SAINT JOSEPH REGIONAL SCHOOL
OUR LADY OF MERCY ACADEMY
TWO CATHOLIC SCHOOLS. ONE MISSION.
Serving students Pre-K through 12th Grade
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Our Administration and Faculty
Our dedicated faculty and staff members are the heart of our school community. Together they collaboratively inspire student growth in mind, body and spirit in our nurturing, family-centered Catholic school environment. ​​We offer an unmatched curriculum that not only promotes strong academic achievement, but also develops a sense of personal responsibility and the importance of public service. ​We are enlivened to explore, promote, and preserve our Catholic identity and mission as our school community learns and grows together academically and spiritually each day.
Our Administration
Mrs. Amber Casavant
Principal
Mrs. Kate Pratt
Executive Assistant
Tuition and
Financial Aid Manager
Kate has worked at SJRS for 14 years. She is also a Licensed Nursing Assistant.
Mrs. Heather Carlson
Office Admin
Admissions
Development
OUR SJRS Faculty
Mrs. Tracy Young
Preschool
Mrs. Young attended New York University and the University College Dublin (UCD) in Dublin, Ireland. She holds a Bachelors degree in Social Science from UCD. ​She has volunteered or worked at SJRS since 2006, and served as the Preschool Aide for seven years before taking over as the lead teacher in 2024.
Mrs. Stephenie Konopka
First Grade
Mrs Konopka re-joined the SJRS faculty in 2025. She previously taught First Grade at SJRS and most recently worked as a Specially Designed Instruction (SDI) Teacher at Cedarcrest, where she developed and adapted instructional methods, materials, and assessments to support the diverse learning needs of her students.
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A graduate of Keene State College, she holds certification from the NHDOE as an early childhood educator. Mrs. Konopka is advancing her professional training by pursuing a special education credential through the University of New Hampshire’s College of Professional Studies.
Ms. Stephanie Johnson
Second Grade
Ms. Johnson joined the SJRS staff in 2020 from the Monadnock Waldorf School, where she had been for three years in their Early Childhood classrooms.
She holds a BA from Plymouth State University.
Ms. Mary Grace Nelligan
3rd Grade
Ms. Nelligan received her BS in Education from Franciscan University in Steubenville, OH. She taught second and third grade in Catholic schools and did missionary work in Moscow, Russia, before beginning her family. She came to SJRS in 2020 as the first grade Aide.
Ms. Suzanne Foder
Social Studies/English
Middle School
​ Ms. Foder has taught at SJRS since 2006. She holds a BA in History and a BS in Elementary Education from Keene State College. She is NHDOE certified. Ms. Foder co-advises the Leadership Council.
Mrs. Wendy Petschik
Science/Technology/Mathematics
Middle School
Mrs. Petschik holds a BS in Zoology and Applied Computer Science from Keene State College. She has served as Accreditation Coordinator and Adjunct Professor for KSC.
Mr. Jim Konopka
Mathematics
Middle School
Mr. Konopka has 25 years of IT/project management and computer programming experience as he joins the faculty for the 2024-2025 school year.
Madame Emily Winterbottom
French
Middle School
Madame Winterbottom is a native French speaker from Rwanda. She holds a BA from George Mason University and an MA in French with a specialization in Pedagogy and Linguistics from Middlebury College. She is fluent in English, French, and Portuguese.
Mrs. Patricia Arzillo
Art
Mrs. Cathy Hart
Physical Education/Health
Middle School Religion
​Mrs. Hart joined the staff in 2020 and holds a BS in Physical Therapy from Russell Sage College, followed by working 17 years as a physical therapist. She has experience also as a fitness instructor with a strong interest in nutrition.
Mrs. Bridget Lundin
4th Grade
Mrs. Lundin served as an elementary school teacher in the Keene School District for 16 years and joined the SJRS staff in 2020. She is NHDOE certified. She holds a BA in Elementary Education from Stonehill College and a MEd in Elementary Education from Fitchburg State University.
Mrs. Rebecca Bezio
English/Literature
Middle School
Rebecca Bezio holds a Bachelor’s degree in English and Secondary Education from Keene State College and a Master’s degree in Educational Leadership and Curriculum Development from Southern New Hampshire University. She is NHDOE certified and has been teaching English and Literature at the middle school level for 11 years at Saint Joseph Regional School. In addition to her teaching, Mrs. Bezio serves as co-advisor for the Leadership Council and coaches the Track and Field Team.
Mrs. Holly MacDougall
Extended Day Aide
Mrs. Ashley Morse
Music
​Mrs. Morse has taught middle school music at MoCo Arts for seven years and has served as a piano accompanist at many local schools, including SJRS. She was the choir director at Westmoreland United Church for eight years and accompanied NHDI classes for nearly a decade. She holds a Bachelor's Degree in Music Education from Keene State College.
OUR OLMA Faculty
Miss Sarah Kaczenski, MSW/LICSW
School Counselor
Foundations of Logic
Mr. Andy Cardine
Mathematics & Science
Miss Erin Hurd
Literature/Humanities/Theology
Mr. Daniel Regan
History
Civics/Economics
Madame Emily Winterbottom
French
Mrs. Ashley Morse
Music
Mrs. Cathy Hart
Health/PE
Mrs. Patricia Arzillo
Art