“I love being a student at Trinity because of the wonderful faculty members. Each individual and unique class I take is paired with an equally individual and unique teacher. The passion they have for their subjects influences me every day. They inspire me to work harder and show me the beauty in all areas of study. Their enthusiasm for learning is contagious, and I am grateful for every single one of them!”

Trinity Student

Featured Faculty Member

Where are you from?
Cleveland, OH

Hobbies:
I enjoy cooking, baking, violin, and occasionally pickleball! I also enjoy Latin, Ovid, theology (Augustine, Aquinas, John Paul II, Benedict XVI), Greek philosophy, the 7 Liberal Arts (Trivium and Quadrivium), the Renaissance, and Flannery O’Connor.

How did you first learn about Trinity School at River Ridge?
I went to Hillsdale with several Trinity graduates.

What do you love most about teaching at Trinity?
I love that I get to interact with so many people and that my day never looks the same as the one before.

Describe a moment of significant intellectual awakening in your life.
In 7th grade, we read Howard Pyle’s Adventures of Robin Hood. We “discussed” (argued) whether or not he was a hero for 6 years afterward. It was a moment of awakening for me to the moral complexity of the law and its role in human life. (For the record, I definitely think he is a hero).

 

Beth Schmitz '01

Head of School

B.A. Mathematics, University of Minnesota-Morris, 2005. Trinity School at River Ridge, 2005-present. Head of School 2017-present. Ms. Schmitz has been on the faculty of Trinity School at River Ridge since 2005. She has a wide range of experience within Trinity Schools including significant work in teacher training, curriculum development and the admissions process. She is an alumna of Trinity School at River Ridge.

Patrick Murphy

Associate Head of School

Ed.S. Educational Administration, University of St. Thomas, 1992; M.A. Educational Administration, University of St. Thomas, 1985; B.A. Education, Central Florida University, 1975; Faculty: St. Raphael School, 1979-1983; Principal; St. Bridget's School, 1984-1990. National Endowment for the Humanities Grant to study Machiavelli, 1993. Trinity School at River Ridge, 1990-present.

Steve Hendrickson

Dean of Boys

B.A. Mathematics, Indiana University at South Bend, 1992. Trinity School at River Ridge, 1993-1996,1998-present.

Ellen Peters

Dean of Girls

B.A. Political Science, Davidson College, 2014. Trinity School at River Ridge, 2016-present.

Christopher Adderley

B.A. Classics and Drama, Franciscan University of Steubenville, 2013. Saints Peter and Paul Catholic School, 2013-2015; Aspen Academy, 2015-2016; Trinity School at River Ridge, 2016-present.

Matthew Axvig

B.A. Philosophy, Calvin College, 2001. Blacksburg New School, 2001-2002; Peace Corp Moldova, 2002-2004; Trinity School at River Ridge, 2006-2011; St. John’s Orthodox Academy, San Francisco, 2011-2012; Trinity School at River Ridge, 2013-present.

Alexander Baum '17

B.S. Aerospace Engineering, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, 2021. Trinity School at River Ridge, 2021-present.

Jon Beane

Ph.D. Philosophy, University of Notre Dame, 1993; B.A. Philosophy, Roosevelt Universtiy, 1986. Trinity School at River Ridge 1997-2007, Rhodora J. Donahue Academy of Ave Maria, Ave Maria, FL, 2007-2015, Chesterton Academy of the Holy Family, Downers Grove, IL, 2015-2017, Kingswood Academy, Darien IL, 2017-2018; Trinity School at River Ridge, 2018-present.

Margaret Berns

B.S. English, French minor, Moorhead State University, 1994. Trinity School at River Ridge, 2021-present.

Jessica Bowden '99

B.A. Biology, St. Olaf College, 2003. Trinity School at River Ridge, 2003-2007, 2021-present.

Henry Brink '16

B.A. English, Hillsdale College, 2020. Fulbright English Teaching Assitant, East Kazakhstan Technical University, 2021-22, Trinity School at River Ridge, 2020-21, 2022-present.

