Mrs. Lipsey has been working with preschool age children since 2011. In that time, she was a 3k preschool teacher and a nanny. In 2016, Mrs. Lipsey took time off to raise her two children and stay home with them. She has worked and loved working in preschool classrooms. For the last two years she helped and volunteered in her son’s preschool classroom for years 3k and 4k. She has now taught at Tall Oaks for one school year.

Mrs. Lipsey currently lives in Sturtevant, WI with her husband of 10 years, her 7 year old daughter, and 5 year old son. Hobbies include spending time with family, exploring pumpkin farms, going to the beach, gardening, going to parks, baking, and playing piano. Mrs. Lipsey’s favorite time of the year is Fall time when all the leaves turn and she can enjoy a good cup of coffee, surrounded by family and a great Pumpkin Farm!

Email: llipsey@talloaksacademy.com

Driven by a lifelong love for teaching and God’s Word, Mrs. Sowa has spent her career empowering learners across a variety of settings. After graduating with her degree in Elementary Education, her journey began abroad as a missionary teacher in the Dominican Republic and through mission work with Cru in Mexico. For the past 18 years, she has served as a Developmental Therapist in Early Intervention, supporting infants and toddlers with special needs from birth to three years old. She holds a Wisconsin K–9 teaching license and an Illinois Developmental Therapy certificate.

At home in Kenosha, Mrs. Sowa and her husband, Mike, are proud parents of three beautiful children. As a family, they love embarking on national park road trips and making international visits to family in South Africa. Deeply rooted in their faith community, they attend Crossway Community Church, where they lead a small group and Mrs. Sowa co-leads a high school girls' group.

Email: jsowa@talloaksacademy.com

Email: dcooper@talloaksacademy.com

Mrs. Backhaus is thrilled to join the Tall Oaks team! With over 25 years of diverse teaching experience, she brings a passion for education and a deep love of nature to our community.

Mrs. Backhaus holds a Bachelor of Science in Biology and Education. She began her career teaching high school biology for three years before landing her dream job—training dolphins and teaching marine conservation in the Florida Keys, where she lived for nearly 15 years.

After the birth of her daughter, she and her husband moved back to their hometown of Kenosha to raise their family. For the past decade, Mrs. Backhaus has been dedicated to supporting student growth through reading and math interventions in various schools, and most recently, she’s been teaching children and adults about the natural world at the Pringle Nature Center in Bristol.

Married to her husband, Jason, for nearly 20 years, Mrs. Backhaus is the proud mom of two daughters, Adley and Tori. Together, they’ve lived in Wisconsin, Florida, and Hawaii—moving a remarkable 11 times!

She finds joy in the outdoors through boating, camping, hiking, and gardening, and enjoys crafting and reading in her downtime. Though she misses living by the ocean, she still gets her saltwater fix during annual trips to Florida where she enjoys snorkeling and diving.

An avid animal lover, Mrs. Backhaus volunteers at the Humane Society and shares her home with two cats, Rajah and Abu, and a dog named Deuce. She is also a devoted member of Kenosha Bible Church and values being part of her church family.

Email: tbackhaus@talloaksacademy.com

Ms. Utigard is passionate about sharing the love of Jesus Christ with children of all ages. This calling over her life started at the age of 17 after returning from a mission trip. Since then, every place of employment has involved working directly with children. She had the privilege of living half a year with a family of eight homeschooled children between the ages of 2-13, and she organized educational activities for the preschool children.

Ms. Utigard has a bachelor’s degree in Cultural Studies with 21 credits in early childhood education. As most of her places of employment were in urban locations, many of the children she has worked with were multi-cultural and multi-ethnic and most were marginalized and under-privileged. Over the years, she has also worked with faith-based organizations and churches. Positions have included Bible teacher, Bible coordinator, lead administrator, preschool teacher and preschool director.

In her free time, she loves to go for walks and enjoy nature. She also enjoys reading and interior decorating. Creating a cozy environment brings her joy. Ms. Utigard loves utilizing what she has learned from her varied roles of educating, nurturing and caring for children here at Tall Oaks Academy.

