Specials - Saint Leo The Great Catholic Church/School

Specials

All students in grades Kindergarten through eighth participate in additional classes that support the development and growth of each child. Offerings vary by grade level.

Get to know the teachers:

Religion and STEAM

Mr. James Hamilton

Originally from: Hamilton, New Jersey

Bones broken as a kid: 6

Education: Harvard University – AB in Linguistics with Related Field in Japanese Linguistics

Average Number of Books read each year for the last 3 years: 112

Teaching at Saint Leo the Great: 2019 – present

Positions held: Substitute Teacher, Middle School Science Proctor, After School Care, STEAM Teacher, and Middle School Religion Teacher

Favorite Saint: St. Paul Miki

Mr. Hamilton is excited to continue to mold young minds at Saint Leo the Great Catholic School. He has held a variety of positions but is excited to be teaching 7th and 8th Grade Religion and 5th through 8th Grade STEAM classes. Getting to teach about the saints, the story of salvation history in the Bible, and how to live out one’s faith in today’s world is his dream come true! And giving kids the opportunity to exercise their imaginations, coding skills, and building ability is icing on the cake. While he likes to have fun in his class, he also understands that learning about the Catholic faith and striving to become a saint is serious business.

The driving Bible verse for him is “This is eternal life, that they know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent.”  – John 17:3. At the end of the day, Mr. Hamilton just wants everyone to know Jesus and to have eternal life. But, when he isn’t bringing students to Eucharistic Adoration, going to Mass, or keeping the hallways safe, Mr. Hamilton likes to play board games, read (sci-fi and mysteries are his top genres right now), cook, and help other young adults grow in their faith and build community.

Wednesdays are Eucharistic Adoration days! We have an abbreviated lesson on those days, and then head to the chapel to join the parish in quiet adoration before the blessed sacrament, ending with the Divine Praises.

8th Graders and 7th Graders use the Spirit of Truth Curriculum from Sophia Institute for Teachers which incorporates classical elements like Scripture Memorization, Picture Studies, and Class Discussions. They also complete a weekly homework based on the Gospel passage for the upcoming Sunday Mass, so that they are prepared to listen and respond. The 7th Grade curriculum focuses on the Gospels and the person of Jesus Christ, and the 8th grade curriculum focuses on the Church, as well as preparation for Confirmation.

STEAM class involves a variety of projects and opportunities. 6th Grade includes a unit on coding. We do experiments and build challenges that complement the Science curriculum and utilize the Engineering Design Process. Classes also use the STEAM Maker cart that allows kids to create hydraulics, launchers, and rubber band racers.  

Curriculum: Please reference the Diocese of Harrisburg website for more information on our curriculum.

Library

Mrs. Andrea Covey

My name is Andrea Covey.  My husband Dave and I have three daughters, Keelyn, Erin & Meghan.  We are parishioners of St. James in Lititz.  I was born and raised in Lancaster County and attended Sacred Heart School and Lancaster Catholic High School. I then attended Edinboro University of Pennsylvania where I earned a BS in Environmental Science-Biology with a Geology Minor.  Following college, I worked at Lancaster Laboratories for 11 years as a Pesticide Chemist before taking 6 years to be a stay at home Mom.

As my children grew I became a Preschool Aide at their school and did that for several years until I was given the opportunity in the Fall of 2021 to be an Aide in the Cupertino program and teach Library at Saint Leo’s.  Since the Fall of 2022 I teach Library and STEAM.

In my free time I enjoy gardening and exploring nature right in my own back yard.  I enjoy time with my family at the beach and traveling to various relaxing places with our camper!  My family loves watching Notre Dame Football, Pittsburgh Steelers and Boston Bruins!  My favorite sports to watch though have to be my girls’ Lacrosse, Basketball and Field Hockey games!

I am so thankful God lead me to Saint Leo’s and I am looking forward to another great year!

  • I teach STEAM and Library to K-5
  • In Library we spend a lot of time reading. I often read aloud but other times Library time is spent in quiet reading.  I like to give the students some downtime during their day.
  • In the Library I was also tasked to get our new database up and running. I labeled and entered almost 4,000 books!
  • In STEAM we learn all aspects of STEAM: Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math. The lessons vary.  Sometimes we work on projects that may take a few weeks and other times we do quick challenges that just take one class period.  
  • In STEAM we reinforce the 4 C’s (Communication, Collaboration, Creativity & Critical Thinking) by using the Engineering Design Process.
  • My favorite thing to do in STEAM is to take the kids outside for a project and have them explore their natural surroundings.

Curriculum: Please reference the Diocese of Harrisburg website for more information on our curriculum.

