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Friday

Grammar SchooL

Stephanie Boss

– PRACTICUM –

Surrender to the Stories: Storytelling Power and Pedagogy

Carey Bustard

Picture Books vs. Identity Politics: Gospel Book Choices

Christine Norvell

– PRACTICUM –

Teaching Expression: Learning to Read Aloud

Daniel Payne

Imaginative Learning with C.S. Lewis

Brynn Sowder

– PRACTICUM –

Pointing to Beauty Through Nature Study

Lauren Stoner

Mission-Minded Disciplinary Procedures

Logic & Rhetoric

Robbie Andreasen

– PRACTICUM –

Using Catechisms & Recitations to Frame Science Classes

Tag Green

– PRACTICUM –

Life-Giving Writing Instruction

Will Killmer

– PRACTICUM –

Prīmī Gradūs: Getting Started with Active Latin Teaching

Louis Markos

The Early Church from Christ to Constantine (Part I)

Louis Markos

The Early Church from Christ to Constantine (Part II)

Adam Stevenson

Christian and Classical: Teaching the Bible

Andrew Zwerneman

History: Seeing the Whole

Christi Williams

Patti Hinze

– PRACTICUM –

Remembrance of Words Past: Using the Commonplace Book

School Programs

Derek Brooks

Visio Divina: Forming Young Souls through Art

Tami Peterson

Focus on Flourishing: Vocational Discipleship

Titus Szymanowski

Narrow Path Athletics: Encountering Christ through Competition

Academic Leadership

David Diener

The Importance of Intellectual Leadership

Andrew Elizalde

Building a Faculty Culture of Lifelong Learners

Starrla Fowler

Emergent Leaders: Building Leadership Teams

Advancement

Brad Layland

John Ranheim

– GROUP –

Raising Capital Needed for God’s Purposes for Your School

Clay Vaughan

Building a Strong School Brand

Board & Head of School

Eric Cook

How to Keep Your Head

Robert Littlejohn

Building Dynamic Leadership Teams

Leslie Moeller

Measuring the Maturity of your Board

Keith Nix

The Head and the Board Chair

Sherri Huston

Ralph Rodriguez

– GROUP –

Navigating the Changing Culture and How to Protect Your Ministry

Philosophy & Culture (Redeem the Time)

Gregory Jeffers

Recovering Classical Philosophy for the Classroom

Kelly Kapic

Process or Final Product

Joseph Pearce

Wit, Wisdom, & Wonder

Peter VandeBrake

Color-Blessed: Diversity in a Christian Classical School

Albert Cheng

Carrie Eben

Christine Norvell

Mallorey Thompson

– PANEL –

Redeeming Social Science for Classical Education

Growing as an Educator

Nathan Carr

The Festive School

Kristen Clarkson

– PRACTICUM –

Cultivating Virtue Through Oral Assessments

Christopher Stevens

– PRACTICUM –

Student Motivation and Management in the Classroom

Jonathon Basurto

Judi Poblano

– GROUP –

God is Building an Escuela

THURSDAY
FULL LIST
SATURDAY

Stephanie Boss

5th Grade Lead Teacher - Covenant Classical School

Session: Surrender to the Stories: The Power and Pedagogy of Storytelling

Topic: Literature, Grammar School, Subject Integration

Session Abstract

For a classroom, a new nation, or even a rock band, good origins matter. Laying early proper foundations is vitally important for human flourishing. Storytelling is a powerful pedagogical tool that communicates truth and ideas. Stories stay with us, connect us, shape us, and unite us. Weaving stories throughout your teaching can help root concepts in the minds of your students. In this workshop, participants will learn the importance of telling stories, ways to weave stories into their lessons, how to listen to each other tell stories, and discover the latent storyteller within us all. To quote Bono, “A story line is everything.” Let’s become better at telling more stories!

Biography

Stephanie Boss teaches 5th grade at Covenant Classical School in Fort Worth, Texas. She has taught 5th grade for 18 years, 16 of which have been in classical Christian education. She received a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Louisiana Tech University and a master’s degree in religious education with a childhood education emphasis from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. She has a strong love of literature and enjoys sharing this love with her students. Stephanie and her husband, Rob, have two grown daughters, both of whom have graduated from Covenant.

Carey Bustard

4th Grade Teacher - THe Geneva School of Manhattan

Session: Picture Books vs. Identity Politics: How the Gospel Can Inform How We Choose Books and How Those Choices Can Change the Conversation

Topic: Literature, Grammar School, Early Childhood

Session Abstract

Identity politics is a hot topic in our culture today. As we are tasked with the formation of the next generation, how can we enter into the conversation with a gospel perspective. In classical education we are committed to Great Books for the formation of young minds. How can we best help our students see themselves in the image of God through good stories rather than through the lens of identity politics? This workshop will focus on choosing the best books to celebrate the image of God throughout the world and how to point students to the Good, the True, and the Beautiful in both the classics and contemporary literature.

Biography

Carey Bustard is passionate about diversity in classical education and celebrating the image of God in every child. She has been living that vision at the Geneva School of Manhattan, teaching junior kindergarten for six years and fourth grade for one year. Carey was both homeschooled classically and attended Veritas Academy in Leola, PA. She earned a degree in Media, Culture, and the Arts with a theology minor from the King’s College, NYC. Her deep loves include children’s literature, Spotify playlists, and traveling with friends. She is originally from Lancaster, PA, but has called New York City home for the last decade. You can find more of her thoughts on children’s literature in her book Wild Things and Castles in the Sky: A Guide to Choosing the Best Books for Children.

Christine Norvell

Upper School Dean - Sager Classical Academy

Session: Teaching Expression: Learning to Read Aloud

Tags: Reading, Literature, Classroom Practices

Session Abstract

Reading aloud well can bring beauty to the reader and their audience. Spoken words can bring life to the written word on a page. Because words reach our classes through our voice and our students’ voices, a disciplined voice and ear are vital to good reading in every subject. Using cues from what we read, this interactive workshop will review pitch, inflection, monotone, word color, quality, and timbre. We will practice techniques of vocal and physical projection using stanzas from popular poems, providing concrete training for teachers looking to improve their own reading voices and their students’.

Biography

Christine Norvell has taught in classical, homeschool, and public education for over twenty years. She serves as the Upper School Dean and as a high school humanities teacher for Sager Classical Academy in Siloam Springs, Arkansas. With an MA in Humanities from Faulkner University’s Great Books program and a BS in English Education, she has also taught at Regent Preparatory and with Kepler Education. Christine is a senior contributor at the Imaginative Conservative and has written for Circe, University Bookman, VoegelinView, Mere Orthodoxy, StoryWarren, and others. She is the author of Till We Have Faces: A Reading Companion (2020).

Daniel Payne

Lower School Faculty - Veritas School

Session: Medieval Innovations in a Restless Age: What C.S. Lewis Teaches us about Imaginative Learning

Tags: Imagination

Session Abstract

The works of the Inklings, and similar authors, have long captured the imaginations of students in classical classrooms. Whether they are traveling to Narnia or Middle-earth, classical educators know the power that imaginative literature has on young minds. It’s through these God-given imaginations that many students first encounter the good, the true, and the beautiful. Despite this truth, it is sometimes difficult to engage a student’s imagination outside the works of fantasy. How do we teach math or science imaginatively? How do we encourage imagination while still pointing students to objective truth? How can we retain imagination in students as they grow older? In this workshop, we will look to one of the greatest imaginative writers, C.S. Lewis, to help us answer these questions.

Biography

Daniel Payne is an experienced educator with a passion for leadership and imagination in classical schools. He is currently a Lower School faculty member at Veritas School in Virginia. Daniel previously served as an administrator and middle school teacher, where he helped create a classical Humanities curriculum. He recenlty received a master’s degree in Educational Leadership from the University of Richmond. Outside of the classroom, Daniel hosts and produces “The Lamp-post Listener,” a podcast discussing the imaginative works of C.S. Lewis. Over the last few years, he has been able to interview and learn alongside many wonderful Lewis scholars including Dr. Louis Markos, Dr. Crystal Hurd, and Douglas Gresham, Lewis’s own stepson. Daniel lives in Richmond with his wife and son, all of whom are eager to welcome a baby girl this summer.

Brynn Sowder

Lower School Nature Studies & Librarian - Faith Christian School

Session: Pointing to Beauty Through Nature Study

Tags: Beauty, Nature

Session Abstract

“We point out the beauty we see, we walk the borderlands and we see beauty and we call out to the fellow travelers to share the beauty we see.” These words from Andrew Peterson shifted the way I lead my classroom this year. What if we can train our students not only to find beauty but to point it out to others as well? What if nature study can sharpen their observation skills and hone their discernment? As our students experience God’s beautiful creation they can’t help but share the beauty they see with others. Nature is a common ground for people; it can also serve as a bridge to share the good, true and beautiful. Join this workshop as I share the ways our nature study program has shaped the affections of our students and the ways they’ve shared the beauty they see.

Biography

Brynn is the nature study teacher at Faith Christian School in Roanoke, Virginia. She has led the nature study program for the past three school years with the JK – 5th grade students. Brynn’s classroom is a walk-in cabinet of curiosities including a bobcat, a wood duck and a white-tailed deer. She is determined for all of her students to see the fingerprints of God in all of his creation. 

