Baton Rouge, LA
Six ACE teachers (four Second-year teachers and two first-year) serve two schools in the diocese of Baton Rouge: Redemptorist High School & St. Michael the Archangel High School.
Baton Rouge Community – Charlie, Dan, Jim, Kathryn, Michael, and Stephanie
Dan Reynolds
University of Notre Dame, 2006, BA English
Redemptorist High School, 11th Grade English & Speech. Asst. Baseball Coach
Michael VandenBoom
University of Notre Dame, 2006, Mathematics
St. Michael the Archangel, 11th – 12th Grade Math. GPA Advisor
Stephanie Kersting
Villanova University, 2006, Mathematics & Spanish
St. Michael the Archangel, Math & Spanish. GPA Advisor
Kathyrn Short
Boston College, 2006, English
St. Michael the Archangel. 10th Grade English & 9th Grade Religion. Cross Country & Student Council.
James Falcetti
St. Anselm College, 2006, Classics
Redemptorist High School, Latin 9th – 12th Grade
Charlie D’Souza
University of Notre Dame, 2004, Chemistry
St. Michael the Archangel, Chemistry
Baton Rouge House
What is unique about your community?
Our community has been around since ACE 1 – with ACE teachers serving at both Redemptorist High and St. Michael the Archangel since ACE 1 as well. We are also the only ACE community that is all high school teachers, so we draw strength from our similar experience in teaching adolescents. We have a lovely house in a great neighborhood, and we believe that we hold the ACE record for yogurt and salsa consumption. The long-standing ACE time in Baton Rouge has also graced us with the thousands of Mardi Gras beads that come from ACErs celebrating Louisiana for fourteen years running. We live in a beautiful ranch house in a wonderful neighborhood. Our community prides itself on spending time together whenever possible. We enjoy our community book club, movie club, regular prayer time, and our time in and around Baton Rouge. We are six distinct individuals but share a fun sense of humor as bond over the trials of teaching high school.
Schools served in Baton Rouge
St. Michael the Archangel
Redemptorist High School
St. Michael the Archangel
Provide a brief description of Baton Rouge:
Baton Rouge is a classic Southern city – the weather is hazy, hot and humid nearly year-round. It only dips into low temperatures for a very short period of time. It is the capital city of Louisiana, and the state capitol towers over downtown and is visible for miles. The city is also home to LSU and their Tigers; our students enjoy a friendly rivalry with our Notre Dame traditions. Baton Rouge is also part of historic Cajun country; the influence is notable in so many ways – the food, the celebrations, the street names, even our students’ Francophone last names. Baton Rouge has a growing downtown area that is right up on the Mississippi River.
What do you like most about Baton Rouge?
We love teaching at schools that are experienced in supporting ACErs and understanding in what ACErs go through – as well as some ACE alumni who are still teaching in the area. We love participating in the local culture – traveling in nearby small cities and chowing down at crawfish boils. Baton Rouge is home to the Spanish Town Krewe and parade, celebrated every year on the Saturday before Mardi Gras. We also like being close to a number of other ACE communities – Plaquemine, New Orleans, Biloxi, Mobile, Pensacola, Montgomery and Birmingham are all a short drive away. On a quick drive outside the city, we end up in bayou country; the swamp tours are not to be missed! Also, we are excited about the new ACE presence in New Orleans; the city is only about eighty miles’ drive through the bayous from our house. We love visiting the Big Easy and participating in all it has to offer in the French Quarter, for Mardi Gras and New Orleans Jazz Fest. Louisiana’s truly unique culture makes ACE Baton Rouge a special experience.
