“I firmly
believe that there is nothing more important to the education
of young children than the child’s teacher. Our knowledgeable
and talented teachers are at the heart of our preschool
program. They are skilled in providing a welcoming, safe,
nurturing environment that fully engages the whole child.
Our early childhood teachers are experienced in providing
a developmentally –appropriate curriculum using National
Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC)
and Illinois Early Learning Standards. I am proud that the Academy’s pre-school teachers can model for our youngest students that learning is fun!"
Dr. Gretchen Ludwig |
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2-Year-Old Junior Preschool Teacher
-- Mrs. Margaret Giagnorio brings 15 years teaching
experience to the Academy in Early Childhood. Additionally,
she has served as a Special Education Inclusion Facilitator
in District 15; she has been a consultant for providing technical
assistance to other teachers, and she has helped at Mudpies
Academy in Barrington. Mrs. G, as she is known to her 2-Year-Old
students, is a parishioner of Holy Family and is active in
teaching Family FAITH classes as well. |
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2-Year-Old Junior Preschool Teacher
Assistant -- Mrs. Nell Schatz holds a Bachelors Degree in Education from Illinois State University and completed Graduate School at the National College of Education. She brings extensive teaching experience to Holy Family Academy having taught in Catholic schools since 1970 and teaching everything from Kindergarten to 8th Grade. Her subject specialties include; religion and history. Mrs. Schatz is also a Hospice volunteer, literacy volunteer, and Minister of Communion. |
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3-Year-Old
Preschool Teacher -- Mrs. Kathy de Geus has
taught 3-year-old and 4-year-old preschool as well as kindergarten
for the past 10 years at an area Catholic school. She has
a Bachelor of Arts degree in Elementary Education from Northeastern
Illinois University, graduating Magna Cum Laude, and a Master
of Arts degree in Gifted Education also from Northeastern.
Mrs. de Geus (pronounced “duh-hose”)has experience in writing
and developing curriculum for a preschool program. She
has been the faculty advisor for a school newspaper and
is a volunteer at Ronald McDonald House. |
“We know, however, that being a good early childhood teacher is about play, plus a whole lot more. It is about knowing the importance of and being able to implement developmentally appropriate practice. It is about creating environments that facilitate learning, about embracing the diversity of children and families, and always about learning more."
Sue Russell, President NAEYC, July 2008 NAEYC Journal |
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3-Year-Old Preschool Teacher Assistant
-- Mrs. Cindy Osowski has several years experience
as a Teacher Assistant in HFCA 4-year-old Pre-kindergarten
classes and prior to that worked as a preschool aide at Noah's
Ark Christian Preschool in Barrington. She holds a B.S. in
Business from Quincy College in Quincy, IL. Prior to working
in Early Childhood education, she was a Corporate Human Resources
professional for many years. She has taught at Holy Family's
Spirit Camp and is also a parishioner. |
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3-Year-Old Preschool Teacher -- Mrs.
Sandy Maiorano has over 25 years experience in
teaching 3-year-old and 4-year-old preschool classes. Mrs.
Maiorano has taught in District 15 public schools, and has
been a 4-year-old Pre-kindergarten teacher at HFCA. She
holds a degree in Early Childhood Education from Roosevelt
University. |
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3-Year-Old Preschool Teacher Assistant -- Mrs.
Carol Allar holds a Bachelor of Science degree in
Education from Bowling Green University, Ohio, and a Master
of Science degree in Education in Reading and Learning Disabilities
from DePaul University, Chicago. Previously, Mrs. Allar owned
and directed The Hillside School, a NAEYC accredited preschool
in Barrington for 20 years. She is a Board member of both
the Golden Corridor Association for Education of Young Children
and the Illinois Association for the Education of Young Children.
Mrs. Allar is also a member of the National Association
for the Education of Young Children. In addition to her
extensive experience in early childhood education, Mrs. Allar
has taught 1st, 2nd and 3rd grades. Mrs. Allar is a Holy Family
Parishioner, and a leader of the Parish Sharing Ministry.
She assists in planning and implementing activities between
Holy Family Parish and St. Matthias and is also a volunteer
at PHD in Palatine. |
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4-Year-Old Pre-kindergarten Teacher,
full day class -- Mrs. Joy Micheletto has taught
preschool for many years and was a Child Development Specialist
for Head Start in which she oversaw (3) preschool sites.
“Mrs. M”, as her students call her, holds a Master’s Degree
in Early Childhood Education from Concordia University, is
a member of the National Association for the Education
of Young Children, and is a Holy Family parishioner. |
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4-Year-old Pre - Kindergarten Teacher
Assistant, full day class -- Mrs. Barbara Franco was born and raised
in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. She moved to South Africa for awhile
and then transferred to the USA with her husband in 1994.
Mrs. Franco has experience as a Kindergarten-Aide for Catholic
schools and worked the Parents Day Out program at a nearby
Methodist Church in Palatine. |
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4-Year-Old Pre-kindergarten Teacher,
5-day morning class -- Mrs. Carol Betts has taught
preschool for 24 years with the past 20 years at a private
school in Elgin. She has a Bachelor of Science degree from
Northern Illinois University and holds a certificate for
Elementary Education with an emphasis in Art Education. She
has completed post-graduates classes at Wayne State University
(Detroit, MI) in Language Arts and Reading. Mrs. Betts has
experience in designing curriculum to meet the differentiated
needs of the young learner. She has been a summer camp supervisor
for many years, and is involved in her church as a deacon,
library helper, and Sunday School teacher. |
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4-Year-Old Pre-kindergarten Teacher
Assistant -- Mrs. Cindy Zachwieja has
worked as a program assistant for four years in Palatine
School District 15. For the past 5 years, she has worked
as both a kindergarten teacher's assistant and an after school
care assistant. Known as “Mrs. Zak” to her students, she
also volunteers at a local Pads (Public Action to Deliver
Shelter) site and was a former foster parent. |
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4-Year-Old Pre-kindergarten Teacher -- Mrs.
Dorothy Skelton has taught preschool for nearly 20 years. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Child Development from Northern Illinois University. Dorothy has worked in several area preschools—working with both 3 and 4 year olds. She also served as Director of Holy Family Hospital’s Child Care Center in Des Plaines. Before joining our faculty, She worked as a substitute teacher at HFCA and at St. Francis de Sales, where she is a parishioner.
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4-Year-Old Pre-kindergarten Teacher
Assistant -- Mrs. Vira White holds
a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from
The University of Illinois, Chicago and a Masters Degree
in Early Childhood from Roosevelt University. Mrs. White
previously worked at The Hillside Pre-School in Barrington
for 13 years. She is currently a tutor at The Oxford Learning
Center in Palatine, where she teaches reading, math, writing
and study skills to students in 1st through 6th grade.
Mrs. White is also a Holy Family Parishioner, a volunteer
at PHD Counseling Center, and, most recently, volunteers
as a tutor at our sharing parish, St. Matthias School in
Chicago. |
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