Staff List

Mrs. Toth began working at St. Mary of Gostyn in 1999 as a teachers’ aide

and in 2009 she moved to the school office to become an Administrative Assistant. Her family has been parishioners for over twenty years. Mary has three children who all attended St. Mary of Gostyn from Kindergarten through eighth grade. They went on to graduate from Downers Grove South, and then Illinois State and Lewis University as well.

Mrs. Kalal is starting her 21^st year at St. Mary of Gostyn. Before accepting the position of Assistant Principal, she taught middle school Mathematics. She is an alumnus from SMG, as are her four children, and feel especially vested in St. Mary’s as a student, parent, teacher, and administrator.

Mrs. Kalal earned her B.A. in Elementary Education from Concordia College (now Concordia University) and has taken many courses and attended numerous workshops in a wide variety of topics to continue her desire to be a lifelong learner. She is currently finishing up coursework to obtain a Master’s degree in Educational Leadership.

She loves being a part of a community that values communication between the school and parents. Seeing the students gain knowledge, confidence, and a love of God is so rewarding to her. She looks forward to seeing the students’ smiling faces every day.

LaVonne Czech started her career as a Graphic Designer working for several large corporations in downtown Chicago. From there, she ventured to have her own stationery business, to working for various organizations as the role of Director of Marketing & Membership. She brings an extensive background with her to St. Mary’s, and earned her Communications degree from Loyola University Chicago. Mrs. Czech resides in Downers Grove with her husband and three children. Outside of working at St. Mary’s, she enjoys spending time with her family, and also likes to travel, read and maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Ms. Meier is a graduate of Bradley University with a degree in Elementary Education and has been teaching ever since graduation.  Ms. Meier started her career at St. Charles Borromeo teaching kindergarten and then found her love of preschool!   Ms. Meier developed a successful preschool curriculum with District 53 and continues to improve the program at SMG.  Ms. Meier’s love of her faith and strong SMG family are the reasons she loves teaching at SMG.  SMG feels like home!

Mrs. Malik is the Kindergarten teacher who loves her job. She attended Aurora University where she received her B. A. in Elementary Education. For many years, she was the art teacher in Kindergarten and was the first grade aid here at St. Mary of Gostyn. She taught second grade at St. Raphael School before teaching at St. Mary’s. Her years of teaching have been wonderful and she looks forward to many more. Her Husband’s name is Peter and her five children who have all graduated from St. Mary’s support her love of teaching. St. Mary of Gostyn is a wonderful school community and she is so glad to be a part of it.

Ms. Jamrozek has been part of the St. Mary’s Family, first teaching 2^nd grade,  and now, Kindergarten.  She earned her Bachelor degree at DePaul University and continues to study the latest teaching trends through seminars, meetings and educational texts.  Her aim in teaching the young child is to instill in them a love of God and neighbor as she guides them in growing academically, socially and spiritually.

Mrs. Laurich is delighted to begin teaching at St. Mary of Gostyn School. She graduated from Loyola University Chicago with a BS in Education.  Since graduating she has taught 1st through 4th grade, 5th grade Math and Science and Jr. High Science. Her love for children, working with families and the joy of seeing a child develop are some of the primary reasons she chose to become an educator. These are also what keeps her coming back for more. Her hopes for her students are for them to learn and excel in their academics but to also grow spiritually in their knowledge and love for God. Mrs. Laurich and her husband live in Downers Grove with their four boys and their dog Lilly. She has always enjoyed being active in athletics and now enjoys watching and cheering her boys in all their sports.

This is Mrs. Pizza’s fourth year teaching at St. Mary’s.  She is happy to return to teaching after staying home to raise her three children.  Mrs. Pizza enjoys being part of the St. Mary’s community;  She loves working with children and helping them learn and grow in their Catholic faith. Mrs. Pizza likes to spend time reading  and being outdoors with her family.  She earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Purdue University and a Masters in Elementary Education from Roosevelt University.

