Faculty & Staff

Mrs. Deanne Aubuchon has been a teacher at St. Clare Catholic School since 2005. She spent the first 11 years teaching 5th grade, and is now teaching middle school Social Studies and Writing/Literature. She is the student advisor for the SCCS Student Council and has been co-director of the annual school variety show for many years.

Mrs. Aubuchon grew up in a small town in northwest Minnesota and graduated from Mayville State University in N.D. After graduation, she moved to South Florida to be closer to her family. Before coming to St. Clare, she worked at Our Savior Lutheran School teaching 5th grade and kindergarten, and then JFK Medical Center Charter School teaching kindergarten. Mrs. Aubuchon is happily married to her husband, TJ and together they have 6 children and 2 grandchildren.

Mrs. Elsa Baker is our Media Specialist and joined the Saint Clare family this year. Mrs.Elsa is product of Catholic School education and has her equivalency certificates in early childhood education from the State of Florida. Elsa has over 16 years of experience serving Catholic schools in both the front office and classroom. A native of Texas, Mrs. Elsa comes to us from her most recent position as administrative assistant at Saint Patrick Catholic School in Fayetteville, NC.

Mrs. Elsa is married to Andy Baker, and they have one little girl.  Mrs. Elsa and her family are also excited to be part of the Saint Clare parish family and to share in our community of faith. 

Mrs. Kathy Baumann was a substitute teacher at St. Clare for over 10 years prior to joining us full time in
2107, after spending 20years raising her family. She is a native of Minnesota and a graduate of The
College of St. Teresa in Winona, MN. Both of her children are graduates of St. Clare. During her years
being a parent at our school, Mrs. Baumann headed up countless fundraising events and functions and is
past president of our Home & School Assn. Currently she is heading up a Lighthouse committee for the
schools Leader & Me initiative. Kathy brings a love of children and a passion for Catholic education to
her work.

When not at work she enjoys reading, travel, boating and all things associated with the beach.  She and her husband, Jeff have been married for 31 years.
 

Sara Bernardin is the Director of Religious Education at St. Clare.  She graduated from Auburn University with a bachelor of science and received a masters in communication disorders from the University of Florida.  She has worked at St. Clare since 2008, first as a teacher’s assistant, then as the speech therapist and now in religious education.  She loves working with the students to prepare them for their sacraments.  Mrs. Bernardin and her family are parishioners at St. Clare, and both of her children graduated from St. Clare. In her free time Mrs. Bernardin enjoys reading, watching movies and traveling. 

Mr. Jay Bubla is in his first year as the IT Director at St. Clare Catholic school. He teaches technology (grades 3-8).  Mr. Bubla earned his bachelor's degree from the University of Florida (Go Gators!) and has over 10 years’ experience in IT field, specifically in Healthcare. He and his wife have three children and a dog.

Mr. Bubla is a Florida native who grew up in Martin County, traveled abroad, and has settled now in North Palm Beach. In his personal time, he enjoys taking apart, rebuilding, and fixing computers or other electronic devices.

Ms. Laura Budnyk has been the middle school English Language Arts (ELA) teacher at St. Clare Catholic School since 2001. She grew up in North Palm Beach and is a graduate of St. Clare Catholic School and Cardinal Newman High School located in West Palm Beach. After high school, she attended and graduated from the University of Notre Dame, and she received her Master of Science in English Education from Nova Southeastern University. She is passionate about God, family, education (ELA Arts in particular), and Notre Dame football, of course.

Mrs. Christine Davidson grew up in Lake Park Florida and is a St. Clare's alumni.  She graduated from Cardinal Newman High School and went on to earn her Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education and Dance Education at Jacksonville University.  She has taught elementary school for 7 years (grades 2, 5, K, and Pre K 4) as well as dance for over 20 years.  This will be her first year teaching at St. Clare in the second grade.  

