Austin Classical really began at a birthday party in early 2012. Over cupcakes, a few long-time friends and fellow educators were discussing the different educational options available to their young children. When someone chimed in to suggest that they start their own school, they never dreamed that God would actually take them down that path over the next year.
Partnering with a few other like-minded families along they way, this founding group of parents started researching different educational models that might align with their desire to educate with a Christian world view, while also allowing for character formation and time together as families. They soon found that the framework of Classical education paired with the blended schedule seemed to be the best of both worlds.
This core ACS team began meeting weekly to pray, to plan, and to do the work necessary to open a school. God also provided key insight into the start-up process by connecting the team with Providence Preparatory School in Belton, Texas. The gracious people of Providence mentored our fledgling ACS launch team through each step of the process, providing invaluable and candid guidance when it was needed most. The Society of Classical Learning and the National Association of University-Model Schools were also valuable resources during this process.
After years of planning and praying, God blessed ACS with a wonderful Central Austin location, along with amazing teachers, students and their families for our inaugural school year in 2013. God’s faithful care for us and abundant provision have been evident every step of the way, and our joy and gratitude was palpable as we officially launched Austin Classical School on August 12, 2013, with 10 “First Families” and 13 students in grades K, 1st, 2nd, and 4th.
As we completed our 12th year of school last year, we continue to thank the Lord for His steadfast love, faithfulness, and care for us. He has done far more than we could ask or think. To Him be the glory! We have grown to almost 180 ACS families and more than 340 students in Pre-K through 12th grades, and we look forward to having our first graduating class in May of 2025.
Jim McKinley, Board President
Jim McKinley is a serial entrepreneur who most recently co-founded (un)Common Logic, a digital marketing advertising agency. The agency helps clients solve one of the toughest challenges in business: growing revenue through profitable new customer acquisition. It achieves this through paid search, display advertising, organic search, paid social, and conversion rate optimization.
In addition, Jim is an adjunct professor at Baylor University, where he teaches a class on digital marketing geared toward upper-level and graduate students.
Jim is a graduate of Baylor University and holds an MBA from the University of Chicago. He is married to Amanda and has two children attending Austin Classical School: Marshall (9th grade) and Ellie (8th grade).
Chris LaPoint, Secretary of the Board
Stephanie Hargrove
Stephanie and her husband Luke joined ACS in the fall of 2021. They have four Mustangs at the school: Calvin (9th grade), Lucy Kate (7th grade), Max (5th grade), and Barrett (3rd grade). Luke also serves as the Mustang Cross Country & Track coach.
Stephanie graduated with a degree in Civil Engineering from Texas A&M in 2006. She worked with an engineering firm in Austin before starting a family. Stephanie has been both a full-time homeschool teacher and a co-teacher throughout her children’s education.
The Hargroves are members of ACTS Church Leander. Stephanie is a Sunday school teacher and Luke is an elder. Their kids also serve in the church alongside their parents. Stephanie and Luke are excited for the classical Christian education their children are getting at ACS and are thankful to be part of the school’s community.
Anna Marshall
The Marshalls, Anna and her husband Jeff, are one of the founding families at Austin Classical School. They have two boys, Levi and Luke, who are reaping the many benefits of the rich learning environment and the classical curriculum of ACS.
Anna has been involved in education for most of her life. She earned a Bachelor in Science in Mathematics at Wheaton College in Illinois, where she began her admiration for the Liberal Arts tradition. Anna continued her involvement in education when she moved to Austin to teach mathematics in an area high school for 9 years.
Anna and Jeff are members of Grace & Peace Church, PCA, where they both have attended and served on the diaconate since the church’s inception in 2015. She is so thankful that Classical Christian Education is becoming more accessible to children all over the world and especially in Austin, where, through Austin Classical School, they’ve seen it flourish thanks only to God’s great mercy and provision.
Matt Brownfield
The Brownfield family joined the ACS community in the fall of 2017. Matt and his wife, Lauren, have three children who all attend ACS. Lauren is a committed co-teacher as well as a Latin instructor in the School of Logic. The Brownfields are members at Grace + Peace Austin.
After graduating from Patrick Henry College (’05) with a degree in Government, Matt entered the Masters in Politics program at the University of Dallas. Later, he transferred into the doctoral program in Political Philosophy at UD’s Institute for Philosophic Studies, an interdisciplinary Ph.D. program that trains scholars in the great books of the western tradition. Upon completing his doctoral coursework, he left the University of Dallas with an M.A. in Politics (’08)—doctoral dissertation pending. It is still pending.
Since the fall of 2008, Matt has worked full-time in electoral politics. He is the founder of Pelican Campaigns, a full-service political consulting firm that works on behalf of candidates and initiatives at the local, state, and federal levels. He also works as an Adjunct Professor in the University of Dallas Politics department.
Matt and Lauren both believe deeply in the classical model for education. As products of the homeschooling movement, they also appreciate the structure provided by the collaborative model. They love the ACS community and the big smiles on their girls’ faces as they head into the classroom each campus day.
Brent Jackson
Morgan Stephanian
The Stephanians have been partners at The Austin Stone Community Church since 2010. Both Morgan and Stephen serve as deacons in discipleship ministry and are grateful for opportunities to host gatherings that bring their communities together to know the love of Christ.
To contact our Board of Directors, please send an email.