Introducing New Faculty
Canton Academy is excited to announce the addition of nine (9) new faculty members including: Ms. Faye Hollingsworth (Elementary Principal, Dir. Directed Studies), Ms. Jessica Rush (first grade), Mrs. Sherry Liston (fourth grade), Mrs. Brittany Mast (fifth & sixth grade), Mrs. Gracie Chestnut (Upper School History), Ms. Chelsea Randle (English, Softball Coach), Mr. Dennis Allen (Assistant Football Coach), Mrs. Alice Murphy (Chemistry), and Schuyler Dickson (English).
Faye Hollingsworth - Elementary Principal and Director of Directed Studies
Ms. Hollingsworth is a University of Southern Mississippi graduate with many years of experience in education and administration. She will work full time as the Elementary Principal. Ms. Hollingsworth has worked in the public school system on the Mississippi Gulf coast and in Jackson. Most recently, she has been at St. Joseph Catholic School as the Dean of Students.
Jessica Rush – First Grade
Ms. Rush is a graduate of Auburn University and comes to Canton Academy with a wealth of knowledge in technology and the latest learning techniques for the first grade class. She attended a small Christian school and feels at home in the CA community. Ms. Rush has an early childhood degree and is working on an Orton Gillingham Literary Specialist degree.
Sherry Liston – Fourth Grade
Mrs. Liston is a veteran teacher with over twenty years of classroom experience. She has taught at St. Andrews Episcopal School in Jackson, MS as well as in the Oxford Public School District. Mrs. Liston is well trained in Singapore Math and has many years of experience working with children of all learning profiles. She will teach fourth grade at CA. She is an accomplished artist and loves to include art in her classroom lessons and setting. Mrs. Liston is an alumna of the University of Mississippi.
Brittany Bitzer Mast- Fifth & Sixth Grade
Mrs. Mast is a Canton Academy graduate. She comes with experience teaching in both first and sixth grades. Mrs. Mast will teach reading, writing and grammar to our fifth and sixth grade students. She is also an accomplished singer.
Gracie Chestnut – Upper school History
Mrs. Chestnut is a Mississippi State University graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education. She will teach history at Canton Academy. She recently taught Social Studies at Germantown Middle School in Gluckstadt, MS. Mrs. Chestnut has experience working with enrichment activities, the Beta Club and planning professional development.
Dennis Allen - Assistant Football Coach
Coach Allen graduated from MSU and has been the football coach at Morton High School, West Point High School and Starkville High School. He is married to Ginger and they have 1 daughter and 3 grandchildren in Madison. He loves to coach football and cut grass and is excited to be at Canton Academy!
Chelsea Randle–Upper School English, Softball Coach
Ms Randle is from Alexandria, Alabama and graduated from Alexandria High School in 2008. She received an athletic scholarship in the sport of softball to Belhaven University, where she majored in English with a Sports Administration minor and graduated in 2012. She was the assistant coach in the spring of 2013 for Clinton High School.
Alice Murphy–Upper School Chemistry
Mrs. Murphy graduated from the University of Mississippi with a B.S. in biology and a minor in chemistry. Sponsored cheerleaders for 15 years and taught for 23 years at CA before "retiring" after the 2011-2012 school year. Husband, Bucky, is a contract lobbyist. They have 3 children: Camp and wife Sydney and daughter Gray (2), Bo and wife Emily, and Dees and fiancée Jody Britt (marrying Jan. 11th). They attend Pinelake Church.Mrs. Murphy’s favorite place to be is the beach, with the Neshoba County Fair coming in 2nd! She enjoys reading and LOVING spoiling her granddaughter!
Schuyler Dickson – Upper School English
Mr. Dixon holds a B.A. in Southern Studies/English minor from the University of Mississippi and an M.F.A. in Creative Writing from Northwestern University. While at Northwestern, he served as the fiction editor for TriQuarterly Online, one of the country's most esteemed literary journals. His writing has been published widely and has won Northwestern University's Distinguished Thesis Award, was a nominee for the Association of Writers and Writing Programs Intro Award, and was selected as a Million Writers Award Notable Story of 2009. Schuyler has worked as a creative writing teacher, lobbyist, historical researcher, political consultant, magazine editor, choir director, and youth minister. He enjoys writing, reading, tennis, and playing music.