Mr. Festo is a Subject Expert Teacher in English. Previously, he was a Learning Expert Teacher in our Primary Program, focused on nurturing academic growth and differentiation. He chose BASIS Independent Brooklyn because of the school’s drive for self-improvement not only in the students but also in the faculty. He has helped students and staff achieve these goals through collaboration and communication, and teamwork allows all members to build on their prior strengths and flourish.​​​​‌‍​‍​‍‌‍‌​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‍‌‌‍‍​‍​‍​‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‌​‌‍​‌‌‌​‌‍‌‍​‌‍‌‌​​‍‍‌‍​‌‍‌‍‌​‍​‍​‍​​‍​‍‌‍‍​‌​‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‍​‍​‍​‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‍​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‍‍​‍​‍‌‍​‍‌‍​‌‌​‌‍‍‌‌​​‍‍‌‍​‌‌‍‌​‌‍‌‌‍‍‌‌‍‍​‍‍‌‍‌​‌‍​‌‌‌​‌‍‌‍​‌‍‌‌​​‍‍‌‍​‌‍‌‍‌​‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌​‌‍‍‌‌‌​‌‍‌​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‌​‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌​‌‍‌‌​​‌‍‌‌‌​​‍‌‍‌​​‌‌‌‍‍‍‌‍‍‌​‍‌‌​​​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‍‌‍‌‍‍‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‍‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‍‌​‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‌​‍‌‍‍‌‌‌​‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‌​​‍‌‌‌‍‌‍​‌​​​‌‌‍‌‌‌‌​‌‍‌‍‌‍‍​​​‌‌​‍‌‌‌‌​‌‌‍‍‌‌​‍‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‍​‍‌‌​​‌‍​‌‍‍‌‍‌​‌‌​‌​‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌​‌‍‍‌‌‌​​‍​‌‍‌‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‍​‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌‍​‌‌‌​‌‍‍​​‌‌‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍​‍​‍‌‌

Mr. Festo graduated from the University of Vermont’s Elementary Education program, majoring in elementary education and minoring in special education. He has taught in classes ranging from Kindergarten to grade 5 in Connecticut, Vermont, and even New Zealand during his time abroad.

In his spare time, Mr. Festo loves listening to, writing, and performing music. He plays guitar and sings in his own band, and he plays the drums and bass guitar in other bands. He is also a big New York sports fan, following the New York Mets and New York Knicks.