SUSIE THEULE

Founder & Head of School

Susie is pretty sure that when she came into this world, making her debut in the Northwest suburbs of Chicago, she was absolutely filled with the love of learning. That fervor died down somewhere by the time she reached 8th grade, but was rekindled while taking her required literature classes in college. Now, that passion for continual learning and growth - and anyone who has spent 5 minutes with her can attest to this - is insatiable. It’s no wonder she’s such a firm believer in the importance of studying the humanities, no matter the course a person’s career may take - she is a first-hand witness to the power the humanities hold in stoking a person’s lifelong love of learning. Emboldened by her undergrad experience, Susie forged ahead on the path to obtaining her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the Rosemead School of Psychology at BIOLA University. After grad school, it looked like the course of her life was pretty well set: set up a private practice as a long-term therapist, grow a (fairly large) family, and delve into the time-honored tradition of DIY home improvement. Alas, her life took an unexpected turn when, in her hunt for an amazing education for her own children, she became smitten by Classical Education. Why smitten, you ask? “Mercy!” she exclaims, and then proceeds to declare that it’s because of the way Classical Education prepares us to take part in the Great Conversation, and that we can ride the coat-tails of those who came before us. “The literature! The integration of subjects! The depth!” This introduction to Classical Education opened up a new path to her, and two years before the school opened its doors, Susie was working vigorously to make SLOCA a reality. From the early days of Co-Directing the school and into her current role of Executive and Visionary Director, Susie’s focus remains on ensuring the best education possible for her children, and all of the children at SLOCA. In the rare moments when she is not hard at work on all things SLOCA, Susie’s most cherished activities revolve around her family: out-cheering anyone in the crowd at her kids' sporting events, camping locally, and cultivating their home. Her latest endeavor within the home involves working on her her skill of making coconut yogurt (although she admits she hasn't nailed that quite yet) and, if that goes sour, she also has a knitting skill in mind.