School Staff - Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish

Photo	Position	Bio	E-mail
	Teacher	Mrs. Maurine Schneider is in her third year at Immaculate Heart of Mary and in her ninth year of teaching. She teaches seventh and eighth grade math and seventh grade religion. She earned a bachelor and masters degree at Michigan State University. She loves to spend time with her immediate family and staying active.
	Principal	Mrs. Vafadari has been the Principal at IHM since 2004. She graduated from Arizona State University with a Bachelor Degree in Secondary Education and Business Education. She received her Masters Degree from the University of Texas in Arlington in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, and is currently enrolled at Western Michigan University in the PhD. program in Educational Leadership and Research. Mrs. Vafadari's experience consists of high school, middle school, and elementary school. She has coached 8th grade basketball and volleyball in the Fort Worth Public Schools and was an advisor for the Future Business Leaders of America student organization. While teaching in Fort Worth, Texas, she received the "Outstanding Teacher of the Year" award after only four years of teaching. While attending the University of Texas, she received the "University Scholar for Academic Excellence" award.
	Administrator Assistance
	Art	I believe that every child is an artist, with a unique talent and spirit waiting to be shared with the world. My hope has always been to help each artist to discover his or hergifts, to be inspired by the beauty of the world we have been given and to find joy in the process of creation. Childhood: Cleveland Heights, Ohio Education: Regina High School BFA: St. Mary's College, Notre Dame, Indiana Family: Married to Dan Diedrich for 37 years - three sons Work History: 1972-74: St. Maria Gorgetti School - Uganda: Reaching Art & Religion 1974-2009: Graphic & Ceramic Artist, Book Illustration 1980-97: Adjunct Professor, Kendall College of Art & design. 1985-2009: Art teacher, Immaculate Heart of Mary School Honors: "Excellence in teaching," of the year award, 2003. Thank you for sharing your young artists with me for all these years.
	LD Specialist	When I started working I was self employed for a corporation called Learning Disabilities. I had an office and worked with children and adults doing assessment and remediation. I received a call from the principle of I.H.M. in the 80's wondering if I would be interested in starting a resource room at I.H.M. I was and did. I have since been working at I.H.M. and have expanded the special education program yearly. I graduated from Calvin College with a B.A. in Fine Arts and a master's degree in learning disabilities. I was fortunate as my mentor in the master's program was the "mother" of the learning disabilities movement. She was an awesome instructor. I am a member of the council for Exceptional Children (qualifying for a certification as a special educator), Learning Disabilities Association (serving on the board in Grand Rapids). I absolutely love my job, the kids I work with, their families and the professionals I come in contact with. Service to God is my purpose at I.H.M. and in my life.
	Librarian	Mrs. McDermott has been enjoying herself in the IHM Library since 1994. She earned her B.A. degree (English) from Aquinas College. She is a member of the Michigan Catholic Library Association, Michigan Reading Association and Kent Reading Council. Her hobby is, of course, reading.
	Secretary	Colleen is the Secretary at Immaculate Heart of Mary School. She has been a part of the school staff since 2000--first as a preschool teacher's aide, then lower elementary teacher's aide then her current position as Secretary. She is the adoring spouse to Jay Lowe; is mother to Nate (senior at CC), and Mitch (Sophomore at CC) and daughter of Ann and Ted Holmes (also members of IHM Parish.)
	Technology	Mr. Friederichs, a graduate of Aquinas College (B.S. Business Administration: concentrating computers & business), received his first teaching assignment at Bishop Foley Catholic High School in Madison Heights, MI in January of 2005. He married his college sweetheart in 2006 and received the opportunity to teach at IHM. Currently he is pursuing his masters in school counseling form Grand Valley State University.
	Pre-School	Mrs. Meredith Tallman began teaching at Immaculate Heart of Mary Preschool in 2008. She attended the University of Michigan where she received her degree in Education with an Endorsement in Early Childhood Education. She is currently attending Grand Valley State University for her Master's in Early Childhood Education. Prior to teaching at Immaculate Heart of Mary she taught for 6 years at Corpus Christi Catholic School in Holland, Michigan. There she taught 4th and 5th grades. Mrs. Tallman enjoys reading, being with family and friends, and anything U of M - Go Blue!!