She is the proud mother of 3 grown sons ages 23, 21, and 18.  Christine is passionate about be her religion, family, and teaching.  In her time outside the classroom she enjoys dancing, kayaking, traveling, and spending time at the beach

Mrs. Jami Defrancesco is starting her first full year here at St. Clare Catholic School.  She is a Learning Strategist for grades 3-8, and  teaching 7th Grade Writing.  Mrs. Defrancesco moved here last year from Michigan.  She has taught with the Kentwood Public Schools in Michigan for the past 23 years.  

Mrs. Defrancesco grew up in Nebraska.  She attended Drake University where she played volleyball and received her Bachelor’s in Education.  She received her Masters in Reading from Western Michigan University as well.  She currently lives in Stuart, FL with her husband, Joe.

Mrs. Melissa Donlon is the School Counselor at St. Clare Catholic School. Mrs. Donlon holds a Master's Degree in School Counseling from Florida Atlantic University and a Bachelor's Degree in Elementary Education from Florida Gulf Coast University. She has been teaching for 12 years in Palm Beach County. 

Born in New Jersey but moved to Florida shortly after, she became an alumnus of St. Clare Catholic School where she now sends her daughter. She enjoys helping students create individual goals and guiding them a long the way to success. You can find her spending time with family and friends and planning her next vacation. 

Hola!  Gabriela Frentzel is our new middle school Spanish Teacher. She was born in Argentina, and also grew up in Venezuela. She graduated summa cum laude from the University of New Hampshire, and has been working as a Spanish teacher since 2006. She worked in New Hampshire and Massachusetts Public schools, before joining us here in North Palm Beach. 

Mrs. Garcia comes to St. Clare with many years of school office experience.  Her and her husband have lived in North Palm Beach for close to twenty years, where they have raised their family.  She enjoys boating with her family and reading a good book.  Mrs. Garcia is very happy to be working at St Clare Catholic School. 

Ms. Sarah Gavagni is a third grade teacher at St. Clare Catholic School. This is her first year at St. Clare. She has been an elementary school teacher for five years. She holds a Bachelor’s of Science in Early Childhood Education from The Florida State University. She is currently certified to teach Pre-K through third grade.

Ms. Gavagni is a proud local of Palm Beach Gardens. In her spare time, Ms. Gavagni enjoys boating, traveling, and spending time with her brothers. She is passionate about education, her faith, family, and the environment.

Ms. Erica Herbst is the Prek 3 teacher at St. Clare. She has been at St. Clare for 3 years now working in the Preschool program. Ms. Herbst grew up in North Palm Beach and attended St. Clare from 2nd grade through 8th grade. She graduated from Cardinal Newman High School in 2014 and went to Florida Atlantic University. She graduated from Florida Atlantic University with a Bachelors in Early Childhood Education and minored in Leadership Studies.

Mrs. Hollander was born in St. Louis, Missouri. In 1961, her family relocated to Palm Beach County. She lives in Palm Beach County Estates with her husband of 45 years. They have three children who are married, and they have a total of seven grandchildren, two currently attend St. Clare Catholic School.

Mrs. Hollander started her career in preschool in 1985. She has educated and cared for children ages birth through five, and aftercare children five through twelve. She has had the joy and satisfaction of working as the director of several local preschools in her career. She is so proud of a goal that she accomplished: which was to accredit preschools that she worked in, with the APPLE (Accredited Professional Preschool Learning Environment) certificate.

Her goal here at St. Clare is to work in an environment where she can educate the children to love Jesus as she loves Jesus.

Mrs. Jordan Isiminger is a kindergarten teacher at St. Clare Catholic School. This will be her third year with the school. She has been an elementary school teacher for 5 years in the public and private schools. She holds a Bachelor's of Science in Elementary Education from Newberry College in Newberry, South Carolina. She is currently certified to teach age 3 through grade 3. 

