The L.C.A. Faculty & Administration

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Mr. Charles P. Battiato, C.P.A.
Partner, Walthall, Drake & Wallace

Sister Mary Pat Cook, H.M.
Principal, Magnificat High School

Mr. Fred  M. DeGrandis
President & CEO
Cleveland Clinic Regional Hospitals

Mrs. Maureen Arbeznik*
Principal, Lakewood Catholic Academy 

Sr.  Marian M. Durkin, C.S.A.
Councilor, Leadership Team
Sisters of Charity of St. Augustine

Mr. James W. Fox
Director of Operations
Great Lakes Construction Company

Mr. Joseph P. Gibbons
 Partner, Schneider, Smeltz, Ranney & LaFond

Ms. Mary Holland
Financial Consultant, UBS Corp.

Ms. Juliette M. Madigan, M. Ed.
School Psychologist, Cleveland Municipal School District

Sr. Kathleen M. Ogrin, O.S.U.*
Director, Holy Family
 Learning Center

Fr. John Ocilka
Pastor, St. Clement Church 

Ms. Tari S. Rivera
President, Regency Construction Services, Inc. 

Michael E. Smith, Esq.
Frantz Ward LLP

 Fr.  Francis P. Walsh
Pastor, St. Luke
the Evangelist Church

Father John Weigand
Pastor, Church of St. James

Mr. Chas D. Withers
Senior Managing Director,
Dix & Eaton, Inc.

