SFXP - Key Persons
Brother Tom Sepeck is a Third Order Franciscan with 25 years of teaching and counseling experience with the Boston Public Schools. He will teach Grade 11 and Grade 12 theology.
Deacon Fish holds a Bachelor of Music from Ithaca College, a Bachelor of Sacred Theology, a Master of Divinity from St. Joseph's Seminary, and a M.S. Ed. from Simmons College. Mr. Fish was the former founding Director of Performing Arts at Landmark School (1995-2011). He holds Massachusetts Professional Teacher Licenses in Music and Special Education. Deacon Fish performs professionally with the Hillyer Festival Orchestra. He is a parishioner at St. John the Evangelist in Pocasset, with his wife and three children.
Deacon Adams holds a degree in Business Administration from Salem State University and a Masters in Ministry from St. John's Seminary. He is our varsity girls basketball coach and a personal trainer. Deacon Adams has been blessed with three children and is a parishioner at St. Anthony's Church in East Falmouth with his wife.
Deacon Schutzler served in the United States Coast Guard. He has a BS in Secondary Education/Social Studies from Penn State University, a MS in Counseling Psychology/Marriage and Family Therapy from Chestnut Hill College and earned his School Administrative Licensure in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania through Penn State University. He has served in public and Catholic schools for 30 years as a teacher, assistant principal and principal. He was ordained a deacon in 2015. Deacon is married and has two adult daughters, one of whom resides in Hyannis. Deacon is assigned to Christ the King Parish and resides with his wife Kate in Mashpee.
Job Titles:
- Deacon Richard Fish, P '30, '31
- Performing Arts Director
Fr. Chris Hughes is a native of Sandwich and a product of Catholic Education. He is both an SFXP and JPII alum, graduating from the Prep in 2009 and the High School in 2013. Upon graduation, Fr. Chris attended St. Joseph's College of Maine where he graduated in 2017 with a BA in Business Administration, with a concentration in marketing. Having thought about the priesthood since his SFXP and JPII days, upon graduation, he began his studies for the Diocese of Fall River and entered Immaculate Conception Seminary at Seton Hall University in South Orange, NJ. In May 2023, he received an MDiv in Pastoral Ministry and an MA in Systematic Theology. On June 3, 2023, on the ten-year anniversary of his graduation from JPII, Fr. Chris was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop da Cunha. Following ordination, he was assigned as Chaplain to our school and Parochial Vicar of Our Lady of Victory Parish in Centerville and Our Lady of the Assumption Parish in Osterville.
Mr. Rohrer joins us with a BA in History from Boston University, a Post-Bac MA from Bridgewater State University, and completed the Teaching Licensure Program. Mr. Rohrer helps with boys soccer and tennis and runs the student council. He is a parishioner at St. Joseph's in Kingston with his wife and three small children.
Mr. Daniel Smith will serve as our grade five geography teacher and grade six social studies teacher. In addition, Mr. Smith will serve as a sixth-grade homeroom teacher. Mr. Smith earned his B.S. in History and Secondary Education from Nyack College. He holds a Massachusetts Educator's license in History, grades 5 -12. Mr. Smith is a member of Cape Cod Covenant Church.
Mr. Wahle teaches religion for the seventh and eighth grades. He received his B.A. from Assumption College and is currently pursuing an M.A. in Pastoral Theology from Augustine Institute. Mr. Wahle is a parishioner of Corpus Christi Parish in East Sandwich where he serves as a lector.
Mr. Folino, who was Head Athletic Trainer at MMA for 32 years, serves as our athletic trainer at JPII. He holds a Bachelor of Science from the University of Tampa, and a Master's in Education from Cambridge College, and is a certified and licensed athletic trainer in Massachusetts. He is the proud father of four grown children and is a parishioner at St. John the Evangelist in Pocasset. Mr. Folino is also an elected official with the town of Bourne and is a founding father of the Bourne Braves, Cape Cod Baseball League.
Mr. Hanwen "Alex" Chen will teach Chemistry and Physics (including A.P. levels). He is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and has been an instructor, science researcher, and government lab analyst. His experience as a student at Archbishop Williams had a tremendous impact on his life and is why he wanted to teach in a Catholic school.
