Mrs. Arthers joined the LA faculty team in 2010. She earned a BA in elementary education from the University of Southern Maine with a minor in music and has spent more than 20 years in the classroom. Most recently she taught physical education at RSU 20/Belfast Area High School in Belfast, Maine. Previously she spent 14 years teaching at the elementary school level. In her spare time she enjoys playing golf, running (she ran a 1/2 marathon in San Francisco in 2009!), fishing, and spending time with family and friends. She and her husband, Butch, LA’s Associate Headmaster, make their home in the Pottle House on the campus of Lee Academy.
Mr. Bennett, wife Rachel, and their four children (Anna, Laura, Clara and Caleb) moved to Lee in early summer of 2014 from Keene, NH. He began his teaching at Lee Academy as a long-term substitute in Advanced Placement Psychology, a topic for which he has had counselor training and experience and a lifelong interest. Mr. Bennett currently teaches AP Psychology, Psychology, Sociology, and Geometry. In addition, he serves as dorm parent and JV girl’s basketball coach. In his spare time, Mr. Bennett loves spending time with his family, reading, hunting, fishing, riding his dualsport motorcycle, and coaching. In the last 8 years he has coached high school football, softball and girls basketball. He is an ordained minister with the Christian and Missionary Alliance, a graduate of the Church Leadership Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado and he is finishing his Bachelor’s Degree at Crown College. He has been serving in church leadership and working with teens and college students since
Mr. Beverly graduated from Belfast Area High School, and he has degrees in Secondary Education: Social Studies, and Biblical Studies from Cairn University, near Philadelphia, PA. He is currently at work on a Masters in English: Literary and Cultural Studies, from LaSalle University. He is entering his second year teaching at Lee Academy and has prior experience as a youth pastor and tutor. Mr. Beverly’s interests include Ultimate Frisbee, basketball, watching the New England Patriots, outdoor recreation of all kinds, board games, music, history and literature. He especially enjoys experiencing new things and learning from new opportunities. He lives in Weymouth Dormitory, with his wife, Bethany.
Debra Burleigh is from Philadelphia, PA and received her BS in Education from Temple University. Life took her in another direction, and she worked for over 20 years in the rail/transit consulting field. She worked on several major projects in Philadelphia and New York City and was very fortunate to have worked with professionals from 16 countries. She moved to Springfield, ME with her Mainer husband in 2011, and has a dog, two cats, four goats and 13 ducks. Among her interests and joys are her animals, hiking, snowshoeing, reading, music, learning new things and experiencing the stories, foods, music and art of other cultures. She also really loves working with the Special Olympics and has volunteered with them at UMaine. She has a son in Philadelphia who is an industrial designer and a daughter in Charlottesville, VA, who is a court reporter, and she is very proud of them.
Photo and bio coming soon!
Dr. Genet Duke teaches AP Chemistry and chemistry, and is a dorm parent. Her three grown children reside in Phoenix, Chicago and New York City, all working in the film and music industries. Prior to coming to Lee Academy, she taught for nine years at the university level. In addition, she has spent much of her earlier working life with careers in laboratory research and in industry as a geologist/geochemist – except while raising her children, when she often taught part-time, at the elementary, middle school, and community college levels. Ms. Duke holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Earth Science and a Master’s of Science in Geology, both from Dartmouth College. She received her Ph.D in Geology and Geological Engineering from the South Dakota School of Mines & Technology. Her interests include Alpine and Nordic skiing, bicycling, hiking, tennis, sailing, Zumba, kickboxing and piano. She enjoys travel, exploring new places, and foreign languages and cultures. In addition to her teaching hereat LA, she is assistant ski coach, tennis coach, and she leads an after-school walking and hiking activity.
Mr. Flynn lives in Lincoln, with wife Peg and children Gary, Jesse, Megan and Patrick. He received his undergraduate degree in English and History from Worcester State College in Massachusetts. He also earned his Master’s in Special Education at the University of Maine. Mr. Flynn is also a part-time Behavior Specialist with Children with Retardation. He teaches courses in math and English, and enjoys history, politics and golf in his spare time.
Mr. Gibbs begins his first year teaching choral and instrumental music and music theory here at LA. His recent teaching experience was at Houlton High School in Maine. Mr. Gibbs’ background and training includes a Bachelor of Arts degree from Mansfield University and continued course work at the University of Maine – Presque Isle. He is married to Chelsea Gibbs, who teaches music in the Houlton schools. Mr. Gibbs offers individual music instruction to students after school, is the music director for the Lee Academy fall musical, and he is a dorm parent.
