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Teacher Profiles Obviously, your child's teacher provides one of the most direct influences on his or her education. We pride ourselves in the quality of our teachers, all of whom hold degrees and are certified. Our teachers also participate in ongoing professional development. Below is a brief profile of each faculty and staff member. |
Jamie Deitz - Kindergarten Mrs. Jamie Deitz is the new Kindergarten teacher and a fully certified graduate from Central Michigan University. Jamie is in her first full year of teaching. Along with Kayte Schryer, Jaime has started the Motor Moms and Dads, a new fitness program designed to strengthen the core and improve fine and gross motor capabilities for students. During March, she will coordinate “Reading Month” with schoolwide activities. Once a week, her Kindergarten class buddies up with the third grade for Reading Buddies. Jamie ensures the students follow the Kindergarten’s “Golden Rule": Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. |
Joey Miller - First Grade Mrs. Joey Miller is the 1st grade teacher and a fully certified graduate from Aquinas College. Joey is a lower elementary Retreat Advisor. She is one of the faculty representatives for Home & School and Scrip. She can be found setting up and organizing the evening for the Fall Fling ensuring all is in order. Many of the questions for Battle of the Books are formulated by Joey after reading books from the current selections. She can be found at many events assisting with the 6th Grade fundraising for the D.C. trip. Joey is instrumental with her ideas during the planning, practice and organizing for the Spring Program. |
Linda Lyon-S - Second Grade Mrs. Linda Lyon-S. is the 2nd grade teacher and fully certified graduate from Aquinas College. She also teaches the 2nd, 3rd and 4th grade Physical Education Program. If you would like to join the Spanish Club, this is the classroom to visit first and third Mondays of the month after school. She is involved in the weekly masses singing and playing her guitar in the choir. Sacred Heart is the beneficiary of her talents with music and the Children’s Choir during the weekend masses. Linda sits on the School Advisory Board, heads the celebration for May Crowning and choreographs for the Spring Program. Her class will have the opportunity to visit Larson Hall to sing and visit with the residents. |
Molly Mousseau - Third Grade Mrs. Molly Mousseau is the 3rd grade teacher and fully certified graduate from Aquinas College. Molly teaches the Social Studies Program to the 2nd, 3rd and 4th grade, which also learns about Michigan history. Molly prepares her students as lectors for Eucharistic celebrations and sings in the choir during the masses. She is also a cantor and choir member at Cross in the Woods in Indian River. Each week the 3rd grade class combines with the Kindergarten for Reading Buddies. During the yearly Retreat, Molly sits on the lower elementary committee. She can be also found preparing with Mrs. Linda Lyon-S. the procession and celebration for May Crowning. Molly is a co-editor, along with Mrs. Jill Kwiatkowski, for the monthly Buzz Club production assisting the student writers and ensuring the final version goes to press. Molly is a Board member of the Education Foundation and also sits on the Scrip Board. She would like to start a Cribbage Club for the younger students and has already invited parents in to teach the students how to play. |
Mary Redmond - Fourth Grade Mrs. Mary Redmond is the 4th grade teacher. She teaches Science to the 2nd, 3rd and 4th grade classes. Alternating with the other two upper grade teachers and 3rd grade, Mary prepares her class for the Liturgy and serves as a Eucharistic Minister at school. She is also a lector and Eucharistic Minister at St. Mary/St. Charles. During the yearly school Retreat, Mary serves as an upper grades advisor. After school, Mary is a faculty representative for Home and School. Other areas she is involved with are Battle of The Books, Retreat Advisor for the upper grades and Chess Club. Mary is a fully certified graduate of Central Michigan University. |
Jerry Canell - Fifth Grade Mr. Jerry Canell is the 5th grade teacher and a fully certified graduate of Northern Michigan University. He teaches the Computer, Physical Education, Science and Math Program to the 5th and 6th grades. This school year Jerry and Dave Neph have begun an Archery Program for students in 3rd through 6th grade on designated Wednesdays and Thursdays. He also sits on the Education Foundation, Technology Committee and heads the Emergency Management at Bishop Baraga School. He prepares his students for the Liturgy and can be found playing his guitar during school masses as well as the Folk Masses at St. Mary/St. Charles Parish. Jerry DJs at school functions and his talent in woodworking is apparent in many staff school auction items. He is the coordinator for Science Assemblies and Chess Club and assists with Track & Field Day. Finally, the D.A.R.E: (Drug Abuse Assistance Education) program began 23 years ago at Bishop Baraga in Jerry’s class as the first nonpublic school in Northern Michigan. |
