About Us - Teacher Bios

School Principal

Miss Lisa Taylor is in her twenty second year as an educator in the Archdiocese of Denver's Catholic Schools. Miss Taylor grew up in Denver and attended Notre Dame Catholic School, Saint Mary's Academy and Regis University. After teaching third grade for thirteen years at Fatima and Saint Mary's in Littleton, Miss Taylor became assistant principal at Our Lady of Fatima. One year later, the principal position opened up and Miss Taylor was hired for the job. In addition to her Bachelor's Degree from Regis, she also holds a Master of Arts Degree from the University of Colorado in Curriculum and Instruction. Miss Taylor enjoys reading, card making, traveling and cooking with her Italian mother.

School Secretary

During her twenty five plus years at Our Lady of Fatima, Mrs. Patti Zarlengo has taken on many roles. First, as a parent when her three children attended Fatima from 1981 to 1996. She became a classroom para-professional in 1999 and since 2004 Mrs. Zarlengo has been the school secretary. The Zarlengo family are pioneers of Our Lady of Fatima Parish and both she and her husband are active members of the parish community today.

School Nurse

Mrs. Nancy Waring better known as "Nurse Nancy", has been Fatima's school nurse for fifteen years. She holds both a Bachelor's and Master's degree in Nursing. She enjoys working with the students, especially during the 9Health Fair that she organizes for Fatima every year. She and her husband, Bruce, have two sons. Mrs. Waring loves spending time with her family, camping, hiking and biking.

Pre-Kindergarten

Mrs. Michelle Rodriguez Rodriguez is in her sixth year teaching pre-kindergarten at Fatima. She recently completed her Master's Degree in Early Childhood Education at Regis University. Before teaching, Mrs. Rodriguez worked in the corporate world and then worked at home with her two children whom she and her husband, Carlos, feel are blessed to be students at Fatima. She greatly enjoys working with the younger "kiddos" as they venture into their first "real" school experience.

Kindergarten

Mrs. Sylvia Trujillo Trujillo has taught at Our Lady of Fatima for eighteen years. She is a native of Durango, Colorado and attended the University of Utah. Mrs. Trujillo has one daughter, Tina, who attended Fatima K-8 . Mrs. Trujillo's husband, Wes, is a long time girls' basketball coach at Fatima. In her spare time Mrs. Trujillo loves to read, dabble in pottery and beadwork and takes walks around Crown Hill. Mrs. Trujillo is a product of Catholic schools and believes wholeheartedly in the spiritual and academic benefits of a Catholic education.

Mrs. Sally Jane Michaud is in her third year teaching Kindergarten at Our Lady of Fatima. Mrs. Michaud graduated from Loyola University of Chicago, received her Association Montessori Internationale (A.M.I.) Diploma in London, England and her Kindergarten-8th grade teaching license from the University of New Mexico. She has taught in Colorado, New Mexico, Bangladesh and England. Her children, Andrew and Kathleen, currently attend Our Lady of Fatima. Mrs. Michaud and her husband, Chris, are so pleased with the education Our Lady of Fatima has provided for their children, and Mrs. Michaud is excited to be back in the classroom once again!

First Grade

Ms. Susan Levesque is in her ninth year of teaching, all at OLF. She acquired her teaching license at Metro State College and continued on to receive her Master's Degree from the University of Colorado at Denver. Ms. Dougherty is the co-sponsor of the Student Council and the Rosary Club. She also coaches widget basketball and volleyball. Ms. Dougherty says she absolutely loves teaching at Fatima!

Teaching is the second career for Ms. Ann Sullivan. Before serving eight years at Our Lady of Fatima School, she worked for AT&T in customer facing organizations. She had wonderful jobs in several locations, but took an early buyout offer in order to pursue education. Ms. Sullivan has earned a Bachelor's Degree in French from Saint Mary's University, a Master's Degree in Education from Regis University and a Graduate Certificate in Early Childhood from the University of Colorado at Denver.

Second Grade

Mrs. Kim Bunker is in her fourteenth year at Our Lady of Fatima. She has a Technical Journalism Degree from Colorado State University and an Elementary Education Degree from the University of Denver. Mrs. Bunker is married and has five children. She likes to read, do jigsaw puzzles and shop. Mrs. Bunker is a native of Colorado and attended Catholic schools from third through twelfth grades.

Ms. Molly Trujillo is beginning her fourth year of teaching, and her second at Our Lady of Fatima. A Colorado native, she attended All Souls Catholic School from fifth through eighth grade, graduated from Mullen High School, and continued her education at the University of Northern Colorado, where she received her degree in elementary education. Mrs. Trujillo comes to Our Lady of Fatima having taught the past two years at St. Bernadette Catholic School. When not teaching Mrs. Trujillo enjoys fishing, walking her dog, Tyson, reading and volunteering at the Denver Zoo.

