Faculty & Staff Biographies -
Middle School Team
John Bennett - Middle School Math and Science Teacher
John graduated from Miami University in 1997 with a double major in Finance and Accounting. After six years in the field of finance, John began his pursuit of a teaching. He completed classes at Northern Kentucky University, the University of Cincinnati, and obtained Montessori adolescent certification through the Cincinnati Montessori Secondary Teacher Education Program. After two years as a math teacher at the junior high and high school levels, John joined the middle school faculty at GSCM in 2007. He lives in Newport, Kentucky with his wife, Amanda, and two young sons who attend GSCM.
Mary Hamiter - Middle School Language ArtsTeacher
Mary Hamiter graduated Magna Cum Laude with a major in French from Saint Norbert College in 1981. She continued her study of French language and literature at Fordham University, where she received her Master's Degree in 1983. Mary has taught French at the junior high, high school and college levels. In October of 1985 Mary joined the United States Navy as a commissioned officer. She served in the Republic of the Philippines and Norfolk, Virginia, travelled extensively, and was awarded two Navy Commendation Medals.
Mary and her husband, Todd are the parents of Harry, a 2008 Queen of Angels Montessori School graduate, and Annie, a 2012 graduate from The Good Shepherd Catholic Montessori. Mary and her husband Todd have been a presence at The Good Shepherd Catholic Montessori since 1999 when Harry began kindergarten. She has volunteered for many activities and served on various committees, including the PTO and the Middle School Planning Committee. Mary has provided music at mass since the fall of 2002 and has been our Liturgy Planning Coordinator since the fall of 2007. Prior to accepting a full-time position at GSCM, Mary taught middle school language and history as a long-term sub.
Joan Ratajczak - Middle School Humanities Teacher
Joan Ratajczak taught history and literature to Middle School students at GSCM for one year previously and has been teaching these subjects to high school, home schooled students for over 12 years. A graduate of Miami University, Oxford, Ohio, she holds a B.S. Degree in Dietetics and a Master’s Degree in Nutrition from Case Western Reserve University and worked as a clinical dietitian teaching dietary modifications to patients. Her interest and experience in education expanded when she began home schooling her own 4 children as well as other families in history, literature, writing, Biblical studies, and science. She brings a love of and enthusiasm for history and literature especially as they relate to one another and to current events today.
Faculty & Staff Biographies