Email: autigard@talloaksacademy.com

Ms. Mojonnier is delighted to join the Tall Oaks team for this upcoming school year. She received her Bachelor’s degree in General Education and English Writing from Lewis Clark State College in Lewiston, ID. Throughout her time in college, she fought firmly for the philosophies of Classical Education and is excited to apply these principles in her classroom. She has always been passionate about training the next generation in not only growing in their unique skills and giftings but also in their knowledge and love of God. This passion has led her to work at summer Bible camps, substitute teach at several public schools, teach children’s classes at church, work with troubled teens, and lead youth group trips on various mission opportunities. 

Ms. Mojonnier loves to learn, and these topics tend to span throughout an array of endless reading material. She takes great encouragement in the lives and stories of missionaries and other great Christians who have gone before her throughout history. Alongside reading, she also loves spending time with family and friends, adventuring outdoors, writing, music, and board games.

Email: lmojonnier@talloaksacademy.com

Mrs. Zurbuchen is thrilled to join the team at Tall Oaks Academy. What a privilege, blessing, and an amazing answer to prayer! She loves the Lord and has a passion for teaching and missions. She received her Bachelor’s Degree in Biology from the University of Illinois - Urbana/Champaign and her teaching certification through the Association of Christian Teachers and Schools. She served as a Children’s Leader in Bible Study Fellowship Int’. for 20 years, has taught 2nd Grade for 16 years, and has been on short-term missions trips to the Czech-Republic, Romania, and South Africa.

Mrs. Zurbuchen resides in Kenosha with her husband, Greg. She enjoys spending time with her family, especially her grandchildren! Her favorite hobbies are biking, pickleball, and making crafts.

Mrs. Nelson has lived in Kenosha all of her life. She and her husband have been married for nineteen years and have two children. They attend Kenosha City Church. They love the outdoors and enjoy hiking, kayaking, and snowshoeing.

Mrs. Nelson has her Bachelor's degree in Management and Communications from Concordia University. She has worked with children in many different roles including volunteering in children and youth ministries, substitute teaching, homeschooling, instructional support, and teaching sixth grade language arts. She is so excited to be teaching sixth grade this year at Tall Oaks!

Email: lnelson@talloaksacademy.com

Mrs. Reget has been a Special Education teacher in KUSD for 15+ years. She has taught at the elementary, middle, and high school levels and also holds a Reading Specialist Certification. As a founding board member for Tall Oaks Academy, she believes firmly in the philosophies of Classical Christian Education and is so excited to join the staff at Tall Oaks to be able to teach the way she wants to, through the lens of Scripture.

Mrs. Reget has four grown children, and 5 grandchildren, 2 of which attend Tall Oaks so far. She and her husband Chris are members of Crossway Community Church and believe strongly in serving their community, having organized and head the INNs program at their church for 15 years and the local soccer community for upwards of 20 years.

Email: sreget@talloaksacademy.com

Mr. Hardy worked in the Rehabilitation Services Department at Froedtert South since 2006; most recently in the role of Financial Manager. After volunteering in various capacities at the school since it opened in 2022, Mr. Hardy felt a calling to teach. He student taught at Tall Oaks during the 2024/25 school year. He is so happy to be teaching 8th grade and loves being a part of the Tall Oaks Team. 

Mr. Hardy was born in Pennsylvania and moved to various states as a child. In 2004 his family settled permanently in Kenosha where he met his wife Brianna. They married in 2010 and have 3 wonderful children. Mr. Hardy loves spending time with his family and being outdoors. He loves watching and playing sports and coaches students in cross country and soccer. He is passionate about not only teaching, but being a mentor to his students.

Email: thardy@talloaksacademy.com

Mrs. Pitts grew up in Portsmouth, Southern England, in a family with many musical opportunities. From a young age she took piano & clarinet lessons, as well as being involved in vocal groups and orchestras. As a teenager Mrs. Pitts gave her life to the Lord and soon after became an active member of her local church worship team. She moved to London in 2004 to study for a BA in Music, then spent a year in Kenosha as part of the Living Light School of Worship, before returning to England to complete her teaching certification & then working as a teacher across mainly middle and high school age students. Over time she continued advancing her education with an MA in Applied Theology and returning to Kenosha in 2015 to be a part of the 2nd year program with Living Light School of Worship.

