Scholar Skills Strategies
Our Dedicated Team of Educators
At Scholar Skills Strategies every student has an opportunity to learn, and we create lifelong learners through building self confidence and creating a strong foundation for excellent academic habits.​
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Get to know our exceptional staff!
Meet Our Teachers
Amber McHenry
Owner
Homeschool Teacher
Multisensory Tutor
Amber McHenry is the owner of Scholar Skills Strategies. She received her B.A. in English with a minor in French from the University of Mississippi. In December 2020, she completed her Master’s Degree in Curriculum & Instruction from Belhaven University. A native of Ocean Springs, Amber moved to North Mississippi 25 years ago. She is married to Michael and is the mother of four children: Autumn, Connor, Saxton, and Piper. Autumn graduated from the University of Alabama in May of this year and works as a Civil Engineer in Huntsville, AL. Connor is a senior at the University of Alabama and, upon graduation, will move to Birmingham, AL to work as a Civil Engineer. Saxton is a sophomore at Mississippi State University and is pursuing a degree in Biomedical Engineering/Pre-Physician Assistant. Piper is a junior at Saltillo High School. Amber is active in the community and serves on the American Red Cross Board. Amber is a recent graduate of the Jim Ingram Leadership Institute. Further, she enjoys serving the children of Lee County as a member of the Junior Auxiliary of Tupelo and attends The Orchard Church in Tupelo. Amber has a passion for helping students achieve their potential in life.
Amanda Repult is currently the Center Director for Scholar Skills Strategies and one of the Dyslexia Educators for Scholar Skills Strategies. She is certified in the Phonics First Program and the Structures Phonics Program, both of which are used in the Reading Success Program. Amanda taught phonics for eight years at Saltillo Elementary, and for the last three years of her career, she worked with dyslexic students and/or those with dyslexic tendencies. Her years spent in education and having a child of her own who is dyslexic and has an audio-processing disorder have strengthened her love for this aspect of education.
Amanda Repult
Scholar Skills Strategies Director
Multi-sensory Tutor
Melissa Scott
Licensed Psychometrist
Multi-sensory Tutor
Melissa Scott is our licensed Psychometrist and Multisensory Dyslexic Tutor. She has a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education and a Master of Education in Reading and Literacy (K-12) from Blue Mountain Christian University. She also holds a Master of Education in Psychometry from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Melissa began her teaching career at Tupelo Christian Preparatory School, where she taught kindergarten. She left TCPS to return to her alma mater, Blue Mountain Christian University. At BMCU, she worked in the Office of Admissions. After Melissa’s time at BMCU, she taught first grade at Shadow Oaks Elementary in Horn Lake, Mississippi. In 2015, she returned to Tupelo Christian Preparatory School as a second-grade teacher and retired in 2023. Her passion is to help equip students to learn how to utilize their strengths and weaknesses and to select the appropriate tools from their tool belts to thrive. Melissa is married to Shane Scott and lives in New Albany, Mississippi. They have four children. Braden teaches English at Clinton High School and is married to Mary Evelyn. Ethan is a sophomore at Mississippi College. Jon is a freshman at Mississippi College, and Sydney is a senior at Tupelo Christian Preparatory School.
Kirsten Aguirre has a Bachelors degree in Elementary Education from Mississippi State University and a Masters degree in Early Childhood Education from the University of Memphis. She has seventeen years of classroom teaching experience serving as an Early Childhood Teacher at Hutchison School in Memphis, TN as well as a Pre-First Teacher at Tupelo Christian Preparatory School. She has also served as an Academic Support Teacher and Private Tutor. She incorporates interactive, multisensory teaching techniques to all subject areas such as reading strategies based upon methods created by the Simultaneous Multisensory Institute for Language Arts (S.M.I.L.A). She has a true passion for working with children and families to provide a safe and nurturing environment that guides positive learning and growth. Kirsten is currently serving as a Multisensory Tutor and First Grade Homeschool Teacher at Scholar Skills Strategies.
