Administration & Staff

Marie-Louise Schirda

Principal & Teacher

As a lifelong Catholic and native Alaskan, Principal Schirda continues to share her deep love of Christ and her enduring appreciation of God's hand in the wonders of the Alaskan landscape with Holy Rosary Academy students. She is rooted in Alaskan soil, not only by virtue of her family's work as the state's largest producer of farm-to-table produce, but also in her long-term commitment to delivering a classical K-12 curriculum in the Catholic tradition to Holy Rosary Academy students. 

Mrs. Schirda adventured around the globe to achieve her distinctly Catholic education. She attended high school at Trivium School in Massachusetts and then graduated from Thomas More College of Liberal Arts in New Hampshire. While at Thomas More, she spent one semester in Rome, steeped in the art and architecture of many magnificent Catholic churches, backdropped by the grandeur and beauty of the ancient ruins. She earned her master's degree in Anglo-Irish Literature and Drama from University College Dublin, Ireland, and came back to the States to attend Gonzaga University, where she completed her state licensure to teach. 

With over two decades of experience in teaching grades 7-12, Mrs. Schirda's teaching expertise played a pivotal role in developing HRA's classical curriculum and in her implementation of the school's Junior and Senior Thesis program. She expanded her educational portfolio with a Catholic School Leader certification from the Institute for Catholic Liberal Education.

Shelby Burger

Office Manager / Registrar

As a parent of both an alumnus and current students at HRA, Mrs. Burger is a strong advocate for our classical curriculum and is happy to welcome and support parents and students as the Office Manager and Registrar. Mrs. Burger is a licensed real estate agent with deep expertise in developing customer relationships and preparing important documents. Her project management skills are an asset to HRA’s office operations.

Mrs. Burger is a graduate of Williams College in Massachusetts and worked as a Kaplan Test Prep tutor for Math, Critical Reading, and Writing for four years. She loves to spend time with her family and teaching catechism at St. Benedict’s Parish. 

Mara El-Khourey

Admissions Specialist

Mara El-Khoury is a Holy Rosary Academy and Thomas Aquinas College Alumna, with a Bachelor’s Degree in the Liberal Arts. She is a loving wife and a caring mother of three children, all of whom also attend Holy Rosary Academy. Her siblings have all also graduated or currently attend HRA. With these strong ties to the school, a deep love for her Catholic faith, and an earnest desire to serve her community, Mara always enjoys meeting new potential students and their families in her role as Office Administrator for Holy Rosary Academy.