* = Ex Officio members

The L.C.A. Administration

Maureen Arbeznik Principal	Maureen Arbeznik, a Lakewood resident and parent of four Lakewood Catholic school graduates, became principal of Lakewood Catholic Academy in the Fall of 2006. Prior to joining LCA, she was a 7th grade homeroom teacher at St. Luke School, and before being named principal, taught French at LCA. She holds a B.S. in Education from Xavier University and a M. Ed. in School Administration from Cleveland State University. Her studies also included a year at the Sorbonne in Paris. She and her husband have been St. Luke parishioners for more than 30 years.
Michael Fletcher Dean of Students	Mr. Fletcher is a graduate of John Carroll University, where he received a degree in English Literature, with a minor in Business.  After spending several years in the business world, most recently with Bank of America, where he served as a Senior Account Manager, he decided that his heart was in education, and he made a decision to pursue licensure as a teacher.  He received his teaching certification from Notre Dame College, and has taught at Cleveland Central Catholic High School.  He also spent time while receiving his education credential observing and teaching at Berkshire High School in Burton, Ohio. He has worked extensively with children, at a variety of levels and in multiple settings. He served as a youth sports instructor with the Hillcrest YMCA as a John Carroll Student, and since then he has coached basketball at both the elementary and secondary levels, including as a Head Coach of freshmen at Cleveland Central Catholic and at Gesu Catholic School, where he coached seventh graders.
Fr. John J. Weigand Pastor Designate	Father Weigand, pastor at St. James Parish, is serving this year as Pastor Designate. He was appointed to be the fifth Pastor of St. James in 1985, where he created the Parish Council and converted the former convent into a day care center, which today operates the before- and after-care program at LCA! He was one of the instrumental people in helping to form and launch LCA. Fr. Weigand is also an author. He has written two books, We are the Church, and Conversion Road.
Fr. Alfred H. Winters Campus Minister	Fr. Alfred Winters was born and raised in St. Aloysius Parish on Cleveland's East Side and attended St. Aloysius Elementary, St. Joseph High School, Borromeo College, where he received a B.A. degree in Philosophy, and the Gregorian University in Rome, where he received an STL degree.  He was ordained in Rome in December 1962. He was stationed at Holy Rosary and St. Leo parishes in Cleveland before being assigned to the Diocesan Secretariat for Parish Life and Development and was subsequently made Director of the Diocesan Mission Office. Fr.. Winters taught theology at St. John College and John Carroll University. In April of 1986 the opportunity arose for him to become the pastor of St. Clement Parish and he gladly accepted. He retired from St. Clement in June 2007.
Marilyn Wangler Assistant to the Principal	Marilyn Wangler is a graduate of Bowling Green State University with a B.S. in Elementary Education and additional areas of Library Science and Computers.  Before joining LCA, she taught computers and 8th grade Science at St. Luke  and had taught there for 17 years.  She has also instructed Cleveland Catholic Diocese teachers in a variety of computer classes.  Prior to coming to St. Luke School, she taught in Cleveland Public Schools and Our Lady of the Angels.  She lives in Lakewood with her husband, is the parent of one daughter, a graduate of St. Luke, and has been a St. Luke parishioner for many years.
Paul Nickels Director, Marketing & Admissions	After working as a volunteer during the merger that led to the creation of Lakewood Catholic Academy, I began formal employment with LCA in the fall of 2005 as part-time Director of Development. In the fall of 2006, I joined LCA as a full-time employee, with responsibility for recruiting new students, marketing the school, and assisting with other administrative matters. I also continue to work with Development Debbie Baker on fundraising initiatives. I have more than 30 years of experience in communications, including time at Ursuline College as Director of Public Relations and at Magnificat High School as Director of Development. I am also the webmaster for LCA, and I am excited to tell the world about all of the wonderful things happening here!
Debbie Baker Director of Development	Hello! I am Debbie Baker, the parent of three current LCA students. I am pleased to have the opportunity to help secure our school's future by helping to raise funds for the school through annual giving programs, our annual event, grant writing, and other sources. Prior to joining LCA, I was Executive Director at the Make-A-Wish Foundation in Northeast Ohio, and also spent many years with the Salvation Army and the United Way in a variety of development capacities in Cleveland, Syracuse, and Pittsburgh. I am confident that Lakewood Catholic Academy, as it grows in stature, will be an excellent destination for charitable giving in greater Cleveland!
Molly Spellacy Librarian	Hi ! My name is Molly Spellacy. I graduated from John Carroll University with a degree in English and immediately attended Baldwin Wallace College to earn a teaching certificate for elementary education. I taught second and third grade at St. Luke School. I took a short break from teaching to stay home with my four sons. For the past six years I have been a substitute teacher at St. Luke and then at LCA. My oldest two sons attended St. Luke/LCA and are now at St. Ignatius High School. My youngest two sons are still attending LCA. I enjoy swimming and tennis, and of course reading!
Bill Deisler Facilities Manager	Bill Deisler manages the physical plant and maintenance operations for the buildings and grounds that encompass the large lakefront campus of Lakewood Catholic Academy.  Just prior to Joining LCA, Bill was facilities manager at St. Luke Parish, with responsibilities for the church and school buildings and all other structures on the property.  For more than 35 years, Bill has been a master carpenter, a construction foreman, and vice president of production for local builders.  He brings a wealth of knowledge about taking care of old building to the LCA campus, as well as a passion for Catholic education.  Bill also served in the Navy from 1969 until 1973.
Karen Burke School Secretary	Karen Burke is a familiar face to all who come to LCA! Prior to joining the staff here, Mrs. Burke was the secretary at St. Luke School for many years.
Cheri Bohner School Secretary	I'm happy to be a member of the office staff at Lakewood Catholic Academy as School Secretary.  Prior to coming to LCA, I was the secretary at St. Clement.  I live in Lakewood with my husband, two teenage children, and our loyal Basset Hound, Max.  In my free time I enjoy gardening, decorating, and quilting.  I look forward to the challenge of getting to know all the students and parents of the LCA family.

