Dear St. Catherine of Siena Catholic School Families,

As we near the end of July, we are busy preparing SCS for the upcoming 2023-2024 school year. I am excited to inform our school community about staff changes and additions, as well as progress on the security measures we have been working on.

First, I would like to welcome Father Jeffrey Bowker! Father Jeffrey was most recently at Saint Theresa in Wilson. He served the Catholic community at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base in Greensboro, was the parochial vicar at Infant of Prague Catholic Church and School in Jacksonville and was hospital chaplain and vicar at Saint Gabriel Catholic Church in Greenville. Father also serves the Diocese as Director of Seminarian Formation. He is a native of Virginia and was the eighth of ten children in his family.

We would also like to welcome Father Agustín Sigaran. Father Agustin was most recently Parochial Vicar of Saint Mary, Mother of the Church Parish in Garner. He has also served at Holy Name of Jesus Cathedral in Raleigh. He is a priest of the Diocese of Zacatecoluca in El Salvador.

On the school side, Mrs. Langlois’ role as front lobby receptionist and administrative assistant will include screening and signing in all visitors with  our new visitor management system , “ Raptor Visitor Management”. This system will allow us to identify who is on campus. This system will instantly screen every visitor against government databases, including those with custody order and banned visitor status. In addition, we will be able to sync the new system with our current student information system to enable accurate student and guardian data, ensuring students are released only to approved guardians. 

All visitors will be required to sign in at the front reception desk in the lobby using their driver's license.  Once the license is scanned, a visitor badge will be printed with the visitor’s name and picture. Visitors will scan the badge when exiting the building allowing us to keep an accurate count of who is in the building.

Our security team has worked diligently to plan the campus enclosure with a fence. Currently, shrubbery and trees have been removed, the fence has been ordered and we are awaiting permits to install. I will update you as soon as possible regarding the date for installation.

Changes and additions to our staff this year include increased hours for Mrs. Alig, our resource teacher, allowing her to offer multi-tiered interventions to students who are struggling. Mrs. Saunders will continue to offer Library/Media to our lower grades in their classrooms (kindergarten through 2nd). In addition, Mrs. Saunders will collaborate with our 3rd through 5th grade teachers in planning and executing project-based unit learning in the classroom. I am also happy to announce, Mrs. Cortes, our new Spanish teacher will teach Spanish to grades Kindergarten through 8th! We also welcome back Mrs. Nugent who will serve as a teaching assistant to Mrs. Burns Pre-K 3 class. Lastly, Mrs. Lascano, teacher assistant in 1A, will serve as after-school care assistant to Mrs. Wenzel.

Our Kindergarten students will have a staggered entry, which means that only a few students at a time will attend school together, for one half day, for the first three days of school. This process gives the teachers time to greet and work with each child, calm fears, and give the initial set of kindergarten assessment screenings. Children will meet both kindergarten teachers and the teacher assistants, as well as a few classmates on this day. At the conclusion of staggered entry families will be notified of teacher assignments on Friday, August 18. The kindergarten team, in collaboration with myself, will create two well balanced classes prior to all students returning for their first full day of school together on Monday, August 21.  

This year 2nd and 3rd grade teachers will work together teaching leveled math and reading for their grades. This teaching model allows teachers to work together to support the diverse academic needs of our students. Our teachers will work in parallel, grouping students in reading and math which will enable them to differentiate instruction daily. Students will move between the two classrooms two times per day.

We cannot wait to welcome back our amazing families and students to another exciting year at St. Catherine of Siena Catholic school! As we prepare for this new year, we are filled with great enthusiasm and anticipation.

Our dedicated staff and supportive community are ready to embark on this journey together, creating a warm, Christian, loving environment where every student can thrive and grow.

Together, we will make this year a memorable one, filled with hope, love and charity and most importantly countless blessings!

In Christ,

Mrs. Catherine Schwarz

Principal

Please join me in welcoming our newest staff members!
Christine Anaya -  3^rd Grade Teacher

Originally from Ohio, Mrs. Anaya earned a BS in Education from Ohio University. Prior to staying home to raise her two children, she was a fourth-grade teacher at St. Mathias Catholic School in Columbus, Ohio, a third-grade teacher at St. Mary’s Catholic School in Wilmington, NC, and a third-grade teacher at a charter school in Charlotte, NC. Mrs. Anaya holds her NC. Certification. She, her husband, and their children are members of St. Catherine of Siena parish. She enjoys reading and spending time with family and friends. She is delighted to be part of the St. Catherine family.

Angela Wolfgang  - Music Teacher

Ms. Wolfgang is a children’s music specialist and certified public school music teacher in North Carolina with over 18 years of experience teaching children in public and private schools in the USA and Japan. She earned her Master of Music in Music Education from the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York, and her BS in Music Education at The Pennsylvania State University.

In NC, she’s taught in both Wake County Public Schools and Johnston County Public Schools as an elementary music teacher and chorus director with excellent reviews for ten years. During her work in Wake County, she led her chorus in the prestigious "Pieces of Gold' student talent showcase two years in a row, and her elementary school was voted "Best Magnet Elementary School in the USA”.

Ms. Wolfgang is an accomplished pianist and singer, having studied classical piano and voice throughout her life and has earned numerous awards for performance. She has also gained valuable experience in the recording industry as a professional singer/songwriter.

Connecting children and their families through music, movement and laughter is what she loves to do. Her classes have an upbeat flow and timing, while maintaining space for creativity and improvisation. Countless parents report their children have an increase in self-confidence and desire to perform after being a part of her class.
Mrs. Cortes  - Spanish Teacher

Mrs. Cortés is originally from Barcelona, Spain, and has lived in the United States for 23 years. Before she moved to North Carolina with her family, she taught in Pennsylvania for 17 years. She earned a BS in Special Education from University of Barcelona, and a master’s degree in teaching English to Students of Other Languages from LaSalle University. She is NC certified in Special Education, ESL, and Spanish.

Ms. Cortés has two daughters who also attend school at Saint Catherine’s. She loves spending time with her family and running.

“I am muy feliz to have the opportunity to work with the students and families of Saint Catherine’s! I am committed to aiding them in the wonderful journey of learning a Foreign Language.

Ms. Nguyen -  1^st Grade B Teacher Assistant

Ms. Nguyen was born and raised in Racine, Wisconsin. She holds a BS in General Business Administration from the University of Wisconsin-Stout. After working for several years, she decided to take some time off to raise her children. They are now in 8th and 10th grade. She has lived in Wake Forest with her family for 10 years and loves it. She is looking forward to joining the school and starting a new adventure!
Rogelio Raya – 8^th Grade

Mr. Raya was born and raised in Wilson, NC. He received his Associates of Art degree from Wilson Community College in 2016. He went on to priestly formation for four years at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary where he received his Bachelor of Art in Philosophy in 2020.

The following summer he completed a summer course at Creighton University in Omaha, NE which focused on priestly formation. In 2021, he taught 2nd and 4th grade religion at Our Lady of Grace Catholic School in Pendell, PA as part of seminary studies. That year he discerned the decision to not continue to become a priest and returned to North Carolina. The following year he met and proposed to his now fiancée.

He began work at St. Catherine of Siena Catholic Church and School in 2021 where he has taught Spanish and Latin in addition to Scripture for the last two years. He will transfer on to teach middle school ELA and 7th grade religion.