Meet the Seacoast Classical Faculty
Joseph Patuleia
Experienced Leadership
Joe’s life’s work has been dedicated to constructively and meaningfully addressing the educational needs of youth as well as their development as positive adults with a virtue-based foundation.
Joe has served as a teacher, high school principal, and an executive director of youth development nonprofits. His wide range of experiences has made him a results-oriented, problem-solving, and collaborative leader. As a result of his success as a leader in education, Joe was nominated Massachusetts Principal of the Year in 2004; as a leader in the nonprofit arena, Joe was honored as Madison Square Executive Director Emeritus in 2017. His in-depth experience, innovative approaches, and strong leadership have catalyzed transformative changes within schools and nonprofit organizations.
Joe’s background includes a Master’s Degree in Education from Harvard and the Advanced Leadership Program in Executive Leadership at the University of Michigan.
Benjamin Brandon
A Passionate Leader in Classical Education, Inspiring Minds and Mentors Alike
Born in New England but raised in the Mountain West, Benjamin has nearly twenty years of classical experience as a teacher and school leader. He strives to inspire both teachers and scholars to grow in their love for classical learning.
He’s passionate about equipping educators to lead thoughtful discussions, spark creative projects, and create memorable learning experiences. He supports teachers in implementing classical education across all grade levels and all subjects in ways that bring ideas to life and deepen understanding.
A student of ancient Greek and a lover of the Great Books, Benjamin is committed to leading a school-wide pursuit of the true, the good, and the beautiful. He and his wife enjoy camping, riding motorcycles, and spending time outdoors with their German Shepherd.
Pam Borisko
‘Ah-ha!’ Moments Come to Life
“The most important thing that I love about teaching is helping the students grow into independent thinkers and learners, which aligns perfectly with Seacoast Classical Academy’s mission,” says Pamela Borisko, a graduate of Rivier College. She has 14 years of experience in the education field, first as a paraprofessional in special education and then for the past five years as a kindergarten teacher. “The motto that I adopted during my educational journey was to always remember to teach with children, not at them. I love helping the Academy’s new scholars become successful and seeing their ‘Ah-ha!’ moments come to life.”
Heidi Ernst
Every Child Deserves a Champion
A Rowley, Massachusetts native, Heidi recently earned her degree in Early Childhood Education from Montana State University. Heidi is dedicated to helping her young learners establish strong academic and personal foundations.
In her classroom, she fosters an environment where every student feels safe, cherished, and motivated. She believes in hands-on learning and creating rich, meaningful experiences that encourage children to engage thoughtfully—and joyfully—with the world around them. Building personal connections with each student is central to her approach.
Heidi is driven by the conviction that a teacher’s influence can shape a child’s life in powerful and lasting ways. She aligns with Rita Pierson’s philosophy: “Every child deserves a champion—an adult who will never give up on them, who understands the power of connection, and insists they become the best they can be.”
Kindergarten, to Heidi, is a magical time of wonder, growth, and joy. She eagerly anticipates a year filled with learning, laughter, and all the special moments this transformative age brings.
Nicole Carleton
Passion for Early Learning
“I am excited to be at Seacoast Classical Academy and become part of a community that values academic excellence and commitment to family rights. My bachelor’s in early childhood education from UNH along with many years of practice have given me the knowledge and skills necessary to teach and inspire young scholars. I am a dedicated educator with a passion for early literacy and numeracy. I am trained in the Science of Reading LETRS program for early childhood and have been a reading and math interventionist for grades K-5. I began my educator journey in 1999 as a homeschooling parent. During that time, I engaged in numerous co-ops and led small and large group instruction. Throughout that time, I created a nurturing learning environment that emphasized individualized instruction. In addition to homeschooling, I ran a successful childcare and preschool program from home until 2020. I am looking forward to meeting you and your scholars.”
Jill Greene
Creating Meaningful Experiences
“I’m thrilled to be a grammar school teacher at Seacoast Classical Academy,” says Jill Greene, who moves 2nd Grade this year after teaching a Kindergarten section last year. She earned her Elementary and Special Education degree from the University of New Hampshire. “I come with a lot of experience in managing the needs of diverse learners, including training focused on educating young children. I have a passion for the Academy’s mission of academic excellence in partnership with families. I believe that each child should have the opportunity to express themselves through their learning and be provided with experiences that are engaging and meaningful. I look forward to continuing this journey with Seacoast Classical’s staff, scholars and their families. I know this is going to be a great year!”
