Greetings! My name is Alissa Turner and I am the principal at St. Matthias Parish School. I earned my Bachlor’s degree in Music Education from Carthage College in 2003, and my Master’s degree in Educational Leadership in 2018 from Cardinal Stritch University.
I started my career at St. Matthias in 2004 as the General Music Teacher and the director of the Youth Choir. While finishing my Master’s degree, I taught Music part-time at St. Eugene School in Fox Point. In 2021, I eagerly returned to St. Matthias to serve as school principal. It has been extremely rewarding and fulfilling to return to St. Matthias. The school and parish will always home to me!
My mission to serve the St. Matthias School community by supporting the formation of strong students in mind, body and spirit, and providing a place for families to engage with one another. St. Matthias has always been a place where I’ve felt loved, respected and cared for and it is my goal to provide the sense of belonging to everyone within our school and parish community.
In my spare time, I love to spend time with my husband, Matthew, and our two Rhodesian Ridgebacks, Hercules and Lafayette. Yes, our dogs are named after characters from the musical Hamilton! Matthew and I enjoy performing music, watching tv, backyard bonfires, and are major foodies.
I’m excited to begin my position as the Assistant Principal at St. Matthias Parish School! I graduated from St. Matthias in 2004 and from Pius XI Catholic High School in 2008. I earned my Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education and Broadfield Social Studies from St. Norbert College in 2012. I earned my Master’s degree in Educational Leadership from the University of Notre Dame in 2018 through the Mary Ann Remick Leadership Program.
I began my career in Catholic education in the Diocese of Madison, where I taught for seven years. I taught second grade at Sacred Hearts of Jesus & Mary Catholic School in Sun Prairie, WI from 2012-2019. I was looking forward to being closer to my family in Milwaukee, so I moved back to the area. I have been working in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee since 2019. I worked at St. Monica Parish School in Whitefish Bay, WI from 2019 – 2023. During my time there I taught second grade, taught junior high religion, and served as the interim assistant principal. Coming back home to St. Matthias has really just brought everything back full circle for me and is a dream come true.
Being a product of Catholic education has helped me realize my passion for and vocation in Catholic education. I look forward to working with the faculty of St. Matthias (two of which I had as teachers during my time here!), the wonderful students, and their amazing families! St. Matthias has a special place in my heart and I only hope to help it continue to grow and flourish, providing a solid Catholic education for many students for years to come.
In my spare time, I like to spend time with my family, my large extended family, friends, and Leo, my mini goldendoodle. I enjoy camping, spending time outside, watching football, playing board games, and watching movies.
I’m looking forward to a wonderful year!
I started working at St. Matthias in 2014 as the school’s Administrative Assistant. I am the “front desk” person and I have many different responsibilities including tracking attendance, filing forms for the state, and organizing the student accounts. One of my favorite jobs is giving tours to families who are interested in joining St. Matthias School. The community at St. Matthias School is like a family – and I love “showing off” how awesome it is!
I have been a parish and school staff member at St Matthias since 2004. Some of my many different responsibilities include running the MEC and Lunch program, assisting in the Safeguarding process, bookkeeping for tuition, and working in the classrooms.
I have four amazing children Jacob, Justin, Michaela, and Megan. We love our trips to Disney World and spending time outdoors with our dog, Tumble.
I consider each and every student and staff member at St Matthias a part of my family. My goal will always be to include all and instill strong Catholic Values.
I’m excited to be at St Matthias Parish School as the Office Assistant. I have a Bachelors Degree in Management Information Systems from the University of Notre Dame. I’ve been working in Catholic Schools for the past 10 years in a variety of roles. I love the faith and sense of community Catholic Schools bring to education.
My husband Pat and I have 3 kids – Paddy at Dominican High School, Declan at Marquette University High School and Molly at St Monica School. We feel lucky to live in a place with so many outstanding Catholic School options.
Hello!
My name is Katie Rogalinski and I’m so excited to be continue being a part of the St. Matthias family, but in a new role! I have been teaching middle school here the last two school years, but this year I am working as the full time school counselor. I will be graduating with my MSE in Counseling this December 2023, and I am eager to support the students and families in this way. As the school counselor, I focus on implementing Social Emotional Learning (SEL) in the classroom with students and teachers. I will also be available to students for individual and small group counseling. My role is to support students in their academics, social skills, and achieving their overall goals. I love being a Bulldog!
