Instructors
Mrs. Autumn Acheampong
Meet the Instructor:
My name is Autumn Acheampong. My husband, Richard, and I have three kids--Ava, Jace, and Lily. I have a BA in Elementary Education and have been teaching for over 20 years in a variety of contexts including 13 years as a missionary in Ghana, West Africa with City of Refuge Ministries.
Mrs. Jennifer Horsey
My husband and I have 3 kiddos. One of our favorite things about homeschooling is the extra time it allows for exploring. The kiddos and I love to get to the beach anytime we can! In addition to traveling, I enjoy baking. I'm looking forward to spending time with our 4th-5th graders diving into science!
Mrs. Candice Howard
I'm Candice Howard, wife of 12 years & mom to 3 boys. Before my oldest son was born I taught second grade in Orange County NC. Our family has been a part of Compass since its inaugural year in 2022, and since joining Compass I have served in several roles, including kindergarten assistant, pre-k/kindergarten teacher, lower elementary coordinator, and preschool B teacher. I love teaching these young ages and showings kids that learning can be fun!
Mrs. Becky Knutson
I’m Becky Knutson, a homeschool educator and high school coordinator for Compass with over 20 years of teaching experience. I have a degree in Education from Wayne State University and have taught students from preschool through high school.
Since 2020, I’ve been homeschooling my three children and teaching a variety of classes within our co-op community. I love creating hands-on, engaging learning experiences that help students build confidence, think critically, and enjoy the learning process.
Mrs. Sarah Landers
As a former high school history teacher, I love teaching World History! I have five years of experience teaching a variety of high school History courses, including American History, World History, American Government, and AP Government. I have homeschooled our three kids (age 11,10,6) for three years now. Prior to that, I owned a floral design and gardening company. I love reading, spending time outside in my garden, and asking and answering good questions.
Mrs. April O'Neal
Hi! My name is April O'Neal. I am a Christian, a life long learner, and have been a Registered Nurse for 17 years now. My husband and I have 4 children, who I am so very grateful for. We enjoy time together and with friends, observing wildlife in our backyard (deer, turtles, birds, squirrels, rabbits, etc), along with spending time with our 2 cats. This will be our 10th year homeschooling. I look forward to meeting you and your family!
Mrs. Amy Sheppard
Hi, I’m Amy Sheppard, and this will be our 5th year as a part of Compass and our 5th year homeschooling. My husband, our three boys, and I have just moved to Lake Royale in Louisburg along with our many pets. When we get the chance, we love visiting Disney for a little extra magic!
My husband, Jeff, and I have 3 boys - Jackson, Jameson and Jonathan, and we began homeschooling in December of 2021. I am originally from Connecticut and moved to NC to attend Meredith College. I also earned a Masters degree from Central Connecticut State University. I was a classroom teacher for 18.5 years in public, private and charter schools in the area. We currently reside in Franklinton with our many pets. We are members of Flat Rock Baptist Church where I am also the Office Manager and Children’s Ministry Director.
Mrs. Janaye Smith
Hey all! Mom of 2 girls, 7 years and 11 years old. We recently started homeschooling about 2 years ago and so grateful my husband and I made that decision! We love God, serving, being outdoors, participating in vendor fairs and soccer!! We are a very active family and look forward to being creative, team building and getting moving w your little ones!!
Mrs. Whitney Thomas
My family moved to Wake Forest from Danville, KY two years ago. My husband and I have two boys (ages 9 and 10) who have been homeschooled from the start and a wild Australian Shepherd pup. I enjoy reading, using my Cricut, outdoor walks, watching college sports, Zumba classes, and trips to the beach and Universal.