Staff

My name is Shelly Rose, and I have been blessed to serve at St. John the Baptist School for 30 years. Before coming to SJB, I taught preschool through high school, giving me a deep understanding of students at every stage of learning. During my years here, I taught Grades 5, 6, 7, and 8 and also provided remedial support before becoming principal.

In 2003, I was honored to receive the Grinspoon Teacher of Excellence Award, a recognition that reflects my commitment to Catholic education and to helping every child reach his or her fullest potential.

My name is Christina Ratkiewicz, and I earned my Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from Elms College and a Master’s degree in Early Childhood Education with Special Education from American International College. I have over 30 years of experience teaching young children, and in 2015, I was honored to receive the Grinspoon Teacher of Excellence Award. I am a parishioner at Our Lady of Sacred Heart with my family, and I live in Wilbraham. I am so happy to be part of the St. John the Baptist School family, and I feel blessed to work with such wonderful students and families each day.

My name is Helena Vale, I live in Ludlow with my wonderful husband, two children and fun little Olaf..(our family dog - not the real one :) I have been happily working and teaching here at St John the Baptist school n various grades. I received my Bachelors degree and education at Western New England University. Graduated  summa cum laude in my class. I decided I wanted to try the corporate world and did that for a while. I was working full time until I had my two daughters who are both successful graduates of St John the Baptist school. While my children attended school here, I became increasingly engaged in the entire school community and decided that I wanted to be part of the staff to help teach and guide children in positive ways.  The years I have spent with students and faculty here have been the most rewarding experience anyone could ask for. I believe that there is always something to learn and share every day. My mission as a teacher is to help children discover the joy of learning, and to help each child develop a strong belief in his or her own ability to achieve success in everything they do. I want them to recognize and respect each other for who they are. To know that their hard work will push them to be their personal best. When not in school, you will find me anywhere out in nature. Hiking, Biking, skiing, swimming... and/or snuggled up with a good book. 

My name is April Knight, and I am excited to be your child's first grade teacher. I joined the SJB family last year, taking over the first grade class mid-year. My areas of study are history, religion, and anthropology with a B.A. in History and Religion from Elms College; with some Master’s level courses completed. I ran the religious formation program for my congregation for 7 years, and I personally led the confirmation formation classes for years. I have taught and tutored elementary, middle, high schoolers and college students in history, creative writing, literature, math and science. I love seeing the excitement and wonder on their faces as they learn new things and achieve new milestones. 

My name is Laura Meneke. I am excited to be your child’s second grade teacher this year at Saint John the Baptist. I have been teaching for over 20 years. I earned my degree in Texas and taught in the public school system there for 12 years. I am dual certified in both regular education and special education, holding certifications in Texas and Massachusetts. I have been teaching at SJB since 2017. Throughout the span of my career, I have taught grades 2nd through 5th. I have also taught special education students in grades K-8.

I live in Ware with my husband and a house full of cats and dogs. I have three adult children. I consider SJB to be part of my family as well! During my spare time, I enjoy reading, gardening, and being outdoors near a lake or the beach.

My name is Celina Bozak. I am excited to be your child's third-grade teacher and to be a part of the SJB family.I live in Agawam with my husband and our three children. I earned my Bachelor's Degree from Westfield State University. I spent the last 7 years in Springfield Public Schools. I belong to Our Lady of Mt Carmel in Springfield, where I also teach K-1 CCD. When I am not at school, I spend my time going to my kids' sports and spending time with family and friends. 

My name is Louisa Mentekidis, and I am very excited to be the Fourth Grade Teacher here at St. John the Baptist School.  I have a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature and Secondary Education as well as a Masters Degree in Education.  I taught for fifteen years in public and parochial schools in New York City and Indiana before I left teaching to stay home with my children. During this time, I was actively involved with my Adult Education Program at my parish, St. Cecilia’s in Wilbraham.  I have lived in Ludlow for twenty years with my husband and three children, two of whom are 2016 graduates of St. John the Baptist School. 

My name is Thomas Zappe, and I teach 5th Grade Social Studies, Religion, and English Language Arts. I studied Catholic Liberal Arts and Computer Information Systems at Mount St. Mary’s University, and I am an active member of the St. Thomas More Teaching Fellowship. I grew up in a large family in Medway, Massachusetts, before relocating to Thompson, Connecticut. I am devoted to my Catholic faith and my family, and I am very excited to join the St. John the Baptist family.

My name is Jonathan Laurent-Wood, and I am the 6th grade homeroom teacher. I will be teaching grades 6 - 8 Religion and Spanish 5-8. I have been an educator for 20 years and have a background in philosophy, history, and theology.  I hold a PHL in Philosophy and a Master of Theology from the Catholic University of America, Washington, D.C. Masters of Political Science from Georgetown University; and a Master of Theology from the Pontifical University of St. Thomas, Rome.  I am an active member of my parish community of Saints Peter and Paul Ukrainian Catholic Church and have strong ties with Christ the King parish in Ludlow. I am an active member of the Ludlow Knights of Columbus  Council 3535 and on the board of directors of Montague Catholic Social Ministries. I have taught both Confirmation and First Communion classes. My teaching experience began at Saint Francis and Clare International School in Rome, where I was studying theology.  I am multilingual in 5 languages and enjoy teaching them to my students!

