Education (School & Degree):
Cardinal Stritch University: BA Religious Studies
Mount Mary College: MA Education
Cardinal Stritch University: Ph.D. Educational Leadership for the Advancement of Learning and Service
Philosophy (and/or statement about joy of teaching):
God is truly in our midst!
Other Interests:
I enjoy traveling, spending time at our cabin “up north”, walking, cross country skiing, golfing, biking and having quiet time at home with my husband David. I consider myself a lifelong learner and am an avid reader.
Anything else:
I have come to learn that it is through spending time with my family and friends that the living presence of Christ Jesus becomes most visible to me and so I treasure deeply the time I have to spend with each one of them. I look forward to establishing new friendships in Kenosha as well!
Thirty-five years ago, I graduated from St. Mary’s Visitation Catholic School in Elm Grove, Wisconsin having attended the school from first through eighth grade. Little did I know then that the rest of my life would be spent either attending or serving a Catholic school. Nor did I ever anticipate the deep and lasting friendships that that would also be born out of my experiences in Catholic schools. Yet, today if I am asked what I believe to be at the heart of a Catholic school I would quickly respond by saying strong relationships. As Catholic Christians, we believe each and every one of us is called to enter into a loving relationship with God, self and others. Nearly 40 years ago the Pastoral Message on Christian Education, To Teach as Jesus Did, emphasized the role the Catholic school has in fostering that relationship building within the community it serves. My years at St. Mary’s Elm Grove provided for me a strong academic and spiritual foundation; my parents modeled for me what it meant to be a member of a vibrant faith community. Throughout my life I have learned to trust God’s movement within to direct my decisions and directions even though at times I have wanted to ask, “are you sure about this God?” Ultimately I have not been let down by this awesome God. My professional and faith journey now brings me to All Saints’ Catholic School of Kenosha.
It is my belief that a Catholic school principal must make sure that the Gospel message of Jesus permeates the entire life of the school. From the moment a child enters the school he/she should feel the living presence of Christ Jesus. As a Catholic school principal, who espouses the beliefs of the Catholic Church, I recognize that I have received a ministerial call to share the faith with joy, enthusiasm and hope. The principal and teachers of a Catholic school are also called to work in partnership with the parents they serve knowing that it is the parents who are the first and primary teachers in a child’s life. I echo and am committed to what the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (2005) called for in Renewing our Commitment to Catholic Elementary and Secondary Schools in Third Millennium: “ all Catholics must join together to ensure that Catholic schools have administrators and teachers who are prepared to provide an exceptional educational experience for young people-one that is truly Catholic and of the highest academic quality” (“Introduction”, para 1).
I feel humbled and blessed to be in a place where I am able to serve the children and families of Kenosha as Lead Principal of All Saints’ Catholic School. While the journey involved in collaboration and mergers is often a rocky one, our ministerial call as Catholic Christians to respond with joy and love allows us to be hopeful people. Each parish and school in Kenosha has a strong reputation and has served well the community, therefore, bringing together all of this goodness into one mission will only make it stronger. I am committed to serving each and every one of you in my new role as Lead Principal. I ask you to be open and communicate to me your hopes, dreams and even your disappointments. It takes a village to blend four schools with the support of ten parishes into a new school so please, trust and enter the community with joy, enthusiasm and love. God is in our midst!