High School Faculty

B.S. Social Science - Lee University (1984)  

Mr. Jerry Baker’s lengthy teaching ministry with Christian schools began in 1988 at Covenant Christian School in Aurora, IL. He has spent three plus decades fulfilling the call on his life to be a teacher and to share his passion regarding Christ with his students. Mr. Baker holds a bachelor's degree from Lee University. Mr. Baker and his wife, Anne, have two daughters - Katie and Emily. The Baker family attends Sanctuary Church in Batavia, where Mr. Baker has served as a deacon and an elder. He currently teaches an Adult Sunday school class. 

BS Mathematics 
MA Mathematics
Education Specialist Curriculum and Instruction of mathematics

Mrs. Baron moved from Michigan to Illinois in June of 2022. She Taught mathematics for 24 years at Mercy High School in Farmington Hills, MI. She joined the ACS team in 2022, teaching middle and high school math! 
 

B.A. English - Taylor University (1985)  

After graduating from Taylor University in Upland, Indiana, in 1985, Mrs. Cami (House) Beck moved to New York to work at Nyack College in the Student Development program.  However, believing God's call on her life meant teaching, she returned to Aurora to complete her certification at Aurora University and began teaching at Aurora Christian School in the fall of 1987.  Although she currently teaches senior level Novels and Composition and AP Language and Composition, she also serves as the College Guidance Counselor, and oversees the school's drama program. Her roles at ACS have been varied, including all middle and high school levels of English instruction, team teaching the chapel band course, and even running the library.  Mrs. Beck and her husband, Ted, live in Montgomery, Illinois, and love attending St. Olaf Lutheran Church.  

B.S. Bachelor of Science Athletic Trainer – Olivet Nazarene University (2013)

M.A. Organizational Leadership – Olivet Nazarene University (2015)

Mrs. Cobb grew up in Batavia, IL.  She graduated from Olivet Nazarene University where she earned a BS. in athletic training.  While earning her masters in organizational leadership at Olivet, she worked with various sports teams as an athletic trainer.  Mrs. Cobb also teaches Sports Medicine at ACS.  She and her husband live in Montgomery.  They currently attend Harvest New Beginnings. 

B.S. Exercise Science - Olivet Nazarene University (2012)

Mr. Michael Cobb is a Michigan native and graduate of Olivet Nazarene University. He joined the ACS staff in 2016 as a Middle School and High School Physical Education Teacher. Prior to working at Aurora Christian, he worked for OAK Athletic Development in Bourbonnais, IL as an Athletic Development Personal Trainer working with everyone from middle schoolers and high schoolers to retirees on how to live a life of wellness. Michael finds joy in being able to build relationships with his students, and highly values the Christian environment that ACS provides both students and staff. Michael married fellow ONU grad Melissa Cobb, who is the ATC on staff at ACS. Michael stays busy coaching HS Cross Country and Junior Varsity Girls Basketball. Outside of school, the Cobbs enjoy building things, watching movies, and spending time with their two dogs, Kevin and Maggie.

B.A. Bachelor of Arts English and Music Composition – University of Illinois (2003)
MEd – Master of Education Curriculum and Instruction – University of Illinois (2005)
M.A. - Christian Studies -Trinity Evangelical Divinity School (2016)

After graduating from the University of Illinois in 2005, Mr. Matthew Cunningham began his career in education as a public school English teacher.  In 2012, Mr. Cunningham temporarily stepped away from teaching and soon began preparing for ministry by pursuing a Master’s Degree in Christian Studies at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School.  While pursuing this degree part-time, he also worked as a carpenter, served as an assistant to his pastor, and began teaching Bible classes at Aurora Christian. He has been blessed to be able to put his training and life experience into practice here at ACS, helping students to know and to love God and His Word.  Mr. Cunningham also enjoys hiking, camping, playing games, competing in sports, and cheering for ACS teams.  He, his wife, and his two children are active members of Highpoint Church.

B.A. Mathematics, Lake Forest College (1997)
B.A. Physics, Lake Forest College (1997)

Mrs. Angela Davis was born and raised in Southern California. She went to college at Lake Forest College in Lake Forest, IL, majoring in both Mathematics and Physics. Mrs. Davis had a 15 yr computer science career, focused on data, before being a stay at home mom. Her passions have always been learning and sharing knowledge and experiences with others. After her son started Kindergarten at ACS, she enrolled in graduate school to earn a Masters in Teaching, Secondary Education with emphasis in Mathematics at Concordia University Chicago. Outside of work, Mrs. Davis enjoys traveling with her husband and son and spending time in nature. As a family, they attend Highpoint Church in North Aurora and all serve in various capacities.