Mrs. Isiminger is from Augusta, Georgia and moved to Florida in 2016 to be closer to her college sweetheart. Her husband, Curry, is a St. Clare graduate and North Palm native. They have three pet and love them so much! In her spare time, Mrs. Isiminger enjoys spending time with her family, boating, and traveling.

Mrs. Nicole Miller Jablonski is a Learning Strategist at St. Clare Catholic School.  Mrs. Jablonski holds a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Wesleyan College and has a Professional Elementary Education (K-6) certification. She has been teaching since 2009.

Mrs. Jablonski is a native of Palm Beach County and is happily married to her husband Todd. They have  four children two of which attend school here at St. Clare.

Miss Carmella Keim is a fourth grade teacher at St. Clare.  This is her first year at St. Clare and she is so excited to be a part of the family. She grew up in Palm Beach County Florida and is an alumni from Holy Name of Jesus Catholic School. She graduated from Florida Atlantic University with her Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education. 

In her free time she enjoys baking, staying active and spending time with her family and friends.

Mrs. Athena Kosier is a third grade teacher at St. Clare Catholic School.  This is her sixth year of teaching elementary education.  She is an alumnus of St. Clare and Cardinal Newman.  She is also a graduate of the University of Florida and Palm Beach State College.  A native of Palm Beach County, she currently lives in Boca Raton with her husband, their three children, and a variety of pets! 

Christine has been working at St. Clare since 2006. She is currently a teacher assistant in our Pre-K 4 program. She's been married for 26 years, and has two sons. (Both are St. Clare graduates.) She received her Child Development Associate Equivalency in 1995, and also works as the Assistant Director of Religious Education, here at St. Clare. 

Diana Logsdon is the VPK/Pre-K4 Teacher. A native to Palm Beach County, she attended St. Juliana’s Catholic School and Cardinal Newman High School in West Palm Beach. Mrs. Logsdon is a proud graduate of the University of Florida’s College of Education, where she earned her BAE(‘89) and M.Ed(‘90). After several years teaching 1st and 3rd grades in South Bay, Mrs. Logsdon was recruited to teach a Preprimary 3-6 year old class at Northboro’s Montessori Magnet Program while she earned an MS(‘96) in Early Childhood and Montessori Education from Barry University. She spent 10 years as a Stay at Home Mom and then worked for 6 years as the PreK-5th Grade Montessori Program Coordinator and VPK Lead Teacher at Dwight D. Eisenhower Elementary School. In 2013, Mrs. Logsdon joined the St. Clare Faculty as the VERY FIRST PreKindergarten Teacher at St. Clare Catholic School.

Mrs. Logsdon and her husband Kevin have three beautiful daughters: Karen, Katie, and Lily - all graduates of St. Clare Catholic School.  She enjoys reading and spending time with friends and family, taking advantage of the fact that we live in beautiful, sunny South Florida.

Miss McDonnell is a kindergarten teacher at St. Clare Catholic School. Kate has been teaching kindergarten for over 8 years. She grew up in Cleveland, Ohio and attended Gilmour Academy. She moved to Florida in 2007 when she started college at Lynn University in Boca Raton. She graduated Summa Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education in 2011.

She is a very positive, creative and enthusiastic teacher. In her free time she enjoys spending time with her fiancé Brian, planning her wedding, bike riding and walking her dog.

Mrs. Pam McDowell has been employed at St. Clare Catholic School for 30 years. Mrs. McDowell earned her bachelor’s degree from The Pennsylvania State University and is a proud Nittany Lion! After graduation, she taught first and second grade, then moved into Middle School special education in the Centre County (PA) School District before relocating to Florida. In her spare time, Mrs. McDowell enjoys spending time with her grandchildren, paddle boarding, kayaking, photography, and being outdoors. She is an avid painter and crafter.  

Sharon Micklos has been a pediatric Speech and Language Pathologist since 2004. Her passion is working with children and their families to ensure effective communication skills. She has extensive experience treating a variety of speech and language delays and/or impairments with ages 9 months to 18 years, across multiple settings.

