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We define FRAMILY as friends we’ve chosen to be family.
We are thrilled to be a part of Three Cords Academy. A time ago, we weren’t just missing close friends; we were adrift in our faith, yearning for deeper understanding. Then, we met our incredible “framily.” Their unwavering love for God and nurturing environment opened our eyes to a vibrant, purpose-filled life. With their encouragement and patience, our connection with faith blossomed, and a sense of belonging finally took root. Now, on this path of continuous growth and learning, we thrive.
Mandi’s corporate experience and Kris’s work mentoring young athletes have shown us firsthand the gap between traditional curriculum and what kids need to thrive now. Schools, in our view, shouldn’t just prepare students for a distant future, but equip them with the skills to excel right now. It’s time to look beyond textbooks.
Innovation, curiosity, and active listening are often thrown around as buzzwords. But for us, they are the cornerstones of a successful life. Innovation allows children to think creatively, experiment fearlessly, and develop unique solutions. In a world of constant change, this is a vital skill. Curiosity fuels self-directed learning, setting the stage for lifelong exploration. Curious children embrace challenges, actively seek knowledge, and never stop growing. Active listening strengthens their social toolbox. By attentively listening and interpreting emotions, they become empathetic and build meaningful connections.
Positive conflict resolution and self-awareness are crucial. Our children will face complex issues like violence, hate speech, identity struggles, and societal divisions. To overcome these obstacles, they’ll need unwavering faith and the courage to stand by their convictions. Often, feeling pressured to conform drowns out their inner voice – the one God instilled for critical thinking, integrity, character, and bravery. Equipping them to use this inner voice is imperative.
Our children need guidance in navigating these difficulties. The answer lies in leadership – leadership in their faith, at school, and most importantly, at home. This starts with us, the parents. By promoting accountability, discipline, setting clear ground rules, and emphasizing responsibility, we lay the foundation for their inner voice. We must equip them with the courage and knowledge to stand up for themselves and others.
Developing independence is the ultimate life skill. As children manage their responsibilities, they become self-reliant. They learn to take ownership of their belongings, complete tasks without constant reminders, and make age-appropriate decisions. This sense of self-reliance empowers them throughout their lives. Responsibility also involves facing consequences – both positive and negative. Through these experiences, children become adept problem-solvers. They learn to analyze situations, anticipate outcomes, and develop strategies to overcome challenges.
The realization of the importance of these vital skills ignited a passion within us – a desire to ensure not only our son, but every child, thrives in a dynamic and nurturing environment. This burning desire is the driving force behind our involvement with Three Cords Academy.
Mandi’s work ethic was instilled early on. Raised in West Georgia by hardworking parents, she graduated from Hiram High School and went on to earn her Associate’s Degree in Business at West Central Technical College. Following their example, she channeled her drive into various administrative roles, until she discovered her true calling: HR Technology and HR Operations.
Her inquisitive mind and creative problem-solving skills have fueled over 10 years of success. She thrives on finding unconventional solutions to modern business challenges. Her introduction to the field came at HealthCare Staffing Inc., where she served as Systems Manager. Over seven years, she transformed their operations by automating processes, revamping the HR technology stack, and laying the groundwork for rapid growth.
Ready for a new challenge, Mandi transitioned to AMB Sports + Entertainment as the Manager of HR Technology and Analytics. Her leadership proved invaluable during the unprecedented times of 2020. She skillfully navigated through a complex environment, supporting colleagues and associates. After two impactful years, she sought her next growth opportunity.
In 2022, Mandi joined GameStop Inc. as the Manager of HR Systems. Here, she honed her project management skills and mastered the art of prioritization, all while demonstrating empathy towards her team members. GameStop’s dynamic business environment further strengthened her adaptability and resilience.
Mandi’s latest career move brings her full circle. Now Director of HRIS and HR Operations at Floor and Décor in Atlanta, she leverages her extensive experience to lead a strategic team.
While Mandi thrives professionally, her true joy comes from motherhood. In 2012, her dream of becoming a mom came true with the arrival of her son. Outside of work, she embraces various roles – from room mom to the ultimate “momager” when it comes to her son’s sports activities.
