Administration

Arnold Holtberg serves as the Interim Head of Middle School and Chair of the Advisory Council to The Compass School of Texas. Arnie has served as the Headmaster, Dean of Students and as teacher of Social Studies in numerous U.S. private and public schools, as well as the principal of the Hong Kong International School where approximately 40 nations were represented at all times. He served as Head of School of St. Mark’s School of Texas from 1993-2014, making him the longest-tenured head in the school’s history. During his time at St. Mark’s, Arnie led two multi-million-dollar fundraising campaigns geared towards campus improvement, resource endowment for financial aid, and faculty support. Hailing from Chelmsford, Massachusetts, Arnie is a graduate of Princeton University and holds his Master of Arts in Religion degree in Pastoral Care, Counseling, and Theology from Lutheran Theological Seminary in Philadelphia.  

Arnie Holtberg's experiences on the Board of Directors of many non-profit organizations and private schools, as well as being a regional panelist for the President’s Commission on White House Fellowships has informed his leadership strategies and skills to improve education systems. Arnie has always placed an emphasis on instruction in ethics, aesthetics, and character development — what he calls “the whole person.” 

Looking ahead, he aims to “inspire our youth to lead us to higher moral ground and create an environment where all people experience unconditional respect.” He recently published his first novel, “Game On!: One Boy’s Odyssey,” which explores the challenges of a young boy navigating middle school and imparts valuable lessons to today’s youth. His second novel, "The Pathfinder": Second Down and Life to Go" is meant to inspire the next generation of leaders to commit to finding their moral compass and to lead with integrity.

Will Forteith joins The Compass School of Texas as the Assistant Head of Middle School and 5th Grade English and history teacher. Born and raised in Dallas, Will graduated from St. Mark’s School of Texas before attending Cornell University, where he double majored in English and History, while rowing for the Men’s Lightweight Rowing team. He also holds a Master of Arts in English from Middlebury College and a Master of Education in private school leadership from Teachers College at Columbia University. With over twenty-five years in education, Will has served in numerous teaching, coaching, and administrative roles across multiple divisions. 

His career began at Choate Rosemary Hall, a boarding school in Connecticut, as a high school English teacher, rowing coach, and dorm parent. During his first return to Dallas, he re-joined St. Mark’s as a faculty member in 2003, where he taught Middle School humanities, coached seventh grade football, led the varsity rowing program, and served as the Assistant Head of Middle School. He went on to be the Middle School Principal at the Walker School in Atlanta before returning to the boarding school world at Blair Academy in New Jersey. He made his second and final return to Dallas, teaching Middle School English and coaching rowing at Hockaday, leading the team to its first ever national championship title. He then served as the Dean of Students at Alcuin School, working with students in all six divisions. Outside of school, Will supports his daughter as a swim parent and the caretaker of her hamster. He enjoys spending time with his wife and their Australian shepherd, and he coaches rowing every summer in Vermont. 

Mercedes Macedo serves as the Spanish educator and the Pedagogista for all of the Compass School of Texas. Mercedes has taught children for nearly twenty-five years. Most recently, she taught preschoolers at Temple Emanu-El ECEC in Dallas for five years and guided many teachers as the Pedagogista for the last two years. Prior to teaching in Dallas, Mercedes taught in early childhood education preschools in Austin, Berkeley (CA), and Alexandria (VA). In addition, Mercedes has presented the Reggio Emilia approach to the Education department in her home country, Peru. Mercedes holds a Bachelor's degree in Education from St. Agustin University in Arequipa, Peru.

Mercedes is committed and passionate about inquiry-based, emergent curriculum, and the Reggio Emilia approach. In her words, "These approaches promote and support an education where every child is the main character on 'stage' and having an essential role in their learning." As the Compass School of Texas Pedagogista, Mercedes assists with professional development and provides ongoing support around documenting projects and the learning process. Mercedes is excited to share her love for her native language and to bring the culture of other Spanish-speaking countries alive for her students.

