When did you join St. Alphonsus?
I joined St. Alphonsus in 2011.
What is your educational background?
I hold a BA in Anthropology from the University of Washington and a Master’s in Education from Mount Saint Mary’s University.
What inspires you as an educator?
St. Alphonsus values art education for all its students, and the schedule seamlessly incorporates art into the core curriculum. This makes St. Al’s a unique and special place, and I’m proud to be a part of this community.
What do you love about St. Alphonsus?
I love the sense of community at St. Alphonsus, and I’m especially proud that all four of my sons are graduates of this school.
What are your hobbies and interests?
I’m fascinated by art—particularly how we interact with it and make it a part of our everyday lives. I also love traveling and have visited nearly every state, with New York being my favorite. Most of all, I enjoy spending time outdoors with my family.
What is your favorite saint?
St. Monica
What award have you received?
I was honored with Teacher of the Year in 2020.
Year Joined St. Alphonsus I have a been a part of the St. Al’s community since 1996. I was a staff member from 2008-2011, and again beginning in 2025.
Education BA Psychology, Central Washington University
MA, Psychology, Antioch University
Favorite Saint St. Mary
Fun Facts I work in education because I find joy in working with children and am committed to making a meaningful, positive impact on their lives. I love being part of the St. Al’s community because it is a faith-filled, warm, and welcoming environment that feels like family. All four of my children attended St. Al’s, where they received a great education and built lifelong friendships. Outside of work, I enjoy traveling to see my kids who live out of state. My favorite activities include walking, golfing, playing pickleball, and reading.
Education BA in History, University of Illinois
JD, Harvard Law School
Favorite Saint St. Albert the Great
Fun Facts I have been teaching science to middle schoolers since 2005. I moved to Seattle in June 2025 from Las Vegas. I like playing board games, cooking, going on hikes, and hanging out with my husband and my dog.
What is your educational background?
I hold a Bachelor of Music from the University of California, Santa Cruz, and a Master of Music from The Boston Conservatory.
What inspires you as an educator?
I bring a deep history of music to St. Alphonsus, having been an opera singer and teaching elementary school music and voice at various schools in California before joining St. Al’s. I’m passionate about sharing the joy and beauty of music with my students.
What are your hobbies and interests?
I enjoy spending time with my husband, Kevin, and our young son, Tucker.
When did you join St. Alphonsus?
I joined St. Alphonsus in the 2007/2008 school year.
What is your educational background?
I hold a Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts and both a K-8 Teaching Certificate and a Master’s in Education, with a focus on reading and writing, from the University of Washington Bothell.
What inspires you as an educator?
I love working with struggling students and watching them grow in confidence. It brings me great joy to help them overcome challenges and see their hard work pay off.
What do you love about St. Alphonsus?
St. Alphonsus has a nurturing community where I can truly make a difference in students’ academic and personal growth. I’m proud to be part of a school that fosters faith and learning in equal measure.
What are your hobbies or interests?
I enjoy reading, writing, and traveling with my husband.
When did you join St. Alphonsus?
I joined St. Alphonsus in 2000.
What is your educational background?
I have a BA in Early Childhood Education from Linfield College, as well as a Post-Baccalaureate in Elementary Education with K-8 and P-3 Teaching Certification from Western Washington University.
What inspires you as an educator?
Teaching is challenging but also incredibly rewarding. It’s inspiring to see each child grow throughout the year in kindergarten and beyond. I continue to enjoy learning new content, skills, and teaching methods to better serve my students.
What are your hobbies or interests?
I enjoy spending time with my family, traveling, and taking long walks. Sometimes I even combine all three! One of my greatest experiences was traveling to Spain with my sister to complete the Camino Ingles and receiving my Compostela in Santiago.
When did you join St. Alphonsus?
I have been a part of the St. Alphonsus community since 2005, joining as a staff member in 2011-2017 and again in 2019-present.
What is your educational background?
I hold a BA in Political Science and a BA in Religious Studies from Washington University in St. Louis. I also earned a JD from Washington University in St. Louis, an LLM in Taxation from the University of Washington, and a Masters in Education from Western Governor’s University.
What inspires you as an educator?
It is a privilege to teach middle school students every day. I love helping them navigate the challenges of adolescence and guiding them as they grow academically and personally. St. Alphonsus is my family in Seattle, and it has been incredibly fulfilling to be part of such a supportive community.
What are your hobbies and interests?
In my spare time, I enjoy reading, doing puzzles, and spending time with my five children and ten pets!
What is your favorite saint?
Mary Undoer of Knots
What awards have you received?
I received the Elizabeth Ann Seton Award and had the privilege of coaching a National qualifying Decathlon Team.
Why did you choose St. Alphonsus for your children?
