Meet Mrs. Beard:
Alma Mater: Lubbock Christian University
Degree(s): Bachelor’s in Visual Communication
Years of Experience: 10
Mrs. Beard is thrilled to begin her first year teaching at The Summit! Originally from Texas, she earned her degree in Art and Art Education from Lubbock Christian University. Her passion for teaching young learners began in her hometown of Tyler, Texas, where she taught at the bilingual preschool Niños de Promesa. More recently, she taught at Preschool Academy in Springfield, Missouri. In addition to her early childhood experience, Mrs. Beard has spent over a decade teaching students of all ages across multiple states—including Texas and Alabama—and even overseas in Africa.
In 2022, Mrs. Beard and her family relocated from San Antonio, Texas, to Missouri, and she is excited to start this new chapter at The Summit. As a teacher, she is committed to walking alongside each student on their unique learning journey, providing personalized support to help them thrive.
Outside the classroom, Mrs. Beard loves spending quality time with her family. Her husband coaches men’s soccer at a local university, so she enjoys attending their matches whenever she can. She is also passionate about staying active, exploring the outdoors, and participating in the community events around Springfield. With a deep love for arts, crafts, and design, Mrs. Beard’s creative spirit is a big part of who she is, both in and out of the classroom.
Meet Mrs. West:
The assistant teacher is Halina West. She grew up in the North of England, attending Didsbury Teacher Training College. She obtained a Bachelor of Education degree in 1974 and taught first grade in England and The Bahamas before relocating to Springfield in 1988. In 1994, she opened and ran a state licensed preschool until she retired in 2012. Halina enjoys traveling to England and Europe and spending time with her sisters, and her four great nieces. She is married and has two daughters, a step son, a step daughter, a 2 year old grandson, and two step-grandchildren who live in Louisiana. During her spare time, Mrs. West loves to garden, work on crossword puzzles, and has started learning to play pickleball.
We are eager to do a lot of learning, laughing, exploring, creating and growing together with each other this school year!