Brynn earned her M.A.T. in Elementary Education from Mary Baldwin University and is a Virginia Master Naturalist Trainee. After school, she can be found walking the Roanoke River Greenway searching for her favorite great blue heron. Although overcast skies and 60 degrees is her ideal climate, she’s a firm believer that there’s no such thing as bad weather.

Lauren Stoner

4th Grade Teacher - Geneva School of Boerne

Session: Mission-Minded Disciplinary Procedures

Tags: Grammar School, Classroom Management, Formation, Habits

Session Abstract

Aristotle says, “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then, is not an act, but a habit.” Holding students to a high standard based on Biblical definitions of right and wrong is counter-cultural, but essential to our mission. We strive to graduate disciples of Jesus Christ who exhibit excellence, passion, and integrity as they lead for Christ’s cause in the world. We believe that students must be trained to reach this end through a thoughtfully structured partnership between teachers, administration, and parents that is consistent throughout the school.

Biography

Lauren Stoner teaches Fourth Grade Math and Science at Geneva School of Boerne. Lauren attended a classical Christian school for the majority of her childhood and has been teaching at Geneva since she graduated with her Bachelors in Elementary Education from Wheaton College. She recently earned her Masters of Education in Curriculum and Instruction through Covenant College.

Robbie Andreasen

Science Instructor - The Geneva School

Session: Using Catechism and Recitations to Frame Science Classes

Tags: Science, Recitation, Memory Work

Session Abstract

One of the dangers of modern science education is leaving the impression that everything is just stuff in motion or that all truth can be determined by the methods of science. By opening classes with a catechism or recitation in order to frame the science lesson, we can help minimize giving these impressions. During this workshop I will present the catechism my team created on the theology of creation along with all of the recitations that I go through with my students during the year. We will discuss why I chose them, and attendees should leave with tools and ideas to help them implement this practice within their classrooms. If you already do recitations in your science classroom, please bring them so that your wisdom can be shared with others.

Biography

Robbie Andreasen joined the Geneva faculty in 2007 and teaches biology (ninth grade) and anatomy & physiology (twelfth grade). Robbie has a contagious passion to study the intersection of faith and science, and his students have come to expect a challenging, active classroom characterized by their teacher’s love and enthusiasm for learning. This is also true when he teaches Sunday School or gives a children’s homily at his church.

Robbie received a BS in Marine Science and Biology from the University of Miami and an MA in Bioethics from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. He was the upper school recipient of the 2013 Paideia Award for Teaching, an award that recognizes excellence in teaching.

Robbie and his wife Janet (math specialist at Geneva) have two children–one TGS grad and one in the upper school. In his spare time, he enjoys challenging himself through activities such as Spartan races.

Tag Green

Head of Middle School - Providence Christian School of Texas

Session: Life-Giving Writing Instruction

Topic: Writing, Upper School, Assessment

Session Abstract

Giving helpful feedback for student writing can be both difficult and time-consuming, and it becomes frustrating when the student does not heed—or even pay attention to—the teacher’s input. By implementing in-person writing conferences, teachers can provide life-giving feedback for students while also minimizing the amount of time they must spend grading essays at home.

Biography

A teacher passionate about student learning, Tag has served in the classroom for 21 years, having taught all grades from 6th through 12th. He taught Advanced Placement Literature and Composition for seven of those years, and served as a Reader for the AP Literature and Composition exam for six years. Moving to the middle school classroom eleven years ago, he taught Class Six English and history, followed by Class Eight English and history, at Providence Christian School of Texas in Dallas. He now serves as the Head of Middle School at Providence, where he hopes to serve and equip teachers so that they can see God transform lives as they live out their calling to teach.

Will Killmer

Director of Classical Language Instruction - Veritas School

Session: Prīmī Gradūs: Getting Started with Active Latin Teaching

Topic: Languages, Latin

Session Abstract

For the past several centuries, the teaching of Latin has been dominated by the so-called “grammar-translation” method, which stipulates that competence in Latin arises from the explicit knowledge of the language’s grammatical structures such that a student can identify them in a Latin text, translate them into a corresponding English phrase, and occasionally translate English into Latin. However, over the past ten years or so, there has been an increased interest in teaching Latin through active and communicative means that involve speaking and reading copious amounts of Latin. Since many teachers of ancient languages were taught from a grammar-translation methodology and lack ample experience in speaking Latin, it can be difficult to know where to begin, or to feel sufficiently confident in speaking Latin with students. This workshop will first offer teachers a classical definition of active Latin instruction, a short apologia for its methodology, and then explain and model several communicative practices for introducing new vocabulary, reading through a text, and consolidating students’ understanding of a text.

Biography

A Virginia native, Will has taught a wide range of Latin students, from 3rd graders just beginning their Latin journey, to high-school seniors in AP Latin. He holds a B. A. in Classics from the University of Virginia, during which time he spent a semester abroad in Rome, as well as two M.A.’s from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. After seminary, Will taught Latin in Peabody, MA and since 2017 has been teaching at the Veritas School in Richmond. In the classroom, Will likes to use active and communicative methods of Latin instruction that utilize the best practices from the rich 2000-year tradition of Latin teaching and learning, as well as insights from the fields of second language acquisition and cognitive science. In particular he enjoys connecting with his students in, through, and about all things Latin and ancient Rome. He and his wife enjoy raising their three daughters (Amelia, 7, Lucy, 6, and Rosemary, 2), reading, cooking, and playing games.

Louis Markos

Professor of English & Scholar in Residence - Houston Baptist University

The Early Church from Christ to Constantine (Part I)

Tags: Church History

Session Abstract

This two-part lecture series will set the groundwork for Athanasius’ defense of orthodoxy by surveying the first three centuries of the church. The first lecture will focus on the Book of Acts, the early growth of the gospel, the ten persecutions of the Roman Empire, and the martyrs who died for the church. The second lecture will focus on the theologians who helped define church doctrine, the heretics who sought to deconstruct it, and the historical forces that led to the ascension of Constantine and the Council of Nicaea. Though these two talks are best heard in sequence, they can each stand alone.

Biography

Louis Markos is a Professor of English and Scholar in Residence at Houston Baptist University, where he teaches courses on British Romantic and Victorian Poetry, the Greek and Roman Classics, and C. S. Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkien. He speaks widely for classical Christian schools and conferences and has authored 25 books, including From Achilles to Christ: Why Christians Should Read the Pagan Classics, On the Shoulders of Hobbits: The Road to Virtue with Tolkien and Lewis, The Myth Made Fact: Reading Greek and Roman Mythology through Christian Eyes, From Plato to Christ: How Platonic Thought Shaped the Christian Faith, and Ancient Voices: An Insider’s Look at the Early Church. He is committed to the concept of the Professor as Public Educator and believes that knowledge must not be walled up in the Academy but must be disseminated to all who have ears to hear. His son Alex teaches history at the Geneva School in Boerne, TX and his daughter Anastasia teaches music at Founders Classical Academy in Lewisville, TX.

Louis Markos

Professor of English & Scholar in Residence - Houston Baptist University

The Early Church from Christ to Constantine (Part II)

Tags: Church History

Session Abstract

This two-part lecture series will set the groundwork for Athanasius’ defense of orthodoxy by surveying the first three centuries of the church. The first lecture will focus on the Book of Acts, the early growth of the gospel, the ten persecutions of the Roman Empire, and the martyrs who died for the church. The second lecture will focus on the theologians who helped define church doctrine, the heretics who sought to deconstruct it, and the historical forces that led to the ascension of Constantine and the Council of Nicaea. Though these two talks are best heard in sequence, they can each stand alone.

Biography

Louis Markos is a Professor of English and Scholar in Residence at Houston Baptist University, where he teaches courses on British Romantic and Victorian Poetry, the Greek and Roman Classics, and C. S. Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkien. He speaks widely for classical Christian schools and conferences and has authored 25 books, including From Achilles to Christ: Why Christians Should Read the Pagan Classics, On the Shoulders of Hobbits: The Road to Virtue with Tolkien and Lewis, The Myth Made Fact: Reading Greek and Roman Mythology through Christian Eyes, From Plato to Christ: How Platonic Thought Shaped the Christian Faith, and Ancient Voices: An Insider’s Look at the Early Church. He is committed to the concept of the Professor as Public Educator and believes that knowledge must not be walled up in the Academy but must be disseminated to all who have ears to hear. His son Alex teaches history at the Geneva School in Boerne, TX and his daughter Anastasia teaches music at Founders Classical Academy in Lewisville, TX.