Mercedes enjoys collecting materials outside school to spark children's wonder and inquiry. When Mercedes is home, you will find her snuggling her little dog Mocha Marie, enjoying good music, and cooking. Mercedes is married and, with her husband Eric, loves traveling and attending concerts.

Jason Sibley grew up in the Dallas area and graduated from the University of Texas, earning a Bachelor of Business Administration degree. He was hired by the Dallas Police Department months after college and graduated from the police academy in 1994.

Jason spent the first several years of his career assigned to the Northeast Patrol Division. In 2006 he was selected for a position within the division’s Interactive Community Policing unit. While assigned to this unit, he was proactive in learning all of the unit’s responsibilities, becoming the volunteer coordinator and instructor for multiple community programs.

In July 2008, Jason transferred to the Financial Investigations Unit, where was responsible for investigating offenses such as forgery, credit card abuse and other types of identity theft-related crimes. In 2014, he primarily became responsible for investigating embezzlement offenses.

In November 2016, Jason transferred to the Criminal Intelligence Unit, Dignitary Protection Squad. In this role, he was responsible for collaborating with local, county, state and federal agencies to ensure the safety and protection of local, visiting and foreign dignitaries. In addition, Jason served as a liaison between the police department and activist groups and worked on the Mayor’s Protection Detail.

Jason has been married to his college sweetheart for 31 years. They have two adult children, who live in Austin.

Leigh Wainer serves as the Director of Administration & Enrollment for The Compass School of Texas. Leigh’s journey in education began at a higher education fashion college in South Africa, where her passion for nurturing learning environments was ignited. With an honors degree in Educational Leadership and Management and over 16 years of experience in the field, Leigh’s dedication to continuously enhance, strategize, and optimize systems within education is fundamental to her success in managing and achieving outcomes. Throughout her career, she was deeply committed to empowering students, educators, and institutions alike, fostering an environment of growth, innovation, and excellence. 

In 2021, Leigh embarked on a new chapter in her life, relocating to Dallas with her husband. While her three children continue their studies in South Africa, they will soon join Leigh and her husband in Dallas, marking the beginning of an exciting new chapter for their family. As she looks ahead to the future, she remains deeply committed to leveraging her skills, experience, and passion to drive positive change in the field of education.
 

Suzanne serves as the Director of Academics & Instruction, and brings two decades of rich leadership, instructional, and curriculum expertise to her role. As part of the founding team at The Compass School of Texas, she enthusiastically committed as a teacher and curriculum team member because of her excitement and alignment with the bigger school vision. In prior roles, she served as an Instructional Coach, Curriculum Coordinator, and Teacher at Lucas Christian Academy where she played a key role in designing a comprehensive curriculum map for grades K-6, ensuring alignment with state standards and enhancing school-wide academic achievement outcomes. Suzanne collaborated to seamlessly bridge the elementary and secondary curriculum progression, fostering the implementation of creative instructional strategies through targeted professional development, comprehensive parent and teacher training, and effective curriculum development and implementation.

Beyond the classroom, Suzanne operates independently as an Education Consultant, offering hands-on training for schools, administrators, teachers, and parents. Her commitment is to foster every child's academic, spiritual, social, and emotional success. With a solid foundation in business and leadership, she has successfully owned and operated businesses as a sole proprietor, showcasing her entrepreneurial spirit.

Suzanne is a lifelong learner, always seeking to grow and improve. She is currently undertaking a doctoral degree in Educational Leadership at Liberty University. She previously completed the Pathways to Teaching Post-Baccalaureate Program at Dallas Baptist University, holding certifications to teach PreK-6th grade with an emphasis on the Science of Teaching Reading. She graduated with honors earning a Master of Science in Applied Social Research & Evaluation, a terminal degree shared between the Education and Sociology departments at the University of Denver. She also holds a Bachelor of Arts with a double major in philosophy and sociology, and a criminology concentration.

In her personal life, Suzanne values family time with her husband and three children, spending time outdoors, tending to their mini-farm, traveling, and volunteering at Life Fellowship Church in McKinney.

