H. Eric Clark
President
eclark@loyolaacademy.org
Eric was born and raised in St. Louis, MO, and he is a graduate of St. Louis University High (SLUH). He has earned a Bachelor of Arts and a Master of Arts in Psychology from the University Of Missouri-St. Louis. He has also earned a second Master of Arts in Educational Administration from St. Louis University (SLU) and is currently enrolled in the Doctoral Program in Educational Leadership at SLU.
Eric began his career in Jesuit, education in 1992 as an Assistant Principal for SLUH. He strongly believes in the Ignatian philosophy of seeking and finding God in all things, people and situations. Believing that God was “calling” him to be stretched and not to become complacent, he decided to leave SLUH. In June of 2008, he became the Principal at Loyola Academy. In July of 2009, he became the President and Principal. In January 2011, he relinquished the role of Principal and is currently solely the President. Eric believes that he is extremely blessed that he “gets” to go to work. “Working at Loyola Academy is a vocation, not a job!” Eric truly loves being able to assist in “breaking the cycle of poverty through education while molding boys into young men for others”.
Katherine L. Petron
Principal
kpetron@loyolaacademy.org
Katie is a St. Louis native who is passionate about education. After being formed into a Woman for Others by the Jesuits at St. Louis University, Katie gave a year of her life in service through Jesuit Volunteer Corps (JVC). She taught reading and math to elementary school students at St. Labre Indian School on the Northern Cheyenne Reservation in Montana. After a year of big skies and small towns, Katie returned to St. Louis with an even greater passion to educate students who deserved a chance. She continued her math teaching career at Maplewood Richmond Heights Middle School where she learned a plethora of teaching, learning, technological, curricular and management strategies. After five great years, she felt called to serve in a greater way. Loyola Academy had held a special place in her heart because of its Jesuit roots and fantastic programming. So she jumped at the chance to be a part of it. During her second year of teaching math at Loyola, she took on the responsibilities of assisting the principal. In her third year, she went from Assistant to the Principal to Assistant Principal to Principal. In her current role as principal, Katie is utilizing the twelve-year history of Loyola Academy to create sustainable programming, assemble procedures and formalize traditions. “It’s rewarding to hone students’ potential and mold them into Men for Others.”
Katie resides in University City with her husband, Tim. Katie’s brother, Reverend Joseph Laramie, SJ, is a newly ordained Jesuit priest who inspires her to greatness.
Faith Barnes
Director of Development
fbarnes@loyolaacademy.org
Since 2001, Faith has served in various leadership roles in the regional nonprofit community. After receiving both her undergraduate and graduate degrees in sociology at Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville, Faith went on to serve as Executive Director of Adequate Housing for Missourians, a role she successfully filled from 2001-2004. Since then, she has held development positions at Grand Center, Fathers’ Support Center, St. Louis and FOCUS St. Louis.
Faith accepted her current position as Director of Development at Loyola Academy of St.Louis in May 2011. ” I am so grateful for the opportunity to get to know our students and to have the privilege of seeing first hand the transformation in their lives from boys to young men – “men for others” in the Loyola tradition. Being able to play even a small part in that transformation is one of the greatest rewards I could possibly have.” Faith is responsible for overseeing fundraising initiatives for Loyola including the recruitment and retention of individual donors, fundraising events, and corporate and foundation relations.
Faith is very active at her local church and in her free time, enjoys hanging out with her daughter and shopping (of course).
Erin Marsh, MSW
Development Associate, Director of Social Services
emarsh@loyolaacademy.org
After receiving a degree in Elementary Education from Loyola University Chicago, Erin moved home to St. Louis to pursue a career in education. She spent a year teaching first grade and assisting with the theater club at Mary, Queen of Peace School in Webster Groves. Erin worked on the side as a middle school math tutor as well. After a year of teaching, she felt a strong passion to work individually and in small groups with students and began the Master in Social Work (MSW) program at Saint Louis University (SLU). Through internships at Wyman Center and Parkway School District, Erin knew that she wanted to continue working in a school environment, so she received a certification in School Social Work through the MSW program. After graduating from SLU, Erin started the job search and through many connections with Loyola Academy, she came on board as the AmeriCorps Volunteer. In this position, Erin spent time organizing community service opportunities for students and running the volunteer program. After a year in the AmeriCorps program in collaboration with Loyola, Erin was approached about applying for the Development Associate position. With some experience in community social work and grant writing, Erin was excited to join the development team at Loyola Academy and enjoys the opportunity to work with these incredible young men.
