Discover Chesterton
Mission
Under the patronage of G.K. Chesterton and in partnership with families and the Church, the mission of Chesterton Academy of Ave Maria is to partner with parents to educate students in the classical tradition, grounded in the truths of the Catholic faith, and to form them to become joyful leaders prepared to excel in their chosen pursuits, serve their neighbor with humility and in charity, and to foster a Culture of Life, answering God’s call to holiness and sainthood.
Our Model of Education
Chesterton Academy of Ave Maria exists to create a joyful classical high school in the Catholic tradition, dedicated to forming a new generation of leaders and saints. Our independent school model is parent-led and governed by a Board of Directors that includes parents and members of the community that bring a variety of talents in service of the school community. As a member school of the Chesterton Schools Network and inspired by Saint Pope John Paul II, our motto, Cultura Vitae—the culture of life—reflects our mission to prepare students to overcome the materialism and despair of modern culture, embracing the joyful, abundant life Christ offers. Our classical curriculum provides a broad liberal arts education, grounded in the cultivation of Christian virtues and a deep appreciation for truth, goodness, and beauty. Our model reflects our commitment to partnering with parents with charity, openness, and transparency.
Non-Discrimination Policy
Chesterton Academy admits students and hires employees of any race, color, sex, national origin, and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin, ethnic origin or disability in administration of its educational policies, admission policies, scholarship programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs and hiring.
The Three Pillars
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We teach the classics of Western thought from physics to philosophy, and the interrelationship of the great ideas; teaching students not merely what to think but how to think.
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Chesterton Academy helps students grow in virtue by integrating faith into daily learning, fostering a strong moral foundation rooted in Catholic teachings. Through a Christ-centered education, students are encouraged to practice the Cardinal virtues prudence, justice, fortitude as well as humility, patience, kindness, diligence, chastity, gratitude, generosity both in and out of the classroom. Daily prayer, sacraments, and service opportunities reinforce these values, guiding students to develop a compassionate heart, a strong sense of justice, and a commitment to fostering a culture of life. This holistic approach cultivates not just academic excellence but virtue, shaping students to become thoughtful, virtuous leaders in their communities.
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Our students come to understand and embrace the truth of why they exist: to know God, to love Him, and to serve Him in this world and be happy with Him forever in the next.
Our Patron
G.K. Chesterton
The Chesterton Schools Network is named for the great English writer and Catholic convert, G.K. Chesterton (1874- 1936). Chesterton is our school’s patron because he exemplified the Catholic faith through a life filled with joy, wonder, and gratitude.
Chesterton was considered one of the world’s most outstanding men of letters in the early 20th century. An accomplished essayist, novelist, and poet, he wrote a hundred books on all different subjects. In 1922, he shocked the literary establishment by converting to Catholicism. He was later eulogized by Pope Pius XI as “a gifted defender of the faith,” and there is presently a popular movement to have him canonized. He not only represents the fullness of faith and reason, but also Catholic joy and common sense.
The Chesterton Schools Network
We are part of the Chesterton Schools Network, based in Hopkins, Minnesota, under The Society of Gilbert Keith Chesterton—a Catholic lay apostolate formally recognized as a canonical private association of the Christian faithful. Our mission is to evangelize through education, inspiring people to live joyful and holy lives with G.K. Chesterton as a model of lay spirituality. To further this mission, the Society sponsors the work of the Chesterton Schools Network as well as adult education through its annual conferences, publications, and the support of local Chesterton Societies. The Chesterton Schools Network seeks to inspire and strengthen Catholic schools across the nation by providing consulting services, resources for evaluating and operating schools, and the Chesterton Academy curriculum framework.
Board of Directors
Originally from Colombia, Veronica studied Psychology at Universidad de La Sabana before moving to the United States in 2006 and settling in Ave Maria in 2011 with her husband, Luis Forero. Together they are raising their eight children in Ave Maria. As a homeschool mother, she is passionate about Catholic education and especially values the Chesterton model for its integration of faith and reason, its encouragement of critical thinking, and its commitment to building strong character rooted in the Catholic faith.