My name is Patricia Kasulinous. I'm a passionate science educator with over 25 years of teaching experience. Teaching is my calling, and I find real joy in helping students discover God's character reflected in nature while nurturing their own curiosity and love of learning. I came to Western Massachusetts to study science at AIC, where I earned my Bachelor of Science in biology and my Master's in Education in Secondary Education.

I spent 20 years teaching high school biology at Springfield Public Schools before transitioning to local Christian schools, where I taught high school and middle school science. Today, I teach science to grades 5–8, math to 7th graders, and Algebra 1 to 8th graders.

My name is Heather Gaj, and I graduated from Westfield State University with a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education and a Bachelor of Arts in History. I then attended Elms College, where I graduated with my Masters in Education. I have been teaching in the Springfield Diocese at St. John the Baptist for many years. I belong to Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish in Granby. I have two daughters: Madyson and Kyrsten.

My name is Kydra Steinmann, and Iam excited to be teaching at St. John the Baptist this year! I grew up in Virginia as the eldest of five (two brothers, two sisters) and I have five children myself (two grown and moved out, one enlisting in the spring, and two middle schoolers at home). I have been teaching for about 30 years in all kinds of settings, from one room schoolhouses where I had 1st-8th grades, to a boys' home (teaching math), a public high school (math), and most recently a three day a week hybrid for 1st-8th that I ran out of my home for five years. I also have a strong background in working with learning-challenged and exceptional students. I am looking forward to getting to know each of the individuals in 6th and 7th grade this year!

My name is Laura Murray, and I am excited to be teaching at St. John the Baptist School. I have earned both my Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Education, and I spent 20+ years teaching fifth-grade math in the public school system before retiring.  I love working with students this age. 

My husband, Frank, and I have been married for 28 years, and we have three wonderful children who are no longer children.  I enjoy history, traveling and going to Disney.

My name is Joseph Dias. I'm excited to work at St. John the Baptist School, teaching children technology and serving as the school's IT person. I'm a graduate of Springfield Technical Community College with an associate's degree in Computer IT Security. I attended Pathfinder Regional Voc-Tech High School, where I studied Electronics and was a member of the robotics team. For the last four years, I worked at a local computer service company, helping individuals and businesses across Western and Central Massachusetts. I enjoy cooking, reading, biking nature walks, building Lego sets, and designing custom computer systems. I am a lifelong resident of Ludlow, a parishioner of Christ the King, and a member of the Knights of Columbus Council. 

My name is Al Bradley.  It is a pleasure to be part of the SJB faculty, students and parents. I earned a BFA in Art Education and an MFA in Visual Design/Printmaking.  I was chosen to be a fellow at Skidmore College in Painting and won the Margot Neugebauer award for Art Education at UMass.

I have been teaching art in Massachusetts and Connecticut for 26 years.  Art is my passion, my life!  I enjoy bringing happiness and knowledge to students.  I come from a family background of successful artists. I exhibit my art and have won numerous awards as well as sold many pieces. I enjoy donating my art to various charities and organizations. My goal is to enrich souls and make aware to students the beauty and importance ART plays in our lives and in society. My door is always open so feel free to contact me.

My name is Sarah Lemek, and I help out in nursery school and teach physical education to all of the students.  I have a lifelong love of sports. I played Division I soccer at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and was an All-State athlete. I understand firsthand the dedication, discipline, and teamwork that athletics demand. I enjoy playing my new passion, golf, and proudly serve on the SJB Golf Tournament Committee, supporting the school community. I have coached youth soccer, where I emphasize that sportsmanship and being a true team player are just as important as skill. I believe athletics are about far more than competition — they are a powerful way to build confidence, resilience, respect, and strong character. I have three children who attend SJBS, and I deeply value helping children develop healthy habits and strong values early in life. I try to foster a positive and inclusive environment where every student feels encouraged, capable, and an important part of the team. My goal is to help students grow stronger not only physically, but also in confidence and character.

My name is Ashley Richardson, and I am so excited to join St. John the Baptist School as the K–4 Spanish and Music teacher! I have been blessed with nine years of teaching experience in both public and Catholic schools in Florida, Germany, and Ludlow. My faith is an important part of my life, and I am an active member of Our Lady of Fatima Parish. I am also blessed to be married and am proud to have a child who attends St. John the Baptist School. I look forward to creating a classroom where students feel welcomed, encouraged, and excited to learn. I hope that each child will have fun, discover new interests, and develop a love for both Spanish and music. I am truly grateful for the opportunity to be part of the St. John the Baptist community and look forward to a wonderful year together!

I am a graduate of Holyoke Catholic and went on to college to become a nurse. I worked many years at Baystate, and most recently started as the nurse at St. John the Baptist School, which I love. I am a mother of three active girls who love to play soccer. I am happy to do what I love, and do it in a such a great environment.