BENTONVILLE -- A longtime educator with a background in classical languages has been named headmaster at Northwest Arkansas Classical Academy.
Norman Achin began the job July 20 after working in the Washington, D.C., area for 10 years. He taught Latin at Fairfax County Schools in Virginia and taught Latin, humanities and Greek at two community colleges in northern Virginia, according to a news release from Responsive Education Solutions, which operates Northwest Arkansas Classical Academy.
Responsive Education
Responsive Education Solutions operates more than 70 public schools, most of which are in Texas. Northwest Arkansas Classical Academy is one of four schools it operates in Arkansas.
Source: Staff report
"Mr. Achin has a long history in classical education both at the secondary and collegiate level," said Scott Davis, Responsive Education Solutions' national director of classical schools, in the news release. "Not only is he well-versed in the classics, but he also knows how to bring them to life and make them relevant. His history of outstanding success testifies to this. I expect nothing less than for him to bring to the school his excitement for the benefits a classical education can provide for the modern student."
Achin replaces Timm Petersen, who guided the school during its first two years. Petersen left for a position with another classical school in Texas, Davis said.
Northwest Arkansas Classical Academy is one of 18 open-enrollment charter schools in Arkansas. It opened in August 2013 with about 400 students in grades kindergarten through eighth. It will begin the 2015-16 school year with 600 students in grades kindergarten through 10th, Achin said.
By at least one measure, the school has achieved some early success: It received an A on its report card from the state this year.
Achin earned a bachelor's degree in history and English from Concordia College in Moorhead, Minn. He went on to acquire a master's degree in classical Latin and ancient Greek from the University of Nebraska and a master's degree in education leadership from the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, Va., according to the release.
Achin has practiced the classical education model in his classroom.
"It focuses much more in a systematic way of starting with basic knowledge students need and gradually moving to more advanced stages, things we used to do in the '40s and '50s, which served us well, and something we need to move back to," Achin said.
The school leases its space in a building on Melissa Drive. It is in the initial stage of planning for its own building, Achin said.
NW News on 07/30/2015