Mara is excited to expand her role with The Compass School of Texas as the Marketing Coordinator. She previously served the school as a Kindergarten educator, working part-time on their social media and graphic design.  Prior to that, she was an associate teacher at Greenhill School, implementing her classroom’s project-based learning initiatives, transforming her classroom multiple times into a life-size learning environment. Most notably, Mara altered the classroom to become an underwater world where students’ learning about the ocean, coral reefs, and wildlife came alive. She graduated with a Bachelor’s in Sociology from California Baptist University and received a Master in Teaching degree from Pepperdine University. Mara grew up in Thousand Oaks, California and moved to Texas in August of 2021. 

 

Jessica is thrilled to join The Compass School of Texas as the Enrollment & Human Resources Coordinator, bringing a passion for community building and more than a decade of experience in program leadership. Before joining Compass, she spent thirteen years at Parish Episcopal School, most recently serving as the Director of Parish Extend and Summer programs. In her leadership role, Jessica oversaw strategic program development, enrollment growth, staff recruitment and retention, daily operations, vendor partnerships, and community engagement. Throughout her years in auxiliary programming, she developed a collaborative leadership style, strong interpersonal skills, and the ability to adapt quickly to evolving needs while creating meaningful, personalized experiences for students and families.
Jessica earned her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Southern Methodist University. A Dallas native, she enjoys giving back to her community through her involvement with several young professional organizations. Outside of school, she loves cooking, hosting friends and family, and exploring all that Dallas has to offer with her husband.

Jessica spent 7 years at Greenhill School as both a 3rd grade Language Arts/Humanities Teacher and Kindergarten teacher and team lead. She also served at PHPS as the Director of Curriculum and Instruction and Reading Specialist. Additionally, she has served students in a private practice capacity for five years. She also spent 12 years in CFBISD public schools as the Behavior Specialist, social skills instructor, reading interventionist, and as a general education teacher and team lead.

Jessica graduated from the University of Texas at Austin (UT) with a Bachelor of Science degree in Social Work, allowing her to focus on child welfare, early childhood development, and serving children with developmental disabilities. After graduating from UT, Jessica moved to the east coast where she served children as a Licensed Social Worker in state and non-profit child welfare agencies in Manhattan and Queens. Upon returning to Dallas years later, Jessica received her Master of Science degree  in Social Work from The University of Texas at Arlington, with a concentration on Early Childhood Development, so she could serve children with learning differences. Jessica also worked as a Licensed School Social Worker in PreK to 4th grade, a Behavior Interventionist, and Reading Interventionist while acquiring her various teaching credentials and state certifications. Jessica is a CALP (Certified Academic Language Practitioner) specially trained to support students who have language-based learning differences such as Dyslexia and Dysgraphia. 

Jessica Frank is an educator and leader with more than twenty years of experience creating meaningful learning experiences for children, families, and educators. Throughout her career, she has served in leadership roles focused on Reggio Emilia inspired education, program operations, teacher development, and building strong school communities. Jessica is passionate about creating environments where children are seen as capable, learning is driven by curiosity, and educators feel empowered to grow alongside their students.
Jessica holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Special Education and is a licensed Texas Early Childhood Director. She has led accreditation and licensing initiatives, coached educators in reflective teaching practices, and developed systems that strengthen both educational quality and school operations.
Beyond the classroom, Jessica is an active volunteer and community advocate. She serves on the multiple boards and enjoys partnering with local organizations to expand opportunities for children and families. She believes schools have the greatest impact when they are deeply connected to the communities they serve.
 

