Faculty and Staff

Dr. Rutherford serves as Headmaster of Capstone Classical Academy, bringing a vision for education that is rooted in the conviction that students are formed not only intellectually, but also in character, affection, and faith. He is passionate about cultivating a school culture in which students learn to pursue the Good, the True, and the Beautiful while growing in wisdom and love for God.

Throughout his career, Dr. Rutherford has devoted himself to strengthening classical education and supporting the teachers and leaders who carry out its mission. Before joining Capstone, he served as Headmaster of Great Hearts Monte Vista in San Antonio, guiding the academy through its early graduating classes and helping establish a thriving culture of academic excellence. He later served as Executive Director for the Great Hearts San Antonio region, providing leadership and oversight for eight academies and their headmasters while leading district-wide academic initiatives. Most recently, he served as Head of School at Jackson Hole Classical Academy, a K–12 classical Christian school in Wyoming.

Prior to his work in K–12 education, Dr. Rutherford built a distinguished academic career in higher education. He taught at St. Edward’s University and Houston Christian University, where he served as Assistant Professor and taught courses in biblical languages, biblical theology, ancient Judaism and Christianity, and religious studies. His scholarly work includes contributions to the translation of the Holman Christian Standard Bible and publications in leading academic resources, including The Oxford Encyclopedia of Ancient Greece and Rome and Harvard Theological Review.

Dr. Rutherford holds a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from The University of Texas at Austin, a Master of Theology from Dallas Theological Seminary, and a Ph.D. in New Testament and Christian Origins from The University of Edinburgh.

Dr. Rutherford, his wife, Heather, and their daughter, Charlotte, enjoy exploring God’s creation through hiking, biking, and visits to America’s national parks. They also enjoy reading great books, gathering with friends and family, and cheering from the sidelines at swim meets and college football games.

Mr. Holder comes to Capstone directly from Liberty Middle School in West Fargo, where he has been serving as the Head Principal and where he once supported and directed our very own Mrs. Archer. He has dedicated over 23 years to education, beginning his career as a World History and Economics teacher at West Fargo High School.

Over the years, he has served in various administrative roles at both the high school and middle school levels, most recently as the Head Principal of Liberty Middle School. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Social Studies Education from Minnesota State University Moorhead and a Master of Educational Leadership from North Dakota State University.

Mr. Holder has been married to his wife, Michelle, since 2001. Together, they have raised five children, whose ages span two decades. Dan and Michelle have faithfully served in churches and schools throughout the community. The Holder family worships with several Capstone community members at Harvest Plains Church in Mapleton.

Shannon Archer earned a B.S. in Special Education from Moorhead State University and a M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Jamestown. Her teaching career spans 18 years. She spent several years in public schools and four years at a classical education charter school in Minnesota. Shannon was at Liberty Middle School in West Fargo before coming to Capstone.

As Dean, Shannon assists the headmaster with programming decisions, supporting teachers and providing support for students as needs arise. Shannon is very excited to be part of the first Christian classical education school in North Dakota. She considers it a privilege to provide a biblical worldview while educating students. She has seen firsthand how effective this model of education was for her own children.

Shannon is married to her husband Jeremy and has two adult children, Josiah and Tyndale. Shannon and her family attend Harvest Plains Church.

Brittany Zinter brings over 20 years of experience teaching Pre-K and Kindergarten in Christian schools across North Dakota and Minnesota. She holds a B.A. in Elementary Education and Bible, with a minor in Early Childhood Education from the University of Northwestern – St. Paul.

Since the launch of Capstone’s Pre-K program, Brittany has had the joy of pioneering and shaping its development. She is passionate about creating a Christ-centered learning environment where young students grow spiritually, cognitively, physically, socially, and emotionally. One of the greatest joys of her day is teaching children about Jesus and His incredible love for them.

Brittany and her husband, Aaron, have two children, Lydia and Max. Aaron serves as a 6th-grade math teacher and Choir Director at Capstone. The Zinter family lives in Moorhead and attends Bethel Church, where they are active in music ministry, involved in an amazing small group, and have served as VBS leaders together.

In her free time, Brittany enjoys spending time with family and friends, reading, crafting, and decorating.

