Who We Are
Inspired by the classical educational tradition and ancient Christianity, we are compelled to act toward building a school for the preservation of beauty, truth, culture and Christian goodness. While each of us has varied experience in public schools, academia, business and the corporate world, we have come together with a common dream to act on behalf of our children in order to inspire a generation of leaders and cultural influencers for the sake of our communities, nation, and world.
Having spent more than twenty years in public education myself, I am grateful for the skills and knowledge I have gained and could not be more delighted to exercise and expand these within a Christian classical setting. I am thrilled to serve the families of Saint George Classical Academy as Head of School and I look forward to nurturing the formation of our children’s souls, their sense of joy in learning, and their rigor in pursuit of wisdom and virtue.
Join us in this beautiful journey as we take our first steps together!
Warmly,
Juliana Schneider Joyce
Head of School
Juliana Schneider Joyce
Head of School
With twenty plus years in public education as a teacher, leader, curriculum developer, problem solver and school principal, Juliana’s skills include building systems, nurturing culture, and resolving conflict. Seeking a more integrated life, while drawing inspiration from her Orthodox Christian faith, she has pursued the three-year master teacher apprenticeship through the CiRCE Institute. She is inspired by beauty, deep relationships, and a well told story.
Tess McKinley
Teacher
Tess has been interested in classical education for many years and is delighted to be a part of the vision and formation of Saint George Classical Academy. She has taught English and theater for the past 16 years at public and private middle and high schools and is the founder and Artistic Director of Imago Stage Company, a ministry of Christ the Redeemer Anglican Church in Danvers. Her English classes have focused on the reading of classic books, the memorization of poetry, speeches, and soliloquies, the study of grammar and writing, and the Greek and Latin roots of English vocabulary. She studied theater and dance at Interlochen Arts Academy and is a graduate of the New York University Tisch Theater program.
Chris Hartford
Teacher
Chris is a graduate of the Eastman School of Music (2010) where he studied music performance and education with an emphasis on Music Learning Theory. Mr. Hartford has over ten years of experience teaching in both Japan and the United States. He is a multi-instrumentalist, church choir director, and conductor. For years, Chris has employed Music Learning Theory or the “Sound Before Sight” approach, a process of building a foundation of musical understanding and fluency which immerses students in music through listening, singing, and playing instruments prior to the introduction of musical notation. He will begin the CiRCE Institute’s three-year Master Classical Teacher Apprenticeship in July.
Michelle Grasso
Teacher
Michelle has been deeply passionate about mathematics for many years and is thrilled to bring her expertise to Saint George Classical Academy. Born in Sri Lanka, she completed her high school education there before pursuing advanced studies in the United States. She holds a degree in mathematics from the University of Illinois at Chicago and a master’s degree in Mathematics Education from the University of Wisconsin. Michelle’s journey in education and family life is marked by her commitment to both her professional and personal growth, always striving to create a positive and nurturing environment for those around her.
Jackie Nickolas
Teacher
Jackie graduated from college with a criminal justice degree, and immediately began working at an early childhood center in Melrose, MA. She advanced into the director position where she oversaw the administrative piece of the program, until she left to raise her own children. Jackie understands the developmental stages of our youngest learners, she is thoughtful and she is all love. She integrates art, nature, music and faith into every area of the classroom with creativity and joy. She partners with parents in order to best support every child for their unique gifts. Jackie joined Saint George Classical Academy as a parent and as a teacher, and has been an incredible blessing to our students.
Dr. Colin James Joyce
Founding Board Member
James is an academic with a PhD in astrophysics who has worked on numerous NASA missions as a student, researcher, and team leader. Inspired to study the cosmos by the mathematical order which undergirds all of the created world and which points to our transcendent Creator, he is intrigued by the potential for classical education to open the eyes of students to the beauty of the mathematical world we inhabit while providing them with the moral imperative to seek meaning in every pursuit. His inspirations include music, symbolism, and the philosophy of learning and knowledge.
Fr. Dcn. Matthew LaVita
Founding Board Member
Father Deacon Matthew was drawn to a life of service starting as a public-school classroom teacher and a reserve Army officer prior to embarking on a twenty-year career as a state trooper. As a police officer, he was inspired by the life of Saint George as an icon of faith in God and drew inspiration from his example of someone willing to defend the defenseless and speak for the voiceless. Fr. Matthew has a Masters in Education and currently teaches at MIT. He also serves as a deacon in the Orthodox Church.
