St. Joseph's Parish
Contact Us

ST JOSEPH'S FACULTY BIOS

Administration: Mr. O'Loughlin, Principal principal@stjos.org
Michael O'Loughlin pursued the filthy lucre of administration after teaching English for 20 years in middle and high schools and at the college level. Despite earning Master's degrees in Education and Educational Administration, he gives the most credit for his background to the "school of hard knocks," raising seven children. 

Pre-Kindergarten: Mrs. Russo prek@stjos.org
Mrs. Russo has a B.S. in Accounting from the University of Maryland and pre-kindergarten certification from Howard Community College. She has been working at St. Joseph's School for four years.
                            Teacher's Aide: Ms. Lila Alexander has worked as a Teacher's Aide for 5 years, and also was a substitute teacher for grades Pre-K through 5th grade at St. Joseph's School. Prior to providing support to St. Joseph's, she served as a substitute teacher for 7 years in the PG County school system. She is certified in CPR and First Aid Treatment. 

Kindergarten: Mrs. Nolan kindergarten@stjos.org
Mrs. Nolan graduated from Georgian Court University in Lakewood, NJ with a BA/BS in elementary education and philosophy and has been with St. Joseph's School for over 40 years.
                            Teacher's Aide: Ms. Amy Sarkar joins our faculty after working in Clemencia Amir's After Care Program, following her certification in Child Care/Child Development, CPR and First Aid through the University of Maryland. She will be assisting Eileen Nolan in Kindergarten.

First Grade: Ms. Duckett grade1@stjos.org
Mrs. Duckett received Bachelor of Science degree from Clarion University of Pennsylvania's School of Education. She also received a BA in Psychology in 1980. She worked in the Philadelphia school system for six years before moving to Maryland with her family. Mrs. Duckett has worked first as a kindergarten teacher and then a first grade teacher for the past 11 years, with the Archdiocese of Washington. 

Second Grade: Mrs. Altemus grade2@stjos.org
Mrs. Altemus received her BA degree from the Catholic University of America and served as Title I Teacher at Adelphi Elementary School from 1995 to1997. After that, she served as Inclusion Teacher for the Lt. Joseph P. Kennedy Institute at St. Camillus School from 1997 to 2001. She went on to become a 3rd grade teacher at St. Camillus School from 2001 to 2003 and has now served as 2nd grade teacher here at St. Joseph's School since 2003.

Third Grade: Ms. Russo grade3@stjos.org
Mrs. Russo received a BS in Early Childhood Education from the University of Maryland. She began her career in 1994 at St. Joseph's School as the second grade teacher. Later, she was the 4th grade instructor at St. Mary's of the Assumption School in Largo. In August 2006 she returned "home" as our 3rd grade teacher. 

Fourth Grade: Ms. O'Brien grade4@stjos.org
Ms. O'Brien received her Bachelor of Science degree in Education from the University of Maryland. She worked as a Pre-Kindergarten teacher for 13 years. She also worked in St. Joseph's Extended Care Program. This is her first year teaching fourth grade at St. Joseph's School.

Fifth Grade: Mrs. Montoya grade5@stjos.org
Mrs. Montoya received her Bachelor of Science degree from the University of New Mexico College of Education in 1995. Her teaching experience began at Queen of Heaven Elementary School in Albuquerque New Mexico during the 1995-1996 school year. She expanded her experience by working with the Human Ecology Department at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore. While teaching early childhood education from 1996-1999, she earned a Master's degree in early childhood education from Salisbury State University in 1998. She has been with St. Joseph's School since August, 2000.

Sixth Grade: Ms. Altemus grade6@stjos.org
Ms. Altemus received her Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Maryland. This is her 2nd year at St. Joseph's. She currently teaches 6th, 7th, and 8th English and Religion, and also coordinates our school Safety Patrol Program. 

Seventh Grade: Mr. Brock  grade7@stjos.org
Mr. Brock is a first year teacher, teaching the 6th, 7th, and 8th grades in History and Literature. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in History from the University of Maryland. He has worked as a Teacher's Assistant (Rock Creek Academy) and in locales as diverse as Miami (FL) and Bethesda (MD), coaching lacrosse and football..

