Main Campus (Grades 6-8)

Mrs. Karen Morrison will be entering her fifth year here at Acorn and will be our middle school study hall teacher . Mrs. Morrison has a Bachelors in Health and Exercise Science with a Teacher Certification from Rowan University. She has been in the educational field for 13 years, previously as a health and physical education teacher and a paraprofessional. When not at school with her students, she is at home spending time with her husband and kids or traveling somewhere new to explore.

Mrs. Shawna Faulkner will be starting her fourth year at Acorn as our middle school art teacher. She worked with 6th graders last year and is excited to add seventh and eighth grade students to her rotations this school year. When not at school, she is exploring with her two boys.

Ms. Sheila Aninion is excited to start her second year at Acorn as a middle school ELA teacher. She earned her Bachelor’s degree from California State University of Bakersfield in 2021 and completed her Master’s degree from Grand Canyon University. This will be her third year of teaching, although she has been working in a school environment for 7 years in various roles. She spent 2 years as an after-school tutor, 1 year as a paraprofessional working with students with Autism, 2 years as a special education aide, and the past year was her second year as a teacher. Apart from teaching, she enjoys cooking/baking, reading, and creating arts and crafts on her days off. She is looking forward to seeing the social and academic growth of the students here at Acorn.

Mrs. Kati Young is our middle school Science teacher. She received her Bachelors of Science in Elementary Education from NAU. Mrs. Young also has her Middle School ELA and SEI endorsements. She is going into her 9th year with Acorn. Prior to teaching she gained many skills through her work with developmentally disabled adults in group home settings. She loves working with students and “getting a front seat to watch their growth!”

Mr. Matt Rice is one of our P.E. Teachers, Athletic Director, and middle school math paraprofessional. Prior to joining the Acorn team he worked in law enforcement. Mr. Rice has been in the school setting for 13 years as a School Resource Officer and a coach for athletics up to the varsity level. After retiring from law enforcement, he came to Acorn and has been with us for 8 years. Working with children and watching them accomplish their goals and overcome adversity along the way is Mr. Rice’s favorite part of being an educator.