EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Adrien Yule, a UC Berkeley graduate, found a passion for teaching in 2000 after graduating from Kennett High. That summer he voiced a naïve desire to start a school. From that early seed of interest he spent the next two decades immersing himself in the ideas of Shakespeare, Gauss, and Mozart while gaining practical experience through executive speech training, college tutoring, event presentations, and the marketing of educational and leadership content. North Star Academy has allowed him to put that preparation into practice and fulfill the goal he first imagined.

What brings Adrien joy—and has become something of a hobby—is watching someone discover a geometric relationship, grasp a Shakespearean metaphor, or uncover a harmonic principle. Seeing a college student, executive, parent, or especially a child realize something true about the universe, and the smile that accompanies that moment of insight, fills him with a sense of accomplishment and equality with the student.

TEACHER

Joe Kingston (“Mr. K”) is a dedicated educator whose lifelong passion for nurturing young minds shines through decades of music teaching, instrument repair, church music direction, and hands-on home-schooling. From public-school band and choir directing in the 1990s to running his own instrument shop while continuing private lessons, leading liturgical choirs, assisting in a Catholic home-school program, and guiding his own daughter through kindergarten and first grade, Joe has always found deepest fulfillment in helping children discover the joy of learning. Since 2025 he has continued that mission as a teacher at North Star Academy, where he anchors the chorus from the piano and teaches early-childhood reading; trained in Orton-Gillingham phonemic awareness and drawing on his strong musical ear, he excels at giving young students the foundational skills—and the confidence—to become enthusiastic, capable readers.

TEACHER

Bio and picture coming soon

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TEACHER

Cheryl Knapton, who retired in May 2026 as a Registered Nurse (BSN) and is an Air Force veteran, brings a rich foundation of instructional experience that makes her an outstanding asset for supporting elementary school students. She successfully homeschooled her own grandson from third through fifth grade. Throughout her nursing career she consistently taught and counseled patients and families on disease management, medications, self-care skills, and post-vaccination care. She also served as Honor Graduate Team/Class Leader during her EMT and Air-Evacuation Medical Technician training and directed and developed staff while counseling employees in charge nurse and weekend supervisor roles—skills that translate directly into clear, patient, and effective elementary instruction. Her clinical expertise provides important on-site medical support at the school. She also programmed the school’s 3D printer to enhance hands-on learning.

ART TEACHER

Bio and picture coming soon

GARDEN VOLUNTEER

Bio and picture coming soon

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