Bethel Classical Academy

Our Team

Our Team

Sally Lee

Principal

Ms. Sally Lee received her BA in Psychology and History from Binghamton University and her MA in Curriculum and Instruction from Teachers College, Columbia University. Ms. Lee enjoyed teaching students in grades 1, 4, and 5 in New York and Illinois before deciding to stay home and raise her young family. Since moving to California and raising her children, she received her CA Multiple Subject Credential. Prior to becoming Principal of Bethel Classical Academy, she spent time substitute teaching students in elementary, junior, and high school. Ms. Lee and her husband have two sons. She enjoys spending time with family, crocheting and finding new places to eat.

Jane Jang

Assistant Manager of Administration/Part-time Latin Teacher

Ms. Jane was born and raised in Germany and moved to California 7 years ago. She is fluent in German, English, and Korean, speaks conversational French, and holds certificates in Latin and Ancient Greek. She received her Bachelor of Arts in English Literature/Linguistics and Protestant Theology from Heidelberg University in Germany. Jane has experience teaching, mentoring, and working with children and youths in a ministry setting.
She joined BCA in 2023, and hopes to create a warm and inclusive environment for its students, and to come alongside students as they develop a love for learning, delight with awe and wonder in God’s creation, and grow in wisdom and understanding.

In her free time, she enjoys traveling, hiking, going to the beach with her husband, and spending quality time via FaceTime with her family and friends who are scattered all throughout the globe.

Carl Sohmer

7th/8th Grade Humanities Teacher/Upper School Curriculum Director

Carl Sohmer graduated with a degree in Homiletics from Evangel University and his M.A. in Philosophy from Biola University. Carl is pursuing a Ph.D. in Philosophy at the University of California, Irvine. Carl has spent the last six years as a teacher at a classical Christian school and as an Adjunct Professor at Biola University, where he grew to be committed to classical Christian education because it uniquely enables the intellectual and moral development of persons through the great works by the grace of God. He believes it is one of the most powerful ways to lead young people to a rich and deep love of God and others.
Carl is very excited to serve as a teacher and curriculum director at Bethel Classical Academy, where he teaches 7th-grade humanities suite of classes which focuses on studying the Great Works of Biblical and Ancient Civilizations to cultivate wisdom and virtue. Carl is training for a marathon and enjoys backpacking, reading, movies, Bob Dylan, good coffee, and spending time with his friends.

Hope Vasco

Kindergarten Teacher

Ms. Hope has always had a passion for educating. When she was in 1st grade, she decided that there was nothing more she wanted to be than a great teacher. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Childhood and Special Education with a concentration in Psychology and a Minor in Child and Adolescent Mental Health Studies from New York University. Throughout her experience in private and public schools in NYC, she discovered a need to teach students to see truth, goodness and beauty amidst a world that is yearning for God’s love. She is recently married and enjoys traveling, trying new foods and taking her dog on hikes.

Joy Park

1st Grade Teacher

Miss Joy Park is the 1st-grade teacher at Bethel Classical Academy. She earned her Bachelor’s in Education Sciences and Social Policy & Public Service at the University of California, Irvine. She feels privileged and passionate to inspire students in their education and faith journey. She has very fond memories of learning about Jesus from a young age and looked up to her teachers at church and school. She always dreamed of becoming a warm and uplifting teacher like the ones she had in her life and hopes her students can experience the love of Jesus and a love for learning the way that she did.

Hope Nguyen

2nd Grade Teacher

Hope Nguyen joins our Bethel team with 2 years of primary principal experience and 8 years of teaching in the classroom. She is an alumni of Northwest Bible College in Kirkland, WA: the class of 1997 with BA in Church Ministries with a Mission Emphasis. She has over three decades of experience in early childhood education, church ministries, and classical Christian education. Prior to having a family she held a license to preach under the Assembly of God denomination.

She celebrates 23 years of marriage to Bang Nguyen who pastors at Vietnamese Alliance Church of Orange in Santa Ana. She is a proud mother of four beautiful children: Audrey, Landon, Sadie and Theodore. She enjoys time with her family, reading, crocheting, and rock climbing/bouldering. A bible verse you will often hear her quote is Galatians 2:20. A verse she hopes to leave as a legacy for her children and generations to come.

Julia Welch

3rd/4th Grade Teacher

Miss Julia is the 3rd/4th-grade teacher at Bethel Classical Academy. She has a degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders with a Bible minor from Biola University. She also has completed the Torrey Honors College, a great books program that discusses classical and theological literature. She loves children and the opportunity to share her love of learning and God to them in unique and creative ways. In her spare time she loves cooking and trying new foods, reading, embroidery, painting, and theater.

Hugh Speed

5th/6th Grade Teacher

Although drawing and painting have always been his first love, Hugh Speed has found joy in teaching Middle School Language Arts, Ancient plus Medieval History for over 10 years, and now serves as the 5th and 6th Grade Combo Classroom Teacher at Bethel Classical Academy in Irvine, California. Hugh is a graduate of Cal State University, Long Beach and has served as a public school educator since 2007 in Santa Ana, South Central Los Angeles and Kuwait. He is a lover of Literature and History of all kinds, and has led professional development seminars on classroom teaching techniques such as “active monitoring” for student feedback and the “Jane Schaffer Method” of argumentative paragraph writing. Outside of school, Hugh enjoys spending time between Mission Viejo and Pasadena with family and friends, reading historical fiction, discovering the next new and delicious taco truck, and drawing on his sketchpad.

Joni Kim

Grammar School Math Teacher

Mrs. Joni Kim is a part-time Math teacher at Bethel Classical Academy. She earned her B.S in Mathematics at the University of California at Irvine and her M.S in Computer Science at California State University Long Beach.  Prior to working as a substitute teacher and now math teacher at BCA, she worked in various technology fields.  She believes math in the early years is essential to building a solid foundation in a child’s education.  She hopes to help build that foundation at BCA. Mrs.Kim is a wife and the mother of 2 daughters in high school and college, and she enjoys reading in her spare time.

Sarah Ping

Violin Teacher

Ms. Sarah Ping graduated from the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, MA, where she received a B.M. in Violin Performance. After actively performing internationally as a chamber musician, soloist, and orchestral player, her heart was always drawn to working with children, which led her to study Early Childhood Education later on. She has since dedicated herself to pedagogy and music education, working with students of diverse levels and backgrounds. Sarah has been teaching students ages 4 through high school. She believes in artistic excellence as a means to serve the glory of God and is excited to share glimpses of His beauty through music with her BCA students. Ms. Sarah and her husband have a young daughter and a rescue dog, and love to spend time out in nature, whether it be hiking, camping, or exploring National Parks.

Soo Jung Lee

Finance Manager

Ms. Soo is a Finance Manager at Bethel Classical Academy.  She had a long career in public accounting specializing in audits, mergers and acquisitions, and Real Estate Investment Trusts.   She brings her experience in accounting/finance and her commitment to the school’s mission to create an exceptional Christian educational environment. She loves studying art history, painting in acrylic and oil in her spare time, and her passion for visiting art museums is an ever-evolving journey, one that continues to enrich her life in countless ways.  She was on backpacking trips to Europe for over ten years until her daughter was born, and hopes to continue those trips again. She spends lots of time in nature with her family, and is a foster mom for labrador retrievers.