Faculty & Staff

Ms. Amanda Dahn

Pre-K 3 Teacher

My name is Amanda Dahn and I am the Little Knights Prek-3 teacher at St. Francis/Holy Ghost school. I live in Jerseyville with my husband Bryan and our 3 children. Noah is in 5th grade, Jase is in 2nd grade, and Kate is in the Prek-4 program at SF/HG. I taught a variety of grade levels in the public school for nine years before God blessed me with this job. I am grateful to be working alongside such a great group of people. Everyday I get to enter a class full of energetic, loving, story telling toddlers that put a smile on my face.

Ms. Alyssa Newell

Pre-K 4 Teacher

My name is Alyssa Newell. I am the Little Knights PreK-4 teacher at St. Francis/ Holy Ghost school. I have been married to my husband Kyle for 8 years. We live in Jerseyville with our 2 daughters. Mila is in the PreK-4 program and Lola is 11 months old. I received my teaching degree from Greenville College. I have subbed in many different grade levels before I was blessed with this job. I am happy to work alongside such a great team!

Ms. Lisa Youngblood

Pre-K Teacher’s Aide

My name is Lisa Youngblood. I am the Little Knights Pre-K teacher’s aide for St. Francis/Holy Ghost School. I have been married to my wonderful husband, Scott, for 28 years. We have 6 children ranging in ages from 13-26. I am proud to say that all of our children attended SF/HG School. In my spare time, you will find me cheering on my kids at their various sporting events, whether it be at St. Francis/Holy Ghost, Marquette Catholic High School, or Millikin University. When I do have time at home, I enjoy spending time in my garden and landscaping. ​

Ms. Loretta Droege

Pre-K 4 Aide

Hello! My name is Loretta Droege. I am the teacher’s aide for Pre-K at Holy Ghost School. I have been with the program for 11 years. I am married to my wonderful husband of 24 years, Craig Droege. We have two children, Zachary and Abigail.

Ms. Judy Kirbach

Kindergarten A Teacher

My name is Judy Kirbach, and I am the Kindergarten Teacher at St Francis/ Holy Ghost School. I enjoy teaching younger children. I live in Carrollton, IL. I have seven sisters and two brothers. I like spending time with my family, especially on holidays when we all get together

Ms. Susan Ayres

Kindergarten B Teacher

My name is Susan Ayres. I am a Kindergarten teacher at St. Francis/Holy Ghost School. I live in Jerseyville with my husband Kevin, and my two daughters, Megan and Molly. I received a teaching degree from SIUE in elementary education. I have been teaching here at SF/HG for 20 years. Outside of school, I like spending time with my family, reading and shopping.

Ms. Mary Niemeyer

Kindergarten Aide

My name is Mary Niemeyer, and I am the Kindergarten aide at St. Francis/Holy Ghost School. I enjoy working with the little kids. They are so excited when they learn something new, and they always have something to share. I am married to my husband Mike, and we live in Jerseyville. We have three children and six grandchildren. I enjoy spending time with family and being outdoors.

Ms. Lindsay Heitzig

My name is Lindsay Heitzig and I am a first grade teacher at Holy Ghost. I recently married my best friend, Justin, this past summer (July 2017). We live on his family farm just outside of Jerseyville. I was born and raised here in Jerseyville and attended St. Francis/Holy Ghost from 1st to 8th grade. I graduated from Jersey Community High School in 2007. I then received a tennis scholarship to play at Missouri Baptist University in St. Louis, MO, where I also earned my teaching degree and graduated in 2011. In the fall of 2011, I began my teaching career here at Holy Ghost. I feel blessed to be able to be back at the school that gave me such a great education and teaching along side some of the educators that were once my teachers.

Ms. Andrea Isringhausen

Reading Specialist

My name is Andrea Isringhausen. I am originally from Florissant, Missouri, where I taught second grade for five years. After I married into a wonderful farm family, I moved to Jerseyville where I stayed home with my two children before I went back into teaching. I am currently a reading teacher at Holy Ghost. I love working with the children and staff. My second passion is singing. I sing for weddings and funerals throughout Jerseyville and surrounding areas which keeps me pretty busy, along with all the running with the family and helping my husband with Channel Seed Company. On Sundays, I sing at Holy Ghost Church. I enjoy skiing at the lake, four-wheeling, exercising, tennis, and cooking for my family.

