Pearl Nanninga grew up in the mid-west as the youngest of a large farming family.  Her love of children started with helping care for her nephew and nieces and grew as she studied for her Elementary Education degree. Pearl married her college sweetheart, Kip, and after receiving her teaching license, moved to Ohio, to teach in the public schools and also work alongside Kip in his youth ministry in the local church.  This classroom experience, including two years as lead teacher in a Special Education classroom, helped to solidify her desire to collaborate with parents in giving students a quality education.  

 

After four years of teaching, they welcomed the first of five children and Pearl was able to stay home while continuing to serve in the local church with children, students, and young mothers' ministries. Parenting is the earliest form of teaching and when the Nanninga children reached school age, the learning transitioned to specific subjects with the importance of one-on-one learning and reading. Pearl homeschooled their children from Kindergarten through Third grade for the next 15 years.  These school years included some long days, great learning celebrations, fun field trips, and the opportunity to know her children on a deeper level that continues to this day.

 

Understanding the value of education at home, Pearl has a desire to help and encourage parents as they choose this path for their families. This desire and a love for teaching lead her to join a homeschool collaborative academy as the Language Lead, training staff and parents, planning a curriculum schedule for the year, and implementing it in the elementary classrooms. Pearl looks forward to continuing this educational model at Castlewood Academy.

 

When not in the classroom, Pearl is still a family homemaker, at heart.  She enjoys engaging their growing family around the dinner table, watching college football, taking a long Colorado walk, or reading a great book. Learning always continues!