Enrichment

Miss Beth Petrucci- Learning Specialist
Miss Petrucci was born and raised in Waterbury, CT. She attended St. Margaret Catholic School and Holy Cross High School. Beth graduated from Southern Connecticut State University in 1994 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology. Beth moved to Atlanta in 1994 and worked at a child development center teaching toddler age children for three years. She was accepted to the Georgia State University’s Accelerated Teaching Program in 1998 and received a Master’s in Early Childhood Education in 1999. Beth worked as a third grade teacher at The Schenck School in Atlanta for six years before coming to Holy Spirit Prep. At The Schenck School Beth studied The Orton-Gillingham Method for teaching students with language difficulties (dyslexia, dysgraphia, and language processing.) In 2002 Beth attended and was a facilitator at The International Dyslexic Association Conference which was in Atlanta that year. Beth also attended yearly conferences for the Atlanta Chapter of The International Dyslexic Association. During her years at The Schenck School Beth assisted with an after school program for children with behavioral, emotional, as well as sensory difficulties.

Mrs. Linda Ehlers- Media Center Specialist
Mrs. Ehlers grew up in Alton, Illinois, which is located on the bluffs above the Mississippi River across from St. Louis, Missouri. She has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Elementary Education from Southern Methodist University, a Master of Education in Library Media from Georgia State University and a Masters of Science Degree in Community Counseling from Georgia State University. She taught fifth grade at the Lovett School when she first came to Atlanta, married, and then raised two daughters, Jennifer and Suzanne. Both are married and live in the Atlanta area. Suzanne and her husband, Mark, have three sons. Jack Henry is six years old, Spencer is three and Wyatt is one. Mrs. Ehlers returned to the education field and worked in the libraries at Pace Academy and Georgia Tech. Most recently she was head librarian at Herzing College where she was instrumental in establishing three libraries, due to relocation and expansion. Her husband, Oscar, is an electrical engineer who discovered a love for teaching and teaches electronics and computer courses.

Mr. Kevin Evans- Assistant Athletic Director; Physical Education
A member of Holy Spirit Prep's faculty since 1999, Mr. Evans is excited to return for his ninth year as physical education teacher. Along with was born in Durham, North Carolina. He was raised in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, where he attended Chapel Hill High School. He was very involved in several activities such as interscholastic sports (football, baseball, track), as well as band, Jr. Civitans and peer helpers. Mr. Evans attended East Carolina University for three years where he pursued a variety of activities including football. He was treasurer for a club called Health Occupation Students of America. He then transferred to the North Carolina A & T State University. He was a member of the Golden Key Honor Society, Kappa Delta Pi Educational Honor Society and Who's Who Among Students in Colleges and Universities. He graduated in May of 1999 with a degree in health and physical education.

Mr. Norman Livermore- Computer Instructor
Mr. Livermore begins his fifth year teaching at Holy Spirit Prep. Originally from Los Angeles, his family moved to Georgia in 1969. Mr. Livermore graduated from Georgia Institute of Technology in 1980 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Information and Computer Science. Having worked in the Aerospace and Electric Utility industries as well as Government Contracting and Consulting, he brings more than 25 years of experience to his classroom. In 1996 Mr. Livermore started an independent software consulting company which specialized in providing customized software solutions to the Electric Utility industry. Mr. Livermore has a unique hobby in that for the past 37 years he has been playing the bagpipe. He and his family are very involved with the local and International Scottish communities. He is a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, Royal Museum of Scotland. He sits on the Board of Directors of the Stone Mountain Highland Games where he is responsible for overseeing all of the bagpipe and band related activities of the annual cultural event. He serves on the Clan Macleod USA National Council. Mr. Livermore has played with the Atlanta Pipe Band since it's founding in 1970 and is presently the Instructor for the Atlanta Pipe Band's developmental unit. Mr. Livermore currently resides in Marietta with his wife of 24 years, Rachel, and daughter, Meghan. Meghan is a proud member of the Holy Spirit Prep School class of 2009 and charter student, celebrating her 11th year at the school.

Miss Helen Snyder- Lower School Art
Ms. Snyder returns to Holy Spirit for her third year to direct our art program for grades K-6. Ms. Snyder formerly taught art at Saint Peter Claver (K-8) in Decatur, Georgia. She is a graduate of Saint Mary's College in Notre Dame, Indiana, where she earned her Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Fine Arts with a concentration in printmaking. Helen also participated in the work-study program at Saint Mary’s College theatre for set painting, lighting and stage construction. She is passionate about both the visual and performing arts and looks forward to teaming with Mrs. Thomasberger again on our school plays. She is an active parishioner at the Cathedral of Christ the King, working with the CTK Theatre Ministry, Singles Group and Small Christian Community Leadership. Ms. Snyder is a docent and education volunteer at The High Museum of Art. Helen loves to play tennis, softball, ski, travel and visit art galleries and museums.

Mrs. Leanne Aspinall - Kindergarten and Pre-First Art
Mrs. Aspinall is originally from Melbourne, Australia. She joined the Holy Spirit Prep staff in 2005, but she has been an active parent volunteer at the school for several years. Mrs. Aspinall's son Patrick is in the Holy Spirit Prep Class of 2016 and Ryan is in the Holy Spirit Prep Class of 2019. The Aspinalls are parishioners at Holy Spirit Catholic Church.

