February 11, 2009

Educators mark 20, 25-years of service in Catholic schools

Catholic Schools Week was observed Jan. 25-31 with the theme, “Celebrate Service.” In the Denver Archdiocese, several educators are marking 20 and 25 years of service in parochial schools. Profiles of some of these educators follow.

25 YEARS

Trudy Jo Miles
All Souls, Englewood

For the last 25 years, Trudy Jo Miles has worked at All Souls School in Englewood, teaching language arts and literature to middle school students.  She also runs the theater workshop and is the school’s speech coach.  After earning a bachelor’s degree in English from Arkansas State University and a master’s in speech and theater from the University of Mississippi, Miles taught in Missouri and Arkansas before coming to Colorado.  She believes it is her professional responsibility to present her students with a curriculum that is challenging yet fair. Miles said it’s vital students learn not just the importance of knowledge but the relevance of that knowledge to their lives.

William Moore
All Souls, Englewood

Before becoming principal at All Souls School in Englewood, a position William Moore has held for the last 25 years, he served as principal and taught in Catholic schools in Michigan and Illinois.  He holds a bachelor’s degree in political science, theology and religion, and English/drama from Lewis University and a master’s in educational administration from Central Michigan University.  He and wife Paula have been married for 38 years and have one daughter.  Moore said it is the job of the educator to develop the whole child—spiritually, academically and socially.  “As a lay person, I was called to school ministry from the religious sisters, brothers and priests who gave of themselves to make the person I am,” he said.  “Now it’s my place to give back.”

Cecilia Gartland
Christ the King, Denver

Cecilia Gartland has taught at Christ the King School in Denver for 25 years, first in the science and learning lab, and for the last dozen years she has taught fourth grade.  She is married with two children and holds a bachelor’s degree from Regis University.  Being able to teach and live her faith every day is what has kept her in Catholic education. She said she feels fortunate to work with so many wonderful families.  “I remember the teachers who taught me,” she said.  “They inspired me to become the person I am, and continue to help cultivate young Catholic educators.”

Irma Boltman
Notre Dame, Denver

Irma Boltman began her teaching career with the Archdiocese of Denver at Mullen High School, teaching Spanish after years of teaching in the public school arena.  A graduate of Southeastern Louisiana College with a degree in speech and drama and a minor in Spanish, Boltman then earned a master’s in teaching in Spanish from Georgia State University in 1975.  After Mullen, she went on to teach Spanish at Our Lady of Lourdes School in Denver and since 2000 has been the Spanish teacher at Notre Dame School.   She said the Catholic school experience allows her to incorporate Christian values with the all-important academic materials.  She believes that teaching is a ministry, quoting one of the first teachers she first worked with, “If you spend as much time praying over your students as you do spilling red ink on their papers, both you and they will be fine.”

Donna White
St. Louis, Englewood

Now a second grade teacher at St. Louis, White has taught at Our Lady of Fatima in Lakewood and at St. James, Most Precious Blood and St. Vincent de Paul schools in Denver.  She holds a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from the University of Albuquerque and has been married to husband D’Arcy for 20 years.  She believes that the core part of a child’s education is to learn about their faith and how to love God.  “When I see my children getting excited about their faith, it makes my own faith life richer,” she said.

20 YEARS

Paulette Evans
Most Precious Blood, Denver

After graduating with a bachelor’s degree in English in 1967, Paulette Evans went to work in the Denver Public Schools system.  When her husband died, she left education to raise her two daughters then returned to the classroom 20 years ago at Most Precious Blood where she has taught language arts to seventh- and eighth-graders.  She said her goal is to instill a love of reading and writing in her students, giving them the basics for a foundation for growth.  She enjoys working with the people at Most Precious Blood and speaks highly of Catholic education.  “We don’t jump on a bandwagon simply because everyone else is,” Evans said.  “We give our students a strong foundation for the future.” 

Patricia Ellis
Nativity of Our Lord, Broomfield

Before becoming the music teacher at Nativity of Our Lord School in Broomfield, Patricia Ellis taught music in Wisconsin and South Dakota.  Now a widow with three grown children, she earned a bachelor’s degree in music education from the University of Wisconsin at Platteville.  She credits her co-workers as a chief reason for staying in Catholic education for so many years and said her philosophy is to be excited about what she teaches and to have fun in conveying information to her students in a way that guards their self-esteem and fosters respect for each other.

