Faculty & Staff Our school staff is dedicated to the education and spiritual growth of all of our students. Please contact any member of our staff as may be necessary. Click here for Curriculum Information. Fr. Darin Colarusso Pastor Fr. Joe D'Onofrio Parochial Vicar Donna Henderson Principal [email protected] Mrs. Donna Henderson is the Principal at St. Monica School. She was born and raised in the neighboring town of Lawrence and is an alum of St. Monica School. Her home parish is St. Francis in Dracut. Mrs. Henderson has been the Principal at St. Monica School since 2017, but she carries with her over 27 years of experience as a teacher and administrator. When asked what inspires her to do what she does, she responded, "I do the work I do because I unequivocally feel that all students should have the opportunity for an equitable, faith filled, rigorous educational experience. It's important for me to create a community that allows for varied learning styles, building on students' strengths, accessing the curriculum where they are at, and moving forward to develop a zealous love of learning." Sharon Tully Administrative Assistant [email protected] Mrs. Sharon Tully is the Administrative Assistant at St. Monica School. She has resided in Methuen for 34 years. Her home parish is St. Monica. Mrs. Tully has been the Administrative Assistant since 2005 at St. Monica School and carries with her over 38 years of experience in her field. When asked if she has a hobby, she responded, "My hobby is antiquing! I love to go to antique stores and look for treasures and decorations to re-purpose for my home." Carol Sanborn Nurse [email protected] Mrs. Carol Sanborn is the school nurse at St. Monica School. Her hometown is Dracut and St. Marguerite D'Youville in Dracut is her home parish. Mrs. Sanborn started with St. Monica School in 2018 and carries with her over 31 years of experience in her field. When asked what her favorite book(s) is, she responded, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows!" Jeannine Kaatz Adjustment Counselor [email protected] Mrs. Jeannine Kaatz is the Adjustment Counselor at St. Monica School. Her hometown is Methuen and St. Monica is her home parish. Mrs. Kaatz started with St. Monica School in 2019 and carries with her over 23 years of experience in her field. When asked what her favorite movie is, she responded, “Finding Nemo!” Ann Marie Collins Preschool 3 Teacher [email protected] Mrs. Ann Marie Collins is one of the Preschool teachers at St. Monica School. Her hometown is Methuen and St. Monica Church is her home parish. Mrs. Collins started with St. Monica School in 2019 and carries with her over three years of experience in her field. When asked what her favorite movie is, she responded, "Les Misérables!" Anna Wright Preschool 3 Aide Meredith Alaimo Preschool 4 Teacher [email protected] Mrs. Meredith Alaimo is one of the preschool teachers at St. Monica School. Her hometown is Methuen and St. Monica Church is her home parish. Mrs. Alaimo started with St. Monica School in 2006 and carries with her over 24 years of experience in her field. When asked what inspires her to do what she does, she responded, "I am inspired by the sense of wonder in each of my students. Each day is a new adventure from which they learn and grow. I find great joy when my students make connections with letters and sounds and begin to read! I love seeing a child's face light up when they learn something new!" Lisa Maroon Preschool 4 Teacher [email protected] Mrs. Lisa Maroon is one of the preschool teachers at St. Monica School. Her hometown is Methuen and St. Monica Church is her home parish. Mrs. Maroon started with St. Monica School in 2019 and carries with her over two years of experience in her field. When asked what inspires her to do what she does, she responded, "I love children!" Patricia Arasi Kindergarten Teacher [email protected] Mrs. Patricia Arasi is the Kindergarten teacher at St. Monica School. Her hometown is Methuen and St. Monica is her home parish. Mrs. Arasi started with St. Monica School in 2006 and carries with her over 15 years of experience in her field. When asked what her favorite movie is, she responded, "The Sound of Music!" Karen Sylvia Grade 1 Teacher [email protected] Mrs. Karen Sylvia is one of the first grade teachers as St. Monica School. Her hometown is Methuen and her parish, St. Monica. Mrs. Sylvia started with St. Monica School in 1984 and carries with her over 39 years of experience in her field. When asked if she has a hobby, she