Meet our Team

I consider it an honor and pleasure to serve the Lord as the Head of School at LCS. From the first time I set foot on the campus, I knew I could embrace the mission of Lighthouse and I have developed a deep love for the people.

I grew up on a small farm in Nebraska and have been a professional educator for 40 years. After serving as a teacher and principal in the Nebraska public school system for 16 years, the Lord saved me and ever since, I have been serving in Christian schools in Nebraska, Texas and Idaho.

The Mission of Lighthouse Christian School drives all that we do. My prayer is that LCS will continue to be a place where Christ can be pre-eminent in all things.

I have been married to my wife Kimmarie for 39 years. We have three grown children and eleven grandchildren. Kimmarie and I are grateful that the Lord is allowing us the opportunity to be a part of a school that will continue to educate the next generation in the Full View of Eternity.

Go Lions!

Kandace Williams is a communications professional with a strong background in executive support and administration. Originally from Nevada and now based in Idaho, she earned her Bachelor’s degree in Communications from Boise State University.

Kandace has served in key roles across diverse industries, including higher education and corporate business. She worked at the College of Western Idaho (CWI) as Executive Assistant to the Director of Finance and Administration, where she provided high-level organizational support and helped streamline departmental operations. She also gained corporate experience at MusclePharm, serving as Executive Assistant to the CFO, where she supported leadership in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.

Outside of her professional achievements, Kandace is a dedicated wife and proud mom of two girls. She values faith, family, and building meaningful connections in both her personal and professional life.

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Beth Ruhter has worked as an Administrative Assistant for LCS for the past 5 years, where she has assisted the administration, students and families to be successful and thrive.  While at LCS, she has increased her roles to Records/Documentation Clerk and Assistant to the Secondary Principal. Her previous work experience includes being a New Student Services Coordinator at the College of Southern Idaho (CSI), a Retail Operations Officer at D.L. Evans Bank, and a Vault Teller at Zions Bank.  In all of these positions, Beth has always valued building genuine relationships with others, and she finds great joy in putting the pieces together.  A solution and a “good spreadsheet” are a beautiful thing!
In her spare time, Beth enjoys camping, fishing, shopping, chatting over a cup of coffee with friends, and spending time with her family.  She has been married to her husband, Clayton, for 17 years and they have 3 children together. 
 

Emily Whitman is the school nurse and security assistant at Lighthouse Christian School. She has served in this role for three years, following eight years of experience as a Certified Medical Assistant in two major health systems. In addition to her CMA, Emily is a certified Stop the Bleed instructor and also works with a private security company. She is a member of the National Council of School Safety Directors and holds a certificate in Foundations of School Security Leadership. Emily is passionate about creating a safe, healthy environment where students can thrive and considers it a blessing to serve in a Christ-centered community.

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Claudia Bucher has taught lower elementary for four years and served as Children's Director for six. She received her Bachelor's Degree in Liberal Studies with an emphasis in Math from California State University Northridge, where she also received her Multiple Subject Teaching Credential. She has taught in private school settings in California, Colorado, and now Idaho. She enjoys building genuine relationships with her students and family to provide a personalized approach to student learning. 

Ariana Novak has served in education for three years, two of which with Lighthouse Christian School. She currently holds an Associate of Arts degree in American Sign Language and Deaf Studies. Teaching is more than a profession for Ariana; it’s a calling. She believes that God has placed her in this role to help guide and inspire the next generation. Known for a joyful and engaging teaching style, Ariana loves to be silly, have fun, and share the Gospel in meaningful ways that resonate with young learners.
 

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Mr. John Johnson has taught secondary mathematics in high schools (public and private) for roughly a half-decade. While attending college, Mr. Johnson discovered a new way to approximate natural logarithms using a rational expression of polynomials with coefficients from Euler's Triangle. He has also had supervisory and training roles in the metal building industry and in the telecommunications industry. 

Additionally, Mr. Johnson has written two books: 
Tom, Dick and Harry Learn Differential Calculus is an introductory text for students who are beginning to learn Calculus and was made for use by the tutoring centers of the College of Southern Idaho and of Idaho State University.
Sword is an overview of the transmission, Canonization, contents, doctrines, and textual reliability of the Bible.

Mr. Johnson's academic pursuits also extend into his service to the God of the Bible. He loves to study the Bible itself, it's history, how we came to have it, and how it compares to other religious books/claims. Because of this study of the Bible and its history, he has been invited to deliver lectures for local churches on such subjects such as how to deal with the LDS, the history of the Biblical text, the issues with the Apocrypha, and textual criticism of the Bible.

Finally, Mr. Johnson is committed to the ideal of discipling students in key areas of Biblical maturity--especially submission to Godly authorities, selflessness in service to God and others, and self-control so as to glorify God in every circumstance rather than being ruled by one's circumstances. He also views academic pursuit as one means of understanding how God glorifies Himself in what He has done and is doing in the world around us. Consequently, Mr Johnson aims to regularly incorporate discipleship into the classroom environment and to frequently demonstrate many of the connections between mathematics and the Biblical worldview.