In an effort to let you get to know us a little bit better, I will be including a little bio on each of our faculty and staff.  In this first issue, please enjoy reading about Patty Nest, our Administrative Assistant, and Christina Rothschild, BASC Director.  I’ll post two a week until you’ve had a chance to read about all 20 of us!

This year we were asked to welcome two student teachers to St. Clare from the University of Portland.  Mrs. Monahan and Mrs. Maher graciously agreed to mentor a student teacher until Thanksgiving.  Mrs. Monahan is working with Erin Harvey in fifth grade, and Mrs. Maher is working with a former graduate of St. Clare School, Robert Young.  It has been an honor for us to influence future teachers.  I know they are getting a great introduction to teaching through these two outstanding educators.

This week our 5^th and 8^th graders will be taking the ACRE Testing which is sponsored by the National Catholic Education Association.  The purpose of this “survey” is to evaluate our students’ religious knowledge, and their personal beliefs, attitudes, practices and perceptions.  From the results, we are better able to define our goals in religious education.  When we get the results, I will share them with you as your role in your child’s faith formation will directly affect how he or she answered certain questions. 

Don’t miss the St. Francis Prayer Service on Thursday!  It’s a hoot and a holler!  I can never understand how so many dogs and cats can be in the same room without killing each other.  It must be because we bless them!  Please bring your animal for this amusing prayer service, and don’t forget your camera!  All animals go home following the “Amen!”

It’s October already, and we are well into the school year, and having a great time with your kids.  Be sure to get your conference slips in so we can schedule a time to tell you about his/her progress.  This is not a time to think “No news is good news!”  Have a great week everyone!  -Sr. Moe-

TEACHER/STAFF BIOGRAPHIES

PATTY NEST

I grew up in southeast Portland with three brothers.  We all attended Our Lady of Sorrows School and graduated from LaSalle High School.

My husband, Greg, and I have four children.  Erika, a graduate of the University of Portland, is an RN at Providence Hospital.  My son, Bryan, recently graduated from OSU, and is currently in graduate school at Chapman University in Orange, California, studying film.  Kendra is a sophomore at Gonzaga, and Alayna is a junior at Jesuit.  Greg and I keep the home fires burning with our little white rodent, Sparky, who is at the University of Nest in his 16^th year still learning how not to enhance the color and fragrance of our carpet.

Before coming to St. Clare I worked at a collection agency for four years, ESCO for one and the FBI for two.  Greg and I started our family and I was a stay-at-home mom for 12 years.  Since all of our kids went to St. John Fisher, I was actively involved in setting up their Men’s Club, coaching volleyball and chairing their first three auctions.  I’m never too far away from that 11 letter word, “fundraising!”  Sister Moe and I worked together at St. Ignatius for six years before coming to St. Clare.  I love watching Jerry Springer and Judge Judy in my spare time, and cooking, using the help of anything with a drive through, for my family.  The main thing that keeps me here is keeping my kids in a Catholic or higher education school!

CHRISTINA REILLY

 I was born and raised in Portland, OR and am the middle child of an older sister and younger brother.  My family has been part of the parish since 1967, and we have been part of the school since 1980 when my sister started 1^st grade.  My sister graduated 5^th grade the year the middle school closed (1985), and my brother was in the first class that led to the re-opening of the middle school (1994). I was in Mrs. Schuster’s first kindergarten class at St. Clare’s, was in 5^th grade when Mrs. Cree started working here, and  Sr. Dolores was my 5^th grade teacher!  I then went to Jackson Middle School and on to Jesuit High-School.  During high-school I worked in the BASC program with Ms. Dawn Maxwell, whom I continue to keep in touch with!

I moved to Raleigh, NC for college where I received a B.S. in Child Development from Meredith College and met my husband, Jeff who attended NC State. We moved back to Portland, and I started working for the Children’s Relief Nursery, a non-profit program for at-risk children ages 0-3.  I then went on to become the director of St. John the Baptist Preschool and After School Care Program for 4 years before coming to St. Clare’s.  During that time I went to graduate school and earned a M.A. in Counseling Psychology and am currently in school at PSU for a certificate in Infant/Toddler Mental Health. Along with my work here at St. Clare’s, I also teach preschool at St. John’s two mornings a week.

Jeff and I were married at St. Clare’s in May of 2003.  We were blessed to have Madeline and Molly Martin and Katie Houck (a 2005 graduate of St. Clare’s) in our wedding!  It is great to be part of the St. Clare School community!

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