Staff

Hope Andras received her Bachelor of Science Degree in Management from the University of New Orleans.  While living in Louisiana, she worked as a Special Education Paraprofessional in the public school system and also held positions as a preschool teacher at St. Timothy’s and at the First Baptist Child Development Center.  She joined Prince of Peace Parish in 2015.  She enjoys teaching children about God and his great love for them.

Connie Angstadt is a graduate of East Stroudsburg University in Pennsylvania with a Bachelor of Science in Special Education. She is certified to teach ages birth through twenty-one years. At Samford University, she received a Master of Education in School Administration. Growing up in Clarks Green, Pennsylvania, she attended Our Lady of Peace Catholic School. Previous professional experience includes teaching middle school students at Friendship House Day Treatment Center where she also worked as a psycho-education specialist. At Haverford High School in Philadelphia, Mrs. Angstadt created and implemented a work study program for her students. At Highland Park School in New Jersey, she taught middle school and assisted in school curriculum development.

Despite numerous family relocations, she continued to exhibit her passion for continuing her education by taking courses at schools such as Villanova and St. Joseph’s University. Upon moving to Alabama, she worked at the Early Intervention Center for Infants and Toddlers in Jasper. In Birmingham, she taught preschool for five years at Hunter Street Baptist Church, then served as the Director of Preschool at Bluff Park Methodist Church. In 2000, she opened Adventure Ark Playschool and Prince of Peace Catholic School. For over twenty years, through her role as principal, she has dedicated herself to implementing her school vision and to continuing school growth to meet the ever-evolving needs of the community. She and her family have been active members of the Prince of Peace Church community for over twenty years.

Debby Arnold is a graduate of Samford University where she received her Master’s in Elementary Education. She joined the Prince of Peace teaching family in 2009 after having taught at St. James in Gadsden, Alabama. Her enthusiasm for teaching can be detected a mile away. Perhaps her greatest teaching talent is her ability to truly discover each child's deepest love and foster opportunities for that interest to be developed to an even deeper level.

Melissa Atchley joined the Prince of Peace middle school team in August 2018. She has been with the Diocese of Birmingham since August 2016, serving as the middle school English teacher at St. Aloysius in Bessemer until its closing. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from Mississippi State University, and she also holds a Bachelor of Arts in English from Ole Miss. Ms. Atchley currently teaches 6th grade English, 6th grade Technology, 7th-8th grade Creative Writing, and serves as an 8th grade Homeroom and Religion/Confirmation teacher. She strives to make reading enjoyable for all students through arts integration and submerging her classes into the world of their stories. She also serves Prince of Peace as the co-director for Musical Theater, the Yearbook elective advisor, and the middle school retreat coordinator. She attends St. Aloysius Catholic Church where she is a member of the choir, as well as a cantor.

Jim Atkinson, a retired Civil Engineer, has been a member of the Prince of Peace family since the late 1980’s. Jim, his wife Roberta, and their children were among the founding members of the congregation.  He recalls how the church met in an office building in Bluff Park, Alabama, while plans for the current Church location were in their infancy. Jim served the parish as Chairperson of the Building Committee at that time and continued to lead the building efforts as the parish expanded its campus and opened its school.

In 2015 Jim oversaw the design and building of the Middle School building with state-of-the art safety features and energy efficient systems. Just this year, Jim oversaw the building of the newest addition that houses the priests' offices, enclosed bridge, new bathrooms, and new tech lab incorporating the newest technology advances. Jim continues to support the church and is an active part of the school community.

Patti Baggette brings 34 years of teaching experience to POP, serving children/students of various exceptionalities, as well as conducting psychological evaluations for initial referrals, reevaluations, and gifted referrals. She has a BS degree in Special Education (MR) from the University of North Carolina-Pembroke and a MA degree in Special Education from the University of Alabama –Birmingham with additional certification in the area of School Psychometry. She loves the opportunity to teach a diverse group of students, while at the same time instilling faith in the minds of all students.