Veronica Abondano
Kathy Fritz
Kathy was born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri, and arrived in Ave Maria two years ago. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting from Benedictine College, a Master’s in Accounting from University of Missouri-St. Louis, and a CPA certificate. Kathy has been employed by the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis since 1986, except for a ten-year absence to raise her children. She has held a variety of positions including Auditor, Bank Examiner, and Financial Accountant. She currently serves as the Statistical Coordinator in the Supervision division. Additionally, she assists the Federal Reserve Bank of New York with regulatory reporting examinations. Her volunteer experience includes the role of Chairperson of the Finance Committee for St. Robert Bellarmine Church in St. Charles, MO, from 2006 to 2014. Part of her duties included meeting with the school board to review the financial statements and providing advice and suggestions to ensure efficiency and viability of the school.
Daniel Lendman
Dr. Lendman is a graduate of the Ph.D. Program in Theology at Ave Maria University, where he currently is a member of the theology faculty and is the Dean of Students. He also holds a Licentiate in Sacred Theology from the International Theological Institute and an MA in Philosophy from the Dominican School of Philosophy and Theology. He received his undergraduate degree from Thomas Aquinas College. He has 14 years of teaching experience in middle school, high school, and university settings. A resident of Ave Maria since 2016, Dr. Lendman is married to Veronica and they are expecting their 8th child. They have been active members of the parish, teaching and working at Donahue Academy, as well as serving as a mentor couple for the Parish’s Marriage Preparation Ministry. Dr. Lendman has also served on the parish’s Community and Culture Series Committee. Deeply invested in the community, Dr. Lendman is excited to help bring Chesterton Academy to the Ave Maria community to serve the growing needs of our growing community.
Jose Ignacio “Joch” Luzarraga
Joch has been a resident of Ave Maria since 2017. He and his wife, Brigid, have four adult or almost-adult children. Joch graduated from Georgetown University, where he majored in English and Philosophy. Following his undergraduate studies, he worked as an actor with the Shakespeare Theatre at the Folger and later taught English and Drama at The Loomis Chaffee School for three years. He subsequently earned his law degree from Columbia Law School. He also holds a Master of Education degree in Counseling Psychology from Seton Hall University. For more than twenty years, Joch has practiced law in a variety of roles. In addition to his legal career, he has remained active in education and the arts, directing several high school Shakespeare productions in Ave Maria. Joch brings to the Board a combination of legal, educational, and corporate leadership experience, together with a longstanding commitment to the intellectual, moral, and cultural formation of young people.
David Schroeder
Dave arrived in Ave Maria in 2023 from Paraguay, where he has a business in organic sugar and botanical-based liquors. He brings experience in urban planning and business. He spent many years as a development administrator for the city of Ft. Worth, Texas. He and his wife, Mariana, have four children and look forward to having their three youngest attend Chesterton Academy of Ave Maria. He is excited to help establish the school.
Rose Trabbic
Rose works as a publicist for Ignatius Press. She and her husband, Joe, who is an associate professor of philosophy at Ave Maria University, have lived in Ave Maria since its earliest days. Both Rose and Joe are part of the Chesterton Academy of Ave Maria core team, and Rose serves on the Board, bringing her experience in social media management and marketing to this endeavor. Rose and Joe have five children and are blessed to be working to bring the joyful, parent-led Chesterton Academy model to Ave Maria.
Core Team
The Chesterton Academy of Ave Maria Core Team is made up of parents and community members who bring a variety of skills and experience in education, business administration, sales, fundraising, and marketing—and a passion for classical education in the Catholic tradition—to the project of establishing Chesterton Academy of Ave Maria. They welcome others to join them in serving Ave Maria’s many Catholic families and meeting the growing need for Catholic education in Ave Maria.