	Kindergarten	Mrs. Sova attended Western Michigan University and received her degree in Elementary Education with a minor in Creative Arts in 1998. She also has her Early Childhood endorsement. She earned her masters in Literacy Studies (otherwise known as Reading), again from Western Michigan University, in 2008. She started teaching at Immaculate Heart of Mary in the fall of 1999. She taught 2nd grade for four years and part-time 4th grade for one year before beginning to teach Kindergarten. She enjoys readng, running, scrapbooking, and spending time with her family.
	Kindergarten Enrichment	Mrs. Dorothy Remington has been teaching at Immaculate Heart of Mary School since 2004. She taught fourth grade for three years, then began teaching kindergarten, which she has been doing since then. An Aquinas College graduate, she has always felt that Catholic schools make all the difference in quality education. She received her Bachelor's Degree in Reading and Art, and is currently working on her Master's Degree at Aquinas College in Early Childhod Education and Language Arts. She feels very blessed to be a part of this community, and to have the opportunity to work with so many wonderful children, families, and colleagues. A mother of three young daughters, she also enjoys reading, painting, and being with her family.
	1st Grade	Mrs. Patti Peltier attended Western Michigan University and received a Bachelor of Arts degree with an English major and an Elementary Education minor. She currently has 28 Graduate Credits in Reading from WMU and has attended numerous classes and workshops including Handwriting Without Tears, Zoo-Phonics, and Capturing Kids' Hearts. Mrs. Peltier started teaching at Immaculate Heart of Mary School in 1990 and absolutely loves everything about IHM! She thinks she has the best job in the world! Mrs. Peltier enjoys children's literature, reading, bookstores, MSU sports, coffee, and most of all, her family!
	1st Grade	Mrs. Dawn Stockholm is a graduate of Grand Valley State University and has a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Social Science and Elementary Education. She recently went back to Grand Valley and earned an endorsement in Early Childhood. She began teaching at Immaculate Heart of Mary in 1992 when she started the preschool program. In the fall of 2005 she began teaching first grade - which she loves! Her hobbies are reading, gardening and spending time with her family!
	2nd Grade	Mrs. Host began teaching at Immaculate Heart of Mary in 2006. She graduated from Saint Mary's College, Notre Dame with a B.A. in Elementary Education and a minor in Communicative Disorders. She's currently pursuing a Masters Degree in the Art of Teaching with a Language Arts Endorsement from Aquinas College.
	2nd Grade	Mrs. Polakovich has been teaching at I.H.M. since 2006. She graduated from Grand Valley State University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Sciences and Elementary Education. She received her Master’s Degree in the Art of Teaching from Marygrove College, Detroit. Mrs. Polakovich taught 4th. 5th, and 3rd grades in Howell, MI before returning to the Grand Rapids area with her husband. Her husband is a graduate of IHM and Catholic Central and their two sons now attend IHM.
	3rd Grade	Mr. Tim Aksamitowski earned his BA degree in Social Sciences and Elementary Education from Grand Valley State University. He has since taken graduate degree courses at CMU, MSU, and GVSU. Most of these courses have been in Reading Instruction and Child Development. Mr. Aksamitowski began his teaching career at Ss. Peter & Paul Academy in Ionia, Michigan. There he had the opportunity to teach various grade levels, from first through fifth grades. Mr. Aksamitowski came to teach at Immaculate Heart of Mary School in 1988. He has taught first through third grades here.
	3rd Grade	Beth Spreitzer has been teaching at Immaculate Heart of Mary since 2006. She also taught at Corpus Christi Catholic School in Holland, where she lives with her husband, Phil, and youngest son, Daniel. She has two older sons, Mark and John, who are attending CMU and WMU respectively. Mrs. Spreitzer graduated from Grand Valley State University with a B.A. in social studies with a history emphasis, and elementary education. She is currently seeking her Master’s Degree in differentiated instruction. Mrs. Spreitzer has been involved in her church by serving as a catechist, Eucharistic minister, marriage sponsor and presenter, wedding coordinator, VBS coordinator, and serving on the CCCS board of education. Mrs. Spreitzer loves teaching third grade!
