St. Joseph Catholic Elementary

Faculty and Staff

As a fully accredited educational institution, all members of the faculty of St. Joseph School hold degrees, advanced degrees, and teacher certification in their respective instructional areas. In addition, teachers take advantage of advanced coursework, workshops, conferences, seminars and other professional development opportunities to enhance and add to their store of knowledge.

The support staff of St. Joseph School is made up of professional and para-professional individuals who serve our school as: Special Resource Coordinator, Nurse, Secretary, and classroom aides. At St. Joseph School, 1 classroom aide holds teacher certification and and one is working toward teacher certification.  Both are available to assist in the instructional process.

 

 

Meet Our Faculty and Staff!

Mrs. Jan McEvoy

Pre-school

Mrs. McEvoy is a certified Montessori Instructor and teaches 3 and 4 year olds using Montessori methods and materials. In addition, Mrs. McEvoy has developed a Montessori Catholic Religion Curriculum which she uses in her classroom.

 

Mrs. Bonnie Johnson

Kindergarten and First Grade

My classroom is special to St. Joseph's because:

Every child is treated with dignity and respect. We strive to build a positive self-concept and love of learning in every child. Our day is filled with creativity, music, independent centers, reading, written expression, math activities and other hands-on learning experiences.  We learn our prayers and do our best to live and learn they way the Child Jesus would want us to.

Students' favorite activities: Cooperative learning, hands on activities, working with Junior High buddies, and music.

 ↔↔

Mrs. Shannon Perryman

Second and Third Grade

My classroom is special to St. Joseph's because:

The various field trips, writing activities, group learning, and learning about our Catholic faith and prayers. This is a year for us to take the skills we have learned and use them to build success and the next levels. And, during second grade, we will make our First Reconciliation and First Communion. It is a very special year for us.

Students' favorite activities:

Writing, reading, drawing pictures, craft/art activities and field trips.

↔↔

Mrs. Laura Eise

Mrs. Eise is a certified teacher who serves as an instructional aide.  She leads small groups of primary learners in advanced studies in those areas in which they are gifted or have a special interest.  She also works one on one with students in the subject areas in which they need extra practice or review.  She makes advanced learning and/or re-learning lots of fun!

 ↔↔

Mrs. Terry Kelly

Fourth Grade

My classroom is special to St. Joseph's because:

Our classroom is special because of the focus on social studies in our room. We work with several different maps and different types of social studies information. The students are very involved in learning the fifty states and capitals. We love our Catholic Faith and work hard to learn all we can about the teachings of Jesus and the apostles.

Students' favorite activities:

Favorite activities include interactive bulletin boards and centers. These centers include different subject areas and skills to practice for each of those. The students also like to participate in book reviews, and "grade" the reading books available to them.

 

↔↔

Mrs. Miriam Jump

Fifth Grade

And Sixth, Seventh, and Eighth Grade Science

My classroom is special to St. Joseph's because: We do science laboratory experiments and participate in many activities. We participate in language arts fair, fine arts fair, art and essay writing contests. We end the school year by attending a wildlife conservation area fishing habitat.

Students' favorite activities:

My students enjoy science laboratories, math practice on the board, French class, speed math facts and student of the month writing contests. Students also enjoy going on field trips.

 

 ↔↔

Mrs. Debra Russo

Sixth Grade

Fifth, Seventh, and Eighth Grade Social Studies

My classroom is special to St. Joseph's because:

A strong foundation in social studies is vitally important to students' development as strong honorable leaders in our community, our world, and in our Church. When students learn about our history in a Catholic learning environment they are better prepared to accept the moral responsibilities of being adult participants in our increasingly global society.

Students' favorite activities:

The Sixth Grade likes to participate in group projects.

 

 ↔↔

 

Mrs. Claran Aug

Seventh Grade

Fifth, Sixth, and Eighth Grade Math

My classroom is special to St. Joseph's because:

We use manipulatives in math class to improve understanding of math concepts. In all subjects, we incorporate writing and art activities. Some of the special units that we incorporate within the school year are the Lewis and Clark Expedition, the Holocaust, and Inventors and Inventions.

Students' favorite activities:

Seventh grade students like to socialize. Many of the classroom activities involve working in groups.

↔↔

Miss Tammy Ames

Eighth Grade

Fifth, Sixth, and Seventh Grade Literature

My classroom is special to St. Joseph's because:

In eighth grade we are good role models for younger students. We head up student council, work on service projects, help out in the community through clean up and donations to organizations. We visit our state capital, Jefferson City as a field trip.

Students' favorite activities:

Students like to write creative stories and poems. They also enjoy reading new books and learning about different authors.

↔↔

Mrs. Mary Gray

Vocal Music All Grades

My classroom is special to St. Joseph's because:

We are always making music!

Students' favorite activities:

My students love to play musical games such as Music Bingo. They also enjoy singing solos.

↔↔

Mrs. Belinda Bankhead and Ms. Charlene Toler

Band Grades 5th - 8th

Ms. Toler and Mrs. Bankhead teach beginning, intermediate, and Junior High band classes at St. Joseph. 5th and 6th grade students have 3 classes a week and Junior High students have band twice a week. Both also teach at SEAS, St. Agnes, IC, and at Springfield Catholic High.

↔↔

Mrs. Olga Kilmer

Foreign Language Grades K-6

Maestra Kilmer teaches Spanish twice a week to students in Kindergarten through 6th grade. Spanish instruction was instituted at St. Joseph School during the '06-'07 school year in grades K-4 and will move up a grade each year until it is offered in all 8 grades. For '08-'09, Spanish Language instructional software is utilized for grades 7 - 8.

↔↔

Mrs. Cheryl Knox

PE All Grades

Student physical fitness and life-long healthy choices is the goal of PE instruction at St. Joseph School.  Students have instruction in health and nutrition as well as opportunities to participate in a variety of physical activities.

 ↔↔

Mrs. Joyce Pinnell

Technology – Grades 4 – 8

Students learn and practice computer skills and the use of other technologies such as presentation equipment and Smart Boards.

↔↔

Mrs. Bev Talty

School Nurse

Mrs. Talty is a registered nurse and is at St. Joseph School every Thursday throughout the school year. Other school days she available by phone in case of emergency or for consultation. She publishes a monthly newsletter on student health and safety which can be accessed on this website.

↔↔

Mrs. Terrie Gordon

Special Services Coordinator

Mrs. Gordon assists students and families in the identification of individual needs and the accessing of services to address those needs by working with the local public school special services departments.

↔↔

Mrs. Trish Wand

Mrs. Wand is our school secretary.  She knows every student and family.  She is available every day to assist students and families with questions and procedures.  She also loves our library, helps with Book Fairs, and has a girl scout troop!

↔↔

Aides

Mrs. Megan Merz works 3 days a week and Mrs. Shiawa Stewart works two days a week.  Both of our wonderful aides assist teachers and students in a variety of ways.  From making copies, typing, helping in the cafeteria, working with students one on one or in small groups, these Aides provide the St. Joseph School Family plenty of aid!

↔↔

Principal

Mrs. Marilyn Batson is in her sixth year as principal at St. Joseph School.  She taught with Springfield Catholic Schools for eleven years before entering the field of administration.  She holds Certification in Elementary Education, a  Master's Degree, and Certification in Catholic School Leadership.  Mrs. Batson is a graduate of St. Agnes Regional High School and also an 8th grade graduate of St. Joseph School (she won't tell us what year but Sister Mary Camillus was principal at the time).  Mrs. Batson's personal philosophy of education is summed up in one of our school mottos:  "Every child is a gift from God and has been given a gift to share".