Towne Salute Meet Ali

TOWNE SALUTE

Ali Ghaffari

Divine Mercy Academy

By Lisa A. Lewis

Although Ali Ghaffari envisioned himself in various roles as he contemplated his path in life, including an astronaut or a professional hockey player, he never imagined that he would one day found a school and serve as the headmaster. But his desire to provide his children with a classical liberal arts education inspired him to start Divine Mercy Academy. Indeed, the founding of the school marks an exciting new chapter in his life, and he embraces the opportunity to serve the community.

Located in Pasadena, Divine Mercy Academy, a private classical liberal arts school in the Catholic tradition for students in kindergarten through eighth grade, officially opened its doors in 2019. The school prides itself on its mission “to foster a love for truth, beauty, goodness, and learning by providing students with a foundation of wisdom and virtue.” Enrollment has grown from 19 students during the 2019–2020 academic year to 45 students during the 2020–2021 academic year. The current enrollment is 90 students.

I LOVE WHEN PARENTS TELL ME ABOUT THE POSITIVE CHANGES THEY SEE IN THEIR CHILD AND HOW MUCH WE ARE MAKING A DIFFERENCE. IF YOU LIGHT A MATCH IN THE DARKNESS, YOU SEE A DIM FLICKER. BUT IF SEVERAL OTHER PEOPLE LIGHT A CANDLE FROM THAT MATCH, THE LIGHT SHINES BRIGHTLY. I WANT DIVINE MERCY ACADEMY TO BE A BEACON OF LIGHT THAT SPREADS LOVE, JOY, AND BEAUTY TO OTHERS.”

“I decided to start Divine Mercy Academy because I wanted my children to receive a classical liberal education,” Ghaffari says. “I was especially inspired by St. Jerome’s Academy in Hyattsville, which is a national leader in classical liberal education. I think that this particular type of education elevates intellect and makes learning fun. That is what I wanted for my children, so I felt that I had to start the school for them.”

As the founder, headmaster, and president of the board of directors of Divine Mercy Academy, a nonprofit educational institution, Ghaffari is actively involved in every aspect of the school and is dedicated to its success. He is guided by his personal philosophy that no one should feel that they are too good to do any job— no matter how big or how small.

Not only does Ghaffari complete top-level duties, including administration, planning, financial management, interviewing, hiring, and training, to ensure the successful operation of the school, but he also performs other tasks as needed. It’s not unusual to see him teaching classes, visiting the classrooms to interact with students, playing with students at recess, cleaning classrooms, or even taking out the trash. And all of the work that Ghaffari does for Divine Mercy Academy is voluntary; he does not receive a salary. Motivated by a strong desire to serve the community, his all-in attitude exemplifies the true spirit of volunteerism, and he is always willing to help in any way that he can.

“Mr. Ghaffari is the ultimate volunteer leader in every sense,” says Kelly O’Connor, a choral and instrumental music instructor at Divine Mercy Academy. “He approaches leadership with a ‘team member attitude.’ I feel extremely supported in my work and am impressed with his ever-positive attitude of joy and effort—even amid the tremendous adversity [associated with] starting a school and [the effects] of the pandemic. I am most grateful for the impact that his personal leadership has on the students as they see him live the example of our educational philosophy every day. He loves and cares about everyone and challenges us to be the best version of ourselves.”

Although Divine Mercy Academy is a new school that is still in the early stages of growth, Ghaffari has already seen a lot of progress. He believes that it’s important to continue to work towards accomplishing its goals and fulfilling its mission. And he has definite plans for the future of the school.

“We would love to see Divine Mercy Academy grow to its full size of approximately 290 students while still embracing our school culture of being one big family,” Ghaffari says. “We also want to become a national leader in classical liberal education and

serve as a model—a school where people want to enroll their children, a school that inspires families to relocate here from other parts of the country.”

A recently retired naval officer whose career spanned 20 years, Ghaffari flew F/A-18 jets and also taught leadership classes at the United States Naval Academy. He currently lives in Severna Park with his wife, Mary, and their children, Reyna, 13; Kaelyn, 11; Natalie, 9; Barry, 5; and Kinslee, 3.

“We started Divine Mercy Academy to make an impact in the community and change people’s lives,” Ghaffari says. “I love when parents tell me about the positive changes they see in their child and how much we are making a difference. If you light a match in the darkness, you see a dim flicker. But if several other people light a candle from that match, the light shines brightly. I want Divine Mercy Academy to be a beacon of light that spreads love, joy, and beauty to others.”

For more information about Divine Mercy Academy, visit divinemercy.md.

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