Faculty & Staff

• Bachelor's in Mathematics Education from Missouri State University
• Masters in Mathematics and Statistics from UMKC
• Teacher for 10 years in public school teaching Algebra 1, Geometry, Honors Geometry, Algebra 2, Trig/PreCalc, Calculus, Probability and Statistics
• Enjoys spending time with family, going to parks with daughters, co-leading daughters Girl Scouts Troop, and reading
• Began teaching in 2022-23 school year at St. Athanasius & St. Catherine's Academy.

• BA English with minor in History from Benedictine College
• Gregorian Fellow
• Social Media Coordinator at Wyandotte Crisis Pregnancy Center (2.5 years)
• Since 2019, English tutor on-line, primarily SAT Verbal and high & college writing with both American and international students
• Enjoys playing chess, studying German, reading and creative writing in spare time

• BA Religious Studies (Bard College)
• MA Classics (Loyola)
• PhD Classical Philology (U of Illinois)
• National Endowment of the Arts Summer Institute (twice)
• Advisory Committee of National Latin Exam (3 yr term)
• Fulbright Teacher's Exchange
• Led student trips to Greece, Italy and former Soviet Union
• Junior Classical League - 35 years with hundreds of competitions student awards and regional/state
• Homer's Society Essay contest - 2 week seminar in Athens

Specializes in humanities and literature. She joined the Academy staff in 2022, leading discussions on Western literary works and utilizing her background as a Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art docent.

She studied at the University of Kansas under John Senior in the Integrated Humanities Program and now holds a Master of Studies in Literature and Arts from Oxford University.

Steve is a professional judo, sambo and jujitsu coach residing in Kansas City, Missouri. He was born in 1952 and is a graduate of the University of Missouri-Kansas City.

He holds 8th dan (Hachidan) rank in judo and 7th dan rank in shingitai jujitsu. Steve is the author of over a dozen published books on the subject of judo, sambo and other Martial Arts.

Jared Schmitz is a Catholic artist, iconographer, and writer from Kansas City. He has been painting icons since 2019, when a fascination with Russian Orthodox imagery led him into the art of iconography. His expertise developed under the guidance of local Kansas City iconographers and a professor with decades of experience studying Russian Orthodoxy in the US and in Russia itself. He also creates illustrative paintings in a variety of media, and has been teaching acrylic painting as a paint-and-sip party host since 2024. When not making art, Jared teaches English composition at Mid-America Nazarene University in Olathe and tutors writing at Johnson County Community College in Overland Park. One of his favorite hobbies is the game of chess, which he taught as a club instructor for one year from 2018-19. In his free time, he can be found cooking and reading long books.

Maximilian Potts is a dedicated classical educator whose strong academic background in the humanities uniquely equips him to teach Scripture and theology. He earned his Bachelor of Arts in History from Benedictine College, complemented by dual minors in Theology and Philosophy. His deep engagement with these disciplines, following a formative year of study at St. Gregory the Great Seminary, provides him with a comprehensive, nuanced understanding of biblical texts, Church history, and philosophical reasoning that he brings directly into the classroom.
Most recently serving as the Lead 6th Grade Teacher at St. Vincent de Paul Academy in Kansas City, Missouri, Maximilian designed and implemented interdisciplinary curriculum rooted in classical education methods. His teaching experience spans a variety of educational settings and grade levels. Previously, as a Teacher’s Assistant at Great Hearts Lakeside in Texas, he supported 2nd and 4th-grade instruction, adapted materials for special needs and remote learners, and founded a parliamentary debate club for elementary students.
Maximilian’s foundational experience in religious education was forged during his time as a Camp Missionary at The Pines Catholic Camp. There, he facilitated retreats for large groups of campers and directly applied his academic background by developing and teaching courses in Catholic history and Church teaching. Through these diverse roles, Maximilian has proven his ability to bridge rigorous theological and historical study with engaging, age-appropriate instruction.