By Jessica Able, Record Staff Writer
The Archdiocese of Louisville’s Office of Lifelong Formation and Education honored 235 Catholic school teachers at its annual teacher appreciation luncheon Nov. 6.
The luncheon honored teachers who have served in Archdiocese of Louisville schools for 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40 and 45 years.
These archdiocesan educators serve nearly 20,000 pre-kindergarten to twelfth-grade students in 47 schools in six counties.
The annual event held at The Olmsted, 3701 Frankfort Avenue, serves as an opportunity to recognize teachers who “truly exemplify our mission of opening the door to faith,” said Leisa Schulz, superintendent of schools.
“It is a privilege to have you share your Catholic faith with your students,” Schulz said.
Archbishop Joseph E. Kurtz applauded the educators for their part in making the schools in the archdiocese “magnificent” and for their willingness to follow Christ.
“Thank you for giving your heart and soul and all your talents for the sake of the Gospel and for the sake of the young people you serve,” he said.
S. Bradford Rives, chair of the Catholic Education Foundation (CEF), echoed Archbishop Kurtz’ words of gratitude.
“The things that you do and the impact you have on the kids throughout the archdiocese are very personal to me,” Rives said, as he recalled his mother’s 20 years of service in Catholic education.
The CEF supports Catholic schools in numerous ways, Rives noted. It provides grants for professional development for teachers, religious education in parishes, technology advancements and tuition assistance.
Rives said that in each of the last two academic years the CEF has awarded more than $2 million in tuition assistance.
Eight educators were honored for 45 years of service in Catholic education. They were: Sister of Mercy Mary Corinne Burt, Mercy Academy; Mari Hammer, Presentation Academy; Joyce Koch, Assumption High School; Joe Kroh, St. Xavier High School; Diana Oechsli, Holy Family School; Sharon Roberts, St. Xavier High School; Karen Sullivan, John Paul II Academy; and Sister of Charity of Nazareth Margaret Willis, Assumption High School.
In addition, nine high school teachers received Catholic Education Foundation Teacher Awards. These teachers were nominated for the award by their principals.
This award, administered by the CEF, was established by the Dan Ulmer family in 2004 “to recognize excellent and dedicated Catholic educators who consistently surpass expectations.”
The winners are: Katie Caswell, Assumption High School; Stuart Hamilton; Bethlehem High School; Matt Sommer, DeSales High School; Wesley Thomas, Holy Cross High School; Melissa Schoenbachler, Mercy Academy; Dr. Debbie Hall, Presentation Academy; Jana King, Sacred Heart Academy; Michele Metcalfe, St. Xavier High School; and Mary Mason, Trinity High School.
Gary Ulmer, the son of Dan Ulmer, said the teacher awards are a small way the Ulmer family can say “thank you” to educators in the Archdiocese of Louisville.
“We owe you — our teachers — so much. You make great sacrifices everyday,” he said. “Teachers really, really make a difference.”
45 years
Sister of Mercy Mary Corinne Burt, Mercy Academy
Mari Hammer, Presentation Academy
Joyce Koch, Assumption High School
Joe Kroh, St. Xavier High School
Diana Oechsli, Holy Family School
Sharon Roberts, St. Xavier High School
Karen Sullivan, John Paul II Academy
Sister of Charity of Nazareth Margaret Willis, Assumption High School
40 years
Vicki Davis, John Paul II Academy
Virginia Hamilton, St. Augustine School, Lebanon, Ky.
Harold Joyce, DeSales High School
Pam Raidt, St. Agnes School
Pat Wheeler, St. Nicholas Academy
35 years
Dan Amlung, St. Xavier High School
Rick Ayres, St. Xavier High School
Anne Bainbridge, St. Athanasius School
Patricia Bartsch, St. Athanasius School
Susan Beck, St. Mary Academy
Joe Bergamini, St. Xavier High School
Margaret Bowen, St. Joseph School, Bardstown, Ky.
Dave Bradshaw, St. Xavier High School
Mary Burks, Holy Cross High School
Kathryn Cornett, Our Lady of Lourdes School
Ann Cunningham, Sacred Heart Academy
Alan Donhoff, St. Xavier High School
Gina Eberenz, St. Francis of Assisi School
Pat Garr, St. Margaret Mary School
Rick Knoop, St. Xavier High School
Ann McBride, St. Xavier High School
Patricia Perry, Our Lady of Lourdes School
Mary Margaret Ralph, Assumption High School
Barbara Grisanti Stuecker, St. Stephen Martyr School
Karen White, St. Xavier High School
30 years
Anita Brockman, St. Catherine School, New Haven, Ky.