In her free time, Erin coaches one of the Loyola 8th grade basketball teams, plays sand volleyball, and enjoys photography, traveling, and music.
Katheleen Batts
Business Manager
kbatts@loyolaacademy.org
Katheleen Batts is the first “official” Business Manager of Loyola Academy. In October of 2009 Katheleen arrived at Loyola to set up and manage all the school’s financial business. She knew she would not have the stress of getting to know her new boss, Mr. Eric Clark – they had worked together at St. Louis University High School for 16 years. Katheleen held the record for longevity in the Business Office at SLUH, and was capable of answering and solving any transaction for vendors, her colleagues and superiors. She was hard pressed to leave SLUH, but when Eric asked, she could not help remembering that she wished she could have been in this capacity when they opened the doors of Loyola Academy. Even while at SLUH, she worked with Tom Nolan to process the first orders of business for Loyola Academy. In addition to being the financial manager, Katheleen is also the facility manager. When she has mastered juggling these two very time consuming positions, Katheleen hopes to she can contribute more to the students’ lives at Loyola. Specifically, she would like to bring a personal banking class to Loyola so that students learn the basics of banking.
Katheleen is married to Robert Batts, Deputy Director of The St. Louis Housing Authority. They have two children, Chloe who is 25 and Robert, Jr. who is 22. She is also the grandmother of Alexx “Champ” Williams, Chloe’s 4 year old son.
Steve Sulewski
Director of Graduate Support
ssulewski@loyolaacademy.org
Steve started his experience in Jesuit education at Regis High School in Denver, Colorado. His involvement and development at the Jesuit school attracted him to Saint Louis University in 2003. He eventually chose English as a major and aimed to participate in the Alum Service Corps in the Missouri province – the members of which were a source of inspiration for him in his time at Regis.
After a year of teaching at DeSmet Jesuit High School as an ASC member, Steve joined Loyola’s teaching faculty in 2008. Steve coached basketball, mentored the students – all while playing live music as a singer/songwriter (he’s often seen wandering Loyola’s hallways with a guitar in tow). As a natural extension of Steve’s commitment to Loyola’s students, he began serving on the admissions committee and is stepping into the Director of Graduate Support role.
Ralph Taylor
Director of Encore
rtaylor@loyolaacademy.org
Mary Franklin
Secretary
mfranklin@loyolaacademy.org
Mary was born and raised in St. Louis. Mary worked for many years for the Internal Revenue Service in Personnel and then switched to working for the Catholic Church.
Mary believes in the values and importance of a Catholic Education, having raised and educated four children in Catholic grade schools, high schools and colleges. She also is committed to “Social Justice” issues, and believes in the mission of Loyola Academy.
When possible, Mary likes to attend concerts, go to the movies, read and spend time with her grandchildren.
Shelly McNutt
Events Coordinator
smcnutt@loyolaacademy.org
Shelly was born and raised in St. Louis and is married to Don McNutt. They have 3 sons and a daughter-in-law, who have all attended Catholic schools. They are members of St. Catherine LaBoure Parish. She has volunteered in all the schools her sons have attended, including St. Catherine LaBoure, CBC, SLUH, and Lindbergh High School. After volunteering at the different schools, Shelly started coordinating fund-raising events and working with the development team at Loyola last year.
Alice Reese
Language Arts Teacher
areese@loyolaacademy.org
Alice Reese began her teaching career at St.Francis Xavier school on the campus of Saint Louis University in 1980. After teaching Language Arts and social studies for nine years, she was told St. Francis was closing its doors and would be consolidated into the newly formed Focus group of schools for the north side of the Archdiocese of St. Louis. Alice was informed that she and other teachers at the closed schools would be offered positions at new school sites. During this time the St. Louis Public School system was also opening a new school on the north side of St. Louis, Carr Lane Middle School for the Visual and Performing Arts. Since she was also certified to teach Theater Arts and Speech, she applied for and was hired to head up the theater department at the new VPA school.
During her ten-year tenure at Carr Lane (later re-located to Ames VPA) Alice served as the chairperson for the seven member arts staff and was responsible for scheduling all main stage productions. Teaming up with the vocal music teacher, she was selected by Webster University to help implement the new Music! Words! Opera! program in the St. Louis Public Schools. This commitment involved three summers of intense and invaluable training by the staff of Opera America. During her seven-year involvement with the program, Alice served as libretist and production director for seven original operas. In addition to the Music! Words! Opera! program, Alice continued teaching her theater classes and coaching award winning speech contestants.
