DeLuca, Vincent
Head of School
Head of School – Mr. Vincent DeLuca Mr. Vincent De Luca is in his second year of service at Saint Brendan School as Head of School. He taught in PK-8 Catholic Schools for twelve years in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles after earning his Bachelor's Degree from The University of Arizona and Multiple Subject Teaching Credential from California State University, Long Beach. Mr. De Luca's experience includes administrative roles as Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) school accreditation chair and as a Vice Principal. He is also trained in Catholic Classical Education, and occasionally contracts for Catholic Textbook Project.
In his personal life he loves spending time with friends and family, exploring the greater-Cleveland area and marveling at its lack of traffic, and studying philosophy.
He is thrilled to climb To the Heights with the talented Saint Brendan faculty, staff, Church, students, parents, parishioners, alumni, stakeholders, and community to be the first Parochial/Diocesan Catholic Classical PK-8 school in the Catholic Diocese of Cleveland. Mr. De Luca looks forward to partnering with the team to teach and proclaim the truth, beauty, and goodness of Jesus to all. He joins in service with all to teach and live what Saint Augustine wrote, “God loves each of us as if there were only one of us.”
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Onacila, Julie
Principal
School Principal – Miss Julie Onacila I have called Saint Brendan my home for 22 years and have been in Catholic education for 32 years. It is a true blessing to be part of a welcoming and nurturing Catholic school and parish family. Sharing this vocation with a team of dedicated faculty and staff, who firmly believe in the mission, is a gift. Our pastor actively supports the school and contributes to the overall warm and positive atmosphere. Working with students and faculty, in various capacities, enables me to keep the root beliefs and values of SBS at the heart of being Anchored in Faith.
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Dobrzeniecki, Tammy
School Office Administrator
School Office Administrator – Mrs. Tammy Dobrzeniecki Hello from Tammy Dobrzeniecki, alias Mrs. D., school secretary. This name was chosen for me when I started working in Catholic education in 1999; it made it easy for students and parents to pronounce. My career started at the school that my children attended and I have been in love with the experience ever since!! Being able to incorporate prayer, learning and fun have stuck with me since I was in Catholic grade school and high school. I am blessed that God’s direction led me to St. Brendan in 2014. There is a true sense of unity, faith and togetherness that can be felt when you enter our doors.
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Macejko, Danielle
Pre-Kindergarten Teacher
Pre-Kindergarten – Mrs. Danielle Macejko Hello! My name is Danielle Macejko and I am the PreK teacher here at St. Brendan School. I graduated from The University of Toledo with a degree in Early Childhood Education. I have been at St. Brendan since 2023, however; previously I have taught Title one and Second grade. I feel extremely blessed to be a part of this amazing school. Having had a Catholic Education beginning in Kindergarten and through 12th grade I understand the importance of living and teaching a life around God. I am passionate about teaching and consider it one of my greatest loves. I strive to create a classroom filled with love, learning, and acceptance. When I am not teaching I enjoy spending time with my family, dog Bexley, friends, exercising and watching my daughter Annabelle play soccer.
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Colborn, Libby
Pre-Kindergarten Aide
Pre-Kindergarten Aide – Miss Libby Colborn I have been lucky to be the PreK aide at St. Brendan School since 2016. I received my associate degree at Cuyahoga Community College and studied Early Childhood Education at Cleveland State University. I have had the great joy of watching many students grow up and feel incredibly blessed to be part of their SBS experience.
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McGovern, Kerry
Kindergarten
Kindergarten Teacher – Miss Kerry McGovern Hi! My name is Kerry McGovern and I have been the kindergarten teacher here at St. Brendan School since 2020. I received my Bachelor's degree in Early Childhood Education from Cleveland State University in 2018, and later obtained my K-12 reading endorsement in a graduate program at Bowling Green State University in 2019. Having attended Catholic school myself from Kindergarten through 8th grade, I have been encouraged to not only share my faith and the word of God with my students, but also strengthen and grow my own personal relationship with God. My passions in teaching include seeing how much my student’s grow and progress over time, and watching their faces light up when they learn something new and exciting. I love being able to grow personal relationships with my students as well by getting to know their interests, and incorporating those interests into our daily lessons. I enjoy engaging my students in a variety of multimodal activities and providing them with a foundation for lifelong learning.