responded, "My favorite activity is to read." Kayla DeMattio Grade 2 Teacher [email protected] Miss Kayla DeMattio is the second grade teacher at St. Monica School. Her hometown is Revere, MA and her parish is St. Monica Church. Miss DeMattio started with St. Monica School in 2021 and carries with her five years experience in her field. Her hobbies include reading and watching documentaries. What inspires her to teach is that excited look a student has when they finally master a new concept. Beth DaCunha Grade 2 Teacher [email protected] Mrs. Beth Da Cunha is one of the second grade teachers at Saint Monica School. Her hometown in Lowell and St. Rita is her home parish. This is Mrs. Da Cunha's first year at Saint Monica. She carries over 30 years of experience in her field. When asked what her favorite movie is, she responded "My Best Friend's Wedding". Linda Law Grade 3 Teacher [email protected] Mrs. Linda Law is the third grade teacher at St. Monica School. Her hometown is Salem, NH. Mrs. Law started with St. Monica School in 2016 and carries with her over seven years of experience in her field. When asked what inspires her to do what she does, she responded, "Being able to motivate, engage, and inspire my students is why I educate." Bethany Levasseur Grade 4 Teacher [email protected] Ms. Bethany Levasseur is the fourth grade homeroom teacher and fourth and fifth grade Math and Science teacher at St. Monica School. This is her first year teaching at St. Monica. Her hometown is Dracut, MA and her home parish is St. Michael in Lowell. When asked what her hobbies are, she said she loves to dance and loves anything Disney! Justin Leonard Grade 5 Teacher [email protected] Mr. Justin Leonard is the fifth grade homeroom teacher and fourth and fifth grade English Language Arts and Social Studies teacher at Saint Monica School. Although this is his first year at Saint Monica's, Mr. Leonard brings years of experience working in schools in New Hampshire and Massachusetts. His hometown is Westford, MA. In his spare time, Mr. Leonard is the Varsity Defensive Coordinator for the Littleton High School football team. He loves Marvel movies, Star Wars, and documentaries. Christine Voltero Grade 6 Teacher [email protected] Mrs. Christine Voltero is the sixth, seventh, and eighth grade English Language Arts and Social Studies teacher at St. Monica School. Her hometown is in Salem, NH and her home parish is St. Monica. Mrs. Voltero started with St. Monica School in 2010 and carries with her over 29 years of experience in her field. When asked what inspires her to do what she does, she responded, "What inspires me to do what I do is the challenges and the rewards that come from working with young people. It is very inspiring to know that as an educator, I have hopefully impacted a young person's life in a positive way. I consider what I do as my 'work' not as a 'job', and I hope that in the future the young people I have worked with may be able to look back and remember me not just as their teacher, but as a person who impacted their life in some significant way." Wendy Castagna Grade 7 Teacher [email protected] Wendy Castagna is the sixth, seventh, and eighth grade Math and Science teacher at St. Monica School. Her hometown is Methuen and St. Monica Church is her home parish. Mrs. Castanga started with St. Monica School in 2012 and carries with her over 21 years of experience in her field. When asked what her favorite movie(s) is, she responded, "Lord of the Rings Trilogy and P.S. I LOVE YOU." Jane Bistany Grade 8 Teacher [email protected] Mrs. Jane Bistany is the sixth, seventh, and eighth grade Writing and Literature teacher at St. Monica School. Her hometown is Methuen and her parish, St. Monica. Mrs. Bistany started with St. Monica School in 2003 and carries with her over 18 years of experience in her field. When asked what her favorite book is, she responded, "To Kill A Mockingbird!" Karl Jackson Junior High Religion Teacher [email protected] Mr. Karl Jackson is the Middle School Religion Teacher at St. Monica School in addition to serving as the Director of Parish Life for the Parishes of St. Monica and St. Lucy. His hometown is Pembroke, NH, and Christ the King Parish in Concord, NH is his home parish. Karl has been teaching for over twenty years and has taught all grades from Kindergarten up through high school as well as college-level courses. His favorite book? It's a toss-up between the Iliad and the Odyssey. Michelle Cotnoir Classroom Aide [email protected] Mrs. Michelle Cotnoir