Mrs. Ryan received her bachelor’s degree at Illinois State University and her Master’s degree at the University of St. Francis in Joliet. She has taught 6^th, 3^rd, 1^st, and 2^nd grades at St. Mary of Gostyn School.  She enjoys teaching at St. Mary’s because of the warm family atmosphere.  The students are respectful to each other and helpful.  The staff is warm and friendly.  They strive to offer a great education for the students and believe in strong Catholic values.

Mrs. Ryan was married at St. Mary of Gostyn Church and has five children.  She lives with her family in Westmont.  She has three dogs and a cat!  She loves to travel and enjoys being active.

Welcome to St. Mary of Gostyn!  Mrs. Nolan is a 2^nd grade teacher at SMG. She has taught 2^nd grade for 6 years and also has experience teaching 1^st grade and Kindergarten. She believes St. Mary’s is a special place because of the Catholic identity that is carried through the school day here. Her favorite part of teaching 2^nd grade is having a role in preparing the students for the two sacraments they receive during the year.

Mrs. Nolan attended Catholic Schools for 16 years and received her elementary education degree from John Carroll University.  She is married and has three children. Mrs. Nolan actually attended St. Mary’s  as a child, and sent her own children to SMG,  so it definitely holds a special place in her heart!

Miss Buh is a graduate of Saint Mary’s from the class of 2007. After Saint Mary’s, she attended Benet Academy then Indiana University, where she earned her degree in Elementary Education with a Spanish minor. Miss Buh returned to Saint Mary’s in 2015 as a third grade homeroom teacher. She is also the Math/Science teacher for both third grade classes. She is happy to be teaching at the same school that gave her so many positive memories as a student!

Mrs. Cantlin began her career teaching high school social studies and English.  She earned her B.A. in Social Science from Illinois Benedictine College (Benedictine University)  with an endorsement in secondary education and English literature.  While teaching at Willowbrook High School, Mrs. Cantlin also worked with students outside of the classroom as the coach of the pompon team and dance troupe director.  Following her six years of teaching at Willowbrook, where she met her husband, Mrs. Cantlin took time away from the classroom to raise her two children, Ryan and Katie.

Both of Mrs. Cantlin’s children are graduates of St. Mary’s.  While her children attended SMG, Mrs. Cantlin was actively involved in the school as an H.S.A. officer and president.  During this time, she also taught students on homebound status with Willowbrook High School.  She eventually returned to the classroom part time as a middle school aide at St. Mary’s for five years.

Mrs. Cantlin is excited to be back teaching in the classroom and is thrilled to be a third grade teacher at St. Mary’s.  She enjoys the third graders’ enthusiasm for learning and their constant energy.  Together they learn while having fun. When she is not teaching, Mrs. Cantlin enjoys spending time with her family, traveling, and cheering on her children at their sporting events.

This will be Mrs. Zinni’s fourth year teaching at the elementary level. She graduated from Illinois State University with a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education. In addition, she has received endorsements in Reading, Language Arts, Math, and Science. Last year, our school’s theme was “We Are Called.” This theme was very fitting for Ms. Caldwell, as she started her first year teaching in a Catholic school. Mrs. Zinni is excited to have the opportunity to share her faith and be a part of St. Mary’s community.

This will be Mr. Bruno’s ninth year teaching at St. Mary of Gostyn’s. Mr. Bruno has an Undergraduate Degree in Science from Loyola University and a Master’s Degree in Education from Aurora University. He is currently continuing his education, taking history classes at a local college. Mr. Bruno’s two sons are currently enrolled at St. Mary of Gostyn. Having students connect to history is always a goal for Mr. Bruno. Mr. Bruno enjoys challenging students to reach their potential while preparing them for the next stage of their education.