B.S. Secondary Education-English: Southwestern College (2000)

Mrs. Jaimee Draper began teaching at ACS in 2013.  She teaches HS English, Speech and Sophomore Girls Bible.  She has also taught Worship Band, Creative Writing, and Theater Club at ACS.  She has been teaching in ACSI certified Christian schools for 20 years.  She began her career in AZ for the first 10 years, teaching Theater and Speech. She ran a theater program and directed HS musicals for 10 years at NCS in AZ.  She then taught English, Speech and Art for 4 years at CCA before coming to Aurora Christian.  She is married to the Senior Pastor of Bethany Road Bible Church in DeKalb, and has two children.  She serves on worship team and women's ministry at her church. Jaimee records Christian audiobooks in her "free time".  
 

PBACC Secondary Education, Biology – Arizona Christian Univ. (2020)

B.A. Film and Video Prod. – Columbia College Chicago (2008)

Mr. Joseph Fews is an alumnus of Aurora Christian, class of 2004. Upon graduating high school, he vowed to himself to stay away from school after he graduated college. The Lord had different plans for his life and moved his heart to use his gifts to educate children. Mr. Fews started his
teaching career as a substitute teacher in Waukegan and Zion public schools. His eyes were opened to the needs of young learners and moved forward with a full-time career in special needs education, as a paraprofessional at Clare Woods Academy (2010). He soon coupled his special
ed. career with working as an at home therapist for Autism Home Support Services. After 6 years and further prompting from God, Mr. Fews decided to return to school himself and become a certified teacher. During 2020, a year of shut-downs and hardships, God opened multiple doors at ACS for Mr. Fews to finish his degree program as a student teacher, and later became a 3rd grade teacher, and a high school science teacher as well. Mr. Fews feels truly blessed to answer God’s call and do His work here at ACS. Mr. Fews and his wife, Julia, have 1 daughter, (Clara). Their family attends Ginger Creek Community Church in Aurora.

B.S. Spanish Education University of Wisconsin-Whitewater (2007)

Mrs. Melody Gile began teaching Spanish in 2007 at Batavia High School, where she taught for nine years. While staying at home with her infant son, Mrs. Gile felt God calling her to pursue teaching in a Christian school. She followed that calling to Aurora Christian in 2018.  Mrs. Gile graduated with a Bachelor’s of Science in Spanish Education from University of Wisconsin-Whitewater in 2007.  She studied abroad in Costa Rica and is passionate about traveling and using language as a way to be the hands and feet of Jesus to others.  She and her husband, Jason, live in North Aurora with their children, Graham and Evelise, and currently attend Calvary West Church in Sugar Grove, IL.

B.S. Mathematics Education - Taylor University (2005)
M.A. Christian Ministry – Liberty University (2015)

Mr. Bob Gorbold is the math department chair at ACS. After graduating from Taylor University in 2005 with a BS in Mathematics Education, he taught high school math at the Cornerstone Campus for six years. During this time, he completed an MA in Christian Ministry from Liberty University and originally joined ACS teaching both Bible and Math. He has a strong passion for the Bible and teaches that the pursuit of God’s truth in mathematics is an act of worship.  He has three young children that bring him more joy than he thought possible. He can frequently be found playing board games, ping pong, or having meaningful conversations with his students. His family attends Harvest Bible Chapel in Aurora.

B.A. Music Education - Augustana College (1997)
M.M. Music Education - University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (2003)

Mrs. Anne Hauser has been a member of the Aurora Christian School faculty since 2005.  Mrs. Hauser was born and raised in Menomonee Falls, WI.  She graduated from Augustana College in Rock Island, IL with a degree in music education.  She taught 7-12 band in the Edgewood-Colesburg, IA school district for one year before heading home to teach.  Mrs. Hauser taught seven years for the Lutheran High School Association of Greater Milwaukee in the elementary band program.  While teaching there, she completed her Master of Music in Music Education at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.  Mrs. Hauser is currently the 4-12 Instrumental Music Director at Aurora Christian.  While at Aurora Christian, she has coordinated the High School Band for the IL/WI ACSI Music Festival. She lives in Aurora with her husband, Jonathan, and daughters, Rachel and Rebekah.  She attends Immanuel Lutheran in Batavia.