Third Grade

As a thirty-three year veteran of Catholic elementary education, Ms. Renee Updegrove considers her vocation a ministry to children as well as the one of teaching, mentoring and building character. Subsequent to her Bachelor's Degree in Elementary Education, Ms. Updegrove has years of course work building knowledge of how children learn and how to apply this knowledge in the classroom. In addition, she has gained invaluable experience helping children discover their potential, appreciate their differences, find commonality with their classmates and enjoy the learning process. Her joy is coming to understanding particular learning styles and finding appropriate instructional responses.

Ms. Shirley Lia is a passionate teacher who always looks forward to new challenges. Ms. Lia has two young children at Fatima. Ms. Lia has worked successfully with at-risk students, gifted students and main stream students in Australia and the United States. Ms. Lia was educated at the University of Sydney and Charles Sturt University with a Bachelor's Degree in Education: Technological and Applied Studies and a Master's Degree in Educational Administration. Ms. Lia has extensive involvement training staff as a professional development facilitator, curriculum developer and serving as student representative council coordinator. Ms. Lia has been employed as a middle and high school teachers since 1997. She has taught large areas of elective curriculum, developed curriculum and tailored it to the needs of individual schools. Areas have included computer technology, interior design, food technology, design and technology and wood technology. Ms. Lia is a creative, energetic person who loves to meet new people, cook, decorate, enjoy the outdoors and travel.

Fourth and Fifth Grades

Ms. Tiffany Moeder comes to us from California. She spent her primary years in San Diego and made a move up north to California State University, Chico where she graduated with a degree in Education. Mrs. M spent 3 years teaching for the Oakland Diocese in Berkeley before moving to Colorado in 2000 with her husband's job. She joined the Archdiocese 5 years ago and is pleased to be apart of the Fatima Family. Outside of teaching Mrs. M enjoys photography, traveling and all outdoor activities.

A Denver native, Mr. Fred Scherrer graduated from Regis University in 1972 with an American Chemical Society accredited degree in Chemistry. He worked and consulted for the soft drink industry for thirty years in technical and general management. Mr. Scherrer has owned two soft drink companies; Tickled Pink Enterprises, Inc. and Big Shot Enterprises, LLC which marketed the Ed McCaffrey "Creamy Root Beer" and "Orange Cream" sodas, Bob Uecker "Squeeze Play Lemonade" and "Rocky Mountain Summit" artesian water as the official water of the Denver Broncos Football Club. Sales supported the Ed McCaffrey Family Foundation, Make-A-Wish Foundation of Wisconsin and the Denver Broncos Charities. Mr. Scherrer is a parishioner at Most Precious Blood Catholic Church. He enjoys writing, reading, cooking, gardening, wood carving, hiking and golf. He loves spending time with family and friends. Mr. Scherrer has previously coached, mentored, tutored and instructed both children and adults. For the past nine years Mr. Scherrer has taught Religion, Math and Science to fourth, fifth and sixth graders at Our Lady of Fatima Catholic School.

Mrs. Lissa Randolph is teaching her second year at Our Lady of Fatima. She was born in Worland, Wyoming, but grew up in Littleton, Colorado. Mrs. Randolph attended Metropolitan State College of Denver, where she received a degree in elementary education. Outside of teaching she enjoys working in her garden, watching baseball, and playing board games with her friends and family. She is very excited about beginning her teaching career at Our Lady of Fatima.

Middle School

Mrs. Susan Gilbride teaches Language Arts to sixth and seventh grades.  Mrs. Gilbride has taught in private and Catholic schools for 22 years.  She began her teaching career in Washington DC after receiving her Bachelor’s in Education degree from Marymount University, and in 2005, she and her family moved to the Denver metro area. Throughout her years of teaching she has taught many different grade levels and subjects areas, but she says middle school is her favorite.

Mrs. Stephanie Koch teaches Language Arts to seventh and eighth grades. Mrs. Koch has taught for twenty five years in both Catholic and public schools. She has focused mostly on middle school and (believe it or not) preschool. Although these two age levels seem very different, they also have many similarities! She loves teaching middle school students with all of their ups and downs, their keen sense of justice and humor. Middle school is a big transition time between the strong guidance they receive in the elementary grades and the more independent learning that occurs in high school.

Mrs. Dilia Mapelli Taylor has spent forty five years in education. The first twelve years were at the middle school level in Denver Public Schools. After marrying her husband, Richard, and staying home with their two children for ten years, Mrs. Taylor taught for fifteen years at Notre Dame Elementary in fifth through eighth grades. Mrs. Taylor was then promoted to principal of Saint Catherine of Siena Catholic School and spent the next fifteen years leading that school until her retirement in 2007. After one year of retirement, Father Jeff, Fatima's previous pastor, approached Mrs. Taylor and offered her the job of teaching Religion to the OLF middle school students. Catholic education has always been a priority with Mrs. Taylor. Mrs. Taylor, as well as her two children, attended Catholic schools through college. She is delighted to be at Fatima bringing the precious children closer to Our Lord and Our Lady.

Mr. Jerry Birdsall has been a Catholic school teacher for twenty three years, twenty of which have been in the Archdiocese of Denver. Mr. Birdsall currently teaches sixth, seventh and eighth grade Mathematics. He holds a Bachelor's Degree from the University of Colorado at Denver in English and History. After a successful career in the oil industry, he returned to school to become a teacher. Mr. Birdsall earned his teaching degree and licensure from Georgian Court College in Lakewood, New Jersey.