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Burger, Ashley
Grade 1
First-Grade Teacher – Mrs. AshleyBurger Hello! My name is Mrs. Burger and I am the 1st grade teacher at St. Brendan School. In May of 2022 I graduated from the University of Mount Union as a double major with degrees in Elementary Education and Elementary Intervention and minored in Psychology. I am happy to say that I have been with St. Brendan since graduation. I chose Catholic education because I want to mentor and support students in their faith and academic journeys just as I did when I attended Catholic school. I aspire to create a classroom environment that fosters students' growth and allows them to be involved in their own learning through engaging lessons. My passion is working with children to help them become the best versions of themselves inside and outside of the classroom. In my free time, I enjoy spending time with my dog, family, and friends. I also enjoy exercising and playing sports when I am not in the classroom.
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Clynne, Rose
Grade 2
Second-Grade Teacher – Mrs. Rose Clynne Mrs. Clynne is in her first year of teaching at St. Brendan School. She earned her B.S. in Education with a Major in Early Childhood Education with Honors from Baldwin Wallace University, and she holds an Ohio Resident Educator Licensure (Pre-K–5). She taught as a K-5 substitute teacher in Northeast Ohio and, prior to that, completed her student teaching internship and clinical practices at Crestview Elementary in Brunswick teaching second grade. Mrs. Clynne gained her field experience teaching third grade in Berea. Mrs. Clynne comes to us with family, service, and community involvement with St. Clement Parish, Lakewood Catholic Academy, and St. Edward High School.
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Lammers, Rachel
Grade 3
Third-Grade Teacher – Mrs. Rachel Lammers My name is Rachel Lammers, and I am the 3rd grade teacher here at St. Brendan! I am so excited to be in my eighth year of teaching, and my fifth year here at St. Brendan School! I received my bachelor’s degree from Ashland University in 2018 for PK-3 Early Childhood Education with a 4th and 5th grade endorsement. I received my reading endorsement in the summer of 2020 and received my Masters of Curriculum and Instruction through Bowling Green State University in the spring of 2024. Having attended Catholic grade school from K-8th grade, I understand the value of Catholic education and integrating that growth and development into the entire student experience. I look forward to bringing my passion of making learning engaging to the students of SBS.
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Leopold, Celeste
Fourth and Fifth-Grade Teacher
Forth-Grade Homeroom – Miss Celeste Leopold Miss Leopold is in her first year of teaching at St. Brendan School. She earned her B.A. in Primary Education/Special Education from Mount Saint Joseph University, and she completed her full-time Student Teaching in Fourth Grade at Our Lady of Victory School in Delhi. Before that, Miss Leopold completed her Practicum experience at Western Hills High School in Cincinnati, C.O. Harrison Elementary School in Cincinnati, and Saint Ignatius of Loyola School in Monfort Heights. She's a parishioner at Saint Mary in Berea, attended its K–8 school, and is a graduate of Holy Name High School. Miss Leopold joins our team to enthusiastically inspire and teach our students in Faith!
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Kotsanis, Christina
Fourth and Fifth-Grade Teacher
Fifth-Grade Homeroom – Mrs. Christina Kotsanis Hello! My name is Christina Kotsanis and I am the fifth grade homeroom teacher. I stayed home for several years to raise our four children and came back to teaching in the fall of 2021 and with St. Brendan since 2023. I earned an undergraduate degree in Hearing and Speech Science from Ohio University, and a masters degree in Educational Administration from Franciscan University. My passion for teaching includes helping my students to grow academically and to grow in their faith journeys. I feel blessed to be at SBS, and enjoy creating a positive classroom culture filled with the joy of learning and founded in faith.
