Tutors

 

Dr. Ally Jacobi

Dr. Jacobi graduated from Iowa State University in 2018 with her Bachelor of Science in Biology degree. She continued her education at ISU and in 2023, she obtained her Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Jacobi works as a small animal veterinarian in the Des Moines area part time while mostly staying at home with her children. Her favorite part about biology and veterinary medicine is that it reveals God’s design and His attention to detail when creating life. Outside of work, Dr. Jacobi loves to spend time with her husband and family, going on walks, and reading.

 

Mr. Dennis Ogden, High School Logic

Dennis is a native of Cedar Rapids, Iowa. He attended and graduated from Cedar Rapids Washington (high school), Iowa State University (college) and the University of Iowa (law school). After law school, he practiced law in Des Moines and West Des Moines for 41 years retiring in December 2023.  While in law school, he met and married his wife, Wendy, and together they raised four children.  He is a parishioner of St. Augustin Catholic Church in Des Moines and is in his fourth year serving as a tutor at St. Thomas with classes in Logic and Faith.

 

Dr. Mark Purtle, Math

Dr. Purtle grew up in western Iowa, graduating from  Creighton University in 1977 with a BS Chemistry degree.  He subsequently went to University of Iowa College of Medicine graduating in 1981 and then completed residency in Internal Medicine at the University of Rochester, Strong Memorial Hospital. After residency from 1984 to 1986 he practiced in the Public Health Service at Syracuse Community Health Center.  He returned to Iowa to join his father-in-law’s Internal Medicine practice and subsequently was a founding member of what is now UnityPoint Clinic and UnityPoint Health.  In November 2001 he was selected to be Chief Medical Officer (CMO) of UnityPoint Des Moines.   In 2021 he retired from that position though continues part-time practicing and teaching residents of UnityPoint Health in Internal Medicine at Broadlawns Medical Center.  He is an Associate Professor of Medicine at the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine.

 

Mr. David Currie, High School Theology

David studied philosophy at Trinity College and then attended Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in the MDiv program while still a fundamentalist protestant. He entered full-time protestant ministry. However, after a years-long search for the answers to thorny theological questions, David and his family entered the Catholic Church. He then studied theology at Holy Apostles Seminary. David has written four books: Born Fundamentalist, Born Again Catholic, Rapture, the End-Times Error, What Jesus Really Said about the End of the World, Loving Baby Louie. He and his wife recently retired and moved to Iowa to be close to four of their eight children. They are expecting their 36th grandchild next year.

 

Mrs. Brandi Downey, High School Physics

Brandi graduated from Iowa State University in 2014 with a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering. She worked in an ethanol plant for three years before her first son was born and she traded engineering for full-time motherhood. She has served as a catechist in Toddler and Level I Catechesis of the Good Shepherd atria, and is trained as a Creighton Model FertilityCare Practitioner. She and her husband, Philip, have been married for nine years and have five children. She enjoys running and reading when she has the opportunity. 

 

Mr. Bryan Gonzalez, Latin

Bryan, his wife, 9 children, 45 chickens, 1 lactating cow, 1 livestock guardian dog, and too many mice-chasing cats live on an acreage outside of Winterset, where he enjoys speaking Italian, wearing bib overalls, splitting wood, homeschooling his kids, and studying Latin. During the day, he enjoys Galvanizing and Enabling benefactors to support the life-affirming work of InnerVisions HealthCare. His favorite passage in Scripture is the 9th Beatitude: “Blessed are the flexible, for they shall not be bent out of shape”, which is an important fundraising principle for event planning.

 

Mrs. Dawn Ogden, Latin, High School Writing Tutor

 

Mrs. Jaine Pfantz, Logic Geography, Math &

Latin

Jaine, her husband Brad, and their four children reside in State Center where they are active parishioners at St. Joseph Catholic Church. Originally from Des Moines, she attended parochial grade school and Dowling Catholic High School. Her family has been classically homeschooling for ten years and was drawn to St. Thomas because of its strong combination of Catholic tradition and classical education. In her free time, she enjoys reading, baking, and experimenting with new recipes.