Joseph “Woody” Green
Nativity of Our Lord, Broomfield

Earning a degree in physical education and exercise science in 1984, Joseph “Woody” Green taught at Fairview and Centaurus high schools before arriving at Nativity of Our Lord in Broomfield 20 years ago.  Married to Lorraine, Green said that he believes a successful physical education program should teach students to enjoy physical activity and to embrace a healthy lifestyle.  He credits the family atmosphere at Nativity as the reason he has stayed in Catholic education for two decades.  “Here is where you find the desire to put students’ needs first,” he said.

Janet Wheeler
St. John the Baptist, Longmont

Janet Wheeler earned her degree in early childhood education with a minor in music at Southern Connecticut State University in 1973.  She and her husband Bob have been married for 35 years and have two sons and three grandsons.  Three decades of teaching has taken her from Connecticut to Arizona and finally to Colorado where she has taught first grade. She uses Jesus as an example in work and play.  “Each child is an individual, unique in their own way,” Wheeler said. “My goal is to treat each child with respect and kindness and foster a love of learning and respect for each other.”  Wheeler said she’s blessed to have a job where she can incorporate her faith in her daily work.

Natalie Travis
St. Joseph, Fort Collins

For 20 years, Natalie Travis has taught second grade at St. Joseph School in Fort Collins.  She earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of California, an elementary certificate from the University of Northern Colorado and is married to Rocky, with whom she has three children.  Travis said that St. Joseph’s is a wonderful community of students, teachers and families. It’s a place where she enjoys living and sharing God’s faith.  “My goal is to give each child the best all-around education through learning experiences,” Travis said.  “I want to help each student develop an enthusiasm for lifelong learning.”

Pattie Hagen
St. Louis, Englewood

After teaching in Catholic schools in New Mexico, Pattie Hagen and her husband Mike moved to Colorado with their daughters Colleen and Bridget.  She taught second and fourth grades at St. Louis School in Englewood before taking over as principal in 1993.  She holds a bachelor’s degree in elementary education and psychology from the University of Albuquerque.  Hagen said that the Catholic educator’s first responsibility is to pass on the Gospel and the Catholic faith.  “From the Catholic school system I continue to be the recipient of many blessings from the students,” she said.  “It’s my job to help the students grow to meet their full potential.”

Sister Barbara Kopel, C.H.M.
St. Thomas More, Centennial

Sister Barbara Kopel, C.H.M., holds a bachelor’s degree in education and social science from Marycrest College in Davenport, Iowa.  She taught at Notre Dame and Blessed Sacrament schools before arriving to St. Thomas More in Centennial where she teaches religion to seventh- and eighth-graders. She said she thanks God every day for the gift of being a teacher. “My philosophy is to connect with the students in working with their mind, body and spirit with the goal of having them love God, themselves and others,” she said.

Kathleen Byrnes
Sts. Peter and Paul, Wheat Ridge

After earning a bachelor’s degree in elementary education, Kathleen Byrnes taught in Catholic schools in North Carolina and later in New York.  She earned a master’s degree from State University of New York and after moving to Colorado, an administrator’s license from the University of Phoenix.  She became principal at Sts. Peter and Paul School in Wheat Ridge where she said she is thankful for the gift of each child, every school family and for the blessing of the faith-based community.  “Children are the future,” she said, “and we as educators have a wonderful opportunity to make a difference in their lives; to awaken young minds, to inspire, to guide and encourage.”

Karen Nussman
Sts. Peter and Paul, Wheat Ridge

An alumnus of St. Francis de Sales High School in Denver, Karen Nussman graduated from Metropolitan Sate College with a bachelor’s degree in physical education.  She taught in Guam for a year and since arriving at Sts. Peter and Paul School in Wheat Ridge has taught physical education, computers, has served as athletic director and currently teaches second grade.  Several things keep her in Catholic education, among them: the ability to use Christ’s life and love for every teaching moment, the family of staff members, and the love she gets from students and parents.  “To my students, I’m here to challenge, instruct, comfort, listen and help them learn as much as they can about God,” Nussman said.