constactusschool

Principal

Mrs. Gail Kraig

338-5602

gailkraig@stmaryswb.org

Preschool

Mrs. Kriefall

prekteacher34@yahoo.com

Education:

BA in Education and a minor in Music from Concordia College in St. Paul, Minn. Certified grades 1-6.

Early childhood certification from Concordia University in Mequon. Certified grades PreK - grade 6.

Philosophy:

I try to find the unique and special talents of each child while doing age appropriate activities. I believe all children, especially young children, learn best with hand-on experiences. My goal is to enhance the whole child,....the social, intellectual physical and emotional aspects of each one on an individual basis.

What I enjoy about teaching at St. Mary's School:

St. Mary's is a family and to teach here is to belong. It's like home, and as Dorothy said, "There's no place like home."

Kindergarten

Mrs. Jansen

jansenhunt@ameritech.net

Education:

BS in Elementary Education (Grades 1-8)

Minot State College, N.D.

PreK and Kindergarten Certification

Concordia University

Philosophy:

"Childhood should be a journey and not a race"

I believe that a kindergarten program should create an environment which allow children to develop individually in all growth areas: physical, social, emotional, intellectual and spiritual. My goal is to have each child leave kindergarten eagerly anticipating the next step in the learning process.

What I enjoy about teaching at St. Mary's School:

St. Mary's School is a community of faith. Our faculty, students and families strive to grow closer to Jesus within our small family-like atmosphere. Our efforts are rewarded with students who enter into high school well prepared academically and with strong morals to lead them into the future. As a member of St. Mary's faculty, I enjoy the success that our students achieve.

1st Grade

Mrs. Mathieu

memathieu1@yahoo.com

Education:

BA from Mt. Mary College

Major in Elementary Education with Area of Concentration in Science

Continuing Education credits (30+) from various colleges.

Philosophy:

I believe in the unique personalities and abilities of each child. In preparing the child for a lifetime of learning, our focus needs to be on attitudes of respect for all, appreciation of differences, personal responsibility, and commitment to learning and serivce. The child needs to be actively involved in a Christian environment promoting spiritual, academic, and emotional growth through classroom and community activities.

What I enjoy about teaching at St. Mary's School:

St. Mary's has been my "family" for so many years. I've enjoyed the friendly, caring atmosphere along with parental involvement and support. The smaller size help me know and reach each student on a personal level.

2nd Grade

Mrs. Chartier

mjchartier2000@yahoo.com

Education:

BA in Elementary Education

Cardinal Stritch University

Philosophy:

I believe my main role as a teacher is to instill the desire to be life-long learners into each of my students. In order to accomplish this, they need to love to learn! My job is to make learning fun and to keep them coming back for more!

What I enjoy about teaching at St. Mary's School:

I like teaching at St. Mary's because of the family atmosphere and the small classes. You get a chance to really get to know your students and their families. When I first came to St. Mary's my original plan was to stay for one year to ge3t experience and then move on to a public school...that was 13 years ago!!!

3rd Grade

Miss Bodden

joanbodden@yahoo.com

Education:

Bachelor of Science from UW-Oshkosh in 1972

Major in Elementary Education

Minor in Library Science

Philosophy:

I believe in the worth of each child as a special individual. A child has spiritual, physical, emotional, and academic needs to be met. To meet these needs, it is important to give encouragement and to build self esteem.

What I enjoy about teaching at St. Mary's School:

I enjoy teaching in the small school setting of St. Mary's. There is an opportunity to know all the students and their families. I also like being able to teach students about their faith and how to live it in their daily lives.

4th Grade

Mrs. Pflughoeft

jtpandjrp@nconnect.net

Education:

Bachelor of Science degree from UW-Milwaukee

Major - Elementary Education

Minor - social Studies

Philosophy:

I believe each child is special and unique and needs to be respected and valued. Children need to have their needs met spiritually, academically, and emotionally. Students need to be an active part of a Christian environment. Through examples of others, encouragement, and being involved in service projects, children learn how to respect and care for one another. Developing self-esteem and sense of self worth are essential to the positive development of each student.

What I enjoy about teaching at St. Mary's School:

I like teaching at St. Mary's because of the close family atmosphere. Students and teachers know and care about everyone and parents are very supportive. I like being able to share my faith with my students on a daily basis.

5th Grade

Miss Theusch

mtheusch@stmaryswb.org

Education:

Bachelor of Science degree from UW-Stevens Point. Within my degree, I have two majors - Elementary Education and Resource Management with an emphasis in Environmental Education and Interpretation. I also have a minor in Environmental Education.

