FOUNDERS, FACULTY & STAFF
Founders
Mr. Jared Carman
Head of School
Mr. Carman is dedicated to helping students become leaders and doers. Over the last 25 years Mr. Carman has grown multiple learning technology companies, impacting millions of learners worldwide. Currently the owner and CEO of a Utah learning and testing company, Mr. Carman loves to invest in young people. Prior to founding Belmont, Mr. Carman served as board member and vice-chair of the independent, Christian school he attended in his youth. Mr. and Mrs. Carman founded Belmont after feeling moved upon to create a classical, Christian school for their own daughters, and for other families in Utah. Mr. Carman holds an M.S. in Instructional Technology from Utah State University and a B.S. in Psychology from Brigham Young University.
Mrs. Denise Carman
Director of Curriculum & Instruction
Mrs. Carman delights in teaching, and in creating, for students, a feast of the best books. Over the last 15 years, she has guided curriculum choices and taught in home and private schools. While serving as Curriculum Chair for a 7-12 charter school, she worked closely with teachers and department heads to ensure that curriculum choices were mission-aligned. Mrs. Carman has visited classical, Christian schools across the country, and collaborates with like-minded administrators in Kentucky, Michigan, Indiana, Arizona, California, and Utah. Mrs. Carman is an award-winning French teacher. Having lived in France and Switzerland, she shares her love of French with her students. Mrs. Carman holds a B.A. in French from Brigham Young University. Her greatest joys are her own five children.
Faculty & Staff
Mrs. Hannah Boynton
Grades 2-5 PE; Uniforms Specialist
Mrs. Boynton delights in teaching children of God's love for them. She takes special pleasure in seeing them joyfully learn about His creations. She loves that Belmont is a partnership with parents and enjoys communicating with parents about their child’s experience at Belmont. Teaching physical education to the younger students is a joy and opportunity for her to spend time in the lovely outdoors. Mrs. Boynton attended Brigham Young University Idaho.
Mrs. Shelli Boynton
Grades 4-5 Home Room; Lower School Music,
Upper School Latin II; Bell Choir
Mrs. Boynton is an accomplished educator with 20 years of homeschool teaching experience. She earned a B.A. in English from Brigham Young University. She minored in music, served as a Board Advisory Committee Member for the Intermountain Suzuki String Institute, and performs as a bell ringer with Bells on Temple Square. Mrs. Boynton is an avid lover of literature, maintaining an extensive personal library which she generously shares with Belmont faculty and students.
Mr. Clay Brown
Physical Education
Mr. Brown is an award-winning math teacher who loves sports. After running track for both Rick’s College and Brigham Young University, Mr. Brown coached both high school football and track & field, and currently teaches math at the college level. He holds a Masters in Mathematics from Central Washington University and a Bachelors in Mathematics education from Brigham Young University. When not teaching, Mr. Brown spends time outdoors with his family hiking, camping, and playing volleyball.
Mr. Cameron Cahoon
Upper School Choir
Mr. Cahoon is an award-winning high school choir director with nearly 20 years of experience. A vibrant tenor, he has sung with such groups as the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square, the University of Lethbridge Singers, and the Westminster Symphonic Choir. He has performed in Western and Eastern Europe, and has played lead roles in such musical productions as Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, The Wizard of Oz, and A Christmas Carol.
Mrs. Denise Carman
AP French, Honors French Literature, Latin IV
Mrs. Carman delights in teaching, and in creating, for students, a feast of the best books. Over the last 15 years, she has guided curriculum choices and taught in home and private schools. While serving as Curriculum Chair for a 7-12 charter school, she worked closely with teachers and department heads to ensure that curriculum choices were mission-aligned. Mrs. Carman has visited classical, Christian schools across the country, and collaborates with like-minded administrators in Kentucky, Michigan, Indiana, Arizona, California, and Utah. Mrs. Carman is an award-winning French teacher. Having lived in France and Switzerland, she shares her love of French with her students. Mrs. Carman holds a B.A. in French from Brigham Young University. Her greatest joys are her own five children.
Mr. Jared Carman
Grades 9-12 Bible Study
Mr. Carman is dedicated to helping students grow in Caritas, Veritas, and Actio. Over the last 25 years Mr. Carman has grown multiple learning technology companies, impacting millions of learners worldwide. Currently the owner and CEO of a Utah learning and testing company, Mr. Carman loves to invest in young people. Prior to founding Belmont, Mr. Carman served as board member and vice-chair of the independent, Christian school he attended in his youth. Mr. and Mrs. Carman founded Belmont after feeling moved upon to create a classical, Christian school for their own daughters, and for other families in Utah. Mr. Carman holds an M.S. in Instructional Technology from Utah State University and a B.S. in Psychology from Brigham Young University.
Mrs. Carson Center
Drama, Classical Storytelling
Mrs. Center is a talented performer and accomplished director and teacher. On stage, she has played in, or directed, such classic productions as The Scarlet Pimpernel, Mary Poppins, Jane Eyre, White Christmas, Beauty and the Beast, and more. Mrs. Center loves students, and served several years as an adjunct faculty member at BYU, teaching Drama for the Elementary Classroom. She has taught workshops and directed productions for the Utah Theatre Association and numerous local schools, and currently serves as Director for Broadway Bound through Center Stage Youth Performers. Mrs. Center holds a BA in K-12 Theater Education from Brigham Young University.
