Janice Alonso

5th Grade Teacher

Hello! My name is Janice Alonso-Caringer and I am the 5th grade teacher at St. Mary Star of the Sea. I have been a teacher at St. Mary’s for 6 years now. I taught 3 years of Middle School Math and Science and now, 3 years in 5th grade. Through the years, I have taught many grades Kinder-8th in both private and public schools here in San Diego and in Puerto Rico, which is where I am originally from.

I enjoy teaching 5th the most! My favorite subjects to teach are Math and Science. Before pursuing a teaching career, I went to school for Architecture. Having this type of training made me realize how important it is to introduce and integrate STEM at an elementary level to students. I enjoy watching my students make connections and get a better understanding of the world that surrounds us through STEM and Project Based Learning.

I love our ‘small but quaint’ school and the sense of community and family that our school brings. I currently live in Oceanside with my husband and my two-year-old son. It is my wish that he will be able to attend St. Mary, Star of the Sea in the future, grow in his faith, and learn from all the wonderful people in our school. GO STARS!

Lorena Vega

Teacher Assistant

Hello St. Mary’s. My name is Lorena Vega. It is with great pleasure, honor, and blessing to be part of St. Mary, Star of the Sea Catholic School. I will be the assistant teacher for kindergarten and first grade and a K-5th grade reading support teacher. For the past 25 years, I have dedicated myself to this profession knowing that the learners come from such diverse cultural and multi-proficiency level backgrounds. I have a Bachelor’s of Art in Chicano Studies with a Minor in Developmental Psychology from UCLA and a Master’s in Education from California State University, San Bernardino. My perseverance stems from my passion to teach kindergarteners to adults by serving and giving back to the global community as an educator with strong values and virtues. I love running, going to the beach, reading about the Saints, attending daily mass if possible, watching EWTN, listening to Relevant Catholic radio, cooking, and spending quality time with  family, especially my three grandchildren

Lora Criger

K-8 Music

Hello everyone!  My name is Lora Criger, and I will be your Music Instructor for the 2023-24 school year.  I have a BS in Recreation Education from the University of Kansas, and a MS in Rehabilitation Counseling from East Carolina University.  I have had formal training and practical experience utilizing Music Therapy throughout my career in educational and therapeutic settings.

We are a USMC family, and chose to put our roots down here in California when my husband retired from service in 2016.  Because we had been stationed at Camp Pendleton more times than anywhere else, and since we have been longtime members of the St. Mary, Star of the Sea community, this was the perfect choice for us.  I am the mother of two amazing boys.  Both went to St. Mary’s preschool and elementary school at various times throughout the years, and we are proud to be “Stars”.  My oldest son is a senior at California State University Monterey Bay, and my younger son will be a senior at Cathedral Catholic High School.  Every member of our family plays a musical instrument, (some better than others- heehee), but a love of music runs deep in our family.

In my spare time I continue to take classes for fun and enrichment at Mira Costa.  I have collected nearly 30 credit hours in Early Childhood Education, and I also teach at our preschool.  I have two beagles, Jackson and Edward, named after two of my favorite artists.  I have a passion for all genres of music and the performing arts.  I am really looking forward to teaching your children about music theory, influential composers and musicians throughout history, introducing them to instruments and new melodies, the joy of performance, and hopefully imparting an appreciation of the greats in music!!

Kale Wiik

Middle School Religion and History

Greetings! My name is Kale Wiik. I am pleased to introduce myself as the new History and Religion teacher at St. Mary Star of the Sea. Born and raised in San Diego, I currently live in Oceanside with my wife of four years, Amanda. After graduating from Cathedral Catholic, I pursued my education at Chapman University, earning my undergraduate degree in Psychology. Recently, I completed my Masters in Middle School Education at Liberty University, where I also obtained a single subject Social Science credential. During my educational journey, I gained valuable experience in religious schools while completing my student teaching at Santa Fe Christian in Solana Beach.

As an educator, I prioritize a student-centered approach, empowering learners to develop their knowledge and faith. I look forward to being a part of each student's educational journey and supporting them in reaching their full potential. Outside of school, I enjoy surfing and spending quality time with Amanda, hiking, fishing, and playing with our dog, Gator.

I am excited to start this new chapter at St. Mary Star of the Sea and contribute to the school's rich educational tradition. I hope to inspire growth, curiosity, and a deeper understanding of history and Catholicism. It is an honor to be a part of this wonderful community, and I am eager to meet all of you.

JOSHUA HOWELL I l l

I was raised in Harlem, New York City and graduated 8th Grade from St. Charles Borromeo Catholic School, a parochial school taught by the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament whose primary ministry was to African Americans and Native Americans throughout the U.S. Their founder, Saint Katherine Drexel, was canonized in 2000.

From there I attended Fordham Preparatory School and then on to Fordham University where I graduated with a Business Degree in Accounting.

I have an extensive corporate background in accounting/accounting systems, finance, financial analyis and internal controls having spent over 40 years working in several Fortune 500 companies.

After I retired from the business world in 2007, I was able to take advantage of one of my hidden avocations .... teaching. I worked in the Vista Unified School District as a substitute teacher and then I became employed at St. Mary's Star of the Sea School in Oceanside teaching math to the Middle School 6th, 7th and 8th Grade students since the 2014-2015 school year.

