By JESSICA ABLE
Record Staff Writer
The Archdiocese of Louisville honored 227 Catholic school teachers Nov. 8 at its annual luncheon held at The Olmsted, 3701 Frankfort Avenue.
The event honored those teachers who have served 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45 and 50 years of service to schools in the Archdiocese of Louisville. The educators were lauded for a combined 3,670 years of teaching experience.
Now in its 12th year at The Olmsted, the luncheon is an annual event designed to recognize the dedication and commitment of Catholic school teachers.
“God invites us to step over the threshold and to deepen our faith with him,” Leisa Schulz, Superintendent of Schools, said. “Thank you for saying ‘yes’ to God’s call.”
Before the presentation of awards, Archbishop Joseph E. Kurtz expressed how grateful the local church and community is to all Catholic school teachers.
Archbishop Kurtz also commended the Catholic Education Foundation (CEF) for its work to support Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of Louisville.
Brad Rives, president of the CEF, noted that in the last 15 years the foundation has raised more than $15 million. The bulk of those funds have gone to tuition assistance, professional development, religious education and to expand technology in parishes, he said.
“This year alone we awarded $2 million in grants and other purposes,” Rives said.
Rives, whose mother taught at St. Margaret Mary School for 20 years, said he knows well the difference teachers make in the lives of students.
“This community is truly better because of everything you do,” he said.
At the awards’ luncheon, nine high school teachers were also presented with the Catholic Education Foundation Teacher Awards.
This award, administered by the Catholic Education Foundation, was established in 2004 by the Dan Ulmer Family “to recognize excellent and dedicated Catholic educators who consistently surpass expectations.” Teachers are selected by principals for this award.
The award winners were: Diane DeWilde, Holy Cross High School; Patricia Dunagan, Presentation Academy; Doris Gast, Mercy Academy; Benjamin Jankowski, St. Xavier High School; Jennifer Mayer, Sacred Heart Academy; Tom Moss, Bethlehem High School; Maria Rocha, Trinity High School; Anastasia Quirk, DeSales High School; and Steven Straub, Assumption High School.
Archdiocesan Catholic school teachers serve nearly 20,000 pre-kindergarten to twelfth-grade students in 47 schools in six counties.
50 years
Sister Lorna Weiler, Sacred Heart Academy
45 years
Lois Fugit, Ascension School
Sheila Mattingly, St. Joseph School
40 years
Peggy Bryne, St. Agnes School
Jim Connell, Trinity High School
Norah Deeley, Assumption High School
Mary Madeline Foushee, Notre Dame Academy
Mary Ann Hall, Trinity High School
Margie Middleton, St. Nicholas Academy
Marty Murphy, Holy Spirit School
Nelson Nunn, St. Xavier High School
35 years
Missy Bartlett, DeSales High School
Cathy Bingham, St. Bernard School
Kathleen Blanton, St. Andrew Academy
Pam Boone, St. Albert the Great School
Charlotte Carlton, St. Michael School
Terry Cook, St. Raphael School
Mary Ellen Doninger, St. Bernard School
Judy Erie, John Paul II Academy
Jan Fisch, St. Nicholas Academy
James Higgins, St. Xavier High School
Nan Murphy, Holy Trinity School
Eileen Soeder, Ascension School
Kathy Stivers, St. Gabriel School
Mary Wagner, St. Gabriel School
Pam Zarantonello, St. Joseph School
30 years
Karen Blevins, Sacred Heart Model School
Ann Bryan, St. Catherine School
Connie Druien, Assumption High School
Susan Foley, Sacred Heart Academy
Barbara Hill, St. Bernard School
Bob Korte, Trinity High School
Mary Ninette Manning, Bethlehem High School
Jan Martin, Mercy Academy
Rob Mullen, Trinity High School