Adam Stevenson

Lead Upper School Teacher - Seattle Classical Christian School

Session: Christian and Classical: A Holistic Approach to Teaching the Bible

Tags: Scripture, Teachers, Formation

Session Abstract

St. Jerome famously said, “Ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ.” Not wanting our students to be ignorant of Christ, our schools rightly teach the Bible, but there are two extremes we often face in our attempt to be biblical. We may be tempted either to teach the Bible like an inspirational Sunday School class or like a college course. Neither extreme gives our students what they need – exegetical skill alongside formational reading. So this workshop will have three concrete goals. First, we will show how our doctrine of Scripture must be connected to our hermeneutics. Believing in inerrancy, for example, does not make our interpretations inerrant, so we need to define some key terms like inerrancy and establish some essential principles for interpretation. What we say about Scripture must align with what Scripture says. We will use Kevin Vanhoozer and Dei Verbum from Vatican II to guide our thinking here. Second, we need to take a fresh look at the purpose of interpretation. St. John and St. Augustine will be our primary guides here as we remember that right interpretations without right living is a contradiction. Incorporating the intellectual virtues can help us maintain a view of moral formation without becoming legalistic. And lastly, we will suggest classroom practices to make sure that our Bible classes are Christian and classical that is, they should help our students know Christ and they should equip them to rightly handle the Scriptures.

Biography

Adam Stevenson has been in Christian classical education for 13 years both as a teacher and as an administrator. Starting this fall, he is the new Dean of Students at Our Lady Star of the Sea in Bremerton, Washington after previously serving at Christian classical schools in the Chicago suburbs and in Seattle. He studied biblical languages at Moody Bible Institute before getting MA’s in Biblical Exegesis and Historical & Systematic Theology from Wheaton College Graduate School. He and his wife have four children, and in his spare time, Adam roasts (and drinks) coffee, reads a variety of books, and listens to vinyl.

Andrew Zwerneman

President - Cana Academy

Session: History - Seeing the Whole

Tags: Upper School, Humanities

Session Abstract

This workshop is an introduction to the major features of history as a field of inquiry, a habit of mind, and a way of interpreting our existence. We will cover the following topics: History as narrative; the elements that historians work up in their historical narratives; the eruptive events that occupy the heart of our public memory; history as the study of change; history as human drama; history as a concept of unity; and the person as the agent of history.

Biography

Andrew J. Zwerneman is co-founder and president of Cana Academy. He blogs weekly at www.canaacademy.org and is the author of History Forgotten and Remembered (2020) and The Life We Have Together: A Case for Humane Studies, A Vision for Renewal (2022). Twice a month, Andrew leads the Great Seminar Webinar Series.

Christi Williams

Rhetoric Humanities Teacher - Trinity Classical School

Session: Remembrance of Words Past: Using the Commonplace Book in Your Logic and Rhetoric Classrooms (with Patti Hinze)

Tags: Habits, Literature, Classroom Practice, Upper School

Session Abstract

As humanities teachers, we long to nurture a life-long love of literature in our students. A key to love is remembering. In this workshop, we will detail how the practice of keeping a Commonplace Book, or personal reading journal, enriches how our students interact with and remember the literature we read. As Seneca wrote, “We should hunt out the helpful pieces of teaching and the spirited and noble-minded sayings which are capable of immediate practical application–not far-fetched or archaic expressions or extravagant metaphors and figures of speech–and learn them so well that words become works.” The Commonplace Book is a record of quotes, illustrations, personal thoughts, song lyrics–it becomes a creative repository that helps students remember what was shaping their souls as they read their way through the great books. We have seen this habit take hold in our students and will give examples and practical ideas on how to start and nurture the practice in the classroom and beyond.

Biography

Dr. Christi Williams is a Rhetoric teacher in literature and philosophy at Trinity Classical School. She has a masters and PhD. in Philosophy from Baylor University and previously taught philosophy at Houston Christian University. She has been teaching in classical education for 11 years. She also teaches Latin and Art and enjoys mentoring students and hosting film nights.

Patti Hinze

Co-teacher - trinity classical school

Session: Remembrance of Words Past: The Commonplace Book

Topic: Habits, Literature, Classroom Practice, Upper School

Session Abstract

As logic and rhetoric humanities teachers, we long to nurture a life-long love of literature in our students. A key to love is remembering. In this practicum, we will detail how the practice of keeping a Commonplace Book, or personal reading journal, enriches how our students interact with and remember the literature we read. As Seneca wrote, “We should hunt out the helpful pieces of teaching and the spirited and noble-minded sayings which are capable of immediate practical application–not far-fetched or archaic expressions or extravagant metaphors and figures of speech–and learn them so well that words become works.” The Commonplace Book is a written record of quotes, illustrations, personal thoughts, song lyrics–it becomes a creative repository that helps students remember what was shaping their souls as they read their way through the great books. We have seen this habit take hold in our students and will give examples and practical ideas on how to start and nurture the practice in the classroom and beyond.

Biography

Patti Hinze has been a co-teacher to her three children for ten years as a part of Trinity Classical School, a Christian, classical, and collaborative school in Houston, Texas. She has kept a personal Commonplace Book for many years, and has been delighted to see the practice beginning to flourish in her own children, as well as in her 7th grade Humanities classroom. Patti holds a B.A. in English along with Secondary Teacher Certification from Texas A&M University. In addition to 7th grade Humanities, she has taught high school English, English as a Foreign Language at a seminary in Szigetszentmiklos, Hungary, and special education at two different children’s hospitals. She and her husband Jodey currently serve on the board of Trinity Classical School, and in her free time she enjoys birdwatching, taking long, very slow jogs along the Houston bayou, hiking with her family in Colorado, and eating cake.

Derek Brooks

Owner - Benedictus Art

Session: Visio Divina: How Teachers Can Form Young Souls through Art

Topic: Art, Spiritual Formation

Session Abstract

The modern Church has largely ceded the realm of the sensory to disastrous effect. Happy to fill the void, the media-saturated culture bombards our young people with imagery and noise that cripples them psychologically, emotionally, and most disturbing of all, spiritually. As a needed complement to the formation of their intellect, learn how art in your school can be used to guide students into the presence of Him who offers the fullness of joy (Ps. 16:11)

Biography

Derek Brooks is the owner of Benedictus Art, a fine art company that focuses on supplying classical and Catholic schools with museum-quality art. In addition, he has a master’s degree in spiritual direction and formation. He is an active spiritual director and formation group leader.

Tami Peterson

Founder & Creative Engagement Officer - Life Architects

Session: Focus on Flourishing: Vocational Discipleship

Tags: College Advisors, Upper School

Session Abstract

Your community loves the good, the true, and the beautiful and seeks ways to prepare students for a lifetime of serving God in virtuous ways. What happens after graduation? This interactive session will explore ways your school can use current assessment tools, curricula, and personnel to expand imaginations and create engaging conversations with parents, students, and faculty in support of student flourishing in the areas of vocation and occupation.

Biography

Tami is a certified career, life, and leadership coach and she holds a Master of Arts in Leadership, Theology, and Society from Regent College in Vancouver, BC, Canada. She directed a college advising office for twelve years at a classical, Christian school in the Dallas/Fort Worth area and co-founded a college guidance certification program offered through ACSI which is currently beginning its ninth cohort in summer 2023. In 2012, she founded Life Architects Coaching where she designs, directs, and develops programs to support individuals, families, and institutions in their quest for vocational discipleship and human flourishing.

Titus Szymanowski

Teacher & Coach - Covenant Academy

Session: Narrow Path Athletics: Encountering Christ through Competition

Topic: Athletics

Session Abstract

Are Jesus and competitive sports at odds with each other? Does the physicality and intensity of athletic competition really align with the life and teachings of Christ? As someone who’s been an athlete all my life and a coach for the past decade, I’ve wrestled deeply with questions like these. More often than not, “Christian” athletics boils down to a few religious platitudes sprinkled over a secular narrative, the fruit of which bears a striking resemblance to what we see in the world: the flashy swagger of an athlete, the angry outburst from a coach, the jeering from the spectator–it’s all become quite expected, and in some cases justified, among Christian sports programs.

Is there a way to reclaim the competitive arena as a place of Christ-like formation where our hearts move toward the person of Jesus? What if the primary purpose of competition was to participate in the life of Jesus and become more free and alive in the Kingdom of God? How might that change the way we play and coach?

This workshop addresses these questions and offers a robust and compelling vision for how the life and kingship of Christ lies at the heart of athletic competition.

Biography

Titus Szymanowski grew up in Spokane, Washington where he graduated from the Oaks Classical Christian Academy in 2007. After receiving an undergraduate degree from Gonzaga University, he moved to Houston, TX where he has taught Upper School humanities for the past 12 years at Covenant Academy. He has been the head coach of the Varsity Boys Basketball program for 5 years, leading his team to two TAPPS 1A State Championship appearances (2021/2023) and a State Title in 2021. He is passionate about integrating the person of Jesus into the world of competitive sports and stewarding the athletic arena as a means of formation into Christlikeness. He loves to partner with and equip other coaches and athletic directors with this same vision. When he isn’t teaching or coaching, he’s spending time with his beautiful wife, Melissa, and their three children, Eli, Ezra, and Nora.

David Diener

Assistant Professor of Education - Hillsdale College

Session: The Important of Intellectual Leadership

Topic: Leadership, Heads of School

Session Abstract

School leaders today are responsible for an incredible variety of administrative duties. As schools have grown in organizational complexity, so have the number of areas over which headmasters must provide administrative leadership. Etymologically, however, the “headmaster” of a school is simply the “head teacher.” Despite the increased complexity of the headmaster’s role, in an important sense every school leader still is and must be the intellectual leader of the school. In this seminar, we will examine the importance of a headmaster’s intellectual leadership and also consider practical suggestions for how headmasters and school administrators can provide such leadership whether or not they have formal academic training themselves.

