About Us

Sister Joan Carberry, a native of Providence, RI, has been a member of the Franciscan Sisters of Allegany for 65 years. The Franciscan Sisters of Allegany founded St. Paul Catholic School in 1930.

Sister is a graduate of St. Bonaventure University. Most of Sister's teaching career has been in grades 3 thru 8 in schools in New York, New Jersey and North Carolina. Sister is also a certified chaplain in the National Association of Catholic Chaplains and has ministered in Pastoral Care Departments in St Mary Hospital, West Palm Beach and in St. Anthony Hospital in St. Petersburg. 

Sister Joan began her ministry at St. Paul Catholic School in the finance department and then became the Assistant Principal.  As a member of the Franciscan Sisters of Allegany, Sister Joan continues to carry on the mission and charism of the Franciscan Sisters who follow the Rule and Life of St. Francis of Assisi.

Virginia was born in Puerto Rico and has had the privilege of living there, off and on, throughout her life. She has also lived in the United Kingdom, Colorado and several states in the North East but when asked, she is a Philly girl. She has been married to her soul mate, Tony for 29 years. She is blessed with four sons, Fabian, Julian, Antonio Jr. and Miguel and is a proud grandmother of six and loves nothing more then to spend time with them.

She was raised in the Catholic Church, attended Bryant & Stratton College and La Universidad Catolica de Puerto Rico. This year she begins 5 great years with St. Paul Catholic School.

Mrs. Carmona was born on the Naval base in Virginia, but has also lived in New Jersey, New York, Missouri, and Vero Beach, FL. She is bilingual and has a Master’s Degree in Early Childhood Education from the University of Florida. Mrs. Carmona began at St. Paul's in 2002 teaching First Grade after having taught First Grade in the Duval County public school system. She and her husband have three children graduated from St. Paul's. She has represented the Florida Catholic Conference in assisting several Florida Catholic schools with re-accreditation. She is trained as an Instructional Coach and has her iPad Apple Teacher certification. Outside of school, Mrs. Carmona enjoys lectoring at St. Paul’s, biking, traveling, boating, pickleball, beaching, and photography.  

Mrs. Carmona believes that parents are the first teachers and she is blessed to be an additional teacher in both academics and the faith.

Mrs. Kafantaris is a proud graduate of the University of Florida (BA, MA).  She taught high school Latin for 29 years, at Gulliver Prep in Miami and then as department chair of World Languages at Academy of the Holy Names. Mrs. "Kaf" has taught at St. Paul’s for two years. She enjoys travel, cooking, reading and attending her children’s tennis tournaments and soccer matches. Mrs. Kaf has a son and a daughter who attended St. Paul’s and are currently enrolled at St. Pete Catholic.

Mrs. Schamp is originally from Denver, CO. She graduated from Colorado State University with a B.S. in Human Development and Family Studies with a concentration in early childhood education and a minor in Spanish. In 2013 she earned her M.A. in Education and also received her National Board Certification in language arts and reading for early and middle childhood. She taught for eight years in Denver Public Schools and has been teaching second grade in the Diocese of St. Petersburg since 2016. Mrs. Schamp has taught preschool, third grade, English for speakers of other languages (K-5), and second grade.

Mrs. Schamp has two children. Her son attends St. Paul Catholic School and her daughter is at the St. Paul Children’s Center. In her free time she enjoys spending time with her family, reading, running and spending time outdoors.

Ms. Poole grew up in St. Petersburg, FL as a member of the St. Paul’s Parish and graduated from St. Paul’s School in 2014. She attended St. Petersburg High School and later earned her Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education, with a minor in English as a Second Language, at the University of North Florida. She stayed in Jacksonville to teach first and second grade for a Title-1 school in Duval County. She has moved home this summer and is ecstatic to be back at her Alma Mater. Outside of school, she teaches ballet at the Academy of Ballet Arts, enjoys singing, performing, running, reading, and being outdoors with family and friends.

Mr. Connors teaches 4th and 5th grade Language Arts and Reading as well as 3rd grade Language Arts. He is excited to bring literature and writing alive for his students. Mr. Connors was born and raised in Toledo, Ohio, where he attended St. John’s Jesuit High School. He earned his bachelor’s degree in Literature at Eckerd College with minors in Creative Writing, Theatre, and Religion. He subsequently earned a master's degree in Theatre from Indiana University - Bloomington. Mr. Connors joined the faculty of St. Paul in 2016. He also serves as co-director of the Drama Club for intermediate grades.

Ms. Alyssa Doyle grew up in Brandon, Florida attending Catholic school at St. Stephen and Tampa Catholic High School. She earned her Bachelor's degree in Mathematics and STEM education from Florida State University and earned her Master's in Education from the University of Notre Dame. She previously taught middle school math in St. Paul, Minnesota and is excited to move back to sunny Florida. She desires for students to build the connection between how what they’re learning in the classroom helps to make sense of the world around them. Outside of school, Ms. Doyle enjoys spending time with her family and friends, cooking and exploring the outdoors. She is excited to join the family at St. Paul!