Madame Kelly lives in Lincoln, Maine with her husband Paul. She has one son, Paul, and two daughters, Erin and Meghan. She has taught at Lee Academy for more than 20 years. She received her Bachelor of Education from the University of Moncton in New Brunswick, Canada. Early in her career she worked for a private elementary school in Portland where she developed and implemented a French language program. Here at LA, she teaches 4 levels of French, ESL and a Survey of Language and Culture class. She is advisor to the French club and she manages the school store which raises money to fund trips to Quebec. In her spare time Madame Kelly enjoys skiing, swimming and kayaking.
Mr. Kennedy lives in Springfield with wife Beth and children Emily, Katie ‘10 (who is now entering her second year of college in Pennsylvania), and Zachary. He is in his 23rd year at LA, teaching Industrial Technology, Architectural Drawing, and New Media design. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Education from California University of Pennsylvania. In the summers, he does roofing and construction work, throughout the area, with fellow teacher Todd Thurlow.
Jeff Koch began his high school teaching career soon after graduating from Colby College (1989) with a BA in English. He taught English in Yamanashi, Japan for two years, then for four years in Massachusetts at Lawrence Academy and Williston Northampton School. He earned his M.Ed from the University of Massachusetts – Amherst, in 1996. After two years of teaching at the American Community School in Surrey, England, he returned home to thruhike the Appalachian Trail, after which he moved to Maine to become a member of the English Department at Thornton Academy, in Saco. From 2001 to 2012 he was boys’ varsity lacrosse associate and head coach, as well as director of the ski club. In 2009 – ’10 he was granted a leave of absence to attend the Shakespeare Institute in StratfordUponAvon, England, where he earned the equivalent of a Master’s degree in Shakespeare Studies. Mr. Koch teaches AP Literature and Composition and American Literature at Lee Academy, and he lives in Weymouth Hall.He is an avid traveler, hiker, skier and musician.
Mrs. Linscott lives in Lakeville, Maine with her husband, Sterling ’84, and their son Ethan and daughter Elena. She began teaching in 1998 in Rhode Island, then at schools in eastern interior Maine. Her career began at Lee Academy in 2003. Mrs. Linscott holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Hydrology from the University of New Hampshire and a Master’s Degree in Science Education from the University of Maine. She is also a graduate of the Teacher Certification Program at Providence College. She worked as an environmental scientist before pursuing a career in education. Mrs. Linscott is the advisor for LA’s Envirothon team, and advisor for the National Honor Society, Student Council, and for our Community Service Club. She enjoys gardening, hiking, snowshoeing, kayaking, and activities with her family. In the winter of 2015, Mrs. Linscott led the first group of local LA students to ever visit mainland China; the program was an exchange with students from Lishui, centered around environmentaltopics.
Candace has worked at Lee Academy since 2004, after returning home to Maine with her husband and daughter, from many years in the western United States. They live in a nearly 200-year-old farmhouse, along with dogs, cats – and assorted wild animals; deer, moose, fox, beaver and turkey are frequent visitors to the property. Candace received her Bachelor’s in English/Speech and Communication, with a minor in Theater Arts, from Boise State University in Idaho. She has worked with various regional and community theater companies in both Idaho and Maine, serving as director, set designer, producer and actor. She is currently the fulltime theater arts teacher at LA, where she also directs the yearly fall musical. Past musicals have included: Grease, Footloose, Peter Pan, Little Shop of Horrors, Beauty and the Beast, Into the Woods, and The Wizard of Oz. Her theater arts students also participate in the Maine Drama Festival and the yearly OneAct Play competition hosted by the Maine
Mrs. Rideout has taught at Lee Academy for 12 years. She lives in Winn with her husband Derek ’89, and children Austin (who attends Lee Academy) and Lynzi (who attends Mt. Jefferson Jr. High). She received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Art Education from the University of Maine in 2000. She is finishing a Master’s in Counselor Education there, and will graduate in May 2013. She teaches courses in Art II, Pre-AP Studio Art, Digital Photography, AP Studio Art (which includes Drawing & Studio Art as well as 2-D Design). She enjoys walking, camping, drawing, painting, reading, writing and digital photography. She recently became a trained Soul Collage® Facilitator and offers workshops to the community. Emily works as a college counselor in the Student Services Center after school, which provides services to students as they plan for college. She also organizes the Annual Lee Academy Craft Fair held each fall and is instrumental in orchestrating the highly successful Spring ArtsGala. New this year is the addition of the “All 4 the Arts” Club, which she will be spearheading.
