Board of Directors’s/Advisory Board | John Paul the Great Montessori Academy

Who is Behind JPGMA?

We have assembled some truly committed individuals that share a common passion and drive to acheive greatness for a truly Catholic education.

Board of Directors

Rob Hencken

Chairman

Mr. Robert Hencken has a very diverse background which brings a well-rounded professional experience to John Paul the Great Montessori Academy. His background stems from information technology, theatre, automotive mechanics, woodworking, construction, music festivals, concert production, and being on boards of other 501(c)(3) organizations. He holds a Master of Science in Information Assurance and Security from Capella University, holds several professional certifications in his field, and is currently employed with a technology firm in the Northern Virginia area. He has been actively involved in the Frederick and Warren County Montessori communities for over 10 years and has volunteered as a firefighter, a soccer coach, and among the local community by lending a helping hand wherever needed. He is drawn to John Paul the Great Montessori Academy as it promises to hold true to being Catholic first and faithfully following the child using the Montessori Method. He is inspired by the culture, community, faculty, and staff that has come together to form John Paul the Great Montessori Academy.

Bernadette Goyette

Director

Mrs. Bernadette Goyette is a child of God. After growing up in Arizona, she attended Thomas Aquinas College in California graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Liberal Arts. She completed her Masters in Teaching degree at the University of Virginia with a specialization in secondary mathematics. Her interest in Montessori began in 2004 when her sister suggested researching Montessori as a way of education for her children. Since then she has become a certified catechist for Levels I, II, and III for the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd and certified teacher for the Lower Elementary level for ages 6 to 9. She is expecting to complete her certification for the Upper Elementary level in June 2020. Her involvement with Montessori and CGS has included roles as a parent, founder/administrator/catechist of an atrium, and consultant. She and her husband of 22 years share eight beautiful children who have all benefited from a Catholic Montessori experience to some degree. She currently teaches in Manassas, Virginia.

Mark Rohlena

Director

Mark Rohlena double-majored in history and political science and economics at Christendom before earning his law degree in the inaugural class of the Ave Maria School of Law. He practiced law for nearly a decade for the large Colorado-based law firm of Holland and Hart, LLP, specializing in legal ethics and risk management, as well as litigation. Feeling a strong call to serve the poor, Rohlena left his successful law career to become the President and CEO of Catholic Charities of Central Colorado. In that position, he oversaw the organization’s annual budget of $3 million and led its 50 employees, who assisted those in need in 10 counties of Colorado with the help of over 1,600 volunteers per month. Services included programs focused on spiritual and corporal works of mercy, adoption, post-abortion and family counseling, family immigration, and disaster relief work. The organization provided important leadership in assisting those affected by wildfires in Colorado. Rohlena has served on numerous educational, legal, and nonprofit boards, and is currently a member of the Christendom A Call to Greatness Campaign Committee and Alumni Association Advisory Council.

Paul Jalsevac

Director

Paul is currently the Vice President for Advancement at Christendom College where he provides strategic direction and leadership and oversees the College’s development efforts. Before working at Christendom College, Paul practiced general commercial litigation as an associate at the law firm Jones Day and served as a legal law clerk for Judge Joseph F. Weis, Jr. on the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. Paul earned his Juris Doctorate from the Ave Maria School of Law, Summa cum laude, and his Bachelor of Arts from Christendom College, Magna Cum Laude. Paul met his wife Meg while at Christendom College. They have been blessed with six children, three of whom will be attending John Paul the Great Academy. Paul and Meg have seen firsthand how the combination of a Montessori approach, classical education, Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, and a strong and unified community create tremendous fruits in their childrens’ lives. Paul is excited to be a part of the John Paul the Great community.

Advisory Board

John Mavretich

Member

John Mavretich works as an attorney in the Washington, D.C. office of a national law firm. He is a proud graduate of Christendom College and the Antonin Scalia Law School at George Mason University. John and his wife are blessed with five children and moved their family to Front Royal to be part of its vibrant Catholic community.

Marie Mavretich

Member

Marie Mavretich is the proud mother of five children. She has a masters degree in clinical psychology from the Institute for the Psychological Sciences and she worked in a variety of school settings and private practice before staying home full time. Marie is thrilled to help advance JPGMA’s mission as the Parent Liaison.

Meg Jalsevac

Member

Meg Jalsevac is thrilled to be joining the staff at John Paul the Great Montessori Academy as School Administrator. Meg graduated with an Associates degree from Christendom in 2003 and earned her BA from the University of Massachusetts – Boston in 2008. Previously, Meg has worked as Event Coordinator for the Public Relations Office of Christendom College, as an Administrative Assistant in the Executive office of Ave Maria Foundation and as the Administrator for LifeSiteNews-U.S. Meg and her husband Paul have been married since 2003 and are blessed with 6 children. The eldest three are excited to be attending John Paul the Great Montessori Academy in its inaugural year.

Sharon Hickson

Member

Sharon Hickson earned her B.A. from Marymount College and her M.A. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She taught Literature, Grammar and Composition and was the Academic Dean at Wakefield Country Day School for eight years; she then taught at Seton High School for five years. Since 2004 she has been an Assistant Professor in the Language and Literature Department at Christendom College where, in addition to teaching, she has been involved in Men’s and Women’s Formation. She enjoys travelling, playing tennis, biking, hiking, and appreciating life and beauty with friends and family. She is grateful for her eight children and 26 grandchildren and is delighted to be a part of the JPGMA Adventure. Sharon will be teaching Grammar and assisting with the Literature Program at JPGMA. She is also helping to develop the academic curriculum for the Middle School and High School.

Mary Zirkle

Member

I am Mary Zirkle, a Licensed Professional Counselor, and the Founder and Clinical Director of Two Hearts Catholic Counseling, a position I have held for twenty years. Two Hearts Catholic Counseling is a branch of the Winchester Community Mental Health Center, founded in Miami, Florida. Additionally, I am the Catholic Counselor of Sacred Heart Academy and Christendom College. As the Clinical Director of Winchester Community Mental Health Center, Inc. I am responsible for an integrative team of Medical Doctors, Psychiatric Behavioral Health Nurse Practitioners, Therapist, Social Workers, and pre-graduate students.

I earned a Master’s in Counseling from Florida International University in April of 2000. During the initial sixteen years of my career, I worked with Catholic couples. For the last four years, I have studied and served, almost exclusively, children who have suffered severe trauma.

I have been privileged to work with children, adolescents, couples, and families, faithful to the Magisterium of the Catholic Church. As a counselor, working with God’s grace and faith-filled Christians is an honor, and a sure path to healing. Two Hearts Catholic Counseling is a ministry and gift, which I truly treasure.

Outside of the office, I am a devoted wife, mother, and grandmother. I enjoy outside activities and family adventures. I am grateful for the opportunity to be a part of this new and exciting journey with the staff of John Paul the Great Montessori Academy.

Students

After School programs

Staff Members

Years Established

Get In Touch

Location: Front Royal, VA

Telephone: (540) 550-7524

Email: info@jpgma.org

School Hours: M-F 8:30am-3:15pm

Non-Discriminatory Policy

John Paul the Great Montessori Academy adheres strictly to a policy of non-discrimination, and no child will be refused admission on the basis of race, color, sex, or national origin.