Faculty and Staff

Fr. Nate Kuhn is beginning his first year as Pastor of St. Mary’s Parish and School. He has been a priest for 11 years with previous assignments in Marshfield, Wausau, Genoa, and most recently as the Director of Vocations for the Diocese. Fr. Kuhn has been connected to Catholic education at each of his priestly assignments, whether serving as a chaplain at the school systems, overseeing a parish school, or spending time traveling and visiting schools throughout the Diocese promoting vocations. He considers it a blessing to be able to be part of this parish and school and is excited to be present and active in daily classes and activities. In his free time, Fr. Kuhn enjoys spending time outdoors, being active in sports, and traveling.

Bio coming soon!

Mrs. Kohlstedt is in her tenth year of administration at St. Mary School. She completed her most recent graduate work for her Reading Specialist and Principal license at Viterbo, where she also teaches graduate coursework for teachers. Mrs. Kohlstedt is so happy that God has placed her at St. Mary School where she can share her love of her faith, learning, and service with an amazing staff and student body. When she is not at school, Mrs. Kohsltedt loves spending time with her family, especially her husband and three children. She also enjoys cooking, reading, and traveling whenever she can.

This is Mrs. Baldizon's second year teaching at St. Mary School as she joins our Preschool Program, and having previously taught Spanish. She is thankful for the opportunity and will not only share her knowledge of a second language and promote bilingualism, but also create an environment where God's grace is reflected. Her motto for this challenge is: "The lowliness of the tool heightens the Glory of the Master". She is a Spanish native speaker and has a Bachelor's Degree in Architecture in her home country of Nicaragua. She has been married to Rodolfo Linarte for 10 years and has two daughters. She enjoys watching a good movie with a "cafe con leche" and spending time with family.

Mrs. Tydrich has been working for St. Mary School for the past 13 years in the preschool program. She is the 4K teacher and has been with the program since it started. She loves working with the precious, energetic 4 and 5 year olds that begin their academic life at St. Mary. Mrs. Tydrich was blessed to receive the Diocese of LaCrosse Preschool Teacher of the Year award for the 2019-2020 school year. Her mission is to give her young students a foundation for their learning years based on fun, playing, virtues, and God's word. Mrs. Tydrich is proud of her family - her husband Tony, four children, two daughter-in-laws and one granddaughter. Mrs. Tydrich enjoys running, hiking, skiing, paddle boarding, or anything that gets her moving outside.

Ms. Krajco is in her seventh full year of teaching Kindergarten at St. Mary School. She graduated from UW-Eau Claire with a degree in Elementary Education and a minor in Mathematics. She recently completed her Master's in Education along with a Reading Specialist certification through Viterbo University. Ms. Krajco is proud to be teaching at a Christ-centered school that also happens to be her alma mater. In her free time, she loves to coach gymnastics, bake, and travel.

Mrs. Frazier started her educational career as a Special Education Aide. She decided she would like to puruse a career in education as a teacher, either in Special Education or as a regular classroom teacher. She completed her elementary and special education through the University of Wisconsin-Superior. This is her 4th year teaching 1st grade at St. Mary School. She enjoys spending time with her husband, four children, and 12 grandchildren.

Ms. Urbach has been teaching for the last 44 years. She has been in education for all of her working life. She has always taught the 2nd grade and she loves it! She has been at St. Mary School in Richland Center for the last 30 years. Before that, she was in Colby, Wisconsin in the beginning of her teaching career. Ms. Urbach is the oldest of 6 children. Some of her hobbies include listening to music, reading, and watching her favorite team play, the Packers. Ms. Urbach loves her job at St. Mary because her faith is a very important part of her life and she loves being able to make a difference in her student’s lives. Ms Urbach was both humbled and blessed to receive the Diocesan Elementary Teacher of the Year in the 2017-18 school year. She is now beginning to teach a 2nd generation of students, whose parents she taught already. Ms. Urbach loves being a part of such a beautiful place!!

