Inspiring Faculty + Staff
The EXPLO faculty and staff have often been described as setting the "gold standard" for summer programs. This does not happen by accident. Recruiting, training, and retaining creative, energetic, responsible, and engaging people is a high priority for EXPLO.
Every Moment is a Teaching Moment
EXPLO hires a combination of experienced teachers, college students, graduate students, and professional practitioners to help us with our programs. EXPLO English is taught by experienced ESOL instructors. All EXPLO faculty and staff go through a rigorous hiring process that includes lengthy written applications, personal interviews, reference checks, and background checks for criminal history and sexual offender history. Then, once someone is hired, there is a lengthy professional development program that is required of all faculty and staff, even if they are experienced teachers.
Strong Support + Supervision
EXPLO believes that students cannot be properly supervised if the adults in the community are not properly supervised. Consequently, EXPLO has a strong faculty/staff supervisory system in place.
Teachers Who Are Involved in All Aspects of Student Life
EXPLO looks for adults who can be exceptional role models, can inspire students to new heights, and people who genuinely enjoy spending time with young people. We travel across the United States each year recruiting an extraordinary group of people. Almost all EXPLO faculty and staff live on campus throughout the summer so that they become part of the extended EXPLO family. Students see faculty and staff not only in class, but also in the dining halls, on the playing fields, and on field trips.
Heading the Program
David Torcoletti is the Director of all the EXPLO at St. Mark's Programs. Mr. Torcoletti has worked at EXPLO for more than ten years. He works for Exploration year-round and moves to campus each summer with his family so that he can personally oversee the operations of the program. He oversees the hiring of each staff member, curriculum planning, and the development of all policies and procedures used at the program. Prior to working at EXPLO, Mr. Torcoletti was the Dean of Students at Milton Academy, and a School Dean, teacher, House Head, and teacher at Northfield Mount Hermon School. He is often called on to do consulting work with private day and boarding schools regarding student life issues. Mr. Torcolletti is a summa cum laude graduate of Ohio University and earned his M.F.A. at Bard College as a Milton Avery Scholar.
