Mr. Jody Sowards is the administrator of Teays Valley Christian School. Mr. Sowards has served TVCS for 22 years and is in his twenty-seventh year in education. He is a 1997 cum laude graduate of Marshall University with a BA in Education; Major Math 5-12 and Minor Science 5-8. Mr. Sowards received his Masters Degree in Educational Leadership in 2009 through Marshall University Graduate College.
Mr. Sowards has also served as an administrator in Cabell County Schools where he was the principal at Central City Elementary School and Huntington East Middle School. Mr. Sowards holds Permanent Professional Teaching Certifications in Math and Science and a Permanent Professional Administrative Certification through the WVDE. Mr. Sowards also holds an Administrative Certification through ACSI. Mr. Sowards has been married to Brandy Sowards for 28 years and they have two adult sons which are proud TVCS alums. They also have two grandchildren. Mr. and Mrs. Sowards attend the Bridge Church.
Mr. Sowards' life verse is Proverbs 3:5-6, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not unto your own understanding; in all thy ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths." Mr. Sowards has a strong desire to see students pursue excellence, develop strong interpersonal skills, and have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ...letting Him direct their paths throughout their life.
Mrs. Mary Mendez is the Principal of Teays Valley Christian School. She accepted Jesus as her Lord and Savior at the age of 8. She has grown up in church her entire life and loves the Lord with her whole heart. Mrs. Mendez has been married for 17 years to her amazing husband, Paul. Together they have three children, two sons, and one daughter, who attend TVCS. Their family attends New Life Church in Huntington, WV, where she serves on the worship team. Her life’s verse is Joshua 1:9 (NIV): “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”
Mrs. Mendez received her Bachelor's Degree in Education with honors from West Virginia State University in May 2004. Immediately after graduation, she was employed by Kanawha County Schools and served in that district from 2004 to 2013 as an elementary teacher. She subsequently began working for Putnam County Schools to be closer to home. During that time, she obtained her master’s degree in Educational Leadership (Pre-K - Adult), with certifications in Principal, Supervisor of General Instruction, and Superintendent, from Wheeling Jesuit University in 2017. She has always had a desire to serve in Christian education, and in August 2020, the Lord opened a door for her to serve as the middle school math and science teacher at TVCS. Throughout the 2023-2024 school year, Mrs. Mendez had the honor of serving as Vice Principal. She also holds an additional principal certification with the Association of Christian School’s International (ACSI).
During the 2024-2025 school year, Mrs. Mendez will begin her 21st year as an educator. Teaching and serving in various educational settings throughout her career, including public schools and private Christian education, has given her a deep appreciation for the value of education and the importance of providing a quality learning environment for students. She desires to create a safe and nurturing environment that fosters academic excellence and personal growth in the Lord for the Teays Valley Christian School Lion Family.
Rev. Bethany A. Carr currently serves as the Executive Pastor at Teays Valley Church of the Nazarene, where she has been on staff since 2007. She is a graduate of Teays Valley Christian School and attended Trevecca Nazarene University and Mount Vernon Nazarene University, Religion and Pastoral Ministries. Bethany was ordained as an elder in the Church of the Nazarene in 2010. She has been married to Adam since 2009, and they have two children, AnneMarie and Phinlee. Bethany currently serves on the West Virginia South District Credentials Board, West Virginia South District Nazarene Missions International Board, and serves as assistant to the West Virginia South District Secretary. She also serves on the TVCS Alumni Association Committee. Bethany has been co-owner of AnnaBeth Photography since 2009. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, cooking, and the roles of dance and soccer mom. She is passionate about reaching the lost for Christ and building His Kingdom.
Dr. Rob Johnston is the proud dad of three Teays Valley Christian School students. He is married to his high school sweetheart and is a family physician in private practice at Charleston Family Practice Group. Rob and his family attends River Ridge Church in Hurricane. He is honored to serve this year on the TVCS School Board.
Mr. Joseph Kessler is a Uniform Sales Consultant for Cintas Corporation, a Fortune 500 Company, where he has been employed since 2007. In addition to his current role, he has held the position of Market Sales Manager where he was the top manager in the East Central and Great Lakes Region in 2018. He has also spent time as a Facility Services Sales Representative, Market Development Representative, Service Manager, and Service Training Coordinator in his Cintas career. Joseph graduated from Marshall University in 2003 with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Management and received his Master of Business Administration from Marshall University in 2006. He is a 1998 graduate of TVCS. Joseph and his wife Heather attend Bridge Church and are the proud parents of two TVCS students, Gabriel and Aviana.
Mr. James “Buzz” Mason is the parent of three TVCS alumni, all successful college students pursuing their dreams. He currently serves as the Director of Emergency Response for a Fortune 5 healthcare company. He retired from the US Navy with 27 years of service, mainly as a pilot and Crisis Action Team Chief. He flew helicopters in his first 12 years, provided Executive Protection for 2 years domestically and 1.5 years in combat zones, then finished his career as a Battle Captain for a four star command, specifically on national Anti-Terrorism Force Protection, Homeland Defense, and Domestic Operations Immediate Actions.
Mr. Brandon Beacom is a 2003 alum of TVCS and works as a home health Physical Therapist for Personal Touch Home Care. He earned his Bachelor of Marketing at Marshall University in 2007 and his Doctorate of Physical Therapy at West Virginia University in 2012. He and his wife, Amanda, along with their 3 daughters, Bailey, Lily, and Kailey attend Bridge Church. Bailey and Lily both attend Teays Valley Christian School. Kailey attends pre-school at the YMCA with plans to start Kindergarten at TVCS next year.
Mrs. Rachel Gray is currently the Finance Manager for the City of Hurricane. She earned her
Bachelor of Business Administration in 2006 and her Master of Business Administration in 2009,
both from Marshall University. She and her husband, Shawn, along with their two children,
Connor and Caroline, attend Bridge Church. Connor and Caroline are students at Teays Valley
Christian School.
Mrs. Kristen Shockey is a Strategic Solutions Manager for Unified Card Communications, a telecom and merchant service focused company. Kristen graduated from Marshall University in 2001 with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing and received her Master of Public Administration from West Virginia University in 2005. Kristen and her husband Steve attend Bridge Church. They have two children, Brody and Braelyn who are students at TVCS and are both very active on many athletic teams.