After completing her elementary and high school years in the Northern Virginia area, Cristina completed her Bachelor's Degree in Nursing at Villanova University in Pennsylvania where she was an active member of the campus community in many areas.  Her college years were highlighted by serving as a Eucharistic Minister for Campus Ministry, being an active member of the Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority, and her favorite was being on the sidelines being a cheerleader for both the Wildcat football and basketball teams.  Go Wildcats!

Cristina resides with her husband, her son (a student at St. Clare), and their active and energetic pup "Juno" in Palm Beach Gardens and feels very blessed to be a part of the St. Clare family.

Mr. Mylott has been working at St. Clare as Maintenance Supervisor since March of 2007, taking care of the church and the school. He maintains and repairs many things on the property such as lighting, air conditioning, plumbing and anything else the teachers and staff request. He enjoys the friendly atmosphere at St. Clare and enjoys working with parents on projects like Mardi Gras,Trunk or Treat and more. He does his best to keep costs down and incorporate energy saving ideas and new technology on the property. Mr. Mylott says, "My main priority is keeping our future leaders safe and our campus comfortable and clean."

Originally from Youngstown OH, he has lived in Palm Beach Gardens for the past 49 years. He met his wife Maureen while working together at West India Shipping Co. They have two wonderful kids. Before working here, Tim owned his own marine electrical business for over ten years. He worked on yachts, ships and boats. In his spare time, Tim likes to travel and do projects around his house.

Mrs. Rebecca Nelson is the Middle School Math teacher at St. Clare Catholic School. She has been tutoring or teaching math since 1999. Her teaching philosophy requires complete participation in class - you may often hear her say, "Math is not a spectator sport!" She is a firm believer that we may not all consider ourselves 'good' at math, but if the effort is put forth and we believe in ourselves, everyone can be successful! Mrs. Nelson and her husband moved to South Florida shortly after they graduated from Florida State University. She has three children, all of whom have either graduated or are still attending St. Clare. In addition to her teaching responsibilities at St. Clare, she is the adviser to the St. Clare chapter of the National Junior Honor Society and serves on the Lighthouse Team. Outside of school, Mrs. Nelson enjoys reading, paddle boarding and the beach.

Mrs. Julia O’Ceallaigh has worked at St. Clare School since 1999 when she was hired as a 2nd Grade Teacher Assistant. She held that position for seven years before becoming a Kindergarten Teacher’s Assistant. During that time, she returned to school and finished her degree. She graduated from Florida Atlantic University in 2008 and was hired as a 3rd Grade Teacher in 2010. She has also taught 1st Grade and 4th grade before became a 5th grade teacher in 2017. 

 Mrs. O’Ceallaigh has been a St. Clare parent since 1996 when she and her family moved to Florida. All three of her children graduated from St. Clare School. 

Prior to fulfilling her life-long dream of becoming a teacher, Mrs. O’Ceallaigh was a radiologic technologist for over 20 years. She loves to paddle board, run, read, and travel.

Tricia Proefrock began work at St. Clare in 2014. She spent four years as a tutor companion for one of St. Clare’s most cheerful students, traveling from second through fifth grade with him. Now, Miss Tricia is the teacher’s assistant for PreK3, and enjoys interacting with the students each day. 

Ms. Ring has been a First grade teacher at St. Clare school since Fall of 2017. She was baptized here at this parish, is an alumni from St. Clare School and graduated from Florida Atlantic University with a Bachelor’s degree from the College of Education.

In her free time, she enjoys being outdoors and near the ocean. Outdoor photography, fishing, snorkeling, hiking, traveling, kayaking  and collecting seashells are only a few of her favorite past times. Ms. Ring loves sharing her passion for God’s Earth and creatures with her students.