The L.C.A. Faculty

Marge Amberik Physical Education & Health	Hello! I hold a bachelor of science degree from Case Western Reserve University in Physical Education and Health.  I taught for four years in the Cleveland Public School System (high school) and for ten years at St. James Catholic Elementary School. I'm married, with four children, and I enjoy tennis, reading, knitting, sewing and traveling. I am enjoying Lakewood Catholic Academy and working with the faculty, staff, parents and students.
Debbie Barlow Art Studies	I teach Art at Lakewood Catholic Academy. Prior to the founding of LCA, I had been the Art teacher at St. Luke School for the past four years. Prior to St. Luke's, I was a substitute teacher for the Lakewood Public Schools. I hold a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Art History/Studio Art from Kent State University. In addition to teaching, I also work as a graphic designer for a marketing firm, designing for local and national clients.
Karen Beegan Kindergarten	Welcome to Kindergarten! My name is Karen Beegan and I am very excited to be a part of the LCA teaching team. I have lived in Lakewood for 10 years with my husband Paul and now with our children Gavin, Caden and Violet. When we aren’t working on our house, we love to travel, hike, and spend time with family and friends. I graduated from Cleveland State University with a Masters in Early Childhood Education. My undergraduate time was spent at Purdue University where I received my degree in Management. I spent 12 years in retail management before I decided to make a change. Education is a career path I chose to move into because I enjoyed watching as my son and his friends discovered the world around them. I wanted to help children realize they can be anything in the world they want to be. My son Gavin started Kindergarten at LCA when the school first began the journey and I had hoped then that I would be given the opportunity to grow and learn here as a teacher in the near future! I have been given a wonderful opportunity to be with your children and help them along on their journey through school. I am sure that together we will all be successful! I look forward to meeting everyone very soon!
Mrs. Pam Bundy Pre-School	Hi!  My name is Pam Bundy and I am excited to be a part of Lakewood Catholic Academy.  I began my teaching career at St. Clement School five years ago and was extremely excited to be given the privilege to continue teaching at LCA.  I continue to study early childhood education and feel passionate about the importance of educating young children.  I truly believe that children become life-long learners in their early years and I am glad to be a part of those years. My husband and I live in Lakewood and have been married for 12 years.  I have two children, both of whom attend LCA.  We have been members of St. Clement parish for the past six years.  When I’m not planning lessons and projects for class, I enjoy spending time cooking, reading, and shopping.  I am very happy to be a part of continuing the strong tradition of Catholic education in Lakewood.
Barbara Butcher Grade Four	I am originally from a small coal-mining town in Pennsylvania, about 50 miles south of Pittsburgh.  My father was a coal miner for 45 years.  I guess you can say that I am a coal-miners daughter!  I am a graduate of California State College, now known as California University of Pennsylvania with a B.S. in Elementary Education.  I reside in Lakewood, and before joining LCA I had been a teacher at St. Luke School for many years, and I have been blessed with wonderful colleagues, students, and their parents.  I am very grateful to be a part of Lakewood Catholic Academy.
Beth Conaway Grade One	I am a product of the Lakewood Catholic Schools, having attended St. Clement's for grade school and St. Augustine Academy for high school. I earned my teaching degree from Cleveland State University.  I have taught first grade at St. James for eight years.  In the summer, I run the Ohio Heritage Program at the Old Stone House through the Lakewood Recreation Department.  I enjoy spending time with my family and my dog, Riley.  I enjoy teaching at Lakewood Catholic Academy and continuing the tradition of excellence in Lakewood .
Sue Corrigan Grade One	I grew up in Lakewood and am a product of the Lakewood Catholic schools. I attended St. Clement, where I had Miss Barbara for third grade, and then continued my elementary education at St. Luke. I attended St. Augustine Academy and then Bowling Green State University where I earned my degree in Elementary Education. Upon graduating from college I returned to my alma mater of St. Luke to teach fifth grade. I was very fortunate to be mentored by two excellent teachers, who are St. Luke legends, Mrs. Mary Vande Velde (who was my first grade teacher ) and Miss Mary Ann Mescan. I then made the move to first grade, which I have taught for the past 16 years and have loved every minute of it!  One of the greatest joys of my profession is teaching children to read and sharing in their sense of accomplishment!
