Board of Directors
Board Meetings
- Excelsior Classical Academy CFA’s Board typically meets at 6:00 every fourth Thursday from August through May, unless otherwise noted on our event calendar. (November and December meetings are typically on the third Thursday of the month.) Regular meetings are held at the school at 4100 N Roxboro Street in Durham. In the summer, the Board holds a day-long retreat for planning, team-building, and training.
Request for Public Comment
It is a fiduciary responsibility and the intent of ECA’s Board of Directors to conduct meetings in an efficient and professional manner. Therefore, as the Board of Directors conducts business at its monthly meeting, it must refrain from engaging in discussion with the audience. However, the Board welcomes public input and any individual may request to be included in the Public Comment segment of the agenda.
To be included in the agenda, a speaker must fill out a public comment form at least 48 hours in advance. All information in the form will be used in the minutes of the meeting and becomes part of the public record under open meeting laws. The Board may also use the information for follow-up with the speaker.
In order to be able to finish all required business at meetings, the Board limits the amount of public comment time for each speaker to two minutes. Comments must be limited to the topic listed on the public comment form. Individuals shall not yield minutes to other individuals.
All public comments are subject to ECA’s rules of decorum. The use of profanity, personal insults, or hate speech will result in the immediate cessation of the speaker’s time. Please note that it is a violation of law to discuss personnel and private matters in a public meeting. It is also a violation of law to make slanderous remarks or to cast false accusations in a public meeting.
Minutes
Board Service
- Board development
- Finance
- Fundraising
To express interest in serving on Excelsior’s Board of Directors, please fill out the following form:
The Board of Directors of Excelsior Classical Academy has various committees mandated to carry out specified functions, programs, or projects of the Board. Some committees are standing and others are ad hoc. Each committee is chaired by a member of the Board of Directors. The Board is recruiting members for the following standing committees:
Board Development and Governance – Interim Chair – Tia Barnes
Facilities – Chair: Rodney Whitaker
Finance – Chair: Position Open
Fundraising – Chair: Position Open
Please contact the chair if you are interested in serving on a committee.
Board Standing Policies Manual
To view the Board’s approved Board Policies, open the following document.
Board Members
Scott Sipe, President
Scott Sipe is the Associate Publisher of Carolina Academic Press, where he has a particular focus on educational software. After growing up in Durham, Scott earned degrees in history and computer science from Duke University and a masters degree in Middle Eastern Studies from the University of Chicago. Spending a few years working in Washington D.C., Scott quickly decided that North Carolina was more his pace, and he has enjoyed watching the many changes and developments in Durham ever since.
Thanks to an influential and transformative middle school Latin teacher, Scott is a strong believer in the values of classical education and knows firsthand how one teacher can make a huge impact in students’ lives. He is very excited about the Excelsior mission, and looks forward to supporting the school’s continued growth and success.
Crystal Scillitani – Secretary/CFA Representative
Crystal Scillitani spent the last 25 years working in North Carolina schools and universities – serving in multiple roles from teacher to Principal to course instructor of Elementary Education at North Carolina State University. In 2017 she founded LeadingUp Consulting, a consulting firm based in North Carolina focused on advancing student achievement by strengthening teachers and school leaders.
As the first member of her family graduate high school and attend college, Crystal is a firm believer that education is the pathway to success. She hopes to bring her personal and professional experiences to the Excelsior School Board in order to support the school in continued growth and success.
In her free time, Crystal volunteers with The Center for Volunteer Caregiving and Compassion International. In addition she loves to read, travel, and exercise. Prior to her career in education, Crystal also served in the United States Air Force alongside her husband. Crystal resides in Raleigh.
Tia Barnes, At-large
Tia Barnes is the Assistant Dean for Academic Affairs at the Duke University School of Law. She is experienced in academic compliance and accreditation as well as student services such as academic support programming, access to education for diverse populations, creating a healthy and safe learning environment, and a supportive environment for students with disabilities. Tia is a graduate of UNC-Chapel Hill, and she earned her Juris Doctor from Duke Law School. She is a licensed attorney and a triathlete.
Tia understands the processes by which academic programs are implemented, the evolution of education best practices, and the work involved with developing a school program around the scaffolding of accreditation standards. She supports the tenets of Excelsior Classical Academy and believes that the school fulfills an important need in the Durham community.
Rodney Whitaker, Facilities Committee
Rodney knows there are plenty of opportunities out there for our children. He wants those positions filled by local people and knows Excelsior is a great place for Durham students to start on getting a great education.
Rodney is passionate about life with his wife, three girls, and their family labradoodle ” Smoochie”. His family loves traveling to different places. Experiences have always been a great learning tool for him. He’s looking forward to being a part of Excelsior and continuing the growth for future students.
Christiaan Heijmen, At-largeChristiaan Heijmen is a Partner with Focus Search Partners. Christiaan is an executive recruiter in the Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill area.
Christiaan has a B.A. and B.S. from the University of Massachusetts, where he graduated Summa Cum Laude, and was a 4-year division one rugby player. He received his MBA at Duke, where he served as a Coach K COLE Leadership & Ethics Fellow and was recognized in 2013 with the Business Award for Exemplary Alumni Service to the school.
Christiaan enjoys boxing, hiking, reading, going to Duke Sporting Events, and staying engaged with men and women with disabilities. He, his wife, and their four children reside in Durham, NC, and one of their children attends Excelsior. Christiaan is humbled to serve alongside the other exceptional board members to continue the tremendous work of Excelsior Classical Academy!
Oshrat Doriocourt, At-large
Oshrat Doriocourt is the Director of Operations at the Office of Research Contracts at Duke University. Her job includes development and implementation of processes, practices, and interfaces with other research administration offices and clinical departments. She earned a bachelor’s degree in International Relations from Israel’s The Hebrew University in Jerusalem, a law degree from Israel’s College of Management’s Law School, and Master’s in Law degree (LL.M.) from Duke University School of Law.
Oshrat has two children who are students at Excelsior.
Whitney Dail, At-large
Whitney Dail has a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from Appalachian State University. She is a licensed teacher who taught in the Grammar School at Excelsior for several years and then worked as the Grammar School Teacher Coach for a year. She is now working at IXL, Inc. and is bringing her knowledge and experience to the Board of Excelsior.
Tammy Rodman, At-large
Rev. Dr. Tammy Rodman was President of the founding board of Excelsior and has returned to serve again on the board. Tammy has worked for Blue Cross Blue Shield as a Business Analyst and now serves in ministry, currently at Reality Ministries. She holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from North Carolina Central University, a master’s of Divinity from Shaw University, and a Doctorate in of Ministry from United Theological Seminary.
Sherri Swan-Nesbit, At-large