We chose St. Al’s because we desired a school that not only had a strong academic curriculum but also one which focused on values such as Compassion, Generosity, Respect, etc. Educating the full child was important to us and we felt St. Al’s reinforced what we were morally and spiritually working to teach her within our home. We were also attracted to how diverse the student body was and the incredible community the school fosters both on campus and off.
What do you love most about St. Alphonsus?
I love how happy my daughter is when I pick her up and drop her off. She loves the academic and social environment and loves being a member of the St Al’s student body. As a parent I also love seeing how much she has grown intellectually over the past 4+ years at the school. The teachers really care for each individual student and she has flourished each year through the care her teachers take in understanding what she needs in-order to continue to succeed.
Contact this Parent Ambassador
terrapurpura.hakam@gmail.com
St. Alphonsus Students
Lucy (’23)
Emma (’25)
Addy (7th grade)
Extracurricular Involvement
Soccer
Volleyball
Softball
Drama
Girl Scouts
Basketball
Why did you choose St. Alphonsus for your children?
Our family choose to make a switch from SPS to St. Alphonsus in 2021 and it has become a huge blessing. In midst of Covid and with concerns about the academics for our daughters, we were prompted to explore school options and discovered the St. Als community. We were attracted to the school based on the academics, the small class sizes, and the values, including upholding behavior expectations. All of these benefits have been realized with so much more.
What do you love most about St. Alphonsus?
Our girls love St. Al’s, the commitment from their teachers and the new friendships with classmates. The academics have challenged them and when needed, they have received extra support from St. Al’s teachers/staff. Our girls, surprisingly, appreciate wearing uniforms to school as it makes the mornings so easy with one less decision/choice. They have had opportunities to try new clubs (chess), CYO sports and to pair up with younger class buddies as the school extends from Preschool through 8th grade. We all appreciate the community activities including the auction, Bingo nights, Halloween at school and more. We are relishing in our final year all 3 of our daughters will be together at St. Al’s.
Why did you choose St. Alphonsus for your children?
When looking for a preschool for our oldest son, we hoped to find a school where our Catholic faith would be reinforced and enriched in the classroom. Finding a school that could also help him excel academically beyond preschool was a secondary goal. St. Alphonsus was both, and so much more. Within the first month at St. Al’s, it was evident that we had found a school that not only embraces the richness of the Catholic faith, but also encourages students and their families to reach their full potential in a welcoming community.
What do you love most about St. Alphonsus?
There is so much to love about St. Alphonsus! I love how our students know each other and are friends across all grades. I love how unmistakably our teachers and staff care for the students and their families. I love how our parents support each other and work together to make the school the best place it can be. And I love that St. Alphonsus is a place where our faith is celebrated and strengthened. Lots of schools have good academic programs and good faculty and staff. But not every school has a great culture and community. We feel very blessed to be a part of a school that has all those things and a rich legacy of faith and academic excellence for over 100 years. We feel loved by the St. Alphonsus community, and we love them!
Contact this Parent Ambassador
mhanzeli@gmail.com
St. Alphonsus Students
Edwin (Pre-K)
Simon (1st)
Extracurricular Involvement
Room Parent
Why did you choose St. Alphonsus for your children?
We initially chose St. Al’s because we had friends who spoke highly of the school, and the preschool had a part-time option that fit our care needs. We stay at St. Al’s because our kids are thriving emotionally and academically, the teachers are patient and knowledgeable, the staff is kind and helpful, and we are impressed by the dedication and vision of the school’s leadership.
What do you love most about St. Alphonsus?
The school community. Our family has felt seen and valued from the very beginning of our St. Al’s experience. Now, a few years and a second kid later, we’ve learned how important it is for a school to enable and encourage meaningful connections. That includes volunteering at one of the school’s many events (our family favorites are Jog-a-thon and Trunk or Treat), talking with a teacher about our kids’ achievements and development, attending a school theater production with our kids, or having a conversation with other parents after family mass.
Why did you choose St. Alphonsus for your children?
While looking for a faith-based institution for our child and being a parishioner at St. Alphonsus, it was an easy decision to make. St. Al’s has a great community which was apparent in the first few tours/visits. And we found a curriculum that met the needs of our child well.
What do you love most about St. Alphonsus?
Warm community of families, supportive teachers, and faith centric education that enhances the spiritual side of the child along with great academics.
Contact this Parent Ambassador
kavita961@gmail.com
St. Alphonsus Students
Moira (’14)
Maggie (’18)
Mimi (’20)
Joe (8th grade)
Extracurricular Involvement
Science Club
Room Parent
CYO Cross Country volunteer
Why did you choose St. Alphonsus for your children?
I chose St. Alphonsus because of the small class sizes and excellent education, especially the split-gender middle school.
What do you love most about St. Alphonsus?
I love the community of St. Alphonsus and it continues to be a wonderful experience. Parents and teachers cooperate to give a wonderful nurturing environment to all children. I’m very grateful for the many lifelong relationships that have been created through the school involvement.