Ms. Kramer graduated Cum Laude from Western Illinois University with a Bachelor’s degree in Special Education and Elementary Education. This is Ms. Kramer’s first teaching job after graduating from college. Ms. Kramer is excited to have this opportunity to be a part of the St. Mary’s community. She is looking forward to a successful school year!

Mrs. Kahlke loves being part of the SMG community. She teaches middle school Reading/Language Arts and infuses the curriculum with our Catholic faith.  Her previous teaching experience includes high school English as well as Japanese. Mrs. Kahlke grew up overseas and appreciates different cultures. She enjoys bringing a multicultural approach to the study of literature. She also has a passion for writing and has founded SMG’s student publication, Voices. Mrs. Kahlke received her degree in the Teaching of English from the University of Illinois and has completed postgraduate coursework in Japanese from Northwestern University.

Mrs. Ruddy graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education (English minor) and from the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee with a Master’s Degree in Curriculum and Instruction and reading endorsement.   Mrs. Ruddy holds an Elementary Education teaching license with endorsements in both language arts and reading.  Married to an SMG alumnus for seventeen years and remaining an active St. Mary of Gostyn parishioner for thirteen years, Mrs. Ruddy is blessed to have three beautiful children, one a newer SMG alumnus and two other children who currently attend SMG. Entering her tenth year of teaching middle school reading and language arts this next school year, she looks forward to each day in the classroom being a new story with each student being a unique chapter of the story.

Ms. Pechous is very excited to start her first year teaching at St. Mary of Gostyn School. She graduated Concordia University Chicago with an Elementary degree and middle school endorsements in science, math, language arts, and social studies. Her goal is to help students apply science to the real world. Ms. Pechous loves working with animals, gardening, and hiking. Her favorite part of science is Astronomy.

Mrs. Sloyan holds a B.S. in Math and Computer Science and an M.S. in Computer Science from Loyola University and recently earned her M.A.T. from National Louis University.  She is licensed to teach math and computer science at the middle school and high school levels.

Mrs. Sloyan and her husband Rob have been SMG parishioners for nearly 20 years and have three sons who graduated from SMG.   She has is honored to be a part of such a loving and caring community.

Mrs. Drabik graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from Illinois State University.  She came to SMG for her second phase of teaching in 2003 after having taught at SMG for seven years prior to staying home to raise her four children during their formative years.  She is now in her 21st year of teaching.  Her mission as a classroom teacher is to provide a caring, safe environment in which students can excel to the best of their abilities. She strives to challenge students to reach their potential academically as well as spiritually.  The ultimate goal is to challenge students to think critically regarding historic and current events while incorporating social justice and Catholic doctrine.

Mrs. Drabik enjoys spending time with family, hiking, gardening, reading, knitting, and baking.

Mrs. Porcelli graduated from Illinois State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education. She participated in a mathematics program that emphasized problem solving and the needs of learners in middle school. After graduation, she worked in the public schools teaching 6th, 7th, and 8th grade mathematics. During that time, she continued her education at Loyola University of Chicago where she earned a Master’s in Education.  After staying home to raise her four children, she came back to teaching at Visitation Catholic School. Mrs. Porcelli feels passionate about mathematics and wants to share her enthusiasm for it with others. She finds joy in discovering patterns and excitement in finding answers to complex problems. In her free time, see loves to watch basketball, go to the movies, read books, and above all spend time with her family. As a longtime resident of Downers Grove, Mrs. Porcelli truly believes that it is a special community to live and work.

Mrs. Davey graduated from the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana with a Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education (Spanish minor) and a Master’s Degree in Curriculum, Technology, and Educational Reform.  Her Elementary Education teaching license includes endorsements in middle school, language arts, and Spanish.  Mrs. Davey is excited to join the St. Mary’s family this year as the Spanish teacher, after having taught for 9 years in California prior to staying home to raise her three children.  Mrs. Davey believes in immersing students in language and culture while supporting the core values of the Catholic faith.  When she is not teaching, Mrs. Davey enjoys spending time with her family, running with her dog, and cheering on her children at various sporting events

Patti Martin is very excited to serve as the Social Worker at St. Mary of Gostyn School!  Ms. Martin grew up in Darien and has lived in Naperville for over 30 years.  She is a proud parent of two grown children. Her daughter is a teacher who taught at St. Mary’s of the Lake in Chicago, and her son is completing his Fellowship at Loyola. 

