I have had the pleasure of working here at SJV for the past four years, taking on various roles as a Pre-K teacher aide, substitute, and Music Pre-K-8 long-term substitute.  I received my B.A. in Music Performance with a minor in Spanish from SUNY Geneseo, and I am nearing the completion of my Master’s degree program in childhood education along with my initial teaching certification from Buffalo State College.

Along with teaching private violin lessons on the side, I am a member of many local community orchestras, and I adore my side job as a wedding violinist.  I love working with our wonderful Pre-K students and watching them grow throughout the year. It has been wonderful getting to know our students and families here at SJ V over the years! 

Mrs. Pacer has been part of the SJV family for 13 years.  My hopes are that each student develops a love for learning while having fun!  I am truly honored to help start your child’s educational journey.

Mrs. Hart has been working at SJV for 5 years. This is her 4th year teaching Pre K. She attended Canisius College where she received a Bachelors in Early Childhood Education with a concentration in Science and a Masters in Literacy Education (Birth through Grade 6).   It is her mission to create a safe, faith based, welcoming environment that builds lifelong learners. Students learn through play, music, and hands on activities. She enjoys working with Pre K students and watching them grow throughout the year. It is a pleasure to be part of the SJV community!

I have a Bachelor of Science Degree in Special Studies in Early Childhood Education. For over 25 years, I have enjoyed working with preschool children. I am excited to share my faith and provide a nurturing, fun learning environment for each child.

Mrs. Messina has been teaching early childhood education for 20 years, including 2, 3, 4 year olds and Universal Pre-K.  She has her MS in Elementary Education from SUNY Fredonia.  She loves bringing fun into the classroom, and loves when her early learners are truly excited to come to school!  

This year is my first year at Saint John Vianney. I graduated from Buffalo State College with a Bachelor's Degree in Childhood Education, where I am currently nearing the end of my Master's program in Curriculum and Instruction. I love coming in each morning and seeing the excitement of the students and I strive to make learning fun so each child I teach loves and wants to come to school.  I am so blessed to be part of this wonderful family at SJV!

Mrs. O’Hara is so happy to be a part of the SJV community! She has a bachelor’s degree in early childhood and childhood education and am currently pursuing her master’s degree in special education. She has had many long-term substitute experiences in grades 1 through 4, as well as leading a pre-k classroom over the past five years. She strives to provide a safe and loving environment for all her students. Her goal is to ensure that they are passionate about learning and growing as individuals. 

Mrs. Gawlik is an educator with 25 years of classroom experience in the Diocese of Buffalo. Certified in grades pre k-6, she earned a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from SUNY College at Fredonia and a Master of Science in Education from SUNY College at Buffalo.  Mrs. Gawlik strives to ensure that every child's learning styles are addressed in a classroom that integrates faith, technology and engaging, hands-on lessons.  She is thrilled to be part of the St. John Vianney family.

Mrs. Scupien has been teaching for 13 years at SJV. She has a Bachelor's in Early Childhood Development from SUNY University at Buffalo and a Masters in Elementary Education from Medaille College. Teaching 4th grade has been her passion for the last 7 years. She promotes a fun and energetic learning environment enriched with our Catholic Faith. Mrs. Scupien incorporates STREAM activities and 21st Century Math Skills into her daily routine.

I graduated from SUNY Fredonia with high honors as an English major and a minor in psychology. I had a passion for reading and writing since I was a little girl, and strive to share my love for ELA with my students here at SJV.  I am looking forward to a wonderful year ahead! 

Mrs. Maloney has been teaching for 18 years in the Diocese of Buffalo. She joined our SJV family when her school closed. She is overjoyed to be a part of such a great school community. Mrs. Maloney has a dual-certification in Elementary/Exceptional Education. She furthered her schooling and acquired a Masters in Learning and Behavioral Disorders at SUNY Buffalo State. Mrs. Maloney promotes a fun learning environment for all of her students. She incorporates hands on lesson, STREAM projects, and 21st Century Math activities.

Mrs Woodrow is a dedicated educator with a diverse background of experience. She fell in love with the profession while working With children on the Navajo reservation in Arizona during her time in college. This inspired her to head home and pursue her Masters in Education from SUNY Oswego. Her journey eventually landed her in rural eastern Virginia where she could enjoy the water, nature, and history of the area while teaching 3rd-5th grade. Much of that time was spent as a school leader in science; running science fairs and opening her student’s minds to the wonder of science.

Now, Mrs Woodrow is back home in NY so she may be closer to family. She is excited to be sharing her love of science with the middle school students of St John Vianney. In her free time she has a passion for theater, dance, and reading but most of her time is spent with her two young blessings; Maxwell and Henry.

SPANISH

Me encanta enseñar a los estudiantes de SJV!  Following a career in chemical engineering, teaching dance to all ages, and a wide range of tutoring and volunteering, I had a wonderful experience as a substitute teacher at SJV.  I am thrilled to be utilizing long standing language skills to cultivate the enthusiasm of our Spanish students into a practical command of conversation and writing, with an appreciation of all the culture has to offer!  Each class begins with a prayer in Spanish.  We have an active classroom, and enjoy learning through songs, dances, crafts, and games, as well as reading,writing, and conversation.

Grades 2 through 4 meet once a week for a basic introduction to the language.  We start with the alphabet and build pronunciation and spelling skills as vocabulary is presented: numbers, colors, classroom and daily activities, holiday celebrations, and more.  In fifth grade, we incorporate basic grammar topics while increasing vocabulary and delving further into reading and conversation.  In sixth through eighth grade, the curriculum contains the basic building blocks of the Spanish 1 course.  Students learn the tools to communicate through written and spoken language.  They are able to share ideas in Spanish about everyday topics, cultural celebrations, and a common bond of prayer.

MUSIC

We’ve all heard “a picture is worth a thousand words.” It is my goal to teach the students at St. John Vianney the fundamentals of using, exploring, developing, interpreting and describing those art “words” to create their own masterpieces. I provide an engaging, safe and artistically nurturing environment for all students. The best part about being artists to me is that we can learn from our mistakes-engaging and persisting when things get tough, exploring and taking risks when trying something new, and develop our creativity.

This year students will learn about different artists and artist techniques. They will learn through exploration and practice how to master these skills and think like historical artists. Students will be introduced to some of the more familiar famous artists as well as some diverse artists coming from many different eras of art, places in the world, and backgrounds. Students will also learn to create art with many different forms of medium --acrylic paint, charcoal, clay, watercolor, chalk pastels, oil pastels, and collage.

My favorite part about being an art teacher is seeing students grow artistically and academically. This year, we will work together to create our own works of art as well as describe, interrupt and analyze other works of art! The art projects will follow the NYS Visual and Media Arts Standards.

"My name is Miss. Felicia Urbanczyk. I am a first-year teacher here at St. John Vianney. I attended SUNY Brockport and graduated in 2015 where I earned my Bachelor’s degree in Physical Education and Health Education. I then went on to pursue my Master’s degree from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. I graduated from there in August 2020 with Master’s in Physical Education with an emphasis in Adapted PE and Adventure Education. 

I am one of the biggest Buffalo sports fans you will meet! Athletics and physical active have always been important to me. In my PE classes, I strive to build a good rapport with each of my students, and find ways to allow every one of them to be successful. I am very happy to be a part of the SJV family this year!" 

I have a Master of Science degree in Multidisciplinary Studies from Buffalo State University. Since joining the SJV family, my mission is to provide a fun, nurturing and creative environment where I can use my life skills to help all children lay the building blocks to their future. Currently, 2 of my 5 grandchildren attend SJV and one graduated from SJV in 2015.