricular interests include reading, flyfishing, snowboarding, and mountain biking. Last winter Gregg married Anya Poirier and they welcomed a baby girl on October 13.

Thomas Banks

Secondary Latin; Seventh Grade Humanities (Ancient I): Ancient World History I, Doctrine/Theology I, Ancient Literature I
Mr. Banks began teaching Latin during our last semester in April 2010. Thomas is a native of Idaho, where he attended Logos School, one of Petra's sister institutions in the ACCS. Thomas enjoys languages, preferably dead, and he collects books, preferably rare. Thomas holds degrees in English literature and classical studies from the University of Idaho.

Kyle DeVerna

Secondary Pre-Algebra, Algebra I, Trigonometry, Calculus, Chemistry
Mr. DeVerna came to Montana in the summer of 2010 to work as a counselor at Clydehurst Christian Ranch. Besides acquiring a love for Montana while working at Clydehurst, Mr. DeVerna also acquired a love for Miss Alyssa Jackson! Kyle and 'Ally' are engaged to be married in December, 2011, and begin their life together in Bozeman, Montana. Kyle enjoys hiking ("or pretty much anything outdoors in the mountains"), excercising, running, swimming, reading, and watching movies with friends. Mr. DeVerna holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil and Environmental Engineering from Virginia Military Institute, Lynchburg, Viginia.

Erika VanDyk

Eighth Grade Humanities (Medieval I): Medieval History I, Doctrine/Theology II, Medieval and Reformational Literature I
This is Miss VanDyk's first year teaching at Petra. She earned a Bachelor of Arts from Calvin College, Grand Rapids, Michigan, where she majored in English and minored in history. Along with her part-time work at Petra, Erika works at Visser's Greenhouses. She also is a girls' basketball coach at Manhattan Christian School. She loves to read and enjoys playing and watching sports, especially basketball.

Ruth Beery

Secondary Music and Art
Mrs. Beery comes from the Cornhusker state of Nebraska where she grew up with two St. Bernards, three cats, gerbils, and one sister. She graduated from Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas, with a bachelor's degree in K-12 Music Education. Benedictine College is also where she met her husband, Stephen. They were married on June 4, 2011, and now live in Belgrade. Mrs. Beery plays piano, guitar, sings, and does various art projects when she finds the time. She is very competative when it comes to activities, having done volleyball, basketball, cross-country, track, several musicals, choirs, bands, and theater all through high school and college. Aside from taking care of her house and husband, Mrs. Beery enjoys horseback riding, disc golf, trail running, gardening, spelunking, hiking, and reading.

Sam Koenen

Academic Dean
Secondary Rhetoric II; Tenth Grade Humanities (Ancient II): Ancient World History II, Doctrine/Theology IV, Ancient Literature II; Eleventh Grade Humanities (Medieval II): Medieval History II, Doctrine/Theology V, Medieval and Reformational Literature II; Twelfth Grade Humanities (Modern II): Modern US and British History II, Doctirne/Theology VI, Modern US and British Literature II
Mr. Koenen serves as our academic dean reviewing our school's curriculum and working closely with teachers to develop Petra's curriculum, as well as conducting weekly teacher training. A veteran teacher at Petra, Sam began teaching at Petra in 2000. Sam earned a Bachelor of Arts degree at Montana State University, Bozeman. Sam and his wife Catherine have one son at Petra and one daughter. Besides teaching at Petra Academy, Mr. Koenen lectures on worldview at a local church and teaches various humanities subjects in adult education forums. Sam's extra-curricular interests include natural history (especially ornithology), hiking, fishing and cycling.

Todd Hicks

Headmaster
Mr. Hicks has been Petra Academy's Headmaster since 2008. Todd previously taught and administered at Montana's other classical Christian academy (Mission Valley Christian Academy, Polson) for ten years. Todd and his wife also worked in a children's home and school in the Palestinian West Bank city of Ramallah for over a decade. Todd earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in literature, at Wheaton College, Illinois, and a Master of Arts degree in English, at the University of Montana, Missoula. Todd and his wife, Ghada, have four children (one teaching at the Stony Brook School, New York, two in college and one at Petra). Todd is a die-hard fan of the Minnesota Twins and Vikings.

Hope Sukut

Operations Manager
Mrs. Hope Sukut has worn about every hat there is to wear at Petra Academy. She has served in several staff and volunteer positions since joining the school as a teacher in 1999. Presently, Hope serves as our Operations Manager, overseeing the business affairs of Petra Academy. She and her husband Brian have seen two of their four children graduate from Petra as well as one foreign exchange student. The youngest Sukut daughter, Shadiah, will graduate in 2018! Hope expresses her gratitude for the Christ-shaping influence in her life and family that they have known at Petra.

Karen DeGroot

Administrative Assistant
Mrs. DeGroot has been helping Petra Academy keep its office in order since 2007. Karen and her husband Tad have three daughters, the eldest a recent alumna who is currently a senior in college and the younger two are Petra secondary students. Karen's other work experiences include work as a travel agent, an office assistant in the Human Resource Development Council (HRDC), church office secretary from 1990-2011. She began working full-time at Petra this year. Karen was a homeschool mom for 12 years, and a “sports mom”, still involved in the local Christian homeschool sports program. She is also active with church activities including the GEMS girls' program. Karen was born and raised right here in the Gallatin Valley. Karen enjoys her family, doing handcrafts, gardening and camping.