St. Joan of Arc School Highlights Teacher and Staff Changes

(Lisle) - We are excited to announce several additions to the dynamic teaching team at St. Joan of Arc School.

This summer, Father Gabriel hired Mrs. Michelle Picchione as the 23rd principal of our fine school. Mrs. Picchione served as interim principal after our former principal, Mr. Michael Sweeney, passed away in unexpectedly in December. Mrs. Picchione grew up in Rhode Island and earned her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Elementary Education and Psychology from Rhode Island College. Prior to becoming the principal of St. Joan of Arc School, Mrs. Picchione worked within the Diocese of Joliet as an assistant principal, reading specialist, and kindergarten teacher. Mrs. Picchione earned her Master’s Degree in Reading and Literacy from Benedictine University in 2010, and earned her Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership in 2013 from Lewis University.
Religious Education Team
Mrs. Barbara Caruso, St. Joan of Arc School’s Campus Minister, has also been appointed Director of Religious Education. Mrs. Caruso will oversee the school’s religion programs, as well as after school elementary religious education. Mrs. Caruso grew up in the western Chicago suburbs and went to high school in southern Florida. She then attended Loras College in Dubuque, Iowa. Mrs. Caruso has a Bachelor’s Degree in Theology and a Master's Degree in Professional Counseling. She is also a Licensed Professional Counselor. Mrs. Caruso has twenty years of teaching experience, including having taught Theology at a local Catholic high school for fifteen years before joining SJA last year. Barb lives in Lombard with her husband, Dr Anthony Caruso, and their six children
In addition to Barb Caruso, Lauren Nelson has been named Assistant Religious Education Director. Lauren has been involved in parish ministry for over twenty-five years. She was catechist for over ten years including three years here at St. Joan of Arc. Lauren holds a Bachelors in Theology from Dominican University and currently is pursuing her Masters in Pastoral Ministry at Catholic Theological Union. She worked for ten years as the Director of Communications at Mayslake Ministries and was a contributing author in the book Every Day with Mary. She served as the Secretary of Religious Formation at SJA for two years, and started our Children’s Liturgy of the Word (CLOW) program. Lauren is married to Steve and has two children who attend SJA school, Alice (4th grade) and Mia (1st grade).
Addition of First Grade Teacher
Karyn Barenbrugge, who was recently our Reading Specialist at St. Joan of Arc, will be heading up another first grade homeroom for the 2020-21 school year. Karyn started at SJA in 2008 as a first-grade teacher for 4 years, moved to third-grade in 2012 for 6 years, and became the WIN Reading Specialist in 2018. Mrs. Barenbrugge received her Bachelor’s degree from the University of Dayton in the mid 90’s and a Master’s Degree in Education from Concordia University in 2011
New Hires
Mrs. Picchione has recently hired a new English/language arts teacher and a full-time Spanish teacher.
Dr. Anna Kucaj, one of our junior high educators, will begin teaching English and language arts at St. Joan of Arc School this fall, having previously taught in the Los Angeles and San Jose Unified School Districts. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Agricultural Sciences from California Polytechnic State University, a Master’s Degree in Education from UCLA, and a Doctorate in Educational Leadership and Policy from Vanderbilt University.
Mrs. Lori Dvorak, who joins our staff this fall, will be the Spanish instructor for students in the fifth through eighth grades. She earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in World Language Education from Illinois State University, during which time she also had the opportunity to study abroad. Mrs. Dvorak has 14 years of experience teaching World Language and Religion within the Diocese of Joliet. Her accomplishments include the establishment of full-year high school level language programs for Holy Trinity and Our Lady of Peace Catholic Schools.
We enthusiastically welcome Dr. Kucaj and Mrs. Dvorak to our school and eagerly anticipate their positive contributions.
St. Joan of Arc School will begin on-site instruction, five days a week beginning, on August 19, 2020.
For more information, or to schedule a private tour of our safe and loving environment, visit www.sjalisle.org.