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Trepka, Mrs. Shannon
Frassati Preparatory Academy Science and Health Teacher
Sixth Grade Homeroom / Jr. High Science and Health – Mrs.Shannon Trepka Mrs. Trepka is in her first year of service at St. Brendan School. She taught seventh grade science for seven years at Metro Catholic Parish School, was a long-term substitute teacher for Freshman Biology at St. Ignatius High School, and was a substitute teacher for North Olmsted City Schools. She earned her B.S. in Chemistry with a Minor in Biology from John Carroll University, and has an Ohio Secondary Education license. Additionally, Mrs. Trepka performed research in the area of kidney transplant immunology at Case Western Reserve University, and before that was a Research Assistant at John Carroll University. Mrs. Trepka is a product of the Catholic Diocese of Cleveland: She was raised in Holy Name Parish, attended its K–8 school, and was later married in its church; she is also a graduate of Cleveland Central Catholic High School. Mrs. Trepka and her family are active parishioners at St. Brendan.
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Bement, Richard
Frassati Preparatory Academy ELA Reading
Seventh-Grade Homeroom / Jr. High ELA – Mr. Richard Bement Mr. Bement brings a wealth of middle school ELA experience from both Catholic and public school settings. His diverse background includes serving as a substitute teacher and a 7th-grade ELA teacher in Avon Lake. Additionally, his Catholic school experience includes teaching middle school ELA, as well as 4th and 5th-grade ELA and Religion. Rick earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Creative Writing from Ashland University and completed his teaching licensure through Baldwin Wallace University.
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O'Grady, Frank
Frassati Preparatory Academy Religion and Social Studies
Eighth-Grade Homeroom / Jr. High Social Studies and Religion – Mr. Frank O'Grady Mr. O’Grady has been teaching at St. Brendan School as the Junior High History and Religion teacher since 2023. Mr. O’Grady is very excited to be teaching at a Catholic school after attending 12 years of Catholic school growing up, including being a graduate of St. Edward High School. Mr. O’Grady has a Master of Education (M.Ed.) degree (Curriculum & Instruction) from Cleveland State University, with an Integrated Social Studies teacher license (grades 7-12). He is also a graduate of Kent State, (BA, Political Science). Mr. O’Grady was awarded NHD Teacher of the Year for Ohio in 2016. He has been selected to many summer teacher programs, including to: Normandy France; Pearl Harbor; Gettysburg; and Ford’s Theatre (Washington, DC). Before becoming a teacher, he served in the U.S. Air Force in jet pilot training and as a U.S. Air Force Intelligence Officer, (1st Lieutenant, USAF). Mr. O’Grady has been married to Kim (also a teacher) for over 35 years and they are the proud parents of three children and grandparents of three grandkids.
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Schlitter, Ryan
Frassati Preparatory Academy Math / All School PE Teacher
Jr. High Math / PE Teacher – Mr. Ryan Schlitter Mr. Schlitter is the Junior High Math teacher, he has been a teacher at St. Brendan since the 2010-2011 School year. He also has experience at St. Brendan teaching multiple levels of math at each grade level along with Algebra for qualifying 8th graders. In the past he also has taught grades 6-8 Religion, 5th grade math, and K-8 Enrichment. Mr. Schlitter began teaching Physical Education in the 2023-24 school year for grades Pre K-8. He has experience coaching high school and middle school football, basketball, and track and field. He is also certified to teach Social Studies and has a marketing degree from Kent State University.
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Welch, Mary
Library
Library / Maker Space – Mrs. Mary Welch The 2025-26 school year marks my 8th year at St. Brendan School. I teach weekly library classes to all grades that focus on fostering a love for reading, reinforcing literary skills, and encouraging critical thinking. I also have the pleasure to teach Maker Space classes to grades Pre-K through 8. These classes are designed to give our students hands-on learning experience in a creative and collaborative setting. The classes introduce the design process, as well as a variety of technologies, ranging from robotics to circuitry. In both roles, one of the things I love most is watching and helping students discover new things – be it a book series that challenges them and lets their imagination take flight or the realization that they can successfully negotiate a complicated problem or a design challenge. As an added benefit, this all occurs within a supportive, faith filled environment in which kindness, respect, community, gratitude and a relationship with our Lord guides our students and faculty.
