Maureen Halderman attended Catholic schools from elementary school through university. She graduated from Fairfield University with a degree in English and Education and Cal Poly San Luis Obispo with a Master’s in Education. Maureen also holds a Multiple Subject and a Single Subject teaching credential. Maureen has been part of the St. Patrick School community since 1997, when she began teaching third grade. In 1999 Maureen began teaching 1st grade and taught that grade level until 2009 when she began her position as principal. Maureen loves being a part of St. Patrick School – a community rooted in faith, family, and mercy.

Gail Johnson is the Office Manager at St. Patrick School. She is a strong advocate for Catholic education, having gone through 12 years of Catholic school. She has been involved with our school since 1988, when her children came to school here. Over the years, she has been the school bus driver, the school secretary and registrar, and is looking forward to her grandson starting here in 2020!

I have been a teacher at St. Patrick School since 1993 after graduating from Cal Poly and Stanislaus State. In that time I have had the pleasure of working with students in 5th, 6th, kindergarten and 2nd grade. I have been blessed to be able to send my own children here. As a teacher and a parent, the St. Patrick School community has welcomed us as family.

Kathy Oates was born and raised in Santa Cruz, California, where she was first introduced to the Catholic School education system through her elementary school, Good Shepherd. Mrs. Oates later attended Cal Poly and earned a degree in kinesiology. She always knew providing education would be in her future because she comes from a long line of teachers in her family. Mrs. Oates is currently in her eleventh year at St. Patrick School and feels blessed to be teaching fourth grade. Mrs. Oates lives in San Luis Obispo with her husband and twin boys.

Angie Mello is a product of Catholic schools, having gone to Old Mission and Mission College Prep.
She graduated from Fresno State and now enjoys working with the amazing faculty and staff at St. Patrick School. Besides her teaching duties at school, she also helps out with the Athletic teams. Angie loves the beautiful area we get to call home and feels blessed to live close to family and friends.

Trisha Ainsworth first came to St. Patrick School over 35 years ago as a first grade student herself. Eight years later, she graduated from St. Pats and went onto St. Joseph High School and then Cal Poly. After finishing up her multi-subject credential and Masters in Curriculum, she taught Kindergarten, first grade, and fourth grade in the Lompoc Unified School District. She returned to the St. Patrick’s campus as the fifth grade teacher in 2001. Four years later, she left St. Pats to work in the testing department in the Santa Maria Bonita School District. Later, she taught religion to high school students and then 4th grade before returning to St. Pats once again in 2008 to teach the 5th grade and she is now teaching the 7th Grade. When she is not teaching, one can find her either hiking with her two daughters, watching her son play sports, or just spending time with her husband and family and friends.

Kristin has been teaching at St. Patrick School since 2008, but also attended school here 1st through 8th grade. After her time as a student at St. Pat’s, Kristin went on to Mission Prep in San Luis (’96), earned a Bachelor’s of Arts in political science from Providence College in Rhode Island (’00), her credential and Master’s in Education at Cal Poly (’02 & ’10, respectively). Before coming to teach at St. Pat’s, she taught at both Judkins and St. Joseph High School.

Kristin has three children attending St. Patrick, one child attending Mission College Prep, and is active in the St. Patrick’s Church community. She loves to spend time with her family playing dominoes, watching them in their various athletic competitions, and watching her Boston teams win (Go Patriots! Go Red Sox! Go Bruins!) In her spare time, she loves to travel. It has been a great joy to be a part of the St. Patrick School community for so many years, and looks forward to many more years to come!

Claudia Trudeau grew up in Southern California before coming to San Luis Obispo in 1984 to attend and play volleyball at Cal Poly. She graduated with a degree in Physical Education and has been teaching and coaching on the Central Coast since 1988. Claudia taught Physical Education and coached volleyball at Mission College Prep from 1988-1996. In 1998 she joined the St. Patrick School staff teaching Physical Education and continues as PE Teacher, Volleyball, Basketball and Track Coach and Athletic Director. She loves to spend time with her husband Bob, daughter Olivia and son Gavin. Claudia loves travelling, hiking, reading, beach volleyball, camping and sharing her love of sports with her students and athletes.

Tara Anderson is a passionate music educator and active singer in musical theatre, pop and jazz. A native of Santa Barbara, she trained for Voice and Music Business at the Berklee College of Music in Boston. She owned a Music School in Montana for five years, and recently moved back to the central coast with her husband and four year old son. She has been involved in numerous musical productions and outreach endeavors in California, Boston and back in Montana. She looks forward to bringing her joy for music to the children and families of St. Patrick School!

Mr. Garelick teaches seventh and eighth grade math.  He is on a second career after retiring from the Environmental Protection Agency. He majored in mathematics at University of Michigan. He received his teaching credential from George Mason University in Virginia. He has written articles and given presentations on math education and enjoys teaching math–particularly at St. Patrick.