Amanda spent 15 years teaching English Literature and serving as Curriculum Director at Lucas Christian Academy where she oversaw and created courses and curriculum in the English and Worldview/History Departments. She identified and wrote appropriate learning standards and oversaw curriculum mapping, curriculum resource selections, and the school's curriculum archive.  Amanda graduated from the University of Texas at Dallas with a Bachelor of Science in Literary Studies. After graduating from UTD, Amanda worked as a paraprofessional at Austin Academy for Excellence in Garland ISD. During her years at Lucas Christian Academy, she completed the Pathways to Teaching Post-Baccalaureate Program at Dallas Baptist University, holding the certification to teach 7th-12th English Language Arts and Reading. Amanda is a fifth generation native Texan who grew up in the Dallas suburbs. A wife and mother, she enjoys being with her family and their two Labrador Retrievers, Charley and Bear. 

After earning a bachelor’s degree in Sociology from Southern Methodist University, Quincy worked in many educational settings, tutoring, teaching, and providing childcare. She served as a weekend dorm mom and affiliate for the residence community at her alma mater, The Hockaday School of Dallas. Following that role, she shifted her focus to marketing, assuming the position of Director of Communications at Young Women’s Preparatory Network. From there, she co-founded a consulting firm centered on enriching the learning experience by providing project management for educational spaces, creating non-profit writing materials, and developing strategic plans. During the pandemic, she left the workforce to be a stay-at-home mom and earned a master’s in creative writing and literature from the Harvard Extension School. She is a Texan anglophile, a world-traveler, a single mother of twins, Lego lover, and an amateur cake decorator. 
 

Christi Morrow is a lifelong educator whose commitment to learning, service, and community engagement has shaped both her professional and volunteer endeavors. Born and raised in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, she graduated from Casady School before earning a Bachelor of Arts in History and Art History from Trinity University and a Master of Theological Studies from SMU Perkins School of Theology.
Christi taught history and religion at the Episcopal School of Dallas and St. John’s Episcopal School, where she played an instrumental role in developing their community service programs. Her passion for education and civic responsibility has extended well beyond the classroom through her leadership and volunteer service. 
She has served on the Trinity University Board of Visitors and currently serves on the Mission and Outreach Committee at Saint Michael and All Angels Episcopal Church. Christi is also a member of the Board of the Visiting Nurse Association and the Executive Board of Perkins School of Theology. Christi and her husband live in Dallas and have three adult children.

Sara Murray brings 13 years of dedicated experience as a registered nurse in the emergency department to her role as the school nurse at The Compass School of Texas. With a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from The University of Texas at Tyler, earned in 2011, and certification as an emergency nurse, Sara is well-equipped to handle a wide range of health needs with expertise and compassion.

Sara is not only a seasoned healthcare professional but also a devoted mother to her two daughters. She shares a strong family bond with her husband and values quality time spent together. Outside of her professional life, Sara enjoys practicing yoga, diving into a good book, tending to her vegetable garden, and caring for her beloved “urban zoo.”

Sara is excited to bring her extensive nursing experience and passion for holistic health to The Compass School of Texas, where she looks forward to supporting the well-being of students and contributing to a positive school environment.
 

Hilary joins The Compass School as the Student Support Specialist. Hilary has taught sixth, fourth, third and first grades in both public and private schools in the Dallas area and served as the Faculty Educator of the Youth Education Department at Temple Emanu-El. She holds a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from American University and a master’s degree in education administration from The University of North Texas. Hilary further developed her professional portfolio as a mentor and coach to other educators. Since earning her ADHD Life Coach certification in 2020, she has supported individuals with ADHD, along with their caregivers and educators. She also served as the North Texas CHADD Co-Coordinator for several years, presented at the International ADHD Conference in 2023, and has facilitated numerous workshops for educators on classroom management and meeting the needs of all learners.

After relocating to Dallas, Tori is excited to bring her skills, experience, and enthusiasm to her new role as Executive Assistant. Tori’s passion for working with children began during her career as a dietitian in South Africa, where she frequently collaborated with schools to promote the importance of nutrition and education. Through this work, she discovered her love for supporting learning environments and helping children thrive both academically and personally. With a strong background in organization, administration, and coordination, Tori excels at streamlining processes and creating systems that allow schools and educators to focus on what matters most—student success. She brings a thoughtful balance of compassion and efficiency, ensuring that both staff and students feel supported while operations run smoothly.