Academic Support
We recognize that not every homeschool parent was designed to be a homeschool parent and can always use some academic support. Our academic instructors will support the parent's efforts at home by covering the core concepts, engaging the students in group discussions, providing suggested assignments, and being available via MySchoolWorx Messages throughout each week.
Click "Scope & Sequence" to view our 4-year academic plan for each grade level.
Meet The Teachers
Candie Knight
Science | 3rd-12th Grades
Financial Literacy | 7th-12th Grades
Mock Trial/Debate | 3rd-12th Grades
Candie is excited to begin her second year at ISA and is grateful to continue serving this faith-filled homeschool community. She holds a degree in Education from Florida Southern College and held active Florida certifications in Elementary Education and Middle Grades Mathematics for over ten years. Her teaching journey has included St. Paul Lutheran School, Southwest Middle School, multiple homeschool co-ops, and serving on the curriculum development team for Answers in Genesis, where she contributed to the development of nationally recognized elementary science curriculum from a biblical worldview. Candie is entering her fifth year teaching Dave Ramsey's Foundations in Personal Finance curriculum and her second year teaching Mock Trial.
As the homeschooling mom of eight wonderfully unique children, Candie believes homeschooling was never meant to be done alone. She loves encouraging fellow homeschool moms as they lead and direct their children's education, believing that when parents are equipped and encouraged, students thrive.
Candie believes parents are a child's first and most important teachers and considers it a privilege to partner with families as they cultivate both a lifelong love of learning and a strong foundation of faith. Whether she's mixing chemicals in a science experiment, helping students make wise financial decisions, or preparing aspiring attorneys for the courtroom, her goal is to spark curiosity, build confidence, and help every student discover the joy of learning.
Kelly Epperson
Literature Analysis | 5th-12th Grades
Excellence In Writing (IEW) | 5th-12th Grades
Spanish | 3rd-6th Grades
Kelly has been teaching for nine years and spent four years as a freelance blogger and writer. She holds a Master’s Degree in Secondary Education and a Bachelor’s Degree in Spanish, both earned from the University of Tennessee. In addition to teaching with Integrity, Kelly contributes to the Ruffled Mango, a website designed to provide women with Bible study tools.
Outside the classroom, she is a proud wife to her husband, Joshua, and a mother to their two daughters. Kelly loves Jesus and loves her family. You can find her watching her husband coach women's basketball at SEU, diving into a good book, or traveling to new places. Her favorite week of the year is going to Honduras for a medical mission trip, where she gets to serve others physically and spiritually. She has definite opinions about most sports, tacos, and pens.
Kelly wants her students to appreciate the power of language. Words can create images, build worlds, heal wounds, and most importantly, lead people to Jesus. Writing and literature are two sides of the same coin, and she's excited to share that treasure with her students.
Brooke Johnson
History | 3rd-6th Grades
Brooke was born and raised in Southern California, where she attended a Christian school. Her mother was a math teacher, which is how she fell in love with teaching from a very young age. She continued her education at Point Loma Nazarene University and California Baptist University earning her bachelor’s degree in psychology. Then she went on to complete a master’s degree in education along with her California teaching credential. After about a year of teaching math in California, she moved to Tennessee, where she met her now husband and continued to teach math for 3 years there. In the summer of 2020, she and her husband moved down here, and she taught at Lawton Chiles Middle Academy for 2 years.
After taking a couple years to work remotely and be home with her son, Sterling, who is now 2-years-old, she is excited to get back to doing the job she loves most, teaching! She is passionate about making learning fun and meaningful, and is thrilled to be a Bible and history tutor at ISA. Outside of work hours, she enjoys serving in the early childhood rooms at Access Church on Sundays and spending time with her family. Some of her hobbies include going to Disney and concerts, playing tennis and pickleball, reading, and riding horses.