Mrs. Ritchie received her Bachelor of Arts in English and a Master’s in Counseling from the University of Maine. In 2008, she retired from Lee Academy after 27 years as Guidance Director. She developed the first comprehensive guidance program at LA, as she coordinated college and personal counseling, and career planning and testing. Mrs. Ritchie also founded Lee Academy’s Civil Rights team, which was one of the first such teams in Maine. She and her Civil Rights students spoke to student-faculty groups in Maine high schools, at conferences throughout Maine, and in Boston and Washington, DC. Mrs. Ritchie was also the coordinator and leader, in the 1990s, of a comprehensive Native American Studies program here at LA which was, at the time, the only such program in New England. The program included courses in Native Literature, Environmental Science, and ongoing seminars in learning the Passamaquoddy language, beading, drumming and drum-making, and other traditional native skills.Mrs. Ritchie was a 10-year member of the Admission’s Advisory Council at the University of Maine. In 2002, she was named the NEACAC Counselor of the Year for the State of Maine, for her work with young people in the college exploration and admissions processes. She is now a College Counselor for international students, as well as a teacher of English Language Learners. A passionate basketball fan, she also enjoys listening to and playing music, traveling, hiking and kayaking, and time spent with family, friends and former students. She is a member of the Springfield Congregational Church, UCC. Mrs. Ritchie is an alum of Lee Academy and lives in Lee with her husband, Kevin. Son Aaron ’92, daughter-in-law Theresa, and grandchildren Matty, Aidan, Elijah and Finnegan also live nearby. The Ritchie’s daughter, Aarika ’08, lives in Boston.
Mr. Sanborn taught Algebra I and II at a private school in Connecticut for three years, prior to coming to LA to teach mathematics and be a dorm parent. He also taught at a private charter school near Boston for four years. Before beginning his teaching career, he worked for the Massachusetts Audobon Society, caring for nonreleasable wildlife used for educational purposes. Mr. Sanborn holds a degree in Theater and Dance from Colby College in Waterville, Maine. He also has black belts in Tae Kwon Do and Swordmaster Martial Arts (Kenpo based, but diversified). A musician, as well, he plays the flute, piccolo, cornet, trumpet, and the soprano and tenor saxophones. Additional interests include the Society for Creative Anachronism (SCA), where he role-plays as a Viking – and he recently began playing WarMachine/Hordes, a tabletop, miniature game.
Mrs. Sawyer lives in Springfield, Maine with her husband, Stephen, who retired from Lee Academy in 1996 after 34 years of service as an administrator and teacher of English. The Sawyers have two children: daughter Kimberly ’95 is Director of Admissions at North Shore Community College in DanversLynn, Massachusetts, and son Stephen ’96 is a manager at Woodco Machinery in Woburn, Massachusetts. They also have two cats, Bonnie and Netty. Mrs. Sawyer received her Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Maine at Machias in 1972 and she began teaching at Lee Academy shortly thereafter. She has taught business, computer applications, English, and social studies courses, and now teaches special education. Mrs. Sawyer is a sports enthusiast. She especially enjoys basketball, soccer, and baseball and is a Red Sox, Patriots, and Celtics fan. She treasures time spent with family.
Mr. Thurlow lives in East Winn with his wife Sandra ’84, and their son Nathanael. They also have three grown children, Melissa ’05, Kimberly ’08 and Josiah ’11. He graduated from Lee Academy in 1984 and has taught here for 22 years. He received his Bachelor of Arts in Education, with a concentration in Secondary Social Studies and a minor in English, from the University of Maine. In addition to teaching World Cultures, United States History and AP United States History, he coaches boys and girls cross country, the latter winning a State Championship in 2004, as well as Regional Championships in 2004, 2005 and 2010. He coaches the Junior varsity boys basketball team and assisted on the 2011 State Champion varsity team. During the summer months, he partners with fellow teacher Steve Kennedy in a small construction business that often does work at Lee Academy, as well as elsewhere in the region. He is an Elder for the Lincoln Christian Fellowship, and enjoys being the
Mrs. Aldrich has been employed at Lee Academy for 23 years. She is a cook in the dining hall and works with the maintenance staff in the summers. She graduated from Lee Academy in 1980 and is married to Duane Aldrich and has lived in Lee all of her life.
Hired to do development work for the coming year, Mrs. Beverly has a B. S. from Cairn University and a Masters (M. S.) in Education from Cairn. She is nearing completion of her M. S. in Counseling as well. Her experience in education includes five years directing educational summer camps in Germany, as well as two years as a Resident Director at her university and work as an apprentice counselor. She brings those experiences and skills to her other job here as dorm parent. In her spare time, Mrs. Beverly enjoys traveling, hiking, reading, visiting coffee shops, and music. She is originally from southern New Jersey and currently resides in Weymouth Hall with her husband, Ben, who teaches social studies here at LA.
Coming soon!
