Whetstone Academy

Staff

Administration

• Bryan Tomes

  Cofounder, business director

  Elsewhere in the industry

  • Lake House Academy Academic Director (2010)
  • Asheville Academy for Girls Executive Director (2012-2013)
  • Glen Willow Academy Academic Director, Head of School (2011)
  • Solstice East academic director, operations director
  • New Leaf Academy of North Carolina academic director
  • Equinox RTC cofounder/director of business dev

• Chass Armstrong

  Director biz dev

  Elsewhere in the industry

  • Family Help & Wellness digital marketing manager

• James Holcomb

  Op director/hr director

  Elsewhere in the industry

  • Cherokee Creek Boys School

• John L Singleton

  Owner, CEO

  Elsewhere in the industry

  • New Leaf Academy of North Carolina Former Staff (2009)
  • Cedars Academy Executive Director (2007-2009)
  • Aspen Education Group Staff (2002)
  • NATSAP board of directors
  • Trails Carolina director of business development
  • Maple Hall Academy owner, CEO
  • Stone Mountain School academic director

• Shawn Ziluck

  Cofounder, program coordinator

  Elsewhere in the industry

  • Cherokee Creek Boys School Counseling Department Manager (2010)

Notable staff

• Jeremy Nunnelley

  Clinical Director (2012)source

  Elsewhere in the industry

  • Cherokee Creek Boys School Staff, before 2012
  • Trails Carolina Staff, before 2012
  • Blue Ridge Therapeutic Wilderness therapist
  • Pacific Quest

• Justin Cantalini

  Clinical director

  Elsewhere in the industry

  • SUWS of the Carolinas field instructor
  • SEASONS therapist SUWS

• Matt Kiefer

  Therapist

  Elsewhere in the industry

  • Mount Pleasant Academy program director

• Sharon Stricker

  Elsewhere in the industry

  • Cherokee Creek Boys School Clinical Director (2010)

News coverage

• 

  FOX Carolina May 6, 2025 Lawsuit

  Lawsuit: Upstate boarding school failed to protect resident from sexual assault

  A federal lawsuit alleges that Whetstone Academy in Oconee County, SC, failed to protect a 14-year-old resident from sexual assault by another student in 2024. The boy’s family claims he was subjected to prolonged outdoor confinement, inadequate supervision, and regressive trauma symptoms. The facility denies responsibility.

Staff

Administration

• John L Singleton

  Owner, CEO

  Elsewhere in the industry

  • New Leaf Academy of North Carolina Former Staff (2009)
  • Cedars Academy Executive Director (2007-2009)
  • Aspen Education Group Staff (2002)
  • NATSAP board of directors
  • Trails Carolina director of business development
  • Whetstone Academy owner, CEO
  • Stone Mountain School academic director

• Rick Pollard

  Exec director

  Elsewhere in the industry

  • Aspen Education Group Regional Director of Admissions (2010)
  • Solstice East exec director
  • New Leaf Academy of North Carolina operations director