Faculty and Staff
Members of the Pen Bay Christian School faculty and staff have been selected on the basis of academic credentials, as well as their dedication to the goals of Christian education. All of our teachers have completed a college or graduate level teacher preparation program and are State of Maine Certified as well as being active members of a bible-believing church.
Renee Camber, Preschool
Trudy Heanssler, Kindergarten & 1st Grade
Mrs. Heanssler earned her Bachelor of Science degree in elementary education from Pensacola Christian College in Pensacola, FL. She has taught at every level from K-8 as well as freshman science. She enjoys helping students to read and meet individual goals. Her love of teaching started in high school as she worked in the various ministries of her church.
Mrs. Heanssler previously taught at Temple Christian Academy in Ellsworth, ME. Her years at Temple were a blessing as she worked with students, parents, and staff. The Lord continues to bless as she serves Him at Pen Bay Christian School working with the students, parents, and staff. She is passionate about Christian education.
One of her favorite verses is “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all they ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths.” (Proverbs 3:5-6)
Karen Wheelis, 2nd, 3rd, & 4th Grade
Mrs. Wheelis holds a B.A. in Interdisciplinary Studies PK-8. She also holds a Professional Teaching Certification K-8 through the state of Maine. She has taught most grade levels K-6, including special education and intervention classes. Her background includes studies in early literacy and special education, at the graduate level.
Mrs. Wheelis lives in Union, ME. Her husband teaches at Medomak Valley High School and is also a local pastor.
Beccy Chamberlain, 5th & 6th Grade
Mrs. Chamberlain has been at Pen Bay Christian School since 1995. During that time she has taught grades 3 through 8; she is currently teaching grades 5 and 6. Before coming to Pen Bay, she taught at a Lutheran school in Illinois and at various Maine public schools, including Windsor, Monmouth, and Monhegan.
Her life verse is “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16)
Rebecca Martz, 7th & 8th Grade
Mrs. Martz earned her Bachelor of Arts in social sciences at the University of Maine.
Mrs. Martz previously taught at Hurricane Island Outward Bound School for twelve years and at South Hope Christian School for six years. She is now part of the teaching family at Pen Bay Christian School, where she enjoys teaching the middle school students.
Her favorite verse is “And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.” (Colossians 3:23-24)
Rebecca Anderson, Administrative Assistant
Mrs. Anderson grew up locally and started her education right here at Pen Bay Christian School, where she attended both years of the preschool program. She and her husband have three daughters, all of whom have attended PBCS since preschool and are currently in elementary through junior high.
Mrs. Anderson holds an accounting degree from Husson University. She enjoys her daily responsibilities in the office as well as coordinating fundraising and other tasks that help support the school. Mrs. Anderson started by volunteering for different duties, then began substituting in the different grade levels, worked as an aide for two of the classrooms, and now she enjoys greeting parents and students at the front office. She considers herself a lifelong learner and really appreciates the opportunity to learn from the children each day while working at the school.
The verse she holds closest to her heart is “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.” (Philippians 4:6)
Cynthia Wallace, Administrator
Born in Chicago, Cindy attended a Christian school from grade three through grade eight. She has always had a deep appreciation for what she learned about the Lord during that period and most of her Bible memorization is from that period of her life. She moved to Maine just prior to her twentieth birthday. She transferred from the University of Illinois to the University of Maine in Orono, eventually earning a B.A. in English.
David and Cindy have been married for more than forty-nine years and live in the home they built in Friendship. As David and Cindy were not blessed with a family, she made the decision to spend her life with children in an elementary classroom. To obtain her K-8 teaching certification, she took the required teaching courses in the evening while working in classrooms as an associate teacher. In 1992, she earned her Master’s degree in Education, also through Orono. She loved being a teacher but retired in 2013 after thirty-five plus years. As she looks back on her life, she can now see how everything in her life has led her to this position. In March of 2014, she was serving on the Pen Bay Christian School Board and found herself being asked to become the school’s administrator.
David and Cindy attend the Friendship Advent Christian Church. As you can see, her life was not planned by her but has been well-planned by the Lord. Her favorite Bible verse is “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths.” (Proverbs 3:5-6)
Ashley Dudley, Nurse
Ashley has been the school nurse at Pen Bay Christian School since 2016. She holds an associate’s degree in nursing from the University of Maine at Augusta, as well as a bachelor’s degree in biology from Husson University. She has worked as an acute care nurse in a hospital and as director of nursing in a long-term care facility. She also serves on the Maine State Board of Nursing.
Ashley loves children and has 15 years of experience serving in various capacities of children’s ministry, including teaching Sunday school and volunteering for Child Evangelism Fellowship of Maine. She and her husband, John, live in South Thomaston with their three sons: Ethan, Eli, and Easton.
Ashley is humbled and encouraged by the truth of Romans 5:8, “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ dies for us.”
Sarah Robertson, Preschool Aide & Music
Sarah spent most of her growing up years in Wisconsin. Her dad is the pastor of a small church, and early on she learned the importance of music. Her parents invested in music lessons for her, and she took nine years of piano lessons and several years of voice lessons. She continued to take music lessons throughout her college years. She has also taught piano lessons in the past. God continues to give her opportunities to learn and stretches her in ways that cause her to grow in her walk with the Lord.
Music holds a special place in her heart as she enjoys it so much. Her desire is to teach the students the value of Godly music, different composers in history, and making a joyful noise unto the Lord.
“I will sing unto the LORD as long as I live: I will sing praise to my God while I have my being.” (Psalm 104:33)
Ethan Troester, Phys Ed
Sharon Marriner, Library
Sharon has always loved working at Pen Bay Christian School and has been around through the years helping out in many different ways. She started out working with the nursery school, went on to be the art teacher, helped with the hot lunch program, and is now working as the school librarian. She has always loved being around children and God has always found her a place in the school.
Kim Spear, Art