Ms. Martin earned her BA at Lewis University and her Masters in Social Work at George Williams College.  She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker as well as Certified School Social Worker in the state of Illinois. 

Recently, after 20 years working as a school social worker, she retired from Naperville School District 203.  Prior to working in the schools, she worked in the field of addictions in an agency, as well as her own private practice.

Ms. Martin is looking forward to getting to know all of our students, teachers and families at St. Mary’s and having the opportunity to apply the teachings of the Catholic Church with counseling.

Mr. Barker is the music teacher at St. Mary of Gostyn. In addition to classroom instruction Mr. Barker is the Wednesday school mass choir director and accompanist, Wednesday school mass music liturgist, Christmas program director, producer and creative director of the yearly school musical and band director.

Mr. Barker studied music at DePaul University in Chicago with Lilianna Navachovich, a protégée  of Iam  Yampolski, with an emphasis on composition and music theory. Mr. Barker developed “The Rhythm of Reading” with Dr. Bernadette LeHai; a program designed to introduce the joy of reading to students with reading comprehension challenges using music cadence and rhythmic syntax

Mr. Barker has credits in commercial music and film score composition and is a veteran performer of theater orchestras, rock and pop bands and has performed as an actor and singer, on stage, in musical theater. Mr. Barker has continued independent studies in piano, brass, woodwind and vocal performance throughout his career and received the St. Mary of Gostyn Teacher Recognition Award in 2015.

In the summer Mr. Barker administrates and directs a Christian based musical theater summer camp program that reaches hundreds of young people in the western suburbs and introduces them to theater performance in a Christ centered environment.

Mr. Barker enjoys teaching at St. Mary’s because of the enthusiasm of the students, the high level of parent involvement, the professionalism of the teachers and staff, the warmth of the community and the genuine partnership that exists between the parents and the school working together for the benefit of each individual student while keeping Christ always at the center and glorified.  St. Mary’s is forward looking; embracing new technology in the classroom while fully supporting professional development for the teachers and staff. This is the recipe for success in the dual mission of educational and spiritual growth.

Mrs. Buchler is the Director of Technology for St. Mary of Gostyn School. Her education includes fifteen years of Catholic academics and numerous courses in Technology. She received a B.A. from St. Xavier College and has taught exclusively in Catholic schools. In 2016 she was selected to receive the Bishop Imesch award for Excellence in Teaching in the Diocese of Joliet. Mrs. Buchler is a St. Mary of Gostyn parishioner for over 35 yrs. and a proud mother of two alumni from our school. St. Mary of Gostyn is considered home and many important events have been celebrated both in the parish and as part of the faculty for thirty years. Honored to be a member of a dedicated, creative, and spiritually committed faculty, Mrs. Buchler considers her commitment at our school a true ministry.  She finds the challenge of teaching Technology and leading our faith-based school in this digital age a very rewarding career.  Grateful for the blessings she has received, Mrs. Buchler brags that St. Mary of Gostyn School is the BEST school ever!!

Mrs. Calistro is privileged to join the parents of her students in undertaking the God-given responsibility of educating our children about God and His expectations of us.  She draws upon her great love of the Catholic faith and her 16-years of experience in education to encourage those students entrusted to her care to develop a loving relationship with Jesus Christ.  She has been a proud member of St. Mary of Gostyn Parish for 26 years, along the way serving as an extraordinary minister, PADS volunteer, Bible Study participant, and religious education instructor.   She holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana and a master’s degree in education from National-Louis University. She has taught middle school religion at SMG for the last five years.  For 11 years prior to joining the SMG staff, she worked as a paraprofessional with the special needs students at O’Neill Middle School.   Mrs. Calistro and her husband Ralph have been married for 34 years and are the blessed parents of two grown sons.

