Meet our School Staff

“Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lords’ purpose that prevails.” Proverbs 19:21

After 35 years as a public-school teacher, I retired in May of 2024. Little did I know at the time, that retirement was not in God’s plan for me. I am so thankful that He chose to lead me to First Baptist Christian Academy as their principal. I am blessed to work with some of the most talented and caring people who desire to challenge their students academically and to share the love of Jesus with them.

During my teaching career I taught in North Carolina, Kodiak Island, Alaska, and the Poplar Bluff Kindergarten Center. I attended college at Missouri State University where I earned a Bachelor of Science in Social Work and Teaching Certification. My Master of Arts in Elementary Education was earned through Grand Canyon University.

My husband, Greg, and I are members of First Baptist Church. We serve as small group leaders and are on the hospitality team. In my free time, I enjoy spending time with family, reading, traveling, working on home projects, and watching football.

One of my favorite verses is Ephesians 3: 20, “Now to Him who is able to do immeasurable more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us.” It is amazing to see God moving and working within our school. We trust Him for our future and would love to have you “Come Grow With Us” at First Baptist Christian Academy.

I was born and raised in Poplar Bluff, Missouri and graduated from Poplar Bluff Senior High in 2012. I attend church at First Church of God here in Poplar Bluff where I serve on the Ministry Leadership Team. I enjoy devoting time out of my Summer every year serving at church camp, Camp Sharon, on the beautiful Lake of the Ozarks.

In my free time, I enjoy being outdoors, crafting, swimming, kayaking, and spending time with my niece and nephew. My favorite place to be is on the river with my family. I love attending concerts, hanging out with my church family, traveling, camping, spending time on my family’s cattle farm, and floating the river.

I attended First Baptist School for preschool, and I feel blessed to be a part of the staff of a school that is so dear to my heart. I started teaching at FBCA in 2019 and brought many years of early childhood education experience with me. I am always excited to meet my students and see how much they learn and grow throughout the year. Working with young children is definitely my passion and calling from God. My favorite thing about working at FBCA is having the opportunity to share the love of Jesus with my students each day!

I was raised in Poplar Bluff, Missouri and graduated from Westwood Baptist Academy. I currently attend church at Fellowship Baptist Church.

In my free time, I love to be outdoors or spend time with family and friends. I have always had a heart for young children and knew I would be a teacher one day.

I am excited to be a part of First Baptist Christian Academy and can’t wait to see what God has in store for me at FBCA.

My love for Jesus and children have led me to First Baptist Academy and I feel so blessed to be a part of this community. My husband Zachary and I have been together for six years and married for three. We have two amazing children, Colton Matthew and Melody Sue-Grace. We are absolutely crazy about our kiddos. We moved here from STL a few years ago when my husband accepted a position as the Assistant Baseball Coach for TRC. While we miss our friends and family in STL, the people of Poplar Bluff have been welcoming. 

I was a preschool teacher for a private school in STL and fell in love with teaching. I get so much joy out of pouring knowledge and positivity into young children. I believe in creating a learning environment that allows children to learn about loving one another through Jesus and allow their creativity to blossom! My goal as a teacher will be to cultivate an environment of respect, kindness and support for all my students. When I am not teaching I am being a mom and baking! I love to bake, read and spend time with my family.

Hello, my name is Kelsie McVey. I am originally from Fisk, MO but now I am a Poplar Bluff resident. My husband Ryan and I have two beautiful girls, Paislie and Kennedie. During my free time I like to read, shop, or just relax. I also like to visit Table Rock Lake. My family and I attend Liberty Hill Church in Aid, MO.

My connection with First Baptist Christian Academy started as a parent myself. My oldest, Paislie, enrolled in 3-year-old preschool in 2024. Towards the end of her first year at FBCA I felt called. I remember telling my husband “That place is just something I want to be a part of”. Something I will never forget is listening to God and following my heart, which led me here with the most amazing administration, coworkers, and students.

I started teaching at FBCA in 2026. Prior to coming to FBCA, I was in the school system as a speech-language pathologist since 2019. I earned my Bachelor of Science in Communication Disorders from Southeast Missouri State University and I earned my Masters of Communication Disorders from Arkansas State University. I have my teaching certification in Elementary Education from the American Board of Certification of Teaching Excellence.

I live in Williamsville with my husband and three daughters, two of which attend FBCA. We are members of Black River Bible Baptist Church in Williamsville, where we serve in children’s ministry. I enjoy spending time with family, camping, and being outdoors.

I am excited and looking forward to great things at FBCA!

After a rewarding teaching career that began in 2000, I am excited to begin this new chapter at First Baptist Christian Academy. I was blessed to spend my entire public school career with the Poplar Bluff School District, where I taught first, second, and third grades, as well as reading intervention. One of the greatest joys of my career was eventually teaching the children of former students, a true reminder of how quickly time passes and how meaningful the relationships built in education can be. I have always known that teaching was my calling. Even as a little girl, I lined my baby dolls up on my bed and pretended to be their teacher. That passion has remained with me throughout my life. The most rewarding part of teaching is seeing the “light bulb” moment when a child truly understands a new concept. Those moments continue to inspire my love for education.

I earned my bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Arkansas State University, and later completed my master’s degree in curriculum and instruction from Southwest Baptist University in 2009. I have been married to my high school sweetheart, Kenny, for 28 years, and we are blessed with one son, Braden. Having grown up in Fisk, Missouri, I have always called this area home.

My faith is the foundation of my life, and I am a member of the Green Forest Church of Christ. One of my favorite Bible verses is Psalm 46:10, “Be still, and know that I am God.” This verse reminds me that God is always in control, bringing peace during times of uncertainty and reassurance that He faithfully guides every step of my journey. I’m truly grateful for the opportunity to be part of the First Baptist Christian Academy family.

“Pray without ceasing.”
1 Thessalonians 5:17

After ten years of teaching in private schools, I believed my time in the classroom had come to an end and that I would continue focusing on being a stay-at-home mother. Since the birth of my daughter, I have been praying that she would have the opportunity to attend a private school and be guided by educators who love the Lord. Having grown up in Festus, Missouri, and attending a private school myself, I understand how vital this environment is. It has always been a priority for my husband and me to find a school where our daughter could grow both academically and spiritually.

I am now very proud to announce that I will be joining the staff at First Baptist Academy as the new second-grade teacher, and my daughter ava will be attending school in the kindergarten class.

My previous ten years of teaching experience include positions in South Florida and Poplar Bluff, and I look forward to bringing that experience to this new role.

My husband Nate, my daughter Ava and I attend Bluff First and have loved watching our church grow. We enjoy spending time on the lake, going for trail rides and playing games.

I am looking forward to a very rewarding year and seeing how I can make a difference in the lives of my students.

I have been teaching with FBCA since 2018 where I began teaching the music appreciation class. Since then, I have taken over the duties of teaching Art, STEM, and Library class. I have a bachelor’s degree in music from Liberty University, focusing on worship arts. When not teaching, I play keyboard and guitar with the First Baptist Church worship team. I reside in Fisk and have two boys, Connor and Liam. My favorite Bible verse is John 4:8,

“Draw close to God and He will draw close to you, so wash your hands and purify your hearts.”