Staff
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Jonathan KurtzMr. Kurtz is excited to continue his work at the AFA as Coordinator and Instrumental Music instructor. Mr. Kurtz has taught all levels of music from Kindergarten to high school and has extensive experience directing ensembles, composing, and arranging. He earned his Bachelor of Music at Taylor University in Upland, IN his Master of Arts at the University of Maryland, College Park, and holds a Certificate of Educational Leadership from Hood College. He has experience teaching concert band, general music, piano, music technology, jazz band, pit orchestra, orchestra, and chorus. Most recently, Mr. Kurtz was the band director at Urbana Middle School where he started the program and grew it to be one of the largest in Frederick County. Mr. Kurtz regularly writes and arranges for his ensembles as well as for the piano. He also has served as a guest clinician and adjudicator for various instrumental ensembles in the area, and his ensembles regularly receive superior ratings at festivals and competitions. His articles regarding music education have been published in Teaching Music, The Instrumentalist, and The Maryland Music Educator. Mr. Kurtz was the FCPS 2022 Teacher of the Year and was also nominated for the Charles E. Tressler Distinguished Teaching Award in 2014 and FCPS Teacher of the Year in 2015. Aside from music, Jonathan enjoys cooking, traveling, hiking, reading history, gardening, and spending time with his family. He lives in Middletown with his wife, young son, and dog, Maggie.
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Dr. Kathleen TaylorDr. Kathleen Taylor has been a middle school vocal and theatre teacher in Frederick County, MD, and has been teaching at the Academy for the Fine Arts for three years. Originally from Pennsylvania, she graduated from Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, OK with a Bachelor’s degree in Music Education, from Indiana University, Bloomington, IN with a master’s degree in Vocal performance. Kathleen received her doctorate in Music Education from Shenandoah Conservatory of Music from Winchester, VA. Dr. Taylor is often a guest conductor and adjudicator throughout Maryland and Virginia. As a singer, she has performed with Frederick Camerata and is now performing with the Gettysburg Choral Society (Gettysburg, PA) and is a private voice instructor in the Frederick area.
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Beth McFarlandBeth McFarland has been an art teacher at Governor Thomas Johnson High School for over 10 years and has been teaching at the Academy for the Fine Arts for 9 years. Beth has experience teaching all levels of Art, Drawing & Painting, and Ceramics. Her academy courses include teaching AP Studio Art 2D & 3D Design, Journey’s through Arts Styles, Theories, and Applications, and Visual Arts Thesis in Advanced 2D & 3D Applications. Originally from Baltimore, Beth graduated from Catonsville Community College with an Associate of Arts Degree in General Studies, from Towson State University with a Bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts and Art History, and from Mount Saint Mary’s University with a Masters of Arts in Teaching for Art Education. Before pursuing her teaching career, Beth worked extensively with both private and public art collections in Baltimore, Philadelphia, New York City, and Washington D.C. She also worked closely with museum curator’s designing and installing permanent, temporary, and traveling exhibitions at the Visionary Art Museum, The Walters Art Museum, Maryland Historical Society, Smithsonian Anacostia Community Museum, and the Arts and Industries Building on the National Mall in Washington D.C.
Aside from art, Beth enjoys running ½ marathons, traveling to Europe, photographing architecture, reading, and spending time with her husband, their daughter Emily, and their new Chocolate Lab puppy named Murphy. |
Jason PatellisJason Patellis received his BA in Art with concentrations in graphic design and illustration, 2D and 3D studio, drawing, painting and printmaking, sculpture and ceramics, from Salisbury University in 1995. He is certified to teach grades K-12 and has been teaching for 23 years, 14 of those years with FCPS. He has also served as an instructor and past coordinator for the Academy for the Fine Arts at Governor Thomas Johnson High School. In addition to his teaching career, Mr. Patellis has written extensive curriculum for several Maryland school systems and has served as a consultant for strategic planning for the development of an arts integrated high school in Sacramento California. Originally from the DC area, Mr. Patellis enjoys the outdoors, reading and spending time with his family.
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Stephanie WeigeltStephanie Weigelt has been teaching in Frederick County for over 30 years. She began her career at Linganore High School where she taught English and theater as well as directed the musical productions. She then moved to Urbana High to start the theater and dance programs. While there, she organized the Mr. Urbana contest, choreographed the musicals, directed the dance company and National Honor Society of Dance Arts, and advised the senior class. Her dancers were accepted to perform in state, Regional and National High school dance festivals and went on to be professional dancers in companies and on Broadway as well as dance teachers and dance therapists. After 21 years at UHS, Ms. Weigelt moved to the Academy to launch the new AFA dance and musical theatre programs. She is the winner of the Sally Mae First Year Teacher Award as well as the Charles E. Tressler Distinguished Teacher Award for 2009. Ms. Weigelt and her husband are empty nesters who enjoy visiting their children who are living the dream in California.
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Caitlin BarnesCaitlin Barnes received her B.A. in Theatre Studies with a minor in Arts Administration from Susquehanna University in 2019, and she will be completing her M.A. in Theatre from Regent University in 2023. Following graduation in 2019, she moved to New York City to train at the Broadway Dance Center with a focus in Theatre Dance. While there, she worked alongside Broadway choreographers and industry professionals. She has professional experience in directing, choreography, acting techniques, stage management, patron services management, theatre marketing, and now, education. She is certified to teach Drama for grades 6-12 and began her journey at Governor Thomas Johnson High School in 2020 where she has now served as the Assistant Director for TJ Stage and co-advisor for the Patriettes Dance Team for two years. A Frederick native, Caitlin enjoys traveling, hiking, eating good food, and spending time with her family.
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Kristen LietuvnikasMs. Lietuvnikas has been teaching with Frederick County Public Schools for 14 years. She holds both Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees in Music Education from McDaniel College and a second Master’s Degree in Theatre from Regent University. Kristen was the Education Director, Show Director, Vocal Director, and Pit Orchestra Director for a non-profit Theatre Company based in Carroll County for six years. In addition to running a non-profit, she was also the Vocal and Pit Orchestra Director for Liberty High School for four years as well as the Assistant Director and Vocal Director for Tuscarora High School for two years. Kristen directs and produces all TJ Stage productions including fall plays and spring musicals. In addition to these activities, Kristen is the Pit Orchestra Director for the Baltimore Cappies Program which is similar to the Tony Awards for High Schools and conducts at the Hippodrome once a year for their annual Gala. Ms. Lietuvnikas has always been a supporter of the AFA and several past students have attended and graduated from the program.
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