WS Chronicle

Ephesus Junior Academy welcomes its new principal, Ms. Khandi Cooper, as the academy begins its 68th year educating children in the Winston-Salem community.  Ephesus Junior Academy was founded in the fall of 1957 by visionary leaders of Pastor Walter Darby and his wife, Florence. The school’s first principal was Mrs. Alice E. Brantley and the academy’s first teacher was Mrs. Carol Howard Hammonds.  

“We are thankful for providing quality Christian education for families in the Winston-Salem area,” said Mrs. Cooper, the academy’s new principal.  

Cooper previously worked as a principal at Carolina Adventist Academy in Whiteville, North Carolina, which serves grades K-12. In 2016, Cooper was named Teacher of the Year for Haines City, Florida, private schools by the Polk County Chamber of Commerce. Her work in S.T.E.M. education has been published in Chemistry Solutions, a quarterly publication produced by the American Association of Chemistry Teachers. In addition, she’s a recipient of the National Society of High School Scholars conference grant, using the funds to enrich her students’ ACT exam preparation.  

A native of Brooklyn, New York, Cooper graduated in 2009 from Advent Health University of Health Sciences in Orlando, Florida. In 2018 she founded Stewart Robotics, LLC, an education consulting and grant writing company which specializes in funding for S.T.E.M./robotics programs for schools and private organizations. In 2016 she received her master of education in curriculum and instruction, with a concentration in S.T.E.M., from Concordia University-Portland. By God’s grace, in December 2025 Cooper will graduate with her doctor of education in leadership in innovation and continuous improvement from Concordia University-Wisconsin.  

“I’m grateful to be a part of this community and I’m looking forward to creating partnerships with local businesses,” said Cooper. “The school will be launching a robust robotics program for students in grades K-8. Students will be learning how to design, build and code their own robot. Also, on Jan. 16, 2026, the school will host the Carolina Regional Robotics Explore Festival for students in grades K-4.” 

Located at 1225 N. Cleveland Ave., Ephesus Academy’s first day of school is Aug. 11. Enrollment is still open for the 2025-2026 school year for grades kindergarten through 8th. For more information, please visit https://www.ejacademy.org/.