Educator Bios
Lauren Leggett
Lauren Leggett is a licensed teacher, who received her Bachelor of Education Degree from Mississippi State University in 2011. Her degree concentration was middle level education, with an emphasis in both Language Arts and Social Sciences. Her first teaching position was a unique opportunity, where she served as supervising teacher at Jackson Elementary, a rural school in the Big Hole Valley of Montana. The school’s population of 10 students was divided into two classes, grades k-3, and 4-8. Lauren taught the “Big Room,” grades 4-8, all subjects. During her time at Jackson, she was responsible for planning the rural school basketball season and spelling bee for all the small schools in the county, as well as wearing the hats of student council sponsor and editor of the student newspaper, The Jackson Monthly. It was during her time at Jackson Elementary that she developed an appreciation for small group learning with multi-age classrooms. She and her husband, Jed, live with their 13-year-old son, Wylie, on a 40 acre Grassfed Beef farm, which now includes The Country Schoolhouse. Enrichment education with hands-on activities has been Lauren’s passion throughout her teaching career. Lauren was a co-recipient of the 2021 Farm Bureau Ag in the Classroom Teacher of the Year.
Chloe Hodge
Chloe Hodge is a licensed teacher who received her Bachelor of Music Education degree from The University of Southern Mississippi in 2018. She is licensed to teach music to kindergarten through 12th grade and has an emphasis in violin. Chloe taught violin privately at the Academy of Piano and Strings in Brooklyn, Mississippi, throughout her years in college. When she graduated, Chloe moved into a teaching position at Lumberton Elementary, where she was responsible for the pre-K through 5th grade music program. Chloe Hodge has performed with the Southern Miss Youth Orchestra, the Festival South Chamber and Orchestral Academy, and the Southern Miss Symphony Orchestra. She was the Star Student Award recipient her senior year of high school, achieved a spot in the Student's Hall of Fame, and remained on the Dean's and President's list all four years of her college career. Chloe is so incredibly excited to teach and see what the future holds at The Country Schoolhouse!
Jana Bennett
Jana Bennett is a licensed educator and consultant with Bennett Homeschooling. She completed her Bachelor of Science degree in Biological Science with a minor in Chemistry and completed her Graduate degree in Education in 2011. In 2018, she continued her education by completing her Graduate degree in Biological Science. She has taught students for more than ten years in general science, Biology, and state test preparation. She has also coached soccer, robotics, and archery. Presently, she homeschools her own children and supports other homeschooling families through Bennett Homeschooling. She loves to read, paint, crochet, and play board games.
Jenny McMahon
Jenny is a certified teacher of mathematics. She received her undergraduate degree in Mathematics and a Masters of Education, with an emphasis in Mathematics and Secondary Education, from William Carey College. She started teaching mathematics in 2006. She is a lifelong learner and started studying foraging and herbalism in 2019. Her homesteading goals and pursuit to be able to live off the land has inspired her edible and medicinal plant interests. She loves teaching and sharing about her passions so others can learn too.
Jed Leggett
Jed Leggett is a lifelong learner and teacher and has spent most of his life on the farm where The Country Schoolhouse is located. He received undergraduate degrees in Physics, Philosophy, and Mathematics, as well as a Masters degree in Physics, from Mississippi State University. Jed currently works as a software engineer. Jed taught Physics at The Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science from 2013-2016, where he was named a Mississippi STAR teacher in 2015. While at MSMS, he coached or sponsored many academic teams and clubs including: Rocketry Team, Robotics Team, Physics Club, Engineering Club, Cryptocurrency Club, Science Olympiad team, and Science Bowl team. Jed also served as the ACT Test coordinator for MSMS for 2 years. When he’s not busy working on his Ph.D. or taking care of cows, Jed serves as a Den Leader for Boy Scout Master of Pack 101 in Purvis. Jed and his wife started The Country Schoolhouse to bring outside-the-box educational experiences to families and kids in their area.
Susan Hartfield
Susan Hartfield received her Bachelor of Education degree from The University of Southern Mississippi in 2005 and her Master of Education degree from William Carey University in 2008. Her endorsements include Mathematics, Career Discovery, and Computer Discovery. Susan taught elementary and middle school grades at McLain Attendance Center. After teaching 6.5 years, she came home from her teaching position to be a stay-at-home mom. Susan and her husband, Brandon, have two children. They are currently homeschooling and are are looking forward to the wonderful opportunities at The Country Schoolhouse. Susan was a co-recipient of the 2021 Farm Bureau Ag in the Classroom Teacher of the Year.
Allison Ervin
Allison Ervin received her bachelor's degree in elementary education from The University of Southern Mississippi in 2001. She received her master's degree from William Carey University in 2010. Her areas of concentration are language arts and science. Allison taught first grade at Salem Attendance Center in Walthall county for ten years. After her first child was born, she chose to become a stay-at-home mom. She is married to her husband, Scott, of seventeen years. They have two children, Anna Kate and John Scott, who are both homeschooled and attend classes at The Country Schoolhouse.
Pamela Aycock
Pamela Aycock and her husband and own and operate a cattle farm and commercial poultry farm in Covington County. They have been married 28 years and have 3 children. The oldest two were home educated through high school by Pamela and they are now out of college. Her youngest child is going into the 10th grade this year. She is a k-12 National Board-certified teacher and spent 10 years teaching in public school before coming home to home educate her kids. Pamela is passionate about home education and loves helping parents navigate the high school years.
Ruth Slade-Sargent
Sewing has always fascinated me. I would sit under the quilt frames of my grandmother when I was young and play, thinking to myself, “When I grow up, I’m going to quilt.” I watched my mama mend clothes and patch things, but never really sew . The only formal training in sewing I had was in home economics class at Purvis High School. And from that training, I have taught myself quilting, and just about anything else I want to do.
My brother had colon cancer and had to undergo chemotherapy treatments in the hospital, 4 days at a time. One night, I had dream of making a quilt for him. This quilt would consist of family pictures so that we could be with him while he had his treatments! So when I got home from work, I gathered pictures of him doing the things he loved most: hunting, fishing, riding in his Bronco, spending time with family and enjoying family get-togethers.
I stayed up all night , then took it to work the next day, and by that afternoon, it was done all but hemming. Since it was the day he was to be admitted for his 4 day treatment, I wrapped the quilt up and went to his house. When I knocked on the door and he answered, he had a smirk on his face and wanted to know what I was doing there! I told him I had a surprise for him. He opened it up and tears rolled down his face! I told him it wasn’t finished, it was only pinned and I had just started to hem it. He said, “Well bring your needle and thread to the hospital and spend the night ‘cause you can’t have it back!!” From that time on, he took that quilt everywhere he went.
After seeing how much that quilt meant to my brother, I have made many more for cancer patients. Quilting is a dying art, and I look forward to teaching not only the skill, but the art of this craft to young people at The Country Schoolhouse.
Teresa Camp-Rogers
Teresa is a local emergency physician who was born and raised in the Pine Belt. She graduated from Millsaps College with a degree in Biology and Anthropology. She earned her medical degree at the University of Virginia. She completed residency, fellowship and masters in statistics at Virginia Commonwealth University. A teacher at heart, she has worked as core faculty at both undergraduate and graduate programs. As a physician, she has enjoyed teaching pre-med, medical students, residents, and faculty. She has been an instructor for ATLS, ACLS, PALS, and also spoken at local, regional, and national conferences. She has been working at South Central Regional Medical Center for over 9 years.