Ms. Denise Lambert
Secretary
dlambert@pjp2a.org
Mr. Clay Patterson
Maintenance Services
Mr. Eric Haynes
Accounting Services
Pope John Paul II Academy
67051 Sunnyside Rd.
Montrose, Colorado 81401
(970) 249-2996
copyright popejohnpaul2academy.com
A Private Academy
in the Catholic Tradition
Ms. Luanne Baumann
First Grade
lbaumann@pjp2a.org
Hi! I am Luanne Baumann. I am the first grade teacher here at Pope John Paul II Academy and have been since I came to the school in 2015. I tease the kiddos all the time that I can’t seem to get out of first grade…I love it! Although I do not have a family of my own, God has blessed me with the best family anyone could ask for. I get to help and see so many kiddos grow…it is amazing! Thank you for the opportunity to be a part of your kiddos’ lives.
I grew up in Washington and Oregon and come from a big family. I have 5 brothers and 6 sisters. Growing up was a blast! I now have more than 30 nieces and nephews, with HOPEFULLY a lot more on the way!
I love the outdoors! Mountain biking is one of my favorite activities, along with hiking, camping, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing.
Now for the boring stuff (ha ha ha)
I have been in education since 2006 and a teacher since 2008. I spent the first 6 years of my teaching career in the Milton-Freewater School District in Milton-Freewater, OR. There I taught first grade for two years and the BESST (Behavior Emotional Social Skills Training) classroom for four. I moved to Sterling, CO in 2014 and taught third grade at St. Anthony Catholic School for a year, before the school was permanently closed…The school closing is how I ended up at Pope John Paul II Academy…Sometimes blessings are hidden in pain. It was hard to leave St. Anthony’s. I loved it there…but God had a plan and here I am…I love it! God put me right where I needed to be. This is a great community. Now I am not only a teacher here, but am also a fire fighter and EMT with Olathe Fire Protection District.
Again, thank you for the opportunity to be a part of your kiddos’ lives!
God bless you all!
Miss Bauman (Lu if you are not a student at PJP2A)
Mrs. Susie Carmack
Middle School
scarmack@pjp2a.org
Hi, my name is Susie Carmack and I am currently the Middle School Humanities teacher at Pope John Paul II Academy. I grew up and spent most of my adult life in Durango, Colorado. Last year my husband and I moved to Montrose. I received both my Bachelor and Master's degree from Northern Arizona University. I am a Colorado certified teacher with over 30 years of experience. During my teacher career I have been able to teach a wide range of grade levels and subjects from High School Science to second grade, to Art and P.E. My favorite pastimes are spending time with my family, hiking, and traveling. After eight years of retirement, I realized how much I missed teaching children, and am extremely excited and honored to be working here at PJP2A.
Mrs. Leslie Holland
Fourth Grade
lholland@pjp2a.org
Mrs. Holland is a daughter of a US Air Force pilot and partially raised in West Germany. Upon graduating high school, she was selected as a student ambassador to the Republic of China for the summer. Later, she married a military officer and raised five children. She has been involved in Catholic religious teaching for the last twenty years, mostly teaching children. She has also been involved in fundraising for Catholic schools as she worked five years at the Bishop Hogan Catholic School in Chillicothe, Missouri. She is a graduate of the University of Kansas. Most recently the Holland family lived on the Western Slope from 2004 to 2012 and has returned to Montrose as an actively involved parishioner at Saint Mary's Catholic Church. Mrs. Holland has been with Pope John Paul II Academy since 2019.
Mrs. Sharon Gordon
K4
sgordon@pjp2a.org
Hello! My name is Sharon Gordon. I was born and raised in the Detroit, Michigan area. I attended Lutheran Parochial Schools for twelve years (I converted to the Catholic Church in 2005). In 1979, I married my wonderful husband, Gery, and together we raised four children and now we have five grandchildren. In 1984, I opened an in-home preschool and daycare which I ran for seventeen years all while homeschooling my own children. In September 2001, I began to run an in-home Montessori School for children ages 3-6 while pursuing a Montessori Certificate through United Montessori Association in the state of Washington. I received my certificate in August 2002. After 18 years, I am closing my Montessori School to start a new adventure working with the K4 students at Pope John Paul II Academy. When not teaching children, I enjoy quilting, scrapbooking, embroidery, camping, hiking, reading, ham radio, playing music, singing, and spending time with my family, especially the grandchildren. I am very excited about being on the team at PJPII Academy and working with my students and their families.
Mrs. Tricia Hartman
Principal
thartman@pjp2a.org
My name is Tricia Hartman, and I have lived in Western Colorado most of my life. After graduating from Ouray High School, I went to Caracas, Venezuela as an exchange student for one year. My educational path took me to the University of Northern Colorado where I obtained my bilingual elementary education degree in Spanish. I have 20 years of teaching experience in a variety of different grade levels and subjects. I have been blessed with a wonderful family. My oldest lives in Illinois with her husband and child. I have two more in college and a senior in high school. As the administrator of our school, I strive to create a community where parents and teachers come together to provide a loving and Christ-like school and a strong academic environment. In my spare time I enjoy photography, hiking, watercolor painting and generally anything outdoors.
Mrs. Marilyn Schmalz
Second Grade
mschmalz@pjp2a.org
My husband and I live on our family farm in Delta, but I am originally from the Denver area. I have four wonderful children: two daughters, two sons, seven grandsons, one granddaughter, with another one "on the way". I enjoy traveling, country music, fishing, and being with my family. Some of my most memorable trips were to Nashville, Hawaii, and Germany. I am a certified teacher for the state of Colorado and have a B.A. in Elementary Education with many hours devoted specifically to Reading Intervention. I love teaching at Pope John Paul ll Academy and all the staff, students and parents!
Ms. Rachel Sparks
Middle School
rsparks@pjp2a.org
PJP2A FACULTY, BOARD, AND STAFF
The heart of our school is our teachers. Their service to our children is born out of their faith and their desire to see each child grow to his or her fullest potential.
Faculty and Staff:
Mrs. Anna Wilder
Third Grade
awilder@pjp2a.org
Mrs. Emily Molnar
Kindergarten
emolnar@pjp2a.org
Hi! My name is Emily Molnar and I moved from Littleton to the Montrose area in 2021 with my husband, Roman. We both really love the area and are excited to continue to get to know the community more. I grew up in a large family on our dairy farm in Wisconsin. I was blessed to be a part of a small, rural Catholic parish and to attend our parish school for middle and grade school. I was able to grow in my Catholic faith at Marquette University in Milwaukee, WI where I received my bachelor's degree in Psychology. I have always been interested in working with children and began my Master's in Advanced Child Development with the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities last year. I enjoy hiking, camping, spending time with my husband, our families and puppy Zoltan, as well as sewing, baking and reading. I love working with kids and I feel blessed to be able to share the Catholic faith as a teacher. I am excited to be a part of the Pope John Paul II Academy community!
School Board Members:
Dr. Michael Brezinsky – President
Dr. Lou Dwyer – Member
Mr. Pete Baldwin – Member
Mr. Hector Diaz – Member
Mrs. Shelly Poust - Member
Mr. Drew Loewen - Member
Totus Tuus