Our Mission
We provide quality education to students of different backgrounds to help and equip them to become competent global leaders who strive for academic excellence, moral character, community involvement, and love for Christ.
Our Vision
As a Montessori-style and STEAM-based Mandarin and Spanish Immersion school, we provide engaging music, math, science and Mandarin and Spanish language immersion in a peaceful and joyful environment to inspire students to be independent thinkers, hard workers, problem solvers, and team players.
Our Distinctives
Christian Worldview and Mentoring
Our curriculum is designed to reflect a Biblical perspective. Through it, students are able to understand the connections between humanity's history, present, and future in relation to God's plan of salvation. Teachers work alongside and provide guidance to young minds, helping them discover their identity and purpose through God's truth. Bible lessons are taught on a daily basis, ensuring that students have a solid foundation to honor and serve God throughout their lives.
Early Music Experience
Our daily ABRSM music program instills in students key musical concepts such as note-spelling, rhythm and pitch in keyboard knowledge through daily music lessons . Students learn how to sing, read music notes, and match pitch and perform with piano skills starting from the kindergarten grades and can choose to continue their studies in a specific instrument through our enrichment program with the Associate Board of the Royal Schools of Music.
Early STEM Experience
Our curriculum allows for expedited training in math, laying a strong foundation for future studies in science, technology, engineering, and math. We provide rigorous training in mental math and promote kinesthetic learning through Chinese abacus instruction. Our hands-on interactive approach in all subject areas fosters student engagement through an exploratory journey of inquiry. In addition, our enrichment programs consist of early Robotics/ LEGO, G1-5 Genius Computer Programming and Chinese Abacus Mental Math classes.
Mandarin/Spanish Immersion
Inspired by Montessouri - Waldorf approaches, our unique approach of Spanish/ Mandarin immersion facilitates students to highly engage in learning activities which bring joy and effective student outcomes. Our small class size allows every student to interact with native Mandarin/ Spanish teachers for listening, speaking, reading and writing proficiency.
Our Teachers
With continuous observation and understanding of the learning styles and individual needs of each one of our students, our collaborative team works to build a curriculum with a rigorous effective design consists of academic knowledge, diverse cultural understanding and spiritual nourishment for the holistic growth of our students' body, spirit and mind. We model with the love of Christ in showing respect and love to build an inclusive community with appreciation of different cultures, values and solutions of problem-solving.
Ms. Jessie
Head Teacher
Jessie Jiang brought to the school with rich experience in Chinese and English immersion programs for over 30 years in teaching Chinese and English and facilitating professional development of educators. She earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Linguistics from The University of Melbourne, Australia, with Sociolinguistics Studies at The University of California, Berkeley, USA, a Graduate Diploma in Interpreting and Translating from Deakin University, Australia, and a Master’s Degree in Religion (Biblical Counseling) from Greenville Presbyterian Theological Seminary and a Master's Degree of School Administration with Gardner-Webb University. She is also a NAATI accredited translator, a CCHI certified interpreter, an Orton-Gillingham trained practitioner, and AMI Montessori certified teacher. She is currently a doctoral candidate in Education at Gardner-Webb University. Her research interests include bilingualism/multilingualism, effective classroom management, immersion teaching pedagogies, and dyslexia and Chinese language learning.
She has a great passion for providing education for students to excel in their God-given potential to be competent learners who make wise choices in social, academic, and spiritual settings. She has great joy in equipping mainstream students and students with exceptionalities to be college and career-ready.
In her spare time, she likes gardening, swimming, singing with a guitar, and writing Christian bilingual reading materials.
Ms. Mikayla
LE English Teacher
Mikayla Kuckel earned a bachelor’s degree in Interdisciplinary Studies - Linguistics and French from North Greenville University. While in college, she worked as the Kids' Ministry Director at Greenville Community Church and experienced teaching ESL locally, in New York City, and in the Middle East. After graduating, she moved to France to teach English with the Teaching Assistant Program in France (TAPIF). She currently holds the position of English teacher at MMMA.
Mikayla is passionate about building cross-cultural community and introducing multilingualism to children early on. When she's not teaching, she enjoys traveling, figure skating, and spending time with family and friends.
Dr. Ream
Music Teacher
Duane L. Ream, a native of Kansas, earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in music from Bob Jones University in Greenville, SC in 1984 and 1986, respectively. Upon graduation, he joined the faculty of the Division of Music at BJU, where he taught in the departments of Church Music, Music Theory, and Applied Piano for 34 years. In 2019, he left BJU to become the Chairman of the Music Department at Ambassador Baptist College in Lattimore, North Carolina, where, until 2023, he taught the core theory and composition/ arranging courses in addition to administrating and growing the overall program. He has served for many years as a judge for the National Federation of Music Clubs, The National Guild of Piano Teachers, and the American Association of Christian Schools National Competition. Today, Ream’s students are found in educational institutions and in church music programs literally around the world. In recognition of almost four decades of teaching and performing in church work, Duane was recently presented with the honorary Doctor of Ministry degree (DMin.)
Mr. Sam
Music Coordinator/ Teacher
Sam is a pianist, cellist, and vocalist who is experienced in teaching students of all ages. He heads the music program at MMMA and teaches ABRSM piano, cello, and music theory lessons. He earned his Bachelor's degree in Music Education from Erskine College and is currently a chorus teacher at McCracken Middle School in Spartanburg, SC. Sam is an active church musician and a local wedding/event musician in Upstate SC.
Sam has obtained an ABRSM Licentiate Diploma in Piano Performance and has passed Grade 8 Voice and Cello Exams with distinction. He has also obtained honors at international music festivals and competitions including being a finalist at the Ronald Sachs International Music Competition. His choirs have won awards in the Upstate. Sam is a member of the National Association of Teachers of Singing, the American Choral Directors Association, and the South Carolina Music Educators Association.
Sam has a passion for developing young talent and helping students discover their love for music.
Ms. Jean
Front Office
Jean has extensive successful experiences in the business sector and in children's ministry. As a bilingual person in Chinese and English, she is passionate about growing the unique Christian Mandarin-English dual-language programs at Charis.
Jean is a proud parent of two adult daughters, one is an award-winning teacher and the other is an outstanding designer.
