Junior High Faculty and Staff Welcome

Our outstanding and talented junior high faculty have enjoyed meeting and getting to know the seventh and eighth-grade students. They are excited for a wonderful school year and to see all that God has in store for these girls.

Given the talent and enthusiasm of the team, we asked some of them to share more about their backgrounds and experiences.

Mrs. Erica Nute is in her second year as Director of the St. Cecilia Academy Junior High and is the instructor of their Art of Living classes. She has more than two decades of teaching experience with middle school students. Mrs. Nute received her bachelor’s in Elementary Education from Middle Tennessee State University. “I feel blessed to be in a Catholic school, and my goal is to teach Christ’s love through word, action, and deed,” she said. Mrs. Nute believes that each student has the capacity to seek and find truth, and in so doing, experience the true joy of learning. She also appreciates the smaller classroom size and the individual attention given to the girls at SCA.   

Mr. John Cooper joins SCA as the new math teacher. After more than 15 years of experience in middle school and high school teaching, admissions, and administration, he has a deep commitment to Catholic education and values. A graduate of Saint Joseph’s University in Philadelphia, PA, Mr. Cooper holds a bachelor’s in Economics and a minor in Music Theory. He earned a master’s degree in Educational Leadership and Supervision from Liberty University and obtained a certificate in Catholic school management from Villanova University. Mr. Cooper is dedicated to fostering a nurturing and faith-filled environment for students.

Sister Christina, O.P. is the new science teacher. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Engineering Mechanics and Astronautics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison where she was an undergraduate research assistant for the Wisconsin Institute of Discovery. After graduating, she entered the Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia and began her studies at Aquinas College to earn a master’s degree in Secondary Education. As a teacher, Sister Christina is especially passionate about the integration of faith and reason in the classroom. She believes that by growing in our own sense of wonder, even our studies of math and science can help us to fall more deeply in love with God.

Sister Evangeline Marie, O.P. is the new Latin teacher. She graduated from the University of Notre Dame with a bachelor's and master’s in Theology. After teaching for four years, she entered the Dominican Sisters of Saint Cecilia. During the past two years, she taught Latin for a variety of grades as she worked toward her master’s in Education at Aquinas College. She is a natural teacher, loves children, and is excited to join us at St. Cecilia Academy.

Sister Mary Laura, O.P. teaches Choir and Latin in the junior high in addition to Introduction to Choral Music in the high school. Before joining the SCA faculty four years ago, Sister Mary Laura taught at St. Theodore Guerin Catholic High School in Noblesville, IN. She has a bachelor’s degree in Music and a minor in Classics from Ave Maria University, as well as a master’s in Secondary Education from Aquinas College. Sister Mary Laura believes that education is about the formation of the whole human person, leading students to encounter Jesus Christ through study on the path to the truth in whatever subject they are learning. She shared that the junior high Mass on Wednesday is one of her favorite events at SCA and one she looks forward to every week. “The students are so beautiful and reverent, and it is a peaceful, prayerful, and grace-filled time together with our Lord.”

Sister Nicholas Marie, O.P. is the Chair of the Math Department and teaches Algebra 1 Honors for 8th grade, AP Calculus AB, AP Calculus BC, AP Physics C-Mechanics, and Neural Networks and Computational Programming (the new SCA elective on artificial intelligence). Sister previously taught at Mount de Sales Academy in Baltimore and did youth work in the Aberdeen Diocese in Scotland, UK. A native of Poland, she holds a Ph.D. in Mathematics from the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, and a master’s in Theology from Catholic Distance University. She mentioned that teaching math and science at a Catholic school in the Dominican tradition is the perfect place to introduce students to the lived harmony of faith and reason. She enjoys teaching the eighth grade and said, “Our junior high students are filled with wonder and a desire to learn - they make it easy and joyous to be a teacher.”

Sister Regina Ann, O.P. teaches English 7 and 8 and Religion 8, as well as being the sponsor for the Stewardship Club. Sister previously taught at Saint John Paul II Catholic High School in Arizona before joining SCA three years ago. She earned her B.S. in English from Aquinas College and has a teaching license for teaching English and Latin in grades sixth through twelfth. Sister believes teaching is a great gift. She said, “I love watching students grow in their faith through discussions in both English and Religion classes.” She is looking forward to accompanying the eighth graders as they prepare for Confirmation in the spring.

Ms. Jasmine Dillon is the new junior high and St. Cecilia Dance Academy dance instructor and the choreographer for the junior high and high school musicals. Ms. Dillon was a professional dancer with Country Tonite Theatre in Pigeon Forge, TN, before joining the SCA faculty. She has a bachelor’s degree in Dance Pedagogy from Middle Tennessee State University. “I aim to inspire and nurture the talents of my students, helping them achieve their dance dreams,” she said. “My teaching philosophy emphasizes technique, creativity, and a deep appreciation for the art of dance so that students grow as dancers and as individuals, using their gifts to glorify God through movement and expression.”

Mrs. Toni Ferguson is the director of the St. Cecilia Chamber Ensemble and co-founder of the Suzuki Center of Nashville. She is a professional violinist with more than 35 years of teaching and performing experience. She has been recognized and received twice, the Tennessee Governor’s School Outstanding Teacher Award. Mrs. Ferguson graduated with a bachelor's in Music Education from the University of South Carolina and was awarded the Maria Monkton Scholarship for Music Education. She has also continued her violin teacher training through the American Suzuki Institute at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. She believes musicians grow by fostering their God given gifts of musical expression and by encouraging their artistic curiosity. "I am incredibly fortunate to teach at St. Cecilia Academy,” she said. “Having the Patron Saint of music and musicians over the front door of the school gives me a sense of pride, confidence, and makes me feel like it’s where I’ve always belonged."

Mrs. Crystal Kurek will be leading our choral program, junior high drama classes, and directing our new junior high musicals and plays. A Georgia native, she performed as a child at the Fox Theatre in Atlanta, GA, and grew up spending her summers in New York City, where she filmed commercials, modeled, and joined SAG-AFTRA. She received a bachelor’s in Musical Arts and a master’s in Education, with an emphasis on choral/general music for grades PreK-12, from Vanderbilt University. She has taught music and choir in the Diocese of Nashville since 2007 and is a classically trained singer. Mrs. Kurek’s expertise and deep love for the Catholic faith permeate everything she does.

Mrs. Robyn Spychalski is entering her fifth year as the Director of Learning Support Services for SCA. Prior to St. Cecilia, she was a speech pathologist in a variety of settings, from inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation with brain injury to language-based learning needs. Mrs. Spychalski earned a B.S. at Western Kentucky University and a Master of Arts in Speech and Language Pathology from Memphis State University. She is grateful to be able to teach at a school where she can live and grow in her faith. She says, “I believe each student is capable of performing well academically if given the structure, guidance, and tools they need, but they also need self-motivation and grit.” She explains, “It is not always easy, but it is possible. It is my job to walk the path with them and help them explore their potential.”

Thank you to all our faculty and staff for making this year a memorable one for our students.