New faces popping up at area schools this fall
There are some new faces and old faces in positions at Coshocton County schools.
Matt Colvin began his new position as superintendent for the Coshocton County Career Center. Since 2015 Colvin served as the assistant principal at Ridgewood High School and activities director for grades seven to 12. Previously he was the principal at Keene Elementary School, associate principal at River View High School and a teacher for Ridgewood, Sandy Valley and Claymont City schools.
New cosmetology instructor at the career center Julie Menefee is an Ohio State Board Certified Cosmetologist with more than 25 years’ experience. She is passionate about teaching cosmetology skills to help students start a fun and rewarding career. She specialized in hair color, cuts, and styles for the Dover/New Philadelphia school system, teaching and mentoring students at Buckeye Career Center on how to be successful cosmetology professionals.
Sarah Lindsey received her bachelor’s from Muskingum University. She is a fulltime guidance counselor and teaches physical education and one conditioning and fitness class.
Jennifer Terry from the West Lafayette area will be fulltime substitute teacher for the career center this year.
Sacred Heart Elementary will add five new faces to its staff this fall.
Father Tom Gardner is the new pastor for Sacred Heart. Raised in Bexley, the second oldest of five children he was in choir, school newspaper, theater and Boy Scouts, earning the Eagle Scout award at 18. Attending St. Catharine parish, he participated in CCD and was an altar server along with his siblings.
Gardner is a 2005 graduate of Bexley High School and a graduate of Ohio State University in its technology education program. He became part of Saint Paul’s Outreach (SPO) at OSU where he started to seriously discern a call to the priesthood. In the fall of 2009, he entered seminary to study for six years at the Pontifical College Josephinum earning a Master of Theology, a Master of Divinity and a Bachelor of Sacred Theology. He was ordained priest for the Diocese of Columbus on May 30, 2015 at St. Paul’s Church in Westerville.
During his school years he enjoyed running, bowling, swimming, watching movies and spending time with friends. One of the annual highlights was participating in the “Mud Bowl,” a high-intensity flag football game between the older and the younger students.
“Please pray for me as I begin my time here as pastor. I am excited to serve you and pray that Jesus helps me to have an open heart to His grace so that I might be a good shepherd for all of you after His example,” Gardner said.
Bridgette Menapace is the new school secretary for Sacred Heart School. She was born and raised in West Lafayette, is a graduate of Ridgewood High School and Kent State University. She lived in Mount Vernon, for the last 23 years employed at St. Vincent de Paul School and was the parish secretary for St. Vincent de Paul. Bridgette and her husband Chris and have four children, Aaron, Kirk, Gianna and Vince. She attended Sacred Heart School during her elementary school years and is happy to serve at her old school.
Sarah Armintrout is the new Pre-K teacher at Sacred Heart. Her husband’s name is Chris, and they have a son Hoyt who will be attending Sacred Heart School. She likes to read and spend time with her family in her spare time.
Macy Parks is a Coshocton High School graduate and an alumni of Muskingum University with a BA in early childhood education with a minor in art. She developed her passion for working with children as a 16 year student with Miss Jennifer’s Dance Studio. Parks will be teaching fourth and fifth grade at Sacred Heart Elementary School this year.
Alexia Desender, from Norwich, graduated from John Glenn High School in 2015 and Muskingum University in 2019 with a bachelor’s in early childhood education. Her father’s side of the family is from Coshocton, and she is looking forward to working in this area.
Category: Education
