7th & 8th grade
upper school
ACADEMICS
The Imago Upper School consists of Grades 7 and 8. While we do accept new students into these Grades, our primary aim is to build on the study skills gained and the content presented in Grades 1-6 and to make these years the capstone of an Imago education. All teachers at Imago are encouraged to have a clear picture of the end of education at Imago and how they contribute toward that end. The curriculum builds year by year toward graduating a student who can think clearly and communicate articulately and who has mastered a body of knowledge which will help him or her understand the world.
Students in Grades 7 and 8 study five major subjects: English, Mathematics, History, Science, and Latin. Except for in math, there is one section for each class and there are no electives. Three different math classes are offered over the two years so that advanced math students are able to complete Pre-Algebra, Algebra I, and either Geometry or Algebra II before they graduate. (These students have skipped a year of basic math in the earlier Grades and taken Pre-Algebra as 6th Graders.) Two years of Latin are required for all 7th and 8th Graders.
There are generally three or four teachers who teach these subjects. Upper School students are expected to have the study skills in place to keep track of assignments made by these teachers independently and to keep notes and papers in a well- organized notebook or notebooks.
Co-Curricular and SErvice
All Upper School students also have a music class, an art class, a drama class, and a physical education class once a week. All students sing in the Upper School chorus and all participate in a yearly dramatic production of a play or musical. A double period is devoted to physical education each week to enable students to go off-site to fields, gyms, or ice rinks for learning, practicing, and playing a variety of sports together over the year. All are part of a co-ed soccer team, which plays against other private schools several times a year.
We believe that attention needs to be given to more than just academic life for our Upper Schoolers and toward this end one faculty member serves as School Life Coordinator and organizes co-curricular and extra-curricular activities such as soccer games and student-led activities with the kindergartners and 1st Graders.
Upper Schoolers are encouraged to serve the school and the younger children in the school. Students are divided into service teams which are led by 8th Grade students chosen by the faculty to be team leaders. These teams do a variety of chores and tasks mostly in the school and occasionally for someone in the community. All Upper Schoolers have buddies in kindergarten or 1st Grade; new students to the school in other Grades also have Upper School buddies. We strive to develop qualities of servant- leadership in these oldest students in the school.
Each year the Upper School takes a trip in May to either New York City or Washington D.C. and Gettysburg for four or five days of visiting historical sites and museums. This experience both broadens their horizons and helps build camaraderie among the Upper Schoolers.
Upper School Faculty
Madeleine Arnold | Grade 7
Madeleine Arnold is an alumna of Imago School and a living example of its mission to teach students how to think, how to be learners, and how to grow as lifelong students. She grew up in Massachusetts and also spent part of her childhood in the Andes Mountains, experiences that deeply shaped her love for missions and cross-cultural ministry. Over the course of her adulthood, she has embraced many roles, all of which have supported her most important vocation as a mother and homemaker.
She graduated summa cum laude from Liberty University with a degree in history. In 2025, she published her debut book, This Box of Darkness, with more works forthcoming. Madeleine is passionate about the wonderful work of redemption and inner healing that comes from the Lord. She also enjoys music—playing ukulele and singing—and treasures life with her very tall husband and their three spirited daughters.
Nathaniel de Vries | Grade 8
Upper School Activities Coordinator
Science, Grades 6-8
Pre-Algebra
Algebra II
Nathaniel de Vries has been teaching various mathematics and science classes at the Imago School since 2020. From 6th grade to the Upper School, he loves showing students beautiful mathematical concepts and captivating their wonder with the intricate design found in God’s creation, teaching them about His “two books” of revelation. In 2020, Nathaniel received a Bachelor of Science in traditional mathematics with minors in physics and music from Worcester State University. Outside of school he enjoys time with his wife and family, growing vegetables, observing stars, planets, and other astronomical phenomena, and walking in the woods in search of ferns and fungi.
Jenifer Christensen | 8th Grade English
Imago School Board Member
Teacher Mentor
Jenifer Christensen received her B.A. in English at Wheaton College, IL, in 1990, and an M.A.T. in English 9-12 from Tufts University in 1992. She is the proud parent of five Imago graduates, and hopes to make that six in 2025!! She loves her work at the Imago school, where she has been serving in different capacities since 2010. Currently she teaches English and history in the Upper School, where she is grateful every day for the chance to explore deep truths with her students, both in great literature and in tracing the course of history. It is a great privilege to share treasures of knowledge and beauty with young people, who have such lively minds and honest questions, along with a desire to understand what it means to know and love Christ. When she is not at school, Mrs. C. can be found cooking, talking to one of her many children, hiking, sailing, going to art museums, walking her large dog, and occasionally house-cleaning.
Mary Soto | Algebra I
Pre-K Teacher
P.E. Co-Teacher, Pre-K – Grade 6
Eden’s Children Staff
Mary Soto joined The Imago School in 2019, along with her daughter, Hannah, who attended first grade that year. She has had several roles in her years at Imago, including teaching second grade, being the Pre-K & Kindergarten Assistant, and substitute teaching, especially for Upper School math. When Imago formed a separate Pre-K class in 2024, Mrs. Soto helped set up the new classroom and stepped into her current role of Pre-K homeroom teacher. She is thankful to Mrs. Kinney, who taught her so much about teaching, and with whom she continues to collaborate. Mrs. Soto also teaches first grade on Fridays and has benefited from Miss Heikkila’s wisdom and experience as well. She loves the people that she works with and is grateful for this remarkable little school.
