Discovering personal greatness in pre-school through grade 8 students - Burlington, Vermont

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Faculty & Staff

M.C. Baker

Art Teacher

I grew up in Erie, Pennsylvania and attended Catholic schools through 12th grade. I received my Masters of Architecture from the Savannah College of Art and Design in 1993. I enjoy traveling and have spent years living and working abroad. Read more...

Glenda Bedard

4th & 5th Grade Social Studies and LANGUAGE ARTS Teacher

I am originally from East Longmeadow, Massachusetts, where I grew up the middle of three children. Attending the University of Massachusetts in Amherst, I met my future husband, John. Read more...

Hilary Bickford

Prekindergarten Teacher

Hilary Bickford is originally from Florida but has spent most of her life in Vermont. She was an Elementary Education major from Franklin Pierce University.
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Noel Boucher

Property Maintenance

I grew up in Burlington, Vermont and graduated Burlington High School a year early. After high school, I began working in the construction business for 5 years. I began working at Mater Christi School in 1989. Back in 1995, I bought a house with my parents in Milton where we reside with my Beagle, Oliver and cat, Angel. I enjoy spending time with my family, my nephews and my animals. Read more...

Grace Callahan

Teaching Assitant

Grace grew up in the small town of Wenham, Massachusetts where she attended public school from kindergarten up until High School. Grace graduated from the University of Vermont in 2020 where she double majored in both Theatre and Studio Art. Read more...

Jennifer Coulter

3rd Grade Teacher

Jennifer grew up in Essex Junction, Vermont and then attended Loyola University in Baltimore. She graduated in 1990 with a BA in Elementary Education. Read more...

Michael Early

Technology Director

I grew up in Connecticut and went to college in New Hampshire. In 1988 I moved to Vermont with my wife Beth. I worked as a cartographer for 5 years and started taking computer classes. Read more...

Leah Easley

Fourth Grade Teacher

I grew up in Rockport, Maine in an old farmhouse near the ocean. I moved to Chicago and earned degrees in Literature, Education, and Biblical Studies at Wheaton College, where I also met and married my husband, Jordan. Read more...

Mary Farley

Music Teacher

Mary Farley grew up on Long Island in New York and, according to her mother, began singing and acting before she could walk!
She was blessed to have the Sisters of Mercy as her teachers from elementary through middle school and their guiding light has always been a positive influence. Mary has served as both a cantor and parish music director at varying locations since she was a teenager and has extensive experience in planning liturgical music. She has performed in musicals, dramas, comedies, and choirs in New York, New England, and Internationally. Read more...

Zac Farnham-Haskell

Athletic Director

Zac was born and raised in nearby Essex Junction where he graduated from Essex High School.  At EHS, Zac played soccer, cross-country, and track & field. Read more...

Tricia Finkle

Makerspace Teacher

Tricia is a Licensed Middle School Science, Social Studies and Math teacher. She brings to the classroom industrial experience as a Development Chemist. Read more...

Cara Gallagher

MIDDLE SCHOOL ENGLISH TEACHER

Growing up in Shelburne, Vermont, I learned to expect good things at school. My teachers knew me well. They supported my learning and challenged my thinking. Because of their efforts, I graduated high school with a confidence that carried me across the border to St. Thomas University in Fredericton, New Brunswick. As an undergraduate, I benefited from a liberal arts education that broadened my perspective and took me all the way to Central America where I spent a semester studying Spanish in Costa Rica.  Read more...

Reina Guarnaccia

Spanish Teacher K-6

Reina Guarnaccia is a native Vermonter and has lived in Monkton, Middlebury, Shelburne, Burlington, Morrisville, and Richmond. She and her husband Ben currently reside in Richmond and love their country setting. Having moved around a bit, she attended several schools but graduated from Champlain Valley Union High School before attending The University of Vermont. n she studied elementary level Spanish and is certified as a Highly Qualified Teacher for Kindergarten through 12th grade. Her teaching experience has Read more...

Teresa Hawes

Middle School French Teacher

Mme Hawes completed an MA in English at the University of Michigan, and earned a PhD in French Language and Civilization in France at l’Université d'Aix-Marseille II. Read more...

Barb Heath

Band Director

I have taught band for many years! I have been teaching at Mater Christi since 1997 but have also taught at Colchester High School and Rice Memorial High School throughout that time as well. Read more...

Jacie Kendrew

MIDDLE SCHOOL MATH TEACHER

Jacie grew up in Vermont with roots in Catholic education.  She attended Christ the King for Kindergarten through 8th Grade, and also spent time at Rice and St. Michael’s during high school and college.  Catholic education has always been important to her and she feels blessed to be teaching at Mater Christi.  Read more...

Margaret Knows the Ground

Support Services Teacher

Margaret grew up in Manhattan Beach, California and attended Catholic schools for twelve years. After graduating from Loyola Marymount University, she moved to Montana, where she taught on the Crow Reservation Read more...

Patricia LaMothe

Kindergarten Teacher

Patty grew up on a farm in Ohio where she played and worked in cooperation with others and alone. Her childhood was full of life outside, school, church, and family. As an adult, she has traveled extensively in North America and South/Southeast Asia Read more...

Kristen Lee

1st Grade Teacher

Kristen was born and raised in South Burlington, VT and graduated from UVM with a B.A in Child Psychology. After graduation, she moved to Manhattan for eight years and earned her M.S. in Elementary Education from CUNY-Hunter and became a licensed teacher in NYC. Read more...