Leah Council Grade Four	I'm Leah Council and I teach the fourth grade this fall at Lakewood Catholic Academy.  I am a recent graduate of Canisius College in Buffalo, where I received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Childhood Education.  I live in Cleveland with my family, but I have lived in several different places including Buffalo, New York and London, England.   I am thrilled to be part of the LCA family.  My favorite subjects to teach are science and language arts.  I love to travel and to watch a good baseball game!
Kathy DiBiasio Grade Eight	I attended Nazareth Academy in Parma Heights and graduated from Cleveland State University with a bachelor's degree in education. I am currently enrolled in the Master of Religious Studies program at John Carroll University. I taught for ten years at St. Albert the Great School in North Royalton and for fifteen years at St. James School.  Most of my experience has been with grades five through eight. I am married and have a daughter who just graduated from the College of Wooster. My interests away from teaching include gardening, reading, and knitting. I am pleased to be a part of the Lakewood Catholic Academy family.
Christine Dolce Instrumental Studies	Christine Dolce served as the instrumental music director at St. Luke School from1989 until the founding of LCA in 2005. Dolce holds a BME from Baldwin-Wallace as well as a Master of Music and a Master of Arts from Kent State , where she maintained a Faculty Brass Quintet performance assistantship. For years, Mrs. Dolce played  trumpet professionally in the Cleveland area, frequently performing  at Playhouse Square and as a St. John’s Cathedral staff musician.    She also performed, composed, and arranged for the Cleveland Lyric Brass quartet, of which she was a founding member. She and her brass quartet have been in residence at Mercyhurst College in Erie , Pa. and have been OAC recitalists.  Dolce is currently the chairperson of the OMEA District 4 Honors Festival as well as its executive committee member representing private and parochial schools. Mrs. Dolce’s educational goal is to achieve excellence through the love of music, while nurturing Catholic values.  She is delighted to be part of the LCA team and to teach more students to “play a joyful song unto the Lord.”
Eileen Dorchak Kindergarten	Hello! After graduating from Boston College with a Batchelor of Science in Elementary Education, I taught Kindergarten in the Cambridge, Massachusetts public school system.  I taught there for two years while my husband, Tom completed Law School.  We came to Ohio to raise a family.  Our four children were educated at St. Luke School, where I returned to teaching in 1976. Our children have moved on to careers and families in and out of state, but I happily remain in Lakewood doing what I love! In my leisure time I spend time with my granddaughter, take one tank road trips with Tom, walk, do crossword puzzles, investigate things on the Internet, and read, read, read!
Mary Frantz Grade Two	My name is Mary Frantz. I feel fortunate to be joining the LCA community as a teacher in the second grade!. I am a recent graduate of Saint Mary’s College in Indiana, where I received my degree in elementary education. Prior to this I attended Magnificat high school and before that, Saint Raphael grade school. I come from a big family of seven kids and I love telling funny stories about my brothers and sisters. I love to run and I enjoy going to South Bend to watch my favorite football team (Notre Dame).  I am excited to work with the second graders as they prepare for their first reconciliation and first communion. I look forward to meeting new faces; this will be a fun and exciting year!
Mary Fried Pre-Kindergarten	Hi!  My name is Mary Fried, and I’m really excited about joining the Preschool team here at LCA.  I have an AAS degree in Early Childhood Education and Pre-K Certification from Cuyahoga Community College . Prior to joining LCA, I worked for the Berea School District as an Intervention Associate, facilitated parenting classes at the Berea Children’s Home/Family Life Center and taught preschool in Strongsville .  As a member of a short-term missionary team, I have facilitated several English Camps in Russia .  These experiences have enriched my life and enabled me to celebrate ones family culture and traditions. My husband, Phil, and I have been married for 26 years, and we have two grown children whom we are very proud of.  They are college graduates and enjoy their work with troubled teens in Utah . I’m looking forward to meeting all of you involved with the school, and especially the children and families involved in our Pre-K program.  It is my belief that the early years are crucial in aiding children to build a strong foundation for later growth and development.  I am passionate about my work, and I plan to implement a high quality program that is nurturing, stimulating and encourages a lifelong love of learning.
