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
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.
I teach at Trinity School at River Ridge because being faculty here is not primarily about teaching, but about participating in a community of learners, which forms the life of the school. In a liberal arts college, I fell in love with books, philosophical ones especially, and upon graduation I went abroad with Peace Corps to Moldova in Eastern Europe. This was an extraordinary experience, and it also allowed me plenty of leisure time to read as I liked. Before launching into a career I hoped to figure out how to integrate my newfound form of play with the matter of the “seriousness” of “real life.” Thankfully, I landed at Trinity School where I can both play and work.
I teach two different humane letters seminars, and the fun for me consists largely in the surprising twists and turns each day and each year takes. I take delight whenever good conversation happens, and I have something new to think about. I also enjoy returning time and again to Kierkegaard's playground of pseudonymous philosophy — my first love.
If this were my whiteboard, I'd have these quotes up to introduce my love of play in the classroom:
The peculiar phenomenon of conversation is a state of "seizure" or "being gripped", in which the conversation has a life of its own. We cannot, of course, help being reminded here of the seizure experienced in play. – Wolfhart Pannenberg
To reach an understanding in a dialogue is not merely a matter of putting oneself forward and successfully asserting one’s own point of view, but being transformed into a communion in which we do not remain what we were. – Hans-Georg Gadamer
Beth Schmitz
Head of School
Patrick Murphy
Academic Dean
Steve Hendrickson
Dean of Boys
Penelope Arndt
Dean of Girls
B.A. Psychology, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities,1986. National Endowment for the Humanities Grant to study Machiavelli, 1996. Trinity School at River Ridge, 1987-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.
Linda Baisch
B.S. Mechanical Engineering, University of Minnesota, 1979. Trinity School at River Ridge, 2003-present.
Jon Beane
Patrick Buchanan
Beth Bulger
Kathleen Buri
Graduate studies, Education, Northwestern University, 1972, 1974; B.A. Elementary Ed./Special Ed., University of Northern Iowa, 1972. Trinity School at River Ridge, 1988-present.
Andrew Carr
B.A. Philosophy, B.A. English, University of St. Thomas, 2014. The Art Academy, 2006-2016; Trinity School at River Ridge, 2016-present.
Colleen Coleman
B. A. English, Hillsdale College, 2017; Trinity School at River Ridge, 2017-present.
Breana Dahl
B.S., General Biology, Union University, 2016. Trinity School at River Ridge, 2016-present.
Caleb Dahl
B.S. Mathematics, Union University, 2016; Trinity School at River Ridge, 2017-present.
Nicholas Fox
M.A. Humanities, University of Chicago, 2011; B.A. Philosophy & Studio Art, Boston College, 2005. Trinity School at River Ridge, 2011-present.
Andrew Gaylord
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, Sikkin, 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.
Bradley Lindberg
B.A. Latin, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, 2006. Trinity School at River Ridge, 2010-present.
Anne Morath
M.A., Catholic Studies, University of St. Thomas, 2016; B.A. History, Hillsdale College, 2012. Trinity School at River Ridge, 2016-present.
Leslie Nelson-Abell
Faculty and Associate Director of Admissions
Jakob Olson
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.
Jonathan Peasley
B.A., Classics, English, Gustavus Adolphus College, 2008. Trinity School at River Ridge, 2010 to Present.
Ellen Peters
B.A. Political Science, Davidson College, 2014. Trinity School at River Ridge, 2016-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
Jennifer Pintozzi
B.A. Mathematics, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, 1989. Faculty: Trinity School at Greenlawn, 1990-1996, Trinity School River Ridge, 1996-present.
Mary Radtke
M.S. Education, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, 1990; B.S., Education, University of North Dakota, 1976. Faculty: Prescott (WI) Public Schools, 1985-1994; Trinity School at River Ridge, 1994-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.
Molly Rumpza
B.A. Latin & Catholic Studies, University of St. Thomas, 2014. Trinity School at River Ridge, 2014-present.
Deborah Salmon
John Seipp
Faculty and Director of College Guidance
Jeffrey Showalter
John Stauble
B.A. Catholic Studies and Philosophy, University of St. Thomas, 2002; Trinity School at River Ridge, 2002 - present.
Abbey von Gohren
M.A. in French Studies with a concentration in Medieval Studies, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, 2006; B.A. French Studies, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, 2003. Graduate Instructor in French, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, 2004-2005. English Language Instructor and Coordinator, Charles V, Department of English, University of Paris VII, 2006-2009; Graduate Instructor in French, Department of French and Italian, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, 2009-2011; Trinity School at River Ridge, 2011-present.