Rachel joined Prince of Peace in 2012 teaching middle school math courses 1 and 3. She has a Bachelors in Marketing, a Masters in Early Childhood and Elementary Education and Middle School Math Certification from University of Alabama - Birmingham. Rachel has a strong desire to help children learn and make a difference. She instills a love of math in all her students.

Kristi Bauer is a graduate of both the University of Alabama where she received a B.A. in Psychology and Jacksonville State University where she received a B.S. in Nursing. She graduated from Edgewood Academy in Elmore, and is a licensed RN. Prior to working at Prince of Peace, she worked at Bradford Healthside/Parkside, in the Extended Care Unit of Shelby Baptist, at Children’s Hospital telephone triage, and South Shelby Family Medical. Through her healthcare experience and being the mother of three, she gained a great appreciation for working with children and provides a cheerful, compassionate atmosphere for all who visit the health room.

Lynn Bertolini is a graduate of the University of Alabama at Birmingham where she received both a Bachelor of Science in Business Management and a Master of Business Administration. She is a long-time member of the Catholic Diocese of Birmingham, attended Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic School, and graduated from John Carroll High School. In 2006, Lynn joined the Prince of Peace family as the school secretary and in 2012 moved to the position of bookkeeper. In 2017 Lynn began managing the finances of both the church and school as Finance Manager. She works meticulously at creating an office environment that attends promptly to the needs of each individual, while never underestimating the role of humor in brightening everyone’s day.

Shannon joined the Prince of Peace team in 2016 teaching Middle School Art I and II. Prior to coming to POP, she taught at St. Peter’s Episcopal School in Chattanooga, TN. Shannon has a Bachelor of Fine arts with a major in Painting and Minor in Drawing from the University of Evansville in Indiana. She also has a Masters in Education focusing on Adult Learning and Development from Cleveland State University in Ohio.

Kaitlyn Brown joined the Prince of Peace middle school team in January 2017. She has over 10 years of experience teaching the middle grades both here and in Nashville, Tennessee.  She has taught Spanish to grades 5-8 and 6-8th grade math. She currently teaches the 7th and 8th grade Course 3 Math classes as well as 7th grade Religion and Civics/Geography. Mrs. Brown has both her Bachelor and Master's degrees from Lipscomb University. She brings with her the ability to make all students learn to laugh at themselves and to feel comfortable in a math classroom. She has been a parishioner of our parish since childhood and is also a Prince of Peace parent.

Laura Brown is a graduate of Spring Hill College where she received a Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood Education. Her graduate work was completed at the University of Montevallo where she received a Master’s degree in Elementary Education. She is also a graduate of McGill-Toolen Catholic High School. Mrs. Brown loves technology and mentors fellow teachers on its use in classroom curriculum. Cursive and study of the sacraments are prominent in her classroom. Students also create a structured piece of writing every week in her class and enjoy the daily writer’s workshop they experience. Students are soothed by the classical music filling her room, “obsessed” with her literature circles, and engaged with the her hands-on math centers.

Julie Buttrey is a native of New Orleans, LA, and has lived in Birmingham with her family since 1995. She holds a Bachelor's in Elementary Education from Troy State University and has been teaching for more than twenty years. Julie is very passionate about passing on the Catholic faith to her students and her own children. In both her home and the classroom, Julie recognizes that God did not make us the same and her compassionate teaching style helps children learn to accept each other’s differences, finding success through trial and error. She successfully helps her students recognize their individual gifts while growing into the person God intended them to be. When Julie is not teaching early elementary classes she spends time with her own large family of seven children playing games, baking, and simply being together.

Debbie Calvert is a graduate of the University of Mississippi with a Bachelor's Degree in Social Work. She also earned a Master’s Degree in Social Work from the University of Alabama. Debbie’s previous professional experience includes working with children and adolescents at Hill Crest Hospital and teaching middle school social studies at St. Pius X Catholic School in El Paso, Texas. She joined the Prince of Peace teaching family in 2009 in the role of instructional support. Currently, Debbie is the assistant principal and runs the Middle School House Program. She especially enjoys having the opportunity to work in an environment in which she is able to incorporate Christian values into her work.

