Grammar School Faculty
Renee Hart is the Kindergarten Teacher at TPS. She has skillfully served as a preschool and Kindergarten teacher here at TPS and at Stratford Classical Christian Academy for the past eight years and loves teaching younger children to begin to read, and to love Jesus and each another. Miss Hart is a member of Immanuel Orthodox Presbyterian Church in Medford.
Grace Gregas is the First Grade Teacher at TPS. She has an Associate’s degree in Biblical and Theological Studies from Reformation Bible College, and has served as an events coordinator’s assistant at Reformation Bible College. Grace has been teaching ballet and dance from the ages of 1.5 through seniors in high school, and loves investing in the lives of children.
Elina Gavras is the Second Grade Teacher at TPS. She has a Bachelors and Masters degree in Social Work from Georgian Court University and Rutgers University respectively. Her experience includes work with children at The Bancroft School, teaching Preschool, serving as a social worker with at risk families, and as a Sunday School teacher. She and her husband are active at St. Thomas Orthodox Church in Cherry Hill, and have three young children in their family, two of which attend TPS.
Shaun Snethen is the Third Grade Teacher at TPS. Bio profile coming soon!
Melanie Machowski is the Fourth Grade Teacher at TPS. She has a B.S. in Music Education from West Chester University, is a certified teacher in NJ and PA, and has six years of experience teaching in public schools. She has been homeschooling her children for the past nine years and has taught many homeschool co-op classes, as well as co-directed several musicals for homeschoolers. Most recently, Melanie has been a Foundations tutor for a local Classical Conversations homeschool community. She and her husband have three children and are members of Sovereign Grace Church in Marlton.
Upper School Faculty
Kellie Konzelman is the 5-6th Grade Teacher at TPS. She has a B.S. in Education from Clarks Summit University. She teaches ESL classes, has taught in Christian and public schools for several years, and worked as a K-12 reading teacher for the Institute of Reading Development. Kellie is a member of Haddon Heights Baptist Church.
Brett Page is an Upper School Humanities Teacher at TPS. He has a B.A. in Biblical and Theological Studies from Wheaton College and a M.Div. from Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia. He has served the local church for eight years in the areas of youth and young adult education and as a pastoral intern at Mercy Hill Presbyterian Church in Sewell.
Chris Fischer is the Upper School Science Teacher at TPS. He holds a B.S. in Biology from Ursinus College and a M.S. in Science in Microbiology from Thomas Jefferson University. He has worked in both industrial and academic labs for nineteen years, with experience in protein chemistry, microbiology, and molecular biology. He is currently an Adjunct Professor in Microbiology at Rowan College in Gloucester County where he has taught for six years.
Kathy Francis is the Upper School Math Teacher at TPS. She has a B.A. in Business Administration from Cedarville Univer-sity and extensive college coursework and educational enrichment in advanced mathematics. She has taught Geometry through AP Calculus courses at Christian schools for almost ten years and even longer through private tutoring and in SAT prep work. She holds teacher certifications in the state of NJ and through the ACSI in Mathematics.
Merylin Maldonado is the Spanish Teacher at TPS. She has a B.A. in Spanish with a minor in International Studies from Rowan University, is a certified teacher in NJ, and has fourteen years of teaching experience. She has taught in both public schools and within homeschool communities, and is an active member at Grace Presbyterian Church in Mount Laurel.
Grace MacLean is the Upper School Grammar and Writing Teacher at TPS. She attended Gwynedd-Mercy College and earned her B.A. in English and received her Master of Science in Teaching degree from Rowan University. Her 15 years of teaching experience includes a variety of high school and middle school English courses that she instructed in both New Jersey public schools and homeschool cooperatives as well as through an online private classical academy. Currently, she spends most of her time tutoring students for the SAT exam through YES Tutoring, an educational company she co-owns. Grace and her family attend Calvary Chapel of South Jersey and have served as Sunday School teachers as well as program coordinators for their church’s youth soccer ministry.
Andrew Kavelage is the Bible Teacher (OT and NT Survey) at TPS. He earned his BA in Biblical Studies from Life Pacific College in San Dimas, CA. Andrew also serves as a pastor at Sovereign Grace Church in Marlton, NJ, where one of his responsibilities is to lead the parent/youth ministry. Most importantly, Andrew has a love for Christ, and for the Scriptures (in which Christ is the grand object). Along with this, he has a driving desire to see that learning is lived out in trust and obedience to Christ in everyday life .