Eighth Grade: Mrs. Pappas grade8@stjos.org
Mrs. Pappas received her Bachelor of Science degree in elementary & middle school curriculum from Frostburg State University. She has held the post of 7th grade teacher at St. Joseph's School since January, 2004. Before that, she held several positions in the Childtime Learning Centers including director of the Childtime Learning Center in Columbia, the east region training manager for the Childtime Learning Center, and the director of Childtime Learning Center in Baltimore and Washington. School year 2007-2008 she will be teaching 8th grade.

Office Staff : Mrs. Gaddi & Mrs. Stock  schooloffice@stjos.org

Algebra: Mrs. Clark  algebra@stjos.org
Ms. Clark graduated from the University of Maryland in 1989, with a BS degree in Marketing and minor in Math. She joins us after spending four years at St. Ambrose Catholic School where she worked as a Teacher's Assistant and Science/Social Studies teacher for junior high school students. 

Art: Mrs. Dyer art@stjos.org
Mrs. Dyer received her B.A. in sculpture from Florida State University. She attended graduate school at the University of Alabama and Tulane University. This is her 20th year of teaching art at St. Joseph's School.

Band: Mr. Martens pfmartens@verizon.net 
Mr. Martens received his Bachelor of Science degree in Music Education K-12 from Messiah College, Grantham PA, in 1977.  He began teaching at St. Joseph's School in September 1981.  Since then he has led the band to consistent "Superior" ratings at the Archdiocesan Band Festival, and in 1997 the band was named "The Outstanding Catholic Elementary School Band in the United States" in a tape festival sponsored by the National Catholic Bandmasters Association. He is in his 27th year of teaching at St. Joseph's.

Library: Mrs. Clark  library@stjos.org
Please see Algebra above.

Music: Ms. Lant  music@stjos.org
Ms. Lant joins us as an "émigré" from Indiana University where she recently completed a Master's degree in Violin. She became a nationally recognized Concerto Violinist while teaching for three years in the Suzuki Talent Education program. Ms. Lant is currently pursuing her doctorate at the University of Maryland, College Park, where she also works as a Teaching Assistant. 

Physical Education : Mr. Murray pe@stjos.org
Mr. Murray received his B.S. degree from East Carolina University. He worked for 2 years for Prince Georges County Public Schools. This is his 4th year teaching at St. Joseph's School. He also teaches at St. Mary's in Rockville. Mr. Murray also coaches swimming at St. John's College High School and in the local community.

Resource: Mrs. O'Brien resource@stjos.org
Mrs. O'Brien received her BS in Elementary Education, K-8, from Syracuse University. She taught 5th and 6th grade Reading and Science at St. Joseph's before becoming their Resource Teacher in 1988. She received her Masters degree in Reading and Learning Disabilities from Trinity University. Mrs. O'Brien has been at St. Joseph's for over 20 years and was our Teacher of the Year in 2006. 

Spanish Teacher: Ms. Bowie soniabowie@yahoo.com 
Mrs. Bowie  was an attendee of St. Joseph's School and Good Counsel High School. She completed BA and MS degrees at the University of Maryland. After receiving her Certificate of Executive Management in Georgetown University, Ms. Bowie filled many roles in youth development including Director of Youth Services (Nat. Recreation & Parks Assoc.), Exec. Director of the MD Rec. & Parks Assoc., Juvenile Counselor (Dept. of Juvenile Justice, PG County), and Victim's/Witness Advocate (MD State's Attorney's Office). Ms. Bowie won the title of Miss Maryland 2000, competed in the Miss America Pageant, and traveled the country, speaking about "Empowering Youth Through Character Development."

Technology: Mrs. Dhanagom technology@stjos.org
Having had a Bachelors Degree in Commercial Art--working with graphic design, and also taking advanced math courses, Mrs. Dhanagom was further interested in delving more into computers and technology. Having earned her certification in Computers from Bowie State University, and come to teach at St. Joseph's, she has continued to advance in technological courses throughout the 5 past years of teaching here at St. Joseph's School. 

Pre-K
Kindergarten
First Grade
Second Grade
Third Grade
Fourth Grade
Fifth Grade
Sixth Grade
Seventh Grade
Eighth Grade