Elizabeth Barros
Dedication to the Mission
I could not be more excited or thankful for the opportunity to teach 3rd grade at Seacoast Classical Academy! I began working at Strafford school in Strafford, NH as a paraprofessional when I decided to take a leap and began working on a Bachelor’s degree in elementary education and special education at Plymouth State University. Discovering Seacoast Classical Academy has been such a gift both personally and professionally. After choosing SCA to educate my own child, I was convinced it was the school I wanted to begin my career in. The school’s vision, mission, virtues, curriculum, and transparency with parents aligned perfectly with my own values. Encouraging your children to strive everyday for wisdom, truth, fortitude, and excellence while also creating a safe and structured environment that delivers a rigorous education are my priorities here at SCA.
Madison Lewis
Inspired by Family Engagement
“Throughout my experience working with and educating our youth, I have found my passion in teaching,” says Madison Lewis, a fourth-grade teacher at Seacoast Classical Academy. “What I love about the Academy is the emphasis on family rights, reinforcing parents as the primary decision-makers when it comes to their child.” A resident of Sandown, NH, she received a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education and Psychology from Keene State College, where she earned a master’s degree in Special Education. “I also am intrigued by the Academy’s mission to advance opportunities for creativity and inspired by its focus on critical thinking — which is crucial to young learners. The Academy will have a positive impact on every child that walks through those new school doors. My favorite quote is by Nelson Mandela, who said, ‘Education is the most powerful weapon you can use to change the world.’ Every day, it inspires me to make a difference in our future generation.”
Ada Bianco
Inspiring Love of Classical Education
“As someone who comes from a family who works in Classical Education, I see the importance of taking an active role in our children’s education,” says Ada Bianco. Ada has a deep fondness for education. She loves to read and write and to always continue learning. She hopes to inspire the same love and pursuit of education in her students that she received from her own teachers and to continue to build her teaching strengths. Ada was classically educated and received her Bachelors in Great Books from Belmont Abbey College and her Masters in Classical Education from Hillsdale College. She believes in teaching by encouraging wonder in students to pursue goodness and truth. Ada is originally from North Carolina and is excited to begin her time in New Hampshire. In her free time, she loves to draw and watch movies with her cat. She recently got her Masters and is excited to join the faculty at Seacoast Classical Academy.
Grace Boyle
Commitment to Teaching Virtue
Grace is a recent graduate of Franciscan University, where she enjoyed studying the liberal arts and great books. She has worked as an intern at a classical middle and high school, where she gained invaluable experience by tutoring and substitute teaching. Her love of classical education, which began in high school, led her to explore the Hillsdale K-12 curriculum, whereupon she was excited to learn about Seacoast Classical Academy. Grace loves the academy’s content-rich curriculum and commitment to teaching virtue. She is honored to be part of Seacoast Classical Academy’s mission and thrilled to partner with parents to serve the scholars in her classroom. Grace enjoys reading classical literature, hiking mountains, and drawing. She looks forward to encouraging her students to seek the good, true, and beautiful inside the classroom and out.
Mary Borne
Seeing Truth, Beauty, and Goodness in Art
“As a classical educator, I believe in helping scholars become well-rounded by teaching them to observe truth, beauty and goodness in others’ art as well as their own,” says Mary Borne, the Music and Art teacher at Seacoast Classical Academy. With more than 10 years of teaching experience in the arts, she has taught general music and choir to students from pre-school through eighth grade as well as string-ensemble performance. Her primary instrument is violin, but she also plays other instruments including piano, guitar and ukulele. As a fine artist, Mary has delved into the mediums of drawing, painting and sculpting and even medieval illumination. In her free time, Mary loves spending time with her family, baking and playing Irish fiddle tunes.
Andrew Bray
“Encouraging scholars to ask the deep, meaningful questions”
Andrew is a proud New Hampshire native with a degree in Classics from Saint Anselm College in Manchester who has been teaching Latin for over ten years. “Learning should be both enjoyable and transformative, helping us understand ourselves as much as the world around us. I approach Latin language, culture, history, and mythology with the goal of encouraging students to ask deep, meaningful questions. I strive to cultivate lifelong learners through the use of the Socratic method and by bringing as much energy and life as possible to the study of this so-called ‘dead’ language. “
When he’s not having fun in the classroom, he enjoys gaming, movies, reading, and spending time with his two wonderful Labrador Retrievers.
