Lower School Leader
With fresh ideas, and eagerness to serve and a joyful disposition, Michael Noto, our Director of Lower School, has been a wonderful addition to our Leadership Team. “My role here at TCS is to help lead, manage and serve the lower school on a daily basis,” says Michael. “This includes supporting the faculty by being in their classrooms and making sure they have everything they need to impact their students in a meaningful way, engaging with students and helping them to grow and model Christ-like behavior, and partnering with families to provide communication and support. These are all-important in helping to ensure everyone in the lower school is working towards the same goal as we collaborate with Mr. Ross, Dr. Farrant and the rest of the leadership team to be in alignment with the larger TCS community and the mission of the school.”
Michael grew up in Florida and attended Florida State University. He has worked in education for 20 years, most recently as Director of Lower School at St. David’s School in Raleigh, North Carolina. He and his wife, Rachel, have two daughters, Emma, a 3rd grade TCS Lion, and Margaret Anne, a 6th grade TCS Lion. “As a family, we love to go to the beach and jump waves together,” says Michael. “I love most sports, especially soccer and anything Florida State-related,” he says. “I enjoy playing piano and composing music. I’m also a big science nerd!”
“I really cherished my time growing up in Florida and thought there might be an opportunity to return someday, says Michael. “After spending a long time in Raleigh, my wife and I prayed about where the Lord might be guiding us and when I saw the position at The Christ School, I became really excited; not just for me but also for the thought of my daughters being able to attend school here. We prayed for the Lord to lead us to a place that would be a great environment both for me professionally and for my family. Moving your family from another state is a big deal and we were trusting in the Lord that it would be a good fit for all of us, which it definitely has been!”
“I love learning, I love the Lord and I love people,” continues Michael. “It’s so exciting to be able to combine these passions of mine into my role here. I enjoy the fact that every day is different. I’m having new conversations with people, seeing new things in classrooms and learning new things. I am excited about helping with some science lessons this year; hopefully incorporating dry ice, which is just always cool.”
When asked to share his favorite Bible verse, Michael says, “There are so many parts of scripture I love, but in particular, I like passages that talk about the hope we have in Christ, so here are two of my favorite:
Hebrews 6:19 “We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.”
Romans 5:1-5 “Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.”