Dominic Bulger '17

B.A. Music, Hillsdale College, 2021. Trinity School at River Ridge, 2021-present.

Marcella Brylski '16

B.A. English, Hillsdale College, 2020. Trinity School at River Ridge, 2020-present.

Andrew Carr '10

B.A. Philosophy, English, University of St. Thomas, 2014. The Art Academy, 2006-2016; Trinity School at River Ridge, 2016-present.

Caleb Dahl '13

Graduate studies, Mathematics, Park City Mathematics Institute, 2016; B.S. Mathematics, Union University, 2016. Trinity School at River Ridge, 2017-present.

Sarah Flynn '09

M.Ed. University of Notre Dame, 2016; B.A. Catholic Studies, Literature and Philosophy, University of St. Thomas, 2014. Incarnate Word Academy, 2014-2016; Saint Agnes School, 2016-2020; Trinity School at River Ridge, 2020-present.

Andrew Gaylord '98

M.A. Systematic Theology, St. John’s University, 2008; A.B. Fundamentals: Issues and Texts, University of Chicago, 2002. Trinity School at River Ridge, 2002-2013; Taktse International School, Sikkim, India, 2013; Trinity School at River Ridge, 2017-present.

Beth Gothmann

B.A. Music Education, Augsburg College, Minneapolis, 1984. Richfield Public Schools, 1987-1988; Morristown Public Schools, 1985-1987; Trinity School at River Ridge, 2017-present.

Mikaela Herndon

B.A. English, Hillsdale College, 2020. Trinity School at River Ridge, 2020-present.

Tyler Herndon

M.T.S. History of Christianity, University of Notre Dame, 2020; B.A. English, Hillsdale College, 2014. Trinity School at River Ridge, 2015-2018 and 2020-present.

Bradley Lindberg

B.A. Latin, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, 2006. Trinity School at River Ridge, 2010-present.

Jakob Olson '04

B.A. Mathematics, Secondary Education, Carthage College, 2008. Burnsville Alternative High School, 2008-2011; Trinity School at River Ridge 2011-present.

Graham Pardun

 B.A. Philosophy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2005. Northwest Passage, 2013-2015; Metro Schools, 2015-2016, Trinity School at River Ridge, 2016-present.

Anna Payne '16

B.A. English, Hillsdale College, 2020. Trinity School at River Ridge, 2020-present.

Jonathan Peasley

B.A. Classics, English, Gustavus Adolphus College, 2008. Trinity School at River Ridge, 2010-present.

Kevin Peters

M.S. Chemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2014; B.S. Chemistry, Davidson College, 2012. Trinity School at River Ridge, 2015-present

Vincent Petruccelli

B.A. English, Minor in Philosophy and Classics, Benedictine College, 2015. The Avalon School, 2018-19; Chesterton Academy, 2019-22; Trinity School at River Ridge, 2022-present.

Suzanne Peyrebrune

B.A. Latin, Hillsdale College, 2019. Trinity School at River Ridge, 2019-present.

Jennifer Pintozzi

B.A. Mathematics, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, 1989. Trinity School at Greenlawn, 1990-1996; Trinity School River Ridge, 1996-present.

J. Wesley Rohrer

B.A. Liberal Arts, St. John's College, 2012. Grand Lake School, 2000-2004; Stirling School, 2004-2006; Central School, 2012-2014; Trinity School at River Ridge, 2015-present.

Claire Rubio (Trinity School at Meadow View '16)

B.A. Applied Mathematics, University of St. Thomas, 2020. Trinity School at River Ridge, 2020-present.

John Seipp

Faculty and Director of College Guidance

M.A. Curriculum & Instruction with Certificate in Learning Technology, University of St. Thomas, 2014; B.A. German, History, Theater, Concordia College-Moorhead, 1989. Trinity School at River Ridge, 2012-Present.

John Stauble '98

Director of IT

B.A. Catholic Studies and Philosophy, University of St. Thomas, 2002. Trinity School at River Ridge, 2002-present.