My years in education have taught me that truly great teachers are technically sound while also warm, enthusiastic and encouraging. They seek to motivate all students and employ differentiated instruction. Since becoming principal at Holy Family Academy, I often receive compliments about our innovative and welcoming school. Although I am very proud to be a part of this special school, the true recipients of these compliments are the amazing teachers we have at Holy Family.
Our elementary teachers are skilled at engaging the
whole class. They keep students motivated with varied and
creative approaches. They also embrace best practice instructional
strategies like inquiry learning and reading and writing
workshops which they learn from ongoing training, mentoring
and coaching from Curriculum Consultant, Dr.
Emily Alford, Ed D.
Dr. Gretchen Ludwig
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Kindergarten Teacher -- Mrs. Ellen Applegate has
taught kindergarten for over 20 years at private schools in
Elgin. She has a Bachelor of Arts degree, with honors, in
Early Childhood Education from Northeastern Illinois University.
Mrs. Applegate has experience in developing kindergarten curriculum,
which includes creating multidisciplinary lesson plans, and
has served as Chairperson of the Curriculum and Technology
in Early Education Committee at her previous schools. Mrs.
Applegate has been nominated for Kane County Teacher of the
Year and Disney’s American Teacher Award. She has been active
in her community with “Connecting Classroom and Community”
where she interacted her classroom with seniors and has been
a CCD teacher at her parish. |
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Kindergarten Teacher
Assistant -- Mrs. Diana Myers holds a Bachelors Degree in Elementary Education with a Minor in Early Childhood Education and Psychology. Previously, Mrs. Myers has taught 1st, 2nd and 4th Grades and is a certified Substitute Teacher for all grade levels. |
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Kindergarten Teacher -- Mrs. Cheryl
Russo has taught full day kindergarten for 6 years
in St. Louis before teaching preschool for 12 years at Prince
of Peace in Schaumburg. She started both the St. Theresa
Preschool - Holy Family Site in 2000 and the Holy Family
Academy Kindergarten in 2002. She holds a Bachelors Degree
in Elementary Education with an Early Childhood Certification
from the University of Missouri-Columbia. Mrs. Russo is a
parishioner of Holy Family and a Eucharistic and Neighborhood
Minister. |
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Kindergarten
Teacher Assistant -- Mrs. Kristie Carlson holds a Bachelors Degree in Elementary Education with a Minor in Early Childhood. She has helped with physical education classes at Holy Family Academy before becoming a Teacher Assistant in kindergarten. Her previous teaching experience included working as a pre-kindergarten teacher in a suburban school. |
Too often we give our children answers to remember rather than problems to solve.
Author Unknown. |
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1st Grade Teacher -- Mrs. Jeanne Henry has
over 25 years experience in the Archdiocese of Chicago's schools.
Mrs. Henry has taught 3rd Grade, 1st Grade and Kindergarten
at St. Hubert's school in Hoffman Estates. For 9 years she
was Principal at Transfiguration School in Wauconda after which
she returned to St. Hubert's to be the Resource Teacher. Mrs.
Henry holds a Masters Degree in Educational Administration
and Special Education. She is the recipient of the 2010 Archdiocese
of Chicagoʼs “Heart of the School-- Distinguished Teacher Award”. |
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1st Grade Teacher Assistant -- Mrs. Kristen Gaeding has
a Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education/Social
Sciences from Northeastern Illinois University, and an Associates
Degree in Early Childhood Education from Parkland Junior College
in Champaign, Illinois. “Mrs. G”, as she is called by her students,
previously taught kindergarten and pre-kindergarten classes
and has worked as Head Preschool Teacher in a nearby suburban
school. Mrs. Gaeding is also a Certified Aerobic and Exercise
Instructor, a Mom/Tot Preschool Instructor, a Pee-Wee Baseball
and Girls Softball Coach and a Day Camp Counselor. She is also
is the Academy lunchroom / recess coordinator. |
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1st Grade Teacher -- Mrs. Laura Moynihan holds
a Bachelor of Science Degree in Elementary Education from the
University of Illinois--Champaign. Mrs. Moynihan has spent
her entire career in Catholic education. She was chair of a
middle school math department in North Carolina and has spent
the bulk of her career in the Northwest Suburban area teaching
first grade. |
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1st Grade Teacher Assistant -- Mrs.
Mona Connelly has her Associates from Harper College
and is working towards a Bachelors Degree in Early Childhood
Education at Northeastern Illinois University. Mona has
over 15 years experience as a Teacher Assistant for Catholic
Schools. She is a volunteer for Misericordia and its various
fundraisers. |
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2nd Grade Teacher -- Mrs. Carlotta Lencioni graduated
from DePaul University with a Bachelor Degree in Psychology
and Sociology and a Master Degree in Reading. Mrs. Lencioni
has taught in parochial and public schools and most recently
taught in Schaumburg District 54 for 22 years. Mrs. Lencioni
and her familiy are Holy Family parishioners. |
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2nd Grade Teacher Assistant -- Mrs.
