Meet the Consultants

Lighthouse Educational Services has a heart for children. From special needs students to those who excel academically, our consultants work to create a positive, individualized testing experience.  Below, each of our WJ-IV testing consultants shares a bit of her heart with you. (Our consultants are independent contractors.)

Monica Ragan, Administrative Assistant

I was raised in central Florida and moved to Raleigh, NC to finish my B.A. in
Biblical Studies. After marrying a Garner native, and starting a family, we decided homeschooling was the path for us. Our two children have been schooled at home, since kindergarten. We used the Woodcock-Johnson test from the beginning and trusted the consultant’s wisdom. As a client, I greatly appreciated the guidance. So when I was offered the part-time position of administrative assistant, I gladly accepted. I enjoy sharing about the benefits of the Woodcock-Johnson tests and encouraging families who are seeking help with their annual testing needs.

Donna Annis: B.A. English,  Certified Orton-Gillingam and Linda-Mood Bell tutor
between Garner and Clayton
annisdonna553 {at} gmail.com

My name is Donna Annis and I have been a consultant with Lighthouse Educational Services since 1997. I have a B.A. in English from Tennessee Temple University in Chattanooga, Tennessee.  I am a trained Orton-Gillingham instructor and I’m a member of the Augustine Project. I have homeschooled all six of my children, four of whom have gone on to obtain higher degrees at universities in our area. I am currently homeschooling our adopted daughter from China.  Our extended family is from Vietnam, Korea, and Mexico.  Tutoring and testing has given me the opportunity to have an impact on future generations.  Through the years I have taught, I have discovered that each child learns in his/her own unique way.  Our family has found that although homeschooling has its difficulties and challenges, the rewards are far greater.

Ginny Raynor Brown:  B.A. Psychology and Art
Clayton
ginnybrownLES {at} gmail.com

I attended Wake Forest University where I achieved a B.A. in Art and Psychology. My husband, Jimmy, and I , have three daughters who have all been homeschooled K-12. 

As a testing consultant with Lighthouse, I enjoy working with children and making them feel comfortable to help them do their best work. I want to help the parents, too, by giving any advice or help in any area they need. In my opinion, the WJ-IV is the most personal and thorough achievement test and I enjoy administering it.

Jill Buhler: M.S., CCC-SLP
Garner
jillbuhlerLES {at} gmail.com

I was raised in rural Illinois and graduated with a B.S. and Master’s degree in Speech and Language Pathology (SLP) from Purdue University. I started my SLP career at a public K-8 school then moved on to a Veterans’ Home. After the birth of my first child, I decided to become a stay-at-home mom and eventually a homeschooler for 15 years. My second of three daughters is dyslexic. School was one of her, and my, biggest challenges. To meet her needs I became proficient in the Lindamood Bell programs, Great Leaps and other phonemic awareness and visual tracking strategies.  Today, she is a confident, engaging young lady. I think she and I would agree that homeschooling made the biggest difference. Our family hosted 9 Korean exchange students and I often would tutor them by Skype when they returned to Korea. I love teaching English as a Second Language and our family is blessed with many Korean friends. Now I am enjoying testing with Lighthouse Educational Services and maintaining my connection with the homeschool community. I also enjoy tutoring struggling readers using the Lindamood Bell and Barton Reading systems.

Anita Cotuna: B.A. Psychology
NW Raleigh
anitacotuna {at} gmail.com

I was raised in Chapel Hill and went on to study exercise physiology and psychology at UNC-Chapel Hill where I graduated with a BA in Psychology.  Many hats have been worn since that time! My life’s journey had me begin as a group home counselor then onto positions in corporate wellness, catering, massage therapy and finally to the most rewarding role of all as a mother. When my two children began school at Trinity Academy, I was offered a position as a Teacher’s Assistant for 5^th and 6^th grades.  Although I loved my time there, my husband and I were feeling a draw to homeschool our two children.  We brought our kids home when they were in 4^th and 5^th grades to see how it would work for our family, and we never looked back! 

Each year we used the Woodcock-Johnson test as our end of year test.  Its style of testing and the depth of information we gained from it was invaluable to us in making curriculum choices for upcoming years.  When my children reached high school, I was offered a position at the Homeschool Gathering Place.  I have loved my time there. I am always learning about new curriculum, meeting new homeschoolers, and helping guide and support those on their homeschool journeys. 