Biography

Dr. David Diener works at Hillsdale College where he is an Assistant Professor of Education. Previous experience includes fifteen years in K-12 private education, eleven of those in administration and eight as headmaster of classical Christian schools. He also is a Fellow on the Alcuin Fellowship National Council and Director of the Alcuin Fellowship Midwest Chapter, serves on the Board of Directors for the Society for Classical Learning and the Board of Academic Advisors for the Classic Learning Test, is a member of the National Council of Classical Educators, and offers consulting services through Classical Academic Press. He is the author of Plato: The Great Philosopher-Educator and has published articles on Plato, Kierkegaard, and various topics in philosophy of education. He also serves as the series editor for Classical Academic Press’ series Giants in the History of Education and is an associate editor for the journal Principia: a Journal of Classical Education. He holds a BA in Philosophy and Ancient Languages from Wheaton College as well as an MA in Philosophy, an MS in History and Philosophy of Education, and a dual PhD in Philosophy and Philosophy of Education from Indiana University.

Andrew Elizalde

Academic Dean - Covenant Classical School

Session Title: Building a Faculty Culture of Lifelong Learners

Tags: Culture, Professional Development

Session Abstract

We believe that the affections of our students are being ordered and transformed as they contemplate all that is true, good, and beautiful in our curriculum. If our own affections are still in need of the same kind of continued transformation then why would we not also submit ourselves to be transformed by the works and ideas of our own liberal arts tradition? In this session, I will share principles and practical steps for building a faculty culture committed to lifelong learning wherein the most transformative professional development happens on your campus, amongst your colleagues, led by your own people, scheduled throughout the weeks of your academic year, oriented around the works and ideas of your own mission and vision.

Biography

Andrew Elizalde holds a B.A. from Depauw University, teaching credential from California State University Long Beach, and Master of Arts in Leadership in Classical Education from Gordon College. His more than twenty years of teaching experience includes work in both public and private schools in subjects ranging from 5th grade mathematics to advanced calculus and physics. He has served as both a mathematics department chair and science department chair through critical seasons of textbook adoption and curriculum reform. Since 2011, Andrew has served as a Dean of Academics at two different flagship schools in the classical renewal movement including his current tenure at Covenant Classical School, a K-12 classical Christian school in Fort Worth, Texas. His work most notably includes leading various curriculum reform projects, building systems for student support, and transforming faculty culture through meaningful professional development.

Starrla Fowler

Logic School Head, Academic Chair, Board Member, Co-Founder - Veritas Academy

Session: Emergent Leaders: Band of Brothers or Siloed Supporters? Building Unified & Useful Leadership Teams

Topic: Leadership, Heads of School, Administration

Session Abstract

Is your head of school (HOS) supported by a unified “band of brothers”…or a cast of siloed supporters? Christian schools/ministries tend to be only as strong as their top leaders and vulnerable to their weakest moments. For too many schools, the burden of leadership falls disproportionately—and sometimes all but exclusively—on the HOS. That Lone Ranger model is a recipe for failure and a poor stewarding of future leaders.

Within the surging classical Christian education (CCE) movement, dedicated and passionate faculty and staff are emerging into notoriously narrow leadership ranks. What if CCE schools were able to harness the enthusiasm and promise of these rising leaders to create unified leadership teams galvanized around a shared vision and mission and enabled to bear increasing amounts of weight and responsibility for their school’s top leader in accomplishing the institution’s purpose?

This session will use the narrative of Nehemiah to illustrate a handful of leadership skills and introduce components of a one- to two-year, biblically-based leadership development program for key and emerging leaders within a classical Christian school.

The program encompasses instruction in relational leadership, as well as school operations and governance, utilizing a mentoring approach to develop more confident, secure, experienced and united leaders. Most, or all, of this program can be delivered on site to your leadership team or cohort, increasing their exposure to, and within, the organization while building a shared commitment to the school’s unique vision and cultivating trust among those responsible for creating a reality of that vision.

Biography

Starrla Fowler has served at Veritas Academy since its inception in 2004. She and her husband, Jef, were co-founders of this school of nearly 700 students now residing on its 97-acre campus in the hills of southwest Austin. For the past 19 years, Starrla has served in various capacities as the Academic Dean, Academic Team Chair, Grammar School Head, and current School of Logic Head, in addition to her continued service on the School Board and its Governance and Nominations committee.

While at Veritas, Starrla has developed curriculum and academic programs, trained hundreds of teachers, served on accreditation teams for similar schools, and helped many classical, collaborative schools launch and grow. She is passionate about kingdom building through the expansion of classical, Christian schools and after receiving her Masters in Leadership through Gordon College, shifted her focus to developing programs for training future Christian school leaders. Starrla and her husband, Jef (the longtime Veritas HOS), live in the Texas Hill Country and are the parents of three adult children, all graduates of Veritas Academy.

Brad Layland

CEO & Senior Consultant - The FOCUS Group

Raising ALL the Capital Needed to Flourish: Living out God's Purposes for Your School

Tags: Advancement, Fundraising

Session Abstract

In this seminar, you will learn how to begin to position your school to raise major gifts to create the environment for your school to flourish.

Biography

Brad Layland first learned how to raise money as a college student in 1993, while seeking to raise personal support as a part-time staff member for Young Life. Over the course of 20 years at Young Life, he developed his passion for and expertise in relational fundraising, to the point where he was asked to train other area directors around the country, and eventually became the Chief Development Officer for the entire organization.

Brad joined the FOCUS Group in 2009 as a Senior Consultant and became the owner and CEO in 2010. In 2013, he launched the Taking Donors Seriously® e-learning and coaching program to make the firm’s expertise accessible to individuals and smaller nonprofits.

In recent years, he has led capital campaigns for Dallas Theological Seminary ($200 million), Intervarsity Christian Fellowship ($89 million), Union Rescue Mission ($83 million), The Bowery Mission ($27 million), and Veritas Classical School ($5.3 million). Brad has recently completed  a book on fundraising, Turning Donors into Partners, which was published by Intervarsity Press.

Brad received his B.A. in Communications from the University of Florida and his M.A. in Theology from Fuller Theological Seminary. He and his wife, Wendy reside in St. Augustine, Florida and have four children. Brad is a founding board member of Veritas Classical School and on the board for the Society of Classical Learning. Brad enjoys running marathons, skiing, investing in real estate, entrepreneurship, and traveling with his family. Over the past 20 years, he has completed 55 marathons and two Ironman Triathlons.

John Ranheim

Senior Consultant - The FOCUS Group

Session: Raising ALL the Capital Needed to Flourish: Living out God's Purposes for Your School (with Brad Layland)

Tags: Advancement, Fundraising

Session Abstract

In this seminar, you will learn how to begin to position your school to raise major gifts to create the environment for your school to flourish.

Biography

John Ranheim, Senior Consultant with the FOCUS Group, has over 20 years of experience working with organizations, leaders, and teams to fulfill their missions through developing effective fundraising strategies. He has successfully developed and led programs for annual giving, major gifts, and planned giving. Most recently, John served as the Chief Development Officer and Vice President of Advancement at Covenant Theological Seminary, where he oversaw the institution’s fundraising, communications, alumni, enrollment teams and the Covenant Seminary Foundation. In this role, John led the school through three successful capital campaigns raising over $130 million in total for student scholarships, operations, and the seminary’s endowment.

John earned a B.A. in Communications from Whitworth University and an M.Div. in Theology from Covenant Theological Seminary. He and his wife, Elizabeth, live in Chesterfield Missouri, have 4 amazing boys, and enjoy skiing, running, and hiking whenever they can. John serves as an elder at Chesterfield Presbyterian Church.

Clay Vaughan

Founder & CEO - Good Agency

Session: Building a Strong School Brand

Tags: Marketing

Session Abstract

In this workshop, classical school leaders looking to improve family retention and increase enrollment will learn how to leverage the StoryBrand 7-part framework to create compelling narratives that resonate with their families. They’ll also discover how to integrate AI and automation into their marketing strategy to simplify their job, maximize their efforts, and attract families who align with their school’s values without hiring additional staff.

Biography

Marketing your school is hard, which is why for the past 15 years Clay Vaughan has successfully served business leaders in marketing their business and sharing their stories. As a certified StoryBrand guide, he has worked with brands big and small, to clarify their message, engage their customers, and grow their businesses. Clay owns multiple businesses, he is the founder of Reverent Wedding Films- a multi-million dollar business, and even has his own podcast called Good Business, where he inspires business leaders to continue their pursuit of success while still maintaining their values. Clay has been a business coach and guide to many entrepreneurs, helping them reach their goals, and he loves serving new school leaders. 

