Congratulations to the Support Network Leader of the Year, Sandra Schneider
Sandra Schneider, CHEA Support Network Leader of the Year, received her award at the Annual Le
adership Conference and Luncheon July 13 at the Pasadena Convention Center. In the glowing nomination letters CHEA received, Sandra was often called a blessing, an encourager, and a prayer warrior.
Sandra has been a CHEA Member for about 25 years, and the office manager of South Bay Faith Academy in Redondo Beach for the past 21 years. She finished homeschooling her own children years ago, but continued on in the homeschool community as a blessing to many.
As the office manager of SBFA, Sandra says she serves families who have been called by God to school their children. “Some families come excited, some prepared, some come fearful and questioning what they had gotten themselves into. I feel God has placed me in this place, at this time to encourage, help, guide and direct them on their journey. Working with our high school and elementary principals, we help guide our leadership team and the many activities and services we offer our families,” she says.
Sandra and her husband Greg have four children and six grandchildren. They homeschooled the two youngest daughters for eight years, and now she helps homeschool two of her grandchildren.
Sandra was completely surprised by the award. “I am humbly overwhelmed by the nomination and the award. I have always been more comfortable to be the worker in the background, helping to give the tools for those who are gifted to be in the foreground. I feel very grateful to God for the opportunity to serve families at SBFA,” she said.
Here is what a few members of SBFA had to say about Sandra:
I have known Sandra for almost 10 years. Her skills at administration, which are amazing, are far surpassed by the grace she gives to each family she encounters at our homeschool academy. She is an encourager, a supporter, a prayer warrior, a head lifter, and has the biggest shoulders when you need something firm to lean on. We don’t know how she does it, given how full her plate is. She truly is amazing and well deserving of an award such as this.
Michelle Boatwright
Sandra is our office manager at South Bay Faith Academy but her title is misleading. Her dedication and hard work go far beyond her responsibilities. She is the backbone of our academy and a passionate advocate of homeschooling. Her many years of commitment and devotion have been instrumental in South Bay Academy thriving to this day.
Tracy Blum
Words cannot adequately express what an incredible blessing Sandra is to our family and homeschool community. Something that seems sorely lacking in the Christian homeschool community right now is the loving, mentoring, and discipleship of new homeschool moms by the seasoned, Titus 2, homeschoolers who have come before. Sandra is this wonderful voice of wisdom to so many of us moms in the South Bay. Monica Fearnside
When I first started at SBFA, she had five people in the office with her and everyone retired. She does the work of five people. If you need a transcript, she will write one for you that day. If you are on a field trip and need a check written, she will get it for you. She will even text you on her day off if you need something. She will even allow you to go to her house. I have seen her take work home to do in the evening while she watches the evening news. She takes calls from people who are curious about homeschooling. Her office is always full and her phone is always ringing off the hook. I literally don’t know of any person who works harder than her in the homeschool community. Rhonda Gordon
The Leader of the Year is nominated by individuals within their CHEA Support Network Group, according to Rebecca Kocsis, CHEA’s General Manager and Support Network Director.
For more information on South Bay Faith Academy, visit the group’s website . Find a group near you in CHEA’s Homeschool Directory.
Do you have a Support Network homeschooling group leader who has been a blessing to you? Be sure to nominate him or her by the deadline by May 1, 2018. Details will be posted here on our blog, Connection e-news, and on Facebook at CHEAofCA.
CHEA’s Annual Leadership Conference and Luncheon will be held on June 28, 2018 at the Pasadena Convention Center. The Annual CHEA Homeschool Convention will be held June 28-30 at the same location.