John Ellington, Trinity High School
Theresa McClinton, St. Paul School
Mary Ann Naser, St. Xavier High School
Doris Swenson, Holy Spirit School
Kathleen Willenbrink, St. Leonard School
25 years
Susan Adams, St. Gabriel School
Janice Barry, St. Leonard School
Terry Bean, Trinity High School
Theresa Blake, St. Gabriel School
Mary Jo Brockie, Holy Family School
Carol Carter, St. Stephen Martyr School
Janet Cassidy, St. Joseph School, Bardstown, Ky.
Micki Hayden, St. Bernard School
Phil Higdon, Presentation Academy
Mary Jefferson, St. Xavier High School
Angela Langenkamp, St. Gabriel School
Connie McDowell, Bethlehem High School
Jackie Metry, Assumption High School
Joy Moeller, Assumption High School
Donna Moir, Sacred Heart Academy
Amy Nall, Sacred Heart Academy
Michelle Pullem, Holy Trinity School
Tony Scheler, St. Xavier High School
Mary Pat Sexton, Assumption High School
Benita Sinnott, St. Aloysius School, Pewee Valley, Ky
JoEllen Smith, St. Gregory School, Samuels, Ky.
Donna Snider, St. Joseph School, Bardstown, Ky.
Diane Walsh, St. Edward School
Michele Walters, Trinity High School
Carol Webster, St. Agnes School
Dick Wunderlin, Trinity High School
20 years
Ty Anderson, St. Andrew Academy
Katie Bennett, St. Gabriel School
Margy Blair, Notre Dame Academy
Stephanie Blandford, St. Andrew Academy
Mary Ann Bowman, St. Xavier High School
Gina Carter, St. Augustine School, Lebanon, Ky.
Paula Cleveland, Holy Trinity School
Betsy Dragoo, St. Agnes School
Mary Flynn, St. Gabriel School
Cassie Frantz, Ascension School
Patricia Hagan, St Joseph School, Bardstown, Ky.
Patricia Harrison, Bethlehem High School
Nancy Heady, John Paul II Academy
Ruth Hendrix, Sacred Heart Academy
Jana King, Sacred Heart Academy
Lisa Mattmiller, St. Gabriel School
Diane McGrew, St. Patrick School
Becky McGuffin, St. James School, Elizabethtown, Ky.
Vince Muchow, St. Albert the Great School
Sister of St. Benedict Anna O’Connor, Presentation Academy
Mary Riney, St. James School, Elizabethtown, Ky.
Paula Roberson, Sacred Heart Academy
Kathy Shaughnessy, St. Gabriel School
Rosanna Vessels, St. Xavier High School
Janine Volk, Mercy Academy
Todd Walsh, St. Xavier High School
15 years
Diane Boone, St. Bernard School
Jamie Brauner, St. Albert the Great School
Regina Broyles, Holy Cross High School
Laura Cardosi, St. Mary Academy
Tina Chaput, St. Margaret Mary School
Missy Clay, Trinity High School
Debra Corbett, Assumption High School
Kimberly Crowdus, St. Michael School
Dawn Deweese, Assumption High School
Patti Doyle, St. Patrick School
Suzanne Geiger, St. Martha School
Judy Guest, St. Patrick School
Gina Hays, St. Aloysius School, Pewee Valley, Ky.
Susan Hurst, St. Joseph School, Bardstown, Ky.
Jeremy Jackson, Trinity High School
Stacy Johnson, Assumption High School
Kevin Johnson, Holy Trinity School
Susan Key, St. Edward School
Adam Klein, Trinity High School
Wayne Kraus, Trinity High School
Kerry Lancaster, St. Xavier High School
Ellen Martin, St. Margaret Mary School
Meri Lou Mattingly, Assumption High School
Alison Milby, St. Agnes School
Jonni Miller, Assumption High School
Charlotte Peake, St. Albert the Great School
Martha Perry, St. Martha School
Rebecca Prechtel, Holy Trinity School
Mike Reynolds, St. Xavier High School
Stephanie Schrader, St. Raphael School
Paulette Stinnett, St. Gabriel School
Chad Waggoner, Trinity High School
Connie Whiteman, St. Joseph School, Bardstown, Ky.
Alan Wilson, Trinity High School
Laura Wolz, St. Michael School
Catherine Wright, St. Andrew Academy
John Youngblood, Trinity High School
10 years
Tiffany Bennett, Notre Dame Academy
Susan Bientz, St. Raphael School
Tara Brentzel, St. Mary Academy
Joanne Brock, Our Lady of Lourdes School
Kimberly Caruso, Sacred Heart Academy
Brittany Cox, St. Michael School
Jocelyne Cross, Sacred Heart Academy
Jennifer DeLozier, St. Aloysius School, Pewee Valley, Ky.