Ms. Barbie McCormick

First Grade Teacher

My name is Barbie McCormick and I am the first grade teacher at St. Francis/Holy ghost School.  I have been married to my husband, Kevin, for sixteen years and we have three daughters.  Aubrey is a sophomore in high school, Emma and Libby are sixth graders at St. Francis School and they definitely keep us busy! I graduated from Greenville college with my teaching degree and have taught multiple grades ranging from kindergarten to third grade in the public schools.  When the opportunity arose to teach my favorite grade level here in my own community, I couldn’t pass it up.  I am blessed to work alongside a great co-partner as well as such great staff.  I truly believe God had a plan to put me here at St. Francis/Holy Ghost School.

Ms. Melissa Yates

2A Teacher

Hello! I am Melissa Yates, a second grade teacher here at SF/HG. I received my bachelors degree from Butler University in 1992 and my masters from SIUE in 1999. I have been at SF/HG for 21 years teaching fourth, first, and second grades.  I also went to Holy Ghost School from first through eighth grade.I have three sons, ages 19, 17 and 12. My oldest is completing his last year at Ranken.  My middle son attends JCHS.  My youngest is in sixth grade at SF/HG.

This year I am so excited to be marrying my fiance, Tom Yates, in October!  We will be living in Kane with my sons after that.  We will have a total of six kids between us!  In my free time, I love to read and camp!

I am so happy to say I have chosen SF/HG throughout my career as my work place.  The parents here are so supportive, and I couldn’t ask for a better group of colleagues!

Ms. Megan Albrecht

2nd Grade Teacher

Hello, I am Megan Albrecht.  I have been at Holy Ghost for the past five year.  I started in Pre-K and moved to second grade for the last three years.  I earned my teaching degree from Greenville College.  I am married to my husband, Aaron, and we have one son, Logan.  We are expecting a daughter in February 2018.  My family lives in Carrollton on a farm.  I went to St. John´s School for elementary and middle school, so I have been part of a Catholic school most of my life.  I enjoy spending time with my family and friends.   I have always wanted to be a teacher, and love that I am living that dream here at Holy Ghost.

Ms. Tammy Kettenbach

3A Teacher

Hi, I am from Philadelphia, Mo. I am married to Don Kettenbach, and we have two wonderful boys. My boys are grown and live in Missouri, but both of them graduated from St. Francis/Holy Ghost. I have taught third and fourth graders for over 25 years. My husband and I enjoy taking weekend trips.  I like trying new activities such as basket weaving. I am now trying to teach myself how to crochet. I love teaching, traveling, and spending time with family and friends. I also enjoy reading and am a member of a book club.  I am an avid cook and always willing to try new recipes!

Ms. Tonya Shively

3B Teacher

I am married to Skip.  I have three children: Katelyn, Luke, and Curtis.  My husband and I both grew up in Northeast, Missouri, but have lived in Jerseyville, Illinois for 18 years.  I received my teaching degree from the University of Missouri-Columbia (Katelyn is now a student there), and I still enjoy attending games and functions at Mizzou (Go Tigers!).   I love to teach and have taught in the primary grades for almost 20 years.  Luke is a senior at JCHS, and Curtis is a sixth grader at SF. I love to watch my boys play their sports. In my spare time, I like to bake, read, shop, go for walks, and play with my two dogs.  My family loves to go to Cardinal games together and go fishing.  I often travel back home to Missouri to see my relatives and friends.

Ms. Debbie Kallal

Third Grade Aide

I am married to Denny.  I am a mother of four.  My kids’ ages range from 17 – 26. I have several years of work experience, first as a secretary and now as a third grade aide at Holy Ghost. I went through St. Francis for first through eighth grade and then attended JCHS. I have always been a Catholic and feel blessed to be able to practice and share my faith in my work every day.  I have lived in Jersey County all my life and have lots of family in the area. I enjoy spending time with my family and friends, whether it be Sunday get togethers, ball games, shopping, vacationing, fishing, or just visiting and relaxing. I like to be creative and read in my spare time, and I absolutely love to play Scrabble on-line!

Ms. Lisa Evans

4A Teacher

My name is Lisa.  My 4th graders call me Mrs. Evans.  I’ve been married to my great husband, Pete for almost 30 years.  We have 3 children.  Matthew, who is our baby, will be 21 years old soon and is planning to work electricity in the near future.  Alexandra will be 23 years old soon and is a Registered Nurse in St. Louis at Cardinal Glennon Hospital taking care of children.  Emily is 26 years old and lives in Texas with our son-in-law, Taryn, and our grandson, Rory.  We are Cubs’ fans who had a super 2016 year with them.  It’s wonderful when all of our family gets together, but it’s not as frequent as it used to be. We are so blessed with our family and are thankful for them each and everyday.

