As we celebrate National Catholic Schools Week across the country, we’d like to recognize teachers, staff members and school leaders across the Archdiocese of Denver who are celebrating milestone years. Please continue to keep these educators and dedicated staff members in your prayers, as they are working hard to make disciples of our students.
School administrators and leadership who have reached milestones:
20 Years:
Roxie Mountain-Weed Assistant Principal, Most Precious Blood
Frank Cawley Chief of Enrollment, Mullen High School
15 Years:
Tracy Alarcon Principal, All Souls
Mark Strawbridge Principal, Good Shepherd
Kate Hatch Asst. Principal, Our Lady of Loreto
5 Years:
Fr. John Nugent, SJ Principal, Arrupe Jesuit High School
Karen Smith Lower School Principal, St. Mary’s Academy
In addition to these dedicated administrators, we congratulate and thank the following teachers and staff members who are also celebrating milestone anniversaries:
45 Years:
Mike G. Gabriel Holy Family High School
30 Years:
Kathy Anderson Annunciation Catholic School
John Allison Good Shepherd Catholic School
Katie Armatas Good Shepherd Catholic School
Jane Laughlin Good Shepherd Catholic School
Carolyn Goddard Holy Family High School
Ronald Ortega Mullen High School
Darla Hamilton St. Mary’s Academy
25 Years:
Denise Bouchillion Good Shepherd Catholic School
Mary Grigsby St. Joseph Catholic School
Tammy Christensen Mullen High School
Chris Walsweer Regis Jesuit High School
20 Years:
Bridget Tschappat All Souls Catholic School
Sue Vogt All Souls Catholic School
Lorena Sanabria Guardian Angels Catholic School
Roxie Mountain-Weed Most Precious Blood Catholic School
Frank Cawley Mullen High School
Heang Hour Mullen High School
Michael McGuire Mullen High School
Chantilly (Dee) Sok Mullen High School
Peter Spiessbach Mullen High School
Diana Brunner Our Lady of Loreto Catholic School
Erin Cassidy-Cernanec Regis Jesuit High School
Sandra Ferraro Regis Jesuit High School
Gretchen Kessler Regis Jesuit High School
Carol Sobolik Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic School
Kitty Comeaux St. John the Baptist Catholic School
Cathy Canavan St. Mary Catholic School, Littleton
Julia Castillo St. Rose of Lima Catholic Academy
Sarah Teall St. Thomas More Catholic
Sue Gerken St. Vincent de Paul School
Beth McConaty St. Vincent de Paul School
15 Years:
Tracy Alarcon All Souls Catholic School
Brigid Ryan All Souls Catholic School
Dawn Hug Arrupe Jesuit High School
Laura Kirk-Rosenberger Bl. Miguel Pro Catholic Academy
Chris Rusin Blessed Sacrament Catholic School
Brenda Wright-Scaife Blessed Sacrament Catholic School
Sandra Reese Escuela de Guadalupe
Mark Strawbridge Good Shepherd Catholic School
Amanda Gallegos Holy Family High School
Daniel Hahn Holy Family High School
Christina Dorchuck Most Precious Blood Catholic School
Am Meang Mullen High School
Kate Hatch Our Lady of Loreto Catholic School
Mark Canino Regis Jesuit High School
Christopher Cook Regis Jesuit High School
Lindsay Cummings Regis Jesuit High School
Katherine Fay Regis Jesuit High School
Jennifer Gray Regis Jesuit High School
Kenny Ramos Regis Jesuit High School
Ken Shaw Regis Jesuit High School
Kathi Gregg Shrine of St. Anne School
Randall Dufour St. John the Baptist Catholic School
Robin Martinek St. John the Baptist Catholic School
Lori Domenico St. Louis Catholic Church
Jessica Bennett St. Louis Catholic School
Kerri McGill St. Louis Catholic School
Michele Beaudoin St. Mary Catholic School, Greeley
Brian Cole St. Mary’s Academy
Jacqueline (Jackie) Neal St. Mary’s Academy
Mark Dennis St. Rose of Lima Catholic Academy
Savannah Valdez St. Rose of Lima Catholic Academy
Laura Carter St. Stephen Catholic School
Kathy Grace St. Thomas More Catholic
Shari Lamb St. Thomas More Catholic
Cathy Leisegang St. Thomas More Catholic
Sarah McMahon St. Thomas More Catholic
Theresa Kovar St. Vincent de Paul School
10 Years:
Julie Talbot All Souls Catholic School
Mira Martinez Arrupe Jesuit High School
Vianney Rodriguez Bernhardt Arrupe Jesuit High School
Kelly Harvey Blessed Sacrament Catholic School
Shana Krakowiecki Blessed Sacrament Catholic School
Julie Harris Escuela de Guadalupe
Nora Jennings Good Shepherd Catholic School
Jeff Moser Good Shepherd Catholic School
Rodney Scohy Good Shepherd Catholic School
Tammy Schneider Holy Family High School
Robert Comeaux Holy Family High School
Moira Mennona Most Precious Blood Catholic School
Lindsay Hooper Mullen High School
Lawrence Arkoff Nativity: Faith & Reason
Leigh Woods Nativity: Faith & Reason
