We loved this conversation with Amy Roberts, a large family homeschool mom and homemaker! Amy offers encouragement and resources via her popular blog, podcast, and YouTube channel, Raising Arrows! If you are looking for practical advice on how to keep things simple in your family, this episode is for you! Hear more from Amy at raisingarrows.net!…

The college admission season in a student's life can be full of anxiety. Join us today as Kristi Steele talks through what the process looks like and how to ease the confusion and tension surrounding the best next step. Kristi provides excellent practical advice with great questions to ask yourself, whether you're a student or parent. If you have a…

We are excited to have Jennifer Thompson on the show today. From basketball coach to teacher to head of school, Jennifer has almost 25 years of experience in education. Listen as Jennifer shares advice for teachers and leaders, and hear the work that she is doing as the current Chief Executive Officer of Christian Schools International. You won't w…

“The estimates are that about 32 million American children lack access to books.” Join us today for an eye-opening conversation with Dr. Molly Ness. Molly is a former classroom teacher, a reading researcher, and a teacher educator. Listen as Molly discusses the importance of reading and practical ways we can ensure that books are in the hands of ev…

We are so excited to have the King Family on this week's episode! Breanne King and her son Shouta join us today to talk through life, ministry, and the years they've been a part of the NorthStar community. Having four students who have either graduated or are still taking classes at NSA, Breanne shares how even though they had different motivations…

Sammy Margo, renowned physiotherapist and sleep expert, shares crucial insights for achieving quality sleep in this episode of The NorthStar Narrative. She begins by highlighting the impact of technology on sleep, advocating for a technology cutoff time and promoting a calming bedtime routine. The discussion extends to bedding preferences, emphasiz…

We are so excited to have one of our NorthStar families on today's episode! Anna, who is a Senior and graduates in just a few short months, joins her mom Christine to recount their incredible RV experience and how they were able to blend adventure with education. Listen as Anna and Christine take us through their travels across the U.S., where they…

Why do we educate, and are we sure we're doing it right? Deani Van Pelt is many things, but first, she is a mother. When her own daughter was very young, she realized quickly that many questions needed to be answered surrounding education. Enter Charlotte Mason education. Charlotte Mason was a pioneer in shifting the way students were viewed and th…

NorthStar recently hosted a mission trip to the country of Panama! Listen as Mr. Hester along with students Rachel, Melissa, and Emma recap the trip and the life changing impact it had on them and the community they served. Hear the fears and challenges they faced head on as they met in person for the first time, bonded as a team, and learned how t…

We have one of our very own on the show today! Diana Clay teaches elementary through high school Spanish here at NorthStar and joins us to share her inspiring story. Diana and her husband are the founders of COAH Missions, which focuses on equipping and providing opportunities for followers of Jesus to be on mission together in their local context …

We are thrilled to have Lynn Swaner on the show today! Lynn is a Senior Fellow with the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI) as well as the newly appointed President of Cardus U.S., where she will work to grow their education portfolio and provide strategic support for Comment, the organization's flagship journal. Lynn is passionat…

We are so excited to have course author and teacher Larry Jones on today's episode! Larry joins us to discuss NorthStar's new Astronomy course! Hear what went into creating the course and the new technology that was incorporated. Interested in taking Astronomy at NorthStar? Enroll now to begin as soon as January 2nd!…

We are excited to have NorthStar Principal, Katie Ahmadzai on the show today! Listen as Katie discusses NorthStar's professional development plan for our teachers, specifically surrounding a PLC, or professional learning community. Lifelong learning is not only a desire we have for our students, but also the faculty and staff at NorthStar. Be encou…

We are so excited to have David Joannes on the show today! David is the founder and CEO of Within Reach Global! Within Reach Global exists to reach unreached people groups in the 10/40 Window with the gospel of Christ. Their four central focuses are compassion ministries, evangelism, discipleship, and church planting, with the goal of raising indig…

What is a testimony? How do you share it? Are you ready to? Listen as Stephanie answers these questions and shares her story with you today! Don't forget to comment, leave reviews, and spread this podcast with your friends!By NorthStar Academy

Stephanie is back this week to share even more of what God is revealing in this season. Last week, we introduced the thought of being present, being curious, and listening well, but what does that look like practically? Listen as Stephanie breaks down ways you can accomplish each of those goals. This episode is full of great wisdom and things you c…

Join us today as we hear from podcast host and NSA Director, Stephanie Shafer. Listen as she shares what God has revealed to her recently. Whether you are struggling right now or in a great place, this episode is packed full of encouragement in how to take the right next step!By NorthStar Academy

