Middle & Upper School Theater and Choir Teacher Updates
We have spent the last several weeks collaborating with Mrs. Headley, Mrs. McWilliams, Mr. Snyder, and many students, interviewing ten phenomenal candidates. Our committee invited the top two candidates for both Choir and Theater to campus to do a mock lesson with our students, Thespians, and the leadership team. From there, two outstanding candidates were selected to continue the Choir/Theater legacy at TFA.
In order to meet the growing need for Theater support, we have divided the program into two focus areas: Middle School Theater and Upper School Theater.
Mrs. Allison Hodges will serve as the Middle School Theater Director and instructor. Mrs. Hodges is a graduate of Texas Christian University, where she earned a B.A. degree in Theatre with a minor in Speech Communications and a Secondary Teaching certificate. Early in her career, she served as a Middle School Theater, Speech, and Choir Teacher. In the years following, she served in several capacities in the Performing Arts, including a Kidstuf Director, Children's Large Group Coordinator, and a Contract Actor, Director, Producer, and Choreographer. Mrs. Hodges joined our Fine Arts team as a Fine Arts Activities Assistant in January 2022. She is excited about this new opportunity to serve at TFA in a full-time capacity. Mrs. Hodges’ husband serves as a pastor at First Orlando, and she is the proud mom of three TFA students.
Mr. Jason Porrata will serve as the Upper School Theater Director and instructor. Mr. Porrata is a graduate of Florida State University, where he earned a B.A. degree in History and Theater. He has since worked in several theater and artistic roles on his professional journey. Since 2017, he has served at Orlando Christian Prep, first as a History Teacher & Theater Director. In 2020, he was promoted to the position of Fine Arts Director at the school. Mr. Porrata is excited to bring his talents to The First Academy and looks forward to serving our students. He and his wife are members of Lake Baldwin Church.
Mr. Jordan Castillo will serve as the Middle and Upper School Choir Director. Jordan earned a Bachelor’s degree in Music Education from the University of Florida. He furthered his studies at the University of Florida and went on to earn a Master’s of Music in Music Performance (percussion). He currently serves as the Choral Director and Music Instructor at King High School in Tampa, FL. Mr. Castillo also holds a K-12 Music Certification. Mr. Castillo is an active member of Grace Family Church. He has served as a music coordinator and also enjoys working with small groups, particularly in student ministry.
We are grateful to Mrs. Headley and Mrs. McWilliams for their commitment to working with this new team to transition them seamlessly into our thriving programs. They will continue to be a vital part of this transition throughout the summer.
We look forward to formally introducing the Fine Arts Department in August for a student and family meet-and-greet.
Dr. Grove
Upper School Principal
Dr. Holter
Middle School Principal
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