Let's Talk TCA Podcast

  Building Community from the Beginning with Bev Birmingham: Episode 27   On today's podcast episode we have our Assistant Head of Lower School Bev Birmingham with us. We get to know Bev and her heart for our lower school students and families. She also shares about the Lower School Moms Book Club that she started last year and how moms are finding community through coming together over a book. Be...

On today's podcast episode, we have our Head of School, Dr. Jeff Williams . He talks with our host Cynthia Yanof about the new prefect system, junior leadership inauguration, curriculum updates, new coaching staff, and parent survey results. We are so glad to have Dr. Williams on the podcast to update us on everything happening at TCA. Dr. Williams tells us about April's Junior Leadership Inaugura...

On today's podcast episode, we have Holly Hatton . Holly is TCA's Middle School library media specialist, but she is much more! Today she talks with us about the fantastic new library space in the MS 7/8 building and how she uses that space to give students a much-needed break in their day. The new middle school library is for grades 5-8, and it is 3,800 square feet, including a teaching space, li...

On today's podcast episode, we have TCA's director of auxiliary programs, Justin Zappia talking with our host Cynthia Yanof about what's new this year at Summer@TCA . Justin has been at TCA for four years, moving from Boston. He has his wife have three kids at TCA. Justin is responsible for after-school care, enrichment programs, and Summer@TCA programs during June and July.  Summer@TCA offers bot...

On today's podcast episode, we have educational consultant and TCA parent Sara Furlich talking about why she and her husband Mike chose TCA for their eighth-grade daughter who is new to TCA this year. Sara is an educational consultant who helps families find the right school by weighing their pros and cons to find a community that they can connect to and where their children can thrive. Sara speci...

On today's episode, we have Dr. Jeff Williams on the podcast talking about his first 90 days at TCA. He's excited to be back in Dallas, which he considers home, and to TCA, which was monumental in his life. Dr. Williams says one of the highlights of his first 90 days is being around the people at TCA. The faculty and staff at TCA are gifted and love their jobs and the kids. He has loved going to t...

Today on the podcast, our host Cynthia Yanof speaks with TCA parent Heather Appel about the TCA community, how they found the school, and what she and her family love most! Heather tells us about how her son asked where the chapel was at their public school after the kindergarten roundup and how he told her that he wanted to be able to pray at school. This kicked off their search for a Christian s...

On today's podcast episode, our host Cynthia Yanof speaks with TCA Director of Campus Security David Smith. We learn about TCA's multilayer approach to keeping students safe, but even more, we hear his Campus Safety Team's commitment to our school. David Smith started at TCA in April 2018 and is a retired Dallas police officer with 32 years of experience in law enforcement. School safety has chang...

On today's episode of the TCA podcast, our host Cynthia Yanof speaks with the Girls' Athletic Director and Varsity Basketball Coach Jeff Smith and Varsity Volleyball Coach Steve Collins to hear all about the girls' sports at TCA and about the varsity volleyball season. Jeff tells us about TCA's philosophy for girls' sports and how he works to advocate for girls' teams and ensure the programs get w...

In today's episode, our podcast host Cynthia Yanof connects with Head Football Coach Steve Hayes about the upcoming season. We hear about the Trojan football program, the theme for 2022, the players we have this year, our new division, and our coaching staff. The theme for this year is Fear No Man . The players, after the spring game, vote on the theme. The theme gives the coaches guidance on how...

Today we have Melissa Neatherlin on the podcast. She is the Director of Educational Technology Integration at TCA. She and her husband, Rob, have two boys who attend TCA. TCA has a 1:1 program called e4 which embodies our philosophy which is: TCA will equip our learning community with the technological resources to further engage our students, enhance curriculum and enable all learners to use tech...

Today we have Camille Walker, the Director of Volunteer Services, and current TCA parent Shawnnah Parrill the incoming PTF president, on the podcast. We are talking all about getting involved at TCA and the role of PTF in our community.    Camille Walker is a TCA alum, a long-time TCA parent, and serves as the Volunteer and Campus Events Director. The philosophy with our parent community has been...

