Meet the Faculty

2020-2021 Faculty

Administration

Thomas Achord (Headmaster)
Thomas grew up in St. Amant, Louisiana. He served in the United States Air Force for six adventurous years working with F-16s and other aircraft. Mr. Achord holds a bachelor's degree in History and Philosophy from Louisiana State University and a master’s degree in theology from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. He has taught logic, humanities, Greek, Latin, economics, and government. Mr. Achord enjoys woodworking, fishing, and hunting.

Kevin Lindholm (Director of Operations and Art Instructor)
Kevin is the lead art instructor for Sequitur Classical Academy and former adjunct professor of life drawing and color & design at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette (Lafayette, LA) and Southeastern Louisiana University (Hammond, LA). He hails from sunny California with an interest in reformed theology, cultural theory and criticism, and art theory and criticism. Along with experience teaching kindergarten through graduate level art, Kevin holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree (emphasis in printmaking) from the University of Louisiana-Lafayette and a Master of Fine Arts degree (emphasis in printmaking) from The Ohio State University. Kevin’s art work is currently being considered for various publications.

Julie Dreher (Grammar School Head and 4th Grade Teacher)
Julie is the mother of two current Sequitur students and one Sequitur graduate now attending LSU’s Honors College. She holds a Bachelor of Journalism degree from the University of Texas at Austin, and her students quickly come to understand how much she enjoys teaching grammar and writing in particular. Julie started research into classical education almost 20 years ago and is keenly aware that she will only scratch the surface in this lifetime. She has enjoyed homeschooling her own children for more than a decade, teaching in co-op and hybrid school settings, and continuing the journey in Sequitur’s classrooms. The Drehers are members of St. Matthew the Apostle Orthodox Church in Baton Rouge, where she sings in the choir and serves on the mission council.

Lee Stephenson (Logic/Rhetoric Head)
Lee Stephenson is from Atlanta, Georgia, and attended the University of Virginia where she received a B.A. in History and Leadership, and an M.S. of Commerce in Marketing and Management -- degree choices which can only be explained retrospectively. She is currently a teaching apprentice with the Circe Institute, and spends her time after school re-reading classical texts she teaches, because they will always be orders of magnitude greater than her tiny mind can comprehend. She attends Grace Mid City Church in eponymous Mid City Baton Rouge.

Grammar School Instructors

Serah Mitchell (1st grade)

This is Serah’s third year teaching first grade at Sequitur. She received a Bachelor of Science in Liberal Arts from Middle Tennessee State University. During childhood Serah spent every afternoon playing school, recruiting her younger siblings, neighbors, dolls and stuffed animals to be her students. She cannot believe that God has seen fit to allow her to have her dream job teaching at this academy. Serah is the mother of three Sequitur students and has homeschooled for 9 years. She and her husband Steve have been married almost 24 years and have lived in Baton Rouge for the last 15 years. The Mitchells are members of the Grace Baptist Mid-City church family.

Tara Taylor (2nd grade)

Tara grew up in Houma, LA and attended Nicholls State University where she earned a Bachelor of Science in General Studies. During the past seven years she has homeschooled her children in the classical model. Tara teaches second grade and is excited to enter her second year of teaching at Sequitur. She gathers for worship with CrossPoint Baptist Church where her husband serves as pastor. Tara has been married to Nick for 18 years and they have four children, who also attend Sequitur. She enjoys running, yoga, spending time with family and friends, and gardening.

Chantelle Whitehead (3rd grade)

Chantelle is a Baton Rouge native and attended LSU earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration. She has homeschooled her children the last 10 years using the classical model. She also taught a weekly class for 4 years in a classical Christian homeschool community. Recently, she was a K4 teacher at Bethany Christian School. Chantelle has 4 children who have been Sequitur students since 2017. She has loved being a Sequitur parent and is looking forward to joining the Sequitur Grammar School as the 3rd grade teacher. Chantelle and her husband Jason, who is a mechanical engineer, have been married for 21 years. They have been members of CrossPoint Baptist Church for 14 years; Jason is an adult Sunday School teacher and Chantelle is a kindergarten Sunday School teacher. Their family currently resides in Prairieville. Chantelle enjoys watching LSU football, spending time with family on False River, trips to the beach, and a good movie.

Emily Ingalls (4th grade math)

Emily is a native of Baton Rouge and teaches fourth grade math. She received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Louisiana State University Health Science Center in New Orleans, LA. She worked as a registered nurse in multiple fields including oncology, orthopedics, cardiology, gastroenterology and legal nurse consulting for 13 years. The past four years she has spent homeschooling and raising her four daughters, three of which are part of the Sequitur community. Emily and her family worship at Istrouma Baptist Church (Ascension campus).

Abbi Varnado (5th Grade and Admissions Director)

Abbi is an LSU graduate with a BS in Psychology and a BA in French. When she first heard about Sequitur, she fell in love with its vision to educate children in everything through the lens of the Gospel; she feels honored to be playing a part in a movement that is determined to change culture and exalt Jesus Christ. She and her husband, Jordan, are members of Antioch Community Church, where they have learned much about serving the global Church and doing all things for the glory of God. In her free time, she loves to go on adventures with her husband, take care of their plant babies, and try out new recipes on anyone that will take up her offer to come over for dinner. Abbi is likewise pursuing her certification in classical Christian education in the Teaching Fellowship program at The Classical College.

