Our Experts

Marian Kennedy-Busby

Principal

Marian first came to Archway Academy through Southwest School in 2011 as one of our English teachers, and now oversees the daily operations of the school as our principal. She obtained her Bachelor of Arts from the University of Houston and her Master of Education from the University of Houston-Clear Lake (go Coogs!). While she was born in New York, she got to Texas as fast as she could when her family moved here. Working with Archway’s diverse population of students means that no day is ever dull and as a lifelong learner, she finds herself reaping the benefits of student knowledge. When asked why she works at a sober high school, Marian’s reply is: “It’s an experience that I will treasure my entire life. Archway is a community that embraces students where they are and supports them in reaching their full potential. For some students, we may see their potential before they do, but with consistency, accountability, and support mixed with love, they begin to see themselves in a brighter light. The transformation is an amazing thing to see.” 

When Marian isn’t at Archway pouring her heart and soul into our students, she’s spending time with her husband fishing, dancing, and simply enjoying life. She also loves being with her parents, extended family, and her sister and family. Trying out the culturally diverse food scene in Houston is high on Marian’s list, as well as going to movies, shopping, sitting around the kitchen table laughing, reading, listening to music, and walking her dog, Sheba. She also takes time to learn about her family’s Creole culture and history and serve the community. Marian emphatically states that she is living her first-grade dream of working with students and making a difference, and wouldn’t trade her time at Archway for anything.

David Claunch

Math & Science

David joined the faculty at Archway Academy in 2017 and instructs Archway students in algebra II, pre-calculus, and physics. Hailing from Kentucky and Tennessee, David earned an Associate Degree in Engineering from Tidewater Community College and a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Old Dominion University. For the next 21 years of his life, he worked as an estimator and project engineer in the construction industry in Virginia. In 2003, David began the long journey of recovery from alcoholism, and discovered a love for art—specifically the art of clowning, storytelling, and balloon sculpting—which led to a third degree in his repertoire, a Master of Arts in Storytelling from East Tennessee State University.

After he earned his master’s, he spent five years as a traveling performing artist participating in balloon story theater shows, storytelling festivals, and clown conventions. In 2014, he changed careers to begin teaching high school at his alma mater, where he also found out about recovery high schools; four years later, his journey led him to us at Archway. He enjoys his newfound passion, SCUBA diving, has earned his divemaster certification, and considers himself lucky to work with a STEM enrichment program every summer in Key West, Florida. David has long thought of teaching at Archway to be his dream job and loves nothing more than to come to work every day and spend time with his students.

Nancy Coles

Social Studies and English at The PaRC Campus

Nancy joined Archway Academy at the PaRC, an adolescent residential substance abuse treatment center, in 2017 as a lab instructor. Prior to that, she was at Southwest Schools and worked for many years in both retail and as a real estate agent. 

In her spare time, she shares her life with her family, especially her grandson Cole, and enjoys reading, going to movies, riding bikes, and socializing with her friends. Nancy’s favorite part of teaching at Archway is that her work matters, and she loves learning alongside her students, interacting and discussing the subjects at hand, and getting to know her students that she says change her life for the better.

Tara Brace-Hrozek

Math & Foreign Language

Tara teaches algebra I, geometry, algebraic reasoning, Spanish, and STAAR EOC algebra I at Archway Academy, and has been with us since 2016. Before coming to Archway, she taught algebra I and both regular and pre-AP geometry at Kempner High School in Fort Bend, where she was also the girls’ JV soccer and freshman volleyball coach. Born and raised in Austin, Tara received her Bachelor of Arts in Biology (pre-med track) with a minor in Spanish from Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas. She also played soccer and swam competitively while in college. 

In her spare time, Tara hangs out with her husband and two sons who are one and five years old. Tara is grateful for the opportunity to do what she truly loves—teach— at Archway, and she enjoys being part of a school culture that supports student recovery and inspires them to reach their full potential. Her goal in teaching our students is to make as much of a difference in their lives as they do in hers.

Eric Johnson

Science and Math at The PaRC Campus

Eric has been with Archway Academy since 2022 and teaches both science and math at The PaRC Campus. He was born and raised in Houston’s Third Ward where he attended Jack Yates High School, finishing as valedictorian of his graduating class, and then went on to graduate from Howard University’s School of Business. He began teaching mathematics in 2017 and while he grows as an educator, his passion is watching his students grow academically. 

Eric chose to come to Archway to be able to work with youth who are healing and need a teacher that can motivate them to love learning, and he intends to work in the recovery field for many years to come.

Chris Miller

English

Chris has been at Archway since 2013 where he teaches English I, II, III, and IV as well as an elective law class. The son of a retired Air Force colonel, he grew up all over the country and the world, finally landing at Texas A&M University for college, where he majored in English and minored in philosophy. Before Archway, Chris taught high school math for four years at Gonzalo Garza High School in Austin, but his career path took a different direction when he decided to get his law degree at the University of Houston Law Center. He practiced law for five years, but realized that his heart was still in teaching, and returned to the profession at Archway. 