Mrs. Pliner has been the third grade teacher at St. Mary School for 36 years. Most of her teaching experience has been in the 3rd grade, but she also taught Kindergarten when the program first began. She has an Associate of Arts degree from the UW Center-Richland and graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Platteville with a degree in Elementary Education. She has been married to her husband, Terry, for 29 years. They have 2 grown children, Stacie and Michael. In her spare time she loves to walk, ride bike, read, scrapbook, and spend time with her family in Wisconsin and out of state. She loves helping her students learn new things. Her favorite subjects to teach are Math and Science. Saint Mary's has been a big part of her life. She has seen many changes in teaching and learning, but the main focus has always been a Christ-centered learning environment. She loves teaching at St. Mary because of the friendly and helpful co-workers and families.

Mrs. Sherman is excited to be back at St. Mary School and this time as the fourth grade teacher! She spent over five years in the Madison School District, two years as a corrections teacher for Title-1 students, one year as an Applied Behavior Analysis Therapist for Wisconsin Early Autism Project and recently worked her first summer as the school-aged teacher with Sunshine and Giggles daycare program. She has been here at St. Mary School for three years working with kids 3K-8. When she is not at school you will likely see her out and about with her five beautiful children! Her hobbies include botany, baking, and brewing kombucha. Her favorite subject is science because "it is where math and the world around us come together!"

This is Mrs. Drier’s fifth year at St. Mary School. She is currently the 5th Grade homeroom teacher and also teaches 6th Grade Literature. Prior to joining the St. Mary staff, she taught high school science in Columbus, WI, and also spent time working for Southwest Wisconsin Technical College as an Adult Education Instructor. She has two sons. Her older son is a freshman in high school and her younger son is a 6th grader at St. Mary School. In her free time she enjoys reading, running, biking, gardening, and spending time with her family.

Ms. Hall joined the St. Mary staff in January of 2020 and finished out the school year as 6th grade homeroom teacher and instructor of math for grades 5-8. This is her fourth “official” year of teaching after serving as a long-time substitute teacher in the Richland School District, Riverdale School District and St. Mary School. Ms. Hall enjoys spending time with her family, including her two daughters. In her spare time, Ms. Hall plays the piano and organ and loves to read. As a native of Virginia, Ms. Hall looks forward to opportunities to travel and visit with family and friends each summer.

Mrs. Cooper is in her 19th year teaching students at St. Mary School and has been in the education field for 25 years. She has a B.S. degree in Agriculture from UW-River Falls, and completed her teaching certification through Saint Mary’s University in Winona, Minnesota. Mrs. Cooper is in her second year as an Educator Ambassador for Wisconsin Ag in the Classroom and has helped implement agricultural literacy programs in our school, and has given presentations at the local, state, and national level in various content areas in agriculture. She is also a Notre Dame Senior Trustey STEM Fellow and has helped bring STEM Education to the staff and students at St. Mary School. As a student council and SeaPerch advisor, she helps provide educational and leadership opportunities for students in a variety of ways. Some of Mrs. Cooper's hobbies include working on her farm, being a 4H shooting sports leader, crafting, and enjoying foraging and canning produce that she shares with family and friends. She has been married to her husband Jerry for 33 years and has two grown children, Ryley and Madison. Mrs. Cooper stated that, “St. Mary School is like my second home and my extended family lives there. The love and support I receive from my peers and students is priceless.”

Mrs. Ueeck is in her 14th year of teaching, and her 8th year at St. Mary’s. She is the middle school English teacher and teaches the 8th grade homeroom classes. She is an alumna of both St. Mary School and Richland Center High School. Mrs. Ueeck holds an Associate's Degree from UW-Richland and a Bachelor's Degree in English Education from UW-Platteville. She and her husband, James, manage a small organic beef cattle farm on the land that Mrs. Ueeck grew up on. They have 2 young children, Alexander and Elizabeth. Mrs. Ueeck enjoys spending time with her family, snuggling with her cat, cross-stitching, going on walks, and playing video games. She also loves reading and singing.

