OUR TUTORS

Meet Our Tutors: Staff

JENNIFER BROWN

All About Spelling/ Math Teacher

Katie and her husband, Justin, have been married since 1999. The Blue's have a small homestead in Pine Mountain where they are raising their 6 sons and 1 daughter. They grow veggies, goats,

poultry, and pigs.

Katie has always homeschooled her children and they all love being apart of Olive Plants Co-op!

JANICE BRYAN

Middle and High School Science Tutor

Janice Bryan is a high school and middle school science tutor who has been with Olive Plants since 2015. She has also tutored math, along with science, and has "Loved every minute of it."

Her plan for all students is to turn them into life-long learners.

Mrs. Janice has a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering with 6 plus years of manufacturing and design experience in the automotive, textile, and telecommunications industries. She switched careers to become a homeschool teacher of her now 4 children when her oldest began kindergarten. She is married to her best friend, Daniel, and they graduated their oldest child, Sadie, in 2019.

Janice strives to use her background to create a hands-on learning environment for each and every student.

KIM BULLARD

High School Science Tutor

Since joining Olive Plants Homeschool Extension Program in 2016, Kim Bullard has consistently brought passion and dedication every single day. Her experience as a career high school science teacher makes her a perfect fit as one of our high school science tutors!

AMY CAMP

High School Math Tutor

Mrs. Amy Camp has taught secondary math courses

at Olive Plants since 2014.

She has a B.S. in Secondary Mathematics Education from Auburn University, and holds a Georgia Teaching Certificate. Amy has over 20 years of teaching experience in public school, private Christian school, homeschool co-ops and private tutoring. She also has been homeschooling her own children since her oldest started kindergarten, and graduated her oldest child, Gracie, in 2019.

Amy is married to Adam, and they are busy raising and training 4 children, serving in full-time ministry at Rosemont Baptist Church, and traveling the world with their family to share the love of Christ to the ends of the earth.

MARY FIELDS

Middle School Math Tutor

Art Tutor

Mary was born and raised in India. She earned a Bachelors of Science in Chemical Engineering from BIT Sindri, India. Mary met her husband, Norm, while he was on mission in India and Nepal. They married in 2000 and moved back to the United States later that same year. They now are in full-time ministry at Northside Church of Christ in LaGrange.

They have one daugther, Donna, whom they have homeschooled since kindergarten.

Mary began teaching math in the Greenhouse with Olive Plants in 2016, and now teaches middle school math and multi-level art classes.

Mary is an experienced tutor who began tutoring others during her high school years. She tutored neighborhood children from families whose parents had little or no education. Working with her mother and sister, she aided these children, who ranged in age from kindergarten to 9th grade, with homework and test preparations. She is also a registered Math tutor with the Wyzant tutoring service. Mary enjoys teaching little children and has taught elementary age Bible classes for many years.

Mary is an accomplished local artist who exhibits her own work as well as her OP students!

Check her out! http://artbylata.com/

JESSICA FOLDS

Kindergarten Tutor

Greenhouse Social Studies Tutor

Greenhouse Supervisor

Jessica Folds is married to Brad Folds. and they have four children: Makayla, Morgan, Mark, and Mary Kate. Jessica received both her Bachelor's of Business Administration and Masters of Arts in Teaching from LaGrange College. After teaching 4th grade at Mountville Elementary from 2006-2008, she began homeschooling her own children. She is currently certified by the State of Georgia to teach grades K-8.

Mrs. Jessica has been a Greenhouse tutor wth Olive Plants since 2017, starting our first kindergarten class that year.

She accepted the role of Greenhouse supervisor in 2020.

DAWN HAYS

IEW & Composition Tutor

Olive Plants Founder and President

Mrs. Dawn Hays is the founder of Olive Plants Co-Op, and serves as the head of the English and Language Arts department.

Mrs. Dawn holds a B.S. Ed. in Human Learning and Development, Magna Cum Laude. She also has 20+ years of teaching experience, and is a certified IEW instructor.

She is married to her college sweetheart, Michael, who is a fellow educator in Troup County and Spanish tutor for Olive Plants. They are both passionate linguists and only argue about one topic: the Oxford comma! LOL!

Dawn and Michael have 2 sons, Benjamin and Brian, whom they have homeschooled since birth. Benjamin graduated in 2018 and attends LaGrange College; Brian graduated in 2019, and is currently attending West Georgia Technical College to become a licensed electrician.

ELIZABETH HEWETT

Greenhouse Reading and Science Tutor

Elizabeth Hewett and her husband, Bruce, have four girls and one boy. Their family is on a farming and homesteading adventure, gardening and raising animals in Pine Mountain.

They have been homeschooling their children since their oldest began kindergarten and they seek to glorify Him through this journey.

Elizabeth has been teaching in the Greenhouse at Olive Plants since 2017. Her passion is loving on students while helping them improve in both reading and spelling.

DAWN MAY

5th/6th Math and Social Studies tutor

Mrs. Dawn May joined Olive Plants as a tutor in 2018. Dawn and her husband, Don, have three children they have homeschooled since 2011: Juliette, Jonathan, and Johanna. She has over 20 years teaching experience, with a degree in Early Childhood Education from Georgia State University. Her experience includes teaching students of different ages, cultural backgrounds, and nationalities and enjoys engaging students in new areas of learning while extending on their current knowledge.

The May family enjoy spending time teaching Martial Arts at their studio in LaGrange, exploring outdoors, and having new and exciting experiences.