Ashley Gabel Science, Grades Seven & Eight	Hi! I am very excited about teaching Science at LCA. I graduated from the University of Dayton in 2006 with my Bachelor of Science Degree in Middle Childhood Mathematics and Science. I then continued to complete my Masters Degree in Administration from UD in August 2008. Before coming to LCA, I taught 6th - 8th grade at St. Thomas Aquinas in Cleveland for 2 years. Outside of school I enjoy visiting my family in Toledo, attending sporting events, and movies.
Patricia Cannon Holmes Algebra, Grade Eight Science, Grades Five & Six	Hello! My name is Patricia Holmes and I am very excited to be starting my teaching career here at LCA.  I grew up in Westlake and currently reside with my husband in Fairview Park. I graduated with a BS in Middle Childhood Education in 2004 from BGSU and I am currently working on a Master’s Degree through Ashland University.  After graduation from BGSU, I substitute taught for two years in Rocky River as well as working for Heinens and The Tutoring Club.  I am looking forward to the challenges of this coming year and I am very proud to be a part of the LCA community.
Meghann Hubach Language Arts, Grades Five & Six	Hi! My name is Meghann Hubach. I am the product of 16 years of Catholic school, having attended St. Angela Merici, Magnificat High School and John Carroll University. I graduated from John Carroll in 2001 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education. Upon graduation I taught sixth, seventh and eighth grade Social Studies, and sixth grade literature at Saint Luke School for four years. I am now returning to the classroom and am very excited to be a part of the LCA community. In addition to my teaching career I also coach varsity basketball at Magnificat, as well as eighth grade volleyball at Rocky River Middle School.
Cherie Joecken Grade Six	Having been born and raised in Fairview Park, and a product of their schools, I received my bachelor's degree from the University of Akron.  I have been married to my husband, Ned, for 27 years, and I have three adult children. Previous to my teaching at St. Luke School, I taught sixth-grade social studies at St. Angela Merici in Fairview Park for five years. After spending three years as a first-grade teacher, I have returned to my roots as a sixth-grade teacher at LCA. I am happy being a small piece of a whole group, as pat of a family in faith and community at Lakewood Catholic Academy.
Mary Clare Kelley Grade Two	I grew up in Lakewood.  I am a graduate of St. Clement School, Magnificat and the University of Detroit.  I have been teaching 2nd grade at St. Luke for the past 13 years.  Prior to coming to St. Luke, I taught at St. Angela in Fairview Park and Lakewood City Schools.  I love teaching in a Catholic school because it allows me the opportunity to pass on our Catholic beliefs to our little ones in preparing them for the Sacraments of Reconciliation and Eucharist. My husband, Kevin, and I have been married for 35 years and members of St. Luke parish for 19 years.  We are both Eucharistic Ministers.  We have been blessed with five sons who attended St. Luke, St. Ed’s and St. Ignatius.  Four are married to great girls and we enjoy being grandparents to five sweethearts. I am proud to be part of the team.
Jennifer Komar Grade One	I am very excited to teach first grade at Lakewood Catholic Academy.  I have a degree in Early Childhood Education from Cleveland State University, and have taught first grade at St. James School for six years.  In the summer, I enjoy teaching at the Ohio Heritage camp in Lakewood.  I also enjoy spending time with my family and my two dogs.
Mary Martin Grade Five	I am a graduate of Bowling Green State University,  Magnificat High School,  and St. Christopher Elementary School.  I have been teaching fourth and fifth grade at St. James for 21 years.  My daughter and son attended St. James during those years.  I am proud to say that my family now includes my son-in-law, daughter-in-law and three grandsons.  I am a resident of the West Park area of Cleveland. I am very happy to be a part of continuing the strong tradition of Catholic education in Lakewood.