Mandi’s journey, shaped by both professional and personal experiences, reflects a deep faith that she is excited to bring to TCA. She believes her kindness and empathy, honed over time, allow her to approach conflict constructively. She advocates for calm communication and active listening, fostering a culture of understanding.
Kris is an entrepreneur whose career path has taken him through the worlds of sports, art, business development, and technology. Born in Syracuse, NY and raised in Atlanta, GA, his early life was marked by a passion for baseball, which he pursued throughout college. This passion extended internationally, as he represented the USA playing baseball in both China and Japan.
Following his athletic career, Kris embarked on a series of entrepreneurial ventures, each showcasing his diverse skillset.
In Miami, Florida, he established and operated a thriving art gallery and DJ Network fostering a space for artistic expression and bringing music and entertainment to the community.�
His focus then shifted to supporting transitioning military personnel. He helped build and run a full-service staffing company specifically designed to assist veterans in their transition to civilian careers. This dedication to helping others continued as he launched a global consulting company specializing in e-commerce solutions, web technologies and application design. His expertise proved instrumental in training thousands of developers, shaping the landscape of online creativity and ecommerce.
Currently, Kris owns and operates a marketing company dedicated to crafting custom solutions for web technologies, marketing tactics, and e-commerce.�
Kris is looking forward to not only guiding the school through its development but also teaching all levels of kids through technology so they will be prepared for the future.
We are excited to be part of the TCA framily! Our family has a unique piece to bring to our micro-school. We, being considered senior citizens at this stage in our lives bring many life experiences to the picture of TCA.
We have separately raised our seven daughters and now have blended our families over the past twelve years. We feel God brought us together with a vision utilizing our farm to reach people allowing them to tap into their creativity and desire to explore expressing themselves freely. Our love for people and our desire to see them succeed has fueled our vision.
Two years into our blended journey we were awarded custody of a fiercely beautiful and intelligent granddaughter who has forever changed us. The added responsibility of raising a child brought awareness of the challenges parents face today educating the next generation of world changers.
Mike has opened and successfully cared for three different companies with success and has an incredible employee retention record. He serves TCA with wisdom and insight. Connie, having served in children’s ministry for over 30 years brings awareness of our spiritual responsibility to our children. We both share the passion to see future generations become critical thinkers fully equipped to become problem solvers using good judgement and wisdom.
Our precious and loving relationship with the TCA founders is unique and certainly ordained by God. We welcome you to freely ask questions. We will answer you with integrity and respect. This is new and sometimes we fear the unknowns, but big successes start at the beginning of a big vision. We are so thankful we get to be here to be part of this legacy.
After leaving Missouri State University with coursework in journalism to raise four daughters, Connie worked in the newspaper industry, which brought her into advertising and ad building. During this tenure, Connie found herself also immersed in planning and executing events, an experience that would lead to a lifetime of celebrations!
It was also during this time that Connie became aware that God planned for her to become an ordained Children’s Minister where she spent 30 years advocating for and teaching children.
Connie eventually found herself working on the administrative side of the public school system, first at the county level and then the state level. Little did she know all that she was gleaning for our future school.
Now bringing life experiences with her into the “golden years”, Connie feels she has gained wisdom and knowledge that she can share, creating a legacy of lifelong learning for generations to come.
Connie is currently raising a grandchild, which was an unexpected privilege. This experience has led her to be passionate about the education of our children.
Throughout her life, Connie has felt that as the scripture says: precept upon precept – every detail of our lives is never wasted for God’s purposes. She is so grateful to be a part of this journey to collaborate with our team in educating our community of students.
Mike has spent most of his professional life in the equipment rental business. The Frost family has owned and operated three rental companies over the past 50 years. It has been his privilege to work with some really great people in the rental industry.
Mike was very active in the Atlanta Metro Rental Association serving as Treasure, Vice-President and later President. He was awarded the Next Generation Leader Award and served as the Region 3 Director for the American Rental Association. After spending a lifetime in the rental industry, he retired to his farm in Winston, Georgia. Mike has a sawmill at their farm, so he started learning how to make lumber. His wife says he has a habit of turning his hobbies into a business.