Ms. Emily Wittman

4th Grade Teacher

Hi!  I am Emily Wittman and I am so happy to be teaching at Holy Ghost!  I am a graduate of St.Francis/Holy Ghost, so this school holds a very special place in my heart and I am so happy to be back as an educator.  Prior to teaching at Holy Ghost, I taught middle school math at St. Ambrose in Godfrey and 4th grade in Carrollton.  I have two sons and a daughter that keep me very busy at home!  I am so happy to be working in Jerseyville so I am always close to them.  If I ever get a spare minute, I love spending time with family and friends.

Ms. Diane Weiner

4th Grade Aide

I have been married to my husband Greg for 36 years.  I have four beautiful daughters, and six wonderful grandchildren that I enjoy spending every minute I can with! I enjoy traveling, working in my flower beds, reading (which I belong to a great book club) and spending time with my family.  I belong to St.Francis Church and love working at SF/HG School and being a part of all the great things that go on here!  I know God has a plan, and I feel very blessed to be here!

Ms. Vicki Maag

5A Teacher

SF/HG has been my home from August to May for the past 19 years.  I have taught 3rd, 4th, and currently 5th grade.  I earned my Bachelor of Science degree from Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville. I absolutely love my job and happy to be answering God’s vocation for me to teach in the catholic school.  I have been married to my husband Shannon for 17 years and we have 2 beautiful daughters, Clancy and Kenna.  Clancy is an 8th grader at St. Francis and Kenna attends a deaf/blind classroom out of our district.  I enjoy reading, playing golf, going to Mass with my family, and traveling to see my Global Foundation for Peroxisomal Disorders (GFPD) family.  My time outside of the classroom involves watching Clancy play sports and snuggling with Kenna.

Ms. Jackie Schnettgoecke

5th Grade Teacher

My name is Jackie Schnettgoecke. I am a 5th grade teacher here at SF/HG. I was raised here in Jerseyville and attended SF/HG from K-8th grade. I graduated from JCHS in 2012 and continued my education through Lewis and Clark Community College and Greenville College, graduating in 2016 with my teaching degree in Elementary Education. After college, I worked at Sonshine Kids in Jerseyville teaching Preschool for a year. I am so happy to now be teaching at the school that I grew up in, working alongside some of the teachers that inspired me to become a teacher. In my free time, I really enjoy spending time with my family and friends!

Ms. Chris Mattis

6A Teacher

I currently teach 7th and 8th grade math, and also work as a resource teacher.  Over the course of my teaching career I have worked with students at every grade level and in most of the subject areas.  It has been my privilege and pleasure to work with many of the children of my former students in recent years.  I also work as a private tutor and a fitness instructor, and enjoy the challenges of all my careers.

Ms. Debby Allen

6B Teacher

I grew up in northern Indiana and graduated from Ball State University. My husband, Mike, is from Grafton. We have three ‘children’. Our son, Zeb, is a music teacher in Chicago. Abbi is the Director of Club Sports at the University of Arizona, and Sarah just moved to Baltimore to work in a program thorough AmeriCorp. I have been blessed at home and at work. This is my eighteenth year teaching sixth grade at St. Francis/Holy Ghost. I am thankful to have a job I love. I enjoy volleyball, campfires, hikes, family game nights, and reading.

Ms. Jennifer Gibson

7A Teacher

I am Jennifer Gibson, technology teacher for both St Francis and Holy Ghost. I have the best job in the world. I get to see all the kids in the school at least twice a week. I love new technology and getting to share it with all these great kids. I have been married since 2000 to Jeremy Gibson, my high school sweetheart. Together we have two amazing children, Coby Jordan (senior, JCHS) and Caroline Grace (eighth grade, St Francis). They are my everything. I enjoy spending time with them going boating, camping, nature hikes, bird watching, and we are all avid movie watchers. I work at Grafton Harbor in the spring, summer and fall. It is a great opportunity to visit with people from all over the world. God gave me the greatest family, friends and career! I am truly blessed!

Ms. Brenda McElligott

7B Teacher

My name is Brenda McElligott, and I am the Literature teacher for grades 6th-8th.  I live in Jerseyville with my husband, Peter, and my son, Raymond, who is a current student at SF/HG.

I am a 2003 Southern Illinois University Edwardsville graduate with a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Elementary/Middle School Education.  I also have completed post-graduate studies in Special Education.

