Scholé Academy offers live, online courses that pair a classical curriculum with the pedagogy of restful learning embodied by the concept of scholé. Our instructors foster deep engagement to cultivate learning that lasts.
Scholé Academy courses are . . .
Classical
Classical education is a long tradition that has emphasized the seeking after of truth, goodness, and beauty, and the study of the liberal arts and the great books. As a classical academy, we offer courses on classical subjects and employ a classical pedagogy, which seeks to form virtue in students and teaches them how to think and how to learn.
Restful
We believe excellence in academics need not be frenetic or dry and boring. Instead, our teachers create an atmosphere of restful learning by modeling peace, tranquility, love of the subject, and unrushed learning. Our courses facilitate meaningful, deep engagement, so that learning becomes memorable, enjoyable, and permanent—all within the cloister of the Christian faith.
Engaging
Our classes meet in a live, online format two or three times per week. Students see and hear their instructor and their peers, facilitating an engaging class environment. Our teachers lead interactive class sessions in which they encourage and facilitate class discussion as a path to understanding and mastery.
Personal
We typically limit our class size to fifteen students to ensure that students receive quality personal attention and individualized feedback. Our instructors work to see each student master the skills at hand. To this end, Scholé Academy teachers provide their students with thoughtful instruction in live sessions and during optional office hours as well as through insightful, personal comments on students’ work.
Meet the Admin Team
Dr. Joylynn Blake
Director/Principal [email protected]
Dr. Joylynn Blake obtained her BA in philosophy and a Master’s degree in theology from Regent College, in Vancouver, Canada. The Blake family of six served for eight years in Asia before returning to Dallas where Joylynn earned her doctoral degree in Educational Leadership. She was awarded the Outstanding Treatise award in 2019 for her study of urban classical schools. Joylynn has worked in both charter and private schools in various capacities, including as teacher, Director of Curriculum, and Head of School. She is passionate that classical education be accessible to all students, and she is delighted to further the mission and vision of Scholé Academy and its Houses of Studies.
Pres. Maria Koulianos
Tutoring Center & CSLD Manager Principal of St. Raphael School [email protected]
Presbytera Maria Koulianos, Principal, has been an educator for over 25 years, loving every minute, with vast experiences in both public and private schools as a classroom teacher, a developer and implementer of learning programs for students, and an area administrator. She earned her bachelor of science in education from Indiana University with certifications in elementary education, 7/8 non-departmental, language arts 1–9, and computer education K–12. She holds a master of divinity and a master of theology from Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology in Brookline, Massachusetts, where she wrote her thesis, “The Annunciation of the Theotokos from a Liturgical Perspective.” Presbytera Maria and her husband, Father Dionysios, live in the greater Springfield area where he is the Dean of Saint George Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Springfield, MA. As an educator, she hopes to inspire her students to love literature and become lifelong learners. As principal, she is a servant-leader who is charged with building a community that supports students and parents striving for Orthodox restful classical education.
Alison Haley
Operations Coordinator [email protected]
Alison Haley has been contributing to Christian education for two decades and has earned a dual Master’s degree – a M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction and a M.S. in Mathematics and Reading. At Scholé Academy, she nurtures the academic community through course and instructor development. She provides the school with a seamless integration of instructional technology that ensures online learning is relational, live, and engaging while distinctly classical. On a daily basis, she supports key infrastructures that keep a thriving school moving forward. She is passionate about making exceptional classical education accessible to students around the world.
Nancy Parcels
Customer Service & Registrar [email protected]
Nancy Parcels is a homeschool mom that has been educating for more than 20 years. She began tutoring while in college and continued to tutor privately, run a homeschool co-op for several years, and classically homeschool her children for the last 5 years. As the customer service and communication representative, Nancy is dedicated and passionate in providing outstanding customer service to Schole Academy families. Nancy assists in course enrollments and other communications within the SA community.
David Rosentrater
Data & Business Systems Lead [email protected]
David Rosentrater was homeschooled through high school and received a BA in Humanities from Messiah University. In between high school and college, he attended a history of western civilization program at Augustine College in Ottawa, ON where he learned to love classical education.
Get to Know Scholé Academy
Start Something scholé
You’ve likely seen the quotes peppering our website; these carefully crafted words written by the likes of John Amos Comenius, St. Augustine, Alcuin of York, St. Basil the Great, St. Thomas Aquinas, H.S. Gerdil, C.S. Lewis, Dorothy Sayers and so many others. The faculty and staff here at Scholé Academy stand on the shoulders of these giants of the Christian Faith and the pioneers of Christian-classical education. We find ourselves and our mission calling out from the depths of these great thinkers and theologians, masters and pedagogues. We, who are reclaiming Christian-classical education have a rich heritage built on the work of these men and women. So much of what education has become often runs counter to the best that it once was.
While we hope our work meets the realities and responds to the questions of 21st century culture, we work hard to carry forward the rich tradition given to us by those who came before. It’s the constant tension between past and present, rest and rigor, leisure and labor; these are the places where we seek scholé. Join us this year as we make time to consider the things that matter most and delight in the journey we are afforded along the paths of knowledge.
Resources and Support
In order to ensure that students, parents, and teachers are served well, we offer the following resources and services:
The Scholé Academy Handbook: Find a clear description of our policies and how Scholé Academy operates here.
FAQ: View answers to frequently asked questions here.
Academic Calendar: Find our term schedules and holidays here.
The Scholé Academy Support Line: We are ready to respond to your call or e-mail. You may e-mail us at [email protected] or call at 866-730-0711.