large view Mr G in esteemed company prior to 1776 opening night.

Reed Gabhart

Reed Gabhart first came to St. Francis in December of 1989. Being a Hoosier with no knowledge of the school, his first memory is of getting lost and driving to Carrolton on his way to the interview. Undaunted, he arrived late, and has been forever grateful his tardiness and bad sense of direction was overlooked.

Mr. Gabhart first graduated from Indiana University in 1982, with a double major in Theatre and Telecommunications. Although being a disc jockey (WAKY radio) and waiting tables was enlightening, he returned to school and received a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from IU Southeast in 1989. Reed earned his Master’s Degree in Education from IUS in 1999 and added a junior high certification in mathematics in the fall of 2005. He added a junior high certification in drama in the summer of 2011 while renewing his teaching license.

Mr. Gabhart was a full-time math specialist who taught 4^th, 6^th, 7^th and 8^th grade Pre-Algebra, Algebra I and Geometry courses until 1998. At this time he took the position of Dean of Students and became a half-time math teacher, specializing in 4^th grade math and 8^th grade Algebra I. In 2003, he became Middle School Head, and continued to teach Algebra I in 8th grade ("The Algaes.") In 2009 he took on the role of Assistant Head of School and took a year off from teaching full-time, but filled in for many math classes. As the 2011 - 12 year begins, he  is pleased as punch to be teaching his beloved "Algaes" once again. His inner Math geek is happy.

During his time at St. Francis, Mr. Gabhart has jumped into many extracurricular areas including coaching coed tennis for 10+ years, math teams (highlighted by a 3^rd place finish in the state in 1993!) and as student council sponsor for the past thirteen years. He is a regular camper and Mike Black disciple on the eighth grade Big South Fork trip in the fall. Most dear to his heart, he has been able to keep his love of theatre alive by directing numerous St. Francis productions including Our Town, The Importance of Being Earnest (twice), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (twice!), Harvey, The Man Who Came to Dinner (twice), Fools, Cyrano de Bergerac, Oliver!, The Odd Couple,  Fiddler on the Roof, The Sunshine Boys, 1776, The Taming of the Shrew, and Thoroughly Modern Millie last spring! (the songs and tap dancing are finally starting to fade from his brain!) This fall marks the twenty year anniversary revival of "Our Town,"  (his first show here), which he is happily co-directing with St Francis substitute and Actor's Theatre of Louisville legend Mark Sawyer-Dailey. (stay tuned for news of the spring 2012 production!)

For personal hobbies, Mr. Gabhart loves music and doesn’t need much coaxing to bring the guitar out in school assemblies. He loves playing tennis and distance running, having run his first marathon in Alaska with a group of St. Francis teachers to raise money for Leukemia research. He completed the Chicago Marathon in 2003, his second Boston Marathon in the spring of 2005, the New York Marathon in the fall of 2007, and the Berlin Marathon in September of 2010 (in a driving rain!) The London Marathon will complete his quest to run the world's five majors. He is also renowned for his Noel Coward-like witty jokes...(ahem.) In the summer of 2010 he returned to the acting side of the stage for the first time in twenty-nine years appearing in Music Theatre of Louisville's production of 1776 (his favorite musical) at the Kentucky Center for the Arts.

Through it all, his love of St. Francis and affinity for this special school shines through. “I feel St. Francis is a diamond in the rough and I am so glad I stumbled onto it (literally.) Working in this community has truly been a blessing. I don’t know how or why  we wind up on the paths we do, but being a cheerleader for this school was meant for me.”

large view With Katherine the Shrew (Marti White) and Petruchio, the Shrew-tamer (Gray Thurstone), Spring Drama

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