Mrs. Emily Bouchard grew up in Bradenton, Florida and earned her degree in English Education from Florida State University. An educator for over ten years, Mrs. Bouchard loves nothing more than seeing students excited about reading and connecting with a text.  Her goals as an ELA teacher include fostering the love of reading in middle school students as well as helping her students develop into strong writers. Outside of school, Mrs. Bouchard enjoys spending time with her family, including her three children, who all currently attend St. Paul’s.

Mrs. Alonzo was raised in Woodridge, Illinois. She earned her degree in Elementary Education from the University of Illinois and taught middle school at a Catholic school in Illinois for four years. After completing her master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction at Northern Illinois University, Mrs. Alonzo moved to St. Petersburg and has been teaching at St. Paul’s since 1993.  She is certified to teach grades 1-6, Math grades 5-9, and Social Studies grades 5-9 in Florida. Mrs. Alonzo's dedication to St. Paul’s is evident as both of her sons are proud graduates of our school. Outside of teaching, she enjoys spending time with family and friends, traveling, baking, and reading.

Mrs. Lisko was born and raised in Tampa, FL. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Architecture and her Minor in Theology and Religious Studies from the Catholic University of America. She is a parishioner of Christ the King, where she previously volunteered as a religious education catechist. Mrs. Lisko has been the religion teacher at St. Paul since 2022 and is excited to continue nurturing the faith journey of her students by cultivating their Catholic values and emphasizing their roles and worth as children of God. Outside of school, Mrs. Lisko enjoys playing ultimate frisbee, going rollerblading, spending time at the beach, and playing board games with her friends and family.

Ms. Tills was raised on St. Pete Beach and is a graduate of St. John Vianney and St. Pete Catholic. She has a Master’s in Elementary Education from Regis University - Denver, Colorado. She has a daughter who will be attending her first year of college in California this Fall.  Ms.Tills has worked the last 15 years at Blessed Sacrament Catholic school as a Kindergarten Teacher and Learning Specialist. When she is not working she loves hanging out with her friends,  walking the beach, and listening to music and audiobooks.

Mrs. Zacher grew up in Rochester, Minnesota. She received her bachelor's degree in Elementary Education from the University of SE Minnesota and her Masters degree in curriculum at the University of Wisconsin Whitewater. Her last teaching assignment was for Pinellas County School Board. One her daughters and two of her grandchildren have graduated from St. Paul’s.

Ms. Niles was born and raised in Tarpon Springs, FL.  She is a proud graduate of Florida A&M University where she earned both of her degrees.  She has a Master of Education degree in Counseling  and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Education. Ms. Niles has worked with students of all ages during her 28 years of service with Pinellas County Schools. 

Ms. Niles enjoys spending time with her family and friends. She has three adult sons.  She is a true believer in the importance of having a personal relationship with Christ.  She loves helping and working with the students here at St. Paul.  This is Ms. Niles’ second year serving as the School Counselor.

Mr. Wassmer was born in San Francisco, CA.  He has lived in Florida since 1999 and has 3 younger sisters, all of which are graduates of St. Paul's.  He, his wife, and daughter live in Riverview and have been a part of the St. Paul's Community for several years.  He studied Mathematics at the University of South Florida and has been teaching at St. Paul's since 2011.  Mr. Wassmer has also been a tutor and camp counselor for several companies. He teaches the Technology classes for all grades, 6th Grade Math, and manages the middle school Theatre program.  He feels very blessed to be able to teach at St. Paul's.

Mrs. Freitas was born in Sao Paulo, Brazil and moved to USA in 1996. She has been living in Saint Petersburg, Florida for about 7 years.

She attended Oswaldo the Vincenzo in São Paulo, Brazil — Conservatory for Education in Music, Performance, and Composition. She also earned a Bachelor in Music and Piano Performance from FAAM University in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Lastly, she attended Calvin Theological Seminary to work on her Master’s of Arts in Worship in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Mrs. Freitas has been teaching music, choir, multiple Instruments, puppetry and musical theater for over 30 years. Her passion, motivation and enthusiasm are evident. Her goal is to inspire students to explore their fullest potential by providing the support needed for them to succeed, reach excellence, confidence in all music experiences and performances.

Coach Adam is one of the rare people you will meet from the state of Delaware and moved to Florida in June of 2023. He graduated from the University of Delaware with a Bachelor’s degree in Exercise Science and a minor in Strength & Conditioning. 

Sports played a huge role in Coach’s growth as a person and his passion is to share all the benefits athletics bring with others. It brings him joy to be able to play a part in the physical and emotional development of young students.  In his off time, he enjoys beach days, playing basketball and consuming sports news, especially on his New England Patriots.