Hello! My name is Anne Luebke. I am thrilled to be joining the fantastic staff at St. Matthias as the Learning Resource Teacher. I have been an educator in the Archdiocese for eighteen years. For thirteen years I was a third grade classroom teacher. Most recently, I was a Learning Support and Reading Intervention teacher. I have earned my Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction from National Louis University and a Bachelor of Science Degree in Elementary Education with a minor in Early Childhood from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. I believe that it is my mission to spread a love for learning to as many students as possible.
Personally, I have been married to my wonderful husband, Bill for 11 years. We have two beautiful daughters, Stella-age 9 and Elizabeth-age 6. We love to travel! Our goal is to visit all 50 states before the girls are 18. I also love to spend time reading, cooking, and having fun with family and friends. I can’t wait to work with the students, staff, and families of St. Matthias!
I have been teaching at St. Matthias Parish School since the fall of 2013. I attained a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from Carroll College/University and also have minors in Early Childhood and Adaptive Education. I am a St. Matthias Parish member along with my husband, Paul. I have 2 children, Benjamin and Abigail who were baptized at St. Matthias.
K4 is often the first year children start their school career. A lot happens this first year, learning letters and numbers, colors and shapes, how to write, cut and glue, who Jesus is and stories about Jesus are just some of the academics covered. K4 is also about the social and emotional development of the children, making friends, following rules, using manners, being respectful to everyone, recognizing your own feelings as well as the feelings of others are some of our social and emotional concepts. Our K4 classroom is guided by the Wisconsin Model Early Learning Standards (WMELS) and is a play based curriculum. The K4 students at St. Matthias School learn what school is in a warm, inviting and fun place!
Hi! My name is Penny Steinke and I am so excited to be a part of St. Matthias!
I grew up in Waukesha and attended St. Mary’s for grade school and St. Joseph’s for middle school. I have about 20 years of teaching experience mostly in 5K. I earned National Board Certification in 2006 and re-certified in 2017.
My Mission Statement:
- I want my students to become life-long learners.
- I am committed to providing a safe, positive and supportive learning environment for my students where they will learn and become successful members of society.
- I believe education is successful through collaboration, teamwork and communication.
- Reading is very important in my life and I try to instill my love and passion for reading in my students.
- I want my students to enjoy coming to school every day.
I am a cat mom to Nala & Ducky. My favorite hobby is playing horseshoes. I travel with my dad and many friends across the United States to compete in tournaments year-round. Other hobbies include writing, crafting, reading, watching Wisconsin sports (especially the Bucks!) and watching movies.
My favorite part of the school day is teaching young people about God. I thank God that He brought me to this school and community. I am very blessed!
Hello! My name is Anita Buxbaum, and I am excited to join the St. Matthias Staff!! I was born and raised in Milwaukee. I received a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Marquette University, and I received my Teaching Certification from Mount Mary University. I am beginning my 27th year of teaching. In those years, I have taught K3, K4, K5, and most recently 2nd grade at Wauwatosa Catholic School.
My certification goes through 8th grade, but I have a true passion for working with the littles! Helping each child progress in all areas of their development – academic, social, motor, language, and spiritual – is a challenge that I am honored to accept daily. I strive to create a community of learners that nurtures this growth in a positive, fun environment. I want to instill a love of learning in my faith filled classroom.
Personally, I love to spend time with family and friends. I have two grown children with whom I am very close. My son recently moved to Connecticut. Thank goodness for technology and FaceTime! My daughter and her husband live in Oak Creek. My children, siblings, and nieces/nephews love family gatherings, hiking, traveling, and attending Brewers Games.
I look forward to working together with you as partners in your child’s growth and development!
My education path began back in 2011 while teaching a before-school Spanish class. I realized I absolutely loved teaching and decided to go back to school. I received my teaching license from Cardinal Stritch University in Regular Education PreK-6th grade in 2011. I also received my Bachelor’s degree in Spanish from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in 2005. From 2011-2022, I taught Spanish to students in K5-8th grade. As an educator, I strive to guide children on their educational journey so they grow, sharpen their collaboration skills, build confidence, and overall give children the best learning experience they possibly can.
Saint Matthias is a special school for my family. My mom, aunts, and uncles all attended St. Matthias School and my mom was so excited to have a chance to visit the classrooms again this summer (she was eager to help me set up my new classroom). My grandparents attended church every Sunday at Saint Matthias and the school and parish held a very special place in their hearts.