On today's episode, we meet Justin Zappia, our Director of Auxiliary Programs , and learn more about Summer@TCA camps and classes.  Justin and his wife moved to the Dallas area a few years ago for Justin to work at TCA. Justin has a background in the private school world as a classroom teacher, summer camp director, and director of auxiliary programs.  Justin directs programming for TCA's After Sc...

Today, in honor of Mental Wellness Month, our podcast host Cynthia Yanof speaks with psychologist Dr. Ken Wilgus about the struggles Christian kids may face. Dr. Wilgus has been in practice for over thirty years in the DFW area and specializes in the treatment of adolescents and their families. He works with TCA families on a regular basis. COVID is still contributing to stress in our kids' lives....

In this episode we get to know our incoming Head of School Dr. Jeff Williams '88, hear about his roots at TCA and his career working with children and adolescents both in counseling and Christian education. Jeff tells us about his family, how the Lord guided him into leadership in Christian education and what it means to have the opportunity to return to his alma mater. Jeff came to TCA in fifth g...

In this episode, our host Cynthia Yanof talks with TCA alum Matt Marks '14. Matt is the Campus Care Coordinator at the University of Oklahoma and the founder of the OU Food Pantry. We hear about where Matt's heart to serve others began and how his years at TCA ignited this passion. Matt talks about how service opportunities, teachers, coaches, and athletics shaped him. He explains how he lives out...

In today's episode, our host Cynthia Yanof talks with Upper School College Guidance Counselor Caryn Thexton about the college admissions process at TCA and how our College Guidance Office assists parents and students throughout their Upper School years. They discuss the admissions process, what colleges are looking for as they admit students, the importance of AP and honors classes, what being a n...

In this episode, our host Cynthia Yanof speaks with Dawn Booth, Scott Berthel, and Becky Lewis to get an update on the construction of our new Middle School building that will open in August 2022 . You won't want to miss hearing about the construction process as well as many details about the new building, including spaces that have been specially designed with our students and teachers in mind. W...

In today's episode, we hear from our Director of Admission Amy Prideaux about TCA's mission and what makes us who we are. Amy tells us about her favorite TCA traditions, gives tips about the admission process, and tells how TCA welcomes new families and students at every grade level. TCA's mission of educating and developing the whole person for the glory of God is where Trinity stands out. Faith...

In this episode, we get to know Coach Steve Hayes as he talks about Trojan football, including building character in young men, being dangerous and good, and restoring the winning tradition to TCA. He addresses safety, the value of adversity, and how he teaches core values that tie to our Biblical foundation through the game of football. Everyone in the TCA community will want to listen to this pr...

On today's podcast, we talk with Lower School teachers Laura Ouimette and Brandie Rodgers about all things summer, including reading, avoiding the summer slide, and how to have fun while keeping your kids interested in learning. Laura is a dedicated reading specialist in the TCA Lower School. She reminds us that with just a little intentionality around reading over the summer, our kids can be conf...

In today's episode, we talk with three of our graduating seniors: Kathryn Callahan, Jack Maust, and Georgia Leeds. They give us a real-life look at TCA's Upper School, including sports, dances, balancing studying with real life, and even how their faith has been impacted by their years in the TCA community. As a parent, you will especially appreciate their thoughts on social media. Whether you are...

In this episode, Upper School faculty Bob Dyer and Fran Legband talk with Cynthia Yanof about what high school students face in today's culture and how teachers and administrators speak truth over them each day. Bob and Fran discuss social pressures, social media, and ways to help our kids learn to live with authentic faith. This episode is an excellent reminder for all Upper School parents to dig...

In this episode our host Cynthia Yanof talks with Middle School teachers Brian Spence and Kerry DeWeese about the importance of connecting with students during the middle school years and the various ways TCA speaks into students' lives. They discuss challenges and issues middles schoolers face such as friendships,academics, social media and sports and how our Community of Faith Gatherings, teache...

Welcome to the Let's talk TCA podcast! A podcast designed to inform, educate, and celebrate all the things that make Trinity Christian Academy the amazing community it is.   On today's episode, we hear from TCA Lower School Counselor Emily Bush about the emotional impacts on our children during COVID-19. Shorter fuses, tears, and aggression are ways children of all ages are expressing their emotio...