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Teachers

Teacher Biographies
2009-2010


Christopher Byrd – Mr. Byrd serves as the fifth and sixth grade teacher, and also teaches Music, Choir, and Omnibus II.  He is serving in his second year at SCCA. He is a Magna Cum Laude of the College of New Jersey, with a B.A. in English and a minor in Music.  While earning his BA degree, he was the publisher for Pen & Palette, a student arts and literary magazine.  Some of his history work on the Great Awakening has been published in the Journal of Reformation and Revival.  With six years of teaching experience in classical Christian education with students of all ages, he has taught several classes on the Literature of Western Civilization, Grammar and Composition, and elementary and high school music.  He has over six years of choral conducting experience with Tehilim, a choir which he founded in Brooklyn, New York.  He has produced and published music with this choir and The Westminster School Choir of Bellmawr, New Jersey.  In college, he was part of the “Select” choir for The College of New Jersey, whose works have been published.  His music background includes a period of study under James Jordan, an internationally acclaimed conductor and teacher at the Westminster Choir College, in Princeton, NJ.

Candice Davis - Mrs. Davis serves as a part-time educator teaching literature in the grammar school, pre-logic in the dialectic school, and co-teaching writing.   In her first year at SCCA, Mrs. Davis is a Magna Cum Laude graduate of Montclair State University holding a B.A. degree in English and a minor in African-American studies. She is presently pursuing her Masters of Arts in Teaching from Fairleigh Dickinson University. A member of Immanuel Orthodox Presbyterian Church of West Collingswood, NJ, she is the mother of two children, one of which is in the 1st grade at SCCA.



Charity Dawson  - Miss Dawson serves as the first grade teacher, and also teaches 5th grade Latin.  Now in her sixth year at SCCA, she previously taught Latin at Veritas Academy, a Classical Christian school in Lancaster County, PA.  Miss Dawson has studied at Camden County College, Penn State University, and the University of North Carolina-Charlotte, where she pursued advanced studies in Latin.  Her language studies include travel abroad to study French at France Langue in Nice, France.  Miss Dawson is a member of Stratford Orthodox Presbyterian Church.



Sidney Henriquez - Mr. Henriquez is the Headmaster of SCCA.  For this academic year, he will also serve as the 4th grade teacher.  His B.A. degree is in Speech Communication from Geneva College, and he has studied acting at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts.  With over 15 years of experience in classical Christian schools, he moved to New Jersey in June 2003 to serve as Headmaster when SCCA opened it's doors with just 17 students.  Prior to becoming SCCA's headmaster, Mr. Henriquez served four years as Headmaster at Keystone Christian School in State College, PA, 3 years teaching in the grammar school at Veritas Classical Christian Academy in Lancaster, PA, and summers working as a consultant for Veritas Press, custom designing classical curricula for Christian private and home schools around the country.   Mr. Henriquez has been a guest speaker at the E.N.O.C.H home school conferences held annually in New Jersey, and has had various other speaking engagements focusing on the distinctives of classical Christian education.  Mr. Henriquez is the father of eight children, and a deacon at Stratford Orthodox Presbyterian Church.

Jeannette Luchs - Mrs. Luchs serves as the Kindergarten teacher, and is now in her fifth year at SCCA.  A graduate of Cornell University with a B.S. in Nutritional Science, she also earned a Masters degree in Allied Health from the University of North Florida.  She is married, and home-schooled her three grown children from Kindergarten through High School using classical Christian education materials.  Mrs. Luchs is a member of Stratford Orthodox Presbyterian Church.


Peter Mariani - Mr. Mariani serves as a Dialectic teacher and teaches advanced Latin in the Grammar School.  Now in his third year at SCCA, he holds a B.A. in Humanities from Penn State – Abington, PA, and recently served as a Teaching Assistant at the University of Pennsylvania, teaching mythology.  Before his arrival at SCCA, he served as the 6-8 grade teacher teaching Latin, History, Literature, and Math, and a variety of other subjects at Christ Academy in Collingdale, PA.  Mr. Mariani attends Liberty Presbyterian Church and Tenth Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia, PA, where he serves with his musical gifts. 


Amy Meilahn – Mrs. Meilahn serves as a teaching assistant.  She is serving in her second year at SCCA. She has served as a child care provider for several years and has taught singing, spelling, reading and writing.  She is a member of Immanuel Orthodox Presbyterian Church in Bellmawr, NJ. 


Phil Meilahn – Mr. Meilahn serves as the 3rd grade teacher.  Now in his fourth year of teaching at SCCA, he holds a B.A. degree in Elementary Education and English from Rowan University, and is a member of Immanuel Orthodox Presbyterian Church in Bellmawr, NJ.  When he is not teaching, Mr. Meilahn enjoys playing the guitar and trumpet, and is also a balloon artist.


Christina Puvabanditsin-   Miss Puvabanditsin serves as the 2nd grade teacher.  Now in her third year at SCCA, she is a graduate of Rutgers University, and holds a B.A. in Biology and a minor in Music.  She recently attended Veritas Academy’s Teacher Training Seminar, and also completed her training at the Spell to Write and Read conference.  Miss Puvabanditsin is a member of Mt. Carmel Church (OPC) in Somerset, NJ and is involved in various music and teaching ministries.  She enjoys reading, playing the flute, traveling, and spending time with her family.


Mural Rao – Mr. Rao serves as the Chairman of SCCA’s Mathematics and Science Department, and teaches science and mathematics to the Dialectic students. Now in his fifth year at SCCA, he studied Astronomy and Physics at the University of Pennsylvania, where he earned his B.A.  Subsequently, he earned a Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering from Drexel University. When he is not teaching at the Academy, he teaches at Widener University in Chester, PA. as Senior Lecturer in the Electrical Engineering Department.  Mr. Rao is the father of five children, and is a member of Stratford Orthodox Presbyterian Church.

Jesse Rao- Mr. Rao serves as a part-time educator teaching Physics I and II, Geometry, and Logic in the dialectic school. He is also the coach of SCCA’s chess team. In his second year at SCCA, Mr. Rao is a Cum Laude graduate of The University of Pennsylvania holding B.A. and M.A. degrees in Mathematics. He also holds minors in Physics and Logic, Information and Computation. He is a member or Stratford Orthodox Presbyterian Church.


Leslie Young - Mrs. Young serves as a part-time elementary school teacher.  She is now serving in her second year at SCCA. She is a graduate of Concordia College, where she earned her B.A. in education, with her concentration in mathematics.  Subsequently she earned her M.A. in reading education from Rowan University. Mrs. Young has over sixteen years of teaching experience throughout the grammar school and has organized and taught the Gifted and Talented Program for grades 1st  through 8th at Oaklyn Public Schools.  She has also taught compensatory mathematics for 9th to 12th grade students.  Mrs. Young has her NJ Certifications in Elementary Mathematics and Reading.  She is the mother of 4 grown children and is a member of Immanuel Orthodox Presbyterian Church of Bellmawr, NJ.