Joanne Schwartz teaches PK4, previously third grade, and has been with SCCS for three years.  Prior to that, she taught in Catholic schools, mostly in Connecticut, but also in Oklahoma.  She has taught every grade level from pre-K through eighth grade.  

Ms. Schwartz was born and raised in Connecticut, but she has explored and moved to different locations.  She recently moved to Florida, seeking warm air and sunshine, as she followed her daughter to this area.  You can find her walking or reading at the beaches, creating various crafts, and taking care of her little, old dog.

Miss Smith is St. Clare's new music teacher. She moved to Florida from NYC in 2012. She holds an Undergraduate Degree from The Crane School of Music and  a Masters Degree in Curriculum Theory in Arts Education from Lesley University in Cambridge, MA.

She is a professional musician who sings and plays piano; she is excited to be working with your children, and looks forward to building a strong Music program at St. Clare.

Mrs. Smith is relatively new to Florida having moved from her home state of Maryland in 2017, when a job opportunity for her husband brought their family to warmer weather.  She left her career as a public servant with the State of Maryland for over 20 years, most recently with the Department of Social Services.  Contributing to their community has always been a priority to her family having been very involved in Parks and Recreation as a board member and coaching. Both her professional and volunteer experiences serve her well in her role in Admissions.

Mrs. Smith feels blessed to be a part of the St Clare community, having herself attended 12 years of catholic school in the Archdiocese of Baltimore she knows firsthand the importance of a catholic education.  Her high school motto was Lux Tua Luceat, an excerpt from Mathew 5:16, “So Let your light shine before all, so they may see your good works, and glorify your father who is in heaven”, and she strives to live by that every day.

Mrs. Andrea Watson is a 2nd grade teacher at St. Clare Catholic School. She began her teaching career with the Palm Beach County School District in 2013.  Mrs. Watson has a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from Florida State University, and a Bachelor’s Degree in Education from Florida Atlantic University.

She has lived in the states of Washington, Maine, North Carolina, and Florida. Mrs. Watson currently resides in Juno Beach with her husband, Mike, two children, and dog, Bailey. She loves traveling, relaxing at the beach, and spending time with family.

Dr. Terri Schmidt is the middle school science teacher at St. Clare Catholic School. She holds a Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership from Nova Southeastern University, FL, a MS degree in Educational Law from Nova Southeastern University School of Law, a double MS in Marine Biology and Coastal Zone Management from Nova Southeastern University Oceanographic Center, and BS degree in Science in Marine Biology Environmental Science from Christopher Newport University, VA. She also has her professional teaching certificate in Secondary Biology (6-12) from the State of Florida since 1999. Her previous teaching experience included 5-8 grade earth, life, physical, and space science teacher for Catholic middle schools for 12 years in South Florida, and Associate Professor at Nova Southeastern University for 10 years.

She is passionate about God, family, the ocean, science, and books. In her spare time, she enjoys walking on the beach, fishing, bike riding, and walking with her dog.

Mrs. Tina Zientarski is the Religion teacher at St. Clare Catholic School. Through the word of God and she reminds each student of God's love for them and instructs them in church history, scripture and life of Christ. Mrs. Zientarski has her bachelor’s of Fine Arts from the University of Michigan, where she graduated cum laude. Before coming to St. Clare, she spent 10 years teaching a fine art enrichment course at St Joan of Arc in Boca Raton. There she also helped commensurate The Edge, a Middle School Catholic Youth Ministry and was a core leader for several years. She has also taught summer camp art programs at Palm Beach State College.  A volunteer for Catholic Charities for several years she would council women in the BirthLine clinic with whatever they needed to prepare for an unplanned pregnancy. Prior to that, she spent time at home raising her three children and working as a free-lance graphic designer. A regular at daily mass, Mrs. Zientarski’s faith is a very significant part of her life. Her children all participate in sports, where she has also done everything from coach soccer, take team photographs, and help manage booster clubs for high school swimming.