Sheri Masterson Grade Three	I reside in West Park, with my husband Brendan, our one-year-old daughter Bridget, and our dog Millie.  When I am not teaching or planning lessons, I enjoy spending time with my family and friends. I love reading, shopping, decorating, crafts and the outdoors, especially the beach! Being a teacher was the only career I ever dreamed of! I attended eight years of grade school at St. Mark Elementary in Cleveland and, believe it or not, Mrs. Arbeznik was my Second Grade teacher! I then moved on to Lakewood High School and graduated in 1988. Then I left home to fulfill my dream career. I graduated from Edinboro University Of Pennsylvania in December of 1992, with a Bachelor Of Science Degree in Elementary Education.  I have been a Catholic School Teacher for 14 years.  I absolutely love teaching in a Catholic School and sharing my faith with all of my students! I am a Eucharistic Minister and a participant of the Women's Journey at St. Luke. I believe that my experiences as a Catholic School Teacher have helped my faith to grow so much more than I ever expected! I enjoy being a part of Lakewood Catholic Academy and the Third Grade Team!
Linda McCafferty Spanish, Grades Pre-K - Three	¡Hola!  Yo me llamo Señora McCafferty. My name is Linda McCafferty and it is my pleasure to teach Spanish in the Pre-K through 3rd grade classrooms.  I began teaching at LCA in the fall of 2006l and it has been a wonderful experience.  Our method of teaching is through play and repetition.  The students are immersed in the language while having fun.   Spanish was my first language at home as my family is from Puerto Rico.  I am a graduate of Miami University where a received a Bachelor of Science degree.  In addition to teaching at LCA, I teach 4th grade PSR at St. Raphael Church in Bay Village.   My husband and I are proud parents of three children.  Our oldest is a junior at Saint Ignatius High School and we have a daughter in 8th grade and a son in third.   If you’re ever visiting LCA during the school day, I’d love to have you join in the class.
Michelle Miller Grade Seven	My name is Michelle Miller. Before joining LCA, I taught 6th, 7th, and 8th grade math at St. Clement for the past seven years. Prior to this, I taught for four years in the Diocese of Orange in southern California. I live in Lakewood with my husband and two beautiful children.
Marie Murphy French	Bonjour!  I am very excited to be a part of the staff at LCA.  I retired from the Fairview Park Schools in 2007 after twenty-five years of teaching French and Spanish in grades 7 through 12.  My undergraduate studies took place at Ursuline College and Cleveland State University.  I also have a Master’s Degree in Education from Baldwin-Wallace College.  I grew up in West Park and attended St. Patrick School and St. Joseph Academy.  My husband, Phil, and I have been married for 37 years and have been members of St. Luke Parish for all but three of those years, at which time we lived in St. James Parish.  My husband and both of our sons, Michael and Brian, are graduates of St. Luke and St. Ignatius.  I look forward to sharing my French heritage and my love of the French language with my students.
Wendy Pallotta Grade Three	Hello!  My name is Mrs. Wendy Pallotta, and I will be teaching 3rd grade at Lakewood Catholic Academy.  I am very excited to be part of the LCA family!  I graduated from Grove City College in Pennsylvania in 1986 with a BA in Communications.  I worked as a Promotions Director and Radio Announcer for 8 years at radio stations in Youngstown (Y-103FM), Akron (WONE-FM), and Cleveland (WLTF, and WNCX).  I retired from radio when I had my first daughter in 1994.  After I had my second daughter, I earned an Associates degree in Early Childhood Education from LCCC, and taught the Four and More Class at Bay Presbyterian Nursery School for 3 years.   I then worked as the Kindergarten Science teacher and Aide for 5 years at St. Raphael School.  Over the past 2 years I have taken classes at CSU, student taught at Urban Community School, and received my license to teach K-3.  I am 3 classes away from completing my Masters degree at CSU in Early Childhood Education/ Curriculum and Instruction.   I have been married to my husband, Tony, since 1990 (he is a John Carroll grad.), and we have 2 wonderful daughters.  Caroline (14) is a student at St. Joseph Academy, and  Allison (12) is a student at St. Raphael School.   We also have a feisty puppy, Mindy!  I look forward to meeting the LCA students and families!   Bio Coming Soon!
Gretchen Petty Physical Education & Health	My name is Gretchen Petty.  Before joining LCA, I served as the Physical Education and Health teacher at St. Luke School.  Prior to teaching at St. Luke, I taught Physical Education and Health to high school students at Villa Angela-St. Joseph High School for more than ten years.  Along with teaching at the high school, I was the Co-Athletic Director.  I am a a graduate of Hiram College and am married to Tom Petty. We have three children.  My hobbies include watching my children play soccer. I am very excited to be a part of Lakewood Catholic Academy as a Physical Education and Health teacher.