B.S. Physical Education-Bethel College (2006)
M.A. Kinesiology-Sam Houston State University (2007)

Mrs. Tiffany Lantz is a native Texan who graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Physical Education and a master’s degree in Kinesiology. Her undergrad includes a minor in Educational Studies. Tiffany has led from a variety of positions in education including coaching and teaching. She has taught Special education, Kinesiology, Teen Leadership, and classes in an Early College High School program. She also served the past two years as a Pre-K teacher at a Christian School in Bullard, Texas. Mrs. Lantz has recently moved to Aurora from Texas where her husband Caleb is serving as the Associate Pastor at Crossroads Community Church. They have two children, Tenley and Carter, who will both attend ACS. In her free time Mrs. Lantz loves to craft, explore new places (especially coffee shops) and spend time with her 80-pound Goldendoodle, Biscuit.

B.S. Elementary Education - North Central University - Minneapolis, MN (1986)
B.S. Behavioral Sciences - North Central University - Minneapolis, MN (1986)

Mrs. Laurie Madsen enjoys helping students find health and fitness through physical activity.  She has been teaching Physical Education and Health since 1999 at Aurora Christian Schools.  She has taught a variety of other classes as well through her tenure at ACS.  Laurie has  coordinated missions trips overseas along with middle school outdoor ed  and Washington DC trips in the past. Over the last several years the physical education department has developed new classes to include many adventure and fitness sports that are popular under her leadership.  She is also part of the high school volleyball program.  Her desire is to see athletes use their skills to honor God and bring others to Christ through athletics. Laurie lives with her husband, Kent in Montgomery.  They have two adult children, Kirsten and Trey.  The Madsens attend Calvary Church in Naperville. 

Cesia Morgan was born and raised in Antigua, Guatemala where she felt the call to become a teacher. She has a teaching certificate awarded from El Ministerio de Educación de la Republica de Guatemala. She is a passionate leader and educator who brings a high level energy mentality into every aspect of her work. Her passion for traveling and learning new languages brought her to the States 12 years ago. She has had the privilege of teaching 1st and 2nd grade. She also has experience working with both children and adults who wanted to learn Spanish using various Spanish education curriculum. She currently lives in Aurora with her husband, Micah Morgan and two kids, Andrew and Abby. Following Christ is her first priority and she takes to heart the responsibility of sharing God’s love and truth in the classroom. Her family currently attends Highpoint Church in North Aurora. 

Miss Kelsey Palmquist has been teaching preschool and elementary music and middle school choir at ACS since the 2021-22 school year. She is a graduate of Music and Worship arts at Kuyper College and enjoys using her love of music to both teach and lead worship. She loves that at Aurora Christian, we can use every song we sing to worship God and declare His goodness. In her free time, she volunteers at a local Christian theater company, both on stage and behind the scenes. She recently moved back to the Aurora area and is excited to be a part of this community again! 

Ms. Rodgers enjoys working with students and helping them be successful in the classroom. Teaching has always been her dream, and she has had the opportunity to work with students in various classroom settings throughout her teaching career. After graduating from Trinity Christian College in 2014, she began teaching as a Middle School Cross-Categorical Teacher at Elim Christian School. During that time, she went back to school and completed her Master of Arts in Special Education Behavior Intervention Specialist and passed the test to be a Board Certified Behavior Analyst in 2018. After graduate school, Ms. Rodgers had the opportunity to work at Shepherds College in Wisconsin, as it serves individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities and become certified in their majors and gain skills for future employment. God then provided the opportunity to move back to Illinois, and she is very excited to work with students at Aurora Christian School. She resides in North Aurora and is actively involved in her local church. 

B.A. Political Science - Hampton University (1998)
M.ED. in Technology in Education - National Louis University (2018)
M.ED. in Teaching, Learning, and Assessment - National Louis University (2020)

Ms. Jacquie Sanders was raised in Aurora, Illinois, and is an alumna of Aurora Christian School, graduating in 1994. After graduation, she moved to Hampton, VA, earning a BS in Political Science from Hampton University in 1998. She completed her Masters in TIE (Technology in Education) from National Louis University in June 2018. She then finished her masters of Education in Teaching, Learning, and Assessment in June 2020. She joined the staff at Aurora Christian School in 2011 as an extended care worker, and the Preschool staff as an aide in January 2012. She is currently serving as the Technology Teacher for middle and high school students. Ms. Sanders is a life-long member of Main Baptist Church in Aurora, IL.