Kirsten Aquirre
Homeschool Teacher
Multi-sensory Tutor
Amy Welborn
Amy Welborn is a licensed psychometrist and is an experienced educator with over 30 years in teaching regular education, gifted education, and special education. She holds multiple certifications and has served in diverse roles, consistently supporting student success and innovation in education. A recognized leader and presenter, she is also deeply involved in community and faith-based initiatives. Amy is a proud wife, mother of four, and grandmother, committed to empowering students and inspiring others.
Licensed Psychometrist
Multi-sensory Tutor
Paula Wood is one of our Elementary Homeschool Teachers and a Multisensory Dyslexic Tutor. She is married to Greg, and they have four children. They have lived in Saltillo for the past 26 years. In their home, they have dealt with dyslexia and ADHD, and the complications that can go along with those. Navigating the educational system for families with neurodivergent learners can often be challenging and complicated. God has blessed their journey by placing them in the right locations and uniting their paths with the right people time after time. Paula hopes that she can be the “right” person to help families help the neurodivergent students reach for the stars.
She received her Bachelor's degree in Elementary Education from the University of Mississippi. She has taught in the Knoxville County School System, Knoxville City Schools, & Tupelo Public School District. After being a homeschool parent, Paula transitioned to public education with the Lee County School District, where she worked with the RRS program at Mooreville & Saltillo. For the past eight years, she has enjoyed serving as the Interventionist at East Union Attendance Center. Paula’s continuing education courses include Phonics First, Structures, Barksdale Reading Institution, Vocabulary, Phonological Awareness, & Read Aloud. She always looks forward to partnering with families to provide a pathway for academic success!
Paula Wood
Homeschool Teacher
Multi-sensory Dyslexia Tutor
Lori Johnson
Homeschool Teacher
Multi-sensory Tutor
Lori Johnson enjoys instructing middle school homeschooling and tutoring. She and her husband, Jeff, have two children, Noah (Emily) and Seth. Jeff is a CPA in Saltillo, MS. Lori is a 25-year retired teacher who worked at Saltillo Primary School for 20 years and at Pontotoc City Schools for five years. She was voted, by her peers, Teacher of the Year at both Saltillo Primary School and Pontotoc Middle School. She graduated from Blue Mountain College with a degree in Elementary Education and then continued her education with a Master's Degree in Elementary Education at Mississippi State University. Aside from teaching, Lori volunteers as Children's Director at Thrasher Baptist Church. She is also a self-published author, having written several family Bible studies and a children's book. Lori loves watercolor and has painted commissioned pieces for the public. Not only is she creative, but she also earned a third-degree black belt at Free Form Martial Arts. Lori hopes that her skills of creativity, hard work, and determination will help guide and inspire young people and their families.
Melanie Plunkett earned her Bachelor’s in Elementary Education and Master’s in Educational Leadership from Mississippi State University. Of her 26 years of experience in the public school setting, she spent nine years as an assistant principal at Itawamba Attendance Center. The rest of her experience was as a classroom ELA teacher, with the majority teaching 6th grade at Milam Elementary. Melanie is married to her husband, James. They have four children (Kalle, Kitt, Kinsey, and Karson) and three grandchildren (Miles, Ilyne, and Robert). She enjoys traveling, spending time with her family, helping coach the Itawamba Swim Team, and is active with the youth group at her church, Lee Acres Church of Christ. Melanie hopes that her experience in education and working with students of all ages will benefit the students here.
Melanie Plunkett
Homeschool Teacher
Carrie Boykin
Homeschool Teacher
Middle and High School Science Tutor
Carrie Boykin is our Science Teacher for our homeschool program and tutors all science subjects from elementary to high school. She is originally from Greenville, Mississippi, and now resides in Guntown, Mississippi. After graduating from Delta State University in 1985 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Biology, she continued her studies by pursuing a Master’s Degree in Chemistry in 1993. Carrie also completed postgraduate studies at the Mississippi State University, the University of Southern Mississippi, and the University of Mississippi. She taught for 13 years in grades 7th through 12th, where she taught Life Science, Earth Science, Physical Science, Chemistry, Advanced Placement Chemistry, and Anatomy and Physiology. After teaching in the public school system, Carrie then worked for 27 years at the Community College level, teaching Physical Science I & II, General Chemistry I & II, and Organic Chemistry I & II. Carie is an asset to our program as she teaches with love, grace, and humor!
