Dr. Sheba K. George is the founder of Newman International Academy of Arlington. She and her family worked to have a charter school for their community as they realized the need for a safe haven with a private-school nurture and rigor especially for children who cannot afford private school fee. Dr. George’s passion is to see a new generation/generations of children in America rise up to have great dreams and see them fulfilled. She is committed to seeing the children of our nation meet the demands of the world marketplace in all fields including science, technology, engineering (especially aerospace and computer engineering), mathematics, literature, writing, law, journalism, fine arts and sports. According to Dr. George, “excellence can be achieved in all fields by sowing seeds of knowledge, ‘conceptual understanding,’ ‘procedural fluency,’ ‘strategic competence’ and problem solving skills in the soil of America’s unsurpassable creativity. These seeds can grow to see success only in an environment of nurture, care, hard work and discipline. One must always remember that true success and good character are inseparable.” Dr. George also believes that “every child has some gift, and the school in partnership with parents and community, can help every child reach his or her highest potential. ‘No child’ should be ‘left behind.’”

Dr. George has been in the field of education, both collegiate and school education for the past 24 years. She has successfully spent two decades of her educational career in the United States of America. She holds one doctoral degree in education (Ed.D.) from Texas A&M, Commerce, and another doctor of philosophy degree (Ph.D.) in English Literature from Mother Teresa University in India. She holds a M.S. in Journalism degree, M.A. in English degree and another Master of Philosophy degree (M.Phil.) in English Literature.

Dr. George takes great pride in Newman International Academy’s Board, its team of administrators, faculty, staff, and members of the community who are committed and qualified to building a citadel of learning.

Mrs. Cooper earned her undergraduate and graduate degrees from Arkansas State University. In 1973, she earned a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education and Early Childhood, and in 1975, as a graduate assistant to the Dean of Education, was awarded a duo Master’s Degree in Early Childhood and Reading Specialization. Mrs. Cooper is finishing a Masters of Educational Administration degree in the fall of 2011 at Dallas Baptist University. She has plans to begin her doctorate in Educational Leadership and Administration from there in the spring of 2012.

Mrs. Cooper retired from the classroom in 2008 from Grand Prairie ISD. She has thirty-three years of educational experiences teaching classes in kindergarten, fifth grade self-contained, fifth grade English Language Arts, Gifted and Talented, Second and Fourth Grades as well as Sixth and Seventh Pre-Advanced Placement English Language Arts.

Her desire is to mentor teachers and be a servant leader for students and teachers at Newman International Academy.

Donna Hart received her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree with an All-level Art Certification from the University of Texas at Arlington in 1977. She immediately began teaching 7th and 8th grade art to the students of Dallas ISD, and continued to use her gifts of teaching to serve countless children at various grade levels over the next twenty years.

In 1998, Mrs. Hart attended the Pensacola Principal’s School. She has since helped to pioneer and lead four brand new schools, spanning the private, public, and charter spectrums. In 2005, Mrs. Hart received her Masters of Education in Educational Leadership from Dallas Baptist University. She considers her new assignment as Secondary Principal of Newman International Academy to be the highlight of her career.

Betty Sims, a native of Seattle, Washington graduated from the University of Washington with a BA in Speech and Hearing Pathology. She also received training as a language therapist and specialized reading teacher working with children with dyslexia and other reading related challenges.

Mrs. Sims has served 22 years in Christian and public education, especially in charter school education, as a teacher and principal. She resides in Arlington, Texas, and is married with two children and five grandchildren.

I was born and raised in Duncanville, Texas. After graduating from Lighthouse Christian Academy in 2003, I attended Southwestern Assemblies of God University, where I played basketball and received my B.S. in Education in 2008. I then took a teaching position at Waxahachie Preparatory Academy (WPA), while also coaching basketball and directing intramurals for Southwestern Assemblies of God University (2008-2009). At WPA, I taught World Geography, US History, US Government, and Economics for grades 9-12. The following year, taught Texas History, US History, Social Studies, Music, and P.E. for Education Center International Academy of Arlington. My wife and I were also the directors of the Arlington Afterschool Program, which was a faith-based program that offered a variety of activities for the children.

I lead worship at House of Prayer Assemblies of God in Dallas, TX. I love spending time with my family, cooking, reading, traveling, working out, and playing sports. I enjoy going on mission trips, where I get the opportunity to help others in need. I also have a very strong passion for the youth of this nation. I strongly desire to see our youth transformed and effectively mentored so that they will be equipped to impact this world. For this reason, I earnestly look forward to pouring into the students at Newman International Academy of Arlington.