Mrs. Judy Barnicle is starting her first year as Spanish teacher at St. Mary School. Mrs. Barnicle taught for 28 years, 22 of those as a Spanish and Math teacher in the Richland School District and at UW-Richland before retiring. Her love of education did not allow for her to stay fully retired and she has been active as a district sub since 2017. Mrs. Barnicle is Past-President of St. Mary PCCW, and is active in several community organizations. She enjoys spending time with her seven grandchildren, playing pickleball, and reading.

Mrs. Bauer is delighted to be in her thirteenth year of teaching at St. Mary School, where she once attended as a student. She graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater with a Bachelor’s Degree in Organizational Communication and a minor in Human Resources Management. Mrs. Bauer began teaching at St. Mary as a substitute teacher before taking on the role as Computer Teacher. She is grateful to be able to share the blessing of her faith through her career with her students, their families, and her colleagues. As technology has evolved over the years, one of the newer additions to the technology center is our 3D printer! Outside of the classroom, much of her time is spent with family, including her husband and their two daughters. Most especially, she enjoys traveling, boating, playing games, and attending many Badger events as an avid Wisconsin fan.

Melanie is a first-year Teacher's Aide and Interventionist for grades K-3. As an Aide, she assists with 1st and 3rd grade reading and 1st grade math in the classroom. As an Interventionist, she works with students individually or in small groups to help them overcome challenges, catch up with their peers, and succeed academically. Melanie is passionate about creating engaging and effective learning experiences that promote student growth and development. She believes in the power of education and is committed to ensuring that every student has the opportunity to thrive and reach their full potential. Prior to St. Mary School, Melanie spent 25+ years working in group benefits as a sales rep and most recently as a sales manager, trainer, and educator. Outside of school, Melanie enjoys working on various DIY projects, cooking, and spending time with her husband and two dogs, and her three grandchildren.

Mr. Krajco is semi-retired after spending 40 years in the dairy industry. Teaching Physical Education was an unexpected detour on the way to retirement. He feels blessed to have the opportunity to give back to St. Mary School and Church. Mr. Krajco, along with this wife Laurie, sent all four of their children to St. Mary School. Currently, three grandchildren attend the school. Mr. Krajco graduated from the University of LaCrosse with a degree in Geography, and a minor in Psychology. He has also coached girls and boys basketball for over 20 years, with many of those years at St. Mary School.

This fall, Mrs. Marshall begins her 15th year at St. Mary School. She was first a classroom aide to Mrs. Valasak in the kindergarten room for 6 years. In 2016 she transitioned to the school library to become the school librarian. In 2018 she also assumed duties as art instructor for grades K through 8 and continues in those two capacities. Mrs. Marshall loves seeking out new books for the library and filling student requests for books for their projects, reports, and, of course, the latest book in their favorite series. It is no secret that her "Happy Place" is the art room where she does her best to encourage students creativity through the use of a wide variety of different mediums. Students are always welcome in the art room after school to draw, paint, or work on their current project from class. She is a proud graduate of St. Mary School and truly enjoys working in an environment where students and staff can discuss and share their Catholic faith. In her spare time she enjoys spending time with her family, researching her Irish ancestry, drawing and painting, and playing Mahjong. She is also "Dog Mom" to her Mini Dachshund, Barry.

Rosanne Knower is starting her 2nd school year at St. Mary's teaching music to grades 3K-8th. Rosanne has enjoyed music since her youth of taking piano lessons, playing alto saxophone, and dancing. Rosanne has worked in the private sector in banking and insurance. When her boys started school she completed her Master's Degree in School Counseling and Human Development at UW-Platteville. While employed at Richland Center High School in the High School counseling office, she also co-directed several plays and was a forensics judge. Rosanne has been singing and directing music in area churches, singing for community choir, and is also a radio DJ personality, at wdrt.org (91.9 FM) in Viroqua. Rosanne is currently on the Board of Directors for the historical building, The City Auditorium, in Richland Center. She plays pickleball and walks in her spare time.