Jenny Simmons has a thirty-five-year teaching career. She has taught for thirty-four years at Saltillo High School and one year at the University of Hawaii, and her favorite aspect of her teaching career is helping students become better prepared for college or the workplace. At Saltillo High School, Jenny taught all levels of math, including state-tested Algebra I, Advanced Placement Calculus, and College Algebra. While at Saltillo, she earned a Master's Degree and National Board Certification. Jenny was named Lee County Teacher of the Year, and, in 2015, was chosen as the Mississippi Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching winner. After retiring in 2018, she worked as a mathematics consultant throughout the state of Mississippi. Throughout her career, she took great pleasure in watching her students grow, succeed, and become outstanding community members. At Scholar Skills Strategies, she is once again getting to do all those things. When not at Scholar Skills, she spends time with her family, including her husband, Tim, son, Jack, and daughter, Julie. She is an active member of First Baptist Church in Saltillo and loves being part of the mission activities they provide.
Jenny Simmons
Homeschool Teacher
Middle and High School Math Tutor
Tanya Johnson
Middle School Math Tutor
Tanya Johnson graduated from the University of Mississippi with a degree in Education and has over 25 years of experience in education, primarily teaching middle school math. After retiring from the Tupelo Public School District, she decided to join her sister in real estate while also continuing to tutor middle school math at Scholar Skills Strategies. Outside of work, she is a devoted wife to Chris Johnson and a proud mother to Abby and Macy, both of whom attend the University of Mississippi. Tanya enjoys traveling, spending time with her family, friends, and her dogs. Her passion lies in making people smile, helping others, and guiding young people to become their best selves.
Rebecca Brawner is excited about working with high school students in math. She has a Bachelor’s Degree from Mississippi State University and a Master’s in Mathematics from the University of Mississippi. After college, Rebecca taught advanced math classes for 32 years, with 28.5 years in high school. Since her high school years, she has enjoyed teaching part-time at Itawamba Community College for 16 years. Rebecca has been married for 38 years and has three children and three beautiful grandchildren. She is a wonderful asset to Scholar Skills Strategies, where she helps many students.
Rebecca Brawner
High School Math Tutor
Cindy Wilkins
Middle school and High school Math Tutor
Cindy Wilkins is our tutor for middle school math, Algebra I, and Algebra II. She currently teaches Algebra I and Algebra II at Saltillo High School. Cindy obtained her Bachelor of Science degree in Instrumental/Choral Music from Mississippi State University in 1989 and her Master of Music in Instrumental Music from the University of Memphis in 1992. She received her certification to teach secondary mathematics in 1999. Cindy’s teaching career of 22 years consists of teaching band and choir for Simpson County Schools (MS), Covington City Schools (TN), and the band at Tupelo High School (MS); teaching middle school math, Algebra 1, band, and choir at Guntown Middle School (MS); teaching Music Appreciation at ICC; and teaching Algebra I and II at Saltillo High School (MS) with and eleven year sabbatical to be a stay at home mom for her two daughters. Cindy is a National Board Certified Teacher in Early Adolescence Mathematics. She is a valuable member of Scholar Skills Strategies, where she fills in the gaps in math and helps students understand math concepts.
Beth Gann facilitates and tutors English/Reading and instructs our Secondary English Homeschool. She is a 1981 graduate of Mississippi University for Women, where she received a bachelor's degree in Journalism. She enjoyed teaching Secondary English at Shannon High School. Originally from Baldwyn, Beth currently resides in Okolona with her husband, Larry, and is a mother of three daughters and the grandmother of five wonderful grandchildren. She says, “Working at Scholar Skills Strategies has given me a second chance at teaching. God gave me 20 years in the classroom and then opened a new opportunity here with the most selfless coworkers I know.”
Beth Gann
English Tutor
Homeschool Teacher