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Molseed, Katie
Art
Art – Mrs. Katie Molseed Hello. My name is Katie Molseed and I am excited to be teaching art at St. Brendan School since 2022. My husband, Dave, and I have 5 children. Four of them have graduated from St. Brendan School and our youngest is in 2nd grade this year. St. Brendan has been our parish and the heart of our home for the last 18 years.
I attended the University of Dayton for both my Bachelor's and a Master's degrees. My faith filled experiences throughout my life led me to pursue my Master's in Theology. I have been a volunteer leader at St. Brendan with many creative projects through Vacation Bible School, Girl Scouts and Cub Scouts. I look forward to helping the students learn about art, try new techniques, find their creative voice and help them discover the unique gifts and talents that God has given each one of them.
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Lefurge, Julia
Music
Music – Miss Julia Lefurge Miss Lefurge brings a strong background in music education, classroom teaching, and performance to St. Brendan. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Music, graduating magna cum laude, from Austin Peay State University, where she also pursued a concentration in Liberal Studies and a minor in Leadership Science.
Her experience includes teaching Pre-K–8th Grade general music, developing music curriculum and lesson plans, and working with students in a variety of musical settings. She has taught music lessons in voice, piano, ukulele, and guitar, working with students ranging from age five through adulthood. She has also previously served as a music teacher in the Diocese of Cleveland, where she taught Pre-K–8th Grade music, established a beginner band program, and organized and directed a Christmas concert and the Stations of the Cross. Additionally, she served as a long-term substitute music teacher for Grades K-5th in Orange City School District, and as a K-12 music teacher in Strongsville.
At St. Brendan, Miss Lefurge will share her love of music with our students from Pre-K through Eighth Grade and will also serve as the director of our Advent-into-Christmas Program and Spring Concert. We are especially excited for her to bring her creativity, musical expertise, and enthusiasm to our classrooms and performances, showing students that music is a language God utilizes to speak to us beautifully.
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Powell, Jennifer
PK-8th Grade Technology Lab Teacher
Technology – Mrs. Jennifer Powell Mrs. Jennifer Powell. Mrs. Powell brings more than a decade of experience in education and classroom teaching. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Education from Cleveland State University and has served as a teacher in multiple educational settings, bringing a passion for creating engaging, student-centered learning experiences. Mrs. Powell will help our students develop their technological skills through faithful, purposeful, creative, and age-appropriate lessons, supporting our commitment to utilizing God's gift of technology as a meaningful instrument of learning.
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DeFrancisis, Mark
Pre-Kindergarten-4th Grade Etymology and 6th Grade Latin Teacher
Etymology/Latin – Mr. Mark DeFrancisis Mr. DeFrancisis is in his first year of teaching at St. Brendan School. He speaks Ecclesiastical and Classical Latin, earned his B.A. in Philosophy from St. Michael's College, and has completed extensive graduate-level coursework in Philosophy, English and Elementary Education. Additionally, he has experience as a Youth and Young Adult Minister, Parish School Religion (PSR) instructor, and high school Religion teacher. Mr. DeFrancisis is well-versed in Classical Catholic Education, and he looks forward to sharing his gifts with students, faculty, and the St. Brendan mission. His family has long been part of the SBS Navigator family, and he's thrilled to now be a member of the teaching team!
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Halusker, Jacob
Frassati Preparatory Academy Latin
Latin – Mr. Jake Halusker Salvete, omnes! I am thrilled to be bringing the many benefits of studying the Latin language to Saint Brendan! I am a graduate of St. Ignatius HS and Xavier University, with a degree in Latin, Ancient Greek, and philosophy. Having taught Latin at the junior high level since 2010, I have plenty of experience adapting the challenges of the classical language to the developing adolescent mindset. In addition to Latin at SBS, I currently teach Etymology (PreK-4), World Cultures (5), and Latin (6-8) at Incarnate Word Academy in Parma Heights, and I also coach the highly successful IWA academic challenge team. I am really looking forward to continuing to foster a love of Latin at SBS, and I know that the students and parents alike will see a lasting effect on the children's English grammar, vocabulary, organization, and critical thinking skills throughout this program!