Mr. McGrail is a graduate of Barnstable high school and the University of Massachusetts Amherst. He was born and raised on Cape Cod and spends time investing in his community. Currently, Mr. McGrail serves as the Town Manager of the Town of Marion. He was also an elected member of the Sandwich School Committee and served as chair. He is also the proud father of three school-age daughters.
Mr. Hart has been working as a creative professional for many years in many industries including: Fine Art, Editorial Cartoons, Product Design/Illustration, Greeting Card Design/Illustration/Writing, Apparel Illustration, and Book Design/Illustration for both adults and children. He studied Fine Art and English at Syracuse University.
Mr. Redding graduated from SUNY-Albany with a degree in finance. His investment management career was centered in Boston and included seven years based in London. Following upon his involvement with FACE, he initially did some tutoring at JPII and most recently joined the business management office. He is also a board member of Homeless Prevention Council and the Cape Cod chapter of Trout Unlimited and resides in Brewster.
Mr. Sinopoli holds a B.S. in Elementary Education (k-8) license from Westfield State College. He has devoted his career to math and science instruction at the middle school level in both the public and private sector schools. He serves as co-moderator of the Bowling Club. Additionally, he served as a Senior Chief air traffic controller in the U. S. Naval Reserve.
Joe O'Keefe was raised in Connecticut and attended St. Theresa Elementary School, St. Joseph High School and Sacred Heart University. Raised by ardent supporters of Catholic education, Joe continues this legacy as the President of the O'Keefe Family Foundation, an organization dedicated to funding Catholic school scholarships and initiatives.
Joe has also volunteered on the Fall River Diocesan Foundation Development Committee and the Diocesan Governance Committee. He is currently a member of the Diocesan Pastoral Council led by Bishop Edgar da Cunha.
Joe graduated from Colorado State University with a BS in Landscape Architecture and worked as a consultant developing Geographic Information Systems for land use decision making. As an Associate Executive Director for the South Shore YMCA, an organization with a $38 million budget, his responsibilities included finance, program development, staff supervision and development, strategic planning, fundraising, property management, and Master Plan development and execution.
Currently, Joe lives on Cape Cod with his wife Wendy and his children Jack, ‘23 and Lulu, ‘24. He is principal of O'Keefe Property Services, a property management company.
A licensed attorney for 28 years and a long time community and government affairs professional. Mr. McGrath served as President of the MA Deputy Sheriffs Association and Chief Deputy Sheriff in Suffolk County for over 10 years. He also served on the Executive Staff of two Sheriffs and the Massachusetts State Auditor. McGrath has led community relations efforts on several projects including Cape Cod. He has served as statewide and Regional Director for political campaigns as well as many local, regional and national campaigns in various capacities. Married to Mary McGrath and father to Owen currently an 8th-grade student at SFXP.
Mr. Tanguay earned his bachelor's degree from Colby College and his M.Ed in Counseling from Bridgewater State University.
Before coming to JPII, he spent 35 years at Plymouth Carver and Plymouth North, the last 18 of which he served as the Guidance Department Chairperson. He, his wife, and his daughter are members of St Margaret Parish.
Michael graduated from JPII in 2013 as a member of the third graduating class where he received the "Spirit of Saint John Paul II" award. As a student at JPII he was active in performing arts, Student Council as well as the soccer and tennis teams. After JPII he attended Assumption College where he graduated with a major in biotechnology and molecular biology. He returned to JPII in 2017 to help create and lead the first year of JPIITV. He is currently a third year medical student at the University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine where he is pursuing a residency in emergency medicine.
Job Titles:
- Athletic Director
- Director
Mr. Young earned his BA from Stonehill College in 2019 and is an alum of JPII, graduating in 2014. After graduating from college, Young began his coaching career at Stonehill as the pitching coach and recruiting coordinator for the baseball team. Now, Young is entering his third year as JPII's head baseball coach. He belongs to St. Mary's Parish in Mansfield, MA.