Mr. White is our new P. E. Teacher at St. Mary of Gostyn.  He began teaching at the secondary level in physical education and business at St. Francis High School in Wheaton from 1980 to 1993, as well as taking on Administrative Positions.  Mr. White moved into elementary education at St. John of the Cross in 1993 as the physical education teacher and Administrative Responsibilities of Student Development Coordinator and Athletic Director. Mr. White then moved into his first Principal’s Position in 2004 and has served in that capacity at three schools over the past 15 years.

Additionally he is an Assistant Football Coach at Nazareth Academy in LaGrange Park.  Mr. White is member of the Illinois High School Association and basketball referee.  His wife Kim has been the Speech and Theater Director at Nazareth Academy for the past 30 years.  They have two grown children and four grandchildren and reside in Downers Grove.

Mrs. Graczyk loves her position as a Technology Assistant at St. Mary’s. She has a passion for using technology in education and keeping technology up and running in the classroom and the school.  She is a graduate from the University of Illinois and holds a Master’s Degree in Business also from the University of Illinois.  In her spare time, Mrs. Graczyk enjoys gardening, walking, and traveling.  For the past sixteen years, she has been fortunate to be part of the St. Mary’s family and working with the teachers and students to solve technology problems.

Ms. Wedow is the art teacher for St. Mary of Gostyn. She has a B.S. in Art education from Northern Illinois University. Ms. Wedow has also studied the  Montessori method for 3-6 year olds. For 15 years she was the assistant art director in the advertising department at Carson Pirie Scott & company, creating newspaper ads. Volunteering at Brookfield Zoo ,teaching young people about animals and conservation, going to “clay camps” to learn more about firing and making pots, are things she is passionate about.

Dr. Hatley holds a Master’s and Doctorate degree in Curriculum & Instruction. Additional Certifications (ATACP, ATP) for Assistive Technology to support students who are struggling and to create a more accessible educational environment and Illinois PEL endorsed K-9, 6-12, LBS1. Dr. Hatley is retired Illinois Public schools 35+ years. She taught her first half of career- 18 years – in special education (K-gr.12)-multiple districts. She also taught in Resource, Instructional, & Self-Contained classrooms and also holds Certificates in multiple areas of Special Education (LD, BD/ED, MMI). Dr. Hatley also serviced to students and staff to help create an accessible environment through technology. She served 30+ schools within the school district in addition to out-placement facilities, helping students with more severe disabilities.

Ms. Hill is excited to join the St, Mary of Gostyn School as a math resource teacher. Her teaching experience is in middle school math and social studies, both as classroom teacher and an after school enrichment teacher. Prior to her teaching career, Ms. Hill worked for over 15 years in sales in the mortgage banking industry.

She graduated from the University of Illinois at Champaign/Urbana with a B.S. in Finance and from Lewis University with a Master’s degree in Elementary Education with middle school endorsements in mathematics, social studies, and ELA.

Ms. Hill currently lives in Westmont with her husband and two children.  She enjoys being a Girl Scout leader, bike riding, and traveling with her family.

Mrs. Smith graduated from St. Joseph’s College with a Bachelor of Science degree in elementary education.  She began her career, teaching  3^rd grade at St. Catherine of Genoa in Chicago.  After getting married and moving to the Western Suburbs, Cathy taught Kindergarten at Sacred Heart School in Lombard. While taking time off to raise her children, she remained teaching as a Religious Education instructor.

Mrs. Smith has been the reading resource teacher at St. Mary of Gostyn for the past twelve years.  She loves working with students in a small group setting, getting to know them better and seeing their  development.

She is a strong believer in Catholic education. Cathy, her husband, and two children have all been products of elementary, high school, and college Catholic school education.