Margaret Gates Notre Dame Catholic School
Tanya Schrader Notre Dame Catholic School
Kim Simonson Our Lady of Fatima Catholic School
Becky McDowell Our Lady of Loreto Catholic School
Jason Ell Regis Jesuit High School
Joey Lechuga Regis Jesuit High School
Spencer Wagner Regis Jesuit High School
Dana Frerich Shrine of St. Anne School
John Kiaha Shrine of St. Anne School
Kathleen Olsen St. John the Baptist Catholic School
Karleen Watson St. Mary Catholic School, Greeley
Terri Sue Monark St. Mary Catholic School, Littleton
Amber McGown St. Mary’s Academy
Sharon Tracy
St. Pius X
Cristina Castaneda St. Rose of Lima Catholic Academy
Erin Ugran St. Rose of Lima Catholic Academy
Gissela Dillow St. Stephen Catholic School
Annelie Herrera St. Thomas More Catholic
Nicole Thomason St. Vincent de Paul School
5 Years:
Maggie Barton All Souls Catholic School
Anna Good All Souls Catholic School
Andrew Brimeyer Annunciation Catholic School
Liam Driscoll Annunciation Catholic School
Samantha Eckrich Arrupe Jesuit High School
Estefany Hernandez Arrupe Jesuit High School
Fr. John Nugent, SJ Arrupe Jesuit High School
Chris Tetro Bl. Miguel Pro Catholic Academy
Erin Houtsma Blessed Sacrament Catholic School
Rachel McCabe Blessed Sacrament Catholic School
JoAnn Gartlan Christ the King Roman Catholic School
Rebecca Kopperud Christ the King Roman Catholic School
Maria Garcia Escuela de Guadalupe
Natalie Hopper Escuela de Guadalupe
Fabiola Doyle Frassati Catholic Academy
Angela Gesicki Frassati Catholic Academy
Becky Heier Frassati Catholic Academy
Coleen Larson Frassati Catholic Academy
Lisa Lupica Frassati Catholic Academy
Kate McDonough Frassati Catholic Academy
Sylvia Prusinowska Frassati Catholic Academy
Kathy Brown Good Shepherd Catholic School
Kim Devlin Good Shepherd Catholic School
Shaye Gardner Good Shepherd Catholic School
Satomi Moser Good Shepherd Catholic School
Ray Sandoval Good Shepherd Catholic School
Emily Wurl Good Shepherd Catholic School
Sheila Doyle Guardian Angels Catholic School
Ellen Christoff Holy Family High School
Gillian Erdmann Holy Family High School
Dr. Seth Fabian Holy Family High School
Kathryn Greany Holy Family High School
Laura Reynolds Holy Family High School
Daniel Underkofler Holy Family High School
Danielle Gotchey Most Precious Blood Catholic School
Marjorie Ader Mullen High School
Devon Brady Mullen High School
Katie Cawley Mullen High School
Neal Devlin Mullen High School
Jillian Hock Mullen High School
Brenda Newton Mullen High School
Janelle Petersen Mullen High School
Heidi Trevithick Mullen High School
Melanie Mages Our Lady of Fatima Catholic School
Sara Theisen Our Lady of Fatima Catholic School
Katie Weaver Our Lady of Fatima Catholic School
Courtneigh Osborn Our Lady of Loreto Catholic School
Marie Young Our Lady of Loreto Catholic School
Samantha Johnson Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Classical School
Natalie Baldasare Regis Jesuit High School
Chris Boyle Regis Jesuit High School
Leslie Diedrich Regis Jesuit High School
Jim Goeke, SJ Regis Jesuit High School
Kelsey Greiner Regis Jesuit High School
Virginia Justis Regis Jesuit High School
Megan Langfield Regis Jesuit High School
Leah Malm Regis Jesuit High School
Summer McDermott Regis Jesuit High School
Kaitlin McKeon Regis Jesuit High School
Dee O’Neill Regis Jesuit High School
Bridget Rector Regis Jesuit High School
Mindae Russell Regis Jesuit High School
Julie St. Louis Quimby Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic School
Elaine Uhrik St. John the Baptist Catholic School
Kelly Jenks St. Joseph Catholic School
Christie Crowe St. Joseph Catholic School
Andrea White St. Louis Catholic School
Veronica Hoffpauir St. Mary Catholic School, Greeley
JJ Cleaver St. Mary’s Academy
Michele Elia St. Mary’s Academy
Victoria Fernandez St. Mary’s Academy
Lea Frank St. Mary’s Academy
Barbara (Kelly) Gibbs St. Mary’s Academy
Rosemary Rehmer St. Mary’s Academy
Joseph Riehl St. Mary’s Academy
Karen Smith St. Mary’s Academy
Kathryn (Katie) Wheeler St. Mary’s Academy
Patty Haven St. Pius X Catholic School
Samantha Archuleta St. Rose of Lima Catholic Academy
Jennifer DeLurgio St. Thomas More Catholic
Denise Devers St. Thomas More Catholic
Rachel Espinosa St. Thomas More Catholic
Emily DeLisle St. Vincent de Paul School
Laurie Pedlow Sts. Peter and Paul Catholic STEM School
While we cannot interview each of these amazing and dedicated staff members, we would like to recognize one educator from each milestone anniversary year and learn a little bit more about each of them.
