About Mount Royal Academy

Mount Royal Academy is a private Catholic school nestled in the hills of New Hampshire’s Dartmouth - Lake Sunapee Region. Since 1994 the faculty, families and friends of Mount Royal have strived to provide not only a quality education to the children of our community, but most importantly a formation in Christian faith and morals.  What began as an elementary school, grades Kindergarten through eight, has grown to include a preschool with three and four year old programs and a liberal arts college preparatory High School.  Mount Royal Academy is thankful to be the first lay-founded independent school to recieve Catholic School Recognition from the Bishop of Manchester, NH.


“Mount Royal is a great school. There are great people, and the teachers really care about the students’ futures.
The best part of Mount Royal Academy is the unity of people and friendships.” - Matthew Begin, ’11

At MRA we understand that the student is not one-dimensional but is a complex harmony of body, soul, intellect, will, and emotions.  These faculties must each be formed both inside and outside the classroom.  Inside the classroom, teachers use a systematic approach in all subject areas that builds upon information and skills students have already mastered.  Students are encouraged to develop the skills of discernment, freedom, and wonder in order to make good choices in regards to personal, academic, and family life.  We pride ourselves in striving to offer the best education and Christian formation that a school can offer.

Meet the Staff of Mount Royal Academy

David A. Thibault
Headmaster

Mr. Thibault has worked at Mount Royal Academy as the Headmaster for eight years.  Mr. Thibault has had a long history with the Academy as he was one of the original teachers at the school in 1994. As well as being the Headmaster he also teaches Jr. High Math and Science.

Mr. Thibault holds a Masters of Education from Northeastern University and Bachelors of Science Degree in Education from Franciscan University of Steubenville. He is a certified NH Principal, Teacher and Fast 1 Science Instructor.  As a Catholic school educator and administrator for the past eighteen years, Mr. Thibault is very familiar with the universal mission of Catholic education. He has volunteered at his parish as a Baptism Preparation and Natural Family Planning instructor and as a High School youth leader.  Mr. Thibault resides in Newport, NH with his wife and eight children.

Mrs. Kathleen McDonald
Office Manager/Registrar

Mrs. McDonald has worked at Mount Royal Academy for nine years, the first year as a substitute teacher, and subsequent years as Office Manager and Registrar.

Mrs. McDonald holds a degree from Quinsigamond Community College in Worcester, MA. She resides in Enfield, NH with her husband and two children.

Mrs. Beth Lowe, Teacher
3 and 4 Year Old Pre-Kindergarten

Mrs. Lowe is returning for her third year at Mount Royal as the Pre-Kindergarten teacher.   Mrs. Lowe is currently finishing up her master’s in education at New England College, where she received her bachelor’s in education with a minor in special education. Mrs. Lowe resides in Newbury, NH, with her husband.

Mrs. Elizabeth Heath, Teacher
Kindergarten

Mrs. Heath has taught at Mount Royal Academy for 13 years, working with children in grades Pre-K through 2nd; currently she teaches Kindergarten.

Mrs. Heath graduated cum laude from the University of Dallas in Irving, TX with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy, and has also received training and experience in the application of the Montessori Method in the classroom.  Her focus in the classroom is to impart both skill and joy in reading to her young students.

Mrs. Heath resides in Warner, NH with her husband and young daughter.

Mrs. Catherine Richardson, Teacher
1st & 2nd Grades

Mrs. Richardson earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Liberal Arts at Magdalen College in Warner, NH in 1995.  She also recieved an Apostolic Catechetical Diploma from Magdalene in 1995. This is Mrs. Richardson's fourth year of teaching at Mount Royal Academy as she previously taught first and second grades at thel Academy for three years.  Mrs. Richardson resides in Sunapee with her husband and three children.

Mrs. Jackie Diebold, Teacher
3rd & 4th Grades

Mrs. Diebold earned an Honors Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Education degree from the University of Windsor and Lakehead University, Canada, in 1991 and 1993 respectively.  She has taught children grades Kindergarten to Sixth over the past fifteen years, and her primary focus has been Reading and Mathematics.  To engage her students in Mathematics, she connects Math to a variety of subjects and combines traditional instruction with hands-on activities.  

Mrs. Diebold resides with her husband and 9 year old daughter in Grantham, NH.  Mrs. Diebold and her daughter came to Mount Royal Academy in 2005.  Erin is currently in grade five.

Mrs. Cynthia Dabrowski, Teacher
5th & 6th Grades

Mrs. Dabrowski has been affiliated with Mount Royal Academy since its third year of existence.  She holds a Bachelor of Arts in English with minors in five academic areas including Education.  Mrs. Dabrowski has been in education for 37+ years as both an educator and administrator.  In her free time she is actively involved in her community, founding the Ten Fund, a program that serves the underprivileged.  She is active in her parish, St. Theresa's Catholic Church in Henniker, as an Extraordinary Minister.

Dr. Mary Bellino, Teacher
High School Math and Science

Dr. Bellino received her Doctorate in Particle Physics from Tufts University and her Bachelors of Science Degree in Physics from University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth. Her teaching career began as an Adjunct Instructor at Sonoma State University in California teaching Computer Literacy for Educators, Computer Graphics and general Physics classes and laboratories. After working in the field of education for a short time, Dr. Bellino took positions working both in industry and at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in the National Ocean Sciences Accelerator Mass Spectrometry facility.