Chris is engaged to the love of his life and they have an October 2022 date set for the wedding. Speaking about Archway, Chris says there’s nowhere in the country he would rather teach as he loves our students, staff, and mission. He feels that recovery provides an important and meaningful context for students’ education in terms of their personal growth and accountability, and learns as much from his students as he teaches them in the classroom. His hope is that his passion for both teaching and learning will inspire Archway students to be lifelong learners themselves.

Roland Parsons

Physical Education

Roland first started working at Archway Academy through Southwest Schools back in 2011 as one of the physical education (P.E.) teachers. He is a born and bred Houstonian, and received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in physical education from Alcorn State University, where he was a collegiate athlete.

Outside of work, Roland coaches basketball for his son’s team, and enjoys spending time with his wife, daughter, and son. Traveling is quickly becoming a new hobby for the Parson family as they all just received their passports, and they love to try out new restaurants around the country. Working with such a diverse population of students, learning new things from them every day, and watching how mentally tough they are as they walk through recovery is what inspires Roland’s love of teaching at Archway.

Sonny Sanborn

Social Studies & Lead Teacher

Sonny came to Archway Academy in 2009 to join our faculty as the social studies teacher—his classes include U.S. history, world history, government, economics, psychology, sociology, and world geography. He also holds the distinction of lead teacher, serving as a liaison between teaching staff and school administration. Sonny grew up in Denton and went on to earn a degree in history with a minor in education as well as a master’s degree at a seminary in Fort Worth. He quickly moved back to Texas and earned his master’s degree at a seminary in Fort Worth. Prior to joining us at Archway, he served as a youth minister/associate pastor at two different churches for about 10 years before making the transition to a teaching career. He began his new path as an educator at a private, college preparatory school and was there for five years. He likes to say that he’s been working with teenagers for 28 years, and before that, he was one!

Sonny married his wife, Laura, in 1988 and they have five children together, ranging in age from 8-22—their youngest was in their home as a foster child from birth, and they had the absolute joy of adopting her right before she turned two. He loves spending time with his family, and when he’s not at Archway, he’s with his wife and kids, at a basketball gym, on a soccer field, or simply at home enjoying games and movies together. Sonny’s love for Archway and the students runs deep, and he wouldn’t teach anywhere else, calling it a true community of people who expect each other to grow—not just the students, but the adults, too (although he admits he’s still working on his transformation!).

Isabelle Scott

Lab Instructor

Isabelle is brand new to the education field and just joined the Archway Academy family in 2021 as a lab instructor. The daughter of a Marine, she grew up moving all over the American coasts along with her two sisters and brother. After settling in Houston part of the way through high school, she graduated from St. Agnes Academy before heading to Texas A&M University (whoop!) to study geographic information systems. 

Isabelle is having a blast immersing herself in the Archway community and working with her students in the lab. She is extremely passionate about the growth, accountability, and recovery Archway stands for and she works hard to embody it by reflecting on the positive changes she can make simultaneously within herself. Supporting and transforming each other while still focusing on building a strong academic foundation is what she sees that makes Archway special, and Isabelle counts the Archway students on her gratitude list every morning while drinking her coffee. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time outdoors, crafting, and volunteering with the Red Cross.

Jomosa Wilson

Science

Hello, my name is Jomoso Wilson and I am an 8th year educator. Prior to entering the field of education in 2015, I spent 17 years working in information technology, where I held various roles such as help desk analyst, network trouble ticket analyst, technology trainer, and new hire trainer.

I hold a Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Science from the University of Phoenix, as well as a Master’s degree in Educational Leadership from St. Thomas University. My educational philosophy centers around the belief that every child deserves maximum effort and support, regardless of their situation.

Throughout my career, I have primarily worked in Title 1 schools, focusing on providing education to students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. I have held diverse positions such as district instructional coach, new hire mentor, department chair, campus improvement team member, technology trainer, and classroom teacher.

In terms of subjects, I have taught a range of science courses including Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Anatomy & Physiology, Environmental Science, and Agriculture.

Currently, I am a part of Archway Phoenix, attracted by the school’s mission, its dedication to supporting students, and the opportunity to build meaningful relationships. Despite the challenges some of our students may have faced, I firmly believe that they are all bright shining stars who deserve the best.

In the past, I have worked at ProVision Academy in Houston, Texas for 2 years, La Marque High School in La Marque, Texas for 1 year, and Houston Can Academy Southwest for 5 years. Each of these campuses has had a special focus on meeting the unique needs of the students they serve, whether it be drop-out recovery, behavior support, or other specific areas.