Department: High School
Andrew DesBois
Upper School Science FacultyAndrew DesBois
Upper School Science FacultyB.S., Middlebury College
I grew up on the North Shore of Massachusetts and studied biochemistry in college. After graduating, I moved to Connecticut to work at Suffield Academy, a secondary boarding school where I taught chemistry, coached soccer and track, and led a boys’ dormitory. I did soccer and track in high school, and I am still an avid distance runner. Two years ago, I decided to make a change, and so I moved back to the North Shore of Massachusetts to be closer to family and to look for teaching positions at small private day schools. As my Christian faith has deepened in recent years, I also started to look into positions at Christian schools, and Bradford Christian Academy looked like a great fit. I am grateful for the opportunity to teach science at BCA!
BCA’s approach to faith and education within a small, Christ-centered community is unique. The school’s foundation of Christian faith is strong and promotes the personal spiritual growth of each student. The school’s philosophy of education emphasizes teaching students how to think for themselves. The adults in this community care deeply about their students, guiding and challenging them to strive for excellence in academics, extracurricular activities, and in their character and actions as members of the body of Christ. The community feels more like a large family than a small school, a family united by common purpose, love for each other, and love for God.
Josef Novotny
Upper School Math FacultyJosef Novotny
Upper School Math FacultyElise LoSardo
Performing Arts, BibleElise LoSardo
Performing Arts, BibleB.A., Gordon College
Elise LoSardo directs Performing Arts at BCA. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Communications and Biblical Studies from Gordon College. While at Gordon, she performed major roles in Steel Magnolias and My Favorite Year. She also hosted Gordon’s late night comedy show, Exit 17 Live. In addition, Ms. LoSardo has worked in technical support and marketing for various theatrical productions. An avid filmmaker, Ms. LoSardo believes in the power of story telling and her goal is to utilize her “love for all kinds of art and all kinds of stories…” to help our students “find the stories they want to tell.”
David Strasser
MathDavid Strasser
MathB.S., Pennsylvania State University
M. Edu., Columbia University
David Strasser teaches high school math including algebra and statistics. He has taught math in public schools for most of his career. Mr. Strasser holds a Master in Mathematics Education from Columbia University and a Bachelor of Science from Pennsylvania State University. He served in the Peace Corps working in the Philippines at Pampanga Agricultural College where he taught and developed courses in Agroforestry and forestry. While there, Mr. Strasser also organized a community nursery and tree-planting project in an adjacent village. Mr. Strasser has a strong interest in integrating technology with math education so that students not only learn math operations, but also understand how this knowledge applies to real life. He also tells us that, “Teaching math at BCA is my dream job,” as he has long wanted to teach in a school where he can combine faith and learning.
Jin Kim
BibleJin Kim
BibleB.S., in Design, UC Davis
M.Div., Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary, MA
M.A., Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary
Pastor Kim has taught Bible and English in the U.S. and overseas. He has heard a Master of Arts in Old Testament and a Master of Arts in Biblical Languages, both from Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary, a Master of Divinity, degree from Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary, and a Bachelor of Science in Design, degree from UC Davis. Pastor Kim’s philosophy of Christian education states that, “Christian education is not just transfer of knowledge. True and effective education affects the heart and transforms the soul. For this to happen the teacher must exemplify in his/her life what he/she aims to teach.”
Mark Christen
Band TeacherMark Christen
Band TeacherAndrew St. Germain
Science & Mathematics FacultyAndrew St. Germain
Science & Mathematics FacultyB.S., Physics, Gordon College
Andrew St.Germain received his Bachelor’s in Physics from Gordon College, with minors in both Mathematics and Computer Science. Before coming to BCA, Andrew gained teaching experience as a student teacher at Masconomet Regional High School in Boxford, MA and as a summer teaching intern in Wilmington, DE. While he loves learning about math and science himself, he has an even stronger passion for teaching it to others. One of his biggest hopes for his students is that they will achieve a broader and more complete perspective of the world and their faith through their study of both mathematics and science. Currently, Andrew lives in Woburn, MA, where he was born and raised. Some of his interests outside of teaching include playing tennis, studying the Bible, and watching football and basketball.
MacKenzie Kennedy
World Languages FacultyMacKenzie Kennedy
World Languages FacultyB.A. Cultural Anthropology and Spanish, Wheaton College, IL
M.Ed., Gordon College
MacKenzie Kennedy has taught at BCA since 2017. She earned a Bachelor’s degree in cultural anthropology and Spanish from Wheaton College, IL, and a Master of Education in Secondary Spanish from Gordon College. During college, MacKenzie lived in Costa Rica and Spain, studying the Spanish language and the cultures of the Spanish speaking world. Before teaching at BCA, she worked as a Volunteer Coordinator for Amirah New England, an organization that serves survivors of commercial sexual exploitation. At BCA, MacKenzie teaches high school Spanish, sociology, and culture studies and co-leads the school’s service to the Dominican Republic. MacKenzie is a member of West Congregational Church in Haverhill, MA.
Gina McKeown
MusicGina McKeown
MusicBachelors of Music Ed., Illinois Wesleyan University
Master of Music, Illinois State University
Gina McKeown graduated with honors from Illinois State University with a Masters of Music and Illinois
Wesleyan University with a Bachelors of Music Education. Her concentrations were Choral Education, Music Therapy and her primary instruments were piano and voice. In addition to teaching music at BCA, Gina runs a private music studio and teaches piano, voice, and ukulele to students of all ages. Gina was previously the Creative Arts Director of the Dorothea Dix Hospital Creative Arts Therapies department in Raleigh NC. In 2015, Gina co-founded the Greater Newburyport Children’s Chorus and serves currently as the Music Director, serving youth in grades 2-12. She was the Music Director of Clinton Presbyterian Church in Illinois and currently serves as a substitute pianist for area churches as needed. Gina resides in Newburyport MA with her husband, 4 children, 3 cats, and her dog.
Graham Jackson
Language ArtsGraham Jackson
Language ArtsB.A. English, Patrick Henry College
M.Ed., Gordon College
Graham Jackson teaches Modern World Literature to freshmen and sophomores. Graham earned his BA in English from Patrick Henry College in Northern Virginia, and an M.Ed degree at Gordon College. He formerly taught at Mystic Valley Regional Charter School in Malden, MA, and at HSLDA Online Academy in North Andover. Graham enjoys helping students cultivate the ability to write effectively and truthfully, which he believes is key to sharing the value of words, asking hard questions and confronting mysteries. Born and raised in North Andover, Graham has an undying love for the history and beauty of New England and its woods. From Paton’s Cry, the Beloved Country to Robert Frost’s poetry, he loves it all and enjoys sharing his enthusiasm for world literature with his students.