In 1999, Alice was contacted by an old friend and colleague, Thomas Nolan, who asked her to consider being the lead teacher for a new school opening in the summer. At first, she wasn’t interested. However, after reading the information he forwarded to her, she changed her mind and decided to apply for the position. A school with the Nativity model mission was desperately needed in urban St. Louis. The challenge of being part of a new beginning was too much to resist and after being offered the opportunity, she accepted the position. After twelve years of helping to form adolescent boys into men for others, Alice states that she has no regrets.
Paul Bozdech
Science Teacher
pbozdech@loyolaacademy.org
Paul Bozdech, Mr. B., has been teaching science at Loyola Academy since the summer of 2009. Science in here is not just in the books. Students never know what will happen the next day in class. Whether it’s tacking down which teacher(s) have 40 cm long hair (hint: it’s not Mr. Bozdech) dissecting frogs or pigs, or finding the coefficient of friction of various surfaces, there’s always something to do. Emphasis in the class is on exploring, thinking, and solving, not memorizing.
Mr. Bozdech grew up on the South Side of St. Louis and graduated from SLUH. After many years of summer and winter camp at Kiwanis Camp Wyman, Mr. Bozdech changed his major at the Missouri University of Science and Technology from electrical engineering to math education. The rest is a history of experiments, projects, demonstrations, and a messy room.
Outside of school, Mr. Bozdech is kept busy with two children, both who are active the whole year in ice hockey and field hockey. He also likes photography, roller coasters, and seeing new things in new places.
Adam Elkana-Hale
Math Teacher
aelkanahale@loyolaacademy.org
Adam “Mr. E” Elkana-Hale earned his BS in Performing Arts from Cornell College in 2002. He then attended the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts in England, from which he received his MFA in Theater. While he has held many jobs since (including time as a college sports play-by-play announcer and as a chemist in a steel mill), his career path has always been aimed toward teaching. Following two years with the educational wing of the Shakespeare Festival of St. Louis, Adam enrolled at St. Louis University to pursue his teaching certification and, eventually, his Master’s. He took his first classroom position at Torah Prep Jewish Boys’ School in U City, where he taught computers and gym. Thanks to a tip from his friend Matt Carroll, an after-school tutor, he joined the Loyola family in January 2011.
An energetic teacher with infectious enthusiasm, Adam brings his past on-stage experience to the classroom each and every day. He works hard to take numbers and equations off the page and make them hands-on, relating concepts to his students through music, games, props, and other non-traditional means. In the upcoming year, he plans to integrate elements of the Singapore Math system and the “Challenge By Choice” Tiered Assessment model into Loyola’s math curriculum, allowing students greater ownership over their own educational experience while encouraging a deeper exploration of math’s inner workings.
Mr. E lives in Richmond Heights with his wife Johanna and their 3 year-old son Eitan. When he’s not engaged in teacher-ly pursuits he’s a member of the St. Louis Gaelic Athletic Club and enjoys baseball, theater, and gardening.
Julie Duncan
Reading Teacher
jduncan@loyolaacademy.org
Julie Duncan earned her Bachelor of Science degree from University of Missouri-St Louis in Elementary Education. After graduating, Julie began her teaching career in 1997 in the Ritenour School District where she was a 6th grade teacher. Julie taught a variety of subjects including Language Arts, Science, and Social Studies. At Ritenour Middle School, Julie sponsored Student Council and assisted students with after school tutoring. In the fall of 2003, Julie began teaching Communication Arts in the Riverview Garden School District and worked there for the next 7 years. Julie sponsored a Junior Achievement International Marketplace after school club, provided after school tutoring, and organized an after school reading club. In 2004, Julie obtained her Master’s Degree in Middle Level Education from Walden University. She comes to Loyola Academy with 13 years of experience working in middle schools and is excited about working with the exceptional staff and young men of Loyola Academy. Julie is a mother of 2 sons, Trevor who is 13 and Blake who is 11. The Duncan family is members of Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Saint Ann, Missouri.
