Teaching and Learning in Community
About Civitas
We are a ministry of the Presbyterian Church of Manchester, currently offering in-person à la carte classes primarily for homeschooled high school students (some classes are open to younger students or adults).
With teachers whose mastery is borne of their love of their disciplines, The Civitas School provides Christ-centered study toward a life of wisdom, the glory of God, and the love for His Creation and our community.
What is classical education at Civitas?
At Civitas, "classical education" reflects a commitment to traditional modes of pedagogy directed toward moral formation, knowledge and love of God, and a rich, joyful life of Christian discipleship.
Towards those ends, The Civitas School offers the following means...
Training of the Affections
The Bible calls us to love what is lovely, to admire what is true and good. But because we are fallen creatures, this does not always come naturally to us. As educators, we recognize the need to guide our students toward the pursuit of transcendent truth, goodness, and beauty.
​
Integration
Our vision of education is one of integration between disciplines and across all aspects of life. The arts and the sciences speak to each other. Academics and spiritual life inform one another. Body and mind work in tandem, and both must be equipped and nourished.
​
The Great Conversation
We embrace the great works and great ideas of the ages. We believe that young people can appreciate the works of Plato and Beethoven, and we enable students to participate in the Great Conversation. We invite them to engage with the community of thinkers across time—from Shakespeare to Copernicus, Augustine to Van Gogh—that have shaped and formed our world.
Civitas Teachers
Marco Campelli holds a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics & Actuarial Science from Grove City College and currently works as an Actuary at Prudential specializing in Methodology, Financial Modeling, and Data Analytics.
​
Eleanor Georges holds a Bachelor of Arts in English with a Certificate in Technical Writing (California State University, Long Beach). She has taught the literature of William Shakespeare for 21 years through Backyard Shakespeare in Bolton CT, and has taught thesis writing to senior high school students for the past 10 years.
​
Marty Georges holds a Bachelor of Science in Aeronautics and Astronautics (University of Washington, School of Engineering) and a Master’s degree in Philosophy (Biola University). He has worked for 38 years in the aerospace industry and has taught classes in Philosophical Foundations for a Christian Worldview and Integrated Math Science.
Debbie Goodale holds a Bachelor of Arts in English with a Minor in Secondary Education and a Master’s degree in Reading and Language Arts (both Eastern Connecticut State University). She has 17 years of experience teaching middle school and high school Language Arts in local schools.
​
Isabella Leake holds a Bachelor of Arts in English and Classics and a Master of Arts in Medieval Studies (both University of Connecticut). For 7 years she developed and taught a Latin program for The Potter’s School, covering all levels of Latin from junior high to Advanced Placement.
Joseph Leake holds a BA in English (University of Southern Mississippi) and an MA and PhD in Medieval Studies (University of Connecticut). He taught college composition at UConn for 8 years and has taught high school English online at The Potter’s School for 5 years.
John Sundet holds a Bachelor’s degree in Music Theory and Composition (University of North Texas) and a Master’s degree in Arts and Religion with emphasis in Systematic Theology (Westminster Theological Seminary).
Laurie Warren holds a Master’s degree in Elementary Education (Chestnut Hill College) and has been teaching homeschooled students in various settings for many years, most recently high school literature and history.