Great Hearts Academies is excited to announce that Suzanne DeStefano is the new headmaster of grades K-5 at Great Hearts Archway Glendale heading into the 2021/2022 school year.

“Serving as the Headmaster of Archway Glendale is a privilege and joy second only to motherhood,” said DeStefano. “I am deeply honored to partner with students, families, and teachers to create a community of lifelong learners in pursuit of truth, beauty, and goodness.”

DeStefano joins this position with eighteen years of experience in the educational field as a teacher, reading specialist, and administrator. She was a founding teacher at Great Hearts Archway Glendale in 2013 and most recently served as the school’s Assistant Headmaster for the last two years. When not at school, she is happiest cooking Italian feasts for family and friends—including her three teenaged children.

“Suzanne DeStefano has an incredible history with Great Hearts Archway Glendale and we are excited to welcome her as the new Headmaster,” said Erik Twist, Great Hearts Arizona President. “Her passion and commitment to classical education combined with her teaching experience make her the perfect person to lead the scholars at Archway Glendale.”

While DeStefano will oversee grades kindergarten through fifth grade as the Archway headmaster of Great Hearts Archway Glendale, Kyle Navarrette will continue to run grades 6-12 as the headmaster of Great Hearts Glendale Prep.

“Mrs. DeStefano is a steady leader, considering the various details of a problem and considering numerous solutions,” said Navarrette. “She balances well the needs of students and parents with responsibilities of her teachers. She is an ideal team player, hungry to make her school better, the humility to consider the opinions of others, and has keen awareness regarding the emotions of her team and how she is perceived. It is a joy to work with her as she balances my intensity and energetic personality.”

Great Hearts Archway Glendale Academy has 550 students in K-5 and Great Hearts Glendale Preparatory Academy has nearly 600 students in grades 6-12. The school is located at 23276 N. 83rd Ave. Suite 1 in Peoria.

Earlier this year, Great Hearts announced expansion plans. The network of tuition-free public nonprofit charter schools will open additional locations in Buckeye, Ariz., San Antonio, and Ft. Worth, TX. In August of 2022, it will be expanding its Anthem Preparatory campus in Arizona. Great Hearts Academies has no entry or testing requirements to enroll. The schools accept any student who applies as long as a seat is available. More information can be found at greatheartsamerica.org.

About Great Hearts
Great Hearts is a nonprofit network of tuition-free public charter schools dedicated to improving education nationwide through classical preparatory K-12 academies. As the largest provider of liberal arts classical education campuses in the country, Great Hearts Academies serve more than 22,000 students at 37 tuition-free public charter schools in greater Phoenix, Ariz. and Texas, with waitlists that typically exceed enrollment. Great Hearts provides a robust liberal arts curriculum incorporating advanced math and science, a focus on the arts and foreign language, and a range of extra-curricular activities and athletics. Learn more at http://www.greatheartsamerica.org.