Marilyn Brinckerhoff holds a Bachelors Degree in
English/Secondary Education from Clarke College. She is an
Illinois certified Substitute Teacher. Mrs. Brinckerhoff
brings a variety of teaching experiences to the Academy having
previously taught high-school English, 8th Grade at St. Francis
Xavier School in Wilmette, and Teacher Assistant at a nearby
parochial school. |
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2nd Grade Teacher -- Mrs. Cath Lyon graduated with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Elementary Education from the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana, Illinois. She also holds a Master of Science in Education Degree with a concentration in curriculum and instruction from Doane College, Crete, Nebraska. She has experience teaching in grades 1 through 4th and 6th grade in both Catholic and public schools in the Chicago area as well in Omaha, Nebraska. |
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2nd Grade Teacher Assistant -- Mrs.
Lindsay Lazarus Morris holds a Bachelor Degree in
Business Administration with minors in Marketing and Human
Resources, from Trinity International University in Deerfield,
Illinois and a Teaching Certificate from Roosevelt University.
Mrs. Lazarus Morris is in the process of completing her Masters
Degree in Secondary
Education with emphasis in Business and Math also at Roosevelt
University. |
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3rd Grade Teacher -- Mrs. Becky Sponseller graduated
from Augustana College with a degree in Elementary Education.
Mrs. Sponseller is a Holy Family parishioner and Spirit Camp
leader. She volunteers for Habitat for Humanity. |
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3rd Grade Teacher Assistant -- Mrs.
Donna Dincher holds a Bachelor of Science in Education
with Learning Disabilities and Behavior Disorder Endorsements
from Eastern Illinois University. She holds a Masters of
Arts - School of Education from Saint Xavier University.
Mrs. Dincher has previously taught students in District 211
(9th - 12th grade) and District 15 (4th - 6th grade). She
was then employed in District 21 (1st - 6th grade), working
with special needs students in the area of Learning Disabilities
and Behavior Disorders. She has also worked part-time at
Northwest Community Hospital in the Psychiatric ward with
students in grades 5 - 12. Mrs. Dincher is a Holy Family
parishioner and she has taught in the Faith program at Holy
Family from 1993 - present. |
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3rd Grade Teacher -- Miss Kristin Wolski graduated,
with honors, from Western Illinois University with a Bachelor
of Science degree in Elementary Education. She has
taught 4th grade for two years in District 54 and worked
as a head pre-school teacher at a local Kindercare. Miss
Wolski has also directed sports camps for 3rd and 4th grader
students and privately coaches softball lessons. |
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3rd Grade Teacher Assistant --
Mrs. Jane Buckstaff earned a Bachelor of Arts
Degree in Elementary Education from The University of Iowa. She
also has a Master of Arts Degree in Curriculum and Instruction
from Concordia University. Mrs. Buckstaff spent four
years teaching fifth grade in Lake Villa followed by teaching
second and third grades in an inner city school for two
years. Upon returning to the suburbs, she taught
fourth and fifth grades in District 15 for seven years. Mrs.
Buckstaff is a parishioner of Holy Family. |
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4th Grade Teacher -- Mrs. Colleen Biere graduated
from the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign. Mrs. Biere
holds a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education and minors
in Language Arts and English. During her studies, Mrs. Biere
taught at three public schools in the Champaign area. She is
a Holy Family parishioner. |
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4th Grade Teacher -- Mrs. Tami Moore
Carlino graduated from Eastern
Illinois University with a Bachelor of Science in Education
degree. She also completed an LBS 1 endorsement at National-Louis
University, Chicago. Mrs. Carlino has taught 2nd grade and
was a Teacher Assistant in 5th grade at HFCA. She is a Golden
Apple Foundation Scholarship Recipient and spent the summer
of 2010 assisting at Timpoloc Elementary School in Lapu-Lapu
City, Phillipines in first through sixth grades. |
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5th Grade Teacher -- Mrs.
Laurie Poelking holds a degree in Accounting from
the University of Illinois and a Master’s in Business Administration
from Northwestern University. After a career in public accounting
and private industry, Mrs. Poelking earned a Master’s in
Teaching Degree from National Louis University. She has previously
taught 5th grade and also has experience as a reading intervention
instructor. |
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5th Grade Teacher Assistant -- Mrs. Karen
Bacha holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Elementary
and Special Education from Carthage College, Kenosha, Wisconsin.
Mrs. Bacha has taught in local public schools and preschools,
most recently as a 6th grade teacher. |
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