Becoming a Woodcock-Johnson tester has been the perfect complement to working at the store.  Both roles allow me to assist new and seasoned homeschoolers – through testing and helping parents gain insight about their child(ren). They also give me opportunities to help parents with their decisions about curriculum requirements and finding creative endeavors that will meet their family’s homeschooling needs. Being in the company of children and helping enrich their education makes my day! 

Lisa Durham:  B.S. Special Education, Certified Barton Tutor
between Garner and Willow Spring
lisa {at} ldtutoring.com

I have spent most of my adult life in education. I graduated from Appalachian State University with a B.S. in Special Education and began my teaching career in the public school system as a special education teacher. After teaching for a number of years, I left my job in the school system in order to work in Governor Martin’s Office of Education.  When my children came along, I began our homeschooling journey which last sixteen years. During that time frame, I was also trained in an Orton Gillingham based program which allowed me to begin teaching reading skills to children who struggled with dyslexia. As a tutor with advanced certification in the Barton Reading & Spelling Program, I now enjoy a full time career teaching children with dyslexia.

During the years we homeschooled, we were involved in numerous homeschool groups and co-ops in the Raleigh & Fuquay area. Since I had experience with standardized testing as a public school teacher, I generally organized our homeschool group’s achievement testing. In this role, I often helped parents interpret test results and choose curricula for subject areas that needed remediation. It was an easy transition for me when I joined Lighthouse Educational Services as a consultant in 2011.

I am thankful that I’ve had the opportunity to be involved in education in so many capacities. It’s my privilege to be able to use my experience and skills working with Lighthouse, to help homeschoolers with their testing and curriculum needs.

Serena Manning:  M.Ed. Special Education
Clayton 
info {at} lighthouseEDU.net

SERENA IS TYPICALLY BOOKED 4-8 WEEKS IN ADVANCE.

I graduated from the University of Georgia with undergraduate and graduate degrees, both in the field of special education.  As a former special education teacher, I worked with students of all ages and ability levels.  I quit teaching to stay home with my two daughters, started working for Lighthouse Educational Services, and within a few years, decided to join the ranks of homeschoolers.  Homeschooling my two daughters, one in high school and one in college, has been the most challenging and rewarding job I have ever had.  Administering the Woodcock Johnson Tests of Achievement gives me the opportunity to encourage other homeschool parents and provide strategies for children with learning struggles.

In 2011, our Director, Sherry Hemingway began to mentor me to one day assume her role.  In December 2014, Sherry went to be with the Lord.  It was an honor and a privilege to work closely with Sherry for 7 years.   I strive to daily model her gracious spirit, compassion, and concern for others.   Sherry’s legacy lives on as the Lighthouse consultants carry the torch of this ministry, offering support and encouragement as you direct your child’s education.

Carol Polischak: B.A. English
between Clayton and Garner
mscarolLES {at} gmail.com

I am a veteran homeschool mom of two adult children, an academic tutor, as well as a testing consultant for Lighthouse Educational Services. I graduated with honors from NC State University with a B.A. degree in English.

Prior to homeschooling my children, I taught classes for a group of homeschooled, high school students. That was sixteen years ago. Since that time, I have taught numerous classes, privately tutored many students, and provided testing services for hundreds of families. I enjoy connecting with and encouraging my students and their parents, both inside and outside of the classroom.

I currently reside in Wake County between Clayton and Garner with my husband John, two college-age children, and four dogs. In addition to my testing schedule, I continues to provide tutoring services and small classes for homeschooled students.

I graduated from Meredith College with a B.S. in Business Management and pursued an additional degree in Elementary Education. I love working with children. The majority of my adult life I have worked with children in many capacities: teaching elementary school in public and private school settings, being the Nursery Director at my church, founding a co-op, participating in multiple co-ops, teaching Sunday school, and homeschooling my own children. In the past, I have served on the board of Deerstream Learning Center where 3 of my children attend class once a week. I live in Durham with my husband and four children, 3 boys and 1 girl. We have homeschooled since 2009.

I am thankful to have the opportunity to homeschool my children. Not every day is fun or easy, but the good definitely outweighs the difficult and bad.  Discipling and teaching children is the most important job that we have as parents and I am honored to have that role in my children’s lives and in other children’s lives. I look forward to connecting with students and parents on a personal level. I love seeing a child “get it” and feel confident in their God-given abilities, no matter what level they are on.