I am currently in my sixth year of teaching fourth grade. I previously taught kindergarten for four years at Good Shepherd School. I received my Master’s from St. Mary’s University in 2002.
I have been teaching Physical Education for 22 years. Seventeen of those years have been here at Good Shepherd School. I received my Bachelor of Science Degree at Winona State University in 1986 and my Master’s of Arts in Education Degree from St. Mary’s University in 1999.
Jan Gengler, Ext 837
Reading, Writing, Spelling Specialist Special Education Coordinator and Section 504 Coordinator
I graduated with a Bachelor of Science Degree in English and Spanish from Mankato State College. Before my children were born, I taught English and Spanish at Wayzata Senior High School. This is my seventeenth year of teaching at Good Shepherd School. I completed my Master’s Degree in Special Education: Learning Disabilities at the University of St. Thomas in 2000. I teach reading, spelling, and writing skills to small groups of students who need extra help in these areas beginning in Kindergarten and continuing through sixth grade. I provide resources for teachers and coordinate services with public school Special Education staff for our students who qualify for those services.
Amy Halstrom, Ext 834
6th grade
I have been teaching 6th grade at Good Shepherd School for fifteen years. I have my Undergraduate Degree from the College of St. Benedict and my Master’s Degree from St. Mary’s University.
Beth Heimer, Ext 831
4th grade
I am a graduate from the College of St. Benedict’s, with a K-6 license and a 2001 graduate of St. Mary’s University with a Masters in Education. I have taught 4th grade at Good Shepherd School for thirteen years.
Karla Juetten, Ext 832 5th Grade
This is my second year teaching 5th grade at Good Shepherd School. In the past six years I have taught third, fourth, and fifth grade students in a multi-age setting. I have my Undergraduate Degree in Biochemistry from Rice University and my teaching licensure from Augsburg College.
Katie Ness, Ext 833 5th Grade
This is my first year teaching 5th grade at Good Shepherd School. Prior to coming to Good Shepherd I taught for 2 years as a specialist. I have my Bachelors degree from Augsburg College in Health education and hold licensure in K-6 elementary education, 5-8 communications/language arts and 5-12 health. I feel blessed to be a part of such a wonderful staff and teach at a fabulous school!
Kristine O'Keefe, Ext. 825
1st Grade
This is my fourth year teaching at Good Shepherd School. I am a first grade teacher and very excited to work for such a great school. I previously worked for the Anoka-Hennepin school district in their school care program. I received my undergraduate degree and Masters of Arts in Instruction from St. Mary’s University.
Angie Ruehle, Ext 826
2nd Grade
I have been teaching second grade at Good Shepherd School for eighteen years. I have a Bachelor of Arts degree in elementary education and a Master of Education degree in early childhood education.
Nancy Shields, Ext 829
3rd Grade
This is my second year at Good Shepherd and my twenty-first year of teaching. I have eleven years experience teaching third grade. My Masters and Undergraduate degrees are from Bradley University in Illinois.
Julie Starosta, Ext 820
Administrative Assistant
As the school Administrative Assistant, I can tell you that you won’t find a better community for your children. The entire team at Good Shepherd School are the most dedicated professionals that I’ve ever met. And as a parent of a Good Shepherd student, I’m honored to support the quality education provided the children of Good Shepherd.
Cindy Stearns, Ext 838
Music Specialist
I am very excited to be teaching my fourth year here at Good Shepherd School! I graduated from St. Cloud State University with a bachelor’s degree in K-12 music education, with an emphasis on instrumental music. My primary instrument is the trumpet; however, I have performed on almost all the band instruments in concert! I have also performed many different genres including, concert band, orchestra, brass ensemble, jazz band, marching band, pep band, concert choir, and a world drumming ensemble. I look forward to teaching both classroom music and band to the students here at Good Shepherd School.
Jacquie Steffel, Ext 851
Administrative Assistant
This is my tenth wonderful year at Good Shepherd School.
Julie Steffensmeier, Ext 823
Kindergarten
This is my sixth year being one of the Kindergarten teachers at Good Shepherd School and I just love it! I am also one of the editors for our school yearbook. I received my undergraduate degree from Minnesota State University, Mankato and my Master of Education from St. Mary’s University.
JoAnne Stewart, Ext 822
Kindergarten
This is my thirty-fifth year of teaching in Catholic schools. I have been teaching kindergarten at Good Shepherd School for seventeen years, and prior to that I taught kindergarten and preschool at Holy Family School.
Michelle Stockinger, Ext 816 Spanish
This is my second year teaching Spanish at Good Shepherd School, but not my second year in the building! I attended Good Shepherd grades 1-6. I have taught middle and high school Spanish for seven years, the majority of those in Howard County, Maryland. I have a BA from the University of MN, Morris in Spanish and English. It’s good to be back!
Nicole Suchla, Ext 827
2nd Grade
This is my eleventh year teaching second grade at Good Shepherd School. I have spent all of my teaching years here. I earned my elementary education degree (grades K-6) from The College of St. Benedict and my master’s degree in education from St. Mary’s University.
Kris Timian, Ext 828
3rd grade
I have been teaching third grade for over twenty-four years, most of these years at Good Shepherd School. I have a Bachelor’s of Science Degree from the University of Minnesota and a Master’s Degree from Hamline University.
Gloria Tri, Ext 835
6th Grade
This is my thirty-sixth year of teaching and my seventeenth at Good Shepherd School. I received my Elementary Education degree from the College of St. Benedict and my Master’s degree from the University of St. Thomas.
Kim Whitehouse, Ext 815
Technology Specialist
This is my fourth year at Good Shepherd School. Previously, I worked as a director at a Huntington Learning Center located in the Twin Cities. I graduated from the University of Minnesota with a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education in 2000. I received my Masters degree from the University of Minnesota in the summer of 2007 in Elementary Education.
Nancy Vanasse, Ext 824
1st Grade
I have been a first grade teacher at Good Shepherd School for seventeen years. Prior to teaching at Good Shepherd School I taught second grade for four years in northern California. My first teaching experiences took place in the Brainerd Lakes area where I lived for two years. I received my BS degree from St. Cloud State University and my Master’s degree from St. Mary’s University.
Tom Zellmer, Ext. 811
Principal
I have been Principal here at Good Shepherd School for thirty years. I received my B.S. from the University of Minnesota, a Master’s Degree in Administration from St. Thomas, and an ED.S. degree from St. Thomas as well. I have taught or been a principal in Catholic Education for thirty-nine years.
