Bethanie Simon is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) with clinical and professional experience in both academic and community settings. Bethanie earned both her Bachelor of Science in Psychology and her Master of Education in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Louisiana State University. She is a member of the American Counseling Association, as well as the Louisiana Counseling Association (LCA), and she presented at the LCA conference in 2016. Bethanie has worked with clients ranging from ages 5 to 65 and has been working with Brighthouse Learning Academy for two years, assisting students with a range of social and emotional needs. She has over five years’ experience working with students to help them identify their academic and personal strengths, explore different majors and career paths, and support students with academic, social, emotional, and adjustment-related challenges. Bethanie enjoys working with students individually and in groups using strengths-based and solution-focused techniques. Bethanie’s goal as a Counselor is to work collaboratively with her students to educate, listen, and build the skills and confidence her students need to feel successful in their academic and personal lives.

Jess Blanchard graduated from Louisiana State University with a bachelor degree in Fine Art and a concentration in painting and drawing. She has 3+ years’ experience exploring art with children and teens of all ages. Before Jess started working with Brighthouse at the start of the 2022 – 2023 school year, she worked as an art education coordinator for a children’s museum and then as an art teacher at an elementary school. Everywhere she goes she strives to bring an environment where creativity, problem solving, and communication thrive. Jess stays inspired by her students’ courage to create, and she continues to create art herself. She paints, draws, makes collages, and loves to jump into new things like sewing. It is her goal to spread the love of art and to help build confidence in young artists while they explore the many ways of expressing themselves.

Jonnie Tinker has two years experience working as a teaching assistant for Brighthouse Learning Academy. He has a knack for learning his students’ stories and personalities, making them comfortable and at ease, facilitating a positive learning environment, and he even takes students out for bike rides that they earn with positive behaviors! Jonnie has a vast array of interests that include health and fitness, geography, chess, computers and technology, and much more. He also has four years of experience lifeguarding at neighborhood pools, Franco’s, and the LSU Recreation Academy. Jonnie loves working with kids while having a positive, patient, and reinforcing attitude. He is dedicated to set our students up for a lifetime of success and happiness!

Laura Beasley is a well-seasoned piano and vocal teacher who has been teaching in the Greater New Orleans area for the past 29 years. Laura holds a B.S. Degree in Mass Communications with a Public Relations Emphasis from Lamar University, achieving most of her undergraduate studies at Louisiana State University. Laura’s music education came by way of private piano lessons starting at age 5, adding vocals at age 13 and continuing through her young adult years. With the support and help of her family, Laura started a private teaching studio, and nearly 30 years later, she is still well known and loved in the community by her students and their families. Laura brings her knowledge and love of working with 2e students to Brighthouse that has come through her years of teaching private lessons and developing personalized music curriculum according to the students’ needs and individual learning style. Her creativity and joy in building student and parent relationships which help her customize the learning experience has proven to be successful with her students. She looks forward to teaching, learning and growing with Brighthouse staff and students. Besides teaching music, Laura enjoys spending time on the beach, spending time with friends, traveling, all kinds of live musical performances, flowers, home decorating, health/fitness/nutrition, open air markets, and watching LSU and Saints football games.

Lee Kreil attended Louisiana Tech University on a 4-year music scholarship and earned a B.S. in Economics in May of 1992. He held leadership positions while a member of two professional fraternities, Delta Sigma Pi (business) and Phi Mu Alpha (music), and holds a lifetime member status in both. He has worked with, taught, and tutored students' from elementary to Masters candidates for over ten years. Lee joined Brighthouse Learning Academy in the Spring of 2023 with over five years of experience working with 2e students while operating and teaching at his wife's academic support center. He is an active member of his community. He serves as a coach for Northshore Robotics and has served and has been recognized as a Member of the Month with the former East St. Tammany Chamber of Commerce. Lee is also a Founding Volunteer/Member of the Abita Fall Fest. He is a professional writer and enjoys sitting behind a typewriter, hanging out with friends, and spending time with his wife and his many miniature long-haired dachshunds.

Lyn Chido came to Brighthouse in October 2023 to work with the 5th and 6th graders in all subjects. Lyn earned a BFA in art with an undeclared minor in education from WSU, Superior, WI. She has been a licensed teacher in three different states throughout her teaching career. More recently, Lyn was an in-demand substitute teacher in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul area. She also presented after school art projects in MN schools. Additionally, Lyn has tutored for Sylvan Learning Centers in Hammond, LA. Lyn also has experience working in the dentistry industry managing production, training staff for all departments of the lab, and executing and presenting at seminars for dentists. Lyn enjoys making jewelry, gardening, and sewing. She really enjoys working with the students at Brighthouse. Each day brings new challenges and even greater rewards, and she feels blessed to have this opportunity.

Peter Tinker has been working with Brighthouse since for various IT tasks, most notably having created the current website for the school. He is now working regularly as the IT Manager and handles all computer or technology related needs for the school, as well as aiding in the online presentation of Brighthouse. He has a Bachelor’s Degree in Architecture from Louisiana State University and owns a web design and development company, and has been an avid technology enthusiast his entire life. He strives to create simple, user-friendly systems that allow students and staff to learn and educate in the most efficient and painless way possible. He has a unique perspective as someone with a strong design background with his education in Architecture alongside a logical nature that gravitated him towards technology.

Rebekah graduated from Northshore Technical Community College with a Technical Degree in Drafting & Design. Since then she has held jobs in many different fields, but her best role has been raising her own child with learning disabilities. This has given her the experience and patience to work with BLA’s twice exceptional students. In her spare time Rebekah enjoys gardening, swimming, biking and fishing. Rebekah’s calm demeanor, perseverance, and problem-solving skills make her a great fit for teaching math in a simplified and creative manner so that it clicks.

Sarah McNeil came to Brighthouse at the end of the 2020-2021 school year to teach our students Physical Education (PE) and Nutrition. Sarah received her Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education from Louisiana State University and her Master of Science Degree in Exercise Physiology from the University of Akron. Sarah has worked as a Fitness Director, Fitness Studio Manager, Personal Trainer and owns her own company helping people from all ages and walks of life reach their fitness and health goals. Her approach is to make fitness and nutrition fun and to help students create sustainable, active, and healthy lifestyles. She enjoys traveling the world, paddleboarding, swimming, hiking and running for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Her hope is to inspire the kids to find their passion and use it to find ways to incorporate activity into their lifestyle.

Dr. Sim Shattuck is a retired professor from Louisiana Tech University, where he taught Shakespeare, Arthurian Literature, and tech writing, as well as a host of undergraduate writing and literature classes. He enjoys reading to students and giving them a wider cultural background to understand the currents of social and artistic life.