Matt Williams is the TPS Administrator and 9-12th Grade Humanities Teacher at TPS. He has a B.A. in Bible from Columbia Bible College and a M.A.R. in Theological Studies and completed doctoral course work and exams in Apologetics from Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia. He has over ten years of experience in administration and teaching in ACCS schools, has previously served the church for six years as a full-time Youth Director, and currently serves as Pastoral Assistant at St. Paul's Presbyterian Church in Laurel Springs.
Music and Art Faculty
Matthew Byrd is the Grammar Music and Latin Teacher at TPS. He has a B.S. in Music Education from The College of New Jersey. His music teaching experience includes private guitar, voice and beginner piano lessons, and local church music and choir for younger children. His broader teaching experience includes 6th Grade core subjects at Inheritance Christian Academy in Brooklyn. He is a lover of language and has taught ESL in a variety of contexts to students of all ages. He loves leading others in exploring God's world and helping them see and know the glory of Christ, the One by whom and for whom all things were created.
Christine Bass is the Upper School Music and Choir Teacher at TPS. Christine has recently retired from the full time faculty at Temple University where she was the Director of Temple University Men’s and Women’s Choruses and Assistant Professor of Music Education. Prior to Temple, she taught at Cherry Hill West high school for 22 years where her program grew from 60 to over 320 students in seven choirs. Christine earned her degrees from Westminster Choir College, and was a member of the Westminster Choir. She has conducted numerous All State and Honors Choirs, is a guest conductor, an adjudicator, and clinician presenting workshops across the country and internationally. Christine is delighted to be able to work with the young people at TPS as she seeks to serve the Lord through music.
Tim Carroll is an Instrumental Music Teacher at TPS. He has a B.A. in Music Education and an earned degree in violin performance from Temple University. At TPS, and three other Christian schools, he teaches strings (violin, viola, cello, & double bass), keyboard, and piano, and leads its three ensembles (beginner, junior, and senior groups). He has over a decade of experience playing violin, fiddle, and viola in many settings throughout the Tri-State area, including weddings,
funerals, concerts, square dances, parties, restaurants, and more.
Becky Russell is the Art Teacher at TPS. She has an Associates of Fine Arts in Graphic Design from the Art Institute of Philadelphia and ten years of experience as a freelance graphic designer and illustrator. Last year she did a great job as an art instructor with our Lower School students, and has agreed to take on an expanded role with TPS for the 2017-2018 school year.
Renee Hart is the Kindergarten Teacher at TPS. She has skillfully served as a preschool and Kindergarten teacher here at TPS and at Stratford Classical Christian Academy for the past eight years and loves teaching younger children to begin to read, and to love Jesus and each another. Miss Hart is a member of Immanuel Orthodox Presbyterian Church in Medford.
Grace Gregas is the First Grade Teacher at TPS. She has an Associate’s degree in Biblical and Theological Studies from Reformation Bible College, and has served as an events coordinator’s assistant at Reformation Bible College. Grace has been teaching ballet and dance from the ages of 1.5 through seniors in high school, and loves investing in the lives of children.
Elina Gavras is the Second Grade Teacher at TPS. She has a Bachelors and Masters degree in Social Work from Georgian Court University and Rutgers University respectively. Her experience includes work with children at The Bancroft School, teaching Preschool, serving as a social worker with at risk families, and as a Sunday School teacher. She and her husband are active at St. Thomas Orthodox Church in Cherry Hill, and have three young children in their family, two of which attend TPS.
Shaun Snethen is the Third Grade Teacher at TPS. Bio profile coming soon!
Melanie Machowski is the Fourth Grade Teacher at TPS. She has a B.S. in Music Education from West Chester University, is a certified teacher in NJ and PA, and has six years of experience teaching in public schools. She has been homeschooling her children for the past nine years and has taught many homeschool co-op classes, as well as co-directed several musicals for homeschoolers. Most recently, Melanie has been a Foundations tutor for a local Classical Conversations homeschool community. She and her husband have three children and are members of Sovereign Grace Church in Marlton.
Upper School Faculty
Kellie Konzelman is the 5-6th Grade Teacher at TPS. She has a B.S. in Education from Clarks Summit University. She teaches ESL classes, has taught in Christian and public schools for several years, and worked as a K-12 reading teacher for the Institute of Reading Development. Kellie is a member of Haddon Heights Baptist Church.
Brett Page is an Upper School Humanities Teacher at TPS. He has a B.A. in Biblical and Theological Studies from Wheaton College and a M.Div. from Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia. He has served the local church for eight years in the areas of youth and young adult education and as a pastoral intern at Mercy Hill Presbyterian Church in Sewell.
