Great Hearts Academies

Veritas Prep senior McKenzie Perrault has signed her commitment letter to play beach volleyball at Concordia University Irvine in California. As Perrault prepares to take the next step at after high school, her academy celebrates her achievements and the bright future ahead. #greathearts #veritasprep #studentathlete #senior #classof2025 #beachvolleyball #collegesports https://lnkd.in/gDHW4Q2M

Are you an Arizona Special Education professional seeking growth and development opportunities this month? Join Great Hearts Academies for a special event on Wednesday, April 23rd, designed for local special education professionals looking to grow, connect, and gain practical tools to thrive—both in and out of the classroom. Enjoy insightful sessions and meaningful collaboration. We hope to see you there! Register today! https://lnkd.in/g4aiYq_D #specialeducation #specialeducationPD #classicaleducation

From musicals and sports milestones to robotics triumphs and inspiring student journeys, this month’s newscast shines a light on the dedication, talent, and community spirit across the Great Hearts network. • Scottsdale Prep takes the stage with a faculty production of Grease, where teachers swap textbooks for leather jackets and showcase their theatrical talents. • Trivium Prep spotlights senior Ameera Singh—recognized as the City of Goodyear’s 2025 Youth of the Year—celebrated for her mentorship, swim coaching, and community leadership. • Great Hearts Northern Oaks celebrates senior Caden Collins, who surpasses 2,000 career points in basketball—the highest-scoring student in Great Hearts’ 20-year history. • Great Hearts Roosevelt highlights its hands-on science program, led by Master Science Teacher Clifton Kiser, which fosters curiosity through top-tier lab equipment and immersive lessons. • Glendale Prep’s robotics team, the Metal Masters, clinches 1st place at the state tournament and advances to the world competition in Houston. • Former LSU gymnast and All-American McKenna Kelley Doughty—daughter of Olympic gold medalist Mary Lou Retton—shares how an Achilles injury led her to discover a passion for teaching at Great Hearts Harveston. • Cicero Prep students display creativity at their annual architecture fair, and their concert choir performs the National Anthem at a spring training game. • The Great Hearts Institute gears up for next year’s National Symposium for Classical Education, a major 3-day event for teachers and practitioners. • Young Hearts Preschool is expanding to a second location at Great Hearts Cicero in August 2025, and Great Hearts Christian Academies aims to open a new South Mountain campus for grades K–6. • A fourth-grader from Honduras is flourishing at Great Hearts Harveston, leaping from the lowest-performing math group to on-grade-level in just one semester through the support of the English Learner Program.

Registration is now open for Great Hearts Arizona's Kinder Readiness program. The program, offered in the summer, is designed to help incoming kindergarten students build confidence and feel prepared to start school in the fall. #greathearts #kinderreadiness #summerprogram #registertoday https://lnkd.in/geatTpCM

Like many Great Hearts teachers, Shanna Siller first encountered the school as a parent searching for the right fit for her four children in San Antonio. “I was drawn by the Classics to Keep and the school’s commitment to virtue,” she recalls. As a founding family at Great Hearts Northern Oaks, she saw teachers’ infectious joy and soon joined the faculty herself—starting as a long-term substitute, then an Apprentice Teacher, and stepping into a Lead role mid-year. She spent seven years as a Kindergarten Lead, later becoming a Team Lead, Master Teacher, and eventually Dean of Teachers. Now, as Assistant Headmaster, she focuses on faculty culture. Mrs. Siller credits the APEX ProSeminar course for deepening her understanding of classical education and shaping her leadership. “Diving into the works and thinkers behind Great Hearts’ vision helped me grasp our philosophy,” she says. She also values learning from leaders like Headmasters Keffer, Doughty, Heisman, and Brogan, who model intentional community-building for scholars and families alike. As Assistant Headmaster, she finds joy in supporting faculty more directly. “I now have a greater role in conversations and decisions that impact our community,” she shares. She acknowledges that balancing all priorities remains a challenge but is committed to continuing the intentional leadership of her predecessors. A key goal for the year ahead is growing more comfortable with crucial conversations. “We all know the importance of addressing issues before they escalate, but bringing them to light takes courage,” she notes. She reminds herself of the message shared with students: “We can do hard things!” Interested in launching your career in classical education? Learn more at www.GreatHeartsCareers.org

Spring at Great Hearts is a season of exciting milestones for seniors, including the highly anticipated Senior Trip to Washington, D.C. The trip serves as a capstone experience, reinforcing the virtues they have studied throughout their time at Great Hearts while deepening their relationships with one another before venturing off into their own life experiences after high school graduation. #greathearts #seniors #washingtondc #seniortrip https://lnkd.in/gUkMsgw7

Great Hearts Academies is hosting Great Hearts Harveston In-Person Hiring Event. Make sure to attend it on April 10.

The annual Science Fair at North Phoenix Prep brought together students from grades 7 through 12 to present their original scientific projects after months of dedicated research and experimentation. #greathearts #northphoenixprep #sciencefair https://lnkd.in/g9d5dAYz

Special Education Instructional Assistant Rebecca Black has worked with Great Hearts since 2020, where she began working with the After-School/Athenaeum program at Archway Arete - A Great Hearts Academy. She enjoyed the community and academy culture, and wanted to become a part of the daily teaching work, and so she became a substitute teacher the next year. In 2021 she decided to seize the opportunity to make an even bigger impact on the hearts and minds of students by joining the Special Education team at Great Hearts Academies - Arete Preparatory as an Assistant Teacher in 2023. She loves the collaborative, integrated approach that Great Hearts has to working with students. "Every student I work with has special education and general education teachers who support them academically and behaviorally. We support the student in their successes, and help them learn from their mistakes. I love being a part of a team of teachers that comes together to collaborate meaningfully on behalf of each student. Working together as teachers keeps us connected and aligned as we support the student's development in mind and heart." Interested in learning more about working in Special Education at Great Hearts Academies? Visit www.GreatHeartsCareers.org today!

Celebrating literature is a cornerstone for all of our Great Hearts academies, but for the elementary scholars at Archway Arete, the school hosts a read-a-thon, a quarterly event that brings literature to life and encourages a love for reading within the school community. #greathearts #archwayarete #readathon https://lnkd.in/enVQ-Eeu