Jen Williams
Bible + Math | K5-2nd Grades
ELA | 1st-2nd Grades
Science | 1st-2nd Grades
Jen is a third generation Floridian. She grew up in Lakeland and now resides in Winter Haven with her family. She earned her Liberal Arts degree from Polk State College in 2012. She has taught Preschool classrooms, Physical Education, and is a former substitute teacher at a local private Christian School. Jen has a passion for teaching the younger grades and also serves in the nursery at her church. She is also a former athlete and helps coach any sports her children
play.
Jen has been married to her husband Trey for fifteen years. They have two children Mason (11) and Laney (10) who she has homeschooled for three years. They are a big sports family and cheer for the Florida Gators and the Tampa Bay Rays! If Jen is not watching sports you can find her at Disney World or at the beach. Her favorite hobby is finding shark’s teeth with her family.
Jen believes that ISA has created a wonderful opportunity for our homeschool community to experience education in a Christian environment.
Diane Berthold
History | K5-1st Grades
Diane moved to Lakeland from Colorado in 2022 with her husband Mark and their 2 children, Kian (11) and Eshin (9), who both attend ISA. She has an eclectic background in education, performance, and career paths that have led her to happily land at ISA to work with our K5-2 homeschoolers this year.
Diane was classically piano trained for 13 years as a child and young adult. She picked up violin, clarinet, and guitar along the way, and played in several rock bands, most recently with her husband, and now enjoys playing with the whole family. She developed a passion for theater in middle school and that led to her working and performing at a dinner theater for 10 years with her father and sister.
Throughout her career, she has worked in various aspects of leadership, finance, and coaching in multiple industries. Currently she is working as a COO for a call center: Booked by PSP, and the Director of Quality Assurance for a customer service coaching company: Power Selling Pros. Her whole family loves the beaches, springs, weather, parks, fellowship, and everything else about Central Florida, except for the traffic. She’s very excited to work with our children this year, and is grateful for the opportunity to be a part of our growing, faith filled homeschooling community.
Della Glandorf
Chess | 3rd-8th Grades
Della Glandorf is a dedicated and experienced educator with 24 years of teaching experience in both traditional classroom settings and online learning environments. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education from Flagler College and has spent her career helping students grow academically, socially, and spiritually. Della is passionate about creating engaging and meaningful learning experiences that support each child’s unique needs. Her years in education have strengthened her commitment to building strong relationships with students and families while fostering a love of learning.
Outside of the classroom, Della enjoys a full and active family life with her husband and two children, Colton (13) and Emma (10). Together, they love spending time at Disney, making memories on family cruises, and caring for their farm animals. Della is also actively involved in 4-H activities, where she enjoys encouraging young people to develop responsibility, confidence, and life skills through hands-on experiences. In her free time, she values the simple joys of farm life and believes in the importance of faith, family, and creating lasting memories. Della feels grateful to partner with families in their children’s education and is excited to continue inspiring young learners each day.
Laurie Edwards
ELA + Science | K5-2nd Grades
History | 2nd Grade
I have been serving in a teaching capacity for the past 14 years, working with children ages 3–18 through various church teaching and leadership roles. These experiences have given me the opportunity to teach students at many different developmental stages and adapt my approach to meet their individual needs.
In addition, I have homeschooled five of my six children over the past 12 years, including teaching Kindergarten to three of them. This has provided me with extensive hands-on experience in curriculum planning, literacy development, individualized instruction, and creating engaging learning environments.
I am currently attending BYU online, pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education with an emphasis in literacy education and a minor in Theatre Education. My goal is to combine my years of practical teaching experience with formal education to continue helping students grow academically, creatively, and personally.
Chris White
Literature | 3rd-8th Grades
Chris White brings a combination of technology, creativity, and lifelong curiosity to the study of literature. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, graduating magna cum laude. His professional career has spanned technology, entertainment, and higher education.
Chris has always been interested in the intersection of stories, ideas, technology, and culture. He has a folder of ideas for a Shakespeare-inspired video game that he hopes to build someday. He enjoys helping students look beyond simply what happens in a story to consider why an author made particular choices, what a work says about human nature and culture, and why stories written hundreds of years ago can still matter today.
