February 3, 2010

Educators tell what they love about Catholic schools

This week schools across the nation are marking Catholic Schools Week. Educators in the Denver Archdiocese are recognized for years of service in profiles below. More profiles will run in next week’s issue.

30 Years

Kathy Jordan
St. Mary’s Academy
Kathy Jordan, a teacher at St. Mary’s Academy for 30 years, has spent 26 of those years teaching kin-dergarteners. She strives to make learning fun with hands-on activities. “I love to teach each child that they are a capable and valuable person,” she said. “This helps the child’s self-esteem and encourages a love for learning.” Jordan has had the opportunity to present at several National Science Teachers Association conferences to teach other professionals how to enjoy and explore science at different grade levels. Her degree is in elementary education.

Marjorie Munden
S.U.N. Schools
“To teach as Jesus did” is the educational philosophy of Marjorie Munden, assistant principal for Schools in Urban Neighbor-hoods. S.U.N. is a group of inner-city Catholic schools united to ensure the quality of education—it includes Annunciation, Guardian Angels, Loyola, Presentation, St. Francis de Sales and St. Rose of Lima. “I believe in the holistic approach to education in which the student is molded spiritually, academically, physically and emotionally,” she said. “All of these areas must be a part of the student’s education.” She said students must be taught to live in community and to have respect for themselves and others, adding that “service and caring are important parts of the Catholic schools.” Prior to her service with S.U.N., she taught second grade at Annunciation, served as assistant principal at Notre Dame, and as principal at St. Joseph’s. She holds a bachelor’s degree in elementary education and a master’s in educational administration at the elementary level from the University Of Northern Colorado.

Kathleen Weishaupl
Our Lady of Lourdes
Kathleen Weishaupl, a Denver native, spent 29 years teaching kindergarten at her alma mater, St. James School. She is currently teaching third grade at Our Lady of Lourdes. Her educational philosophy asserts that every child deserves the opportunity to be challenged academically to reach their full potential. “It’s important in our Catholic schools to educate the whole child,” she said. “We must remember that children learn not only from books, but from our actions.” She teaches by example, including how she models her faith and how she treats students and families. Weishaupl holds a bachelor of art degree in special education from the University of Northern Colorado.

25 Years

Sandi Krebs
St. Mary’s Academy
Sandi Krebs, fourth- and fifth-grade teacher in the lower school of St. Mary’s Academy, sees children as a gift from God who will be the future. “It is the responsibility of the educator to meet the academic, emotional and social needs of each student in a way that best promotes the individual’s academic growth, love of learning, and sense of social responsibility,” she said. Krebs has been an educator for more than 30 years teaching junior and senior high school math and science in Arizona, New Mexico and Colorado. She received a bachelor’s degree in education from Pittsburg State University and attended Northern Arizona University.

Sr. Leandra Schaller, O.S.F.
Holy Family High School
For Marycrest Franciscan Sister Leandra Schaller teaching is a vocation and gift of God. Sister Schaller, teacher and guidance counselor at Holy Family, said, “The students are the ones who make the profession challenging and rewarding. Each one brings energy and life to the school community in their own unique way. They have taught me about compassion, patience, love of God and others.” Prior to her service at Holy Family, Sister Schaller taught at Regis Jesuit and at J.K. Mullen high schools. She has also taught at the middle school, university and graduate school levels. Sister Schaller holds a bachelor’s degree in biology from Fontbonne College, a master’s degree in biology from Northern Arizona University, a  Ph.D. in botany from the University of Missouri, and a master’s degree in guidance and counseling from Adams State College.

