Faculty and Staff

Taia Rude recently graduated from North Dakota State University with a degree in Human Dec and Family Science and a minor in art. She also attended Valley City State University and earned a degree in Elementary Education. Taia is honored to spend her first year teaching as the new upper school art teacher. She is a member at River City Church, and in her free time she loves to create, read, and spend time with family and friends.

Becca Wunderlich graduated from the Free Lutheran Bible College, where she received a diploma in Biblical Studies. Becca is incredibly thankful to be apart of the Capstone community and loves seeing how the Lord is working in the hearts and minds of the learners. She considers working with the littlest learners one of her greatest joys and feels blessed to have the opportunity to share the love of Jesus with them. 

Becca is drawn to the classical model because it is a thoughtful and intentional way of educating students. Her hope is that through this model of education, students would find excitement and joy in learning. Her prayer is that the students and staff at Capstone would continuously seek what is good, true and beautiful, in all that God has created. 

Becca and her husband, Peter, live in Fargo and attend Ignite Church, where they are involved in a life group. In her free time, Becca enjoys reading, baking, playing pickleball, and spending time with family and friends.

Sophia Tucker is a pre-nursing student at North Dakota State University and serves as a part-time aide at Capstone Classical Academy. She has always loved learning, which is one of the reasons she enjoys being part of the Capstone community.

Having attended public school throughout her education, Sophia has developed a deep appreciation for the vision of classical Christian education and Capstone’s commitment to pursuing the Good, the True, and the Beautiful. She especially values the school’s emphasis on teaching students how to think rather than what to think.

Sophia lives in Fargo with her family. Her father, Tom, serves as Capstone’s Director of Advancement, her mother, Patti, works as an administrative assistant, and her younger brother, Levi, is a student at the school. The family attends Ignite Church in Moorhead, and Sophia is grateful that they are all able to serve together in support of Capstone’s mission.

In her free time, Sophia enjoys getting coffee with friends, traveling, shopping, cheering on Levi at his baseball games, and learning more about the medical field as she prepares for a career in nursing.

Grace is coming to education after several years of volunteering in different kid's ministries at her church and helping teach English overseas. She loves being with children and truly enjoys working in the classroom.

As an Instructional Aide at Capstone, Grace is excited to see how God will use her to work in the lives of her students. She is thankful to be a part of a school that not only encourages the development of character and virtue in children, but also places God and His Word at the center of every aspect of education. 

Growing up as a missionary kid in Southeast Asia has given Grace a love for travel. She also enjoys camping, hiking, reading, and piano. Grace attends Fargo Baptist Church with her family, where she is involved in the music ministry and kids' ministries.

Miranda graduated college at the University of Wisconsin Eau Claire with a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education. She is excited to work in a Christian-based school setting. Miranda is looking forward to helping provide support and building upon beliefs within the classroom. Outside of education, Miranda is a member at Sts. Anne & Joachim Church in Fargo. She enjoys spending her free time curling, scuba diving, working out, or spending time with her dog.

Cathy Cox is coming to Capstone after several years of working within the West Fargo school district. Prior to that, Cathy spent the first part of her career working as a nurse. 

As a classroom aide, Cathy is excited to be a part of a school that embraces the Christian faith.  She feels blessed to have the opportunity to serve the students and their families. 

Cathy and her family are members of Horace Lutheran Church.  In her spare time, Cathy enjoys being outdoors as much as possible, horse riding, and spending time with family and friends.

Becca Vastag earned her bachelor's degree in Music Therapy from University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. For the past 20 years, she has held positions as a music therapist, behavior therapist, and program consultant in center-based and home programs. She has also worked as an online English teacher, a music teacher at Children's Music Academy, and a freelance writer. 

After seven years of homeschooling her children, Becca is excited to join the Capstone community in pursuit of truth, beauty, and goodness. She looks forward to encouraging learners to see their value and worth in who they are as humans created in God's image. Becca strives to live out Micah 6:8 in her time spent with learners, families, and colleagues in the Capstone community. 

Becca, her husband, Tyler, and their two children live in West Fargo with their adorable goldendoodle. In her free time, Mrs. Vastag enjoys singing, taking walks outside, attending symphony performances, and spending time with family and friends.

Danielle Sannes earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology with a minor in Christian Studies from North Central University. She then formerly studied Industrial Engineering and Mathematics Education at North Dakota State University. Danielle taught math and science at LIFE STEM Academy in 2023 and has been a private tutor since 2020.

Danielle is exceedingly grateful to work in an environment that prioritizes a Christ-centered model in education. She believes that the Lord has continued blessings for Capstone students, families, and employees and is excited to witness them.

In her spare time, Danielle loves to hike, bike, and enjoy nature. She and her husband also play brain games and logic puzzle books together. They attend Burning Hearts Church, where Danielle works as an administrative assistant to the youth pastor and volunteers in the youth group and children’s ministry. 

Originally from Montreal, Canada, Mariane Wottrich has lived in the Fargo-Moorhead area since 2014 and has been involved in both education and music. She received her Bachelor of Music from the Conservatoire de musique de Montréal, her M.M. from Manhattan School of Music, and her D.M.A. from Stony Brook University.

Mrs. Wottrich served as a professor of voice and director of the opera program at NDSU’s Challey School of Music. She also taught French in NDSU’s language department and founded a youth choir and musical theater program at Shiloh Christian Academy. As a vocalist, she has performed with Fargo-Moorhead Opera and the Fargo-Moorhead Symphony Orchestra, as well as with organizations across the country and abroad. She has also held various administrative positions with MasterVoices in New York, Yellow Barn Music Festival in Vermont, Domaine Forget in Quebec, and Shiloh Christian Academy in West Fargo.

Her two children started at Capstone in 2025, and she is enthusiastic to join the Capstone community as a teacher this year. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her husband and children, going on bike rides, skating, and making music.

Amber Dean has lived in the Fargo–Moorhead area for the past nine years. Prior to moving to the F-M community, she worked in Chicago, Illinois. Amber earned her B.A. in Psychology (cyber emphasis) from the University of North Dakota and later completed a post-baccalaureate degree in Speech-Language and Hearing Sciences from Minnesota State University Moorhead. She has spent the last six years working in special education and brings a deep passion for supporting students with diverse learning needs. Amber is grateful to serve in a classical Christian education environment and values partnering with families in the education of their children.