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Manning, Faith
Educational Aide
Educational Aide – Mrs. Faith Manning My name is Faith Manning and I am the Educational Aide at St. Brendan School. I have been in this position since 2005. You will find me all over the school – in the classroom, lunch/recess, and in the office. St. Brendan School holds a special place in my heart since I am a graduate myself (Class of 1981), a parishioner, and my 2 children both graduated from SBS. I feel so blessed to be able to share my faith with the students and staff every day and to grow in our faith journey together!
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Winchester, Mary
Educational Aide
Educational Aide – Mrs. Mary Winchester
Hi! My name is Mary Winchester and I am the kindergarten/1st grade aide. I have been an aide for over 20 years and truly enjoy working with our younger students and watching them grow in the classroom and spiritually. My 3 children have all graduated from SBS and my family continues to be a part of the Church community.
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Ryba, Debbie
Auxiliary Clerk / Educational Aide
Educational Aide – Mrs. Debbie Ryba Debbie Ryba grew up in North Olmsted and received her BA from John Carroll University. She has been the Auxiliary Clerk at St. Brendan’s since September 2012. In August 2020, Mrs. Ryba expanded her role, dedicating part of her day to the classroom as an aide. During her initial two years in the classroom, Mrs. Ryba contributed to the development of first-grade students. This academic year, she has transitioned to working with students in grades 5-8, further showcasing her versatility and dedication to fostering a positive learning environment. Mrs. Ryba is passionate about supporting students in their learning journey and finds joy in contributing to their educational experience.
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Suter, Katie
School Counselor
School Counselor – Mrs. Katie Suter Mrs. Suter has been a school counselor since 2014. She is originally from the Cleveland area and, after spending the last decade in Columbus, she and her husband have returned home with their Bernedoodle, Bear.
Mrs. Suter graduated from The Ohio State University with a Bachelor of Science in Social Work followed by a Master of Arts in Counselor Education. She has experience working with students individually, small groups, classroom settings, and with building-wide initiatives. Mrs. Suter is excited to be a part of the St. Brendan community and looks forward to partnering with parents, students, and faculty to help foster a supportive, empowering school environment.
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Harrigan, Eileen
Speech
Speech Pathologist – Ms. Harrigan Eileen Harrigan has been the Speech-Language Pathologist at St. Brendan School since 2003. She obtained her undergraduate degree from The Ohio State University and her graduate degree from Cleveland State University. She absolutely loves working with all of the children at her schools throughout the area and pridefully states how they make her love her job more and more everyday. Ms. Harrigan also enjoys watching Ohio sports teams, running, hiking, gardening, reading and spending time with my family and friends.
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Denega, Elaine
Title I/Intervention Specialist
Title I/Intervention Specialist – Mrs. Elaine Denega I have been working at St. Brendan School since 1983. I taught third grade for seven years and then resigned after having my first child. I thought I was done with the Catholic school system but “Someone” had other plans. A position (9 hours weekly) on the modular unit opened up, and I was hired as a remedial tutor. My position has grown immensely since those early years. While I work with children in a small group setting in the areas of math, reading and written expression, my favorite area of instruction is decoding. My students and I unlock, the sometimes mysterious, rules and generalizations that govern our English language. Watching my students apply their decoding knowledge to new and ever increasing complicated words to become accurate and fluent readers is why I got into the field of education. I consider myself very fortunate to have spent the vast majority of my career at St. Brendan School.
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Caroscio, Sue
Website Administrator
Website Administrator – Mrs. Sue Caroscio Mrs. Sue Caroscio has been administrator over the school and parish website since 2017. She has been at St. Brendan since 2005. Currently Mrs. Caroscio is teaching Preparatory Religion full-time at Incarnate Word Academy. She, her husband, and children are all a product of the Catholic school system kindergarten through high school. She is deeply rooted in faith, community and Catholic education.
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