head of School

Dr. Justin Zahraee

Justin Zahraee strives to be a faithful and effective leader in Christian education. After coming to know the Lord in high school, Justin double majored in religious studies and economics at Rice University. A desire for further theological training led him to pursue a Master of Divinity degree from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, followed by a Ph.D in Biblical and Theological Studies from Wheaton College. His dissertation explored the intersection between Augustinian theology and modern economics. Prior to arriving at Valley Classical School, Justin served as the Pastor of Discipleship at Crossroads Community Church in Aurora, IL. When he’s not spending time with his wife and best friend Jolene, Justin enjoys swimming, reading nonfiction, and cheering on his beloved Chicago sports teams.

school directors

Darien kardos - Upper School Director

Born in Maryland, but raised across the United States as part of a military family, Darien began to establish roots in Georgia as a sophomore in high school. There she married her high school sweetheart, Josh, graduated from the University of Georgia (Go Dawgs!), and pursued a career in education. Darien has taught middle school science and health and third grade, and coached Cross Country and Track at a Christian school. Her love of the Classical tradition grew during her tenure at a Christian Classical school, however her longing for more family time did as well. Valley Classical School played a pivotal role in the family’s move to Virginia as the school was an answer to prayer for their children’s education.

kristina mcclung - Lower School director

Passionate about child and adolescent neurological, psychological, and spiritual development, Kristina earned a B.S. in Psychology from Virginia Tech and an M.A. in Educational Psychology with a specialization in Neuropsychology from Ball State University. She has worked with children on a vocational and volunteer basis for may years across the Roanoke and New River Valleys. She greatly values classical pedagogy and the modern classical educational movement. Outside of school, Kristina is an avid reader of both fiction and non-fiction. She firmly believes academics can play a pivotal role in learning how to, “Glorify God and enjoy Him forever!”