Before coming to Imago, Mary was a nanny for over 10 years. She has a BA in Mathematical Science, with a minor in Education from Colby College. She got certified to teach 7th-12th grade math, but realized she loved being with younger children. Mary is married to Jose, and they live in Natick with their two daughters, Hannah and Maria. The girls have been described as identical twins… only 11 years apart! Baby Maria is well known and loved around The Imago School. Mary is conversational in Spanish and gets to practice regularly with her Dominican in-laws, who don’t speak English. Her other skills include juggling and solving the Rubik’s cube. She enjoys board games, audiobooks, and spending time with friends and family. She also loves volleyball, and used to pole vault over 10 feet (many years ago)!
Steven James Weibley | Music Director, Grades 5-8
Drama, Grades 6-8 | Latin I
Steven James Weibley began directing music and drama at the Imago school in 1996, with four years off when his responsibilities as pastor required more of his time. He graduated with a B.S in Music from Indiana University of Pennsylvania, teaching music in the Lancaster, PA city schools, and later continuing his studies in preparation for ministry as a Byington Fellow at Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary. He took post-graduate courses at Reformed Theological Seminary (ABD) under RC Sproul among others. His two sabbatical terms at Cambridge University enabled him to take theology, exegesis, and advanced Hebrew in the British context, and theology of music under Jeremy Begbie. Upon retirement, after 35 years as Associate Pastor and then Senior Pastor at Carlisle Congregational Church in Carlisle, MA, he was blessed to return and take on additional hours as our Latin I teacher.
Steve Weibley has delivered and published papers on the writings of his favorite author, the British Congregationalist John Owen, and serves on the Executive Council of the New England Reformed Fellowship, leading music at their annual Bolton Conference.
He and his wife Deb have been married for 41 years in 2024 and live in Clinton (he finds Deb to be God’s very greatest blessing to him). They enjoy visiting their son Joshua Caleb, an Imago graduate, in Brooklyn, where he works as a professional artist.
He is a composer of several orchestral works, orchestrator and arranger of the music for our Lessons and Carols program, author of some 20 choir anthems and 50 scripture songs, announcer and third clarinetist for the Chelmsford Community Band, and creator of intricate Scherenschnitte (paper “scissors cuttings”), a 17th century Pennsylvania German folk art.
Coleman rafferty | Latin II
P.E. Teacher, Grades 5&6
Coleman Rafferty taught a variety of subjects for three years in a classical parochial school in Dallas before moving to Boston to commence a graduate program in theology at Boston College. Although born in Massachusetts, Coleman grew up in Northern Virginia. He is happy to be back in the place of his birth and to experience once again the manifold beauties of the New England seasons. When he is not reading theology — preferably in Latin! — he enjoys going on hikes with his wife and newborn daughter, reading fiction, and playing any and all manner of sports.
Annelies rafferty | Latin II
Assistant Teacher
Annelies Rafferty received her Bachelor’s degree in History from Grove City College with a minor in Philosophy. She received her Latin training as a student in a classical school. Annelies is a cradle Anglican and was formed by the Anglican sacred music tradition. She sings and plays the cello. Her favorite composer is Johann Sebastian Bach. She is excited to learn about the rich musical tradition at Imago and to co-teach Latin with her husband.
Zoe Burdick | Art, Grades 5-10
Zoe lives in Worcester with her husband Jai, who is a filmmaker. Together, they are preparingfor a new chapter in life as they are expecting their first baby boy. Zoe moved to the Worcester area with her family as a freshman in high school and has called the city home ever since. She studied at Worcester State University, and got her Bachelor’s in Public Health with a minor in
Art.
Creativity has always been an important part of Zoe’s life and is something she shares with both sides of her family. Several members of her family have pursued fashion design, while her husband’s family is also full of creative people, and everyone has encouraged her own love for creating. Zoe enjoys drawing and fell in love with ceramics during high school. She also loves
floral arranging, baking (especially sourdough), and gardening as other creative outlets.
Outside of her creative pursuits, Zoe works at her church, and as a Birth Doula. She enjoys finding ways to serve others, be creative, and connect with the community around her.
Pascal Cushing | Physical Education, Grades 7&8
Both Ellen and I have been Imago parents to our 4, now married children; 2 boys 2 girls (the score is tied) as well as teachers here at Imago.
I have been the Imago Upper School PE Teacher for over 20 years and really love that role, mainly because I love the kids and want to build them up.
In my view, groups of people working together towards a common goal are very much like a sports team. Think about it – family, classroom, workplace, community are all teams in many ways. My ultimate purpose as a follower of Christ, however, is that our Imago teams will represent Jesus well as His body. We each have our own gifting and every member matters. It’s no secret that I approach each game with a vision of victory, but whether we win or lose, we compete with grace.
I’m proud to let you all know that over the years, the kids have taught me and confirmed this principle:
They can do more than they thought they could, and that they enjoy more than they thought they would.
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The Imago School is a classical school for grades Pre-Kindergarten through 10th and growing, deeply rooted in the Christian Tradition of classical education. The Imago School is located in Maynard, Massachusetts, and was founded in 1980.