Mrs. Rosemary Thomasberger- Performing Arts Teacher
Mrs. Thomasberger is pleased to return to Holy Spirit Preparatory School for her seventh year as music teacher. This is her twenty first year of teaching in a Catholic School. Previously, she taught K - 12 in the Archdiocese of Newark, New Jersey. She received a BA in Music from Caldwell College, New Jersey where she acquired her teacher certification and Catechist certification. Her experience in the music industry includes: Musical Director for community theatre productions in New Jersey; section leader in Columbia University Choir in New York City; and vocalist and pianist for The Silver Starlight Orchestra in New Jersey. Her experience in Church Music Ministry includes: Choir Director at Westminster Church in New Jersey; Assistant Choir Director at Immaculate Conception Church in Montclair, New Jersey; Youth Music Coordinator at St. Catherine of Siena Church in New Jersey; Youth Music Assistant for World Youth Day, Jubilee 2000, in Rome; and most recently, chaperone for Regnum Christi at World Youth Day, Toronto 2002. Rosemary and her husband, David, are music ministers in their parish church St. Peter Chanel Catholic Church. David is in his second year of studies in the Permanent Deaconate Program of the Archdiocese of Atlanta. Their son, Peter is a composer and recording studio technician and their daughter, Kristen is a Sonar Technician in the United States Navy currently deployed on the destroyer, The Sullivans.

Mrs. Paula Garlen - Music
Mrs. Garlen grew up in York, Pennsylvania where she attended 12 years of Catholic school. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Music Education and a Master of Music in Vocal Performance from West Chester University. Her training at West Chester included a focus in early childhood music education techniques such as Orff-Schulwerk and Kodaly. She maintains her professional development as a member of the Music Educators National Conference (MENC). She first became associated with Holy Spirit Preparatory School in 1998 when her son joined the Pre-K 2 program at the Pre School. Over the past nine years she has participated as a parent volunteer in many different capacities throughout the school. In 2004 she joined the teaching staff at the Holy Spirit Prep Upper School to help build the Performing Arts program. Over the past 13 years Mrs. Garlen has also served as a cantor and soloist for Holy Spirit Catholic Church. Her goal as a professional educator and musician is to instill as much enthusiasm and love for music in her students as she has.

Ms. Gracia Villasana- Spanish
Mrs. Villasana is originally from Monterrey, Mexico, where she attended Centro de Educación y Cultura del Valle, A.C. (CECVAC), a Catholic school from grades 1-9, and graduated high school from Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey. Mrs. Villasana attended UdeM (University of Monterrey), one of the finest Catholic universities in Latin America, where she completed a Bachelor of Arts (Major in Education, Minor in Administration). In December 2003, she graduated with honors from UdeM. Gracia has been an active member of the Catholic community, giving pastoral training and also working as a classroom teacher for five years. During her course of teaching, Mrs. Villasana has attended classes in “Animated Reading,” “Technology Administration” and “Tutoring Students with Learning Disabilities.” Mrs. Villasana joined the Holy Spirit Preparatory School in 2004 shortly after her move to the United States. Mrs. Villasana really enjoys teaching Spanish at HSPS and it has been a very enriching experience for her.

Mrs. Bibiana Perez- Spanish
Mrs. Perez was born and raised in Germany. She graduated from the Gregorian University in Rome, Italy, with a Bachelor’s of Philosophy and went on to pursue theological studies in Rome and also in the United States. She received a Master of Divinity degree from Yale University in 1993. She came to Atlanta in 1995 and has gathered teaching experience by home schooling her five children for nine years from preschool through eighth grade and teaching a variety of subjects at several private schools in Atlanta. Mrs. Perez knows seven languages and is looking forward to continuing to teach Spanish at Holy Spirit Prep, where she has been teaching since the beginning of 2006. She lives in Woodstock with her family. Her children ages 5 through 14 all attend HSPS.

Mrs. Marylu Valek- Media Center Assistant
Marylu Valek grew up in West Hartford, Connecticut, the oldest of six children. She has a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics from the University of Connecticut, Storrs, Ct. She was employed for 20 years by Aetna Life & Casualty, Inc. in their Information Technology department until the birth of her daughter, Erin. Mrs. Valek, her husband, Jack, and daughter, Erin, moved to Atlanta in March, 2000. Erin is currently in the class of 2012. Mrs. Valek enjoys being in the Media Center as it provides the opportunity to meet every child that attends the Lower School.

Mr. Mike Sickafoose- Athletic Director
Mr. Sickafoose returns for his fifth year at The Holy Spirit Preparatory School as athletic director. Having earned a Bachelor of Science from Ashland University, Ashland, Ohio (Major in PE, Minor in Health) and a Master of Arts in Education from Cumberland College in Williamsburg, Kentucky, he has over 19 years experience as a coach/physical education instructor at elementary, middle, and college levels with a focus on basketball and tennis. During his time at Ashland University, Coach Sickafoose played three years on the varsity squad, two-years of which he was a starter. Coach Sickafoose was recently honored for the New Haven High School Hall of Fame, in New Haven, Indiana, for earning nine letters which consisted of basketball, track and tennis. He also was honored for the Cumberland College Hall of Fame for the 1984-85 -basketball season. In his role as the assistant coach, at Cumberland College, he helped lead the team to a winning record of 33-2. For professional development, Coach Sickafoose has attended yearly coaching clinics and conferences at the NAIA and NCAA levels as well as training classes in the areas of personal development and clinics to enhance his computer skills. Coach Sickafoose lives in Cobb County with his wife, Kelly, and his three sons - two of which attend The Holy Spirit Preparatory School. Coach Sickafoose and his family are parishioners at Holy Spirit Catholic Church. He looks forward to the development of the high school athletics program and the expansion of the Holy Spirit Preparatory sports program.