Carol Nord, Nativity School at St. Boniface
Jim Protenic, Mercy Academy
Richard Reynolds, Holy Cross High School
Nancy Schroder, St. Francis of Assisi School
Debbie Whatley, Sacred Heart Model School
25 years
Kathy Goeghegan, St. Michael School
Jennifer Graven, Notre Dame Academy
Cathy Guizio, St. Martha School
Mary Jones, St. Agnes School
Kevin Kramer, Mercy Academy
Terri Lear, St. Patrick School
Linda Lenaham, Sacred Heart Academy
Georganna Mahaffey, Nativity School at St. Boniface
Carol Meirose, St. Agnes School
Christy Perkins, St. Martha School
Virgina Smith, Holy Family School
Richard Sorrels, St. Xavier High School
Fran Spaulding, Bethlehem High School
Martha Stout, St. Margaret Mary School
Jeanne Theiss, Holy Trinity
Martha Troncone, St. Albert the Great School
Helen Walsh, St. Margaret Mary School
Elizabeth WHelan, John Paul II Academy
Anne White, St. Martha School
Janet Zeller, Sacred Heart Academy
20 years
Mary Ann Bohannon, Assumption High School
Ann Colvin, St. Albert the Great
Francisco Espinosa, St. Xavier High School
Jeff Frazier, Sacred Heart Academy
Pam Freibert, St. Francis of Assisi School
Sam Genovese, Mercy Academy
Susan Gilfert, John Paul II Academy
Kelly Hovekamp, Assumption High School
Karen Kuenzig, Mercy Academy
Walter Mata, Trinity High School
Anna Meade, St. Michael School
Maureen Miller, John Paul II Academy,
Donna Moir, Sacred Heart Academy
Maggie Oberst, Ascension School
Patrice Payton, St. Athanasius School
Andy Porta, St. Xavier High School
Rebecca Reisert, St. Xavier High School
Margaret Robben, St. Stephen Martyr School
Becky Romero, St. Gabriel School
Michael Rouse, Assumption High School
Paula Samuels, Presentation Academy
Cindy Simmon, St. Raphael School
Elizabeth Strobel, St. Nicholas Academy
Pam Utley, St. James School, Louisville
Julia Weaver, St. Athanasius School
15 years
Janet Adkins, Assumption High School
Sherry Baird, St. Margaret Mary School
Jeff Beavin, Our Lady of Lourdes School
Michael Budniak, Trinity High School
Todd Collard, Mercy Academy
Jason Daniel, Trinity High School
Shirley Day, St. Michael School
Phyllis Donlon, Sacred Heart Academy
Dan Dykstra, Assumption High School
Cheryl Feathers, Holy Cross High School
Daniel Hamm, Assumption High School
Jennifer Haycraft, St. Xavier High School
Mara Huston, Bethlehem High School
Debbie Judd, Assumption High School
Diane Jutsice, St. Margaret Mary School
Helene Kennedy, St. Bernard School
Kelly Kirwan, Assumption High School
Julie Knoop, Holy Spirit School
Beth Korkin, Assumption High School
Nancy Leopold, St. Albert the Great School
Lucy Lorenz, St. Aloysius School
Kimberly Mann, Ascension School
Gary Owens, Trinity High School
Dawn Renner, Our Lady of Lourdes School
Lisa Rohleder, St. Gabriel School
Luis Salomon, St. Xavier High School
Theresa Schuhmann, St. Xavier High School
Kathy Schum, Assumption High School
Bernie Schum, Trinity High School
Ann Sheehan, St. Raphael School
Shannon Tanner, St. Nicholas Academy
Dr. Dan VanMeter, Sacred Heart Academy
Barbara Voet, St. Margaret Mary School
Meg Wicke, Assumption High School
Doug Young, Mercy Academy
10 years
Amy Baker, Sacred Heart Academy
Pam Breunig, St. Dominic School
Rob Brown, Assumption High School
Karen Brown, Trinity High School
Suzanne Burton, Our Lady of Lourdes School
Janice Carey, St. Dominic School
Jennah Duke, St. Bernard School
Betsy Dunman, Trinity High School
Paula Edwards, Assumption High School
Mary Emrich, Trinity High School
Maria Enderle, St. Edward School
Rachel Fenwich, St. Dominic School
Lisa Finely, St. Raphael School
Jean Flaherty, Trinity High School
Lucy Geerer, St. Albert the Great School
Carolyn Gnau, St. Margaret Mary School
Jeanna Gonzales, Trinity High School
Linda Greenwell, Sacred Heart Model School
Sue Hays, St. James School, Elizabethtown, Ky.
