School Directory | Avon Old Farms | Boys Boarding High School in CT

Michelle was born in the heart of Maine and split her childhood between there and East Hampton, New York. Michelle began her French lessons in middle school and pursued it throughout high school and into her years at Bowdoin College where she also dabbled in Spanish and took Bowdoin’s one Italian course. During her time at Bowdoin, Michelle met Art Custer. After graduating, Art had secured a job at Avon Old Farms School, and Michelle took a fellowship teaching at the University of Clermont-Ferrand. The two got married that following summer, and after stepping foot on campus in 1983 as a young bride, Headmaster George Trautman hired Michelle to teach French courses. Throughout her career at Avon, Michelle has worn many hats, working in the Dean's Office, in the school store, the Hawk’s Nest, and was an assistant in the Headmaster’s Office. After sending three children off to school, Michelle began to migrate back into the Old Farms classroom in the late 90s, and has remained there since. In the classroom, Michelle takes the approach of getting to know each of her students and their interests, and finds a way to bring that into the curriculum to ensure each boy has his day in the sun. “My experience here as a mother and as a teacher gives me a special appreciation for what the school has to offer its students. Avon Old Farms gave each of my sons the opportunity to discover talents that they were unaware of and to enhance and further develop talents they knew they had.”

Before moving on to the campus of Avon Old Farms, James grew up in Rumson, New Jersey and lived out part of his childhood in Idaho, where he gained an appreciation for the outdoors and developed a passion for travel. Memorable trips include hiking part of the Inca Trail in Peru, backpacking through the Talkeetna Mountains in Alaska, and hunting (with a camera) the Big Five on safari in Tanzania. When he is not traveling or playing golf, James treasures spending time in Vermont with his family.

During his years at Boston College, James became involved with Habitat for Humanity, which inspired him to volunteer as a tutor before student teaching at a variety of schools in the Boston area. After earning a BA in education, he earned his MA in special education through Simmons College.

As a graduate of an all-boys independent school, James strongly supports the philosophy and traditions in place at Avon Old Farms. “The global village of Avon challenges each boy while also providing him with a multitude of opportunities to grow and learn. I enjoy and value the time I spend walking the fairways with my players, sharing sit-down meals with students in the refectory, and supporting younger boys, who need additional academic support.”