Amorah Nelson
Academic Lead / Teacher
Amorah Nelson earned a Bachelor of Science degree with a major in Biology and minor in Chemistry at Seattle Pacific University. During her years at SPU, she spent two summers conducting marine biology research. Later, she obtained her Master of Science in Biology at Western Washington University. While at SPU and Western, she instructed upper level biology lab classes. The results of her research work at SPU and WWU have been published in scientific journals. She was an adjunct professor for SPU in 2006. Amorah is a certified teacher through ACSI (Association of Christian Schools International).
Amorah has been teaching at Hill Creek for 19 years and has been in a leadership role for 15 years. Through this time, she has been richly blessed by all of her students and her interactions with the parents. This school is truly a ministry for her. Amorah’s teaching style is concrete sequential and she teaches using a direct instruction approach. All of her classes incorporate labs to add the hands-on, creative experience. She has high standards for her students and is very willing to spend extra time with students who ask for assistance.
Amorah is blessed to be a wife and a mother of two girls and a boy. When time allows, she can be found outside trying to create a beautiful garden. Above all, she is grateful to the Lord, who has blessed her beyond measure and has led her to this career and to this school.
Brandy Vizmanos-Garcia
Brandy Vizmanos-Garcia received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Secondary Education with a major in History and minor in Political Science from the University of Arizona in 1998. She also earned a middle school endorsement at that time. Brandy later earned her Master’s Degree in Special Education with an emphasis in Emotional Behavior from the University of Arizona in 2002. She worked in the public school system for 9 years and has been running Calvary Heritage Learning Center an affiliate of Academy Northwest for the last 14 years. She has had the great pleasure of working at HCC for the last 8 years.
Brandy has consistently taught history and English over the last 23 years. She taught middle school for 22 years, but she has now moved into just teaching high school classes as her own children have progressed into their secondary level education.
Brandy and her husband, Ed, have been married for 20 years. They moved to Washington State from Tucson, Arizona 19 years ago. They have homeschooled their children for over 13 years. Their son Kyler is 18 years old, and he graduated from high school in June 2021. Their daughter Sydney is 15 years old and a sophomore in high school. When Brandy is not taxying her children around to their various activities, she loves just being home. She looks forward to working in the yard, watching a good movie, or reading a book.
Tim Drumm
Tim Drumm grew up near Houston, TX where the Lord saved him late in his teenage years and placed him under theologically sound biblical teaching at a local church. At that church, Tim married the love of his life, Katie, in 2007. They are blessed with four children: Luke (born 2010), Elizabeth (2012), Phoebe (2015), and Jack (2018).
Tim graduated from The College of Biblical Studies Houston in 2011 with a Bachelor of Science in Christian Leadership and a minor in Bible. He then went on to graduate from The Master’s Seminary in Sun Valley, California with a Master of Divinity. While in seminary, he completed training and certification as a Biblical Counselor with ACBC.
Tim has worked with students since salvation and is passionate about teaching them the truth of the Bible and encouraging their growth in Christ. During the past 15 years, Tim has been actively involved in campus FCA meetings, teaching Sunday school classes, church administration, coordinating conferences & camps, serving in & then leading youth ministries, and teaching as a professor at The Master’s University. He loves to teach, preach, and mentor students.
Shortly after graduating from seminary, Tim and his family relocated to Mount Vernon in August of 2018 to take his dream job! He currently works as the Pastor of Student Ministries at Emmanuel Baptist Church where he oversees the junior high, high school, and college ministries. Tim & his family are so thankful to be part of the church family at EBC.
Christina South
Christina South has a Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics and Secondary Education from Southern Oregon State College and Washington State teacher certification for secondary mathematics. Christina has been involved in the education of students for more than 25 years–home schooling, teaching classes to various groups, tutoring, classroom teaching, and coaching speech and debate students. She taught in Christian schools for eight years before becoming a home schooling parent. Classroom instruction included English, math (primarily Algebra 1 and above), Bible, study skills, drama, personal finance, life skills, and Spanish. Whether in the classroom or at home, Christina enjoys the challenge of making instruction meet the individual needs of her students.
Christina and her husband have six children–two biological and four adopted. She also has four wonderful grandchildren. When there is a quiet moment, Christina enjoys reading, scrapbooking, and spending time outdoors.
Tessa Johnstone
Tessa Johnstone received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Special Education and her certification as a Reading Specialist from Colorado Christian University. She has homeschooled her four children ages 11-21 throughout their school experience. She lives with her husband and children on Camano Island. Tessa has experience and training working with students who struggle in school. She is passionate about giving hope to kids overwhelmed by their difficulties in school. Her mission is to support kids that struggle with learning and bring hope to their education.
Sarah Slyman
Sarah Slyman received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Religion with a minor in Art from Palm Beach Atlantic University. After graduation, she was a full-time tutor in a public high school and later worked in a Christian Montessori School assisting in math and art for grades 4-6. She has always enjoyed her time in the classroom and also working one-on-one with students. Providing a quality education for her students and her own children has always been a priority for her.
