Chrysostom Academy
Leadership & FacultyMeet the Leadership
Mr. John Heitzenrater, II A.B., M.H.M.
Headmaster & Upper School History/Seminar
College of St. Thomas More, University of Dallas AB Liberal Arts, M.H.M Humanities/History
“As Headmaster, I take my role as “head teacher” seriously. My vocation is to be both a servant leader and fellow student, learning along with my students, faculty, and families, the great mysteries of our world, our faith, and ourselves.”
Mrs. Amy Chebib
Office Administrator
University of Pittsburgh, BS in Psychology and Sociology and MEd in Higher Education Management
“I’m excited to see Chrysostom Academy grow and to grow with it. I am overjoyed to welcome students to Chrysostom Academy so that they may flourish academically and in their love of Christ.”
Interests: Enjoying time with family and friends, traveling, gardening, and listening to true crime podcasts
Meet the Faculty
Mrs. Danielle Brown
Kindergarten
R.N., B.S.N.
“Teaching in a Classical Educational environment gives children the chance to be curious, spend time in wonder of God’s creation, and exposes the children to literature that stands the test of time. This environment allows students to be surrounded by beauty and recognize beautiful things.“
Interests: Spending time reading with my children, nature walks, growing flowers in my garden, and re-learning how to play the piano
Mr. Daniel Geoffrey
Middle & Upper School Literature & History Teacher
Michigan State University, BA History and German
“I greatly enjoy the connection I can build with students to see the fruits of our labor in their learning. I love helping young people grow!”
Interests: The outdoors, reading, writing, movies, video games, and any Detroit home team
Ms. Ada Germany
Art Teacher
Templeton Honors College
“So often in life we look at things without really seeing them. I believe that art can teach us to see everything—be it a flower, a sunset, or even the person sitting next to us—as an icon of God and to appreciate His majesty through it. As an Orthodox Christian who is also an artist, I am excited and honored to serve as a guide to students as they learn to delight in God’s creation through their study of the visual arts.”
Interests: Iconography, hiking, reading, social dancing, and writing
Mr. Andrew Gillespie
Physical Education & Teachers’ Aide
Templeton Honors College, Classical Education, MA
“From an early age, I wanted to be a teacher like many of my role models. It is a privilege to hand down the love for learning that my teachers gave to me, and work with my students to find the best way to nurture and support their learning.”
Interests: Coffee, collecting and listening to vinyl, and cooking a good meal
Mr. John Heitzenrater
Headmaster & Upper School History/Seminar Teacher
College of St. Thomas More, University of Dallas AB Liberal Arts, M.H.M Humanities/History
“There is nothing more rewarding than bringing students to the great conversation and introducing them to the great minds of history, philosophy, theology, and literature. Since it is a conversation with the wisdom of the past, our job as teachers is to make sure our students can hang in there with the greatest minds our world has ever produced.”
Interests: BBQ (cooking and eating), spending time with family, reading, and enjoying a good action movie
Ms. Mariana Kurtz
Music & Theater Teacher
Marymount Manhattan College, Musical Theater, BFA
“The Classical Education environment is unique and where I belong as an educator because of the reverence and celebration of beauty within the classroom. Recognizing what is good and beautiful is fundamental to the arts and arts education. It is valuable to be able to explore beauty and acknowledge beauty within the world no matter what one’s profession may be.”
Interests: Baking amazing bread, holistic eating and nutrition, spending time with family, and paying attention to Masha the family cat
Dr. Stathis Leondopulos
Middle & Upper School Math Teacher
Rutgers University, Electrical and Computer Engineering, PhD., MS, BS.
“The elegance of the natural and noetic world can often be expressed through the language of mathematics, implying a transcendent order and logic, even pointing to the Logos Himself. In this vein, as an eternal student of sorts, I look forward to exploring both the abstract and practical aspects of mathematics with the students at Chrysostom Academy.”
Interests: Music of all kinds, Byzantine chant, technology, and discussions with friends
Dr. Joshua M. Moritz
Middle & Upper School Science
Calvin University, Moravian Seminary, Berkeley, PhD, MA, BA, BA, BS
“I love learning and I love teaching. There is an experience of awe and wonder in every good and beautiful new thing that a student learns. I love to bestow the gift of the experience of awe and wonder onto others—and to watch the light of understanding dawn on the hearts and minds of my students. God in Christ is the beginning and the end of all true learning and it is a deep joy, a great honor and a profound responsibility, to grant this gift to others.”
Interests: Having deep conversations about God, hiking, reading, watching classical movies, and playing Legos
Mrs. Melissa Mortiz
Kindergarten & Grammar School Aide
B.A, English, B.A. Geography
“When children are able to enjoy the process of learning, even including facing the inevitable challenges involved, and to trust, even love, their teacher, they can grow in leaps and bounds, and gain an attitude toward learning that will last for a lifetime. To be able to share what one has learned with another is a blessing for both the teacher and the student.”
Interests: Exploring new places, enjoying music and healthy food, spending time with family, and learning new things
Mr. Gabriel Quinodoz
3rd & 4th Grade Classroom Teacher
Eastern University, Templeton Honors College, History
“Classical Education allows us to pursue excellence while not neglecting the very important meaning behind why we do so. By learning through collaborative discussion and contemplation of the Great Books, we ask questions that drive us to virtue and purpose in God, rather than simply learning skills for our own utilitarian ends.”
Interests: Reading, writing, spending time with friends, hiking, and exercising
Mrs. Dimitra Salavasili
Greek Language, History, & Culture
University of Thessaly, Primary Education & MA in Special Education
“Bringing the Greek language alive in the classroom for all ages is my passion. Connecting with my students so that there is an understanding of culture, history, and faith allows for true understanding of the language and all that it contributes to our world.“
Interests: Math, home improvement projects, family time, and thinking of the blue waters of the Mediterranean
Mat. Masha Solak
1st & 2nd Grade Classroom Teacher
Hofstra University, BA Elementary Education and Psychology
“It is wonderful to watch the wonder and awe of children as they learn something new, master a skill, make a real-world connection or experience a new confidence in themselves.”
Interests: Reading, puzzles, football, reality tv, and the family dog Mr. Boggs
Ms. Christine Wood
Front Office & Teachers’ Aide
Dickinson College, BA Political Science and Economics
“Teaching in a Classical Education environment allows the adult to be a guide for each student’s lifelong journey of discovery for information about our world, themselves and their place and part in it. Lessons learned by personal discovery stay with a student in a truly enduring way.”
Interests: Spending time near the water, volunteering at a local dog rescue, and binge watching The Chosen