An independent day school serving children preschool through 8th grade, the Nantucket Lighthouse School is comprised of 100 students spread over two campuses, a primary schoolhouse at Rugged Road and a Downtown Campus at St. Paul’s Parish House. Co-founded by Lizbet Carroll Fuller and Elizabeth Edwards Sundell, the School first opened its doors in 2000 to twelve children and two teachers in a barn at Nantucket Island School of Design and the Arts (NISDA). Over the past sixteen years, the School has grown tremendously, yet it has remained true to its founding ideals which include a developmentally appropriate education aimed at capturing the magic and joy of childhood while also instilling a love of learning, a deep respect for the natural world, and a sense of responsibility to all.
Joining Nantucket Lighthouse School this year as the 5th/6th classroom teacher is Calin Duke, B.A. in Linguistics UC Santa Cruz; MEd and Teaching Certificate Portland State University. Duke has been lucky to combine her love of travel with her passion for education. In the last 18 years she has taught in Hawai’i, Colombia, Lebanon and India. Coming back to the US, she hoped to find a school whose pedagogical ideals matched well with her own. She believes she has found it in Nantucket Lighthouse School and is excited to be a part of the Nantucket community. Much of Duke’s work in education reflects her passion for sustainability. She has worked as Recycling Coordinator and Curriculum Coordinator for a conservation-based program, as a Community Service Coordinator (focusing many of the committee’s activities on environmental education) and has led multiple Primary Years Programme Exhibitions with the theme of sustainability.
“We are thrilled to have Calin join Nantucket Lighthouse School’s teaching faculty,” shared Nantucket Lighthouse School Head of School Emily Miller. “Having worked in a variety of schools within the U.S. and overseas, she offers a global perspective and a breadth of classroom experience. With a strong background in integrated curriculum design and hands-on, experiential learning, Calin also shares with her students a passion for environmental education and sustainability.”
Also coming from the west coast is California native Michael Cvetich, B.A. Psychology, U.C. Merced. Cvetich has spent the last 3 years working at Sacramento Country Day School as a middle school teacher, tech support specialist and multi-sport coach; he is the new humanities teacher in Nantucket Lighthouse School’s 7th/8th grade classroom. Cvetich attended University California at Merced where he was a starting pitcher for their baseball team for 2 years. He continues his passion for athletic competition while pursuing his goal to grow both as an educator and person. Cvetich has been a camp counselor for young adults for 12 years as well as an instructor for children from low-income schools. Taking his students hiking in the Marin Headlands and Yosemite National Park were some of his favorite experiences as an educator. Packing up and moving from Sacramento to Nantucket is just the next chapter in his pursuit of dynamic challenges and opportunities.
“We were so excited when Michael accepted the position as Nantucket Lighthouse School’s 7th and 8th grade humanities teacher,” noted Miller. “Traveling cross country from Sacramento, CA, Michael arrived with an adventurous spirit and a strong background in the humanities, outdoor education, athletics, and educational technology. Michael was very quickly embraced by his Lighthouse colleagues, and he will undoubtedly garner the respect and admiration of his students.”
At the helm of the downtown middle school program is Nantucket Lighthouse School’s new Director of Middle School, Patricia Jones, B.A. University of New Hampshire (Engish); M.A. University of New Hampshire (English Literature); ABD University of Texas at Austin (English Literature with a concentration in Native American Literature and African American Literature). Jones started her career as an English teacher and Department Chair at the Hotchkiss School in Lakeville, Connecticut where she served as a dorm parent, coach, and teacher for fifteen years. Eager for a change of venue, she moved to Southern California where she was Academic Dean in charge of hiring, evaluating, and mentoring teachers as well as developing curriculum at the Chadwick School in Palos Verdes. Following Chadwick, Jones taught at the Taipai American School in Taiwan for a year. She finished her career at Stuart Country Day in Princeton, New Jersey.
“Anyone meeting Pat Jones for the first time will know right away what an outstanding educator she is,” shared Miller. “Her extensive experience in schools and with curriculum development are apparent, but her true gifts are the passion, sincerity and genuine appreciation for the students, teachers and families with whom she works. We are so fortunate to have found someone with Pat’s experience and adolescent-focused background to lead our middle school program.”
Nantucket Lighthouse School’s 17th year will commence on Wednesday, September 7th.