I have had the wonderful opportunity to previously teach in 2 other Catholic schools, but am fortunate enough to be able to teach in the Catholic school I love the most.  Being an alumnus of SF/HG, I feel honored to be able to give back to the school that has had such a meaningful impact on my life. I even get to teach two of my favorite subjects, Literature and Religion! I am truly grateful to be able to work alongside such a wonderful staff, with such enjoyable students, and with such supportive school families.  My faith is a very important aspect of my life, and I feel truly blessed to be able to teach in a school where God is an ever-present focus.

My family enjoys spending time together riding bikes, traveling, and competing in fun-filled family game nights.

Ms. Marissa Griffith

8A Teacher

Hello, my name is Marissa Griffith. I live in Jerseyville with my husband, Dylan, and our children, Keegan, Nola, and Vada.

I graduated from Southern Illinois University-Edwardville with a Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary/Middle School Education. In 2008, I completed a Master of Arts degree in Educational Instructional Strategies from Rockford College. I have been teaching at St. Francis/Holy Ghost School since 2003. I love working at a place where parents and teachers strive for excellence in their children’s lives. The support from parents at this school makes it an enjoyable environment to work in.

Ms. Katie Forrester

8B Teacher

​My name is Katie Forrester, and I teach seventh and eighth grade English at SF/HG.  I am an alumnus of SF/HG having graduated in 1997.  I graduated from JCHS in 2001 and earned my Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from Eastern Illinois University in December 2005. My husband, Brian, and I have four children: Holly, Graden, Keith, and Audra.  I love teaching at SF/HG because I have learned so much about the Catholic faith and have gained a true appreciation for Catholic traditions.  It is a wonderful opportunity and true blessing to teach and live what I believe every day.  When I’m not at school, you can find me running long distances around Jerseyville and Jersey county or attending one of my children’s sporting events.  Our family lives a blessed and simple life for which we are very grateful!

Ms. Melissa Kimble

Computers

My name is Melissa Kimble. My husband’s name is Jeff, and we were blessed with four great kids and a son-in-law; Kayla and Mitch (Fessler), Brendan, Mitch and Christian. I also have two grandsons JJ and Judson. I love my job, which is working with the 7th and 8th graders, teachers and facilitating a class called Catholic Enrichment. The students and I do many faith based activities, including reading lots of books, praying the Rosary, and Bible study time to name a few. I graduated from St. John’s School in Carrollton, Carrollton High School, and SIUE.  I am so proud to say that all of our children attended St. Francis/Holy Ghost School 😉 . I enjoy hanging out with my family and friends, cooking, watching sporting events, and spending time with nature.

Ms. Rhonda Bechtold

PE

Hello everyone my name is Rhonda Bechtold, I am the PE teacher here at St. Francis/Holy Ghost School. I have been here for 14 years and have loved my job from the first day that I started. I feel very honored to have each student from Kindergarten to 8th gr and yes I do tear up at Graduation. I am married to a wonderful guy named Denny Bechtold and have 3 wonderful children. My son Jason is serving in the Marines, I have a daughter Tarah in Grad school becoming a Physical Therapist, and Jenna in college going into Nursing. I also have 1 granddaughter named Harper Rose that I enjoy being with whenever I can(she is my sons daughter they live in California). I enjoy being with family and friends, and going to the Cardinals games. I also love watching our panther high school football, softball and tennis. I feel God has lead me to St Francis/Holy Ghost for a reason: I love Children, they are so smart and I love watching how they grow and become Great Adults and carry on their faith to their families. I feel truly blessed to be here at St Francis/Holy Ghost School!

Danielle Schroeder

Music/Youth Coordinator

I teach music here at SF/HG and am the Coordinator of Youth Ministry for our Jersey County Catholic Churches.  My hometown is Carlinville, IL. I have a Bachelor’s degree in Music and Youth Ministry and a Master of Education degree, both from Greenville College.  I have ten years of experience in teaching and twenty years of experience in youth ministry. During my time off I enjoy spending time with my family going to St. Louis Cardinal games, taking our camper on weekend trips throughout Missouri and Illinois, going to see live theatre shows and concerts, and traveling to see historic landmarks.  My favorite thing about teaching music is seeing student growth through practice and dedication. My favorite thing about youth ministry is witnessing students making real life connections with their faith.

Ms. Melissa Jones

Custodian

My name is Melissa Jones. I have been working at SF/HG for 16 years; but I have lived in Jerseyville my entire life. I am the mother of two wonderful children, Brendan and Lindsey. In my free time I enjoy spending time with family and friends, going for walks and riding bikes.

Chris Sutton

Tim Hill