In 2021, St. Mary's was in need of a person with accounting and business skills who could manage the accounting and Human Resources functions for the school and preschool. This responsibility includes preparing all the budgets and financial reporting and processing the biweekly payroll for all teachers and staff as well as the coordination of all employee benefit programs. In addition, I currently teach an advanced Mathematica/Algebra class to selected 7th Grade students.

I have found my experience here at St. Mary's to be tremendously fulfilling and rewarding and aspire to continue to represent our Catholic faith and values to all students.

Alejandra Garcia

K-8 Spanish

Hola my name is Alejandra Garcia, and I am the Spanish teacher at Saint Mary Star of the Sea School. This will be my twelfth year teaching at Saint Mary Star of the Sea School. I have a BA In Child Development from Point Loma Nazarene University. I feel honored to have the opportunity to teach at the school that both of my sons attended from preschool through 8th grade. Our Spanish program is offered to students in Kn through 8th grade. With a curriculum based on the 5C’s of World-Readiness Standards for Learning Languages – communication, cultures, connections, comparisons, and communities – students learn the basics of the Spanish language and become active communicators who develop self-confidence in language while gaining a respect for culture. Our middle school Spanish curriculum mirrors a high school level program in which students complete levels 1-3 by the end of 8th grade.

I am looking forward to meeting you and your child and I invite you to speak with me further about the Spanish program if you have any questions. Please call the office with any request to meet and I will be happy to contact you to set up to arrange a time to meet.

Sincerely,
Alejandra Garcia

Kaitlin Williams

2nd Grade

Hello my name is Kaitlin Williams and I am the 2nd grade teacher here at St. Mary Star of the Sea Catholic School. I have wanted to be a teacher for as long as I can remember and both of my parents are teachers so it runs in my blood! I graduated from Cal Poly SLO in 2018 with my bachelors in Liberal Studies then I got my teaching credential from Cal Poly that following year. I began teaching in 2020-2021 where I taught 4th grade in my hometown. Then I moved to the beautiful San Diego to continue my career. I substituted in San Diego Unified School District in the school year of 2021-2022. Next I started teaching at this amazing school this year 2022-2023. I have been Catholic my whole life and even attended private Catholic school as a student. I love teaching at this school and how we integrate our faith through our curriculum. In my free time I enjoy hanging out with friends and watching TV shows. I hope all of my students enjoy this year and I can't wait to experience it with them!

Teri Strohm

K-8 Physical Education

Hi!  I am Teri Strohmour, your new P.E. teacher.  I was born and raised in Ohio.  Graduated from The Ohio State University.  I moved out to San Diego in 2007 with my family.  My husband and I have been married for over 20 years.  We have two beautiful children:  Nathan is 21 and  a senior at the University of  Washington; and Erica is 19, a sophomore at Gonzaga University.

I am a Eucharistic minister and a first grade religious education teacher at St. Elizabeth Seton in Carlsbad.  For fun, I love to play pickleball and roller skate, and you will always find me walking around town.

Brenda Klicsu

Middle School Math and Science

Hi, I’m Mrs. Klicsu. I am passionate about teaching and feel blessed to be part of the middle school team at St. Mary’s Star of the Sea School. I am a graduate of CSU San Marcos, and reside in Oceanside with my husband. We have two sons who attend local colleges, and together we enjoy traveling, camping, golf, riding bikes, and just spending the day at our beautiful local beaches. 

This year I am teaching Earth, Life, and Physical Science, Engineering Design, as well as Math 7/Pre-Algebra and Algebra I. My goal is to have my students PUMPED about science, engineering, and math!! 

My science curriculum is based on Middle School Next Generation Science Standards, uses the 5E model for implementation, meets all California State Standards, and is SUPER FUN. Every unit includes the use of Interactive Notebook, teacher-led demos, hands-on labs, and science station rotations and reaches all learning styles-kinesthetic, visual, auditory, logical, and spatial. 

My philosophy for teaching math is: EVERYONE IS A MATH PERSON. My goal is to inspire mathematics success for all students through growth mindsets and innovative teaching. I want all my students to enter high school thinking, “I got this!”, and truly believe they can learn math at the highest levels, and that mistakes, struggle and challenge are the most important times for brain growth. My courses meet/exceed all California Standards, and encourage students to consider multiple perspectives in approaching problems and communicate their ideas using appropriate mathematical language. 

I love teaching math and science, and I can’t wait for your students to fall in love with them too. 

“The more I study nature, the more I stand amazed at the work of the Creator. Science brings men nearer to God.” - Louis Pasteur

Kathy Nielsen

Vice Principal - 3rd Grade

My name is Kathy Nielsen. I have been the 3rd Grade teacher at St. Mary’s since I began teaching here in 2020. My parochial teaching career began as a dedicated parent volunteer, which progressed to my being a teacher aide. One school year I  agreed to teach kindergarten (for one year I thought). However, that experience provided me the opportunity to discover my vocation  - teaching young people in an environment that allows me to practice and teach my faith. Nearly, 14 years later I am still energized every morning as I welcome my student family into the classroom. I graduated from the University of Iowa with majors in English, journalism and education. I also hold a California teaching credential and CLAD certificate. Outside of teaching I enjoy my family, which includes my husband, our two grown daughters, and a cadre of pets.  I also love visiting my Iowa family, keeping fit, reading, and binge-watching TV series!