Jane Hensley, St. Patrick School
Craig Heuser, Sacred Heart Academy
Gary Householder, Presentation Academy
Christopher Huelsman, St. Gabriel School
Pam Jaggers, Trinity High School
Becca Joaquin, Assumption High School
Susan Johnston, Holy Spirit School
Beth Long, Assumption High School
Debbie Lott, Assumption High School
Sister Barbara Jean Luebbehusen, Sacred Heart Model School
Colleen Murphy, Mercy Academy
Patty Nevitt, Bethlehem High School
Deanna Padgett, Mercy Academy
Ron Padgett, Sacred Heart Academy
Rebecca Pate, Assumption High School
Shelly Pence, Holy Cross High School
Bambie Phelps, St. Andrew Academy
Samuel Picota, St. Xavier High School
Shannon Pritchett, St. Patrick School
Rita Reis, Trinity High School
Libby Rosenberger, Mercy Academy
Velma Saylor, Mercy Academy
Jean Schubert, Assumption High School
Rob Seng, Trinity High School
Lucia Simpson, Trinity High School
Aaron Striegel, Trinity High School
Kristy Stuecker, St. James School, Elizabethtown, Ky.
Annette Thornsberry, St. Martha School
Mary Vanegas, Holy Spirit School
Amy Wagner, St. Michael School
John Westerfield, St. Gregory School
Christine Wettig, St. Leonard School
5 years
Donna Allen, St. Gregory School
Justine Bianco, DeSales High School
Kaye Bletso, Presentation Academy
Jill Bowman, St. Andrew Academy
Bart Bruner, St. Xavier High School
Rick Buntain, DeSales High School
Carol Bzura, Sacred Heart Academy
Marcia Carrico, St. Michael School
Sister Kathy Cash, Trinity High School
Nikole Cline, St. Michael School
Heather Cordaro, St. Nicholas Academy
Betsy Darby, trinity High School
Amanda DeGrella, St. Raphael School
Karen DeNeve, St. Nicholas Academy
Diane DeWilde, Holy Cross High School
Stephanie Dierig, St. Xavier High School
Gil Downs, St. Xavier High School
Amy Eisenback, Mercy Academy
Trish Feltner, St. Mary Academy
Sam Gilbert, DeSales High School
Tory Graham, St. Rita School
Steve Hammer, Mercy Academy
Janet Harpe, DeSales High School
Terri Harpool, St. Patrick School
Melanie Hughes, Trinity High School
Shayne Hull, St. Raphael School
Davi Iacovazzi, Sacred Heart Model School
Tracy James, St. Michael School
Laura Johnson, St. Mary Academy
Sarah Johnstone, Assumption High School
James Key, St. Martha School
Allison King, St. Edward School
Patty Kirchner, St. Mary Academy
Lara Krill, Holy Trinity School
James Luebbe, Sacred Heart Academy
Joan Mattingly, St. Gregory School
Erin Maguire-Osting, Assumption High School
Adam Mudd, Presentation Academy
Stephen Murphy, St. Xavier High School
Patrick Newman, Our Lady of Lourdes School
Andrea Peavler, Mercy Academy
Lisa Priest, St. Margaret Mary School
Joel Redle, St. Xavier High School
Ted Riggs, St. Bernard School
Chrissy Rist, Holy Spirit School
Maureen Rogg, St. Michael School
Jessica Rublein, Assumption High School
Shari Schoen, Holy Spirit School
Bonnie Shellhamer, Holy Spirit School
Naomi Sipe, John Paul II Academy
Allison Sparks, St. Joseph School
Rebecca Weilage, Holy Family School
Christopher Willman, St. Xavier High School
Bucky Wilson, St. Rita School
Laurel Wyatt, Mercy Academy
Linda Yates, St. James School, Elizabethtown, Ky.
Donna Zurkuhlen, St. Gregory School