CASSI WISENER

Middle and High School Social Studies Tutor

JENNIFER BROWN

Greenhouse Math Tutor

High School Math Tutor

Ollie READS Coordinator

Jennifer Brown began her educational career as a special education teacher at the secondary level in LaGrange, Georgia. Jennifer earned her BSEd in Mental Retardation, MEd in Interrelated Special Education, and EdD in Special Education: Curriculum and Instruction from the University of West Georgia. After earning her PhD in Educational Psychology from Auburn University, she returned to the classroom as a secondary mathematics teacher. Jennifer joined the Teacher Education Department at Columbus State University in 2011 where she teaches curriculum design, classroom management, diversity, and educational psychology. Outside of her professional life, she enjoys spending time with her husband and two sons, working in her garden, and cooking gourmet foods. Jennifer entered homeschooling in 2016 and developed a PK-2 curriculum for her two sons.

Mrs. Jennifer has been a tutor with Olive Plants since 2020.

Middle and High School Science Tutor

JANICE BRYAN

Janice Bryan is a high school and middle school science tutor who has been with Olive Plants since 2015. She has also tutored math, along with science, and has "Loved every minute of it."

Her plan for all students is to turn them into life-long learners.

Janice strives to use her background to create a hands-on learning environment for each and every student.

SHELBY BROWN

Greenhouse Math Tutor

Middle School ELA

Shelby Brown earned her degree in Elementary Education with a Specialization in Early Childhood and Special Education from the University of West Georgia in 2019. She has experience teaching third and fourth grades in public school classrooms and has privately tutored fourth through eighth grade students in mathematics. Math is the subject she is most passionate about!

Mrs. Shelby has been married to her husband Matthew since 2018. God has blessed them with two children- Olivia and Coleman. They enjoy going outside together and watching Disney movies on repeat!

Mrs. Shelby has been a part of Olive Plants since 2021!

MARY FIELDS

Middle School Math Tutor

Art Tutor

They have one daugther, Donna, whom they have homeschooled since kindergarten.

Mrs. Mary began teaching math in the Greenhouse with Olive Plants in 2016, and now teaches middle school math and multi-level art classes.

Mary is an accomplished local artist who exhibits her own work as well as her OP students!

Check her out! http://artbylata.com/

JESSICA FOLDS

Kindergarten Tutor

Greenhouse Social Studies Tutor

Greenhouse Supervisor

Greenhouse Reading Tutor

Mrs. Jessica is married to Brad Folds. and they have four children: Makayla, Morgan, Mark, and Mary Kate. Jessica received both her Bachelor's of Business Administration and Masters of Arts in Teaching from LaGrange College. After teaching 4th grade at Mountville Elementary from 2006-2008, she began homeschooling her own children. She is currently certified by the State of Georgia to teach grades K-8.

Mrs. Jessica has been a Greenhouse tutor wth Olive Plants since 2017, starting our first kindergarten class that year.

She accepted the role of Greenhouse supervisor in 2020.

MICHELLE GILLILAND

Mrs. Michelle has tutored or volunteered with Olive Plants since 2016, and has enjoyed being able to help other families in their homeschooling adventures. Michelle has been homeschooling since 2011, and has a B.A. in Ministry from Regent University.

Michelle is from the Troup County area, and moved back home after her husband Warren retired from the Navy. They enjoy home improvement projects and having fun with their three boys. Michelle writes part-time for a home improvement blog and spends way too much time watching British television. She’s always excited for each new school year!

LAURA WELLS

Middle and High School English Language Arts Tutor

Mrs. Elizabeth and her husband, Bruce, have four girls and one boy. Their family is on a farming and homesteading adventure, gardening and raising animals in Pine Mountain.

They have been homeschooling their children since their oldest began kindergarten in 2009, and they seek to glorify God through this journey.

Elizabeth has been teaching in the Greenhouse at Olive Plants since 2017. Her passion is loving on students while helping them improve in all areas of learning.

ELIZABETH HEWETT

Greenhouse Reading and Science Tutor

Mrs. Laura is originally from Florida but has lived in LaGrange since 2010. She earned her Masters degree in Education from the University of Florida, and has taught both in private and public schools.

Mrs. Laura has been married to her husband Joel since 2010. They have a son, Jake, who is 12 years old and a daughter, Tyler, who is 10 years old.

In her free time she enjoys studying the bible, reading, drinking coffee, going for walks, traveling and spending time with family. She is also a vocalist.

Mrs. Laura came to Olive Plants as a long-term substitute in January, 2021, and we decided we couldn't let her go! We are excited to now have her as a full-time tutor at OP!

Middle and High School Social Studies Tutor

DAWN MAY

Mrs. May joined Olive Plants as a tutor in 2018. Dawn and her husband, Don, have three children they have homeschooled since 2011: Juliette, Jonathan, and Johanna. She has over 20 years teaching experience, with a degree in Early Childhood Education from Georgia State University. Her experience includes teaching students of different ages, cultural backgrounds, and nationalities and enjoys engaging students in new areas of learning while extending on their current knowledge.

The May family enjoy spending time teaching Martial Arts at their studio in LaGrange, exploring outdoors, and having new and exciting experiences.

CASSI WISENER

Middle School Tutor

Mrs. Cassi has been with Olive Plants as a tutor since 2017, and holds a B.S. in TV Broadcasting from Toccoa Falls College. She has over 15 years of experience working in broadcasting, advertising, and marketing. She has been homeschooling her 2 boys, Jacob and Caleb, since 2013. Mrs. Cassi is quoted as saying, “We have done the public school, private school, homeschool route and can’t believe we waited so long to homeschool, but now that we have, we can’t imagine school any other way!”