New England Classical Academy

News and Links

On New Classical Test, Five Student Finalists

The Classics Case: Pursuing Wisdom the Old Way

Announcements

Check the recent NECA News found on the News section of the website for upcoming dates for NECA cleaning schedule. For all those families needing to work Volunteer Hours, this is the best and fastest way to do it!

FUNDRAISING VOLUNTEERS: Keep an eye out for an upcoming fundraising meeting to help with some exciting and new fundraisers we're launching in 2019!

We are always in need of cleaning supplies and are glad to accept donations in kind anytime!

Feeling generous? Please consider a donation to our Fuel Fund.

Last month January 2020 Next month
S M T W T F S
1 2 3 4
5 6 7 8 9 10 11
12 13 14 15 16 17 18
19 20 21 22 23 24 25
26 27 28 29 30 31

Upcoming Events

Open House
Thursday, January 30
No School - Faculty In-Service
Friday, January 31
House Meetings
Friday, February 7
Mass
Friday, February 14
Declamationes
Friday, February 21

About Us

Heidi Fagan holds a BA from the University of Connecticut and a MFA in Theater Directing from Northern Illinois University. She is an experienced theater arts artist and instructor and teaches drama, art, art history, youth choir and literature at NECA.  She has worked extensively in theater education in both professional and regional theater, as well as serving as a resident artist in more than a dozen schools in New Hampshire and Vermont.  In her eleven years at NECA, she has produced and directed over twenty highly acclaimed productions. She is also the co-founder and an active board member and director of River Theater in Charlestown, NH. Mrs. Fagan's has two children, a 2019 graduate of NECA and an eighth grader.    

Favorite Quote:

 "Two roads diverged in a wood, and I— I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference.” - Robert Frost 

Theresa Norman came to Classical Education, or rather it came to her, in a rather mysterious way.  It was as if she unknowingly trained her entire life for a position teaching Classical Education.  She has worked her entire career in education and/or working with children.  She worked for many years as an Executive Assistant for the Fall Mountain Regional High School. During that time she also taught library skills and facilitated an outdoor education program.  Eventually she moved on to coordinating a Pathology residency program at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center. Just prior to her first year at New England Classical Academy, she was responsible for the educational on-boarding at Cheshire Medical Center.   

In the meantime, she was raising her two boys and co-founded River Theater Company.  While raising her boys she surrounded them with classical literature specifically using the 'What Your Xth Grader Should Know' series and the arts along with traditional athletic programs.  She even had the pleasure of coaching their baseball teams and being their cub scout leader.  Around that time her daughter was born and was often on her hip while she directed or taught theater classes to local children.  
 
While content with her work career there was often a little voice calling her elsewhere.  She decided to stop and really listen to that voice.  In January, she gave her employer a six-month notice that she would be leaving.  Within two weeks of that date in January a friend, Heidi Fagan, approached her about the possibility of teaching at New England Classical Academy.  She wasn't sure if she was qualified but was assured that her love of children, books and drama would be a nice fit. Also, that once quiet voice urged her onward. She met with the Executive Director and was hired on the spot.  She remembers him saying that these children need the skills and guidance of a mother and when in doubt give them love and understanding.   She also learned that the 'What Your Xth Grader Should Know' series was the base of the lower school curriculum.  The very text that she lovingly read with her children so many years before.  
 
She took a leap of Faith and began teaching her first of many years.  Her love of Classical Education has grown over the years as has her teaching responsibilities.  She began teaching second grade and then moved with her wonderful group of students to third grade and then a combined third and fourth grade.  She currently teaches a combined third, fourth and fifth grade. One of her greatest joys is truly getting to know her students.  Over the years she has found that all learners, regardless of their age, need constant love and guidance to succeed.
 
Favorite Quotes both from Norton Juster's, Phantom Tollbooth:  
 
"Whatever we learn has a purpose and whatever we do affects everything and everyone else, if even in the tiniest way.  Why, when a housefly flaps his wings a breeze goes round the world; when a speck of dust falls to the ground, the entire planet weighs a little more; and when you stamp your foot, the earth moves slightly off its course.  Whenever you laugh, gladness spreads like the ripples in the pond; and whenever you're sad, no one anywhere can be really happy.  And it's much the same thing with knowledge, for whenever you learn something new, the whole world becomes that much richer."
 
"You must never feel badly about making mistakes...as long as you take the trouble to learn from them.  For you often learn more by being wrong for the right reasons than you do by being right for the wrong reasons."

Daniel Regan, a native of Crystal Lake IL, holds a BA in Liberal Arts from Magdalen College and an Apostolic Catechetical Diploma. Father of six children, Mr. Regan has over 15 years experience teaching English, Rhetoric and Humanities at the High School and College level. He teaches upper school composition, humanities, music and more. He also serves as Academic Dean.

Favorite Quote:

 "To one who has faith, no explanation is necessary.  To one without faith, no explanation is possible." - St. Thomas Aquinas

Colleen Ross is our K-2 classroom teacher. Ms. Ross has over 17 years of experience in early childhood education. Her passion for teaching led her to develop “Be GIFTS”, a STEM program that served students throughout southwestern New Hampshire. She graduated Summa Cum Laude from River Valley Community College with degrees in both math/science and early childhood education, also receiving the President's Award for both. She brings deep rooted professional skills in math, science and literacy. Colleen is especially grateful for her own personal connections in classical education and Catholic school experiences from her childhood. Her unique skills, energy and compassion invoke and inspire meaningful, deep, and powerful interactions within the classroom environment.  

Favorite Quote:

“A bit of science distances one from God, but much science nears one to Him... The more I study nature, the more I stand amazed at the Creator.” - Louis Pasteur

Helen Schultz teaches the classical languages, Latin and Greek, in the upper school. Ms. Schultz has taught both Latin and English (among other subjects) for over 30 years, primarily at The Winsor School in Boston. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in History and Literature from Harvard College in 1972 and a Master's in Religion and Secondary Education from Harvard Divinity School in 1986. Ms. Schultz is known by colleagues and friends to be a warm, gentle, encouraging woman and a model teacher who helps her students to persevere and master the language.

Favorite Quote:

"Daily a new beginning.  Be patient with everyone but above all with yourself." - St. Francis de Sales

Elizabeth Wilber earned a bachelor's degree in Mathematics from Franciscan University of Steubenville. She has a NH State license for 7-12 grade mathematics as well as experience in a large range of mathematics from fifth grade math to calculus. She teaches upper school mathematics and science classes. In over 8 years of teaching at NECA, she has also taught the whole range of science classes; Earth science, biology, chemistry, and physics.  Miss Wilber is grateful for the learning and joy that has enriched her life while working for NECA.  She is the Executive Director and Administrative Dean.  

Favorite Quote:

“Do not waste time bothering whether you ‘love’ your neighbor; act as if you did. As soon as we do this we find one of the great secrets. When you are behaving as if you loved someone, you will presently come to love him.” ― C.S. Lewis  

Faculty Applications

If you are interested in joining the NECA team, please send a resume and cover letter to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..