Hello, St. John the Baptist Families and Friends!
As we approach the start of another school year, I am filled with excitement and anticipation. Our plans are coming together, and the new office space at the front of the building is taking shape.
I can’t even express how excited I am to take on this new adventure as the Principal here at St. John’s. I have had this goal for a while, but I was busy caring for my four children and elderly mother while working full-time as a kindergarten teacher, so my goal got pushed back. However, I have always believed God had a plan for me and would direct me when the time was right.
For those who don’t know my background, the quick ‘drive-through version’ is that I am originally from Iowa, where I grew up, in a large Catholic family, in a small farming community. I graduated from Iowa State University with a degree in Elementary Education and a minor in Reading. Before moving to Wisconsin, I taught 1st grade for three years in Altoona, Iowa. After moving here with my husband, Brett, I was a long-term sub for 5th grade and then a year-long sub for 4th grade in Luxemburg. Next, I taught Transitional Kindergarten in Denmark for several years and eventually moved to DePere, where I worked full-time as a kindergarten teacher for many years. During this time, I obtained my Master’s degree at Viterbo University and later received my Administrative Certificate from St. Mary’s University of Minnesota.
Knowing your children is important to me. I have been studying the names and faces in the school yearbook and I hope that many will be able to attend Popsicles on the Playground event on August 1st so I can begin making more connections. I will ask for clever ways to remember each name, so start encouraging your children to think of a few ideas to help me improve my name recall skills.
One of the best parts about being in the education business is developing friendships and connections with families over the years and watching students grow up and contribute back to the community. I will miss the DePere families, but I look forward to building the same bond in the Howard-Suamico area. The circle just keeps getting bigger! See you soon!
1 Corinthians 2:9
“No eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him.”
Founded in 1888, St. John the Baptist School is a Catholic school in Howard where students grow in relationship with Jesus Christ, pursue high levels of academics, and are surrounded by a community rooted in Christian values. Our staff is committed to developing the whole child by nurturing each child’s academic, emotional, spiritual and behavioral development. By partnering with parents, we aim to individualize student learning in a structured environment where students grow and succeed.
St. John the Baptist School is part of the Green Bay Area Catholic Education (GRACE) School System. It is a private Catholic school serving Preschool and Elementary through 8th grade (PK3-8) with open enrollment. St. John the Baptist provides an individualized education in a faith-based environment. Each child is supported not only academically, but spiritually. For more information about St. John the Baptist Catholic School, visit their website at https://sjbhschool.org.
GRACE stands for Green Bay Area Catholic Education and is a nine-school system that provides excellence in preschool through twelfth-grade education and serves the 23 Catholic parishes within the Greater Green Bay community. GRACE schools range in offerings and locations, and each has its own distinct history, focus, and parish connections. GRACE is among the largest Catholic school systems in the state of Wisconsin. To learn more, visit gracesystem.org.