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Sheri Garrett serves as the ministry director of Empower Ministries and an educational therapist for New Beginnings Tutorial. She earned a Business degree from Mississippi State University with a minor in Psychology and is currently pursuing her masters degree in Educational Therapy. She holds certifications from Equipping Minds, the National Institute of Learning Development, and Trust Based Relational Intervention trauma informed classrooms. She and her husband of 28 years, James, and their four children are members of Evangel Church PCA. Four years ago, after working in classical Christian education administration for many years, she joined Empower Ministries to serve children with learning struggles. Her passion is working with children to help restore their love for learning by strengthening and shepherding children with learning differences through “brain games” in a safe, structured, and fun environment while holding fast to the belief that we can have no idea how far a child can go with the right support.
3John4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth. |
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Karen Thompson has been a teacher at New Beginnings for four years. She received her B.A. in Journalism/Mass Communications and her M.S. in Elementary Education from Samford University. She met her husband Alan at Samford and has been married 31 years. They have six children, two son-in-laws, and three grandchildren. Mrs. Thompson has been a teacher in public, private, postsecondary GED, and homeschool settings. She has also received training in ESL, Foster Care, TBRI, Theraplay, and Equipping Minds l and ll. She has been a Buddy for special-needs children at The Church at Brook Hills for three years. She has a heart for adoption because she was adopted and also has adopted children. She homeschooled her own children for portions of their education and taught classes for homeschoolers. She has written her own material in several subjects over the years and helped write a missions-based curriculum that has been published. Her personal interests include Bible study, cooking, travel, reading, games, REFIT fitness dance, archaeology, event planning, and being with her family.
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Theresa Cain Morris is in her third year of teaching at New Beginnings. She received her B.S. in Elementary Education with a concentration in history from the University of Montevallo. She has taught at Oak Mountain Elementary School, Master’s Academy, Creative Scholars, and 280 Tutorials. She has received educational training in Equipping Minds and Trust Based Relational Intervention for the Classroom as well as TBRI 101. She has been married to Wayne for thirty-three years, has three children, two son-in-laws, and two cats. She has a love for teaching students from hard places and those struggling to learn. She home educated all three of her children who also struggle with learning differences. Mrs. Morris loves teaching and supporting her husband in his business and in ministry. She sees the opportunity to teach at New Beginnings as a gift from God and a blessing. “Show me your ways, Lord, teach me Your paths. Guide me in Your truth and teach me, for You are God my Savior, and my hope is in You all day long.” Psalm 25:4-5
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Cassie Porterfield is a certified NILD (National Institute of Learning Development) Educational Therapist, wife of 23 years to John, and mom to three children, ages 19, 17, and 14. She originally received her Bachelors in Piano Performance from Samford University and Masters in Piano Performance from the University of Alabama before her son was born in 2001. For many years, she was a stay-at-home mom and part-time piano teacher. When one of her children began struggling academically in 3rd and 4th grade, she became interested in learning disabilities and began volunteering at New Beginnings Tutorial. Over the years, she became certified in NILD, Equipping Minds, Search and Teach, and TBRI (Trust-Based Relational Intervention) and has a passion for helping kids who struggle to learn. She will complete a Masters in Educational Therapy with NILD from Regent University this year.
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