Music

Miss Emily Baker

My name is Miss Emily Baker. I have been teaching at Saint Leo the Great since 2018. I teach K-8 music. I am also the director of our school musical, Christmas concert, and our school Mass choir.

I graduated Elizabethtown College with my Bachelor’s degree in Music Education in 2017. I am currently working on my Masters degree in Choral Conducting at Messiah University. I believe that no person ever stops learning. I strive to learn something new every day and I strive to incorporate new ideas and discussions in my classroom.

I am recently engaged and my fiancé and I are always busy with wedding planning! In my free time, I love to listen to music, watch classic movies, play games, look at vintage cars, and spend time with my family. A fun fact about me is that I have a twin sister who is also a music teacher!

Teaching is my passion! I strive to provide my students with opportunities to learn more and to be exposed to various kinds of music. I also make it a goal to guide my students on their faith journey and to deepen their relationship with God. I am always excited to teach, learn, and explore the faith and music with my students!

In my music classes I strive to provide the students with various insights and thoughts on how they can take the subject and apply it to their daily life. One of my goals is to include all genres of music! Here are some activities we do in music class:

  • Listening to various pieces of music (from before the 17th century to our modern day!)
  • Discussions on what a piece of music makes us think about
  • Movement activities (cultural dances, etc.)
  • Playing musical instruments
  • Learning about musical history, decades, genres, and more!

In my religion class, I always encourage my students to ask questions. Discussions are always a big part of the classroom as I want students to learn from each other as well. Here are some activities that we do in religion class:

  • Daily Saint of the Day (video, discussion, and questions)
  • Real world application of religious subjects (sacraments, prayer, relationship with God)
  • Study of religious text (The Bible, the Catechism)
  • Daily prayer
  • Scripture reflections
  • Classroom discussions

Curriculum: Please reference the Diocese of Harrisburg website for more information on our curriculum.

Physical Education and Health

Mrs. Jennifer Kauffman

Hometown: Lancaster

Education:
West Chester University- Bachelors in Early Childhood Education

 NASM- Certified Personal Trainer, Youth Exercise Specialist, WLS, Womens Fitness Specialist

Favorite Saint: Saint Therese of Lisieux is my favorite Saint.  She is proof that anyone can, and should, aspire to sainthood and that great feats are not needed, just a lot of love.

Teaching at Saint Leo the Great: 2018 – present

Fun Facts:

 The kids bring me such joy when they come into gym very excited for class.  They always try to guess what we will be doing. 

I have two, soon to be 15 year olds, who keep me and my car very busy.  In my spare time I enjoy running, and watching sports.  (Favorite teams: Philadelphia Eagles & Notre Dame)

I believe Phy Ed helps students develop the knowledge, skills, attitudes, values and behaviors to initiate and maintain a physically active lifestyle.  

Favorite Quotes:

 “You know well enough that our Lord does not look so much at the greatness of our actions, nor even at their difficulty, but at the love with which we do them.”

St Therese of Lisieux

 “We cannot all do great things, but we can do small things with great love.”

St Teresa of Calcutta 

Curriculum: Please reference the Diocese of Harrisburg website for more information on our curriculum.

Art

Mrs. Joanna Spicer

I am a Lancaster County native, and earned a BFA (emphasis in Textile Design) from Moore College of Art & Design, Philadelphia.

I taught Art & Library for 19 years at Our Lady of the Angels School (OLA), and after a 3-year venture outside of the school setting, I returned in 2025 for my first year at SLTG.  I have been teaching Preschool through 8th grade Art since 2005!  Currently, I also teach Art classes at Pennsylvania College of Art & Design through the Center for Creative Exploration and at Lancaster Creative Factory.  Throughout my career, I have taught students ranging in ages from 3 to 95!

In addition to teaching Art, I am the Program Administrator at Lancaster Creative Factory, a local non-profit clay and glass art studio. I work with the community and other non-profits to create programs, workshops and fundraisers, as well as coordinate classes in-house, and support the artists and staff.

I have worked on independent and community mural projects and I’m always looking for the next opportunity for creative collaboration. When I’m not spending time with my children and husband, Matthew, I love to weave, play with fabric, color, and create designs for future projects.

Returning to the school setting, I am most excited to share my love of art.  It is always amazing to work with others through creative processes. Collaboration is necessary in creativity and this gives us all an invaluable connection which drives our artistic passions. I learn so much from my students as I teach them, which is so rewarding.

My creative process and teaching style are similar:  Find inspiration, play, explore, create, collaborate, and have fun!  My goal for my classes is for each student to leave with knowledge of new processes, cultures, and forms of art, as well as an excitement to continue with what they have learned. 