On a personal note, I spend my time enjoying life with my husband Jay, our Pitbull, Lambeau, and our three cats, Sassy, Lucy, and JJ. I’m an only child and am extremely close with my mom and dad. I absolutely love everything about fitness and enjoy strength training and running. Currently, I’ve ran 9 half marathons, 1 marathon, and 1 ultramarathon (31 miles). Running for me is an opportunity to reflect on life, enjoy nature, and challenge myself as best as I can!!
My name is Gale Niemczynski. I started teaching 3rd grade at St. Matthias in January of 2023. I love God, teaching and learning, and singing. All of these have shaped my choices, passions, and decisions. I graduated from Evangel College in Springfield, Missouri with my Bachelor’s Degree. Soon after I got a 4th grade teaching job in Milwaukee Public Schools(MPS). After getting hired at MPS I decided to pursue a Master’s Degree. I have a Master’s Degree in Teaching Math and Science. While teaching in MPS I learned a lot and developed a lot of skills. My favorite subjects to teach are science, math and social studies. Also during my time in MPS I passed my National Board Certification and qualified again after it lapsed. I recently retired from MPS after working there for 30 years but God in his infinite plan brought me here to teach 3rd grade at St Matthias.
On a personal note I live in Milwaukee with my husband Jeff. We are proud of our son who is serving in the US Airforce. We have 3 wonderful grandsons!!!!
My name is Rachele Wehr. I have been teaching at St. Matthias School since 1990. I earned my bachelor’s degree in education at Marquette University. My three children are alumni of St. Matthias. St. Matthias is my second family.
Faith is evident in my classroom, and it is intertwined in all activities. Each day begins with a decade of the rosary and is followed by reading, writing, math, science, and social studies. Students are enriched weekly with music,art, and physical education classes as well.
Some of the highlights of fourth grade are the following: going on an overnight camping trip, creating new inventions, reading to our junior kindergarten reading buddies, hosting a Halloween bake sale, creating 4th Grade Candy Cane Lane, reading a variety of exciting texts, writing narratives and persuasive essays, and taking educational field trips!
I joined the staff in January 2019 but my journey with St. Matthias began long before then. St. Matthias was my home parish growing up, having attended Mass and Sunday School every week. I am beyond grateful that God brought me back to St. Matthias as a teacher. It is truly the greatest pleasure to get to work with these amazing colleagues, students, and families. I have my Bachelor’s degree in Education with minors in Literacy and Spanish, and my Master’s degree in Educational Leadership, both from Cardinal Stritch University. I have previously assisted with the school musical, directed the school play, and am an assistant coach for the Forensics team.
I love teaching, and my goal is to give students ways to critically think and creatively apply what they’ve learned. My favorite moments are ones in which we strengthen our classroom community. I believe all students can be successful with support and guidance. Throughout the year I embed project-based learning into each core subject. We use technology in the classroom for various assignments and focus on collaborative group work in many lessons. Students contribute to our classroom community and strengthen their faith by sharing prayer requests and praises. In 5th grade, students bridge the gap between elementary and middle school, gaining independence, confidence, and a faith-fueled compassionate community!
I have come to join the staff in the 2023-2024 school year as a middle school math and religion teacher. I began my journey with God with my baptism at St. Aloysius Parish then later attending weekly masses and grade school along with many sacraments including Confirmation and marriage. I loved being welcomed into God’s family through my experiences and I am very excited to now be a part of St. Matthias. I received my Bachelor’s degree in Secondary Math Education from Mount Mary College, further solidifying my relationship with God, and my Master’s degree also from Mount Mary University.
I have spent 5 years in the classroom in Texas in varying classrooms including middle school math. I recently spent some time in a private high school teaching Algebra 1 before transitioning back to middle school. My goal for the students is to show them my love for God and mathematics and to show them how they need both in their everyday life.
I believe all students can be successful in every aspect of their lives with proper support and guidance. Students will also attend classes in Physical Education, Music, Library, and Art to enrich and expand interests, allowing them to try new things. Students will contribute to the classroom and school community to strengthen their faith by sharing prayer requests and praises as well as having individual time to strengthen their relationship with God. Students in middle school will continue to learn independence, confidence, and a continuing passion for faith and their communities.
Hello!