Mr. Christian teaches English and Creative Writing at the high school division. He came to JPII with degrees in Liberal Arts (A.A., Central New Mexico Community College), English and Creative Writing, (B.A., Southern New Hampshire University), and English and Creative Writing with a Screenwriting concentration (M.A., Southern New Hampshire University). He serves as an advisor to the Quiz Bowl, Chess Club and Esports activities. Mr. Christian is also the Sophomore Class Moderator and is an Accredited Interscholastic Coach, head Football coach, overseen strength training, and hosted "Manuary" in his career at JPII. Mr. Christian is a member of Saint Pius X Parish in South Yarmouth.
Mr. VanDenBrink comes to us from Wasatch Academy in Mt. Pleasant, Utah, where he was the Associate Director of Admissions, Director of University Foundations, and a teacher. Prior to Wasatch, Mr. VanDenBrink was the principal at Great Falls Central Catholic High School in Great Falls, Montana. In addition, he has served in leadership positions at Leysin American School in Switzerland and at Beijing National Day School in China. Throughout his career, he has worked to create new programs, develop new partnerships to enhance education and increase enrollment to ensure the overall health and quality of programs while focusing on the student experience as the center of programmatic initiatives.
Mr. VanDenBrink brings 19 years of experience in education to the role. He received his undergraduate degree in International Business and German, with a minor in French, from Aquinas College in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He holds master's degrees in education and educational leadership from Middlebury College and the University of Cincinnati, respectively. In 2016, Mr. VanDenBrink earned a certificate in catechesis from
the University of Dayton. A Michigan native, he is excited to enter into the next chapter of his career at St. John Paul II, where he can focus his energy on leading the school toward a bright future.
Job Titles:
- Assistant Athletic Director and Admissions Associate
Mr. Hamel is a graduate of Marian High School, Phillips Exeter Academy, PG and Northeastern University, B.S. After an early career in commercial banking, he has been involved in marine sales management. He is a member of the school advancement committee.
Mrs. Amy McKenzie joins the Math Department, currently teaching Algebra II and Geometry. She is a graduate of Stonehill College and Suffolk University with her Masters degree. Amy has been working with students throughout her adult life and it is her passion. She has been married to her husband Craig and has raised her family of three children on the Cape.
Mrs. Anne Marie Carr teaches language arts and reading to the seventh grade, and she is also a grade seven homeroom teacher. Mrs. Carr earned her B.S. in Elementary Education from Saint Bonaventure University. All three of Mrs. Carr's daughters are graduates of SFXP. Mrs. Carr is a member of St. Elizabeth Seton Church.
Mrs. Carolyn Peters joins us as our grade five English teacher and a grade five homeroom teacher. In addition to her teaching responsibilities, Mrs. Peters will coach soccer. Mrs. Peters earned her Bachelor's degree at Stonehill College and her M.Ed. at Fitchburg State College. Mrs. Peters is a member of Corpus Christi Parish.
A native from Brazil, Mrs. Kennedy is very proud to teach languages such as English, Portuguese and Spanish. She has been working in education for over thirty years. Mrs. Kennedy has a Masters in Children's Literature and B.A. in Concentration Education from UNI-BH (in Brazil). Living in different countries and learning their languages has given her a better understanding of the process of teaching a foreign language. As an extension of Mrs. Kennedy's language skills, she is able to apply interpreter and translator functions.
Mrs. DiPreta is our dance teacher in the Arts Program. She received her BA from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. She has studied dance for many years, including classes at the Boston Ballet and various dance workshops. Mrs. DiPreta has worked on Cape as a choreographer for the past 7 years and has been a dedicated dance instructor since 2006. She is a parishioner of St. Pius X Parish in South Yarmouth.
Mrs. Kelley is a graduate of Regis College, and is currently working toward earning her Masters' Degree in Catholic School Administration through the University of Dayton.
Mrs. Kelley is active in the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, and has served as member and assistant chair on visiting committees. Mrs. Kelley was the chair of the SFXP 2012 re-accreditation self-study.
She also served as the Principal (Grades 5-8) and Study Skills teacher at JPII for ten years.
She and her family are parishioners of St. Pius X Church.