Eric Cook

President - Society for Classical Learning

Session Title: How to Keep Your Head

Tags: Head of School, Board Members, Governance, Leadership

Session Abstract

The most important leader in any school is the head of school. Yet, the industry averages for head tenure are still shockingly low, even for classical Christian schools. Over the last five months, Eric conducted an extensive research project to assess how the board-head relationship impacts head of school tenure. Data was drawn from independent school studies, focus group interviews, and the Thriving Schools Study, a survey extended to hundreds of classical Christian heads of school. Based on the findings of the research, Eric will recommend very specific practices that every school can implement to extend the longevity of their head and better ensure their school is thriving.

Biography

Coming Soon

Robert Littlejohn

Head of School - The Covenant School

Building Dynamic Leadership Teams

Tags: Leadership, Administration, Heads of School

Session Abstract

Learn lessons from 30 years of successful team-building across multiple institutions, from start-up to maturing to flourshing. Hear what principles and resources have been most beneficial at each stage of organizational development, how to hire well for specific needs, and how to achieve best fit for internal talent at your school. Learn to identify and address “human obstructions” to building a flourishing school culture, and understand when and how to “clean house” when necessary to optimize quality leadership and cultivate (or restore) trust within your school community.

Biography

Robert Littlejohn has served as Head of School at The Covenant School in Dallas, Texas since April of 2018. Previously he served as Head of School at Trinity Academy in Raleigh, North Carolina, as Vice President for Academic Affairs at Covenant College in Lookout Mountain, GA, and as a Distance Learning Director for the Minnesota State College and University System. He has authored two College Biology Laboratory texts, has published 26 reports of original research in the fields of Ecology, Plant Physiology, Biochemistry, and Science Educational Theory, and is co-author with Charles T. Evans of Wisdom and Eloquence: a Christian Paradigm for Classical Learning, published by Crossway Books. He was founding Headmaster for New Covenant Schools in Virginia, founding Director and Publisher for the Society for Classical Learning (originally doing business as the Eastern Consortium for Classical Christian Schooling – ECCCS), and a founding board member for the American School of Lyon, France (a classical Christian international school). He is a Certified Facilitator of Appreciative Inquiry™, and serves as a consultant and coach to schools and school leaders.

Leslie Moeller

Board Member - Society for Classical Learning | Classical Consultant

Measuring the Maturity of Your Board

Tags: Boards, Strategic Planning

Session Abstract

It is natural for the board of a start-up school to be involved in the day-to-day management of the school. Most boards recognize that long term sustainability requires the board to shift its focus from current operations to strategic planning. What does a strategic board look like and how do you know if your board has successfully made that shift? What is next for the board that has crafted a strategic plan? And what is the only thing that a board can do to safeguard the school’s mission for the future?

Biography

Leslie Moeller consults with classical Christian school Heads and Boards around the nation; and teaches in the Gordon College Masters in School Administration for classical Christian educators. She has been a member of the board of the Society for Classical Learning for 14 of the past 16 years and chair for nine. She is also a member of the Board of New Covenant Schools in Lynchburg, Virginia and a member of the Board of Academic Advisors for the CLT. She is the former Head of Upper School for the Covenant School in Charlottesville, Virginia; and former teacher, Head of School, board member, and board chair of Geneva School of Boerne. She has three classically educated children aged 27, 25 and 16.

Keith Nix

Head of School - Veritas School

Session: The Head and the Board Chair

Tags: Head of School, Board Chair, Governance, Leadership

Session Abstract

The two most critical leadership roles in a school are the head of school and the board chair – and the health of their relationship is critical to the health of the whole school. This important relationship must be marked by mutual humility, trust, and accountability. This workshop will provide principles, best practices, and plenty of stories, for both heads and board chairs to consider as they work together as a team to lead the school forward.

Biography

Keith Nix is the Head of School at Veritas School in Richmond, Virginia, a position he has held since 2010. Keith also serves in a variety of leadership roles across the classical Christian school movement. He is on the board of Academic Advisors for the Classic Learning Test (CLT) and a member of the President’s Advisory Council for the Society for Classical Learning (SCL). Mr. Nix consults with and coaches classical Christian school boards and leaders across the country. In addition to being an instructor in the Gordon Graduate Leadership program, a master’s program aimed at developing classical school leaders, Nix was recently named as Co-Director of the program. Nix formerly served as Chairman of the Board of SCL, Vice Chairman of the Board of Association of Classical and Christian Schools (ACCS), President of the Board of Academic Advisors at CLT, and is a founding Arete Fellow. Before moving to Veritas in 2010, Keith was a board member and Head of School at the Westminster School in Birmingham, Alabama. Prior to working in classical Christian schools, Keith was President of Nixgroup, a boutique consulting firm serving start-up organizations. Mr. Nix enjoys tennis, golf, travel, and books. He is married to Kim, an accomplished artist. The Nixes have three grown children and three grandchildren.

Sherri Huston

Membership Director - Alliance Defending Freedom

Session: Navigating the Changing Culture and How to Protect Your Ministry (with Ralph Rodriguez)

Topic: Culture

Session Abstract

As a Christian school, how do you address the changing cultural views on issues such as sexuality, marriage, and gender identity? How can your ministry love and serve everyone while not giving into the shifting morality of the day? This session will explore the recent cultural and legal challenges ministries are facing so you can become equipped to handle these trials in the coming days. At ADF, our mission is to stand with you so that together we can keep the door open for the Gospel.

Biography

Sherri Huston serves as Membership Director, Ministry Alliance, with Alliance Defending Freedom. In this role, Sherri develops relationships with churches & ministries to help them acquire the legal resources needed to defend against religious liberty challenges. In addition, Sherri oversees the direction and growth of the program.

The mission of the Ministry Alliance is to keep the door open for the gospel. The Ministry Alliance is a critical and strategic initiative of Alliance Defending Freedom, the world’s largest legal organization committed to protecting religious freedom, free speech, the sanctity of life, parental rights, and God’s design for marriage and family.

Over the past 30 years, Sherri’s career has spanned numerous industries and operational leadership roles. Most of her experience has been in Talent Management and Organizational Development.

She earned her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of Phoenix. 

Ralph Rodriguez

Regional Alliance Director - Alliance Defending Freedom

Session: Navigating the Changing Culture and How to Protect Your Ministry (with Sherri Huston)

Topic: Culture

Session Abstract

As a Christian school, how do you address the changing cultural views on issues such as sexuality, marriage, and gender identity? How can your ministry love and serve everyone while not giving into the shifting morality of the day? This session will explore the recent cultural and legal challenges ministries are facing so you can become equipped to handle these trials in the coming days. At ADF, our mission is to stand with you so that together we can keep the door open for the Gospel.

Biography

Ralph Rodriguez is a Regional Alliance Director for ADF Church and Ministry Alliance. He works with ministry and denominational leaders across the country on religious liberty issues to ensure that the body of Christ understands the current cultural and legal climate and knows how to respond via the resources available to them through ADF’s membership programs. His heart is to see the Church boldly proclaim the Truth of the Gospel in our day!

Before joining the ADF Church and Ministry Alliance team, Ralph served as legal counsel at the United Nations for ADF International. Before that, Ralph worked for the Federal Bureau of Investigation, providing administrative and tactical support for investigators in the counterterrorism division. While with the FBI, he earned his J.D. at New York School. He also received a B.A. in International Studies from The City College of New York. He is admitted to the bar in New York.

Gregory Jeffers

Theology Teacher - The Covenant School of Dallas

Session: Recovering Classical Philosophy for the Classroom

Topic: Philosophy, Upper School

Session Abstract

The classical Christian education movement has been heavy on classics and the humanities–the great books of the western canon–and on approaching teaching all disciplines according to a classical pedagogy focused on the trivium. And this focus on great books and the discursive liberal arts is entirely appropriate, helpful, and good. But there is still much we can do to recover another classical discipline, the primary discipline, the one that allows us to even have a common way of talking about truth across the trivium and quadrivium, and that is philosophy. For the ancients, all inquiry into causation (why there is something rather than nothing) went under the umbrella called philosophy. This included natural philosophy (the study of physical reality; science), mathematics, metaphysics (the study of ultimate reality), epistemology (the study how how we know things), axiology (the study of values, namely ethics and aesthetics), and logic (the study of organized reasoning).​ ​In his Metaphysics, Aristotle said, “For it is owing to their wonder that men both now begin and at first began to philosophize.” Philosophy is that common sense discipline that begins with wonder, with the question why. So, given the virtue of wonder and the beauty of the honest question, let’s teach philosophy to our students. This workshop will help you get started.

Biography

Greg Jeffers serves in the Depa​​rtment of Theology at the Covenant School of Dallas where he primarily teaches high school courses in Ethics and Rhetoric. He holds a B.A. in English & Biblical Theology as well as an M.A. in English, all from Abilene Christian University. He is currently working on an M.A. in Philosophy from Holy Apostles College & Seminary. He is married to Amanda (a nurse) and has three daughters, Ellie (8), Catherine (7), and Charley (5). He is also a member of Restoration Anglican Church in Richardson, TX where he occasionally serves as a lay preacher. He blogs at gcjeffers.com and can be found on Instagram @gcjeffers.