5 Years: Sara Theisen, Our Lady of Fatima
Sara Theisen has been teaching at Our Lady of Fatima for the past four years and is currently teaching middle school science and theology. She was at a different Catholic school for one year prior to coming to Our Lady of Fatima. “I feel so blessed to be able to teach both science and theology. As Saint John Paul II said in Fides et Ratio, ‘Faith and reason are like two wings on which the human spirit rises to the contemplation of truth; and God has placed in the human heart a desire to know the truth – in a word, to know himself.’ Although different, faith and science are complementary to each other; I’ve seen that, in learning both in the same classroom, students are able to make new and deeper connections, thus leading to an even greater understanding of both science and theology.” A fun fact about Sara is that she loves painting and playing music on her trumpet and French horn!
10 Years: Tanya Schrader, Notre Dame Catholic School
Although she’s not a child, Tanya Schrader is still in kindergarten! She started her 10 year teaching career at Notre Dame, and you’ll still find her in the kindergarten room. Her favorite thing about teaching in a Catholic school is the faith and community she has found. When she’s not in the classroom, her passion is being outdoors enjoying all kinds of activities.
15 Years: Mark Dennis, St. Rose of Lima Catholic Academy
Mark Dennis is celebrating 15 years teaching in Catholic schools, the last 10 at St. Rose of Lima Catholic Academy where he teaches middle school religion and social studies. Prior to that, he taught at Presentation of Our Lady. His favorite thing about teaching in a Catholic school? “I love being able to have conversations with students that not only increase their academic knowledge, but truly have an effect on the way in which they interact with others and encounter God.” One of the fun facts about Mark is that his three oldest children (ages 5, 7, and 9) join him at school every day.
20 Years: Kitty Comeaux, St. John the Baptist, Longmont
Kitty Comeaux has been teaching in Catholic schools for the past 20 years, the past 17 of which have been at St. John the Baptist where she teaches 2nd graders. Prior to that she was at Our Mother of Sorrows Catholic School in Tucson, AZ. Her favorite thing about teaching in a Catholic school?
“It is so special to be able to include God in all we teach. I cherish the opportunity to help children grow in their faith every day, because by doing so, I also grow in my faith.” You may be surprised to know that traveling is a passion of Kitty’s and her husband. They have already traveled to 25 countries and nearly all 50 states. Her favorite countries (so far) include Santorini, Greece and Barcelona, Spain. They especially love European countries with all their different cultures and histories. Kitty says they hope to continue these amazing journeys.
25 Years: Mary Grigsby, St. Joseph Catholic School, Ft. Collins
Twenty-five-year educator Mary Grigsby has spent every one of those years at Saint Joseph Catholic School in Ft. Collins, with all of them spent in the Kindergarten room. She and her husband have raised four children who all attended and graduated from Saint Joseph. Mary loves teaching in a Catholic school because it makes her heart happy to see her Kindergarteners learn about their faith and share a love for God. This year Mary helped open a new Atrium teaching the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd. In 2014, Mary received a Distinguished Teacher Award from the NCEA. In her spare time, she loves backpacking and traveling, especially to Kenya where she enjoys sharing her love for education with the children there.
30 Years: John Allison – Good Shepherd Catholic School
Some people might not know that John Allison, who has spent the last 30 years as a teacher in Catholic schools, started out his teaching career as a music teacher! He taught music at Sts. Peter &Paul for one year, then moved to Good Shepherd and taught music there for 13 years before switching to social studies. “Teaching at a Catholic school allows me the opportunity and curriculum to teach the whole student. Not just the core of the subject but being able to teach them about a faith-filled life as well.” Some fun facts about John: he graduated from Montana State in 1988 with BA in Music/Vocal Production and also has a master’s in Educational Leadership from Regis University with his Principal’s license, graduating Magna Cum Laude. He also has two remarkable daughters. One is a local physician and the other is a Deputy Sheriff. He is also the proud grandfather of three grandchildren.
45 Years: Mike G. Gabriel, Holy Family High School
Mike Gabriel – the SENIOR Mike Gabriel at Holy Family High School (his son, referred to as “Mike D” is the assistant principal of the school) is celebrating an amazing 45 years in Catholic education as a teacher, with all of those years spent at Holy Family. He teaches grades 9-12 Strength and Conditioning. Mike G says he was drawn to teach in a Catholic school because of some of the teachers he had in high school, and the opportunity to go back to his alma mater and teach. His favorite thing about teaching there? “The one thing that stands out for me is the students who attend Holy Family, because they have a desire to learn and excel in school, they are committed to the community, and they want to succeed. I wouldn’t want to teach anywhere else because Holy Family has given me and my family more than I could ever give back.” Mike is extremely proud that his grandchildren are fourth generation students at Holy Family High School. Now that is impressive! Thank you, Mike G for your dedication to your students and Catholic education!