Contact Mrs. Willison

Mrs. Duchon joined us in February of 2023. She has been a parent of St. Mary School and a parish member since 2016. She is married to Dominic Duchon and they have 4 children. Mrs. Duchon has previously worked in non-profit organizations. She has also worked as a research assistant in the international department of a proxy solicitation firm. Both were fast paced and required dealing with people from all over the world.  Mrs. Duchon enjoys spending time with her family, tending to the family farm and serving our community anyway she can. Favorite quotes: "Do small things with great love" - St. Mother Theresa of Calcutta

Ms. Melanie Bleiler will be teaching preschool/preschool director this year at St Mary’s.  Ms Bleiler is in her 27th year of teaching.  She is so excited to join the St. Mary’s community.  Ms. Bleiler is passionate about helping our youngest learners thrive and  grow in an early education setting.  Ms. Bleiler earned her Bachelors and Masters degrees from Western Michigan University.  She lives in White Cloud and is a member of St. Joseph’s Catholic church, where she also teaches catechism.   Ms. Bleiler is the proud mom to three beautiful children.  Her son Isaiah lives in Auburn Hills with his wife Ellie, daughters Kaleigh and Jaylynn go to school at White Cloud High School and are both active members of St. Joseph and the church youth group.  In her spare time Ms. Bleiler loves to cook, bake, and spend time at the pool, but her favorite pastime is supporting her children in all their activities.

Ken Ortegel is our 3rd & 4th grade teacher. Mr. O, as his students call him, recently retired from Grand Rapids Public Schools, where he consistently obtained "highly effective' teacher ratings throughout his tenure in education. Ken possesses strong skills in the protocols and strategies in student services and differentiation.  He has over 30 years of teaching experience and we are very fortunate to have him share his talents with us. Mr. O is a resident of Cedar Springs and a parishioner of St. John Paul II.  He loves sports and was a highly decorated coach in soccer and basketball, winning multiple district championships.

Dr. Courtney Piercey, Music -

  Mrs. Jennifer Vos is teaching Kindergarten this year at St. Mary School.  She and her husband Greg have a son, Ryan, who is a senior in high school, and a daughter, Brooke, who is married.  She has three beautiful grandsons.  Mrs. Vos enjoys this small knit community at St. Mary's and values the Catholic faith.  "Teaching the faith to my students is such a blessing to me in this busy world.  I am very happy to be an important part of my student's lives at St. Mary School."   Mrs. Vos and her husband, Greg, belong to Christ the King St. Francis de Sales Parish in Howard City, where she teaches faith formation as well. She loves to garden and enjoys water sports, hike, camp and being outside with her family. A graduate of Grand Valley State University, Mrs. Vos lives in Pierson on a small lake and loves everything outdoors! She loves bringing nature into her classroom too.   Contact Mrs. Vos

Mrs. Denny grew up in Grand Rapids and attended a Catholic School for 13 years. After completing the teacher certification program at Grand Valley State University, Mrs. Denny moved to Big Rapids in 2007 to begin teaching at St. Mary School. She met her husband, a St. Mary alumnus, at the St. Mary Gala in 2010. They were married in 2012. She and her husband, John, have one son, who attends St. Mary School. Mrs. Denny has taught grades second through eighth at St. Mary School and is a member of the PTO. Contact Mrs. Denny

Mrs. Cooley has been working at St. Mary Catholic School since 2007. She is an alum of St. Mary School and an active parishioner. Mrs. Cooley is married (Jack) and has three children who all attended St. Mary Catholic School. Mrs. Cooley received her teaching degree from Western Michigan University and considers herself a townie – being born and raised in Big Rapids. Contact Mrs. Cooley

Mrs. Mathewson grew up in Flat Rock, Michigan on the east side of the state. She graduated from Wayne State University with a Bachelors of Arts in Secondary Education majoring in Mathematics and a minor in Group Science. After teaching a few years, she returned to school and received a middle school endorsement from Central Michigan University. She moved to Big Rapids with her husband upon his graduation from the University of Detroit Dental School. Having both been given the great opportunity of a Catholic Education, they decided to continue the tradition with their three children. Brook, Chloe and Emily have all been students at St. Mary School. Mrs. Mathewson’s responsibilities at St. Mary include teaching middle school math.  In addition to her traditional classroom responsibilities, she is a member of the Policy and Planning group for school board and the coordinator for our PALS groups. Contact Mrs. Mathewson

A graduate of Central Michigan University, Mr. Pieratt has been a teacher in Big Rapids for 18 years and has had the pleasure of working at St. Mary’s for the past 13. His wife, Sarah, is also a teacher and employed by Midland Public Schools. His daughter, Eliza, and son, Grady, attended Sacred Heart Academy in Mt. Pleasant where they reside. Mr. Pieratt teaches Technology and Physical Education to grades 1st through 8th. He loves to see kids grow and work hard to improve their skills in both areas. In addition to the classroom work, Mr. Pieratt coaches cross country at the Big Rapids Middle School. In his spare time, Mr. Pieratt enjoys coaching his children in various sports such as basketball, softball and baseball. Contact Mr. Pieratt Mr. Pieratt's Website