 

Mrs. Marguerite O’Meara, 8th Grade Science, 7th Grade Composition, Algebra

Marguerite O'Meara, a Minnesota native, graduated from Creighton University with a degree in education and has received a masters in theology from the University of Dallas. She taught middle school for twenty years before marrying her husband Mike and moving to Iowa. She and Mike have three children and live in Indianola, where they attend St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church. Marguerite has taught religious education, assisted in Level I and II Catechesis of the Good Shepherd atria, and taught RCIA at her parish. In her spare time she enjoys reading, knitting, and gardening.

 

Mrs. Callie Wadle, 8th Grade Composition

Callie Wadle grew up in southern Minnesota and received a Bachelor of Arts In English from the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota. She has always loved to read and discuss great works of literature. This will be her sixth year teaching at St. Thomas Classical Academy. She and her husband Jonathan have five children and are members of the Basilica of St. John.

 

Mrs. Janis Falk, Logic History & Literature, CGS Level 3 Catechist

Janis grew up in Jonesville, NY and has a B.A. in English and Writing from The College of St. Rose, Albany. As a young woman she had many work experiences: shoe salesman, barista, theater stage manager, zoo guide, police/fire dispatcher, historic window restoration shop manager, and free-lance journalist. She moved to Des Moines in 1996 and was a historical interpreter at Living History Farms for 10 years before becoming a museum administrator for The Wallace Centers of Iowa. In 2004, Janis discovered the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd and felt called to follow a new path as an educator. She pursued a M.A.PS at Aquinas Institute of Theology, St. Louis, and is now the Director of Religious Education at St. Augustin Catholic Church, Des Moines. She and her husband, Tim, are performing musicians, and have six children and five grandchildren.

 

Mrs. Maria Schwartz, CGS Level 3 Catechist Assistant

Maria grew up in Muscatine, Iowa and earned her Bachelors of Science in Kinesiology and Health and Chinese Studies from Iowa State University. Maria served as a FOCUS missionary prior to moving to Des Moines. In her free time, she enjoys praying and being outdoors with her friends and family. This will be her second year teaching at Saint Thomas Classical Academy. Maria is excited for another year being surrounded by children who love Jesus!

 

Mrs. Kirsten Downey, 4th Grade

A transplant from the Pacific Northwest, Kirsten’s education at Benedictine College brought her to Kansas where she earned a Bachelor of Music Education. She worked as a music teacher in Nebraska for six years before she married her husband, Tom - also a music teacher. After four more years teaching music, they moved to Iowa to be closer to family. Kirsten currently tutors at STCA, has a private piano studio, works with the Catholic Youth Choir, and enjoys spending time with her husband (and any family who happen to be around). With over seven Godchildren and more than 20 nieces and nephews, she is happily showering love on all the people God has brought into her life. Kirsten thoroughly enjoys teaching - and learning - and is delighted to be working with the students at St. Thomas.

 

Mrs. Elizabeth Heath, 3rd Grade, Grammar 1 Art

Elizabeth Heath teaches third grade as well as grammar one art. She is starting her fifth year at STCA . Her oldest daughter Sienna will be a junior there as well. Her younger daughters, Gabriella and Mary Kate will be in ninth grade at Downling Catholic and fifth grade at SPX school. Elizabeth graduated from Purdue University with a marketing degree. Prior to having a family, she was the Director of Marketing at Wesley Acres retirement community. Elizabeth and her three girls attend the Latin mass at Saint Augustin. She loves the children at STCA and is looking forward to another great year!

 

Mrs. Kindra Barten, 2nd Grade, Grammar 1 History

Kindra grew up in dusty west Texas. She graduated from Texas Tech University with a BS in Elementary Education. She taught 4th grade in Lubbock, Texas before marrying a military pilot and moving around the world. She homeschooled her four children. Somewhere along the way, she fulfilled a monumental goal and graduated from Court Reporting School. Her love for the Catholic faith, curious children, and classical education brought her to St. Thomas Classical Academy. In her free time she can be found painting, reading, or laughing with her family.

 

Mrs. Nicole Forest, Grammar Science

Nicole grew up in Cedar Falls, Iowa, as the oldest of ten children. Her first nursing job took her to Des Moines (2007) where she later married her husband, Dominique, in 2009. He relocated to the area from Canada and a few years later, they adopted the first of their four children. The oldest two attend St. Thomas (4th and 6th grade). This is Nicole's first year teaching at St. Thomas and she is looking forward to making science fun with the Grammar 1 students!