Thaddeaus Swart (6th grade)

Thaddeaus grew up in Northern California, where he graduated from high school and went on to attend the Joshua Wilderness Institute at Hume Lake Christian Camps. While attending JWI, he met his wife, Elaine, and followed her back to her hometown, Baton Rouge, LA. He finished his Bachelor of Arts in English Literature and Language at Southeastern Louisiana University, and has worked in Christian Classical education since 2008. Along with Brian Daigle, Thaddeaus co-authored his first book, How to Eat a Book: A Gastronome's Guide to the Classics, and thus found an outlet to combine two of his great passions—food and literature. He is blessed to most often combine those two passions in the form of making breakfast for, and reading stories to, his son, Asher.

Logic and Rhetoric School Instructors

Paula Haley (Math)

Paula is a Rhetoric School math instructor for Geometry, Algebra 2, and Precalculus. Paula deeply loves rightly connecting concepts in math to its source, an orderly, masterful Creator God. She received a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from Louisiana State University and a Master of Divinity degree from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. As a home school mom, Paula has taught for over fifteen years and is active in her church and the local home school fellowship and athletic board.

Blayke Weatherford (Music)

Blayke Weatherford grew up in Denham Springs, LA. He received his Bachelor of Music from Southeastern Louisiana University and is currently pursuing a Master of Divinity with specialization in Christian Apologetics from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. In addition to teaching music at Sequitur, Blayke is a freelance pianist and percussionist, performing in a variety of styles and contexts, including classical, jazz, orchestral, and musical theatre. In his free time, Blayke enjoys spending time with friends and family. He has interests in the study of folk music and ethnomusicology, especially issues pertaining to the church and Christian worship. Blayke is a member of Istrouma Baptist Church.

Daniel Loper (Math and Science)

Mr. Loper teaches Geometry, Physics, and Calculus at Sequitur. He is currently in his senior year at LSU to receive his Bachelor's degree in Economics. He and his wife Madison are members of St. Matthew the Apostle Orthodox Church in Baton Rouge. Mr. Loper loves being in nature and playing sports with his wife and friends. Since the start of college, he has tutored the ACT test, and now works as Test Prep Administrator for the Classical College. He is excited to learn all about Classical education alongside his students.

Sharon King (Science)

Mrs. King is the 7th grade Earth Science and 9th grade Biology instructor. She has a Bachelor of Science degree in Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences from Texas A&M University and a Master of Science in Biology from University of Louisiana, Lafayette. Sharon has shared her enthusiasm for science with numerous homeschool and 4-H groups over the last 8 years while homeschooling her own two rhetoric-age children who also attend Sequitur. She is thankful for discovering classical Christian education, Church of the Highlands, and the vibrant community of home educators in Baton Rouge. In addition to teaching, she loves animals of all kinds, gardening and riding her bike.

Tom Brewer (Logic, Humanities, Rhetoric, Recitation, and Composition)

Tom grew up traveling as a dependent in an Army family. He later joined the Army and served four years in the infantry with the 25th Infantry Division at Schofield Barracks, HI. He reenlisted for three more years in the Military Police at Ft. Polk, LA. After leaving the Army, Tom attended NSU in Natchitoches for two years and then transferred to LSU and received a General Studies degree. He returned to LSU to receive a degree in Secondary Education – English. After teaching for a couple years at Baton Rouge Commercial College, he taught high school at the Silliman Institute in Clinton. Tom returned to LSU in 1988, this time to be employed as a Computer Analyst doing desktop support for LSU Libraries until retiring in 2017. In 1997 Tom also helped found Baton Rouge Christian Classical School, where he served on the board and the curriculum committee. When BRCCS closed, Tom and his wife Sharon returned to home schooling their five children. Tom also helped produce the 1989, not-so “cult classic” film Dark Heritage. Tom and Sharon attend Grace Bible Fellowship in Baton Rouge where Tom also serves as an open-air evangelist.

Fr. Joshua Trant (Humanities and Latin)

Father Joshua teaches 8th grade Humanities and Latin at Sequitur. He received a Bachelor of Arts of Intercultural Studies and Linguistics from Houghton College in western New York where he met his wife, Heather. His collegiate preparation led him to language survey half way around the world on staff with Wycliffe Bible Translators. Father Joshua completed his seminary training with a Masters of Divinity degree from St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary in Yonkers, New York. In 2016, he was assigned to St. Matthew the Apostle Orthodox Church in Baton Rouge where he serves as parish priest. As a native Texan, he believes in the existence of the perfectly wood-smoked brisket and is committed to its pursuit in his spare time. He lives with his wife and daughter, Tabitha, in Baton Rouge and enjoys family game night, beach trips, and Maine oysters.

Mr. Shane Folks (Science and Math)

Mr. Folks is originally from Oklahoma but has called South Louisiana home for almost ten years. He has worked in both pastoral ministry and the public sector and currently serves as Music Leader at CrossPoint Baptist Church in addition to teaching math and science courses at Sequitur. He holds degrees in Chemistry and Religious Studies and is currently working on his doctoral dissertation examining the classical Muslim view of the Apostle Paul. Mr. Folks has been married to Hannah (Louisiana girl!) for four years and they have four dogs.