Middle School/Junior High Teachers
Mrs. Christy Kernaghan
5th Grade
Most of you know me as the mom of five Kernaghan boys, but I am also a passionate teacher. My education began in Southern Illinois, Mt. Vernon to be exact. It is the place I call home and still visit as often as I can. After graduating high school in 1988, I continued my education at Illinois State University. I obtained an elementary education degree, as well as a minor in English. I met my husband, Michael, at ISU and we continued to live in Normal, Illinois after college graduation. I was a substitute teacher until I taught 4th grade at Colene Hoose Elementary. Mike’s job brought us to Decatur in the summer of 2000. Once settled here, I began teaching at 5th grade at Enterprise Elementary School until our first child, Connor was born. At this point, my teaching career became raising a family. We had five boys in five years. It was quite a journey. While they were young, I spent many hours as a volunteer at Holy Family school, while being a full-time mom. In 2012, I reentered the teaching world part-time as a Jr. High English and Religion teacher at Holy Family. Three years later, I made the leap to full-time at Holy Family, teaching 5th grade. It is with great excitement and enthusiasm that my boys and I have come to Our Lady of Lourdes this year! Becoming part of this amazing school, teaching with such passionate teachers, and watching my children grow and thrive at school has been such a blessing. I have 7th grade triplet boys (Cameron, Caleb, Carson), a 5th grade son (Caiden), and a sophomore at St. Teresa High School(Connor). Our family is devoted to Catholic education and service to our community of faith. God had lead us on this journey of life and I am blessed to be a part of Our Lady of Lourdes.
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Mrs. Becky Dunscomb
7th Grade Homeroom/ Jr. High Grammar
My name is Becky Dunscomb and I am the Jr. High grammar teacher. I am very excited to teach the students at Our Lady of Lourdes the importance of grammar. I feel that speaking and writing correctly is essential in today's world. Yes, grammar still matters. I believe in teaching the basics: parts of speech, usage, mechanics and DIAGRAMMING! My goal is for the students to graduate from Our Lady of Lourdes prepared for high school. I have wanted to be a teacher since I was in sixth grade. I am a graduate of Our Lady of Lourdes, St. Teresa High School and Millikin University. I received my Masters of Education from Eastern Illinois University. I taught at Holy Family School for four years until I had my oldest child. I was blessed to stay home for an extended period of time with our three children. After several years at home, I returned to Our Lady of Lourdes teaching part time preschool and then 5th grade. I now find myself back at Our Lady of Lourdes teaching a subject that I am very passionate about. I hope that I can help the students work hard and strive to do their very best!
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Mr. Bryan Kenney
7th Grade Homeroom/ Jr. High Math
My name is Bryan Kenney and this is my fourth year at Our Lady of Lourdes. I am the Junior High Math Teacher and love math and love to teach it to my students. I have also begun to teach 0ne class of social studies this year. The challenge of teaching social studies is a welcome change. I went to grade school at Holy Family and graduated from Saint Teresa in 2003. I went on to earn a degree from Richland and an Applied Mathematics Degree from Millikin University. I worked in banking, as a substitute teacher, and at my parent's hardware store for a couple year before deciding to go back to get my teaching certificate. I went to Greenville to earn my Masters in Education. I am also a football coach and track coach at Saint Teresa High School. Football is a passion of mine and I love to coach and watch football. This upcoming year will be my 3rd year being the Saint Teresa Head coach for track. #trackfam #projecteiu
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Mrs. Jennifer Brummer
8th Grade Homeroom/Jr. High Science/S.S.
Welcome to the wonderful world of science! I am Mrs. Jenny Brummer, a young at heart science geek; therefore, teaching junior high science is a perfect fit for me. I have been teaching what I LOVE to students since 2000, and I have been blessed to call Our Lady of Lourdes "home" since 2010. My husband, Mark, and I were born and raised Catholic, and my husband is an alum of Saint Teresa High School. Our Catholic faith has always been very important to us. Consequently, faith-based education for our children was always a priority, and thankfully, the Lord lead us to OLOL. All four of our children are currently OLOL students, so to say that my heart and soul are in this school would be an understatement. I graduated from Illinois College in 2000, with a bachelor's degree in elementary education. While there, I also earned my middle school and science endorsements and lettered in varsity basketball all four years. The experience and training that I received and continue to receive are of chief importance; however, it was the influence of several people in my life that has really motivated me. Education has always been a priority in my life, and I have my parents, George and Jill Murphy, to thank for that. They instilled a strong work ethic in me that I never take for granted. As a toxicologist and registered nurse, they were also the first to introduce me to the world of SCIENCE. I grew up loving it! Then, there are three teachers from my past who I try to emulate on a daily basis. First, Mrs. Cowdrey, my 6th grade teacher, taught me how to be loving, caring, and nurturing. I knew that when I walked into her classroom I mattered. I hope my students realize how much they matter to me and how hard it is to let them go when they graduate. Second, Mr. Owens, my high school biology teacher, LOVED science and it was so evident. His enthusiasm for science radiated from him and he is the reason that I chose to teach science. I strive to be someone else's "Mr. Owens." Lastly, Mr. Furman, my high school English and history teacher, taught me how to set and reach high expectations. He was tough, and there was no greater satisfaction than succeeding in his classes and knowing that he was proud of my performance. Seeing pride on my students' faces when they have conquered something that they think is out of their reach is beyond compare. I try to be a sensitive, caring, and patient teacher who works well with students of various backgrounds and learning capabilities. I am dedicated to helping your child learn!
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Mr. Matt Barker
6th Grade Homeroom/Jr. High Social Studies
My name is Matthew Barker, and I am the Social Studies teacher here at Our Lady of Lourdes. This is my second year teaching, and I’m ready for an exciting year. I graduated from Kentucky Christian University in Grayson, KY in May of 2016 (Go Knights), and I moved back to the Land of Lincoln over the summer. I was born in Kansas but moved to Lincoln, IL in 2002. I attended Chester-East Lincoln School during my elementary years and graduated high school as a Lincoln Community High School Railsplitter. While in high school, I had many opportunities to serve and tutor students in the area, and that is when I realized that I wanted to become a teacher. Social Studies is a subject that I always found interesting. I love learning about different cultures and seeing how it impacts our lives today. Being a Social Studies teacher also means being a Social Studies student because new things are always being discovered. I am looking forward to both teaching and at times learning alongside your student.
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