Nicole Castellano
Boundless Energy
In her second year on staff, Nicole will teach Physical Education to all grades. While at SNHU, Nicole coached Softball at Sanborn Regional HS/MS, where she had previously captained both Softball and Field Hockey teams. Her internal drive and engaging manner equips her to for harness and direct our scholars boundless energy in positive ways.
Stephen Palmer
Making the Past Come Alive
“I am excited to share my love for history in the classroom, making the past come alive for the scholars at Seacoast Classical Academy,” says Stephen Palmer, who teaches history to scholars in grades 6–9. Originally from New Hampshire, he returned home after receiving his bachelor’s degree in Humanities from Boyce College in Kentucky. “I have spent weeks observing teachers in various subjects and have given lectures myself, all to build the skills and experience necessary. One of my favorite quotes from the Founding Fathers is from John Adams, who defended the British Soldiers involved in the Boston Massacre, demonstrating the importance of truth and justice: ‘Facts are stubborn things; and whatever may be our wishes, our inclinations, or the dictates of our passions, they cannot alter the state of facts and evidence.’”
Arlene Quaratiello
Back to Basics Approach
Arlene Quaratiello loves teaching English to scholars in grades 6-9 because, as she explains, “There’s nothing more fulfilling and important than passing along truth and knowledge to our children.” She is excited about “implementing the back-to-basics approach of the Hillsdale College curriculum to empower the students at the Academy.” As an adjunct English instructor for 12 years, she taught freshman composition courses primarily at St. Anselm College. Originally from New Jersey, she received her bachelor’s degree in English from Holy Cross College and a master’s degree in English Literature from the University of New Hampshire. She lives in Atkinson, NH, with her husband Mark, with whom she has three grown children. She previously represented her hometown in the NH House of Representatives where she served on the Education Committee. Inspired by the words of Ralph Waldo Emerson, “Life is a journey, not a destination,” Arlene is looking forward to this next leg of her journey.
Elizabeth Boyle
Encouragement to Excellence
Elizabeth passionately fosters a classroom environment that challenges students through clear and high expectations, a consistent routine, and discipline. She loves teaching mathematics, as well as supporting parents as they encourage their children to build the virtues of wisdom, truth, fortitude, and excellence. Elizabeth has taught 6th, 7th, and 8th grade mathematics to special education students for several years. She received a bachelor’s degree with honors in Special Education and Early Childhood Education at Franciscan University of Steubenville and a master’s degree with honors in English as a Second Language from Merrimack College. For over seven years, Elizabeth has evaluated students’ abilities and tailored her instruction to challenge them in a way that encourages their love of learning and builds their knowledge.
Melissa Hannay
Newton asked “Why?”
Millions saw the apple fall, but Newton asked “Why?” – Bernard Baruch
“I want to inspire the same love of wonder and learning that my science teachers inspired in me. Science surrounds us, from the micro to the macro. Often, when we look deeper into scientific th
Aerin Commins
International Intellectual Curiosity
Aerin has lived in both Italy and Japan. Prior to teaching at SCA, she taught Literature and Philosophy at International Baccalaureate schools in Tokyo and Nagoya and English at another New Hampshire charter school.
Anne Griffin
Amazing New Chapter
“Doing new things can be a challenge,” says Anne Griffin, the Special Education Coordinator for Seacoast Classical Academy. “But like I often say to my children, use what you know to figure out what you don’t know, and what seemed challenging becomes less so.” Whether in school, side jobs or extracurricular activities, she has worked with people with special needs and their families since the eighth grade, when she realized this would be her life calling. After earning her degree in Special Education and working in schools, now as a mother of three who has been homeschooling for a few years, she is getting back into education outside her home. “I am looking forward to this new chapter,” she says. “I like doing new things, love helping scholars and families get what they need to reach academic excellence, and love what Seacoast Classical Academy is all about. Change can be good, and I believe the Academy is going to be an amazing change for me, my children and the community.”
Kerry Carifio
Carolynn Kennedy
Carolynn is thrilled to continue her tenure at Seacoast Classical Academy for another year. Carolynn joined the academy following a career transition and swiftly discovered a passion for teaching. She values the structured environment provided by the academy and is dedicated to fostering critical thinking skills in all scholars.