Born in Colorado and raised in the suburbs of Philadelphia, Mr. Arendt’s homeschooled childhood was filled with continuous wonder at the world. Although his first intellectual love was physics, he became enamored with philosophy after taking an introductory course at a local community college, and decided to attend St. John’s College in Annapolis to study the Great Books of Western Civilization. There, he had a decisive encounter with the Bible and with giants of the Christian intellectual tradition–especially St. Augustine and Dante–and by senior year was baptized into the Catholic Church. For the past two years, he has worked to give back some of the rich liberal education he received by teaching a 3rd grade classical homeroom centered on the Middle Ages at St. Jerome Academy in Hyattsville, MD. Outside of teaching, Mr. Arendt is often found running in nature, playing guitar, learning languages, and most of all, reading. He is excited to share with his Chesterton students his love of liberal education and the Catholic intellectual tradition, and to seek with them the rich ways faith and reason illuminate each other, in the humanities and the sciences.

Mr. Hartman received his B.A. in Politics with a minor in History from The Catholic University of America. There, he enjoyed a wonderful broad liberal arts curriculum, but even more importantly also met his wife, Claire, who was already teaching at Chesterton by the time they were married in the summer of 2023. A Maryland native of sorts, Mr. Hartman also spent much of his childhood and early adulthood abroad with his military family. His personal favorite areas of study include the theology of the incarnation and creation, patristics, the history of early-modern Europe, and political philosophy. Outside of teaching, he shares a special love for sacred music, theater of all kinds, poetry, southern gothic literature, and his newborn son, Judah. Mr. Hartman feels blessed to share his faith, enthusiasm for learning, and love of the liberal arts with his Chesterton students and the broader community.

Ms. Jordan Kammeyer graduated with her B.A. from the Great Books Program at St John’s College (Annapolis). Before joining CAA, she completed a nine-month mission with Con-solatio in Transylvania, Romania, radically following Christ through a ministry of presence to impoverished Roma (gypsy) families, lonely elderly people, and whomever God puts in her path. The focus of the mission is friendship—since as St. Thomas says, “caritas est amicitia”—and is made possible through the constant grace of a full prayer and community life. She calls the Berkshires of Massachusetts home, where her unique education included arts-focused Waldorf school, unschooling, Shakespeare theater training, and Charlotte Mason-inspired homeschooling and led to her deep interest in holistic education rooted in truth, beauty, and goodness. She has been a contra dance caller for eight years and has called for dance series, weddings, and camps all over New England, Maryland, and Europe. She is so excited to continue her personal education in faith, hope, and love with the community of CAA, teaching art, drama, and literature.

Miss Miller earned her B.A. in Great Books from Belmont Abbey College, where she was a member of the Honors College. Her studies immersed her in the richness of the Western tradition, and she was deeply involved in the arts—writing, acting in, and directing plays/musicals, as well as singing and playing both guitar and piano. Originally from Waukesha, Wisconsin, Lily was raised in a homeschooling family, which instilled in her a strong foundation in classical education. That early formation sparked a desire to pursue truth, goodness, and beauty—a desire that has only deepened through her academic and artistic pursuits. Inspired especially by the works of the Inklings and Evelyn Waugh, Miss Miller is delighted to be able to guide young minds to discover the same wonder in education that deeply influenced her own intellectual and spiritual life.

Lori Thoits was born and raised in southeastern Louisiana. Growing up, summer vacations were often spent immersed in history, traveling with her family to visit old houses, churches, and cemeteries. After high school, she attended the University of Dallas and Louisiana State University to study history and architecture; she graduated summa cum laude with a Master's degree in American history and surprised herself by converting to Catholicism to boot. Thinking that she would enjoy sharing her love of history with others, Mrs. Thoits then taught junior high and high school history, literature, and philosophy classes and developed history curricula for several years at a growing charter school network in Arizona. In addition, she has homeschooled (and continues to homeschool) each of her children through eighth grade. When she is not teaching, she enjoys reading, baking, and exploring the world of fiber arts. Mrs. Thoits looks forward to delving into the past with Chesterton students this year!