Mrs. Byrd joins us with over 30 years of experience as a pediatric nurse with a focus on pediatric, neonatal and maternal child nursing. She is a graduate of Boston College and Indiana Wesleyan University. Mrs. Byrd has three children and one grandson, and she and her husband live in Eastham.
Mrs. Scheffler is a graduate of Wellesley College.
Her teaching experience includes teaching English as a Foreign Language to students at Suffolk University, Boston Academy of English, and at Centre de Formation Professionnelle de la Pharmacie in Paris, France.
Mrs. Scheffler is a parishioner of St. Joan of Arc.
Mrs. Battles is a graduate of Salve Regina College. She is a member of the New England League of Middle Schools. Mrs. Battles serves as the co-moderator of our National Junior Honor Society and middle school cheerleading coach. Mrs. Battles has been a faculty member since the second year of the school's opening.
Job Titles:
- Advancement and Admissions Director
Mrs. Canzano holds a B.A. from St. Anselm College and a M. Ed. from Providence College. Mrs. Canzano serves as Director of Admissions and Advancement for St. John Paul II School. She is a member of the school advancement and strategic planning committee.
Mrs. Karen Hoffmeister, who previously taught at St. Margaret Regional School, returns to us as our physical education teacher. Mrs. Hoffmeister earned her B.S. in Physical Education Studies at Bridgewater State College. Mrs. Hoffmeister is a member of St. John the Evangelist Parish.
Mrs. Duvall is a native New Englander who has taught and lived in Massachusetts, Maine, California and Guadalajara, Mexico. She has taught in rural, urban, suburban, inner city areas in private, public and Catholic schools settings. She received her degree in Education from Fitchburg State College. She feels blessed to the reside with her husband in Sandwich and put her interests and varied experience in motion here at JPII. She takes pride in the fact that their son is a JPII grad, class of '14.
Mrs. Griffin-Mayo has been a full-time resident living on Cape Cod for over 35 years. Born and raised in Fall River, MA, her family was very involved in Catholic education. She attended Northeastern University, and her background is in hospitality. She worked at New Seabury Resort & Country Club in many capacities, including General Manager from 1987-2001. In 2001, she became the General Manager at Indian Pond Country Club in Kingston MA. She left the hospitality industry in 2005 to become a full time mother to her sons Quinn and Griffin. Her passion for Catholic education continued after her children were born, who both attended St. Pius X School in Yarmouth. She was very involved throughout their years at St. Pius serving on the Advisory Board, and heading up their annual fundraising campaigns. She Chaired the school's Annual Gala & Auction for 8 years, and found giving back to the Community very rewarding. She lives in New Seabury, with her husband Doug, and their two sons.
Mrs. Linnell is one of our school nurses. She earned her Associate in Science in Nursing Degree from Cape Cod Community College. Mrs. Linnell has been an RN for thirty-two years across many specialties, including critical care, hospice, and now school nursing for the past two years. She is a parishioner at Corpus Christi Parish in East Sandwich.
Job Titles:
- Digital Media Director and Advancement Assistant
- Digital Media Director and Advancement Associate
Mrs. Laureen Fish serves as our Digital Media Director and Advancement Assistant. Formally she was the office manager, Pre-K and Kindergarten music teacher, and Makerspace Moderator at St. Margaret Primary School. Mrs. Fish earned her B.S. in Business Administration with a minor in Music from Salem State University. Mrs. Fish is a member of St. John the Evangelist in Pocasset.
Mrs. Bentley is our sixth-grade English teacher. In addition, she is a sixth-grade homeroom teacher. She earned a bachelor's degree from Bridgewater State University and an M. Ed. From American International College. Mrs. Bentley is a parishioner of Corpus Christi Parish in Sandwich, MA.
Job Titles:
- Accounts Coordinator for St. John Paul II School
- Student Accounts Coordinator
Mrs. Keras serves as the Student Accounts Coordinator for St. John Paul II School. She holds a B.A. from St. Anselm College and has served in Catholic schools on Cape Cod since 2004. Her children (Julia '16 and Jack '17) are graduates of St. John Paul II High School. Mrs. Keras is a parishioner at St. Pius X Parish in South Yarmouth.