After learning how to properly mill wood, he started a lumber and furniture business with Kris Donovan, called Urban Lumber Furnishings. Mike enjoys exploring new things and learning about how to process, dry and build with wood. Passing on what he has learned to others is another passion of his. When you see the light of understanding come on in a person’s mind it is very rewarding.
He believes the way our children are being taught has become stale and rudimentary. There are many great teachers in our schools, but they are handicapped by the academic process. We believe it is important for our students to have all the required subjects, math, English, science and social studies. However, we want our students to understand how all of this knowledge will help them solve the situations they will encounter in their lives. With this in mind, we will be teaching our students how to do things like learning how to make a budget, develop a meal plan, how to apply for a job and many other life skills needed to be successful in our world today.
We are honored to be one of the founding families at Three Cords Academy. We have been fortunate to serve in several different occupations in the ministry and educational fields over the last 20 years. Those experiences (both good and not so good) have led us to break away from the norm and pursue this new avenue of learning. We are thrilled to be walking in faith on this journey.
We are thankful that our children have been in a safe environment where they developed a strong educational base during their foundational learning years. However, too often we found them sleepwalking through the day due to busy work or antiquated ways of learning. As we realized this, and became frustrated with our kids’ frustration, we knew that we had to find something different. And the longer we searched, God showed us that we had to DO something different – that’s where our framily comes into our story. If you haven’t met them yet, you will soon. Stay tuned for more on that…
We personally believe that not every child does nor should learn the exact same way. While there are tried and true ways in which one can learn, there are also so many untapped opportunities for our children to explore learning based on their interest. Opportunities to explore new things, to discover who they are as a learner, to succeed, and even fail (gasp) in their endeavors. All of these things are a part of them being allowed to grow into the people God created them to be. We are thrilled to invite your family to explore with us and see where this educational journey leads. On this journey, you will often hear us say “we don’t know” – this is part of our learning journey too. We don’t profess to “have it all together or know best” but we do know that we are following our hearts and faith and can’t wait to learn and grow together.
Born and raised in West Georgia, Katie is a proud graduate of Central High School in Carrollton. She also holds an Associates Degree in Marketing from Carroll Technical Institute and a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from Mercer University. A believer in putting what you learn into practice, she worked for 10 years as a licensed Real Estate Agent and Associate Broker. In 2004 she opened a women’s clothing store – fulfilling a long-time goal and dream of hers. In 2009, Katie shifted her focus from retail and business into the legal world as a Bankruptcy Paralegal. In this role, Katie had the opportunity to walk individuals, couples, and business owners through tumultuous times of loss, supporting and encouraging them through the steps needed to continue forward. In 2016, Katie entered the private school sector as a Director of Admissions and Marketing, again opening the door to foster her love for relationship building and encouraging others. A lifelong mentor of Katie’s shared her support for the decision to move into education by stating, “it’s about time…I always knew you would end up working in education!”
For the past year, Katie has embraced a new role as Director of Operations and Athletics at a learner-driven private school in Fayette County. Through her time in this learning environment, Katie has felt God’s calling to bring what she has been learning back to Carrollton to help co-found Three Cords Academy.
Katie will be guiding our learners through their daily learning experiences, creating opportunities and encouragement for each learner to grow personally and spiritually in a safe space. Katie is super excited to grow personally and professional alongside each TCA learner.
Katie brings nearly 25 years of business, entrepreneurship, educational leadership, and the genuine love for all people to TCA.
Micah holds a Bachelor of Science in Christian Ministries from Point University. His experience spans 19 years in Church Ministry, serving as a Student Pastor, Associate Pastor, and Senior Pastor. For an additional 5 years, he has thrived as a Teacher and Coach.
Micah has been privileged to spend a large majority of his adult life serving people. Whether as a Pastor or as a Coach and Teacher, he loves to help people. While that can be rewarding, it can also be trying and come at a great cost. He has experienced both the highs and lows of ministry and education, and he is proud to report that it is worth it! The smile on someone’s face, especially a childs when they overcome an obstacle they thought to be insurmountable, can never be replicated. Micah is so proud to be a part of the Framily here at Three Cords Academy, and can’t wait for you to join us!