Sarah and her husband, Patrick, have been married for 20 years. They are both from the east coast, moving here from the Boston area seven years ago. In addition to homeschooling her two teenage daughters, Sarah is a pastor’s wife and enjoys a very active role in church life. She also runs a home business making designer eye patches for children and adults. Working with children and teens has been a big part of Sarah’s life. She spent many summers on staff at Christian camps, teaching Sunday school, directing children’s church, volunteering on youth staff, training groups for mission trips, etc. She has a passion for people and a love for the gospel. When it is not raining, she loves to garden and travel with her family.
Dana Bitto
Dana Bitto graduated from Seattle Pacific University in 1997, earning a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education with a major in English. She taught 4th grade at Twin City Elementary for seven years while earning her Master of Education with an emphasis on Literacy Development from Western Washington University in 2001. In 2003, she and her husband welcomed twin boys, and thus began her homeschooling journey. She has gained many insights while homeschooling her four children over the last 12 years. Dana has developed a new perspective on learning differences, such as dyslexia, while focusing on sharing her love of high-quality literature and history. She has been involved with various homeschooling enrichment opportunities in the Skagit Valley, including Friday School.
Dana began the next chapter in her education career at Hill Creek Christian two years ago. Teaching middle school and high school level English classes has been a wonderful way for her to share something valuable and worthwhile with her students. She finds pleasure in researching, developing and implementing classes that help students grow in understanding their place in God’s World. She views learning as a lifelong endeavor. Dana looks forward to teaching classes that are both engaging and challenging, preparing students for learning beyond the classroom setting.
Amy Tucker
Amy Tucker graduated from Providence Baptist College with a Bachelor degree in Elementary Education. She has been in education for over 20 years and has taught all ages from kindergarten to high school. Amy homeschooled her two children for seven years and has taught many years in Christian schools. She has experience working with special education students and struggling learners as a certified NILD Therapist. Her passion is to help each student thrive in the classroom so each can reach his or her education goals. Amy is able to assist each learner in finding a personal learning style; she adapts her teaching style to reach every student.
In her free time, she enjoys taking day trips around Washington with her two teenage children, as well as crafting and reading.
Caty McGrew
Caty McGrew received a Bachelor of Science degree in Zoology from Washington State University in 2005. Caty then went on to Whittier Law School where she earned a Juris Doctorate in 2012. While at Whittier, she was active in the Environmental Law Society where she held the position of treasurer for one year. Caty received a Master of Science with an emphasis in Curriculum and Instruction from Western Governor’s University in 2018, and is now working on a Doctor of Education degree through Grand Canyon University.
Caty began tutoring in math and science during the summers of her WSU school years and continued that work after graduating. She tutored in all levels of math, from addition to calculus, to all ages of students, from kindergarten to college. She also tutored in science courses, including Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Earth Science, Physical Science, and Anatomy and Physiology. She has been teaching at Hill Creek for five years and has worked as a Level 1 Educational Therapist through NILD.
Caty has two pets, a dog (boxer) and a snake. Caty also has a passion for all things Disney, especially Disneyland. Her other interests include traveling, movies, sports, outdoor activities, crafting, and reading.
Carley Martin
Carley Martin earned a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics along with her Secondary Education Teaching Certification from Seattle Pacific University, graduating magna cum laude in 2007. She earned her way to attend SPU by being valedictorian of her graduating class in high school and obtaining one of only two scholarships given to students in all of Snohomish County called the Washington Scholar Award, which paid a large portion of her tuition. Carley was always a serious and driven student who loved to be involved in all activities; varsity sports, student council, church youth group, and community theater to name a few.
Carley has been delightfully married to her husband Nick for 14 years and they have five children ranging in age from 23 to 5; two daughters and three sons. In that time, Carley has walked alongside her children through many learning settings including public school, private school, homeschool, as well as a Spanish immersion dual language program, while also being a preferred substitute teacher at several local public schools. From 2009 to 2012, Carley was a Bradley Method Childbirth instructor and branched out last year into the realm of math tutoring. Carley is a novice gardener, loves to cook for a crowd, has run the Ragnar Relay 4 times and enjoys playing church volleyball whenever possible.
Carley joined the team at Hill Creek a year ago. She has a passion to make learning fun but thorough, rigorous enough to produce growth, but always engaging and relevant with her primary goal being to create a class environment to which students excitedly return each week, ready to learn more.
Lisa Rollins
Lisa Rollins received a certificate of Biblical Studies from Emmaus Bible College in 1998. After completing her Associate of Arts degree at North Seattle Community College, she went on to obtain a Bachelor’s degree in General Studies with an emphasis in Elementary Education in 2005.
Aside from homeschooling her children for the last 11 years, Lisa has worked as a Spanish translator for Bellingham Public Schools, taught elementary age students in a homeschool co-op for two years, directed the homeschool group Classical Conversations for two years, and taught English grammar and writing for one year.
Ever since her exposure to the Spanish language through an inspiring high school teacher, Lisa was motivated to study abroad in Mexico, and continued to travel to Guatemala, Argentina, and Bolivia to improve her Spanish language development and to share God’s love with others. She is an exuberant teacher who works to target multiple learning styles in the classroom, and is excited to share her love for Spanish and other cultures with the students.
A hippie at heart, Lisa enjoys making soup, growing dahlias, and creating silly songs to entertain and embarrass her 5 children and her patient husband of 18 years.