Sterling Brown
Social Studies Teacher
sbrown@loyolaacademy.org
In the fall of 1999, Sterling Brown attended Loyola Academy, making him a part of the first ever class to enter and graduate from the school in 2002. This school became a very important foundation for his life. Upon graduating from Loyola Academy, Sterling attended Christian Brothers College High School (CBC) in St. Louis and continued to receive support through the alumni service support program. Sterling decided to accept his admission into Westminster College in Fulton, Missouri. During his time at Westminster College, Sterling decided that educating young men to become tomorrow’s leaders would be the best thing he could do to make an impact on the world. In addition to pursuing a career in education, Sterling also approached his deans with an idea of designing his own major now entitled Youth Leadership and Development. He knew at some point he would want to do some classroom work so he also took up a minor in History. During his time at Westminster, Sterling stayed very active in the community doing volunteer work for various school and poverty based organizations. During his junior year, Sterling decided to accept a job working as the Youth Director of a local church in Fulton. In this position, Sterling led the youth to better understand themselves and the work that they could do to better their community.
During his last two summers of college, Sterling also returned to Loyola to assist in teaching reading and writing to the Loyola men. Upon the conclusion of Sterling’s senior year, Sterling was approached with an opportunity to apply for the Social Studies teaching position at Loyola.. It had always been a goal and dream of Sterling’s to return to the school and give back to the students what he had received during his middle school career. Through his minor in history and educational studies in college Sterling was excited to join the Loyola Academy faculty that strives to develop today’s youth into tomorrow’s leaders. “I have been apart of the Loyola Academy family since I was ten years old. This is my family and I look forward to educating these young men that I consider to be my little brothers in the Loyola family toward positive development and great success for many years to come.” Sterling is currently attending Webster University to achieve his masters in Eds in School Systems, Superintendency & Leadership.
Sean Towey, S.J.
Campus Minister
stowey@loyolaacademy.org
Sean Towey, SJ, is the Campus Minister for the 2011-2012 school year. From Tacoma, WA, he went to a Jesuit parish, graduated from Bellarmine Prep, a Jesuit high school, in 2006, and afterward attended Seattle University, a Jesuit college. Due to this influence, he entered the Oregon Province of the Society of Jesus in 2008. After two years of discernment as a novice, including a thirty day silent retreat known as the Spiritual Exercises, Sean took the religious vows of Poverty, Chastity, and Obedience in August 2010. Besides his work at Loyola, Sean is also going into his second year of philosophy and English studies at Saint Louis University.
Maxwell Magee
ASC Teacher
mmagee@loyolaacademy.org
Hello! My name is Max Magee and this year I am teaching Religion to Grades Six, Seventh, and Eighth. I was born and raised in St. Louis. After graduating from SLUH in 2006, I attended the University of Missouri-Columbia. Last year I was granted the opportunity to teach Theology at Rockhurst High School as a member of Alum Service Corps for the Jesuits of the Missouri Province . I am grateful for the chance to spend another year in the ASC program as a member of Loyola Academy community. I am excited to learn about the Nativity model of education as well as help the students, faculty, and staff in any way possible for the upcoming school year.
Dominic Zanaboni
ASC Teacher
zanaboni@loyolaacademy.org
Dominic Zanaboni will be serving as the Spanish and P.E. teacher for the 2011-12 school year as an Alumni Service Corps volunteer. He will also be helping out with Math classes and coaching soccer. Dominic graduated from Rockhurst University in 2011 where he studied Biology and Theology. As a St. Louis native, and SLUH alum, Dominic is excited to be working in the St. Louis community and even more excited to learn more about the Nativity School model and its impact on young men.
Melba Shumpert
Art Teacher
mshumpert@loyolaacademy.org
Laura Eberius
AmeriCorps Community Resources Coordinator
leberius@loyolaacademy.org
Laura is from Dallas, Texas and graduated from Bishop Lynch in 2007 before coming to St. Louis to attend Saint Louis University where she received her Bachelor of Arts in English in 2010. After graduation, Laura returned home to Dallas but missed Saint Louis and returned last August to begin her year of service through AmeriCorps. She had been a tutor at Loyola for three and a half years during her time at SLU. She missed Loyola and inquired about job openings when she was told about the AmeriCorps position. She is thrilled to return as the Volunteer Coordinator. In this position, she organizes weekend service sites for the students and runs the volunteer program. Laura is inspired to help others through education and plans to pursue a career in education upon the completion of her AmeriCorps term.
Laura lives in The Hills and when she is not at Loyola she enjoys reading, writing, traveling, and swimming.