Tim Loescher

PRESIDENT/HEAD OF SCHOOL

I grew up in Amherst, Massachusetts as the youngest of four children. My home was one filled with faith, work, service and adventure. During my first teaching assignment, I made a best friend and then married her. Christa and I have four children, Peter (16), Elise (13), Teddy (11) and John (4), each of whom were born in different states and one in a different country. But despite our moving around, we have sought to fill our home and lives with the same consistent sort of faith, work, life and joy. Read more...

Amanda McCarthy

2nd Grade Teacher

Amanda McCarthy grew up in Essex, Vermont. She attended the University of New Hampshire, where she interned at a team center with at-risk youth. She graduated with a dual major in Psychology and Justice Studies. Read more...

Miranda McClellan

2nd Grade Teacher

I grew up in Essex Junction, Vermont and attended public school from Kindergarten until high school graduation. After earning a BA from Castleton State College, I moved back to the Burlington area to be close to my family. Shortly after returning home I accepted a teaching position at Mater Christi School. Read more...

Carole McLenithan

Director of Support Services K-8

Mercy Education has been an integral part of Carole’s life from childhood to the present day. She attended Catholic school through Grade 8, and later attended Trinity College in Burlington. Read more...

Julia Melloni

Middle School Religion Teacher

Julia Melloni is in her sixth year of teaching Religion at Mater Christi Middle School. Her degrees include a Spiritual Director certification from the Silver Dove Institute, a Bachelor of Art in Mass Communication from the University of Vermont, Master of Arts in Teaching from UVM with a dual endorsement in Middle Level Education in Social Studies and Language Arts. Read more...

Jason Moore

Assistant Head of School for Spiritual, Religious and Community Life

I was born in Boston and grew up in a loving, caring, supportive family on Boston's South Shore.  I attended a grade Catholic school through 8th grade, Boston College High School, a Jesuit high school in Dorchester, MA and St. Michael's College for my undergraduate degree in History and Secondary Education, and my graduate degree in Theology and Pastoral Ministry. Read more...

Jonnifer Moorhead

MATH SPECIALIST

Now entering my 17th year as an educator, I am thrilled to return to the Mater Christi community! I was born and raised in Grosse Pointe, Michigan, the middle of three siblings. Growing up, I enjoyed long-distance running, skiing, classical oboe performance, and I truly loved school.

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Eric “Pronto” Parenteau

Leadership Development Director

Pronto grew up in Fairfax Vermont where he attended Bellows Free Academy and later Lyndon State College in the Northeast Kingdom where he studied Radio Broadcasting and Production. While at LSC he served as a student senator, actor and director in the theater company and ran cross-country. Read more...

Mark Pendergrass

Middle School Science Teacher

Mark Pendergrass grew up in Chattanooga, Tennessee and attended a Private Day/Boarding School called The Baylor School. While there he ran cross-country and participated in the outdoor program called Walkabout. He attended Appalachian State University, where he spent a great deal of time climbing in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Read more...

Nicole Pinard

Pre-School Teacher

Nicole grew up in Vermont and graduated from Nyack College in 2011 with her B.S. in Early Childhood Education. After graduating, she returned to this beautiful state and taught Preschool for five years while completing her Master of Education from California University of Pennsylvania. In the fall of 2016, Nicole joined the faculty and staff here at MCS as the Preschool assistant, and later became head teacher for the 2017-2018 school year. Read more...

Jean Rock

Office Manager

Jean grew up on beautiful Mt. Desert Island in the State of Maine where she lived until her marriage in 1972.  Read more...

Leslie Sem

4TH-5TH GRADE MATH & SCIENCE TEACHER

Mrs. Sem has taught first grade at Mater Christi since 2004.  She earned her B.A. in Elementary Education from Salem State College in Salem, Massachusetts and her M.A. in Teaching Mathematics Grades K-12 from UVM.  Her two children have attended Mater Christi School.  Matthew was a graduate of the MCS class of 2010. Sarah was a graduate of the class of 2012. They both attended and graduated from  Rice Memorial High School, where Mrs. Sem volunteered as a Stunt Night Coach for many years. Read more...

Melissa Senesac

ADVANCEMENT, ENROLLMENT & MARKETING MANAGER

Melissa was born and raised in Lima Peru in a devout Catholic family and was very active member in her local church.  Read more...

Megan Shields

PERMANENT SUBSTITUTE TEACHER

Megan Shields grew up in multiple states across the east coast. She rode horses, played violin, and participated in theater, drama, and library councils as a student. Megan attended the University of Vermont as an Education major and also discovered a love of writing, American sign language, and Brazilian JiuJitsu Read more...

Courtney Tisdale

Teaching assistant

Ms. Tisdale grew up in New Jersey and relocated to Burlington, Vermont to pursue a bachelor’s degree at Saint Michael’s College. Read more...

Brent Tremblay

Middle School Social Studies Teacher

Mr. Tremblay grew up in Williston, Vermont and attended Rice Memorial High School. He was a three-sport athlete (Inducted into the Athletic Hall of Fame in 1999), and earned the Campus Ministry Service and Edmundite Leadership Awards while at Rice. Read more...

Allan Whayland

Middle School Literature Teacher

Grew up in West Chester Pennsylvania, a suburb of Philadelphia. Attended West Chester University and earned a BA in History. Read more...

Barbara Worgan

APRN, School Nurse

Mrs. Worgan grew up in Pennsylvania, while enjoying her summers waterskiing and soaking up the sun on the white sand beaches of South Jersey. After completing her higher education in Philadelphia, she pursued travel nursing to explore the opportunity where she and her husband thought best to raise children. They chose to stay in Vermont after completing several assignments. And chose Mater Christi School for the family. Read more...