After 200 episodes of The NorthStar Narrative, we want to hear from you! Has this podcast impacted you? Have you learned something, or taken practical steps to better you your own life? Have you experienced God's grace and truth? If so, we want to know! Do you know someone who has a story to share? We would LOVE to have them on to share their story…

We are so grateful to have Michelle Wigginton on today's episode! Michelle is the Business Administrator here at NorthStar! Like many people, Michelle is an introvert. Listen as she shares how God has used her throughout her life to make meaningful connections with those around her, even if it sometimes means she has to step outside of her comfort …

"The commitment to care and to presence and to listening no matter what is often what speaks the most ministry to people." Join us today as we talk with Rev. Dr. Jonathan C. Lewis. His role as a chaplain has given him a lot of experience being present with people and listening well. Be inspired as Jonathan shares the wisdom he's gained in his posit…

We are so excited to have our student council leadership team on the podcast this week! Listen as Cora, Lydia, and Maia share their journeys in leadership and hear what they have planned for the student body this year!By NorthStar Academy

We are thankful to have Dr. Bryan McGraw on the show today. Bryan is Dean of Social Sciences and Education and Director of the Aequitas Fellows Program, as well as an Associate Professor of Politics and International Relations at Wheaton College. Bryan is passionate about helping students become more thoughtful and serious about how they relate the…

We are so excited to have NSA Alumni Marie Suazo on today's episode! Marie graduated from NorthStar in 2010! Listen as she reminisces on her memories of NSA and why online school worked for her as a diplomat's daughter. As a third culture kid, Marie found that she couldn't quite describe what it was like to grow up in her shoes, but since high scho…

We are thrilled to have Courtney Janney on today's episode! Courtney is the Chief Zoological Officer at Memphis Zoo in Memphis, TN. She recently had the privilege of flying to China with YaYa, the giant panda that lived at the Memphis Zoo for over 20 years. Courtney is passionate about the role zoos play in connecting people with wildlife and raisi…

These are questions we've asked many times before: What is rest, and what does it look like to rest in God? Join us for this second episode with Danny Coyle as we dive even deeper into the topic of rest! Hear what Danny's journey looked like as he navigated what rest was going to look like for his family in the midst of all the things they have goi…

We sat down with one of our very own NSA supervisors during graduation weekend and we are so excited to share this first episode of two with you today! Danny Coyle is the dad of two NSA students, one being a graduate we were able to celebrate over the summer! He has a background in leadership and brings lots of wisdom around living overseas, intern…

We are so excited to have Robby Angle on the show today! Robby is the President and CEO of Trueface, a non-profit ministry that creates grace based, relational discipleship resources to help stuck Christians go the 18 inches from their head to their heart. Today's episode is packed full of nuggets for small groups. Listen as Robby walks through fiv…

Living overseas for over 15 years, Amy Shuflin has the experience and wisdom to help families in transition. Amy has worked as an English Language teacher, Bible teacher, guidance counselor, member care associate, Journalism teacher, chaplain, social-emotional counselor, and she's authored many courses! Listen as Amy shares how she served students …

"Information can be gained in solitude, but affirmation needs community." We are so excited to have Elizabeth Vahey Smith on today's episode! Elizabeth is the COO of TCK Training and the author of The Practice of Processing: Exploring Your Emotions to Chart an Intentional Course. Chuck Deitch joins the conversation today as Elizabeth discusses ways…

Welcome to the last episode of a quick series with our IT team! Patty Farrer, Jason Harvel, and Jeff Walters join us to discuss technology in an online school and the top tips for success! What information should you include when you email IT? What type of computer should you use? What are the team's biggest tips? Hear the answers to these question…

We are thrilled to spotlight another NSA department on the podcast! Listen today as our IT department joins us to introduce themselves! This week, Patty Farrer, Jason Harvel, and Jeff Walters share a little about themselves and their role at NorthStar Academy. Be sure to listen in next week as they share their biggest tech tips!…

We are so excited for the last part of a four part series with our Advising team! Listen today as Senior Academic Advisor Tasha Calvin discusses Scoir! Scoir is the college guidance management system that NorthStar Academy utilizes to help our students prepare for college. Listen as Tasha discusses the components of this system and why it is import…

We are so excited for part three of a four part series with our Advising team! Listen today as Senior Academic Advisor Tasha Calvin discusses college planning! How does NorthStar offer support for our students heading off to college after graduation? Hear about our comprehensive College Planning Guide that breaks down what students and parents shou…

Welcome back to part two of a four part series with our Advising team! Listen today as Senior Academic Advisors Tasha Calvin and Megan Carpenter discuss course planning for 4th-12th grade students! Can your 8th grader take high school level courses? Does NorthStar offer IEP's? When should you start course planning for the new school year? Hear the …