Whilst doing the 2nd year program Mrs. Pitts met her husband Zach and they married in 2017, when she relocated from England to Racine, WI, on a permanent basis. They now have 3 children and continue to be a part of worship teams in their local church congregation. Outside of the classroom and church environment the family enjoys being outdoors, watching movies (especially musicals!) and craft activities. Mrs. Pitts is excited to be part of the staff at Tall Oaks Academy with a passion to see children and young people fulfill their potential educationally, have opportunities to express themselves creatively, and come to know their creator God.

Tyler serves as a Physical Education teacher for Kindergarten through 8th grade and High School students at Tall Oaks. He is passionate about helping students discover the joy of movement and develop habits that promote lifelong health and wellness. Tyler believes that God intentionally created our bodies to move and that physical activity is a gift that allows us to steward our health, build discipline, and use the abilities He has given us to serve others well. His goal is to cultivate an environment where students grow in confidence, character, and an appreciation for caring for their bodies as part of a faithful and flourishing life.

Outside of the classroom, Tyler has been involved in CrossFit since 2021 after spending most of his life playing baseball and looking for a new competitive challenge. What began as a way to stay active quickly turned into a passion for fitness and coaching. He began coaching CrossFit in 2022 and holds his CrossFit Level 2 (CF-L2) credential along with several additional CrossFit certifications in nutrition, workout scaling, and coaching athletes of all ages and
abilities. He especially enjoys helping people reach new levels of progress and celebrate milestones they once thought were out of reach.

When he's not teaching, coaching, or training, Tyler enjoys pursuing his own fitness goals, hunting, hiking, and finding any excuse to be outdoors and stay active. He believes movement is one of God's good gifts and strives to model a lifestyle of health, discipline, and joyful stewardship for both his students and the people he coaches.

Salve! Mrs. Hubing brings 8 years of Latin learning and teaching to the table. As homeschooling mom, she has graduated three children from Classical Conversations and still has one who is in 8th grade doing the program. She has a Bachelor of Arts from North Central University in Theater and Communications, and has been a homeschooling mother since 2007. She and her husband Nick moved to Kenosha, Wisconsin in 1999, and currently attend Living Light Church. She is also involved as a teacher and director with Christian Youth Theater. One of her favorite things to do is learn about languages, and read anything she can get her hands on. She finds it amazing how much Latin we speak every day without even realizing! One of her favorite Latin phrases is "Dum spiro, spero." which means, "While I breathe, I hope."

Mrs. Hubing is looking forward to the school year together. Deus tecum sit (God be with you).

Email: ohubing@talloaksacademy.com

I’m Sarah Rendulic. I have been a nurse for over 20 years, working in the Critical Care Unit, and currently in a local outpatient orthopedic surgery center. I have taught CPR, advanced life support, and critical care orientation classes to new nurses. Since 2020, I have been the coordinator for the total joint replacement program at the surgery center, where a major focus is patient and family education. 

I enjoy reading and listening to podcasts, and spending time with family. I have been married to her husband, Ivan, since 2007. We live in Kenosha with our 4 children (2 sets of twins!), all of whom attend Tall Oaks. As a family we attend and are actively involved in multiple ministries at St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church in Libertyville. 

Tall Oaks has been such a blessing to our family, and I look forward to serving here for many years to come!

Email: srendulic@talloaksacademy.com

Jason Hughes is the principal of Tall Oaks Academy and has been part of the school from the beginning. He first taught fifth grade for two years, then served in a combined role as fourth‑grade teacher and principal before stepping into the principalship full-time.

Before joining Tall Oaks, Jason began his teaching career in Atlanta, Georgia, teaching eighth‑grade mathematics for five years, and later taught high school mathematics for another five years. He is passionate about cultivating an academically rigorous, Christ‑centered environment and helping young men and women grow in character and in a deeper relationship with God.

Jason holds a B.A. in Middle Level Education from Georgia State University and an M.Ed. from Concordia University Wisconsin. He and his wife, Sarah, have been married for 16 years and are the proud parents of two Tall Oaks students. Outside of school, Jason can often be found cheering at soccer and softball games or enjoying a round of golf or a softball league.

