Bio: Mrs. Karakonstantis is a cum laude graduate of Montclair University with a B.A. in Education. After graduating she embarked on a career in Catholic education. In the late 1900’s, Mrs. K. received a NCEA award for her resource room design at Saint Cecilia School in Englewood, N.J. After fifteen years of teaching she was promoted to Teacher-In-Charge. Working closely with the principal and pastor Mrs. Karakonstantis implemented change in the areas of curriculum advancement, fundraising and acted as administration liaison to the P.T.A. Mrs. K. has enjoyed the last ten years as second grade teacher at Divine Mercy Academy where she oversees the sacramental programs for Reconciliation and Holy Communion.
Hometown: North Bergen, New Jersey
Teaching Philosophy: Mrs. K. is our resident storyteller. She copies her style from Jesus himself who taught with relatable stories.
Fun Facts about me:
Favorite subject to teach is science.
Devoted to family and friends.
Has spent summers exploring the Greek islands and Turkey.
My Personal Motto… The best medicine is a good belly laugh each day.
Bio: Hi! I grew up in Randolph, New Jersey but completed my faith formation through St. Cecilias. I went to Saint Joseph’s University in Philadelphia and graduated with an Elementary and Special Education degree. I joined the ACESJU service masters program, where I lived with other teachers in the program and taught first grade in a catholic school in Philadelphia for two years. Most recently, I was a volunteer English teacher in Peru, where I worked with students prek-4th grade. I found myself back in my hometown and am very excited to be part of the DMA Family!
Hometown: Randolph, NJ
Teaching Philosophy: I believe that it is the role of an educator to foster a safe, engaging, and welcoming learning environment where the students feel they can achieve anything. I am a huge proponent of a growth mindset approach in the classroom and inspiring the students to not be afraid to make mistakes. I believe in teaching through hands-on experiences and providing students with real-life examples that can allow them to better understand and connect with the content. My goal is to ensure that the students feel seen, heard, and valued in their learning environment and that they are able to find connections to what they are learning. My management style is to use positive reinforcement, collaborative teacher approaches, and token economies where the students have a say in their growth and take accountability. I value having communication with parents and caregivers and having them be valued members of the classroom.
When I am not at DMA, you can find me… Hiking at national parks and traveling to unique places of the world. I also work with 11th-hour animal rescue and love spending time with my two rescue cats, Simba and Lucy!
Fun Facts about me:
I have dual citizenship in Switzerland
My favorite animal is a Sea Turtle
My grandmother was a secretary at DMA when it used to be St. Cecilia's school
My Personal Motto… Each day is brighter when it starts with a smile!