Jen Carter joined the Prince of Peace preschool in September 2018. She has over five years experience teaching preschool. Ms. Carter has a Bachelor's degree from Samford University in Child Development and Family Studies with a concentration in Child Life. She has a passion for teaching young children and enjoys being a part of the Prince of Peace family. Ms. Carter is very committed to her students and their families. She strives to help them learn new concepts and with the transition into the school environment. Ms. Carter attends Dawson Memorial Baptist Church and has been a life long member.

Mr. Doss serves as the President of Prince of Peace School and as the Operations Business Manager for the Parish. He joined Prince of Peace in May 2017 after wrapping up a successful 33-year career at the American Cancer Society as the Mid-South Division’s senior-most staff executive.  In that position, he held responsibility for driving development and implementation of the Society's mission and income strategies across six states.  Under his leadership, the Mid-South Division served over 59,000 cancer patients and caregivers; engaged thousands of volunteers to support community-based programs; inspired and equipped hundreds of companies to provide healthy workplaces; and raised $53 million annually to support the many programs of the Society.

As a lifelong Catholic and resident of the Birmingham area, Kelly has been extremely active in his parish and has served as parish finance chairman, PSR teacher, Eucharistic minister, reader, and also serves as a member of the Parish Council and choir.           

He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from the University of Alabama in Birmingham and has taken several post graduate business courses. He is also a past board member of several non-profit organizations.  Kelly and his wife Carla have three grown children and three granddaughters.

Laurie Dunn is passionate about teaching children to become independent, lifelong learners, with a love and respect for God and each other. She brings over 30 years of experience to POP and holds a Bachelor's and Master's Degree in Education from The University of Alabama, with Certificates in Special Education, Elementary Education K-6, and Science 4-8. She received National Board Certification (Middle Child Generalist) in 2009. Laurie strives to help children become aware of their own learning styles and be self-sufficient in the classroom. She sees value in setting high expectations for her students, and understands the perspective of parents as well.

Angela Elward joined the Prince of Peace faculty family in August 2018. She has many years of teaching experience at Our Lady of the Valley and St. Aloysius.  Mrs. Elward has a Bachelor's degree in Early Childhood and Elementary Education from the University of Alabama. She brings with her a wealth of experience. She enjoys engaging lessons and is passionate about teaching our Catholic faith.

Megan Everett joined Prince of Peace in 2007 as the Director of Formation. She is a graduate of Indiana University with a Bachelor’s in Education and a Master’s of Adult Education. She also holds a Master’s in Pastoral Studies from Loyola University. Currently Megan is pursuing a Master’s of Divinity, also from Loyola. Whether teaching Baptism Preparation, working with members of the Minus One Group, or serving as a Eucharistic Minister, Megan is inspired to share her passion about the love of Jesus with people of all ages. She enjoys the heartfelt discussions that come with her position and regularly integrates different types of media into her message to boost conversation.     

Marie has been working in early childhood education for almost 20 years and joined the Prince of Peace family in 2005. She started her career in early childcare education with the Jefferson County school system. She has held several different positions at POP with the longest and most recent in preschool instructional support. She enjoys doing arts and crafts with the children and sharing the love of Christ in everyday activities. She also serves as a Eucharist Minister and is parishioner at POP Church.

Mary Haley joined Prince of Peace in 2016 teaching second grade. She has a Bachelor’s in Early Childhood Education from Auburn University. Prior to joining POP she worked at St. Aloysius Catholic School for 4 years. Outside of school, she teaches ballet, pointe, and jazz to girls of all ages. Mary Haley was also an advisor to Boy Scouts of America Venture Crew #2010. She brings lots of excitement and enthusiasm to her classes. Her cheerful voice can often be heard all the way down the hall.

Mary Katherine has been teaching kindergarten at Prince of Peace since 2016. She was born and raised in Mobile, AL where she attended St. Ignatius Catholic School and McGill-Toolen Catholic High School. She received her Bachelor’s Degree in Early Childhood Education from Auburn University. She believes she received the absolute best training from Auburn's Early Childhood program! She is passionate about using project learning in her classroom.  Mary Katherine loves to see the kids work together as a team to transform the environment into what they are learning about. She believes it is a true blessing to teach young children to read and to build their foundation of learning.