Mrs. Colleen Estrada
Kindergarten/First Grade, Grades 6-8 Science
Mrs. Estrada loves children and families. With a BS in Family Science from Utah Valley University, Mrs. Estrada is a Certified Family Life Educator, and has worked with people of all ages, from small children to seniors in a care center. Mrs. Estrada loves children's literature (including Peter Rabbit!) and seeing children succeed in their earliest years at school. She not only helps each child master reading, writing, and arithmetic, but also cultivates courtesy, kindness, patience, and self-directed learning. Mrs. Estrada's classroom is a joy to visit.
Mr. Darrell Falconburg
Western Heritage, Civics, Geography; Logic
Mr. Falconburg is an enthusiastic classical teacher, esteemed by students and parents alike. Prior to joining Belmont, Mr. Falconburg's roles included Instructor and Dean of Men at various classical, Christian high schools in Colorado. Mr. Falconburg has taught Ancient Humanities, Medieval Humanities, American Civics, and Grammar & Composition. Publications/presentations include analyses on the writings and philosophies of Dante, Pieper, and Russell Kirk. Currently pursuing a PhD from Faulkner University’s Great Books Honors College, Mr. Falconburg holds a B.A. in History from The College of Idaho, and an M.A. in Philosophy from Mount Angel Abbey & Seminary.
Mrs. Anastasia Heder
Latin, Admissions Director
Mrs. Heder is passionate about bringing the time-honored tradition of classical education to the modern family. She has taught Latin, Literature, Classical Studies, Christian Studies, and Science in home and private schools for the last ten years. Before her family’s relocation to Utah, Mrs. Heder launched a Latin-centered education program with several campuses in Southern California. Mrs. Heder enjoys reading and discussing literature, hiking, and entertaining friends and family.
Mrs. Tracy Jorgensen
Geometry, Pre-Calculus
Mrs. Jorgensen loves students and has a contagious enthusiasm for math. At the college level, Mrs. Jorgensen has taught students in College Algebra, Business Calculus, and Quantitative Reasoning with Integrated Algebra. At the Junior High and High School levels, she has taught students in PreAlgebra, Algebra, Geometry, Algebra II, Pre-Calculus, and AP Calculus. With a BS in Mathematics from Brigham Young University, Mrs. Jorgensen regularly puts her math expertise to good use, as a computer programmer, teacher, and mother.
Mrs. Alyssa McKinnon
Math 8/7, Latin I, Chinese I & II
Mrs. McKinnon happily spreads an infectious love of Asian languages and culture. An award-winning student in high school, Mrs. McKinnon was awarded the BYU StarTalk Debra Wells Chinese Excellence Award, and was Utah Sterling Scholar Runner-up for World Languages. After living abroad for 18 months in Seoul, South Korea, Mrs. McKinnon returned to the US and founded Woori English, an international online tutoring business, where she focuses on relevance and context in language learning. Mrs. McKinnon graduated summa cum laude from Brigham Young University with a B.A. in Asian Studies.
Mrs. Julie Morris
Honors Latin Literature; Information Technology
Well-grounded in classical, Christian education, Mrs. Morris earned her M.A. in Philosophy from Holy Apostles College and Seminary, did undergraduate work in Theology at Franciscan University, and received B.S. degrees in Economics and Accounting from the University of Kentucky. At the high school and college levels she has taught courses in Composition, English Grammar, Latin, Literature, Logic, Math, and Computers. Prior to joining Belmont, Mrs. Morris served as Director of Curriculum at a classical school in Louisville, KY. When she is not immersed in good books, she can be found helping support the family bungee jumping business or enjoying the beautiful Utah outdoors.
Ms. Pati Watson
Grades 2-3
Ms. Watson is an esteemed elementary school teacher who loves helping young students enjoy learning and make progress. She has taught in private and parochial schools for over 30 years in Utah and Montana, most recently at a private school in Utah (9 years). With a mother's heart, Ms. Watson has taught and nurtured students from 1st to 4th grades, and takes a special pleasure in helping each student become a fluent reader and writer. A particular admirer of Beatrix Potter, she delights in helping students feel the beauty and wonder of nature, make connections between subjects, and grow in the knowledge that God loves them.
Mrs. Alice Winkelman
Kindergarten / 1st Grade
Mrs. Winkelman inspires, nurtures, builds, and instills a love of learning in each individual student. As a private school teacher since 2006, she has blessed the lives of many children and families. Having worked with children with a wide range of abilities, she knows the importance of helping each student be successful. One of her favorite teaching experiences is preparing her students to perform the musical Peter Rabbit—memorizing lines, singing delightful songs, and learning the timeless lessons given by Beatrix Potter in this wonderful story. Mrs. Winkelman absolutely loves teaching!
Mrs. Rachael Wood
Kindergarten / 1st Grade Science, History, Geography
Mrs. Wood takes a special interest in each child. Knowing that each student is a child of God, Mrs. Wood carefully helps them enjoy the beauty of nature, and grow good habits. In her class students cultivate a love of nature up-close, with such memorable experiences as hatching butterflies, tending quail eggs, interacting with honey bees, and touching and observing real stuffed birds and animals (taxidermy) borrowed from a nearby university museum. Mrs. Wood holds a BS in Child Development from Brigham Young University-Idaho and has taught young students in the classroom since 2014.
