Staff

Diane Spear – Founder and Head of School

Diane grew up in Houston, Texas, and graduated from Baylor University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science and Slavic Studies. She worked as a legislative assistant and then attended Baylor School of Law. She came to Kinston to work in the Perry Law Office. While there she met and married Kinston native, Gram Spear, with whom she has been blessed to raise 4 children over the past 25 years. Gram and Diane were founding members of Grace Fellowship Church and continue to be active in serving their church and their beloved Kinston to elevate the welfare of this community. Diane developed a passion for Christ-centered classical education and brought Classical Conversations to eastern North Carolina. In addition to homeschooling her own children classically, Diane taught Latin and Bible at Christ Covenant School of Winterville, NC, and loves working with students and parents in Christian community to help children realize their remarkable potential as image-bearers of God.

Sara Golden – Integrator

Sara has served as a preschool teacher for eight years and has been teaching classically for four years.  She has her bachelor’s degree in Secondary Education with concentrations in English and Counseling.  Sara is married and has four children, two of whom were adopted through foster care.  She and her husband are licensed foster parents, and they are very passionate about reaching across socioeconomic lines to reach the under-served in their community of Kinston. While she is not a Kinston native, she has called Kinston home since 2010 and has worked in Kinston since 2005. Sara also serves as a member of our board.

Meagan Kurtz – Admissions Director/Donor Care

Andrew Worthington – Physical Education Teacher, Coach, Facility Manager

Sue Ellen Maddux – Finance Director

Joy Perez – Kindergarten Teacher

Joy Perez was born in Kinston and moved all over Eastern North Carolina with her large family of seven. Her heart for children began at an early age, and as she began searching for God’s calling on her life, she traveled on three mission trips to serve in a Honduran orphanage. It wasn’t until she started a family of her own that Joy found her calling to teach! She served her local Classical Conversations homeschool community for nine years in various capacities. Joy is now pursuing a different avenue of education, as God has directed her to serve at Hope Preparatory School. She and her husband of 17 years, Jose, serve faithfully in their local church, Immanuel Baptist, leading worship, opening their homes for small group Bible studies, and being available to serve as the Father leads. In her spare time, Joy enjoys beach days with her two girls, playing with her dog Peanut, cooking, and hanging out with her friends and family.

Arglistra Hinds – Kindergarten Teacher

Crystal Kennedy – 

Erica Monroe – 

Erica Monroe is an compassionate First Grade Teacher at Hope Preparatory School. She devotes herself to help students acquire knowledge, competences or values. Mrs Monroe is currently a student at Liberty University earning my degree in Education. As a loving wife and mother, being a instructor brings so much joy.As a former teacher Assistant, I’m drawn to the growth and development for each individual student. Erica is passionate about her relationship with Jesus Christ, family and singing.

Elizabeth Mayo – 

Lashawn Robertson – 

James Stainback – Third and Fourth Grade Language Arts Teacher

Breanna Hathaway –

Breanna Hathaway grew up in Beaufort County but moved to Greene County five years ago. For the past three years, I have worked as a Behavioral Therapist for children with special needs. During that time, my heart grew for God’s children and the unique way He designed each of them, with their own qualities and characteristics. My passion is helping children learn and grow according to their God-given design. In my spare time, I enjoy spending time with my Labrador retriever, friends, and family, appreciating the simplicities of life.

Callie Thorpe –

Lydia Neeley –

Debbie Golden – Middle School Teacher

Debbie has a Doctorate of Ministry in Christian Counseling and she is a Licensed Clinical Pastoral Counselor. She is a Prayer Team Member at Open Door Church in Winterville and a member of the Christian Motorcycle Association. She is married to Dr. Jerry Golden and they have three grown sons and 9 grandchildren.

Dominic Lipari – Third and Fourth Grade Math and Science Teacher

Jacob Valliere – Fifth, Sixth and Seventh Grade Language Arts Teacher

Kelly Taylor – Third Grade Teacher

Kelly Taylor, a native of Eastern North Carolina, has degrees in psychology and religion from North Carolina Wesleyan College. Kelly is currently in the trenches of graduate school at Belmont Abbey College. She homeschools her three kids (17, 14, 14) with Classical Conversations and is well-researched in classical pedagogy. She spent ten years as children’s ministry director at Grace Fellowship Church. Kelly loves to empower students to enjoy learning about God through the study of His creation.

Debbie Johnson – First Grade Assistant

Debbie is originally from Chicago, IL, but she has lived in Kinston for over 40 years with her husband Stuart and their four daughters. She is retired from her Nurse Practitioner position, serving our community for 25 years. Last year, she served as a substitute teacher with Lenoir County Public Schools, where a love for teaching blossomed. In her spare time, she loves to spend time with family, serve her church, and lead and mentor a middle and high school choir. She has a passion for our youth to learn, to grow, and to serve our Lord Jesus Christ.

Ellen Tilghman – Instructional Coach

Ellen Tilghman is a native of Johnston County, NC. She was a North Carolina Teaching Fellow and holds both a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Elementary Education, as well as an add-on license in Gifted and Talented Education (K–12). She served in Greene County Public Schools for 12 years before following a call to serve closer to home.

Ellen is the proud wife of Justin Tilghman and the mother of two precious boys. Together, she and her husband also serve on staff at Grace Fellowship Church in Kinston. She has a deep passion for helping children grow in Christ and for guiding them to thrive through effective, engaging instruction in the classroom.

Lizzie Peterson – Director of Student Life and Behavior Interventionist

Joi Lemon – Kindergarten Assistant

Additional Staff and Faculty

Jeannette King – Tutor

Rachel Maw – Music

Rachel grew up in Northern Virginia before moving to Greenville to attend East Carolina University. She met her husband Chris through a campus ministry, and they married in 2013. Rachel received a Bachelor of Music in K-12 Music Education from ECU, and taught music for several years in Pitt County before having her first child. She then began teaching music at Hope Prep in its launch year, and has been blessed by the staff, students, and parents since the very beginning. Rachel is passionate about teaching students about the truth, goodness, and beauty of God through the gift of music. Rachel and Chris have three precious children and are active members of Integrity Church in Winterville.

Carrie Hines – PE & Leadership

Debbie Jones – Gardening/Horticulture