Mrs. Burch holds B.A. from Stonehill College and a J. D. from the New England School of Law. She is a member of the New England League of Middle Schools. Mrs. Burch serves as co-moderator of the National Junior Honor Society and the Social Action Club.
Job Titles:
- Office Manager
- Member of the Staff
Mrs. Offiler has been a member of the staff since its opening in 1996. Mrs. Offiler attended Bunker Hill Community College. She is The Director of Religious Education and a Eucharistic minister at St. Francis Xavier Parish. Her two kids graduated from St. Francis Xavier Preparatory School.
Mrs. Wile graduated with a BS from Stonehill College and received her MEd through the PACT Program at Providence College. She has taught middle school & high school science courses for 14 years. She also serves as the moderator for the Science Club & Garden Club.
Meegan Hatch holds a B.S. from the University of Connecticut and an M.Ed. from Lesley University. She is thrilled to be a part of the Student Services Team at JPII, as well as the parent of three beautiful JPII students.
Mrs. Anthony is our sixth-grade mathematics teacher and sixth-grade homeroom teacher. She earned a BA and M.Ed. at Providence College. Mrs. Anthony has been with us for several years teaching mathematics at our high school. She is a parishioner of Our Lady of Victory.
Mrs. Shannon Gilliland joins the faculty teaching Marine Science, Environmental Science, and A.P. Environmental Science. She graduated from Emmanuel College and brought her teaching experience from Notre Dame Academy in Hingham. She is passionate about science and hopes to continue to inspire students in these fields.
Mrs. Fox holds a Bachelor's Degree from Salve Regina University. She assists Mr. Mark Tanguay in the Guidance Department and works in the Business Office. Mrs. Fox is a member of the Our Lady of Victory Choir, and attends Our Lady of Assumption Parish.
Mrs. Susan Bivona, a recipient of the National Elementary Art Educator of the Year award, will be teaching art at St. John Paul II School, Preparatory Division. Mrs. Bivona earned her B.S. and her M.Ed. in Art Education at Kutztown University of Pennsylvania. Mrs. Bivona is a member of Holy Trinity Parish.
Mrs. Suzanne Feeney comes to us from the business world and will teach Spanish to students in grades five through eight. Mrs. Feeney earned her B.A. Spanish at Hamilton College, and she earned her M.B.A. in business administration at the College of Saint Rose. Mrs. Feeney is a member of Holy Redeemer Parish.
Job Titles:
- Counselor
- Adjustment Counselor
Ms. Alison "Ali" McLeod joins JPII as the adjustment counselor for grades 5-12. Ms. McLeod completed her master's degree in clinical social work at Boston University and earned her undergraduate degree in human development from Connecticut College. In addition to maintaining her professional license as a Licensed Certified Social Worker (LCSW), she holds a school social work/school adjustment counselor license in Massachusetts. Ms. McLeod is a member of Our Lady of the Cape Parish in Brewster, MA.
Ms. Poirier comes to us with a BS in Biology from Wheaton College (IL) and an MS in Biology from UMass Dartmouth. She is our freshman class moderator and the science fair coordinator. Ms. Poirier attends Cape Cod Covenant Church when she is a worship leader and youth minister.
Ms. Smith holds a B.A. in English Education and an M.A. in English Literature & Film from Bridgewater State University. She completed the Bridgewater-at-Oxford program in 2018. Ms. Smith is a parishioner of St. Anthony's in Mattapoisett. She is a member of the Sigma Tau Delta, Kappa Delta Pi, Phi Sigma Tau, and Order of Omega honor societies. Ms. Smith holds a Massachusetts teaching license for English, grades 8-12. She has been an AP Reader since 2019. Outside of the classroom, Ms. Smith serves as the JPII Textbook Coordinator, coaches the policy debate team, and co-advises the National Honor Society chapter.
Ms. McPherson earned her degree in Secondary Education Mathematics from Olivet Nazarene University and is pursuing a master's degree from Stonehill College in Inclusive Education. She is a member of St. Pius X parish. Ms. McPherson is on the Math Leadership Team for the Diocese of Fall River, and a student council co-leader and girls soccer assistant coach.