Caroline Donnelly, St. Agnes School
Michael Durham, Holy Cross High School
Kelly Durrett, St. James School, Louisville
Christine Effinger, St. Albert the Great School
Joanne Ellery, St. Dominic School
Richard Esarey, Assumption High School
Dawn Fouts, St. Stephen Martyr School
Allison French, St. Albert the Great School
Cathy Giangarra, St. Patrick School
Marcia Goss, Sacred Heart Academy
Anna Maria Goss, St. Michael School
Jan Gray, St. Aloysius School, Pewee Valley, Ky.
Jennifer Griffin, Holy Trinity School
Marie Griffin, Sacred Heart Academy
Stephanie Hagan, St. Athanasius School
Kathleen Harren, Holy Spirit School
Wendy Hensley, Mercy Academy
Tracy Homan, Assumption HIgh School
Nicole Hubbs, St. Leonard School
Deborah Hudson, Sacred Heart Academy
Frank Hulsman, St. Xavier High School
Lisa Kelly, St. Patrick School
Patricia Kirchner, St. Mary Academy
Nancy Lambert, St. Paul School
Marilyn Massey, St. Xavier High School
Rick Mattingly, St. Xavier High School
Angie McKune, St. Bernard School
Maggie Osborne, Sacred Heart Model School
Jackie Petrecco, St. Mary Academy
Tommy Reed. Bethlehem High School
Bob Scheler, St. Xavier High School
Beth Shoemaker, Assumption High School
Karen Sirianno, St. Patrick School
Greg Smith, Assumption High School
Susan Snyder, Sacred Heart Model School
Tommie Stewart, Sacred Heart Academy
Kitty Wagner, St. Albert the Great School
Maura Walker, St. Dominic School
Mary Rose Weiter, Holy Cross High School
Carrie Wentel, Sacred Heart Academy
Tiffany Whelan, St. Michael School
Karen Widener, St. Michael School
Lisa Wieland, Assumption High School
Amber Wissing, Mercy Academy
Adam Zoeller, St. Xavier High School
5 years
Kristina Becker, Assumption High School
Ned Berghausen, Mercy Academy
Tom Brown, Bethlehem High School
Nicolas Crider, St. Xavier High School
Ashley Davenport, Holy Trinity School
Tom Davidson, St. Nicholas Academy
Amanda Dodson, Assumption High School
Mary Ann Downs, Bethlehem High School
Elizabeth Furlong, Holy Spirit School
Stuart Hamilton, Bethlehem High School
Tom Hamilton, Bethlehem High School
Brad Hartley, St. Francis of Assisi School
Becky Henle, Assumption High School
Lindsey Henley, St. James School, Louisville
Neil Hulsewede, St. Rita School
Carol Lee Hutchins, St. Patrick School
Lisa Iceman, St. Margaret Mary School
Kristen Kischnick, St. Margaret Mary School
Kevin Klein, St. Xavier High School
Jennifer Kolb, DeSales High School
Terri Kurtz, Assumption High School
Kara Lewis, St. Joseph School, Bardstown, Ky.
Tim Maciejak, St. Xavier High School
Carolyn Marcum, Sacred Heart Model School
Hortensia Mayer, St. James School, Elizabethtown, Ky.
Holly McGuire, Trinity High School
Jennifer Meirose, Sacred Heart Academy
Andy Meirose, St. Xavier High School
Mark Metzger, St. Xavier High School
Sharon Monsour, St. Patrick School
Mary Montana, Our Lady of Lourdes School
Leah Montgomery, Holy Spirit School
Tom Moss, Bethlehem High School
Jennifer Mueller, St. Martha School
Angela Muller, Holy Trinity School
Jeannine Noe, St. Xavier High School
Leslie O’Connor, Sacred Heart Academy
Anastasia Quirk, DeSales High School
Natalie Quisenberry, St. Rita School
Kelly Shrode, St. Patrick School
Kari Sims, Mercy Academy
Angie Sizemore, St. Leonard School
Matthew Sommer, DeSales High School
Amanda Stewart, St. Mary Academy
Laurie Swink, St. James School, Elizabethtown, Ky.
Letty Tapia, Holy Trinity School
Kay Temple, Sacred Heart Model School
Wesley Thomas, Holy Cross High School
Jeannine Vogt, St. Patrick School
Meghan Weyland, Nativity Academy at St. Boniface
Keith Wiedmar, Trinity High School
Morgan Wissing, Our Lady of Lourdes School