Amanda Podhradsky Music Teacher	I am thrilled to joining the LCA family this year as the general and vocal music teacher! After graduating from St. Joseph Academy, I earned my Bachelor's in Music Education from Bowling Green State University, and recently earned my Master's in Education. I am an active member of the National Council for Music Education and Ohio Music Educator's Association, as well as an American Red Cross certified lifeguard. For the past three years, I have been traveling, teaching, and performing all over the country, from Colorado to North Carolina, with my husband (known as "Soldier Steve" at LCA), who is currently deployed to Iraq with the United States Army. Upon his return this December, we look forward to permanently settling down back home in Ohio with our family and friends, new home and careers, and our adorable dog, Obi-wan. When I am not teaching, I enjoy singing, everything from opera to jazz, going to the theater, trying new restaurants with my brother, cleaning, working out, taking pictures, watching Cleveland Browns and OSU football games, and shopping. I truly feel that I am meant to be at LCA and I look forward to my future here! "Bach gave us God's word. Mozart gave us God's laughter. Beethoven gave us God's fire. God gave us music that we might pray without words."
Kelly Prest Language Arts, Grades Seven & Eight	I am very excited to be teaching at LCA. I have my licensure for grades 4-9 from Cleveland State University. My Bachelor’s degree is in Business Administration and was obtained at Bowling Green State University. I worked in the accounting field for many years and then stayed home for a while to raise our children. After volunteering in the schools, I decided to pursue my career in education. My husband, Dave, and I have lived in Lakewood since we were married in 1993. We have three boys ranging in age from 13 down to 9. We love the outdoors and spend a lot of time playing or watching sports. I look forward to being part of the LCA community.
Sue Seeds Grade Seven	Hi!  My name is Sue Seeds and I am delighted to be a part of Lakewood Catholic Academy. I have a B.S. Degree in Education from Bowling Green State University and have kept my license up-to-date through continuing education classes. Prior to joining LCA, I taught reading, as well as serving as co-principal of St. Clement School.  My passions are drama and reading and I love teaching my favorite classics.  I grew up in Lakewood and it remains my home.  I live with my husband, Dennis and we are the proud parents of two grown sons, Jeremy and Jonathan.
Michelle Seghi Computer Instructor	Hi! I am Michelle Seghi and I am teaching computers this year at LCA! I grew up just across the bridge in Rocky River and attended Rocky River High School before heading to college at the University of Kentucky. During my time at Kentucky, I was able to complete my student teaching in Christchurch, New Zealand and earned a degree in elementary education. I am glad to be back in the Cleveland area and am looking forward to my experience here at LCA!
Lindsey Shelley Kindergarten	Hello! I am Lindsey Shelley and I am a Kindergarten teacher at LCA.  I graduated from Mount Union College in 2005 with a Bachelors degree in Early Childhood Education. Before coming to LCA, I taught Kindergarten at Le Chaperon Rouge in Strongsville. I am very excited to be apart of the LCA family because everyone is very welcoming and has a contagious spirit!  Ever since I was small I dreamed of being a teacher. The best part of living my dream is seeing the children go through those “ah-ha” moments. It is at moment that the child realizes they can do something they never could before. That is why I love being a teacher!  I am very blessed to be at Lakewood Catholic Academy to inspire the minds of children.  Aside from teaching, I love spending time with my husband, listening to music, working out, and getting together with my friends.
Kimberly Smith Grade Six	Hi!  I am Kimberly Smith and I teach 5th and 6th grade.  I have lived in Cleveland most of my life and currently live in the West Park area.  I am the product of 17 years of Catholic education!  I attended Annunciation and Ascension for grade school and Holy Name for high school.  I went on to Gannon University in Erie, Pennsylvania and earned a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education.  I started my career as a junior high Mathematics teacher for 2 years.   I taught at St. Luke’s for 4 years, working with 4th and 5th grade in Mathematics, Reading, and Science.  Outside of school, I enjoy spending time with my family and my dog, Spencer.  I also enjoy reading, music and movies.
