ACS Support Staff
Business Manager: Terrie Fontenot
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways, acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.” ~ Prov 3:5-6
Until 2002, I was all about leaning on my own understanding. Since coming to saving faith in Jesus, however, I have learned that plans made through Him have such a better outcome than I could ever imagine!
I am blessed to have a wonderful husband of 28 years, and two sons who attend High School at ACS. I have a BS in Chemical Engineering from Purdue University, but have always loved teaching – Sunday school, homeschool co-ops, wherever I could see the light bulb go off! After homeschooling my two boys for 7 years, the Lord led us to ACS, which turned out to be a great “next step” in my sons’ educations, and an opportunity for me to teach in two areas I loved and had been teaching to homeschoolers and adults for many years: Robotics and Drama.
I have been involved in Community Theater since I was 9, doing everything from acting to directing to backstage and set building. To me, drama class should be a fun, safe place where kids can try new things, and maybe find something inside themselves they didn’t know they had.
Robotics came into my life when my son wanted to take a class at age 7. He loved it, and I subsequently became an assistant, and then a teacher in LEGO Mindstorms NXT/EV3 robotics. At ACS, I have been excited to also work with FIRST FTC Robotics and help our High School team learn to build and program in a JAVA-based environment.
Cafeteria: Barry Smith
I have thoroughly enjoyed working at ACS for the last nine years and look forward to another wonderful year! I grew up in West Columbia, Texas and graduated from Columbia High School. Afterwards, I attended Brazosport College, Southwestern Assemblies of God University, and Christ for the Nations. Later I spent 6 months helping a missionary, Ralph Hagaemeir in Tanzania, Africa. After my return from Africa, I got a job working for Texaco Exploration and Production and met my wife, Laura Smith. We have been married 40 for years! During this time, we have had many amazing years together, although we have also had very heartbreaking times as well. We suffered the loss of our six-year-old son in 1992, then our daughter at birth in 1992, and many miscarriages, etc. In 1994, we embarked on a new journey. We moved to Belize, Central America, where we served as missionaries. We had 25 children in our home at different times and raised 9 of them most of their childhood. Now, all of them are grown and have families of their own. While in Belize we were blessed to give birth to our miracle, Judah Daniel Smith, weighing in at 1 pound 14 ounces! In Belize, we had a home for children who needed one, a school for them, and we started a church. We also worked closely with the Mayan community and local church in later years. Throughout our time in Belize I served other ministries in helping get them set up on the internet and servicing their computers. For awhile, I taught computer lessons at the prison. I also became known for being a chef and did catering. I was known for my pizza and cinnamon rolls, as well as doing some birthday cakes. Nine years ago, we returned to the USA to take care of my mother. That is when I began working at ACS. Our son graduated from ACS in May 2019, and now is doing maintenance for ACS! My wife is also at ACS as a teacher. I am excited to be here and love working with fellow staff members, as well as the students!