My name is Kris Post and I am thrilled to be the 6th, 7th and 8th grade Social Studies and Science teacher as well as the 7th grade homeroom teacher. I received my bachelor’s degree in Political Science from UW-Milwaukee and have worked in a variety of roles in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee. My husband Ted and I have been parishioners of St. Matthias for over 25 years and our four children are all proud graduates of St. Matthias Parish School. I believe strongly in the value of Catholic Education and look forward to helping our students on their journey.
In my spare time, I enjoy traveling – especially to the beach, music – especially live and all things crafty.
St. Matthias Parish School has a remarkable tradition of excellence and I’m proud to be a part of it!
I have been teaching at St. Matthias since the fall of 2018. I have a degree from the University of Wisconsin- Madison in Elementary Education. I started my career in middle school in MPS, and then worked as a substitute teacher in nearby suburbs, while finding my way here. I knew I would like my own classroom again. The path that led me to St. Matthias has been very rewarding. I look forward to many more years in our St. Matthias community.
Now in my sixth year at St. Matthias, I have the pleasure of teaching English Language Arts to our sixth, seventh, and eighth grade students. Along with reading many novels in Book Clubs, we will be writing in a variety of styles, practicing grammar, and working on our presentation skills. I want my students to love learning and ask lots of questions. We do many projects and make models, posters, or Google Slides to show our learning. I believe students have many ways to learn and show what they know so I offer opportunities that meet their needs. I am fortunate to be working in a team to offer diverse instruction in ELA, math, science, social studies, and religion to foster lifelong learners and productive humans ready to move on to high school and beyond. It is exciting to be in Middle School at St. Matthias.
Hello, my name is Laurie Bergum. I’m from Wisconsin, and I graduated from the University of Iowa in 2003 with a BA in Art and Education. I just completed my MBA from Lakeland University in 2023.
I started my career in Colorado teaching K-8 Art at Lincoln Academy and moved home to Milwaukee in 2007. From there I was a K-5 Art teacher at Bruce Guadalupe for 11 years. In 2018 I stepped away from teaching to help at the family business. Over the 4 years of not working with kids, I missed their joy, excitement, and zest for everything. I was excited to be offered art as a part-time position, because I can support my business role while also teaching kids my passion.
I seek to teach kids about art skills, culture through art, and self-reflection. I believe art is a place where students can all participate and have the ability to create something and learn new skills. I look forward to working with your students!
In my spare time, I’m raising my 4 kids, 2 sets of twins!! :) I love soccer, traveling, and spending time with my kids.
I am Mr. Dalen Heinzen and I have been a very proud faculty member of St. Matthias Parish School since 1979. I attended the University of Wisconsin- Milwaukee and earned my degree in the area of physical education which I taught from 1979 to 2000. My interest in anything hands-on led me to pursue further study and certification in the area of technology and have used this knowledge to teach computer classes in grades K5-8 from 1998 to 2019 and basic engineering, computer science, and robotics through the PLTW (project lead the way) program since 2010. On a personal level, I enjoy sports of any type and am a volleyball official in my spare time as well.
It is my passion to see students discover themselves and what they can do individually and collaboratively that makes my job so enjoyable. To see a student solve a physical or engineering problem that leads to understanding is a blessing. That “aha” moment is a priceless one! It is very rewarding when past students make that special effort to share how something started in your classroom at St. Matthias has blossomed into a career they are proud of.
I’ve been a parishioner of St. Matthias for many years, and my four children attended school here. I am happy to be in the library where I can share my love of books with all of the students, and encourage them to become lifelong readers.
Mr. Joyal is in his second year teaching Music at St. Matthias. While the younger grades are learning about a variety of musical concepts – beat, rhythm, pitch, dynamics, etc. – the Middle School students are spending time with various performing styles (“On Stage”), such as opera, musical theatre, ballet,orchestra, band, chorus, rock, country, etc. – anything that revolves around a performance!
Expect concert performances in December for grades K4 and K5, another for grades 1-4, and a third in May for grades 5-8l. The Youth Choir is comprised of students in grades 3-8. A select few singers will also be selected as Cantors to assist in leading the Mass.
Mr. Joyal has been teaching music for close to 35 years, with the majority of that time spent in the West Allis-West Milwaukee School District. In fact, there are a few families at St. Matthias that he has taught in the past! He enjoys working with all of the children and looks forward to an exciting year.