Kelly Kapic

AUTHOR & PROFESSOR - COVENANT COLLEGE

Learning to Value Process: God Likes to Take His Time

Tags: Coming Soon

Session Abstract

We know that God is perfect and complete, but we are not. In our time together we will consider how God loves process. While we often judge only according to finished products, God has always been comfortable with process, and learning to appreciate this truth about God can free us to more fully embrace the process of growth and learning. The implications of this for Christian education are enormous, as we see our work not merely in terms of a ‘final product,’ but in terms of the value of formation and growth.

Biography

Kelly M. Kapic (PhD, King’s College, University of London) is a professor of theological studies at Covenant College in Lookout Mountain, Georgia, where he has taught for twenty years. He is an award-winning author or editor of more than fifteen books, including You’re Only Human and Embodied Hope, which each won a Christianity Today Book Award. Kapic, a popular speaker, has been featured in Christianity Today and The Gospel Coalition, has worked on research teams funded by the John Templeton Foundation, and contributes to the Journal of Spiritual Formation and Soul Care and various other journals.

Joseph Pearce

Best-Selling Author

Session: Further Up & Further In - Delving Deeper into Chesterton

Tags: Coming Soon

Session Abstract

Joseph Pearce takes us back to 1908 to look at two of Chesterton’s greatest books, Orthodoxy and The Man Who was Thursday, both of which were published in that annus mirabilis, showing how the one needs to be read in the light of the other. In addition, he will tell the story of Chesterton’s writing of The Everlasting Man, a book which would prove a major milestone on C. S. Lewis’s path to conversion.

Biography

A native of England, Joseph Pearce is the internationally acclaimed author of many books, which include bestsellers such as The Quest for Shakespeare, Tolkien: Man and Myth, The Unmasking of Oscar Wilde, C. S. Lewis and The Catholic Church, Literary Converts, Wisdom and Innocence: A Life of G.K. Chesterton, Solzhenitsyn: A Soul in Exile and Old Thunder: A Life of Hilaire Belloc. His books have been published and translated into Spanish, Portuguese, French, Dutch, Italian, Korean, Mandarin, Croatian and Polish.
 
He has hosted two 13-part television series about Shakespeare on EWTN, and has also written and presented documentaries on EWTN on the Catholicism of The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit. His verse drama, Death Comes for the War Poets, was performed off-Broadway to critical acclaim. He has participated and lectured at a wide variety of international and literary
events at major colleges and universities in the U.S., Canada, Britain, Europe, Africa and South America.
 
He is editor of the St. Austin Review (https://staustinreview.org/), series editor of the Ignatius Critical Editions (www.ignatiuscriticaleditions.com), senior instructor with Homeschool Connections (www.homeschoolconnectionsonline.com), and senior contributor at the Imaginative Conservative and Crisis Magazine. In 2022, he was awarded the St. John Henry
Newman Visiting Chair of Catholic Studies at Thomas More College (Merrimack, NH). His personal website is http://www.jpearce.co.

Peter VandeBrake

Dean of Students - The Geneva School

Session: Color-Blessed: A Biblical and Theological Look at the Concept of Diversity and Why It Works to Our Advantage in a Christian Classical School

Tags: School Culture

Session Abstract

The mere word “diversity” is enough to cause people to start taking sides in our politically charged society. In this workshop, we want to take a step back from this political fracas and look at this idea from a biblical and theological perspective. The way that we view and understand the concept of diversity is important. The notion of diversity is intricately bound to the Christian story. It is an inextricable part of God’s self-disclosure, Creation, the Imago Dei, the Abrahamic Covenant, the Great Commission, the doctrine of reconciliation, and the picture we are given of the New Jerusalem in Revelation. The educational experience of our students is made stronger and richer by a greater level of diversity in our educational communities. This workshop will illustrate the distinct advantages that students have in a diverse and inclusive educational setting. These advantages are both personal and practical. Students who are educated in a diverse environment will be able to navigate cultural differences in personal relationships and in a workplace that continues to become more heterogeneous. We will also explain why the CCE movement has the right tools to make this happen.

Biography

Peter Vande Brake attended Calvin College in Grand Rapids, MI, where he majored in Philosophy and was a decathlete. He went to seminary at Union Seminary in Richmond, Virginia and then did his doctoral work at Calvin Theological Seminary in Grand Rapids obtaining a Ph.D. in Systematic Theology in 2000. He was ordained as a Minister of the Word and Sacrament in 2001. He completed the Van Lunen Fellows Program for Executive Leadership in July of 2009. He taught, coached, and served as an administrator at North Hills Classical Academy from 1996-2010, serving as Head of School from 1998-2010. He has been a Leadership Consultant for the CiRCE Institute since 2011, and taught the Atrium class on Norms and Nobility for 7 years. He served as Curriculum Director at the Potter’s House, an urban Christ-centered school in Grand Rapids, MI, from 2011-2015, and as their High School Principal from 2015-2019. He was Director of the Upper School at the Geneva School in Orlando from 2019-2021, and is currently serving as their Dean of Students. He has served on both the SCL and CiRCE boards for several years. He has been married to his wife, Susan, for 35 years and has two daughters and one son-in-law.

Albert Cheng

Professor - University of Arkansas | Classical Education Research Lab

Session: Redeeming Social Science for Classical Education: How Empirical Research Matters for Pedagogical Excellence and Advocacy

Topic: Research, Panel Discussion

Session Abstract

Classical educators and leaders will learn about how empirical research of classical education can generate new knowledge that enables them to teach, lead, and make the case for classical education more effectively. Participants will be introduced to a research-and-practice partnership between the Classical Education Research Lab at the University of Arkansas and Sager Classical Academy in Siloam Springs, Arkansas. They will learn about several empirical studies conducted by the Lab in collaboration with Sager that validate the benefits of classical pedagogy, including the impacts of reading poetry and fiction on students’ moral imagination and sense of wonder. Participants will then interact with panelists Christine Norvell (humanities teacher and Upper School Dean at Sager), Mallorey Thompson (Lower School Dean at Sager), and Carrie Eben (board member at Sager) in a roundtable discussion about the practical implications and significance of this research for classical education. Dr. Albert Cheng (Director of the Classical Education Research Lab) will moderate the discussion.

Biography

Albert Cheng is a professor of education policy at the Department of Education Reform at the University of Arkansas. He also directs the Classical Education Research Lab, an initiative that conducts empirical research about the effectiveness of classical education and provides resources for classical educators. Dr. Cheng teaches courses in education policy and philosophy. He is a board member of Anthem Classical Academy located in Fayetteville, Arkansas and a Senior Fellow at Cardus.

Carrie Eben

Classical Christian Educator

Session: Redeeming Social Science for Classical Education: How Empirical Research Matters for Pedagogical Excellence and Advocacy

Topic: Research, Panel Discussion

Session Abstract

Classical educators and leaders will learn about how empirical research of classical education can generate new knowledge that enables them to teach, lead, and make the case for classical education more effectively. Participants will be introduced to a research-and-practice partnership between the Classical Education Research Lab at the University of Arkansas and Sager Classical Academy in Siloam Springs, Arkansas. They will learn about several empirical studies conducted by the Lab in collaboration with Sager that validate the benefits of classical pedagogy, including the impacts of reading poetry and fiction on students’ moral imagination and sense of wonder. Participants will then interact with panelists Christine Norvell (humanities teacher and Upper School Dean at Sager), Mallorey Thompson (Lower School Dean at Sager), and Carrie Eben (board member at Sager) in a roundtable discussion about the practical implications and significance of this research for classical education. Dr. Albert Cheng (Director of the Classical Education Research Lab) will moderate the discussion.

Biography

For more than twenty-three years, Carrie Eben has championed classical education in both the private school classroom and homeschool arenas. She develops and delivers customized workshops for administrators, teachers, and parents in both classical school and homeschool settings via Classical Eben Education Consulting (www.classicaleben.com). Carrie holds a BSE in Intermediate Education from John Brown University and a MSEd in Curriculum and Instruction from Oklahoma State University. She is currently a PhD student in the Humanities program at Faulkner University and teaches Integrated Humanities (adjunct) at John Brown University. Last summer she graduated from the CiRCE Institute as a Master Teacher and became a scholar in residence at the Society for Women of Letters. She also serves as founding board member with her husband, Don, at Sager Classical Academy in Siloam Springs, AR.

Christine Norvell

UPPER SCHOOL DEAN - SAGER CLASSICAL ACADEMY​

Session: Redeeming Social Science for Classical Education: How Empirical Research Matters for Pedagogical Excellence and Advocacy

Tags: Research, Panel Discussion

Session Abstract

Classical educators and leaders will learn about how empirical research of classical education can generate new knowledge that enables them to teach, lead, and make the case for classical education more effectively. Participants will be introduced to a research-and-practice partnership between the Classical Education Research Lab at the University of Arkansas and Sager Classical Academy in Siloam Springs, Arkansas. They will learn about several empirical studies conducted by the Lab in collaboration with Sager that validate the benefits of classical pedagogy, including the impacts of reading poetry and fiction on students’ moral imagination and sense of wonder. Participants will then interact with panelists Christine Norvell (humanities teacher and Upper School Dean at Sager), Mallorey Thompson (Lower School Dean at Sager), and Carrie Eben (board member at Sager) in a roundtable discussion about the practical implications and significance of this research for classical education. Dr. Albert Cheng (Director of the Classical Education Research Lab) will moderate the discussion.

