Welcome Back! 

A Welcome Back Message from Dr. Kevin Hoeffner, Principal. 

Teachers, Students, and Parents all have mixed emotions about the beginning of another school year. Based on my conversations this past week, many are excited about getting back to friends, familiar routines, learning new things, and challenging ourselves socially, academically, athletically, and spiritually. Some are going to miss sleeping in, watching TV, resting on the beach, and other summer past-times. The teachers are ready for new challenges and new students. Students are nervous about the unknown, new friendships, and teacher expectations. I hope the parents are excited about getting back to birthday parties, waking up early, homework, athletics, and the many joys and challenges of being a parent.  

As I shared at the Parent Orientation last week, the school will be academically prioritizing Math, Science, and Technology this year. We will also be using a book titled "Rediscover Catholicism" to help our community do just that, rediscover our faith again and again. As the mass changes in Advent this year and we enter into learning more about Christ at St. Anastasia, I hope you will pick up a copy of Rediscovering Catholicism and grow with the faculty and administration at the school who have already read the book over the summer. The author, Mathew Kelly is an internationally known speaker that will be visiting our campus on February 17th. I invite you to stop by the office and borrow a copy of the book and challenge your family to venture into the deep water of our rich Catholic faith. Our community needs you to find purpose, to thrive not just survive. We are all interdependent on each other and totally dependent on God. Thank you for leading your home in faith and growing with us. The students, teachers, parents, and administration of our school are in for a fantastic school year!

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St. Anastasia Catholic School welcomes our new Homeroom teachers this year! Pictured left to right: Mrs. Becky Springsteen, Mrs. Paula Stapleton, Mrs. Nancy Rodriguez, Mrs. Beverly Thoennissen, Mrs. Keri Barton and Mrs. Dina Bush.

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St. Anastasia Catholic School would like to welcome our new Homeroom teachers this year. Two teachers are new to our school, and four teachers are previous employees now working in different capacities. Welcome to Mrs. Nancy Rodriguez in kindergarten, Mrs. Dina Bush in first grade, Mrs. Keri Barton in second grade, Mrs. Beverly Thoennissen in third grade, and Mrs. Paula Stapleton and Mrs. Becky Springsteen both in fifth grade. We are very blessed and fortunate to have these experienced, innovative and enthusiastic teachers joining our faculty this year.

Mrs. Rodriguez is a parishioner at St. Bernadette Catholic Church in Saint Lucie West, where she volunteers with the Sunday Children's Liturgy. She is married to Anthony Rodriguez and they have three beautiful children, Christopher, Casey and April. Christopher, a fifth-grader, and Casey, a third-grader, are students here at St. Anastasia. April is two-years-old and can't wait to attend school here next year. Mrs. Rodriguez received her Education Degree from Baruch College in New York City. She began her teaching career with the New York City Board of Education where she taught K-2. She also worked for Dade County Board of Education as an ESE teacher for grades K-5. She served as the kindergarten assistant to Mrs. Christopher during the last school year. Her hobbies include reading, going to the pool and spending time with her family. She has also bravely taken on the task of being our St. Anastasia Girl Scout Brownie leader for this year. She is enthusiastically looking forward to a great year teaching our kindergarteners!

Mrs. Bush has been working at St. Anastasia for the past five years. She began her time at St. A's working as the kindergarten assistant and also spent time as a second grade and fifth grade teacher. She is married to Tom and they have two daughters - Carly, who is in 6^th grade, and Madison, who is in second grade.  They are parishioners of St. Anastasia where she and her husband serve as Extraordinary Ministers of the Eucharist and Carly is an altar server. Mrs. Bush attended Indian River State College and the University of West Florida where she earned her degree in Elementary Education K-6 and Special Education K-12. She also completed her Reading and ESOL endorsements. According to Mrs. Bush, she has loved all the areas she has been blessed to work in at St. A's, but she is looking forward to being back to working with the younger students in first grade this year!

Mrs. Barton has taught in for St. Lucie County public schools for eight years. Her family moved to Port St. Lucie when she was two years-old and she loves being a Florida girl. They are parishioners at St. Bernadette Catholic Church where she is training to become an Extraordinary Minister of the Eucharist. Mrs. Barton graduated from John Carroll in 1992, and it was there where she met her husband, Donnie Barton. They have been married for 15 years and have two daughters - Lily, 10, and Karly, 8, who will also be attending St. Anastasia this year. Mrs. Barton attended Indian River State College and Florida Atlantic University where she received her Bachelor's Degree in Elementary Education 1-6. Her family loves country music and Mrs. Barton has recently learned to play the guitar. She feels so humbled and honored to be a part of the St. Anastasia family. Mrs. Barton said, "I am so excited to meet all the wonderful families and to share my Faith with my little Second Grade angels!"

Mrs. Thoennissen has been working at St. Anastasia for the past two years as a substitute teacher and then as a Middle School assistant. She is married to Chuck Thoennissen, who attended St. Anastasia and John Carroll High School. They have a lovely daughter, Rebecca, who is 18-years-old. Rebecca attended St. Anastasia and graduated from JCHS last year. They are members of St. Mark the Evangelist Catholic Church. Mrs. Thoennissen attended Indian River State College and Florida State University and has her teaching certificate in Elementary Education K-6. Her hobbies include going to Disney, going out in the boat and beach and spending time with her family. She is really looking forward to a great year of teaching third grade!

Mrs. Stapleton has been teaching at St. Anastasia Catholic School since 2003 where she started as the Learning Resource Specialist. This year, she will be moving to the fifth grade and teaching math, science, and religion. In 1987, Mrs. Stapleton and her husband, Chris, moved from Massachusetts. They have two children, Jake and Emily. Jake is in the sixth grade and Emily, a graduate of St. Anastasia, is a sophomore at John Carroll High School. The Stapleton's also have a newly adopted rescue Min-Pin Terrier named Sadie. The Stapleton family is a member of St. Anastasia Catholic Church where Mrs. Stapleton helps with the Children's Liturgy. Mrs. Stapleton graduated from Bridgewater State College in Massachusetts. She received her Master's in Education from Florida Atlantic University. She is certified in Elementary Education Grades 1-6 and Varying Exceptionalities Grades K-12. This will be her 20th year as a teacher. Mrs. Stapleton enjoys reading, the beach and spending time with her family. She is looking forward to an amazing year in 5th grade!

Mrs. Springsteen is "super excited" to join the St. Anastasia family this year! As a graduate of both St. Anastasia and JCHS, she has always been a committed supporter of both schools and is ready to be a part of the team! She and her family are parishioners of St. Anastasia Catholic Church. Mrs. Springsteen graduated from Florida Atlantic University with a Bachelor's Degree in Elementary Education in 2000 and a Master's Degree in Educational Leadership in 2004. She has been married to Christian (also a former St. A student) almost 11 years and has two boys:  Paiten, who will be in third grade, and Parker, who will be in Pre-kindergarten. Her hobbies include community service through the Royal Palms of St. Lucie, spending time outdoors with her family, and traveling! Mrs. Springsteen will be teaching Reading, Language Arts, and Social Studies. She is looking forward to working with all the fifth grade students!

Please join St. Anastasia in welcoming these wonderful ladies who will be an asset to our community! We are very blessed to have them here at St. Anastasia!