A new chapter in Alaska’s education landscape begins as Thomas More Classical School has appointed Sarah Spaulding as its Founding Headmaster. The private K–12 school, opening in fall 2026 with grades K–6, will be the first in Alaska to receive startup support and training from Hillsdale College.
Spaulding joins the Anchorage-based school from Columbus Classical Academy in Ohio, where she served as founding principal. Her career in classical education spans homeschooling, classroom teaching, and school leadership at multiple Hillsdale-affiliated schools.
“Mrs. Spaulding’s career has spanned every stage of classical school development—from being a homeschooling instructor and serving as a founding faculty member of a Hillsdale-supported charter school in Toledo to building Columbus Classical Academy as a founding principal,” said Stephen Cox, president of the Thomas More Classical School Board. “Sarah is known for clarity, warmth, and an unwavering commitment to forming both mind and character.”
Spaulding said she felt called to Alaska and was drawn to the opportunity to help shape a new school grounded in classical education and Christian values.
“When I learned that Hillsdale College was helping to launch a classical school here, everything clicked,” Spaulding said. “Classical education isn’t just about what you learn, but how you learn. It trains students to think deeply, speak clearly, and act rightly—skills we’ll nurture from day one at Thomas More Classical.”
Thomas More Classical School will offer a private, interdenominational Christian education independent of government mandates. It will license the Hillsdale College K-12 curriculum and offer a structured, literature-rich environment focused on the liberal arts, character formation, and civic virtue.
Cox said the school’s launch reflects a growing interest in classical education across the state.
“Sarah’s arrival comes at a remarkable moment. Across Alaska, a quiet restoration in the classical model is gaining momentum,” said Cox. “This groundswell reflects Alaska families’ hunger for a school that truly forms mind and character. Thomas More Classical School will be the next chapter in this statewide renewal, and with Sarah Spaulding at the helm, Thomas More Classical stands ready to build on this momentum.”
The school also aims to attract mission-driven educators and families, strengthening Alaska’s classical education community and contributing to the state’s civic and cultural life.
“We’re building more than just a school,” said Cox. “We’re building a community rooted in truth, animated by faith, and committed to excellence. Our mission is to cultivate young scholars in wisdom and virtue—ensuring Alaska’s future leaders are grounded in the classical tradition and the Christian faith. As Alaska’s classical renewal continues to unfold, Thomas More Classical School—and Sarah Spaulding—stand ready to lead.”
Thomas More Classical School plans to expand one grade level each year until it becomes a full K–12 institution. For more information, visit www.moreclassical.org.
This is fantastic. We can chart their progress and costs vis-a-vis our public system. We’ll see how things work out.
Fantastic!
I have long been a fan of Hillsdale College. Hillsdale’s online offerings are exceptional. This will be a real bright spot in the Alaskan educational landscape.
This is the kind of effective purposeful initiative that Alaska desperately needs. AK is not only geographically remote from the traditional sites and culture that formed the greatest nation in the history of the world – it is absolutely dissociated from the historical truths and objectives of our nation’s founders. AK needs to become American – it does not belong to transpacific persons of tibetan and chinese heritage.
What a wonderful development, will be such a benefit to Anchorage and the state.
This is what winning looks like.
Review re the headmaster’s last post:
Parents should really look into this school before sending their children. The website states that they have Hillsdale Affiliation. The only thing they do is follow the same curriculum. There is no real affiliation with Hillsdale. The staff hates when ANY questions are asked. The principle has no real teaching degree. Saying you taught your children should not count. If that were the case, then everyone would qualify as a teacher. When you start questioning things, they tell you to leave