• Certified strength and conditioning specialist through the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) 
• Registered strength and conditioning coach with distinction (NSCA)
• Certified through USA Weightlifting,
• Reflexive Performance Reset level one specialist,  
• Certified specialist for speed and explosion for sports competition
• Certified for sports nutrition by the American Sports Fitness Association.

Terry earned his bachelor’s degree in music and his master’s degree in music education from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. He has taught choral music for almost 30 years. Prior to his 2016 return to FCDS (Terry was originally hired by Headmaster Gordon Bingham), he taught choral music at R.J. Reynolds Arts Magnet High School since 1990. He developed an extracurricular show choir, a gospel choir, and a capella ensembles and served as stage and music director for the school’s musicals. Terry chaired the Performing Arts Department from 1993-1997 and from 2001-2007 and was a certified mentor teacher from 2005-2013. Terry is extremely active on the Winston-Salem music scene. He has been the church music director at Saint Leo the Great Catholic Church since 2014. He is a volunteer rehearsal accompanist for the Winston-Salem Mozart Club’s annual production of Handel’s Messiah and he has produced the A Capella Jam for Hope from 2005-2015 to raise funds for charities through music. During his career, Terry has received numerous accolades. He won the 2015 ECHO Award for community building from the Winston-Salem Foundation; the Yale University Distinguished Music Educator Award in 2009; and twice earned Teacher of the Year at Reynolds. He was also a finalist for the WSFCS Teacher of the Year Award.

Born and raised in Beijing, China, Annie Jin graduated from Beijing Technology Institute with a master's degree in computer science. She remained at the university as an assistant teacher for four years before becoming a technical consultant for Hewlett Packard. However, her passion for being a teacher never died. After marrying her husband and moving to the United States, Annie held multiple positions as a private Chinese tutor before becoming the founding Mandarin Chinese teacher at FCDS in 2006. She designed and implemented all four levels of Chinese instruction. Annie has two children, Sarah and Alec.

Mike earned his bachelor's degree from Wake Forest University and his master's degree in education from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Since 1993, Mike has tried to make his classroom a haven of inspiration and passion for learning. Prior to coming to FCDS in 1998, he taught and coached at Northwest Middle School in the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County school system. Mike is one of Forsyth’s longest tenured coaches and has coached basketball, baseball, and even debate at the Middle and Upper School levels. Mike currently teaches sixth grade science, and he coaches the Middle School varsity basketball and baseball teams. He has been involved with several academic committees and mentoring programs, and Mike is active in the FCDS community as a parent, teacher, and coach. He runs the afterschool dodgeball program, teaches Summer Quest classes, and even assists in sixth grade physical education. Mike and his wife Debra have three children: Jacob, Joshua, and Jackson.

Born and raised in South Africa, Linda graduated with a bachelor’s degree in English and theater from Rhodes University. She also earned a teaching certificate and a M.Ed in teacher leadership. She taught in South Africa for ten years and has taught in WSFCS for 24 years. She and her husband Duncan have three grown children and three grandchildren.

Originally from Kernersville, Melanie earned her bachelor's degree in sociology with a minor in psychology and her K-6 teaching credential from Salem College. She earned her AG certification from High Point University. Prior to coming to FCDS, she taught third and fourth grade at Mocksville Elementary, where she was named Teacher of the Year for 2007-2008.

Rhett grew up in Columbia, South Carolina, and attended the College of Charleston, where she earned a bachelor's degree in elementary and early childhood education and volunteered at the College of Charleston preschool. She earned a master's degree in early childhood education from the University of South Carolina.

Virginia Nichols joined the FCDS faculty in August 2006 as an Upper School math teacher. She previously taught for seven years at North Forsyth High School where she was named Teacher of the Year in 2004.Graduating from Appalachian State University in 1997 as a NC Teaching Fellow, Virginia went on to complete her master’s degree in mathematics at Wake Forest University. She has experience teaching math at all levels from pre-algebra through calculus. In 2009, Virginia received the Edith Spinks Award for the Upper School. In addition to teaching at FCDS, Virginia serves as a senior class advisor, advisor to the Junior/Senior Girls Service Club, graduation coordinator, and as an Upper School advisor.

Amanda grew up in Jackson, Mississippi She earned her bachelor’s degree in elementary education from William Carey University and her master’s degree in dyslexia therapy from Mississippi College. She is a Certified Academic Language Therapist with more than ten years of experience. She has worked with students who have dyslexia or other learning differences and as a reading interventionist.

A native of Winston-Salem, J.D. earned his bachelor's degree in interdisciplinary studies from Winston-Salem State University with concentrations in music and business management.

An independent school graduate originally from Silver Spring, Maryland, Shama earned her bachelor’s degree in chemistry from the University of Maryland and a master’s degree in secondary science education from the George Washington University. She holds a North Carolina teaching license in secondary science education and middle grades science and has completed training to teach AP Chemistry. She has 10 years of experience teaching in the Guilford County and Maryland public school systems. While at the University of Maryland, Shama spent two years as a chemical lab educational specialist, for which she earned the Albertus Magnus Award from the chemistry department for being the outstanding teaching assisant in chemistry. Her related professional experience includes significant involvement in classroom technology integration and curriculum alignment and development. Following graduate school, Shama worked in the Montgomery County Public School system for seven years where, in addition to several departmental leadership duties, she served as a cooperating teacher for multiple student interns from the M.Ed. program at the George Washington University. Prior to moving the Middle School, Shama taught Chemistry Foundations, Anatomy/Physiology, and Astronomy/Cosmology in the Upper School at FCDS. Shama and her husband Matt have two children, Charlie and Annie.