Mrs. Marquez-Miller was born in Tangancicuaro, Mich. Mexico, and was raised in Gary, Indiana. Her family immigrated to Gary in the winter of 1975. She is the 5th child of 8 children. She moved to St. Petersburg, Florida in the summer of 1996 with her husband Scott.

​Mrs. Marquez-Miller earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Elementary Education from Indiana University. She taught at Lanier Elementary School in Tampa for 3 years before she had her two beautiful children Otilia and Scotty. She has been at St. Paul in her current teaching position since 2007. She absolutely loves exposing her students to her native language, the hispanic culture, customs, and traditions.

Mrs. Marquez-Miller loves spending time with her family and friends. She also enjoys watching movies, going out on walks, bike rides, and camping!

Mrs. Hand has been teaching Visual Arts at St. Paul’s since 2003. Her passion for art began as a child, and she has fostered that interest most every day since then. She grew up in Winter Park, Florida and has lived in St. Petersburg since 1987.  She graduated from Florida State University with degrees in Communications, Business and Dental Hygiene.   She spent 15 years in the advertising industry working in all types of communication arts.  She enjoys helping children realize their creative potential, and has worked successfully to instill that in her own three children, two of whom are St. Paul graduates.  She conducts after-school art classes at St. Paul's and has spent many summers teaching at the Morean Arts Center downtown.  Her other interests include residential St. Petersburg real estate (she is also a Realtor), as well as interior design, gardening and theatre. 

Mrs. Lopez has lived in St. Petersburg for more than 50 years.  She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education and Exceptional Student Education from the University of South Florida.  She is a National Board- Certified teacher who has taught grades 1^st- 12^th for more than 35 years.

She and her husband have three children who attended St. Paul Catholic School and eight grandchildren.  In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family, reading, swimming, and cheering for the Florida Gators!  Mrs. Lopez is blessed to be part of the St. Paul Family and looks forward to creating a welcoming environment in the library that encourages a love of reading.

Ms. Jaynal  is a native New Yorker and has lived in St Petersburg, Florida since 2003. She received a solid Catholic school education beginning at Sacred Heart School for elementary then on to The Ursuline School college prep school for girls and graduated from Manhattanville College with a B.A. in Management. Ms Jaynal then earned her J.D. from New England Law in Boston, MA. Ms. Jaynal developed a strong sense of service as a young adult involved in local soup kitchens and church sponsored community outreach programs and continues to volunteer with her children, Stephen and Lyla, in local community programs. Both Stephen and Lyla are graduates of St. Paul Catholic School. Lyla is currently a student at St. Pete Catholic High School. Stephen is a graduate of St. Pete Catholic High School and is currently a student at the University of South Florida in Tampa.

She enjoys paddle boarding the vast bayous in the the area, sunny days on the beach with family and friends and exploring new places and events in downtown St Pete.

Ms.Jaynal has been on  the staff of St. Paul’s since 2015 after enjoying many years as a parent volunteer.

Catherine Barber was born and raised in New York. She majored in Music and Piano at Nassau Community College. 

Catherine and her family moved to St Petersburg in 1991 and has been part of the St. Paul’s community for over 30 years. Catherine has two adult children who are graduates of St Paul’s and has four granddaughters, two of which also attend St. Paul’s. 

Catherine has been working in EC4 since 2020.

Yadira was born in Belize where she still has family. Yadira and her husband have two grown children. She has been employed at St. Paul Catholic School for over 15 years. During these years, Yadira has had many roles. Currently she is the afternoon teacher assistant in EC 4 and the Extended Day assistant for EC 3 & 4. Yadira also works in the St. Paul Children's Center during the summer months.

Mrs. Johnson studied Primary Education at a college in Italy. She is very excited to be a part of St. Paul’s school, which teaches invaluable values such as faith and community. She feels honored to be in the kindergarten class, assisting Ms. Simpson.

After earning a BA in Visual Disabilities and MEd in Instruction and Curriculum, Mrs. Burkett worked for 10 years in Hillsborough County Public Schools serving students with visual impairments. In following the growth in her Catholic faith, Mrs. Burkett joined the diocese as a first-grade teacher at the Cathedral of St. Jude for the last two years. Mrs. Burkett is a born and raised St. Petersburg native. She and her firefighter husband, a St. Paul graduate, have two children attending St. Paul. Outside of school Mrs. Burkett can be found spending time with her chickens, thrifting, running, and family days at Disney.

Sue Smith was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan and moved to Florida at an early age. She attended St. John’s (SPB), Notre Dame Academy (now SPC) and the College of Notre Dame (Baltimore). She has worked in Catholic education in several different fields and most recently here at St. Paul’s. Middle school students are her favorite because they are all at different stages of life. Catholic education has always been foremost in her life and that of her parents and 6 siblings.