When her family moved to New Hampshire in 2003, she again went back into the teaching field working both at Mount Royal Academy and at Colby-Sawyer College as a Physics instructor. Dr. Bellino took some time off between 2006 and 2008 to have her last child, but is back this year as a full-time math and science instructor in the high school.

Dr. Bellino has also been involved with Catholic education outside of Mount Royal, as a volunteer 2nd grade CCD instructor at St. Theresa’s parish in Henniker, NH. She resides in Bradford, NH with her husband and five children.

Mr. Derek Tremblay, Teacher
High School Theology and History

Mr. Tremblay started teaching, ministering, and coaching at Mount Royal in the 2009-2010 school year. He graduated from Saint Thomas Aquinas in Dover (04’), one of our brethren Catholic Schools in New Hampshire.   He received a Bachelor of Arts in Theology and Political Science (08’), as well as a Masters of Theological Studies (09’) from Providence College. Mr. Tremblay teaches social studies and theology courses for the Upper School grade levels.

Mr. Tremblay is a parishioner of Saint Patrick’s in Newport, where he is helping coordinate the Youth Ministry program, as well as catechizing candidates preparing for the sacrament of Confirmation. Other involvement with the youth included serving as Camp Minister at Camp Fatima during the summer of 2010. He is an active member of the Knights of Columbus, and also a Trustee for New Hampshire Catholic Community Radio.  Mr. Tremblay resides in Newport, NH with his wife and daughter. 

Dr. Mitchell Kalpakgian, Teacher
High School English and Latin

Dr. Kalpakgian is returning to Mount Royal Academy this year as the full time High School English and Latin teacher.  Dr. Kalpakgian is a published author and has been a college professor of English at different colleges most recently at New England College, Wyoming Catholic College, and Magdalene College.

Mrs. Kelley Ouellette, Teacher
High School Biology and Chemistry

Mrs. Ouellette currently teaches Biology at Mount Royal Academy.  She has a bachelors of science in Chemistry with a minor in Mathematics from Eastern Michigan University, and this is her second year at Mount Royal.  Mrs. Ouellette also has taught CCD at her previous parish in Wilton, NH, and enjoys coaching soccer for her 2 oldest childrens' team.  Mrs. Ouellette lives with her husband and 4 children in Newbury, NH.

Dr. Bonnie Akerman, Teacher
Jr. High School Math and Science

Dr. Bonnie Akerman received her Doctorate in Molecular, Cellular and Systems Physiology from Dartmouth Medical School and her Bachelors of Science in Biology from the University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth.  Dr. Akerman has been actively involved in many aspects of mentoring and teaching students from the grades of preschool through college and graduate/medical school.   She taught 4th and 8th Grade science classes to the students of Thetford Academy in affiliation with the Montshire Museum of Science; mentored Boston high school students through the Biomedical Science Career Program of Harvard Medical School; taught physiology conferences to 1st year Dartmouth Medic al School students; and taught medical research techniques to several Dartmouth undergraduate students.  Currently, Dr. Akerman is an adjunct faculty member at River Valley Community College teaching Fundamentals of Chemistry.  She has worked in the field of medical research for over 11 years at Dartmouth College/Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center with an emphasis in Renal Endocrinology and more recently Neuroendocrine oncology, specifically breast and ovarian cancer.  Dr. Akerman lives in Newport New Hampshire with James Sr., her loving husband of 12 years, her five year old son, James Jr., and her new born daughter, Hailey Lynne. 

Mrs. Margaret Dwyer, Teacher
Pre-Kindergarten - 12th Art

Margaret Dwyer earned her Master of Fine Arts degree in 2008 from Vermont College of Fine Art in Montpelier. Her thesis work involved researching, writing and creating art based on psychological themes such as trauma, dreams and the unconscious. Her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree was earned in 1980 from Siena Heights University in Adrian, Michigan. Margaret works in several 2d and 3d mediums (though watercolor is her favorite). She is a signature member of the New England Watercolor Society, the Copley Society in Boston, and the New Hampshire Art Association.   She has competed in many juried national and international exhibitions. Her work has been published in several art books and publications that include:

  • ”Splash 8, America’s Best Watercolors” (North Light Books)
  • “Splash 9, the Best of Watercolor” (North Light Books)
  • “How Did You Paint That?” (International Artist Books)
  • “American Artist” (magazine)
  • “Manhattan Arts International” (magazine)

Teaching art is also a passion. In addition to working with the students at Mt. Royal, Margaret also teaches classes and workshops through her studio and other venues throughout the State. Margaret and her husband reside in Wilmot and have 2 grown children. She is deeply inspired by living in NH.

Mrs. Leanne Wesoja, Teacher
Pre-Kindergarten - 12th Music

After an education at Berklee College of Music and Boston Conservatory, Leanne went on a performance tour in Europe. She performed in France, at Mont St. Michelle, Cathedral at Chartres, Cathedral at Bayeux and performed with the Caen Symphony Orchestra is a series of concerts that included the opening of the Museum for Peace. Other European performances included the Regensburg Theatre in Germany and a series of concerts in private residences in Florence, Italy. Leanne went on to manage and teach at “The Little School of Music” in Salem, MA and Danvers, MA for a number of years. She moved to Nova Scotia, Canada to be close to family again. There she taught private music lessons and performed with the St. Francis Xavier Choral Society. In 1993 Leanne and her husband moved to Sutton, NH to raise their family. They have 5 adopted children and the 2 youngest attend Mount Royal Academy.