Faculty and Staff
Andrea Dakuras
K4 Teacher
About Mrs. Dakuras
Gabriela Ashton
Kindergarten
About Mrs. Ashton
Tara Bent
K4 Teacher
About Mrs. Bent
Samantha Wiseheart
Kindergarten
About Mrs. Wiseheart
Kara Katzaras
Kindergarten
About Mrs. Katzaras
Kara holds a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education from Northeastern Illinois University with a minor in Psychology.
Kara taught in the Polk County Public System, then decided to stay at home after the birth of her first child. She then began homeschooling. She’s also coached PE and taught science, literature, and history in a local co-op. Homeschooling opened the door for her to learn about Charlotte Mason and the classical method of teaching.
Hannah Hough
1st Grade
About Mrs. Hough
Hannah Hough teaches 1st grade in our Grammar school. She has a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Flagler College in Saint Augustine, Florida. Prior to having children, Hannah taught in the public school system for a year.
Kayte Gonella
4th Grade
About Mrs. Gonella
Nadine Sergi
Grammar and Dialectic Latin
About Mrs. Sergi
Rosanna Vargas
5th Grade
About Mrs. vargas
Mary Yakhontoff
Grammar Art
About Mrs. Yakontoff
Courtney Schulz
5th Grade
About Mrs. Schulz
Courtney teaches 5th grade. She holds a bachelor’s degree in education from the University of Central Florida and a Master of Education degree from the University of South Florida.
Amber Alderman
Music
About Ms. Alderman
Monica Maravilla
Rhetoric English
About Ms. Maravilla
Monica Maravilla teaches Rhetoric English, Senior Thesis at Geneva. She has also taught Culinary Arts and Senior Capstone. She also serves the PTF as faculty liaison. Monica holds a B.A. in English from Athens State University.
Monica has taught English to international Junior Wimbledon players, she has taught college composition courses, and has taught ESL students in Japan. She has also worked as a technical writer.
Monica has lived in the southeastern United States most of her life, but she did spend two years in Japan and three years in England. Living overseas was a life-enriching experience for her.
“I love working at Geneva because of the students. Students come to my classroom at the Rhetoric stage, the stage at which the objectives of classical education are coming to fruition. I delight in watching great literature impact the lives of these maturing students. Equally important are my colleagues, who edify and encourage me daily, and our Geneva families, who are committed to bringing their children up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.”
Jake Smith
Rhetoric Math
About Mr. Smith
Jake is a graduate of Westminster Academy in Memphis, Tennessee and holds a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy as well as a Master of Mathematics from the University of Tennessee. He teaches both math and physics for the rhetoric school.
Before his time at Geneva, Jake served in the US Army as a Signals Intelligence Analyst. He is married and has a son with another on the way!
Kris Smith
Upper Math
About Mr. Smith
Kris teaches 6th-9th physical education, dialectic math and coaches cross country and track. Kris holds a degree in Applied Physiology and Kinesiology from “the greatest university in the state,” The University of Florida.
Having grown up in Jacksonville and having spent most of his life in Florida, Kris decided to follow in his parents’ footsteps and earn his teaching certification. His father is a teacher and coach and his mother is an athletic director and coach. As a runner himself, Kris already has several years experience coaching cross country and track and looks forward to developing these programs at Geneva. He also loves disc golf and ping pong and is a semi-professional disc golfer.
Rick Strawbridge
Upper History
About Mr. Strawbridge
Rick Strawbridge teaches 7th grade Ancient History, 8th grade Greco-Roman history, and 9th grade World History, as well as 8th grade Logic, and he teaches Government and Economics to the Seniors. Rick homeschooled, attended Geneva Classical Academy, and attended the Cambridge Study Center in Lakeland before moving to Gainesville, where he completed his BA in History from the University of Florida.
Megan Boutwell
Dialectic English
About Ms. Boutwell
Megan has a Bachelor of Arts in English from Covenant College on Lookout Mountain, GA. She spent time in Kandern, Germany working at Black Forest Academy as a coach, tutor, & caretaker for high school students. Megan currently teaches Dialectic English at Geneva.
Gabriel Yakhontoff
Dialectic Math, Bible
About Mr. Yakhontoff
Michael Gorman
Upper Science
Rebekah Strasser
Aftercare
About Ms. Rebekah
STAFF
Ana Whitehead
Kitchen Staff
About Mrs. Whitehead
Patricia Shoemaker
Food Service Director
About Mrs. Shoemaker