 

Mrs. Tami Lingor, CGS Level 2 and 3 Catechist

Tami received her Bachelor of Arts from Concordia College in Moorhead, MN, then her Master's in Social Work from OLLU in San Antonio, TX. She traded in her LICSW for mom and Air Force wife duties. With 20 years of homeschooling experience, the first half with military moves, Tami has been involved in co-ops and other various homeschool and religious education programs over the years. Her family settled in Norwalk, Iowa, after her husband retired from a 26 year Air Force career. Since arriving in Iowa, she has added Catechesis of the Good Shepherd to her experience. She is trained in Levels I, II & III and has served as a catechist in the atrium for eight years. Tami also currently serves as our faith coordinator.

 

Mrs. Brenda Dougan, CGS Level 2 Catechist

Brenda first learned of Catechesis of the Good Shepherd while living in Kansas. It was at the Christ Our Life Conference in 2014 that she discovered CGS in Des Moines and was elated to sign up her son Garron who was three at the time. His joy and love for the Good Shepherd inspired her to go through Level I training in 2016. Since then she has completed Level I, Infant-Toddler and Level II CGS training. She has served in the atria since 2016 and this is her sixth year serving as a catechist at St Thomas Classical Academy. Brenda lives in Ankeny with her husband Matt and son Garron (13), who is now an ex-bambini of the atrium and a Logic student at STCA. They are parishioners at the Basilica of St John. Matt and Brenda also have four adult children, three of whom are married, and two granddaughters, all in the metro. Brenda graduated from the University of Missouri with a Bachelor of Journalism, Advertising. Her former work experience was in advertising account management and early childhood as an associate.

 

Mrs. Kristin Stopulos, CGS Level 2 Catechist, 7th Grade Science

Kristin, her husband Joe, and their seven children live in West Des Moines and are members at the Basilica of St. John. She graduated from Drake University with a Doctor of Pharmacy and practiced for 13 years at Medicap Pharmacy. She has served as a catechist at St. Thomas for five years in the toddler, level I, and level II atria. In her spare time she enjoys reading, playing bassoon, and working out.

 

Mrs. Diane Ward, CGS Level 2 Catechist Assistant

 

Mrs. Michelle Dietrich, CGS Level 3 Catechist Assistant

Michelle has been assisting in CGS atriums at St. Thomas for 3 years. She graduated from Iowa State University in 2020 with a degree in Early Childhood Education, which she plans to use to homeschool her 4 children. Michelle and her family love to go on evening walks to parks, baking homemade goodies, and playing games. She is eager to learn along the children in level 3 this year, and hopes to become trained in all levels of the atria. 


 

Mrs. Emily Curry, CGS Level 3 Catechist Assistant

 

Mrs. Yolanda Gearhart, CGS Level 2 Catechist Assistant, Latin

 

Mrs. Mackenzie Kilcawley, Logic Girls Faith

Mackenzie grew up in West Des Moines, and returned to Iowa to raise her own family after a nine year hiatus.  She is a founding member of St. Thomas Classical Academy. Mackenzie lives in Johnston and is a parishioner at the Basilica of St. John.  She works part-time operating a private practice, Integrative Psychology Services, with her husband, Dr. Kevin Kilcawley, and has a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy, Theology and Spanish from Benedictine College.

 

Mrs. Staci Dunn, 1st Grade, Grammar 2 Science

 

Mrs. Jenni Lihs, CGS Level 2 Catechist Assistant

 

Miss Aubrey Nichols, 5th Grade, Grammar 2 History

 

Mrs. Anu Galloway, 6th Grade

 

Mrs. Dana Chicoine-Gemmill, Grammar 2 Art

 

Mr. Josh Dietrich, Math

 

Mrs. Elizabeth Vazquez, High School History, Math, Latin

 

Mr. Aaron Harris, High School Literature

 

Mrs. Ashley Bishop, Latin

 

Mrs. Sabina Kneifl, Latin

 

Mrs. Bethany Vetter, 7th Grade Composition

.

 

Dr. John Bishop, Logic Boys Faith

 

Mr. Adam Storey, High School Philosophy

 

Mrs. Elizabeth Vazquez, High School History, Latin and Math