Meet the dedicated women shaping futures at Saint James School, each with decades of passion and commitment to nurturing young minds.
Linda D’Alessandro
Linda D’Alessandro has been at Saint James School for 18 years. She says she is inspired every day by the community around her. “Saint James is more than just a job to me,” she says. “It is a family where everyone cares deeply about their students and co-workers. Being here does not feel like work. I look forward to coming to school each day since each day brings something new.”
Danielle Harcourt
After nearly 20 years as a teacher in the Saint James School, Danielle Harcourt says she looks forward to the smiles on the faces of the students every day. “I value teaching both as a vocation and as a mission,” she says. “God calls each one of us to use our gifts, and my gift is to influence and encourage the precious lives of children.”
Heather Leyhan
Heather Leyhan says teaching is her passion after 22 years in the school. “Each year, I get a new group of students that I am able to inspire with a love for learning and a continuing thirst for knowledge. I cherish the relationships I have with colleagues and families. I have been able to watch children grow from babies to eighth grade,” she says. Leyhan also shared that nothing compares to knowing that you have had a positive influence on a child’s life.
Carolyn Melcher
Carolyn Melcher has taught pre-K to fourth grade for 17 years. “I am thrilled with the chance to have a child expand their love of learning in my classroom,” she says. “ Watching my students develop from September through June is an honor. I am proud to have the privilege of experiencing their changes in the classroom both academically and socially. Every August, I receive a class list. Those names become a piece of my heart for that year and for years to come.”
Learn more at sjsbr.org.