Chris Fischer is the Upper School Science Teacher at TPS. He holds a B.S. in Biology from Ursinus College and a M.S. in Science in Microbiology from Thomas Jefferson University. He has worked in both industrial and academic labs for nineteen years, with experience in protein chemistry, microbiology, and molecular biology. He is currently an Adjunct Professor in Microbiology at Rowan College in Gloucester County where he has taught for six years.
Kathy Francis is the Upper School Math Teacher at TPS. She has a B.A. in Business Administration from Cedarville Univer-sity and extensive college coursework and educational enrichment in advanced mathematics. She has taught Geometry through AP Calculus courses at Christian schools for almost ten years and even longer through private tutoring and in SAT prep work. She holds teacher certifications in the state of NJ and through the ACSI in Mathematics.
Merylin Maldonado is the Spanish Teacher at TPS. She has a B.A. in Spanish with a minor in International Studies from Rowan University, is a certified teacher in NJ, and has fourteen years of teaching experience. She has taught in both public schools and within homeschool communities, and is an active member at Grace Presbyterian Church in Mount Laurel.
Grace MacLean is the Upper School Grammar and Writing Teacher at TPS. She attended Gwynedd-Mercy College and earned her B.A. in English and received her Master of Science in Teaching degree from Rowan University. Her 15 years of teaching experience includes a variety of high school and middle school English courses that she instructed in both New Jersey public schools and homeschool cooperatives as well as through an online private classical academy. Currently, she spends most of her time tutoring students for the SAT exam through YES Tutoring, an educational company she co-owns. Grace and her family attend Calvary Chapel of South Jersey and have served as Sunday School teachers as well as program coordinators for their church’s youth soccer ministry.
Andrew Kavelage is the Bible Teacher (OT and NT Survey) at TPS. He earned his BA in Biblical Studies from Life Pacific College in San Dimas, CA. Andrew also serves as a pastor at Sovereign Grace Church in Marlton, NJ, where one of his responsibilities is to lead the parent/youth ministry. Most importantly, Andrew has a love for Christ, and for the Scriptures (in which Christ is the grand object). Along with this, he has a driving desire to see that learning is lived out in trust and obedience to Christ in everyday life .
Matt Williams is the TPS Administrator and 9-12th Grade Humanities Teacher at TPS. He has a B.A. in Bible from Columbia Bible College and a M.A.R. in Theological Studies and completed doctoral course work and exams in Apologetics from Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia. He has over ten years of experience in administration and teaching in ACCS schools, has previously served the church for six years as a full-time Youth Director, and currently serves as Pastoral Assistant at St. Paul's Presbyterian Church in Laurel Springs.
Music and Art Faculty
Matthew Byrd is the Grammar Music and Latin Teacher at TPS. He has a B.S. in Music Education from The College of New Jersey. His music teaching experience includes private guitar, voice and beginner piano lessons, and local church music and choir for younger children. His broader teaching experience includes 6th Grade core subjects at Inheritance Christian Academy in Brooklyn. He is a lover of language and has taught ESL in a variety of contexts to students of all ages. He loves leading others in exploring God's world and helping them see and know the glory of Christ, the One by whom and for whom all things were created.
Christine Bass is the Upper School Music and Choir Teacher at TPS. Christine has recently retired from the full time faculty at Temple University where she was the Director of Temple University Men’s and Women’s Choruses and Assistant Professor of Music Education. Prior to Temple, she taught at Cherry Hill West high school for 22 years where her program grew from 60 to over 320 students in seven choirs. Christine earned her degrees from Westminster Choir College, and was a member of the Westminster Choir. She has conducted numerous All State and Honors Choirs, is a guest conductor, an adjudicator, and clinician presenting workshops across the country and internationally. Christine is delighted to be able to work with the young people at TPS as she seeks to serve the Lord through music.
Tim Carroll is an Instrumental Music Teacher at TPS. He has a B.A. in Music Education and an earned degree in violin performance from Temple University. At TPS, and three other Christian schools, he teaches strings (violin, viola, cello, & double bass), keyboard, and piano, and leads its three ensembles (beginner, junior, and senior groups). He has over a decade of experience playing violin, fiddle, and viola in many settings throughout the Tri-State area, including weddings,
funerals, concerts, square dances, parties, restaurants, and more.
Becky Russell is the Art Teacher at TPS. She has an Associates of Fine Arts in Graphic Design from the Art Institute of Philadelphia and ten years of experience as a freelance graphic designer and illustrator. Last year she did a great job as an art instructor with our Lower School students, and has agreed to take on an expanded role with TPS for the 2017-2018 school year.