B.S. Mathematics (minor in Physics) Western Illinois University (1997)
M.S. Educational Research - Northern Illinois University (2007)
Ph.D. in Educational Psychology - University of Illinois - Chicago (2018)

Dr. Bill Trapp began teaching Mathematics at Aurora Christian Schools in 2019. Dr. Trapp was born and raised in northern Illinois. He received his Ph.D. in Educational Psychology from the University of Illinois - Chicago in 2018. Prior to that, he received an M.S. in Educational Research from Northern Illinois University and a B.S. in Mathematics with a minor in Physics from Western Illinois University. Currently, Dr. Trapp is teaching Geometry, Honors Geometry, and Functions, Statistics, and Trigonometry. Prior to teaching at ACS, Dr. Trapp developed standardized mathematics assessments for the College Board including the SAT and ACCUPLACER. Dr. Trapp and his family attend Christ Community Church at the Dekalb campus.   

A.A.S. Ornamental Horticulture – Kishwaukee College (1988)  
B.S. Biblical Studies – Moody Bible Institute (2010)  
M.A. Christian Apologetics – BIOLA University (2020)

Mr. Bill Warner is an Aurora native who has been following Christ for almost four decades. Prior to joining the ACS faculty in the Fall of 2011, Mr. Warner served for more than 10 years as the pastor of a local church. He is a graduate of Moody Bible Institute and Biola’s Talbot School of Theology. Mr. Warner has a passion for biblical discipleship and serves as chair of the Bible Department at ACS. He and his lovely wife, Duvonna, have been married over 35 years and have two wonderful children, both graduates of ACS: their daughter Brittany and their son Braxton. And their newest addition to the family is their cocker spaniel Cosette! When he’s not in the classroom, or reading a good book over a good cup of coffee in a corner of a good coffee shop, you can find Mr. Warner doing most anything outdoors, deriving special enjoyment from bicycling and tossing around a Frisbee.

Summer Student School – Art Institute of Chicago (1981-1983)
B.A. – Eastern Illinois University (1990)

Mr. Grahame Wilkin has been a professional artist for over 20 years. His experiences in the arts cover a wide range. Mr. Wilkin has been an art tutor for students with severe autism, an artist showing in art galleries including shows in multiple story buildings, a cartoonist for the newspaper, a graphic designer for major fortune 500 companies, an Art Director in charge of a staff of art designers, a sculptor for different church displays, a limited edition print artist for church fund raising, a muralist for inside and outside of buildings and homes, including five 50 foot by 30 foot backdrop paintings for the Paramount theater in Downtown Aurora, and a book illustrator.  Mr. Wilkin is a member of several national art and education associations, as well as the ACSI Community Champions, and he serves as an instructor at Joni and Friends Camp teaching art to students with disabilities.  Mr. Wilkin and his students have created over twenty murals in the Fox Valley area. He and his wife of over 20 years, Jodi, live in Aurora with their two daughters, Madalayne and Alexandera. The Wilkins attend Village Bible in Aurora, IL.

Amanda Zgobica and her family live in Oswego, Illinois and attend Harvest New Beginnings church. She has been at Aurora Christian schools since the 2022-2023 school year. She graduated from Aurora University with her Education degree in 2016. Her previous teaching experience includes 6th-8th grade English and Math. She is ecstatic to be a part of a school that fosters her faith and allows her to share it with her students.

B.A. Social Studies Education – Indiana Wesleyan University (2006)

Mr. Andy Zorger has been at ACS since the 2007-08 school year.  He was born in and grew up in Fort Wayne, IN. Mr. Zorger attended and graduated from Indiana Wesleyan University in 2006 with a degree in Social Studies Education, where he also played baseball.  After college, he worked as a teaching assistant at Scullen Middle School in Naperville, IL, during the 2006-07 school year.  Mr. Zorger currently teaches AP World History, World History, and Economics and is the Varsity Baseball Coach.  He and his wife, Rachel, live in Aurora with their 4 boys: Jackson, Carter, Harrison, and Lincoln.  The Zorgers attend Ginger Creek Community Church in Aurora, IL.