Kathleen graduated from JPII in 2014 before attending Colby College for her B.A., and the Nicholas School of the Environment at Duke University for her Master of Environmental Management (MEM). She has career experience in water quality management, land conservation, and environmental law and policy. Kathleen has recently returned to the Cape where she works as a Water Resources Analyst with the Cape Cod Commission. Kathleen's positive experience at JPII motivates her to ensure the success of St. John Paul II School, creation of dynamic and holistic students, and connection with alumni.
Ms. Uguccioni has been teaching piano for Grades 5-8 and serving as our school choral accompanist for several years. Ms. Uguccioni earned her Bachelor's degree at the University of Miami and her Masters of Fine Arts at New York University.
Job Titles:
- First Direct Services Special Education Coordinator
- Student Services Director
Ms. Lucy Foran will be our first direct services special education coordinator, effective with the 2020-2021 school year. Ms. Foran returns to the Cape from Florida, where she served as Principal of Academie da Vinci Charter School (Dunedin, FL). Previously, she held the positions of Program Director and Director of Education at Latham Centers (Brewster, MA). She is a graduate of Bridgewater State University (M.A., Clinical Psychology), Lesley University (M.Ed), and Stonehill College (B.A., Psychology), and has completed advanced coursework in Special Education Administration at American International College. Ms. Foran holds Massachusetts certifications in Special Education Administration and Moderate Special Needs (5-12).
Job Titles:
- Assistant Head of School Grades 9 - 12
Ms. Mona Lisa Valentino joined the school's administration team in 2012.
Previously, she taught science for ten years at Mashpee High School, including a summer web-based curriculum for science and English. Ms. Valentino entered the education field following a career marketing for Digital Equipment Corporation and Compaq Computer Corporation.
She earned her undergraduate degree from Fairfield University and her Master's Degree from Lesley University. Ms. Valentino and her daughter, a 2011 graduate of Pope John Paul II High School, worship at Christ the King Parish in Mashpee.
Job Titles:
- Assistant Head of School Grades 5 - 8
- Ex Officio, Assistant Head of School Grades 5 - 8
Mrs. Daly joins the JPII community from Saint Joseph Preparatory High School in Boston where she was the Mathematics Department Chair. An educator with more than 20 years of experience, Mrs. Daly holds Massachusetts certifications to teach math in grades 5-9 as well as grades 9-12.
Prior to Saint Joseph Preparatory School, Mrs. Daly taught middle school math at Monsignor Haddad Middle School in Needham, MA. In addition to teaching five sections of pre-algebra and algebra, Mrs. Daly created a math lab curriculum for seventh-grade enrichment, incorporated writing skills across the math curriculum, and was the lead teacher and mentor for new teachers. Previously, Mrs. Daly spent two years teaching all fifth grade subjects at the Jackson School in Newton, MA.
Paula earned her Master's degree in education from Emmanuel College. She is currently working on a second Master's degree in Educational Leadership from Boston College, with an expected completion in 2024. Her undergraduate degree is from the University of Massachusetts, Boston. Paula and one of her children live in Hyannis. Since moving here full-time, she is actively seeking a parish to call home.
Job Titles:
- Office Manager / Guidance Asst
Ms. Tazz Jacobs joins us on Cape Cod from Cape Town, South Africa. She holds her bachelor's in Tourism and Hospitality Management from Cape Peninsula University Technikon, the University of South Africa, and the University of Cape Town. Prior to relocating to Cape Cod from Florida, Ms. Jacobs had been an Event Coordinator, and Catering Manager in the food and beverage industry. She has a strong love for tourism and travel and a keen interest in lighthouses and a passion for cooking! She also holds an admiration for aviation, which took her to work closely with Jet Ranger and Fixed Wing pilots and oversaw the commercial and private charter flights. Ms. Jacobs is excited to be here and learn about the school culture with students and staff alike, and she is trying her best to acclimatize to the cold!
Job Titles:
- Pastor, St. Francis Xavier Parish