School Spotlight

Top 10 changes at St. John Vianney this year

Posted by Kathy Adamson on Sept. 10, 2012

Whether you’re new to St. John Vianney, a familiar face to staff and students alike, or just an advocate of quality education, you’ll be proud to learn about the top ten changes the school implemented this year to improve the overall experience and education it provides.

1. SJV welcomes 37 new families with over 47 new students.

2. Mrs. Kim Sowden joined the SJV staff as the new K5 teacher. Mrs. Sowden’s teaching career includes kindergarten, second grade and computer instruction.

3. The new full-time art teacher, Ms. Dana Bach graduated from MIAD, receiving a Bachelor of Fine Arts with a sculpture focus. Ms. Bach also obtained Alverno College’s Art Education Teaching Licensure.

4. Mrs. Melissa Klement is the new first grade teacher. Her teaching experience includes St. Joseph, St. Luke and Holy Apostle schools, was Mrs. Knop’s K5 instructional aid as well as the K4 pm aid on Thursdays.

5. K4 students will miss out on Mrs. Jane Suro, the previous afternoon K4 aid, because she is assisting the K5 students this year. Luckily for the K4 kids, Mrs. Mary Wollensak will now work in both the am and pm K4 rooms.

6. Ms. Emily Knippel will expand her teaching from seventh and eighth grade English to include eighth grade literature, expanding students’ writing skills as they relate to literature.

7. In addition to continuing as the IT support specialist and computer teacher, Mr. Stemper will teach two eighth grade Religion sections. Alongside his Information Technology Coordinator’s license, Mr. Stemper also holds a master’s degree in education and has taught many grade levels.

8. Learning support teachers Mrs. Courtney Albright and Mrs. Nancy Arena, will assist intermediate and primary students while Mrs. Jill Fisher will provide learning support for the middle school students.

9. The new lunch room coordinators, Mrs. Mary Claire Barker and her assistant Mrs. Jean Lewis, will be helping the kids navigate the lunch hour and manage hot lunch accounts. After school care welcomes Teri Manning, an SJV graduate, as she begins her position as After Care Assistant.
10. Last but not least, the building has had somewhat of a makeover with new lighting and paint in the activity center as well as sanded floors and a brand new stage floor. The middle school bathroom renovation is surprisingly exciting to see and the rest of the school’s lavatories are set to be redone by 2014.

Even though it may seem like much has changed at SJV, “Our commitment to an excellent education with an emphasis on our Catholic faith and identity remains in place as it has since St. John Vianney School was founded in 1956,” writes St. John Vianney Principal Pam Pyzyk, in her letter to the school in the Shamrock Weekly. In that letter, Mrs. Pyzyk details all the changes listed above.