Outside of work, Chris enjoys small-group ministry and coffee (especially a hot white mocha, should anyone happen to be making a coffee run). He and his wife are the parents of a five-year-old daughter, and their family recently moved to Florida. They are enjoying discovering their new home together and are always looking for recommendations for great Florida destinations to explore as a family.
Chris looks forward to sharing his curiosity with students and encouraging them to read thoughtfully, ask good questions, examine ideas from different perspectives, and discover connections between literature and the world around them.
Makai Wise
History | 7th-12th Grades
Cultures & Customs | 3rd-6th Grades
Writing | 3rd-4th Grades
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Lynn Peters
Science | 7th-12th Grades
Wm. Lynn Peters was born in the coal mines of Virginia in 1953. His family moved shortly thereafter and he grew up in Southwestern Ohio. He graduated from Trotwood-Madison High School in 1971. He attended Carson Newman College in Tennessee where he received a Bachelor of Arts in Biology in May, 1975. He was commissioned as an officer in the US Army upon graduation and entered active duty as a Combat Arms Officer. He married Rosemary Campbell and they had two daughters. They were married for forty-four years. He served on active duty for 9 years at which time he transferred to the reserves to enter Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary where he received a Masters of Divinity degree in 1987.
Upon graduation from seminary, he served as senior pastor for four churches over a thirty-year period. He retired from full-time ministry in 2017 shortly before the death of his wife. When he moved to Lakeland, he met, feel in love, and married Mia Bittinger. He is currently an Elder at Legacy Christian Church. He has served in churches since he was a youth. He loves to teach the Bible, sing, hunt and fish, as well as travel.
Tiffany Lively
Science | 3rd-4th Grades
Writing & Grammar | 5th-6th Grades
Tiffany Lively has been homeschooling since 2014 and is passionate about home education and empowering parents to feel confident and supported in their homeschool journey. A graduate of Saint Leo University, she brings years of hands-on homeschooling experience, enthusiasm, and a love of learning to her role on staff.
Tiffany and her husband, David "Alan" Lively, have three children: Logan, 21, and 13-year-old twins, Alli and Emma, who are students at ISA. Alan will also be serving the community this year as the archery coach.
Mrs. Tiffany is excited to be part of the Integrity and looks forward to encouraging students and families throughout the school year!
Kim Lake
Bible | 3rd-6th Grades
Kimberly Lake, a graduate of Southeastern University (2014), has a degree in Organizational Leadership with minors in Psychology, Theology, and Spanish. She has a combined 7 years of teaching experience in various school settings. She moved back to Lakeland in 2024 from Denver, Colorado with her husband of 13 years (Kyle), and her four children (Raelynn, Judah, Jaxon, and Rivy).
This is Kim's first year teaching Bible to the Upper Elementary students at ISA. She was raised in a pastor’s home and fell in love with God’s word at an early age. She sees it as an honor and a privilege to teach Bible. When she isn’t teaching at ISA, she is homeschooling her oldest child, ice skating, reading, or thrifting. She loves to travel and has been to five of the seven continents (just missing Antartica and Australia)!
Melissa Ballinger
Physical Education (PE) | 1st-12th Grades
Melissa Ballinger graduated in 2007 with a bachelor's degree in Exercise Science with an emphasis in Fitness and Nutrition. Her career has been spent in fitness studios and vitamin stores where she thoroughly enjoyed advising clients on fitness regiments, nutritional guidelines, vitamin/supplemental needs, and general exercise physiology. In 2015 she became a mom to premature twins and had to walk away from her career to focus on their needs, she is incredibly excited to be able to share her knowledge and passion for overall health with the students at ISA. Her goal is to create a comfortable environment where all kids of any physical ability can enjoy being active and learn how to care for their bodies.
Melissa prioritizes God and her family above all else, she is very active in youth ministry programs and loves to lend a helping hands to anyone in need. She is a wife, mom, bonus mom, and most importantly a child of God, who is incredibly grateful to be a part of ISA. She loves all sports, especially the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Indianapolis Colts, and can usually be found at the hockey rink watching her son and husband compete, or enjoying a good book outside on the porch swing.
Jason Troyan
Bible | 7th-12th Grades
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