Elementary School

Mrs. Becky Thaxton is our K-1 teacher.  She graduated from Northern Arizona University with a Bachelors in Zoology.  When her children were very young she decided to get her teaching certificate so that her schedule would reflect theirs as they approached school age.  In Arizona, she had the privilege to teach at both an inquiry based school, and an IB elementary school which also was inquiry driven.  These schools helped her develop a love for authentic learning.  Since moving to Florida, she continued to teach elementary students. 

Mrs. Thaxton has 4 children, almost all grown, with just a few years left before being empty-nesters.  She enjoy's spending time with her family, in her garden and at the beach.  Mrs. Thaxton also is enjoying learning pickleball.

Mrs. Liz Brough is our 2nd/3rd grade homeschool teacher. She has a degree in Elementary and Special Education from Brigham Young University. As a military spouse, she has moved 13 times and spent 10 years living overseas. She and her family recently moved back to Florida from Washington DC.. Moving often has allowed her to participate in education in many different capacities. She especially enjoyed teaching English in Japanese elementary schools. Liz and her husband have four children, but just one still living at home. She loves visiting family, cheering her kids on in their activities, exploring beautiful outdoor places and listening to audio books. She is excited to be back at Prestige and is thrilled to teach homeschool students again.

Mrs. Gaye Parnell is our 4-5 grade homeschool teacher.  She graduated from the University of West Florida with a dual degree in Early Childhood Education and Elementary Education.

Mrs. Parnell has taught in a classroom for 23 years.  The last 14 of those years she taught in a multi-age classroom with many opportunities of engaging and exciting learning activities. 

Probably one of the best compliments she received is when a student wrote her a thank you note stating she didn’t really learn anything because she was having too much fun, but it was her best year ever. 

Following this time, she homeschooled her two grandchildren for two years.  

Mrs. Parnell enjoys visiting family, including her 13 grandchildren, and dating her husband who happens to be her high school sweetheart she met in the Philippines.  Other joys in life are visiting the gulf, reading, gardening, crocheting, music, traveling, and being of service to others. 

Mrs. Melissa Blizzard understands that “perfect” school days do not exist, but a meaningful one does . With a bachelors in Early Childhood Education, a masters in Applied Behavior Analysis and a board certification in Applied Behavior Analysis, she brings 10+ years of experience and knowledge to Prestige Homeschool Academy. Melissa strives to make complex topics accessible and exciting. At Prestige Homeschool Academy, she focuses on developing and nurturing the student as a whole and hopes to help students not just learn facts, but fall in love with the process of discovery. When not in the "classroom," you can find Mrs. Blizzard Irish Step dancing with Carpenter Academy of Irish Dance. She has been married for 14 years, has two children and a 17-year-old dog. Melissa is dedicated to empowering families and their children to take the lead in their education all while providing the support needed to help her students thrive.

Mrs. Melissa Blizzard understands that “perfect” school days do not exist, but a meaningful one does . With a bachelors in Early Childhood Education, a masters in Applied Behavior Analysis and a board certification in Applied Behavior Analysis, she brings 10+ years of experience and knowledge to Prestige Homeschool Academy. Melissa strives to make complex topics accessible and exciting. At Prestige Homeschool Academy, she focuses on developing and nurturing the student as a whole and hopes to help students not just learn facts, but fall in love with the process of discovery. When not in the "classroom," you can find Mrs. Blizzard Irish Step dancing with Carpenter Academy of Irish Dance. She has been married for 14 years, has two children and a 17-year-old dog. Melissa is dedicated to empowering families and their children to take the lead in their education all while providing the support needed to help her students thrive.

Dr. Elizabeth Merrell-Gross is one of our 6-8 grade homeschool teachers.   She is a writing/college success teacher at Northwest Florida State College for the past 17 years and a writing/speech teacher for the University of Maryland since 2018. Dr. MG has a  B.A. in English, an M.F.A. in Creative Writing, and a Ph.D in Education specializing in project-based learning. Her greatest accomplishment is her five children who have lovingly given her nine wonderful grandchildren.