Since their return to campus this month, there has been a shared appreciation amongst the faculty and staff for the school not just persisting but thriving in Year 125.
Christ School's faculty and staff hail from diverse backgrounds and many of our educators have gone on to distinguish themselves with postgraduate degrees in their chosen fields. The common thread amongst these men and women is that they know boys.
These six new additions to the school community will enhance an already winning team for 2024-25.
Caleb Delorme, English instructor
English teachers in his native state of Georgia stirred a passion for literature in Dr. Caleb Delorme at an early age. Now he gets the fulfillment of passing on knowledge from his studies around the world.
Fresh off obtaining his Ph.D in English Literature this summer, Dr. Delorme accepted a position in the English Department.
He earned his B.A. in Comparative Literature from Washington University in St. Louis in 2016 and was a 4.0 student as he pursued his master’s and then his doctorate at Rutgers University. Dr. Delorme has been a graduate instructor in the Rutgers English Department and previously taught in the Georgia Governor’s Honors Program.
Dr. Delorme has traveled extensively on multiple continents studying language and culture. He fills his time pursuing a wide array of interests, from Taekwondo and distance running to Kashmiri poetry and South American science fiction. He lives on campus in Walnut House.
Dr. Tom Destino, World Languages instuctor
Accomplished educator, researcher, and content/technical writer Dr. Tom Destino brings a wealth of experience and expertise to the World Languages Department. He will teach Spanish.
Dr. Destino began his teaching career exactly 30 years ago as a professor at the University of California, Riverside. He would go on to spend eight years there before 19 more at Mars Hill University.
Overall, his career has focused on language teaching and teacher education, with a specialty in English as a second language. In addition, he has engaged in cross-cultural research, particularly with Mexican immigrant families in western North Carolina.
Tom received his B.A. in Spanish and Education from Niagara University before obtaining a masters in Spanish Language and Linguistics from Wayne State University, and finally a Ph.D. in Foreign and Second Language Education/Linguistics from Ohio State University.
He is originally from Niagara Falls, N.Y., and lives now in Weaverville, N.C. Tom’s wife, Charlotte, is an audiologist who works for the state of North Carolina. The couple have three adult children: Alex, Anna, and Max.
Jennifer Druskis P'24, Donor Relations and Event Manager
Jennifer Druskis P'24 finds that her passion for philanthropy meshes perfectly with a background in marketing and event management. "Using my marketing and event prowess to better the lives of those in my community has been a tremendous blessing," she said.
These qualities, coupled with her familiarity with the school as a Greenie mom, will serve her well in her new role as Donor Relations and Event Manager in our Advancement Office.
Mrs. Druskis has had two sons who were Greenies - James '24 just graduated and has a twin sister, Megan. Jonny left after his ninth-grade year to play goalkeeper for the D.C. United Academy. He now starts for Xavier University and the Asheville City Soccer Club team.
Ms. Druskis received her B.A. in Psychology from the University of Colorado Boulder and her master's from the University of Colorado Colorado Springs.
Jennifer and her husband, Paul, live in Hendersonville, N.C., where she is a proud stepmom to Tyler and Rhylie. She enjoys playing tennis in her free time as well as cheering on her kids in sports.
Jay Farrell, English instructor
Jay Farrell’s family tree is full of independent school educators.
The new English instructor’s parents as well as a grandfather have had significant careers of impact in independent education. Stemming from this, Mr. Farrell looks forward to building great relationships with his students at Christ School.
Along with growing up on a school campus, Mr. Farrell experienced firsthand what it was like to be a boarding student when he did a postgraduate year at Pomfret School in Connecticut. He graduated from Ursinus College in 2017 with a B.A. in Media and Communication and began his teaching career last year at nearby Brevard Middle School.
Mr. Farrell has already gotten to know Christ School's baseball players by assisting the program's fall team. He played collegiately at Ursinus.
Outside of baseball and teaching, Mr. Farrell’s interests are literature, soccer, writing, fitness, film, and fly-fishing. Mr. Farrell lives in Arden with his wife, Alida.
Bradley Lidberg, Assistant Director of Admission
Former college football player Bradley Lidberg brings a competitive fire and high energy to his new role as Assistant Director of Admission.
His hiring comes at an opportune time for enrollment - the school will open 2024-25 with a record 308 boys from 17 different states and 11 countries.
Mr. Lidberg graduated from North Dakota State University with a B.S. in Sport Management and then received his master's in Sports and Recreation Management from the University of Iowa in 2022. A year later, he bolstered the Greenie football coaching staff as Special Teams & College Recruiting Coordinator/Tight Ends Coach.
Mr. Lidberg's playing career at Concordia College lasted from 2015 to 2017. He lives in Fletcher, N.C.
Jeffrey McAven P'27, Math instructor
Like many people, Jeffrey McAven P'27 found Asheville to be a place where he wanted to put down some roots.
The new Math instructor moved to the Blue Ridge Mountains four years ago after more than a decade of living and teaching in the Raleigh area.
Mr. McAven was born and raised in Michigan. He holds a B.S. in Education from Eastern Michigan University with a certification in Math and Science.
He and his wife, Paula, have one son, Wesley '27, and live in Weaverville, N.C. Mr. McAven's hobbies include cars, woodworking, sports, and enjoying the awe-inspiring nature of the mountains.