Jill Kwiatkowski - Sixth Grade Mrs. Jill Kwiatkowski has the 6th grade homeroom and is a fully certified graduate from Northern Michigan University. She is also the Social Studies, Spanish, Language Arts and Visual Arts teacher for both 5th and 6th grades. Mrs. K, with Mrs. Molly Mousseau, are co-editors for the monthly Buzz production. She is a regular member singing and playing her guitar during Mass in the chapel. She prepares her students for the Liturgy as lectors and altar servers before weekday Mass. Jill serves as an upper grades advisor for the yearly Retreat. Thanks to Mrs. K, Battle of the Books, Ski Club and Cribbage Club are activities enjoyed by many students. Jill heads the Spring Program yearly with her creativity and drama skills. After school, she also is on the Baraga Boosters planning the decorations for the annual Gala and is a faculty representative for Home & School. In addition, she takes on the huge task of fundraising for the 6th grade Washington, D.C. class trip. |
Kayte Schryer - Preschool Mrs. Kayte Schryer is the Preschool teacher and a certified graduate from North Central Michigan College. This is her fifth year as the Preschool teacher for 3 & 4-year-olds at Bishop Baraga Catholic School. With the continued success of her program, a second 4-year-program was started September 2009 during the afternoons on Monday, Wednesday and Fridays. The 3-year-program runs on Tuesday and Thursday mornings. Along with Jamie Deitz, she has started the Motor Moms and Dads, a new fitness program designed to strengthen the core and improve fine and gross motor capabilities for students. Kayte has served on the Baraga Boosters putting together the “Gala Evening” slide show as one of the many jobs for that event. She also makes sure, along with her aide Marea Suchey, that the Birthday Board is kept current. |
Marea Suchey - Preschool Aide Mrs. Marea Suchey is the Preschool Aide. This is her first year at the new Bishop Baraga Catholic School. She was an aide at the old preschool before it was discontinued. Marea ensures the Birthday Board is continuously updated and serves on the lunch line. We are happy to have Marea on staff! |
Jan Kasbow - Kindergarten Aide Mrs. Jan Kasbow is the Kindergarten Aide. This is Jan’s first year as an employee at Bishop Baraga Catholic School. For many years she worked as a volunteer in the school library cataloguing and filing books. Jan serves on the lunch line and does playground duty before school and during the first recess. She also plays her guitar and sings at the school masses in the chapel and also during weekend services at St. Mary/St. Charles. Her musical talents were of great help during the Christmas Parade as she led the children and adults in song! |
Kay Watkins - First Grade Aide Mrs. Kay Watkins is the 1st grade Teacher’s Aide, music teacher, and serves on the lunch line. Each morning students and parents are greeted by Kay as they enter the building. She also dismisses the early bus students near the end of the school day. Kay can also be found on the playground during lunch recesses ensuring students are playing safely. For the school’s Spring Program, Kay often writes the music and practice, practice, practices with all the classes. For the past two years she has coordinated a Cooking Club for students in 5th and 6th grades after school on first and third Thursdays of the month. |
Patti Wissner - Head of Food Preparation Mrs. Patti Wissner is now in her second year as head of the Food Preparation Department. She is certified as a ServSafe® Food Manager. It is evident when she is in the building as wonderful aromas begin to waft throughout the school. Patti is the parent of Nathan, a 2006 eighth grade Bishop Baraga School graduate. She can be seen helping at the Knights of Columbus fundraiser dinners for the school, often scooping ice cream. |
Robert Boyea - School Custodian Mr. Robert Boyea is the school custodian and general handyman. No job is too big or too small for him to do! He can be seen setting up for lunch and keeping the school clean throughout the day. As well, his good humor will greet those having breakfast before school starts. Both Bob and his wife, Jane, volunteered to come in early on first and third Monday mornings to pop popcorn as a snack for students. |
Kitty LaBlance - Principal Mrs. Kitty LaBlance has held the position of principal since August 2007. She was a teacher on staff for seven years before being hired as the administrator and is fully certified. She graduated from the University of Waterloo, Ontario and received her B. Ed. at Brock University in Ontario. She holds a Masters of Arts and is a Reading and Literacy Specialist through Central Michigan University. Aside from her regular duties as principal, Kitty is also very involved in several of the school boards and committees, including Advisory Board, Marketing & Development Committee and the Educational Foundation. Prior to becoming principal, Kitty held the different positions of 4th and 5th grade homeroom teacher at Bishop Baraga Catholic School. She taught the Language Art curriculum to 4th-8th grade and started the “Reading Buddy” program. |
Lois Reimann - Secretary Mrs. Lois Reimann has been the secretary at Bishop Baraga for 17 years and worked in the office at Catholic High until it closed in 1986. Each year she coordinates the annual Spaghetti Dinner during Catholic School’s Week. Lois is amazing with her knowledge of school families and fantastic organizational skills running the school office. She has the wonderful ability to ‘keep cool under fire’! |
Diane Smith - Technology Administrator Mrs. Diane Smith holds the position of Technology Administrator at Bishop Baraga Catholic School. Any technology problem, big or small, can be solved by this ingenious lady. For many years she has effectively created school programs, school database and student reports, student certificates and downloading of school photos, to name a few of her duties. She also coordinates the China Art & Pen Pal program and Monarch Butterfly Migration. Diane will again offer Adult Computer Classes on Thursday mornings after Mass in February and March. |