Sandy Hardee, R.N. graduated from the University of South Carolina with a Bachelor’s in Nursing. She joined forces with Kristie Bauer, R.N. in 2014 to work in the Prince of Peace Health Room. She works mainly on Fridays, attends most POP field trips, and also works as needed in the Health Room. Her nursing experience is in pediatrics, OB/GYN, medical/surgical, and community health. Sandy’s husband is retired from the Army. So she has had the opportunity to work in SC, NC, Germany, and Alabama. She also brings 17 years of being a mom and does her best to care for the students as if they were her own

Donna Hecklinski is a graduate of Indiana University where she received a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education. Her graduate work was completed at the University of Montevallo where she received a Master’s of Education in Counseling and Guidance. Prior to joining the Prince of Peace school family in 2010, her teaching experience included St. Matthew’s School in Indiana, St. Joan of Arc School in Mobile, Our Lady Queen of Peace in New Jersey, Our Lady of the Valley School, Green Valley Elementary, and St. Francis Xavier School. Her talents, experience, and strong work ethic help 5th grade students achieve balance and focus prior to their transition into middle school. Currently, Donna shares her experience with the entire school teaching how to research and developing students' literary skills in the school library.

Kati Horton is a graduate of the University of Alabama where she earned a Bachelor's degree in Early Childhood and Elementary Education. She is currently pursuing a Master's in Special Education from Mississippi College. Kati has assisted with almost every aspect of Prince of Peace and is among the founding members of the POP staff, having taught the school's first Kindergarten class.  She has even served as the President of the School Board in 2008 and 2009. Prior to teaching at Prince of Peace, she taught kindergarten at Sacred Heart Cathedral School in Knoxville, Tennessee. Kati especially enjoys creating lessons which incorporate multiple learning styles. Her unique ability to reach each learner allows for the success of each individual student. Under her tender and uplifting care, students blossom and thrive.

Laurie Jones holds both Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Education from the University of Alabama. She has more than 33 years of experience in both public and Catholic education. Laurie has lived in Birmingham most of her life and is openly passionate about her love of learning and joy of teaching. She and her husband have raised three sons and a daughter, now in their 20s, which adds to her experience. Her excitement about life is contagious! She is equally enthusiastic about instilling the virtues and traditions of the Catholic faith in the hearts of her students. She believes students learn best from their mistakes in a supportive and nurturing environment and has created a classroom culture based on fairness and empathy toward others.

Vicki Jordan joined Prince of Peace School August 2018. She has over 15 years in education. She has been an elementary school counselor, a middle/high school academic advisor and an elementary teacher.  Vicki holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education/Early Childhood Education as well as a Master’s Degree in School Counseling from Auburn University Montgomery.  She is a parishioner and also a Prince of Peace parent.

Ashley Kean has been teaching and guiding students to find truth, beauty, and justice in literature for over a decade. In 2017, Mrs. Kean became an educator for the Birmingham Diocese. Prince of Peace welcomed Mrs. Kean in 2018 where she currently teaches 8th grade religion and  7th and 8th grade English. She obtained her Bachelor’s and ELA  Secondary Education Master’s Degree from Jacksonville State University. She continued her education at Samford University in 2015 by earning a second Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership. As an educator, Mrs. Kean is able to share her love for literature and writing with her students through meaningful conversations. She is a parishioner of our parish who guides and supports her students through confirmation, and she is also a Prince of Peace parent. 

Stacey started her teaching career at POP in 2001, when she came on as a Kindergarten teacher. Stacey has also spent a number of years as a third grade teacher. She has a Bachelor of Science degree in Early Childhood Education from Montevally University, Stacey is known for her calm, happy nature in the classroom. She welcomes the energy of her students and encourages each child to develop their skills as strong readers. Although she loves literature, Stacey also believes students learn by doing and loves the hands-on math and science learning methods that help her students become confident thinkers. 