We are so excited to release a four part series with our Advising team this month! We sat down with Tasha Calvin and Megan Carpenter, both Senior Academic Advisors at NorthStar, to talk about what our Advising Office offers our families. In episode one, we will meet the team and hear their number one tips for enrolling at NSA! Be sure to listen in …

We are thrilled for today's episode! Join us as we hear about the captivating world of Scaly Adventures with Rick and Tanya Curren. Scaly Adventures emerged from their son's deep love of reptiles and a strong calling to serve in ministry. What began as a simple idea has now blossomed into a television series and educational program that has touched…

Join us as we dive deeper into discussion with Dr. Jessica Hale, focusing this week on the ever-relevant topic of workplace burnout. Discover the consequences of an imbalance between work and personal life as Jessica sheds light on the five essential aspects of wellness. Gain valuable perspective from her personal experiences, highlighting the detr…

"As an educator, I started thinking of the girls. If I'm lonely in this place, where are we leaving this gap where they don't have the female leaders to look up to? So when I earned my doctorate, I was working in a school and that's one reason why I was very adamant that I shift to Dr. Hale... because I want girls to see that women in education can…

Though we can't share the identity of today's guest, we can confidently say that this is an episode you won't want to miss. This story is an example of the immense blessings that can come from being faithful to live out God's calling in your life, no matter how tough the circumstances are. Today's guest serves in East Asia as a leader in education …

We are thrilled to have NSA Alumni Morgan Raines with us today! Morgan graduated from NorthStar in 2018 and has been furthering her education ever since, currently pursuing her PhD in chemistry and materials science. Throughout high school and undergraduate school, Morgan was in a very saturated Christian community, and that allowed her to grow her…

In this last episode of our series about NorthStar Academy, Student Success Coach Kimberly Smith shares everything you need to know about orientation! Hear about the updates that have been made to the upcoming 23-24 orientation and the importance of taking your time as you get started at NSA. The most important thing is to remember you are never al…

Welcome back to part three of getting to know NorthStar Academy! This week we are excited to hear from Kimberly Smith, our Student Success Coach. You've heard what it's like to inquire about NSA and what kind of questions to ask when considering online learning. Now let's look at what it's like to onboard at NorthStar! Be sure to come back next wee…

We are so excited to continue a quick series about NorthStar Academy! Today, Miranda Carlton joins us! Miranda is the Receptionist at NSA and has the privilege of being the first voice you hear when you call us. Listen as Stephanie and Miranda give you a taste of what it's like to call in and get more information about NorthStar! Do we offer live c…

We are so excited for the next couple of episodes because they are all about NorthStar! Today we hear from Angie Davis and Tina Tandy! Angie is our Registrar and handles all things registration and records, and Tina is our Office Administrator and handles our finances! Can you take just one course at NorthStar? What are our top tips for families en…

Join us today as we talk with Dr. JP Rader. Dr. Rader is the Director of International Community School in Singapore. He has held several positions in education and has a passion for servant leadership. As a third culture kid, Dr. Rader gained a perspective that has shaped how he invests in students. This experience is leaving a long lasting legacy…

We're thrilled to welcome back Harmony Niphakis this week! If you didn't hear her powerful story last week, be sure to go back and listen as it is one you won't want to miss. Today, Harmony is answering our student's most asked questions! What animal best represents TCKs? What are some of the misconceptions people have about TCKs? Does living overs…

We are so excited to have Harmony Niphakis on the show today! Harmony spent the first eight years of her life in Thailand where her parents were missionaries with OMF and she now leads OMF's US TCK Team virtually from her home in Pennsylvania. Harmony shares her story about growing up as a third culture kid and how Jesus has used her to prepare oth…

We are so excited to talk with Hailey Corrigan and Grace Stanley today. Hailey and Grace are seniors here at NorthStar Academy and have both had the opportunity to take our Capstone Cooperative Design course. Capstone Cooperative Design is an EVP project-based course that provides students the opportunity to work as a team to create a tool that can…

Join us today as we talk with Laura Willis, an NSA alumni! Laura is a professional dancer at Ballet 5:8 in Chicago and the daughter of Amy Peterman, a teacher here at NSA! Laura was able to attend NorthStar and complete her high school education while training intensively for her professional performing career. Listen as she shares her experience a…

We love any opportunity to connect with our alumni, and today we are so excited to hear from Sarah Grace Patrick, Rhianna Ring-Howell, and Emily Toepler! Listen as they reflect on their time at NorthStar Academy and lessons they learned that gave them a strong foundation for where they are now. It is so fun to hear them reminisce on their time at o…