is a valued teacher at St. Monica School. Her hometown is Dracut and St. Monica Church is her home parish. Mrs. Cotnoir started with St. Monica School in 2017 and carries with her over 13 years of experience in her field. When asked what inspires her to do what she does, she responded, "The children inspire me to do what I do. I treat each child as I do my own, and go out of my way to make them feel loved, respected, and comfortable in the classroom. I absolutely love seeing the excitement in their eyes when the light bulb goes on and they fully understand what you are teaching. This is why I love what I do!" Sr. Rumiko Shibutani Music Teacher [email protected] Sr. Rumiko is the music teacher at St. Monica School. She is a native of Japan and a religious sister from the Sisters of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin. Sr. Rumiko started with St. Monica School in 2020 and carries with her over 30 years of experience in her field. When asked what inspires her to do what she does she answered, “I am inspired by the beauty of nature, music, and this quote from the Gospel of Matthew, ‘…whatever you did for any of my people, no matter how unimportant they seemed, you did it for me (Mt 25:40).” Lisa Buglione Art Teacher [email protected] Mrs. Lisa Buglione is the art teacher at St. Monica School. Her hometown is Methuen and St. Monica Church is her home parish. Mrs. Buglione started with St. Monica School in 2020 and carries with her over 35 years of experience in her field. When asked what inspires her to do what she does, she responded simply, “God!” Madame Deborah Auclair French Teacher [email protected] Madame Auclair presents her French Discovery program with the help of Fifi and several other puppets! She started at St. Monica School in 2019 and carries with her five years of experience from St. Joseph School in Haverhill, her hometown. She is inspired by the enthusiasm of the students in learning a new language and hopes that all students choose to continue learning a second language! One of her favorite quotes is, "If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart." - Nelson Mandela Lynn Drayzen Special Education Teacher [email protected] Mary Ann Boucher Special Education Teacher [email protected] Mary Ann Boucher is a special education teacher at St. Monica School. Her hometown is Methuen and her parish, St. Monica. Though it is her first year at St. Monica School, she brings with her 35 years of experience in education. When asked what inspires her to do what she does, Mary Ann responded, "God's plan for my life is to serve others, and in education, with all its challenges and joys, God continues to grow me as a person." Nancy Michaud Student Support [email protected] Mrs. Nancy Michaud is currently our student support teacher. She originally started at St. Monica School in 2005, teaching 2nd grade, feeling so blessed to be preparing the children for First Holy Communion. She began her beloved teaching career in 1980, teaching 3rd grade in various area Catholic schools such as Holy Rosary, St. Mary and Mount Carmel. Since all of those schools, sadly, have closed, Mrs.Michaud feels blessed and grateful to find herself in the positive, caring and long-standing community of St. Monica School, where she is inspired by the creativity, talent and support that surround her. Mrs. Michaud is a resident of Methuen, and enjoys reading, dancing, traveling and watching the waves on the beach. Faith, family, friends and students bring her daily happiness. Patti Dore STEM Teacher [email protected] Mrs. Patti Dore is the STEM teacher at Saint Monica School. She was a resident of Methuen for 32 years where along with her husband John, raised their four children. She currently lives in Hampstead, NH. Mrs. Dore taught Kindergarten at Saint Michael School for 17 years and before that, she was the Kindergarten teacher at Our Lady of Mount Carmel School. In total, Mrs. Dore has been in the field of education for 42 years. A few things that bring Mrs. Dore joy are spending time with her family and watching her students smile with pride at what they accomplish. Greta Therapy Dog Greta is beginning her second year as our therapy/reading dog. Greta is a golden retriever. She visits weekly oral reading classes where students read to her. She is also available for petting, hugging and playing. Greta is a great addition to our team and looks forward to coming to work here at Saint Monica School. Richie Russo Maintenance Michael Tully Maintenance Michael Monahan Maintenance