Biography

Christine Norvell has taught in classical, homeschool, and public education for over twenty years. She serves as the Upper School Dean and as a high school humanities teacher for Sager Classical Academy in Siloam Springs, Arkansas. With an MA in Humanities from Faulkner University’s Great Books program and a BS in English Education, she has also taught at Regent Preparatory and with Kepler Education. Christine is a senior contributor at the Imaginative Conservative and has written for Circe, University Bookman, VoegelinView, Mere Orthodoxy, StoryWarren, and others. She is the author of Till We Have Faces: A Reading Companion (2020).

Mallorey Thompson

Dean of Lower School - Sager Classical Academy

Session: Redeeming Social Science for Classical Education: How Empirical Research Matters for Pedagogical Excellence and Advocacy

Tags: Coming Soon

Session Abstract

Classical educators and leaders will learn about how empirical research of classical education can generate new knowledge that enables them to teach, lead, and make the case for classical education more effectively. Participants will be introduced to a research-and-practice partnership between the Classical Education Research Lab at the University of Arkansas and Sager Classical Academy in Siloam Springs, Arkansas. They will learn about several empirical studies conducted by the Lab in collaboration with Sager that validate the benefits of classical pedagogy, including the impacts of reading poetry and fiction on students’ moral imagination and sense of wonder. Participants will then interact with panelists Christine Norvell (humanities teacher and Upper School Dean at Sager), Mallorey Thompson (Lower School Dean at Sager), and Carrie Eben (board member at Sager) in a roundtable discussion about the practical implications and significance of this research for classical education. Dr. Albert Cheng (Director of the Classical Education Research Lab) will moderate the discussion.

Biography

Mallorey Thompson serves as Dean of the Lower School at Sager Classical Academy. She is a graduate of John Brown University, and is currently in her second year of the CiRCE Apprenticeship. Mallorey worked for the public school system for eight years before staying home with her two young children. After two years at home, the Lord called her back to vocational teaching. Mallorey has worked for SCA since its doors opened in the Fall of 2019.

Nathan Carr

Headmaster - The Academy of Classical Christian Studies

Session: The Festive School

Tags: School Culture

Session Abstract

The Academy serves more than 800 students, from more than 400 families, who drive from 16 different towns, cities, and communities. The campuses are united by a shared curriculum and shared leadership, and offer both a blended model (two or three days per week) and a traditional model (five days per week) for students. More importantly, the campuses have been described as “warmly evangelical.” This warmly evangelical and, I would add, unified, atmosphere is made possible by the schools’ practice of shared liturgy. The praying of the Benedictine Hours is an important part of the liturgy that our schools practice. Most of our students pray Matins, Noonday, and Evensong together; the students at our Dialectic and Rhetoric campuses also pray Terce and None. Further united by a campus-wide house system, our students participate in patronal feasts, Church calendar liturgies, and traditional Christian services, such as Nine Lessons and Carols. All of these feasts, liturgies, and services are part of the curricular arc of our program, but they are led with the kind of earnestness and mentoring that one would more often associate with evangelical discipleship than with school programming.

Biography

Fr. Carr began serving at Providence Hall in 2006, teaching secondary school math and science, functioning as Upper School Development Director and then Provost before becoming Headmaster for the Academy. He is married to Sarah, and they have six children.

Fr. Carr’s introduction to, and subsequent love of, great books occurred in the Western Civ classroom at Oklahoma Baptist University. After graduation from the University of Central Oklahoma, Nathan enrolled at Reformed Theological Seminary and earned a Masters of Arts in Religion. He has also completed post-graduate work at the University of Toronto’s Wycliffe College, is an ordained priest in the Episcopal Church, St. John’s of Oklahoma City. Because of an addiction to books, he and his wife (with a group of friends) founded Commonplace Books, which now has three locations.

Kristen Clarkson

Literature Teacher - Cary Christian School

Session: Do They Really Get It? Cultivating Virtue Through Oral Assessments

Topic: Upper School, Assessment

Session Abstract

Have you ever read a vague student essay and wondered what your students really know? Written tests and essays have their place, yet the master teachers of the tradition evaluated their students through dialectic. We should imitate their example by mentoring our students through one-on-one assessments where the objective is cultivating intellectual and moral virtue. This practical workshop will offer teachers methods, examples, and rubrics to implement in their own classrooms. While the principles can apply at any level, the materials are designed for upper school teachers. Ultimately, oral assessments reorient students away from cramming for tests and towards a love for learning.

Biography

Kristen Clarkson teaches Classical Literature and American Literature at Cary Christian School. She earned an MA in Humanities with a Classical Education Concentration from the University of Dallas and a BA in English from North Carolina State University. Because her own classical education shaped her thoughts and affections, Kristen implements classical pedagogy and assessments in her classroom in order to train students in intellectual and moral virtues. She hopes to teach Homer and Flannery until she dies.

Christopher Stevens

Headmaster - Cornerstone Classical School

Session: Student Motivation and Management in the Classroom

Tags: Classroom Management, Teachers, Administration

Session Abstract

Teachers will leave knowing their role as an authority in the classroom and understanding where children should find their motivation and how to create a classroom environment which engenders rather than stifles intrinsic motivation. Examples from public and classical schools will provide vivid contrasts to help the audience understand the philosophical roots of modern public school motivational theory. This workshop is an excellent resource for experienced teachers new to classical education and heads of schools responsible for transitioning teachers to the classical model. School leaders and boards interested in transitioning to the classical model should also attend.

Biography

A graduate of St. John’s College in Annapolis, Chris began teaching in Dallas public schools. In school administration for almost two decades, Chris is headmaster at Cornerstone Classical School in Salina, Kansas.

Jonathon Basurto

Principal - Pusch Ridge Christian Academy

Session: God is Building an Escuela

Topic: Cross-Cultural Education

Session Abstract

If God has called you as an individual or an organization to bring classical education into a Spanish speaking community, here is an opportunity to learn and build a school based on the amazing vision only God can give. You do not have to be a Spanish speaker to attend.

Biography

Jonathon Basurto is the principal of Pusch Ridge Christian Academy South. He is a Tucson, AZ native (5th generation) and has worked his way up in education in low income neighborhoods throughout the city. In his youth, he grew up in a Westside barrio where his parents made the choice to pull him from public education and send him and his four younger sisters to a private Catholic school that provided a classical education. From there, he went on to gain his degree from the University of Arizona, his MDiv from Columbia International University. It is here, during his PhD program in Educational Leadership, that God gave him an immense calling into the worst zip code in Arizona for overdoses and violent crime. He will share how God is providing a Christian, classical, covenantal school in Spanish for a community that is 90% Spanish-speaking. He will also share how so many brothers and sisters through Pusch Ridge have been obedient to God’s call and what God has taught the organization in the process. Jonathon will discuss the dynamics of commitment to such a community and the ways in which the city of Tucson has become more united because of what God is doing. He will also share the struggles of providing a classical education in Spanish, the myths associated with this type of education in our country, and how through the Kingdom, we can provide this education in a greater way to more children in Spanish speaking communities throughout the United States.

Judi Poblano

Position - Company

Session: God is Building an Escuela (with Jonathon Basurto)

Tags: Cross-Cultural Education

Session Abstract

If God has called you as an individual or an organization to pour a classical education into a Spanish speaking community, here is an opportunity to learn, and build a school based on the amazing vision only God can give. You do not have to be a Spanish speaker to attend.

Biography

Coming Soon

Justin Bailey

Author & Professor - Dordt University

Session: Sowing in Hope: Generative and Generational Education

Session Abstract

The temptation in a world gone mad is to stand on the sidelines and point out the problems with everyone and everything. But there is an alternative to this: to criticize by creating, cultivating beautiful and generative spaces that do the work of generational faithfulness. Whatever we cultivate will always be imperfect, but it can imperfectly point to the kingdom of God, to “righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.”

“Theology must grow and be sown into the soils of culture, be fed by the spring rains of love to be cultivated in multiple generations.” (Makoto Fujimura)

Biography

Justin Ariel Bailey is associate professor of theology at Dordt University. He is the host of the In All Things podcast, and his written work has appeared in publications such as Christianity Today, Christian Scholars Review and the International Journal of Public Theology. He is the author of Reimagining Apologetics (IVP Academic, 2020) and Interpreting Your World (Baker Academic, 2022). He is an ordained minister in the Christian Reformed Church and has served as a pastor in Filipino-American, Korean-American, and Dutch-American settings. He is married to Melissa and they are blessed with two pre-teen children.

David Bailey

Founder & Chief Vision Officer - Arrabon

Session: The 5 Challenges to Being a Reconciling Community

Session Abstract

People form communities and communities form people. Christian communities ought to be reconciling communities, but unfortunately, too many Christian communities mirror the same practices as secular communities around conflict and division. In this breakout session, we’ll introduce the five practices leaders need to build a reconciling community within their organization.