Bio coming soon!

This is Mrs. Burns’ first year as a 4K teacher’s aide at St. Mary School. Mrs. Burns graduated from UW-Platteville with a degree in Elementary Education. She has spent the last five years as a stay at home mom and teaching online. Prior to her time at home, she taught 4K for 2 years and First Grade for 5 years. She is married and has three children. Mrs. Burns is excited for her time in 4K. The greatest feeling comes when children accomplish something new and it is displayed in their smiles! Mrs. Burns feels very blessed to have the opportunity to work at St. Mary because her faith is very important to her. In her free time Mrs. Burns loves to spend time with her family and friends. She also enjoys baking, kayaking, and spending time outdoors.

Bio coming soon!

This is Mrs.Kinney's third year at St. Mary School working as the 4K aide. After working 26 years at a local bank and then 9-1/2 years at the Richland Medical Center, she retired but decided a part time position working at two of her grandkids school was a great idea! And it certainly was! Her husband is a local builder, she has two grown children & four grandchildren. Her daughter’s two kids attend St. Mary School & her son lives in Indiana with the other two grands. She enjoys doing yard work, her flowers, ranger riding, card games & any activity that involves time spent with family and friends!

This is Mrs. Mueller’s sixth year at St. Mary School. She spends most of her time leading small math and reading groups in Kindergarten through 3rd Grade. She also loves getting to know all students while supervising K-2 recess. She currently has one child who attends the school and two older children in the high school. In her free time she enjoys spending time with her family and running her kids to their various activities.

This is Mrs. Weiss’ third year at St. Mary School. Mrs. Weiss has a Health Education degree from UW-LaCrosse. She has seven children. Four of them have already graduated from St. Mary School. She loves being part of the school and helping teach kids. She is grateful to be able to live her Catholic Faith within the walls of her job. In her free time she enjoys watching her very active children do what they love.

Mrs. Nichole Myers is part time School Secretary. Mrs. Myers is returning to the office for her 5th year in this role. She joined the Administrative team after being an Aide in our 4K classroom and a substitute teacher for St. Mary’s since Spring 2018. She is married to Dr. Bryan Myers and they have three children. Her sons are enrolled at St. Mary’s, and daughter is a sophomore at RCHS. In her spare time, Mrs. Myers enjoys spending time with friends and family, scrapbooking, gardening, cooking and traveling. Mrs. Myers received her bachelor’s degree with a major in Sociology and a minor in Social Work from Carroll University in Waukesha, WI. In addition, she has completed courses to certify her to teach Elementary Education. Despite having her teaching certification, Mrs. Myers has found the daily interaction with families, staff, and students through the office to be highly rewarding and she looks forward to working with all of our students and families this year!

Mrs. Weeden is a part time school secretary, and it is her second year in this role. All of her children are students at St. Mary. Prior to her role in the office, Mrs. Weeden was in the school often volunteering with various other duties. She looks forward to more interaction with the students and their families on a more regular basis. In her free time, she enjoys adventures with her family, reading, hiking, and supporting her children in their various extracurricular activities.

Mrs. Jelinek is in her eleventh year as Food Service Director at St. Mary School. She enjoys the challenges of running a program that creates healthy meals that students enjoy while meeting all of the requirements of the federal lunch program. She especially likes to find fun ways to incorporate new foods in the menus at St. Mary School. Mrs. Jelinek and her husband, Kevin, are parents of eight children. The four oldest have already graduated from St. Mary School and the four youngest are current students. In her free time, Mrs. Jelinek is most often spending time with her family. They love to explore our National Parks during their annual vacations.

Bio coming soon!