Spanish

Mrs. Maggie Cole

Mrs. Maggie Cole

My name is Maggie Cole.  My husband Tony and I have two grown children, Anthony and Rebecca.  We are parishioners of St. Catherine Laboure Church in Harrisburg, PA.  My favorite saint is Mary Mother of God.  I was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York to Puerto Rican parents.  I am a graduate of Bishop McDevitt High School, attended Harrisburg Area Community College and attended Thompson Institute of Harrisburg and graduated as a Medical Assistant with an associate degree in specialized technology.  I am also a graduate of the Lancaster General Hospital surgical technologist program.

I have worked for many years in my community in Harrisburg as a medical and dental professional and operating room technologist.  My experience as a medical professional and community service with the Hispanic population has enhanced my ability to use the Spanish language in various settings and environments.

I am currently employed at both St. Catherine Laboure and St. Leo the Great as a Spanish teacher.  Since 2019, I taught PreK thru 8th grades at St. Catherine Laboure school.  I serve as translator in the school, church, and the office as needed. I assist the teachers as well with translating for Spanish speaking families.

My passion for teaching Spanish now extends itself to St. Leo the Great School, starting in 2025.  I wish to bring the excitement of the Spanish language in a fun interactive and spiritual educational manner.

Fun facts….      The students bring me joy when I hear them pray in Spanish.  It is very moving when students learn the Spanish words and recites them back, especially in prayer and have worked so hard in class.

I am very blessed through my love for the students at both St. Catherine Laboure and St. Leo the Great schools.

STEAM Teacher

Mrs. Angel Quinn

Angel Quinn

Hello there! I’m Angel Quinn.  I am married with 3 grown children, one sweet granddaughter and another on the way!  My husband and I moved here from the suburbs of Philadelphia in 2024, to be closer to that grandbaby! 

I was a 2nd grade teacher for almost 20 years, at St. Aloysius Academy in Bryn Mawr.  While it was difficult to leave that vibrant and loving community, I have been so very blessed to have found yet another wonderful community, here at Saint Leo’s.  Between family responsibilities, working at the school, and singing in the Saint Leo choir, I am super busy, and I feel right at home!  I am so thankful God led me here!

Along with teaching 2nd grade, I had years teaching in Pre-K, Kindergarten, and 3rd grade.  Last year, I found my home here at Saint Leo’s as a Kindergarten Aide.

This year, I am thrilled and very excited to be the STEAM teacher for Pre-K through Grade 2.  I have lots of plans to enrich the children’s love of learning by exploring the wonder of our world through science, art, math, technology, and building. 

  • My STEAM lessons are intended to be enjoyed by all types of learners.  Whether a child learns better visually, auditorily, or through music and movement, there will be something for everyone!
  • I believe it is never too soon to teach skills that will help the students thrive in the competitive, global environment that they will one day by a part of.  They will be learning in both teams and groups through exploration and through role-playing real-life experiences.  They will learn problem solving skills that will help them become their personal best for now and in the future. 
  • Some topics we start with are back-to-school protocols, the seasons, weather, and Outer Space.

Get to know our counselor:

School Counselor

Mrs. Michele Tappany

Email: [email protected]

Phone: 717-394-1742   Ext 236

Millersville University – BA Special Education – Master’s Degree School Counseling

As the School Counselor, I believe I have the best job in the building. I get the opportunity to teach classroom lessons, run small groups, and work with individual students at all grade levels. I collaborate with staff, parents, and community agencies to help students improve academic achievement, attendance, and behavior. My schedule is flexible based on the specific needs of the day. I serve on the Student Assistance Team, and the School Wide Positive Behavioral Support Team as well as work directly with the principal to fulfill the school’s mission.

American School Counselor National Model (American School Counselor Association)

School counselors design and deliver school counseling programs that improve student outcomes. The ASCA National Model outlines the components of a school counseling program that is integral to the academic mission and is created to have a significant positive impact on student achievement, attendance, and discipline.

The ASCA National Model guides school counselors in the development of school counseling programs that:

  • are based on data-informed decision making
  • are delivered to all students systematically
  • include a developmentally appropriate curriculum focused on the mindsets and behaviors all students need for postsecondary readiness and success
  • close achievement and opportunity gaps
  • result in improved student achievement, attendance, and discipline

Click the hyperlinks below to find out more about School Counselors:

Classroom Curriculum Utilized:

Overcoming Obstacles https://www.overcomingobstacles.org/curriculum

Everfi       https://www.everfi.com

American School Counselor Association. “ASCA National Model” Dec.28, 2022.