Abby is originally from Birmingham, AL, and joined the POP family in 2017.  She graduated from the University of Alabama in 2013 with a Bachelor's Degree in Education.  She recently completed her master's degree in Special Education from Samford University.  Prior to teaching at Prince of Peace, she taught 3rd grade at St. Aloysius Catholic School in Birmingham for 4 years.  Her enthusiasm rivals the excitement of her students and makes laughter a mandatory part of her curriculum!

Ale joined Prince of Peace in 2013 as the Preschool and Kindergarten Spanish teacher. She grew up in Mexico and came to the US with her husband and three daughters. Although she studied Accounting in school, she felt her calling was to work with children. Ale uses laughter, movement, and fun to introduced to the Spanish language to her students.

Teresa Muldowney is a graduate of the College of Staten Island in New York where she earned a Master of Elementary Education. Her undergraduate work was completed at Oswego State University in New York. As a young girl in New York City, she attended twelve years of Catholic school. Though she has been a long-time church member, she joined the Prince of Peace school family in 2005. She has played an instrumental role in the development of our schoolwide religion program. Currently, Teresa serves as a 3 year old Preschool teacher. Her creative talents and ability to nurture young minds is a gift to our preschool family.

Mary Elizabeth Sammis is new to Alabama, moving from the Tampa, Florida area. Mary Elizabeth joined the Prince of Peace team in 2017 teaching 7th and 8th grade science classes, and 7th grade religion. Her prior teaching experience comes from Corpus Christi School as the STEM teacher, where she began in 2013. She has extensive experience with the NEXGEN science standards, which is the new curriculum the Diocese of Birmingham has adopted. Mary Elizabeth has numerous relevant courses in science fields from her work at the University of South Florida, and experience with the Dauphin Island Sea Lab. She is also in the process of working on her Master’s degree in Learning and Cognition from Florida State University.

Barbara Sanders is a graduate of Troy University with a double Bachelor’s of Science in Special Education and Elementary Education.  She is certified to teach children ages preschool through twenty-one years.  Barbara also has a Master’s of Education in Learning Disabilities.  Barbara also pursued a Master’s of Religious Education at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. She has a Reading Recovery Endorsement from Georgia State University. During the spring of 2017, she attended and received a certificate in the Orton-Gillingham method of teaching reading. Barbara has experience in both public and parochial teaching in Alabama, Louisiana, and Georgia. She has taught within the general education classroom, self-contained, resource, and inclusion settings with experience in grades Kindergarten through twelfth. Barbara’s experience in and out of the classroom has confirmed her calling to be an educator. Her patience, flexibility, and love for learning are reflected with students, as well as co-workers.

Joanna Settine has been at Prince of Peace since the school began in 2000. She has a Bachelor’s from Auburn University. She teaches and leads the choir (5th-8th grade students) who perform at weekly Mass, and also teaches preschool music. She shares her love of both music and art with Kindergarten through 5th grade students, teaches middle school band, and provides after-school music lessons in a number of instruments. Her unique and humble abilities bring out the amazing God given talents in all of her students. 

Although Kelly enjoys the rigor of her detail-oriented position, her gentle nature is always present in the halls and at Prince of Peace Church where she has served as a volunteer Catechism and Vacation Bible School instructor over the years.

Gail Stromeyer joined Prince of Peace in August 2016. Gail has a Bachelor of Science from Loyola University in Secondary Education. Gail also went on to become a certified teacher in elementary education. Prior to joining the POP community she worked at St. Clement of Rome School in Metairie, Louisiana, as the Director of Technology. She currently is the Director of Technology for POP. She brings a wealth of technology experience to POP.

Kayla Swanson graduated from University of Alabama - Birmingham with a degree in Early Childhood Education. Kayla loves teaching little ones and helping them to gain a joy and love for learning. In her classroom, she spends a lot of time working on social skills and decision making. She loves seeing their creative minds working together and encouraging each other! She is also on staff for the her church's nursery and leads their 20 Somethings Ministry.