Biography

David M. Bailey is a public theologian, culture maker, and catalyst focused on building reconciling communities. David is the founder and Chief Vision Officer of Arrabon, a spiritual formation ministry that equips the American Church to actively and creatively pursue racial healing in their communities. He is the co-author of the study series, A People, A Place, and A Just Society, and the executive producer of the documentary 11 am: Hope for America’s Most Segregated Hour and the Urban Doxology Project. David is rooted at East End Covenant Fellowship, serving on the preaching team, and his greatest honor is to be married to his wonderful wife, Joy.

Joseph Pearce

Best-Selling Author

Session: Wit, Wisdom, and Wonder: Life Lessons from G.K. Chesterton

Session Abstract

Angels can fly because they take themselves lightly whereas the devil takes himself far too seriously, falling by the force of his own gravity. So says G. K. Chesterton, the self-described “jolly journalist” who is worth taking seriously because he took himself so lightly. With wit, wisdom and eyes wide open with wonder, Chesterton shows us the way to paradise by way of paradox. Joseph Pearce, author of Wisdom and Innocence: A Life of G. K. Chesterton, gives a guided tour of Chesterton’s life, work, wit, wisdom and legacy.

Biography

A native of England, Joseph Pearce is the internationally acclaimed author of many books, which include bestsellers such as The Quest for Shakespeare, Tolkien: Man and Myth, The Unmasking of Oscar Wilde, C. S. Lewis and The Catholic Church, Literary Converts, Wisdom and Innocence: A Life of G.K. Chesterton, Solzhenitsyn: A Soul in Exile and Old Thunder: A Life of Hilaire Belloc. His books have been published and translated into Spanish, Portuguese, French, Dutch, Italian, Korean, Mandarin, Croatian and Polish.
 
He has hosted two 13-part television series about Shakespeare on EWTN, and has also written and presented documentaries on EWTN on the Catholicism of The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit. His verse drama, Death Comes for the War Poets, was performed off-Broadway to critical acclaim. He has participated and lectured at a wide variety of international and literary
events at major colleges and universities in the U.S., Canada, Britain, Europe, Africa and South America.
 
He is editor of the St. Austin Review (https://staustinreview.org/), series editor of the Ignatius Critical Editions (www.ignatiuscriticaleditions.com), senior instructor with Homeschool Connections (www.homeschoolconnectionsonline.com), and senior contributor at the Imaginative Conservative and Crisis Magazine. In 2022, he was awarded the St. John Henry
Newman Visiting Chair of Catholic Studies at Thomas More College (Merrimack, NH). His personal website is http://www.jpearce.co.

Kelly Kapic

Author & Professor - Covenant College

Session: Learning to Value Process: God Likes to Take His Time

Session Abstract

We know that God is perfect and complete, but we are not. In our time together we will consider how God loves process. While we often judge only according to finished products, God has always been comfortable with process, and learning to appreciate this truth about God can free us to more fully embrace the process of growth and learning. The implications of this for Christian education are enormous, as we see our work not merely in terms of a ‘final product,’ but in terms of the value of formation and growth.
 

Biography

Kelly M. Kapic (PhD, King’s College, University of London) is a professor of theological studies at Covenant College in Lookout Mountain, Georgia, where he has taught for twenty years. He is an award-winning author or editor of more than fifteen books, including You’re Only Human and Embodied Hope, which each won a Christianity Today Book Award. Kapic, a popular speaker, has been featured in Christianity Today and The Gospel Coalition, has worked on research teams funded by the John Templeton Foundation, and contributes to the Journal of Spiritual Formation and Soul Care and various other journals.
 

SANDRA McCRACKEN

GUEST MUSICIAN

Performances

Sandra McCracken will be leading worship from the main stage in the morning and afternoon of Friday, June 16, followed by her highly-anticipated concert at 6:00pm. See the conference schedule for further information!

Biography

Sandra McCracken is a singer-songwriter and hymn writer from Nashville, Tennessee. A prolific recording artist, McCracken has produced 14 solo albums over two decades. Her best selling release, Psalms (2015) received critical acclaim, followed by God’s Highway (2017) which made the top 50 on Billboard Heatseekers chart without a major label. She has had songs featured in TV, including ‘Ten Thousand Angels’ on ABC’s Grey’s Anatomy and has over 15 million streams. Blending the old and new, Sandra has also shown a unique ability to recast sacred scripture texts into theologically rich yet accessible songs. Her thoughtful lyrics and gospel melodies in songs like “We Will Feast In The House Of Zion,” “Steadfast” and “Thy Mercy My God” have become staple anthems in churches across the U.S. As a published writer, she contributes a regular column in Christianity Today and released her first book “Send Out Your Light” in September 2021.

Pano Kanelos

President - University of Austin

Session: Coming Soon

Session Abstract

COMING SOON!

Biography

Panayiotis (Pano) Kanelos is the founding president of the University of Austin.
 
From 2017 to 2021, Dr. Kanelos served as the 24th President of St. John’s College, Annapolis. After earning degrees from Northwestern University (B.A.), Boston University (M.A.), and the University of Chicago (Ph.D.), he taught at Stanford University, the University of San Diego, and Loyola University Chicago.
 

He served most recently as dean of Christ College, the Honors College of Valparaiso University. An outspoken advocate for liberal education, he oversaw the Lilly Fellows Program in Humanities and the Arts, comprising a network of more than 100 colleges and universities. Among the earliest participants in the Teach for America program, President Kanelos is as passionate about teaching as he is about writing and scholarship. He founded the Cropper Center for Creative Writing at the University of San Diego and is a noted Shakespeare scholar, having served as the resident Shakespearean in the Old Globe MFA Program and the founding director of the Interdisciplinary Shakespeare Studies Program at Loyola University Chicago.

Beck A. Taylor

President - Samford University

Session: Coming Soon

Session Abstract

COMING SOON!

Biography

Beck A. Taylor comes to Samford University after serving as the 18th president of Whitworth University in Spokane, Washington, since 2010. Prior to this appointment, Taylor served as dean and professor of economics for Samford’s Brock School of Business (2005-2010), and associate dean for research and faculty development for Baylor University’s Hankamer School of Business (1997-2005).

Taylor’s tenure at Whitworth was highlighted by a renewed emphasis on community involvement; efforts to enhance academic programs and quality; the building of new campus infrastructure to facilitate the university’s academic, athletic, and student life programs; the creation of newly endowed faculty positions and centers; leading Whitworth’s largest-ever comprehensive fundraising campaign; and an emphasis on overall institutional effectiveness.

After earning his undergraduate degree from Baylor with majors in economics and finance, Taylor was employed as an analyst for Andersen Consulting (now Accenture) in Houston, Texas. He went on to earn his M.S. and Ph.D. in economics from Purdue University. After returning to the Baylor faculty, Taylor was named the first holder of the W.H. Smith Professorship in Economics. In 2002, he was appointed as a visiting scholar by Harvard University where he spent one year in residence at the Harvard Graduate School of Education.

As dean of Samford’s Brock School of Business, Taylor led the rapid transformation of the business school, including its renaming to honor Harry B. Brock, Jr., founder of Compass Bank. Taylor led the Brock School of Business to establish eight new academic programs, as well as the school’s new honors program. The school’s entrepreneurship program was recognized in 2010 as the nation’s top emerging program by the U.S. Association for Small Business & Entrepreneurship. In an effort to build bridges between students and the Birmingham business community, Taylor established the Samford Business Network, as well as a 45-member advisory board of the region’s top business leaders.

As a scholar, Taylor has published dozens of studies in economics journals such as Review of Economics and Statistics, Journal of Labor Economics, Journal of Human Resources and Journal of Money, Credit, and Banking. Illustrating his diverse research interests and his connections to the social sciences, Taylor has also published groundbreaking research in public health and child developmental psychology. His research has been cited in testimony given before the U.S. Congress, the Federal Trade Commission, and the California State Assembly, and also has been referenced in publications such as The New York Times, The Boston Globe, and The Christian Science Monitor.

Taylor is a member of numerous professional and academic organizations, and he has served as a strategic business consultant for dozens of organizations. Taylor and his wife of 28 years, Julie, have three children: Zachary, 25, a Nashville-based music recording artist, Lauren, 22, a recent Whitworth graduate, and Chloe, 14.

Savannah Kimberlin

Associate VP of Church Engagement - Barna Group

Session: Faith & Culture

Session Abstract

Barna Group has researched faith trends in the United States and around the world for more than 40 years, specializing in the study of generations and the intersection of faith and culture. Together, let’s explore a handful of key cultural shifts and their impact on and implications for our organizations.

Biography

Savannah serves as the Associate Vice President of Church Engagement at Barna. Savannah loves facilitating Barna’s mission to provide the Church with knowledge to navigate a changing world through consulting services, CoLab learning cohorts and research efforts. She is passionate about taking Barna’s research and synthesizing it into helpful, actionable insights for Christian leaders.
 
As a certified data miner and predictive modeler, Savannah specializes in advanced analytics. Prior to her time at Barna, she worked in the big data and software development spaces.
 
She earned her B.S. in Mathematics from Samford University and her M.S. in Decision Analytics from the University of Alabama. Savannah currently lives in Atlanta, GA with her husband Josh and her daughter Zoe.