Mrs. Mijangos and her family have been part of Tall Oaks Academy since the school’s beginning. She earned her degree in Christian Ministries and Intercultural Studies from Trinity International University. Diana joins us as the high school Spanish teacher, bringing a deep love for the Spanish language, world cultures, and missions shaped by over twenty years of cross-cultural ministry, including thirteen years of life and ministry in Guatemala. Her family life in a multilingual, multicultural home with her husband, Leonel, and their five children, all of whom attend Tall Oaks, continues to shape her passion for teaching. Diana looks forward to teaching high school Spanish and help students grow in both language proficiency and cultural understanding.

Mr. Langley has had a lifelong love for language. He still occasionally uses words he made up in childhood. As an adolescent, he taught himself the tongues of Tolkien's Middle Earth, and studied New Testament Greek. He has been known to amuse himself in dull jobs by putting on different regional dialects. He has memorized extensive selections from Scripture and the works of Shakespeare, Homer and others, of which he has given dramatic recitations for church and educational organizations.

Mr. Langley received his B.A. from Greenville University, where he studied English, with an  emphasis in creative writing, and Communication – theatre emphasis. These interests have led to writing for the stage, as well as performing, directing,  teaching, and working as a fight choreographer. He has taught writing and presentations for middle school, and high school British literature.  

As far as other creative pursuits go, Mr. Langley is a percussionist, and has dabbled in guitar. A hobby is pyrography. 

Another of Mr. Langley’s passions is outdoor recreation. Camping, kayaking, sailing, trail running, hiking, and ample beach time. Bucket List goals include summiting all fifty four of Colorado’s “14ers” (thirteen down so  far), and kite-sailing.

Just prior to starting at Tall Oaks, Mr. Langley and his wife Christina spent roughly three years travelling this beautiful country with their beautiful children - Jack, Elanor, Oliver - in a not-so-beautiful motorhome.

Mr. Langley couldn't be more pleased about this opportunity to strive with the Tall Oaks community in lovingly moving the hearts of all toward the Good, the True, and the Beautiful.

Mr. Baergen enjoys spending time with his wife, Sarah, and their two young kids—Oliver and Wendy. He is passionate about working with young students, having formerly taught middle school English and Bible prior to teaching at Tall Oaks. He is also excited to be a part of the classical education community, as the classical approach thoroughly aligns with his philosophy of education. Teaching a shortened version of the Heidelberg Catechism to sixth graders has been one of the highlights of his career.

Mr. Baergen completed his BA in Biblical Studies at The Master’s University in 2019 and his MA in Ministry at Phoenix Seminary in 2025. He is currently a student at Reformed Theological Seminary, working towards completing a Master of Theology degree (ThM). In addition, he is also a certified secondary Bible teacher through ACSI (Association of Christian Schools International) and has published several books over the years, including Walking with Christ, Reformed Baptist Standards of Faith and Practice, and From Genesis to Revelation.

When Mr. Baergen is not in school himself or at school teaching, he is usually writing another book, watching a black and white movie, or reading a good book. His reading interests primarily include theology, philosophy, apologetics, and church history. Alternatively, you might find him listening to the Chicago Cubs on the radio, perhaps reading a book at the same time!

Mrs. Hardy has worked at Froedtert South Hospital since 2006. She has been a nurse for 12 years spending 8 working in the Critical Care Unit. In 2020 she transitioned to Clinical Education, obtaining a Master of Science in Nursing Education degree in 2022. At that time she accepted a full time Nursing Instructor position at Gateway Technical College and continues to work casually at the hospital. 

Mrs. Hardy grew up in Kenosha. She married her husband Troy Hardy in 2010 and they have 3 amazing children together, all of whom have attended Tall Oaks Academy since opening in 2022. Before coming to Tall Oaks, Mrs. Hardy homeschooled their children for 4 years. She has volunteered at the school for the last 4 years in various ways and is ecstatic to take on Biology for High School in Fall of 2026.

“We love this school and the community it has created for us. We are astounded to see how God continues to shower his blessings upon it.”