Who We Are

Michelle Seward is a rural Rochester-area native and grew up as a third-generation participant of Bergen Evangelical Presbyterian Church. She continues to live on the same childhood farmland and works with her husband to raise their children to be filled with love for God and His creation.

Mrs. Seward received her Bachelor of Science in Adolescence Education for English and went on to pursue her Masters in Library and Information Science. Mrs. Seward’s classroom experiences are diverse and include teaching Bible studies, swimming lessons, and homeschooling. She enjoys sharing her passions of reading and learning with others.

Her biggest educational belief is that “every day is a learning day,” and her goal is to work with students to help them develop a greater appreciation for how literature can enrich their lives beyond the classroom, especially from a Biblical point of view.

Linnea Landin Burr is a wife and mother, and holds degrees from Houghton College in Choral Conducting (MM) and Instrumental Music Education and Piano (BMus). Prior to teaching at RCA, she taught 7-12 Choral Music in Bemus Point, NY. Mrs. Burr also served several summers as a teacher for Warren County Summer Music School in Pennsylvania, in addition to teaching private piano lessons. She has taught students from elementary through high school levels in Music Theory, Sight Reading and Solfege, Conducting, Choir, Music History, and Piano. Music ministry is close to her heart; she has passionately led the music teams for Community Bible Study in Rochester for five years. Her favorite pastimes include reading, painting, and knitting. Mrs. Burr is a member at Grace Road Church and volunteers in the children’s ministry.

Pre-K/K teacher Brandi Churnetski enjoys working with this age group because of their constant “ah-ha!” moments, energy, curiosity, and transparency. After receiving her degree in Bible and Communications with an Elementary Education minor, she went on to teach for over 15 years in various PreK and elementary level classrooms, several of which were in classical settings. She believes that every child is a gift and teaching all subjects to the glory of God is what drives the best education.

“Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in the joints and very shabby. But these things don’t matter at all, because once you are Real you can’t be ugly, except to people who don’t understand.” – The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams

“Education without values, as useful as it is, seems rather to make man a more clever devil. The task of the modern educator is not to cut down jungles, but to irrigate deserts.” – C.S Lewis

Abbey Gebel is a Buffalo native, who graduated from SUNY Geneseo with a Bachelor of Science in Elementary and Special Education, Bachelor of Music in Violin Performance, and a Master of Science in Reading. After spending the first fourteen years of her career as a private school reading specialist, she left the classroom to homeschool her five children. Now, after four years of teaching everything from Nursery School to Seventh Grade and, by the Lord’s providence, growing to love Classical Education, she is returning to her classroom roots while continuing to homeschool her three eldest children.

Mrs. Gebel rejoices over “A-ha!” moments, is a steadfast advocate for her students, teaches children to understand and be confident in themselves as learners, and embraces creative problem-solving. She integrates learning across the curriculum whenever possible and is not likely to pass up a teachable moment.

Mrs. Gebel is a musician, artist, collector of hobbies, and follower of Christ. Recognizing that all things work together for our good and God’s glory, she is delighted to open this chapter of God’s story at RCA.

Elizabeth Painter received her Bachelor of Science and Master of Science from Nazareth College of Rochester, NY. She taught middle school and high school art in Churchville, NY for ten years, before leaving her position to move to California.

A former military spouse, Ms. Painter has lived in San Diego, Hawaii, and Tennessee. She had the privilege of staying home for ten years to raise her three children Molly, Truman, and Virginia. After moving back to NY, she taught at Greece Arcadia High School for three years before joining the faculty at Rochester Classical Academy.

Raised by parents who are artists and musicians and have a deep love for the Lord, Ms. Painter had a rich upbringing with a strong knowledge and foundation in Christ. She imparts this love and reverence not only to her own children, but to her students as well. Ms. Painter is privileged to use her knowledge, training, and gifts to teach music and fine art, as well as Kindergarten at RCA.

At age 21, Mrs. Ruth invited Christ into her life and proclaimed Him as her Lord and Savior. A little more than a year later, she met Andrew, the man who would become her husband, while he was on leave from the Navy. They married in 2005 and have three children.

Mrs. Ruth has a Bachelor of Arts in English and an Master of Science in Literacy Education. She has taught children ages birth through eighteen in public school, private school, homeschool, and daycare settings. Her background includes classical training in piano and voice and has dabbled in basic guitar. She has studied French and Latin and practiced the arts of dance and martial arts. Her absolute favorite pastime is reading, reading, reading. Greek mythology has been of particular delight since age sixteen. She plans to teach herself logic and drawing and continue her way through the Great Books of our culture. She adores anything and everything by C.S. Lewis; she has thoroughly enjoyed studying his books on the Medieval era. Literature and history are by far her favorite subjects!

“The devil is fighting with God and the battlefield is the human heart.” Fyodor Dostoevsky, The Brothers Karamazov

Laura Truesdell is a local educator who has been teaching upper elementary students since 2005. Laura is a Rochester native and received her master’s degree as a Literacy Specialist from Nazareth College. When she is not helping students reach their potential in the classroom, she enjoys gardening and traveling with her family. She and her husband, Eric, have three boys attending RCA in Voyagers, Class Two, and Class Four.