Paula DeKeyser ’80, or “Miss Paula” as students often call her, lives in Lee with husband, Jerry. She has worked at LA for 19 years, the last 14 as receptionist. Her son T.J. ’06, has a degree in Computer Information Systems from Husson University, and is employed at Eastern Maine Healthcare. He is married to Noelle, and they live in Levant with son, Elliot Thomas, born June of 2015. Paula’s daughter, Kayla ’09, who was trained as a professional photographer at the Hallmark Institute of Photography, lives in Indiana with boyfriend, Dustin and his daughters Bre and Emma. Kayla works as a CNA for Home HealthCare. Paula has two stepdaughters, Haley ’15 and Hannah. Haley attends the University of Maine, Augusta, majoring in Veterinary Technology. Hannah, an 11th grader, resides in Wisconsin, and visits her Maine family at Christmas and during summers. Paula enjoys keeping the score book at LA home basketball games, as well as traveling, photography, and fishing and enjoying time at thefamily camp on Eskutassis Lake.
Ms. Fang has recently joined our staff and is serving as the medical attendant for Lee Academy’s student population. She works closely with the students to address their health needs and is instrumental in helping them acclimate to life away from home. She also collaborates with the dining lodge staff to prepare authentic Chinese meals, which have been well received by the entire student body. Lili, as she is known around campus, is a 1981 graduate of the Ben Xi Medical School, and received her Master’s in 1983 when she graduated from East North Medical Science Center in Shen Yang. She was a practicing Ear, Nose and Throat doctor at hospitals in Ben Xi and Qin Huang Dao for more than twenty years. She has been living in the United States for nine years, and calls Dallas, Texas her home. She has traveled extensively, including seeing the United States in her forty foot motor home, and has a 29 year old son named Tai Ma. She loves her five dogs and enjoys travel, music, golf,cooking and gardening.
Mrs. Houghton has worked at Lee Academy for more than 20 years. In that time, she has served in several capacities, including managing the school’s finances as the current Business Manager. She graduated from Husson University in 1985 with an Associate’s Degree in Office Science and Administration. She has two grown children, Everett ’06, who is a 2012 graduate of the University of Southern Maine, and Dana ’08, who will graduate from the University of Maine Machias in 2013. She is an avid Zumba and boot camp enthusiast, and also enjoys walking and jogging. She is known as a fierce Panda fan whose children were members of State and Eastern Maine Championship teams in baseball, basketball and softball.
Mrs. Irish is in her 12th year as a member of the Lee Academy staff. She and her husband, Rick, make their home in Topsfield where she enjoys fly fishing, hiking, hunting, cooking, knitting and horseback riding. She has attended Husson University and the Maine Forest Ranger Academy, and received her ESL Certification from the University of Maine. As a College Counselor she helps student navigate the college application process and specializes in helping families with their FAFSA.
Mr. Knowles is a 1992 graduate of Lee Academy. He is a registered nurse and oversees Lee Academy’s medical department. He is also a licenses paramedic and holds degrees in nursing, fire science and paramedicine. He has been an assistant coach for both baseball and girls soccer. He is the chief of the local volunteer fire and rescue department for the Town of Lee. He and his wife Theresa, make their home in Lee and are the busy parents of four boys: Matthew 11, Aiden, 9, Elijah, 7 and Finnegan, 5.
Mr. Sawtelle is the Director of Maintenance at Lee Academy. Under his guidance and expertise, the campus has undergone considerable improvements, and he oversees the upkeep of more than fourteen campus buildings, along with serving as the liaison for MSAD #30 and their maintenance needs. Bub is married to Lorraine ‘92, and they have two children, Dustin ’12 (a member of the 2011 State Championship basketball team) and Kaylee ’16. Bub himself was an accomplished athlete while at Lee Academy, graduating in 1989 and was a McDonald’s All-Star basketball player his senior year, as well as being selected as an All-State baseball player. Prior to working at LA, he received a degree in Electrical Power from Northern Maine Technical College, and he worked locally for several years with Larry Ham Construction and then did industrial work with the Lincoln Pulp & Paper Company.
Krystal Schultz has worked with the Lee Academy dining services, as chef-manager and cook, since 2007. Trained at the Connecticut Culinary Institute, her specialty at LA is desserts (which makes her skills quite popular!). Ms. Schultz previously worked at her father’s store in Springfield, the town in which she currently resides.
Carol Worster begins her 8th year at Lee Academy as a special education technician supporting student learning. She attended Lee Academy and has worked in the local school system for 17 years. She resides in Lee with her husband Gerry; they have four grown children, all of whom graduated from Lee Academy. She enjoys fishing, riding motorcycles and is excited to be a new grandmother. In her spare time, she is a consultant for Pampered Chef.
Shelley Wyman is the Administrative Assistant for the Guidance and Special Services Department. She is married to Christopher, and they have two children: Elizabeth, age 11 and Owen, age 8. Prior to coming to Lee Academy, she worked as a commercial lines insurance agent, and was a dental assistant and receptionist. A graduate of Schenck High School, she maintains her State of Maine Insurance License, and is a member of the Lincoln Recreation Committee. Her hobbies and interests include basketball, softball, soccer, walking and running, camping and photography.