A former student of Our Lady of Fatima, Mr. Taras Wynar is beginning his fifth year teaching at Fatima and is currently teaching middle school Social Studies. He completed his Bachelor of Arts Degree at Regis University in History and Fine Arts and his Master's of Education with a focus on Mathematics Education at the University of Colorado at Denver. Mr. Wynar's love of travel has seen him visit over thirty countries and much of the United States. These experiences have enriched his understanding of the world and its cultures which he has enjoyed sharing with his students as they study the world and its peoples.

Mr. Tim Langston moved to Colorado from Louisiana after graduating college. He has been teaching since 2006 and is thrilled to be part of the OLF family. Mr. Langston attended Catholic school from grades K-8 in Louisiana and values and recognizes the strong foundation that Catholic education provides. Mr. Langston is professionally certified in both Social Studies and Science, but his true passion is exciting students with science. He recently obtained his Master’s degree from the University of Colorado at Denver in Secondary Science Curriculum and Instruction. He married Fort Collins native Danielle in 2007 and couldn’t be happier to be in Colorado.

Mr. Ryan Felten teaches social Studies to sixth, seventh and eighth grades.  Before going off to college, Mr. Felten grew up in Hawaii on the island of Maui.  The experience gained from living in such a diverse state has allowed him to enjoy many different cultures and things most people have never experienced.  He graduated from the University of Northern Colorado in 2009 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Geography and a Minor in Earth Science.  After earning his Bachelor’s Degree, he went back to school to earn his teaching license in Social Studies from UNC as well.

Music, Art, Technology, P.E. and Librarian

Ms. Courtney Serpa grew up in southern Idaho. She attended Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington. In 2004 Ms. Serpa graduated with a Bachelor's Degree in Liberal Arts. She majored in Philosophy and received a teaching certificate with an elementary education endorsement. Upon graduating from Gonzaga, Ms. Serpa moved to Seattle, Washington and began her first teaching job at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic School teaching fourth grade. She taught at Guadalupe for two years until she moved to the Denver area in 2006. Ms. Serpa taught fourth grade at Saint Catherine of Siena School. During this time she completed her Master's Degree in Education from National University. After one year at Saint Catherine's, Mrs. Serpa transferred to Our Lady of Fatima where she began teaching fifth grade. Ms. Serpa is now in her eighth year teaching technology skills to students in first through eighth grade.

Ms. Anna Phelan grew up in southern Ontario on the Great Lakes. She attended the University of Windsor where you received her Bachelor's Degree in Music. Before coming to Fatima she traveled in "Up with People," an educational organization that takes young people and travels the world for a year. She traveled to the southern states, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Germany, France, Austria and British Columbia, Canada. During that year she lived with host families, did community service and performed a musical show in each city. Ms. Phelan met her husband in "Up with People' and they now have two young sons. In 2002, Ms. Phelan joined the Our Lady of Fatima faculty and has been teaching music ever since and loving it!

Originally from Ohio, Madeline Crouse moved to the wonderful state of Colorado in 2005 after graduating from Kent State University with a BA in Art Education. After teaching in several Archdiocese schools in the Denver metro area, she attended the University of Northern Colorado and received a MA in Curriculum and Instruction. Madeline is excited to join the OLF community and looks forward to a wonderful year! In addition to working as an art educator, Madeline is a painter, a gardener, and a hiker. In addition, she occasionally enjoys scaring herself silly watching zombie movies.

Mrs. Trinidad Vera is the Spanish teacher for first through eighth grade. She is originally from Lima, Peru. She has been in the USA for twenty one years, the last ten in Colorado. Mrs. Vera is married and has two children. In Peru, Mrs. Vera graduated from the Pontificia Universidad Catalica del Pera. In the United States, she graduated from the University of Colorado at Denver with a Master's Degree in Bilingual Education. She has been teaching for ten years. This is her fourth year at Our Lady of Fatima. Mrs. Vera's motto is "treat others the way you want to be treated."

Mr. Jim Stevens grew up in Santa Barbara, California. He attended Regis College in Denver, Colorado. Mr. Stevens has taught Physical Education for the past seventeen years, sixteen in the Archdiocese of Denver. "I love teaching and coaching all age groups," says Mr. Stevens. Mr. Stevens has also coached many sports over the years. Mr. Stevens enjoys being apart of the Fatima tradition. Mr. Stevens also stays busy coaching and playing tennis.

Mrs. Mary Vulcani hold's a Bachelor's Degree from Eastern Illinois University and is currently pursuing her master's in the UCD Education Program. As a volunteer, aide and substitute teacher, Mrs. Vulcani has been involved at Fatima for more than fourteen years. This is her sixth year as the school librarian. She and her husband, Steve, are active members of the parish and both of their sons graduated from OLF. A graduate of the Denver Catholic Biblical School, Mrs. Vulcani looks forward to applying what she has learned to her daily life at Fatima.

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