Philosophy:

Education is the foundation for all future endeavors and needs to be a priority. I believe that each child should be encouraged to reach their learning potential in the classroom. As a teacher, it is my job to make sure students get the encouragement they need. For this to happen, the learning environment needs to be a safe, secure environment. My hope is that students will leave my room knowing that they are cared about an knowing they did their best.

What I enjoy about teaching at St. Mary's School:

I like teaching at St. Mary's because of the family atmosphere. We all take care of each other and are concerned of others' well being. I also like the strong Catholic foundation that St. Mary's has to offer. St. Mary's also has great class sizes that allow for more one on one time to answer questions and learn concepts.

6th Grade

Mrs. Garty

jmgarty@yahoo.com

Education:

Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education (1-8), Cardinal Stritch University, Milwaukee, WI 2004-2007

- Minors in both Mathematics and English

- Dean's List all semesters

- GPA 3.91/4.0

- Awarded department Honor for Highest GPA

in Elementary Education for 2007-2008

- Involved in National Council of Teachers of

Mathematics, International Reading

Association, Student WEA, Kappa Delta Pi National Honor Society, Delta Epsilon Sigma National Honor Society, Peer Educators, and Sigma Delta Tau national Honor Society

Associate degree in Art and Sciences, UW - Washington County 2001-2003

Philosophy:

My mission in the classroom is to create a positive learning environment that provides continual examples of interactive, encouraging, and beneficial educational opportunities for all students. I believe that education should be a wonderful, memorable, and knowledgeable experience for everyone involved. I have a passion for teaching, and believe in bringing enthusiasm and patience into the classroom to help my student's succeed.

What I enjoy about teaching at St. Mary's School:

As an educator, I enjoy working at St. Mary's School because of its positive atmosphere, the school's reputation to strive to meet the needs of all learners, and the well built relationships among staff, parents, and students. St. Mary's fosters a caring ambiance that continues to challenge every student while providing a safe and respectful environment in which to learn. I am truly proud to be a part of this growing community of learners, leaders, and education professionals, all of whom what to change the world in a positive way.

7th/8th Grade

Mrs. Dotzler

jdotzler@hotmail.com

Education:

Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education

UW-Oshkosh

Philosophy:

An educator should be able to:

- encourage students to learn to the best of

their ability.

- individualize a set curriculum to fit the needs

of each learner.

- provide a nurturing, safe, and enthusiastic

learning environment.

- to model Christian behaviors expected from the students.

- to initiate communication with parents and work together for the best

interest of their children.

What I enjoy about teaching at St. Mary's School:

I enjoy teaching at St. Mary's because the staff is supportive and middle schoolers keep me energized. Humor in the classroom is important ant the students get my jokes. Well, most of the time.

Band

Mr. John Ahlstrom

Music

Mrs. Diana Portlance

diana_portlance@hotmail.com

Education:

BFA from UW-Milwaukee

Philosophy:

A positive school environment for children provides a wonderful learning experience for them. Creating an upbeat atmosphere will also stimulate students' motivation for learning.

Students are viewed as unique individuals. Becoming aware of each student's strengths and weaknesses in music allow me to fin ways to help each student develop and improve these skills.

Music is a wonderful form of expression. As the students increase their experiences in class, these expressions may also be applied to life experiences.

What I enjoy about teaching at St. Mary's School:

I enjoy St. Mary's School for its small class sizes and closeness of the staff.

Physical Education

Mrs. Sachse

sachsejim@hotmail.com

Education:

Associate Degree UW-Washington Co. 1972

Physical Education, Recreation and Coaching BS with Honors UW-LaCrosse 1975

Philosophy:

Kicking, throwing, catching, running, jumping are some of the elements of Physical Education. These skills and many more need to be taught to students at an early age to enable them to function in the world of sports and play. In giving them the chance to learn these in physical education, the student may continue to use these skills in a sports environment. All students like the opportunity to play or compete. The ability to take turns, to try again and to control anger are experiences that can be transferred back to the classroom. Physical education could be the one subject in school where a student will feel successful. Sadly, for some students, the only time they may do some activities is in physical education class. As with any subject, you need to stay current on new techniques and methods to be informed.

What I enjoy about teaching at St. Mary's School:

St. Mary's has a wonderful gym and lots of equipment for the students to use. All the volunteers are very helpful and always willing to help with activities.