Ann Stefancin Grade Two	Hi, my name is Ann Stefancin and I am very excited to be part of the LCA 2nd grade team. I live in West Park with my husband, Dan, who is a Captain with the Cleveland Fire Department, and our four children. Sean is at St. Ignatius, Megan is at St. Joseph Academy and Sara and Erin will be in the 8th and 5th grades here with me at LCA. Early in my career, I taught 2nd and 3rd grade at Ascension and Sts. Philip and James. I took time off from teaching to raise my family but always stayed active in my children's school by volunteering as a PSR teacher, a room mother, and a coordinator of various fundraising activities.  I also have been a certified aerobic instructor working with various age groups. For the past eight years, I developed a fitness program for exercising with seniors through the Wellness Center of Fairview Hospital Teaching and learning have always been a constant in everything I do, from my family to my work. My weekends are filled watching my children participate in their sport activities and being involved in our various Irish functions from music to dance. I am looking forward to a wonderful new start for my love of teaching here at Lakewood Catholic Academy.
Patty Sullivan Grade Four	Hi, my name is Patty Sullivan and I am delighted to be teaching 4th Grade at LCA! I graduated last December from Cleveland State University with a B.S., Education, after completing my student teaching at LCA with Mrs. Martin. My previous work experience includes several years as a teacher’s aide at Urban Community School in Cleveland , a two-year stint as school secretary, and four years as coordinator of an after-school tutoring program. I have three adult children, Anne, Laura and Daniel, and a dog, Storm. I have lived in Lakewood since 2002 and enjoy walking around the various neighborhoods. I am excited to be working with such a wonderful community of families and educators, and look forward to a great year!
Matt Tabar Grade Eight	I have taught sixth, seventh and eighth grade social studies and religion at St. Clement for the last 5 years.  I attended Ohio University and graduated with a Social Studies comprehensive degree (7-12) in education. I currently live in North Olmsted and I attended Olmsted Falls High School for my final two years.  I come from a family full of educators.  My grandmother taught physically handicapped children for over 25 years.  My mother and father both work for the Olmsted Falls Schools, as an administrator and guidance counselor respectively.  One of my sisters teaches 8th grade in the Lakewood Public School system and the other just graduated from Ohio University with a degree in early childhood.  My younger brother is studying education at Kent State. He is the first Tabar that did not attend Ohio University!
James Taylor Instrumental Music	I formerly taught instrumental lessons and band a St. Clement and St. James schools for several years, prior to joining the LCA faculty in 2005.  Prior to that, I was a faculty member and administrative employee at Cleveland State University's Department of Music.  I have performed with orchestras in Northeast Ohio for many years and continue to perform with Opera Cleveland. I am pleased to be part of the excellent music program here at Lakewood Catholic Academy!
Mary Ann Utrata Third Grade	Hi! My name is Mary Ann Utrata. I am one of the third grade teachers.  I am from PA and attended Catholic Schools there for 12 years.  I received my degree from California University of PA.  I am married  and have two great children, one in Seattle, one in LA.  My husband and I have lived in Lakewood for over 30 years.  I taught for the Berea School System and for St. James for 21 years.  I enjoy reading, knitting and traveling, especially to visit my children!
Debbie Webb Pre-Kindergarten	Hello, my name is Debbie Web b and I'm the half-day pre-kindergarten teacher here at LCA.  I am a single mother of one. I adopted my daughter in 1997.  I am also a foster mother, so as you can see children are my life.  I have a degree in Early Childhood Education with a certificate in administration and in early childhood literature.  I've been in the early childhood field for 23 years now. I started teaching in a child care center and moved on to be the director of the Lakewood Center for the Berea Children's Home.  After that I went to St. Clement as the pre-kindergarten teacher. I've been here at LCA since it opened and I love working here because of the friendly, caring atmosphere that is present to both the children and teaching staff.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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