	4th Grade	Ms. Annette Crimmins has been teaching at Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic School since 2005 Taught 3rd and 4th grades Three sons, Charlie, Adam, and Brian, and one daughter, Meghan Lives in Holland, Michigan Graduated from Grand Valley State University in 2004 with a B.A., majoring in English with a Language Arts emphasis, and a minor in Elementary Education Received a K-8 provisional teaching certificate in 2004, and a professional teaching certificate in 2009 from the state of Michigan Member of Sigma Tau Delta, International English Honor Society Member of the International Reading Association Certified in (MMLP), Michigan Literacy Progress Profile Certified in CPR, American Red Cross Currently working toward Masters in the Art of Teaching at Aquinas College Licensed Dental Hygienist, State of Michigan, Board of Dentistry Worked for 20 years as a registered dental hygienist in the Holland area Taught religious education at Our Lady of the Lake parish in Holland for 10 years Interests include spending with family and friends, golf, reading, baking, and walking along the shore of Lake Michigan
	4th Grade - Aide
	5th Grade	Mrs. Heintz, a graduate of Central Michigan University, began teaching at Immaculate Heart of Mary in 1996. Teaching math part-time for 7th and 8th graders was her first assignment. She continued teaching Math with Junior High students but added a variety of other areas. She has taught 7th grade Religion, a Junior High Speech Elective, 6th grade Math, 4th grade Math, Social Studies, Religion and English. Mrs. Heintz and her husband have been members at Immaculate Heart of Mary since 1978. They have 4 children who attended Immaculate Heart of Mary and Catholic Central. Mrs. Heintz enjoys reading and walking in her spare time.
	5th Grade	Ms. Karen Soules attended Grand Valley State University where she received her Bachelor’s of Science Degree. She has been teaching at Catholic Schools for 30 years. Ms. Soules joined the IHM staff in August 2006. She is an avid biker, runner, and tennis player. In her down times, enjoys reading and going on long walks with her two dogs.
	6th Grade	My Name is Josephine Savillo and I have been an educator for almost 14 and 1/2 years. I graduated in 1995 from GVSU, with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in English Language and Literature/Elementary Education. In 2003, I completed my Master of Arts Degree in Reading from Western Michigan University. I am a member of Pi Lambda Theta, an education honor society, and MACUL (Michigan Association of Computer Users and Learners. I received WGVU's "Cool Teacher" award in 2002, and was also nominated for Disney's Oustanding Educator of the Year. In my free time, I enjoy traveling, scrap-booking, and spending time with family and friends. I am deeply dedicated to my Cathoilic faith and a member of Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish.
	6th Grade & AD	Darren was raised in Westphalia, MI as a member of St. Mary’s Parish. He enjoys playing music, fishing, hunting, and playing sports. Darren is excited to be a part of Immaculate Heart of Mary. Darren graduated from Central Michigan University in 2008 with a BS in Elementary Education with minors in Integrated Science, Geography, and Physical Education. Darren began his teaching career at Riverside Middle School in New Castle, CO as a sixth grade Science and Social Studies teacher and an athletic coach. Darren did his student teaching in 2008 at DeWitt Herbison Woods School where he taught sixth grade Math and Science. Darren also serves as the IHM Athletic Director.
	7th Grade	Scott Czarnopys is currently teaching Science and Literature to our seventh and eighth graders and is also one of the seventh grade homeroom teachers. Scott is in his second year at Immaculate Heart of Mary and has been teaching since 2005. He is a graduate of Grand Valley State University where he obtained his highly qualified teaching certificate in Integrated Science. He is currently continuing his education and is pursuing his Masters in Educational Leadership. When Scott is not in school he enjoys to play basketball and baseball with his childhood friends.
	7th Grade	Mrs. Maurine Schneider is in her third year at Immaculate Heart of Mary and in her ninth year of teaching. She teaches seventh and eighth grade math and seventh grade religion. She earned a bachelor and masters degree at Michigan State University. She loves to spend time with her immediate family and staying active.
	8th Grade	Mrs. Foote attended GVSU and earned a BA in Language Arts and Elementary Education. She has also taken graduate level classes at WMU, MSU, and GVSU. Mrs. Foote started her teaching career in 1982 after serving as a Religious Education Director for three years. During her career at IHM, she has taught 4th – 8th grades. Mrs. Foote, her husband Steve, and their sons live in Caledonia where she enjoys gardening, reading, and spending time with her family.
	8th Grade	Mrs. Perry is a graduate of Central Michigan University and Grand Valley State University. She has her bachelors of Science in Education from CMU with a masters in Social Studies. From GVSU she earned her Masters in Education with a History emphasis. Mrs. Perry has been teaching since 1999 and has been a member of the Immaculate Heart of Mary staff since 2005.