Robert Sickles
Our Lady of Lourdes
Robert Sickles, principal of Our Lady of Lourdes for three years, has been involved with Catholic education for most of his life. He is a graduate of Sacred Heart Elementary and St. Mary’s High School in Colorado Springs. After graduating from the University of Notre Dame, he joined Holy Cross Associates to teach and coach at St. Louis Bertrand in California, then came to Denver and taught middle school math and religion at St. James for nine years, before serving as assistant principal at St. Vincent de Paul School for 13 years. Sickles feels his career in Catholic schools has given him the “opportunity to not only prepare students for life but to prepare them for eternal life!” He holds a master’s degree and principal’s license from the University of Colorado

20 Years

Jane Hoogerwerf
St. Mary’s Academy
Jane Hoogerwerf has three daughters of her own attending St. Mary’s Academy, where she is a primary teacher in the lower school. In the span of her 20 years teaching, all at St. Mary’s, she has taught first and second grades. She also served three years at assistant principal. “I love teaching the primary child—each day is a new adventure,” she said. “I strive to treat each child with respect and kindness and to foster a love of learning in each one of them.” Hoogerwerf graduated from Central Michigan University with a bachelor’s degree in education.

Frances Lovett
St. Mary
In 20 years of teaching, Frances Lovett continues to demonstrate the value of being a life-long learner and expresses her own joy of learning through the philosophy: “You can do it!” Lovett currently teaches fifth grade language arts and social studies at St. Mary School in Littleton. Prior to that, she taught at kindergarten at St. Francis de Sales in the Denver Archdiocese and second grade at Notre Dame Elementary in California. She also spent seven years in public schools in Colorado, Illinois and Arizona. “Every child has the right to learn, strive for his or her goals in life, and become a valuable member of our society,” she said. “By using various testing methods and instructional strategies, I can meet the needs of the individual students.” Lovett holds a bachelor’s degree in special education from Loretto Heights College and a master’s degree in education from the University of Arizona.

Anne Mary Pace
St. Mary’s Academy
Anne Mary Pace has been a teacher in six different states: Wisconsin, Ohio, California, Virginia, Alabama and Colorado. She came to St. Mary’s Academy 20 years ago, where she is currently a third-grade teacher. She has also taught first, second and fourth grades at St. Mary’s. She believes in fostering excellence in each individual child through both academic and spiritual development. “I believe in teaching the importance of the Loretto values of faith, community, justice and respect,” she said. Pace graduated from Mount Mary College in Milwaukee with a bachelor of art degree in education.

Marla Smith
Holy Trinity
Twenty years ago Marla Smith began her education career at Holy Trinity, where she teaches fifth-graders today. Throughout the years she also taught at Assumption —and has enjoyed teaching students ranging from second through fifth grades. She believes in passing the values and morals of the Catholic faith down to children. “This is why I love teaching in a Catholic school,” she said. Smith holds psychology and education degrees from the University of Northern Colorado.

Elisa Taylor
Our Lady of Fatima
Elisa Taylor, principal at Our Lady of Fatima, knows firsthand the benefits of a Catholic education as an alumnus of Notre Dame, St. Mary’s Academy and Regis University in the Denver Archdiocese. She believes every child deserves the opportunity to be successful in a Catholic school environment. “We have the unique ability to ensure our students are successful academically and to bring them closer to Our Lord and Our Lady,” she said. Before serving as principal, she taught at Our Lady of Fatima in Lakewood and at St. Mary’s in Littleton. She holds a bachelor’s degree in behavioral sciences from Regis as well as a master’s in curriculum and instruction from the University of Colorado.

Joyce Mannix
St. Mary’s
Sixth-grade teacher Joyce Mannix has been teaching for 28 years, 20 of them at St. Mary School in Littleton. Mannix said it is a privilege and a joy to have touched the lives of so many students. “My hope as an educator is to provide a safe and inviting environment for learning, instill a genuine love of literature with a variety of opportunities for writing, and encourage them to grow and mature intellectually, emotionally, socially and spiritually,” she said. Subjects taught include reading, math, science, literature and language arts. She hopes her students will continue to develop a deep respect for themselves, others and their environment as they continue along their paths as life-long learners. “How blessed I am to have been a part of all these children’s lives,” she said. Mannix graduated from the University of Dayton.

Debbie Sanders
St. Mary’s Academy
Each of us is both a student and teacher according to Debbie Sanders, seventh-grade language arts teacher at St. Mary’s Academy. “We all have an insatiable curiosity about the world and our role in it,” she said. “Most of our answers about life are discerned by our experiences with those who are journeying alongside us.”