Diane Ramsperger M.Ed., Principal,Oregon Administrator
and Teaching License
Mrs. Diane has been the St Francis of Assisi school principal for the past four
years. She received her BS in Elementary Education from Kansas Newman
University and her Masters in Education, Cirriculum, and Instruction from the
University of Oregon in 1986. In addition to being certified in Administration,
Mrs. Ramsperger holds a State of Oregon teaching license with continuing
education in Admistration, Math, science, reading and cooperative learning.
Previous to being our Principal, Mrs. Ramsperger taught third grade at Oakridge
Elementary in Oakridge, Oregon where 90% of her class scored 50th percentile or
above in math and reading. Mrs. Ramperger was also the Principal of St Mary
Star of the Sea school in Astoria, Oregon.
Kindergarten Mrs. Melissa Boyles, M.Ed., Oregon Teaching
License
Mrs. Boyles was born and raised in
various parts of southern California. As far back as she can remember her
family visited Oregon at least one a year. When she graduated from high school,
she moved to Salem to attend Chemeketa Community College. Through Chemeketa she
received a full tuition scholarship to Delta State and then taught in the south
for two and one half years. She student taught kindergarten in the fall, sixth
grade in the spring and the following year taught the third grade full time at
the same school in Mississipi. The next year Mrs. Boyles moved to Tennessee
where she taught the second grade.
When Mr. and Mrs. Boyles moved to Oregon in 2003, Mrs. Boyles felt as though
she had finally moved back home. Mrs. Boyles has always loved working with
children and so being a teacher is a great choice for her. Mrs Boyles is a very
creative person who loves to do any kind of arts or crafts and who also loves
to cook. Her position at St Francis of Assisi Schoold teaching Kindergarten and
Art suit her perfectly.
First and Second Grades - Mrs. Christine Simon, M.Ed.
Oregon Teaching License
I am Patti Allen, the third and fourth grade teacher. This is my sixth year at
St. Francis of Assisi School. I am a graduate of Portland State University with
a BA in Elementary Education. Prior to coming to St. Francis, I taught in the
public schools. I also spent four years in the Navy stationed in Orlando,
Florida.
The students in the third and fourth grade step up into a whole new world of
responsibility. They use homework planners and keep a reading log. Some of the
classroom jobs extend beyond the classroom, such as recording the school lunch
count, ringing the bells for recess and dismissal, and helping the school
librarian. Many of the third and fourth graders become altar servers and enjoy
serving in Mass.
Every other year we study the Oregon Trail and the State of Oregon. We follow
up with a field trip to one of the Oregon Trail's historical locations. The
last couple of years we have made an Oregon quilt. The students work together
to earn one hundred marbles. When they do, it is time for a marble party. The
marble party is a thirty-minute student choice activity. Earning the marbles
takes working cooperatively.
I am privileged to work with the third and fourth grade students. They work
hard and are eager to learn new things. They are a joy to teach.
Mrs. Simon was born and raised in the
Porland area and has been a part of Catholic Education for 20 years. She
graduated from Gonzaga University with her teaching certificate and earned a
Masters of Education at Pacific University where she also earned her reading
endorsement. Mrs. Simon has taught at St Francis of Assisi School for four
years.
Third and Fourth Grades - Ms. Patti Allen, BA, Oregon
Teaching License
Fifth and Sixth Grades - Sr. Mary Peter Duyck, OSF, M.Ed.,
Oregon Teaching License
Sr. Mary Peter is a local gal who grew up on a dairy farm west of Hillsboro and went to school at St Matthew's. Sr. Mary Peter graduated from Hillsboro Union High School. She entered the convent in 1975 and attended numerous junior colleges in the Monterey and San Francisco Bay areas before focusing on a BA in natural Science at San Jose State University. She continued for another year to receive her teaching credential. Sr. Mary Peter received her M. Ed. from Franciscan University in Steubenville, Ohio.
Three elementary schools have been a place of full-time employment for Sr. Mary Peter: St John's school in King City, CA, Holy Cross School in Santa Cruz, CA, and Good Shepherd School also in Santa Cruz. Sr. Mary Peter likes teaching, especially the middle grades; she especially likes being in a school atmosphere.
In her free time Sr. Mary Peter likes working in the kitchen. She likes
to cook and breakfasts are her favorite to cook. Beyond cooking, Sr. Mary
Peter enjoys yardwork, gardening and smelt fishing. Her only problem is a
common one for us all; there just isn't enough time for all the activities she
enjoys doing. However Sr. Mary Peter says she isn't too worried
about that. If something is important, God will make sure she has
time. Sr. Mary Peter says, for her, listening to the Holy Spirit is key.
Seventh and Eighth Grades - Mrs. Mary VanLom,M.Ed., Oregon
Teaching License
Mrs. VanLom teaches our seventh and eighth grades. Marylhurst University is her alma mater where she majored in math and science and graduated with a BA. Mrs. VanLom minored in elementary education and theology and is a licensed teacher in the State of Oregon. She has a basic math endorsement as well as classes in teaching the disabled child and teaching reading for understanding from Portland State University.
Mrs. VanLom has basic knowledge of French, German and Latin. She has taken seven years of art and caligraphy classes at PCC. In her free time, Mrs. VanLom enjoys reading, quilting, music, gardening and volunteer work. She has volunteered her teaching skills at West Union school for three years teaching Art Literacy and two years teaching English as a Second Language at Centro Cultural. Mrs Van Lom has also taught CCD classes at St Matthew as well as fifth and seventh grade math.
In previous jobs Mrs. VanLom taught seventh grade at Coos Bay Catholic School in Coos Bay, Oregon and sixth grade at St Mary's in Eugene, Oregon.
Music, PE and Computers K-8 - Mrs. Mariana Knifer, M. Ed.,
Oregon Teaching License
Mrs. Knifer can remember being involved in music and physical
activity since she was a child. Growing up with four older brothers will
keep any young girl active, especially since she spent all her waking hours
trying to keep up with them. She began playing the piano at five and took
lessons until junior high. She began trumpet studies in the fifth grade
and pursued it all the way through college where she attended on a music
scholarship for all four years, playing principal trumpet in the Grand Ronde
Symphony at Eastern Oregon State University. Mrs. Knifer received her Bachelors
Degree in Music with a minor in Education from EOSU. Mrs. Knifer began her
teaching career in McMinnville, Oregon, teaching music and PE. She received her
Physical Education endorsement by passing the National Teacher's Exam that
same first year of teaching.
The following year Mrs. Knifer returned to
school and received a Master's Degree in Special Education. Mrs
Knifer has taught Special Education in the Tigard-Tualatin School District and
then at Banks Junior High and High School before taking time off to have her
first child. St Francis is now Mrs. Knifer's school where she has taught
for the past four years. In her free time, Mrs Knifer is involved in
music everywhere. She directs the "Everbody's Home Town Band" community
band and her church choir. She is involved in a mom's Bible study and
play group and participates in plays and other celebrations at her church as
well. To stay in shape Mrs. Knifer runs and goes to Curves for
exercise. She has also acheived a personal goal she set for herself back
in high school when she ran in the Portland Marathon. Mrs. Knifer feels
it is important to live what she teaches as an example of faith to her
students. She has been at St Francis of Assisi School for four years.