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Light of christ instructors and staff
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officelightofchristacademy.orgOffice Administrator -
cschaefferlightofchristacademy.orgUpper Academy Instructor -
athibodeauxlightofchristacademy.orgUpper Academy Instructor -
alaruelightofchristacademy.orgUpper Academy Instructor -
michelleglightofchristacademy.orgUpper Academy Instructor -
pguldenzophlightofchristacademy.orgMusic Instructor -
montessorilightofchristacademy.orgMontessori Guide -
officelightofchristacademy.orgMontessori Assistant -
officelightofchristacademy.orgMontessori Assistant -
tkovaciclightofchristacademy.orgMontessori and Classical Assistant -
Everyone's Friend
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Fr. Francis Marotti, STL
Fr. Marotti is Pastor of St Ann Parish, as well as a teacher at of Light of Christ Academy. He received his undergraduate degree (B.A. Liberal Arts) at Thomas Aquinas College in California, one of the first colleges in the United States with an integrated Classical Great Books curriculum. After graduation, he taught high school philosophy and theology for a year, before heading to Rome for priestly formation. After receiving his S.T.B. in Theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University, he was ordained in 2012 for the Diocese of Kalamazoo. After serving as a high school chaplain and teacher for three more years, he returned overseas and received an S.T.L. in Dogmatic Theology from the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas. He teaches philosophy and theology, as well as leading a Great Books seminar and helping augment the classical curriculum.
Contact: frmarotti@stannaugusta.org
Deacon Mike Carl
Deacon Michael received a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from Western Michigan University in 1980, and on September 8, 2012, was ordained a Permanent Deacon in the Diocese of Kalamazoo. He has been a member of St Ann Catholic Parish for over 48 years. He and his wife Mary have four children and five grandchildren. His granddaughter has been a student at our school for three years. Deacon Mike has been instrumental in the building renovations and maintenance to house our school. He has been employed by the Catholic Church as a parish administrator for 12 years following a thirty-three-year career in manufacturing.
Contact: deaconmike@stannaugusta.org
Carrie Jewett, Principal/Upper Academy Instructor
Carrie has had the great privilege of teaching at Vineyard Academy since its founding 23 years ago. She has taught third through eighth grade over those years. Much of that time, she has served as the Dean of Studies, a role which focuses on working to train teachers, safeguarding the Catholic identity and culture in the school, and strengthening the curriculum. She has served as principal for the last several years.
She is a devout, practicing Catholic, with a great love for God and the Church, and has a longstanding involvement in her home parish (First sacrament catechist, RCIA leader, youth program director, parish council, EME, lector, liturgy committee, adult catechesis). She is a proud mom, and grandmother, and has a great love for children.
She attended Diocesan Catholic schools – St. Joseph and graduated from St. Philip Catholic Central in Battle Creek. She is a graduate of Michigan State University with a Bachelor’s degree in Communication Arts and Sciences. Her teaching credentials were earned at Western Michigan University with a focus on Math/Science Teaching, Elementary Education, and Language Arts. Her advanced studies have focused on Curriculum Development and Educational Leadership studies.
Contact: principal@lightofchristacademy.org
Tracy Mannes, Dean of Montessori/Lead Guide
Tracy Mannes received her AMS primary diploma from Adrian Dominican Montessori Teacher Institute in 2015 and her bachelor of fine arts from WMU in 1992 in the areas of English and Spanish with a creative writing emphasis. She has always been involved in the education of children, first as a volunteer focusing on reading and phonemic awareness. Then for 8 years as a special education paraprofessional specializing in Autism Spectrum Disorder. She has been at St. Ann since 2014 and is currently Dean of Montessori studies. She is happy that she is able to share with her students this holistic approach to education serving 3-6-year-olds’ mind, body, soul, and spirit. She enjoys sharing her love of reading, literature, and poetry with children. She is also a certified level 1 Catechesis of the Good Shepherd teacher and has a love for teaching the Catholic faith to children. In her free time, she enjoys gardening, fishing in Canada, and spending time with her family and her dog.
Contact: montessori@lightofchristacademy.org
Alane Fifelski, Dean of Students/Instructor
"I want to love Christ as I should". Alane grew up with great examples of this motto and she wants to live it herself. She has been assisting in the education of children since 1993. She helped launch and oversaw the Vineyard Academy community of learning to assist families to grow closer to Christ through the education of their children.
In this work of education, she is able to put at the service of the Church her:- background in art: Graduate of Kendall College of Art and Design.
- desire to serve: Graduate of Ministry Formation Diocese of Kalamazoo
- experience: 12 years as a Catechist
- on-going education: 8 years of summer institutes in school leadership and spiritual formation.
- and indeed, her love of family as a daughter, sister, wife, mother, aunt, and grandmother.
Contact: afifelski@lightofchristacademy.org