Jess Swetz relocated to Alabama with her husband and four children in June 2015, and began teaching at the school in 2016 after becoming a parishioner. Jess has a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and is certified to teach Special Education, Elementary Education, and middle school Social Studies. Currently, she teaches middle school Social Studies and Religion. Prior to coming to POP Jess taught middle school Social Studies and Religion at Holy Spirit Catholic School in Rochester, MN, where for ten years, she also ran Vacation Bible School, and helped with musical theater. Jess has a unique perspective of student life being both a mother and teacher of POP students. She finds that her understanding fuels her committment to the school's programs which are designed to maximize student success. 

Katie Symonds has called Birmingham home for the past few years since transferring to Alabama with her husband and teenage daughter. She is delighted to be teaching in the elementary school after beginning her career in Indiana, where she obtained a BS in Early Childhood Education. She believes teaching each child individually makes a difference in how they learn. Mrs. Symonds works hard to connect what students learn in the classroom to real experiences of everyday life. 

Barbie Taylor joined Prince of Peace in the summer of 2014 as the school secretary. She holds a Bachelor’s in Education from the University of Alabama - Birmingham, with a minor in Economics, and also holds a degree in Paralegal from Samford University. Following her 16 years as an English teacher at  Our Lady of Sorrows, Birmingham, and Bessemer City Schools, Barbie worked in the OLS school library, part-time.

As the school secretary, Barbie’s smiling face is ready to greet all visitors to Prince of Peace. She combines her understanding of school operations with humor in dealing with everyday issues common in her work. She is uplifting, fun, and knows the names of nearly every student in the school!

Susan Taylor joined the Prince of Peace family in 2011 as a long term sub and has grown into her position as Librarian. She has developed the library into a media center where students can research as well as learn through hands-on activities. Her 32 years of teaching experience has prepared her for the challenge of teaching a wide range of ages, from Preschool through 8th grader.

Katie joined the middle school faculty in January of 2017. She earned a Bachelor's Degree in Education from the University of Dayton in Ohio, and a Master’s of Education and Allied Professions. Katie brings a unique world perspective to the classroom where she currently teaches middle school science, history, and religion, and is a co-teacher in the pre-engineering elective. She currently also serves as the student council advisor.

Katie began teaching at Milford High School in Cincinnati, Ohio, and most recently taught 6th-8th grade social studies and religion at Our Lady of Fatima Catholic School, Birmingham. She has taught general and AP classes from 6th grade through high school including world history, geography, psychology, sociology, public speaking - and she is fluent in Spanish. Recently added to her qualifications is certification in science education, which she loves to teach.

In her travels and as a resident of Puerto Rico, Katie was an instructor in an international school called The TASIS School of Puerto Rico, which is a part of TASIS Switzerland and TASIS England. She is always full of energy and has the ability to make learning fun for students by helping them connect the content to their own lives.  

Susie began teaching at Prince of Peace in 2013. She currently teaches Spanish to 1st-6th grades and serves as a Language Lab Instructor for 7th and 8th grade. She previously taught Spanish at Westminster Upper School, Briarwood Christian School, Covenant Christian School (St. Louis), and Virginia College (Birmingham) as well as two Homeschool programs. Susan graduated from the University of Montevallo with a degree in Social Work and Psychology.

Sharon is currently a teacher in our preK four year old classroom, where she has worked for several years. Sharon also taught Kindergarten at POP from 2000, when the school first opened, through 2007. She holds a Bachelors degree from University of Alabama, Birmingham and has been a classroom teacher in preschool through 5th grade, as well as Special Education. 

Sharon is a fun-loving personality completely committed to the children in her care. She is relaxed and happy which is evident in how her students interact as they prepare for their future in Kindergarten. 

Emily Weimerskirch joined the Prince of Peace elementary school team in August of 2018. She has 6 years of experience teaching the elementary grades both here and in Jackson, Mississippi.  She has also taught 3rd grade reading intervention. She currently teaches first grade. Ms. Weimerskirch has a Bachelor's degree in Elementary Education from The University of Southern Mississippi. She brings so much creative energy to her classroom that leaves students wanting to return to school every day.