Featured Story
Dreams Come True for St. Luke’s Faculty Members
Each year, up to three St. Luke’s faculty members can apply to be the recipients of the annual Faculty Enrichment Award. These “Dream Grants” as they’re more commonly known provide an opportunity for faculty to pursue a personal project or journey that will enrich their lives.
This year, St. Luke’s is proud to announce that Matt Bavone, Academic Technology Coordinator and Latin Teacher and Michael Mitchell, designLab Director have had their wishes granted thanks to the generosity of former St. Luke’s parents Steve and Liz Goldstone.
Matt originally planned to tour 7th-11th Century historical sites in England, Wales, and Scotland, but due to COVID-19, adjusted his grant to apply to more at-home friendly activities. Matt reimagined his back yard to create beautiful garden space and plans to build a new desktop computer from the ground up.
Michael, a father of two, is returning to his own childhood passion drumming, so he can reconnect with his former identity as a drummer and share a love of music with his children. Beginning his love for the drums in fourth grade, Michael had a fifteen year journey learning the instrument, playing in a variety of bands, and played regular gigs throughout New York City. As his professional career grew, and fatherhood emerged, the drums grew more and more dust. This grant will go to purchase an electronic drum set that is nearly silent, allowing Michael to practice during his children’s nap times or late at night during the little free time he has, plus he will be able to cover one year worth of drumming lessons to rekindle his skills.
Congratulations to Matt and Michael!
Past "Dream Grant" recipients include:
2019: Middle School history teacher Sarah Westerberg-Egan took a once in a lifetime trip to Beirut with her mother who is second-generation Lebanese, to explore their heritage. Westerberg-Egan shared, “I was so grateful for that opportunity and my mom and I really had a life-changing experience going to our homeland.”
Upper School English teacher Steve Flachsbart traveled with his wife to Greece, where they explored everything from the Parthenon in Athens to the oracle in Delphi, to the blue roofs of Santorini. Visiting Greece was a longtime dream after reading the Odyssey in ninth grade, and Steve shared, “being able to see the pages come to life was an incredible and gratifying experience.”
2018: US Band Teacher Peter Valera purchased his first new saxophone in nearly twenty years, after playing the same one since high school and Former Music Chair Katie Kaplan traveled to Israel for the first time with her husband and synagogue group,
2017: Retired Math Teacher Nancy Walsh went to Ireland with her sisters to trace their maternal family heritage and English Teacher Susan Doran visited the Lake District and the Yorkshire Dales in Great Britain (an area associated with literary greats such as Wordsworth, Coleridge, Byron, and the Brontës).
2016: MS Art Chair Nancy Sarno to re-learn the piano, Assistant Head of MS Mark Chuhta to rebuild a ‘68 Mustang engine with his son AJ and Director of College Counseling Sonia Bell for an Albany-to-Los Angeles train ride with her sister.
2015: Director of Educational Support Services Daphne Teittinen-Schreck for cooking classes with her husband and Physical Education Teacher Pat Raffaele for homemade craft brewing.
2014: Former Director of Technology and horse-enthusiast Elizabeth Preston for dressage riding sport lessons and former Math Teacher Elaine Greene to take a treasured family trip to Ireland.
2013: Director of Character Education Kate Parker-Burgard to acquire bees and expand her family’s vegetable garden and Math Teacher Colin “Bucky” Buchanan to take a special cruise with his wife.
2012: Math Teacher as well as WSLX faculty advisor Jeff Kress to create his own home radio station and US Health & Wellness Coordinator Camille DeMarco-Havens to take an anniversary trip with her husband, MS Science Teacher David Havens.
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This year, St. Luke’s is proud to announce that Matt Bavone, Academic Technology Coordinator and Latin Teacher and Michael Mitchell, designLab Director have had their wishes granted thanks to the generosity of former St. Luke’s parents Steve and Liz Goldstone.
Matt originally planned to tour 7th-11th Century historical sites in England, Wales, and Scotland, but due to COVID-19, adjusted his grant to apply to more at-home friendly activities. Matt reimagined his back yard to create beautiful garden space and plans to build a new desktop computer from the ground up.
Michael, a father of two, is returning to his own childhood passion drumming, so he can reconnect with his former identity as a drummer and share a love of music with his children. Beginning his love for the drums in fourth grade, Michael had a fifteen year journey learning the instrument, playing in a variety of bands, and played regular gigs throughout New York City. As his professional career grew, and fatherhood emerged, the drums grew more and more dust. This grant will go to purchase an electronic drum set that is nearly silent, allowing Michael to practice during his children’s nap times or late at night during the little free time he has, plus he will be able to cover one year worth of drumming lessons to rekindle his skills.
Congratulations to Matt and Michael!
Past "Dream Grant" recipients include:
2019: Middle School history teacher Sarah Westerberg-Egan took a once in a lifetime trip to Beirut with her mother who is second-generation Lebanese, to explore their heritage. Westerberg-Egan shared, “I was so grateful for that opportunity and my mom and I really had a life-changing experience going to our homeland.”
Upper School English teacher Steve Flachsbart traveled with his wife to Greece, where they explored everything from the Parthenon in Athens to the oracle in Delphi, to the blue roofs of Santorini. Visiting Greece was a longtime dream after reading the Odyssey in ninth grade, and Steve shared, “being able to see the pages come to life was an incredible and gratifying experience.”
2018: US Band Teacher Peter Valera purchased his first new saxophone in nearly twenty years, after playing the same one since high school and Former Music Chair Katie Kaplan traveled to Israel for the first time with her husband and synagogue group,
2017: Retired Math Teacher Nancy Walsh went to Ireland with her sisters to trace their maternal family heritage and English Teacher Susan Doran visited the Lake District and the Yorkshire Dales in Great Britain (an area associated with literary greats such as Wordsworth, Coleridge, Byron, and the Brontës).
2016: MS Art Chair Nancy Sarno to re-learn the piano, Assistant Head of MS Mark Chuhta to rebuild a ‘68 Mustang engine with his son AJ and Director of College Counseling Sonia Bell for an Albany-to-Los Angeles train ride with her sister.
2015: Director of Educational Support Services Daphne Teittinen-Schreck for cooking classes with her husband and Physical Education Teacher Pat Raffaele for homemade craft brewing.
2014: Former Director of Technology and horse-enthusiast Elizabeth Preston for dressage riding sport lessons and former Math Teacher Elaine Greene to take a treasured family trip to Ireland.
2013: Director of Character Education Kate Parker-Burgard to acquire bees and expand her family’s vegetable garden and Math Teacher Colin “Bucky” Buchanan to take a special cruise with his wife.
2012: Math Teacher as well as WSLX faculty advisor Jeff Kress to create his own home radio station and US Health & Wellness Coordinator Camille DeMarco-Havens to take an anniversary trip with her husband, MS Science Teacher David Havens.
St. Luke’s School is a secular (non-religious), private school in New Canaan, CT for grades 5 through 12 serving over 40 towns in Connecticut and New York. Our exceptional academics and diverse co-educational community foster students’ intellectual and ethical development and prepare them for top colleges. St. Luke’s Leading with Humanity curriculum builds the commitment to serve and the confidence to lead.
