What is Father Cook’s background?

Father Cook was born in High Point, North Carolina, and was baptized and made his First Communion at Immaculate Heart of Mary.

When did he first know he wanted to be a priest?

He moved to Asheville in third grade at St. Eugene and Asheville Catholic School. He enjoyed serving at Mass there and being with the priests of the parish, but he didn’t feel his true calling until he was practicing law in Raleigh. “It took a few years to sort out the call,” he remembers.

What Scriptural passage was instrumental in the discernment of his vocation?

From Psalm 4: “O men, how long will your hearts be closed, will you love what is futile and seek what is false?” Father Cook began to realize that loving his corporate career was loving something false and futile, relative to his soul, and it helped him to detach from his corporate life. He left for seminary in 2011.

What are Father Cook’s hobbies?

He loves to read, hike, and spend time with his family, including his father, younger brother, and sister. They are all very close, and he loves to travel to see them. He also enjoys fraternal time traveling with other priests. In addition, he loves sports and likes going to games or watching them on TV.

What is Ms. Beale’s background?

She has a Bachelor of Arts degree and a Master of Arts in Education, both from Virginia Tech. Ms. Beale grew up in New Martinsville, West Virginia, a tiny town nestled next to the Ohio River.

What was Ms. Beale like in K-8 grade?

She always wanted to be the wake-up fairy in kindergarten but was never selected. Now she gets to fulfill her lifelong dream and help wake up our pre-k students from their nap.

What was her best vacation?

Going to Italy. Walking through the Vatican and other holy sites was priceless to her.

What hobbies does she have?

Ms. Beale loves reading, cooking, and watching and playing sports.

About Ms. Beale’s family

She is the oldest of seven children and is from a family of educators. Her mother and three of her siblings teach in some capacity. They are all very close and enjoy playing various card games and board games when they get together. They are all huge WVU Mountaineer fans and love going to watch them play as a family. Their faith is very important, and one of her brothers is a Dominican priest.

What is her favorite quote?

“Cheerfulness prepares a glorious mind for all the noblest acts.” – Elizabeth Ann Seton

What is Mrs. Congdon’s background?

Mrs. Congdon has a BFA degree in painting and printmaking from Miami University with an art history minor, an MFA from University of California, Berkeley, and graduate courses in behavior analysis for BCBA certification from Florida Institute of Technology. She grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio.

What was Mrs. Congdon’s best vacation?

Her best vacation was going to Munich, Germany, with her husband. They stayed with friends and visited castles, cathedrals, Bavaria, Salzburg, and Innsbruck, Austria. They rode an Alpine coaster in Meiders, Austria, and ate delicious food.

What are her hobbies?

Mrs. Congdon took up crochet when Covid lockdowns started. She likes to use scrap yarn, plarn (made from plastic bags), and old t-shirts.

About Mrs. Congdon’s family

She has been married to her husband, Eric, since 1994. He is a musician. They have four adult children, and three of them attended ICS! They have two cats, two dogs, and an aquarium full of snails and some fish.

What is her favorite quote?

“The simplest and most practical lesson I know is to resolve to be good today, but better tomorrow.” – Catherine McAuley

What is Mrs. Avery’s background?

Mrs. Avery grew up in Hendersonville and has a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from Western Carolina University.

What are her hobbies?

Mrs. Avery enjoys crafting, swimming, and baking.

Tell us about her family.

Mrs. Avery’s family is loud and fun. She lives with her husband, Mike, and three children, Meredith, Aaron, and Aliza.

What is something random that we might not know about Mrs. Avery?

She was in the Pride of the Mountains Drumline.

What is the most famous (or infamous) thing someone in her family ever did?

She is distantly related to Mark Twain and Thomas Jefferson.

What does she love about teaching?

Mrs. Avery loves watching kids develop a love of learning and books and finding community.

What is Mrs. Avery’s favorite quote?

“Why fit in when you were born to stand out?” – Dr. Seuss