Emily holds a bachelor's degree in Elementary Inclusive Education and a minor in Special Education from MSUM. After teaching kindergarten for seven years in Moorhead, she joined the Capstone team in 2022. Emily looks forward to guiding in the development of virtuous and knowledgeable students that see the fullness of what is True, Good, and Beautiful in Jesus Christ. 

As a Capstone teacher, Mrs. Malingen strives to be patient, gentle, and humble with her students. She sees the biblical narrative as central to how teachers teach and how students learn and prays that the Capstone faculty will be examples in word and conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, and in purity (1 Tim. 4:12).

Emily lives in Fargo with her husband and their son. In her free time, Emily enjoys being outside and spending time with family and friends.

Mandie Drege received her B.S. in Psychology and Theology from Grace University. She spent two years as a Kindergarten paraprofessional and continued on to earn her Post-Baccalaureate Certification in Elementary Education. 

Her love for education and passion for nurturing the hearts and minds of her students has brought Mandie back to the Kindergarten classroom. Her greatest joy is seeing the “lightbulb” come on throughout the year as students learn and begin to grow to love learning. 

Mandie lives in Fargo with her husband Nate. They have three children, Elayna, Becklyn, and Branson, who are all active in various sports and musical endeavors. Nate and Mandie serve in various ways at True North Church. They served together in full-time worship ministry for 14 years and continue to serve in worship and youth leadership—and even volunteer in the toddler room from time to time. Together, the Drege family enjoys camping, ice fishing, and all things “outdoors." 

Signe has been with Capstone since 2022, where her leadership in the classroom and her expertise in Literacy Essentials has garnered praise from parents and cultivated tremendous growth in our second grade classes. She has a B.S. in Elementary Education from Valley City State University, a B.S. in Human Development and Family Science, and an M.Ed. in Educational Leadership. In addition to her education, Signe's experience includes two years teaching third grade at Independence Elementary School in West Fargo as well as five years at Arcadia Elementary School in Deer Park, Washington.

Signe is enthusiastic about the classical model of education because of its emphasis on thinking critically and expressing oneself winsomely. Her prayer for her students is that her students will develop their God-given abilities to their full potential, that they will internalize a Christian worldview, and that they will acquire lifelong tools for learning. Signe lives with her family in Fargo and attends River City Church. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family, reading, and going to the lake.

Natalie Roisum graduated with her bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education and Biblical Studies from Faith Baptist Bible College. During the 2023-2024 school year, she served as the classroom aide in Capstone's 2nd grade classroom. Natalie also serves as our head volleyball coach.

Natalie is thankful for her own Christian education. She views teaching as a ministry and is hoping to impact children for Christ as a part of the ministry at Capstone.

In her free time, Natalie enjoys spending time with extended family at her grandpa’s farm. She attends and serves on the worship team at Harvest Plains Church in Mapleton.

Roxanne received an elementary education degree and a kindergarten license from MSUM. She is currently pursuing a masters in Catholic Studies from the University of Mary. She had taught in the JPII Catholic Schools for 14 years and spent 12 years home while her children were young.  

Her desire to join the Capstone community began by learning about the classical model of education. She is drawn to its intentional pursuit of what is Good, True, and Beautiful in all content areas and its goal of forming critical thinkers and articulate communicators. She feels it is a great gift to participate in a community striving to draw students closer to Jesus through classical education.

Roxanne and her husband, Brian, are members of Sts. Anne & Joachim church. They have been married for almost 30 years and have the privilege of raising six children from 12 to 26 years of age. Their family enjoys playing board and card games together. In her spare time, Roxanne enjoys reading, scrapbooking and baking.

Greta Railing earned her bachelor's degree in English and Writing from Liberty University. As a classroom aide during the 2024-2025 school year, she came to love Capstone's joyful and Christ-honoring community. She is thrilled to begin her teaching career at Capstone. 

Greta is excited to be part of a school that emphasizes character formation and a biblical worldview. Her goal is to model and teach strong academic habits and a love for learning.

Greta enjoys reading, traveling, camping, and going on adventures with friends and family. She attends Fargo Baptist Church, where she teaches the Wednesday night Pre-K class.