Linda Dolan - Middle School
Along with being the part-time religious education teacher, I also help organize the children's weekly mass and help organize the annual celebration for Catholic Schools Week. I began my position at Holy Cross in 1994 as a fourth grade teacher. My children attended the school from kindergarten to 8th grade. I am grateful for my own Catholic education. I attended Saint Barbara Elementary School and Nazareth Academy in the Chicagoland area. I graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Education from Alverno College in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. I've taught at Saint Augustine's Catholic School in West Allis, Wisconsin and General Myer School in Fort Huachuca, Arizona. My teaching philosophy centers on the goal to help every student reach their potential so they can be contributing members of their church, family and community. I have chaired and been a member of many school committees, starting with the School Improvement Plan, Character Counts, Catholic Schools Week, Curriculum Committee and helped in the design and development of the guidebook of the Pastoral Letter on Handing on the Faith in the Diocese of Las Cruces. I was honored to receive one of the annual Character Counts Teacher Awards and was a featured teacher in the Standout Teacher newspaper column of the Las Cruces Sun News. My hobbies include bowling and attending a monthly book club.
Thomas Garcia - Band
I graduated in 2009 with a bachelor's degree in music education from New Mexico State University. I have been teaching trumpet students for the past four years. I am currently one of the instructors for Mariachi Espuelas de Plata and Mariachi Espuelas de Cobre, local youth Mariachi ensembles. I also play in a semi-professional group, Mariachi Corazon del Desierto. During the school year I participate in the Edge of Texas community band in El Paso, TX. I believe that all students should have the opportunity to participate in music to the highest degree of enjoyment and education. My goal for the LCCS bands is to promote a tradition of excellence and provide students with a means of creative expression.
Virginia Garcia - Middle/High School
I received a Bachelors degree in Spanish in the Secondary level and a Masters in Special Education at New Mexico State University. I taught for 281/2 years before retiring in 2007. I taught Special Education at Hot Springs High School in T or C for 3 years. I received 2nd place in the New Mexico Educational Achievement in Excellence Award for starting the Special Education Work Study Program. I transferred to Mayfield High School where I also began the Special Education Work Study Program. I taught Spanish at Gadsden High School for 1/2 a semester and at Hatch High School for 2 years. At Mayfield I began teaching Spanish in 1991 and taught Spanish to the native and non-native speakers. I reinstated the Spanish Club and traveled with the club's students to several Spanish-speaking countries (Mexico, Spain, Costa Rica). I was instrumental in starting the Spanish Advanced Placement Program and taught the pre-AP classes. I attended several summer programs and conferences to help me learn to teach the AP classes. I believe strongly in challenging the students and teach my classes as if they were all pre-AP classes. 2009-2010 is my first year at LCCS and am looking forward to working with the students. I have my own quote which I would say to myself every day before going to work and I believe that is what kept me giving the students my all. My quote is: "Teach them hard for they are tomorrow's leaders". Outside of teaching I enjoy spending time with my family. I have 4 children and 5 grandchildren. I also spend most of my free time quilting. I have been quilting for 6 years and enjoy the new techniques I learn with each quilt that I make.
Leonard Gomez - High School
I have been teaching since 1995. I have taught in Arizona and Silver City, NM. I enjoy imparting knowledge in mathematics to students. I graduated from Arizona State University with an Engineering Degree. I worked in Turkey for two plus years and was able to do a lot of travel in Europe and Asia. I received my teaching certification from the University of Arizona and my Masters in Education from Northern Arizona University.
David Gutierrez- Middle School
I am a retired public school teacher of 26 years. I began teaching at Las Cruces Catholic School in 1997. I graduated from Holy Cross School in 1960, Las Cruces High School in 1964. I attended New Mexico State University where I earned a Bachelors of Education, and a Masters in Administration. The things I value about teaching are every year I learn something new from my students. Favorite quote: nothing is hard, it’s just time consuming.
Sandra R. Moulton - Middle/High School
I began teaching at Las Cruces Catholic School in 2008. I teach Language Arts for the 8th – 11th grade. I also teach a yearbook and newsletter class. All of my classes are honors classes and the high school classes are AP (advanced placement) as well. I love teaching here at LCCS because we have the best staff, students, and parents in the state! I have my BA in English Literature with a minor in Creative writing. I have been a gymnastics coach for almost 15 years at Gym Magic, and have experience in Human Resources as well. I thank my mother for my love of reading, because she encouraged me to read anything end everything I could get my hands on. I love animals and my family is the most important thing in my life. I have two children.
Christen Skillman - Middle/High School
I began teaching at Las Cruces Catholic School in 2008. I teach middle school Science and coordinate the school Science Fair. I graduated from NMSU with a BS in Secondary Education, minor in Biology. Throughout my schooling I dreamed of being a Science and Religion teacher at a Catholic school. God put me in the right place at the right time and that's why I'm here today. I love teaching and trying new things. I love playing games, board games, card games and educational games. I also enjoy cooking and spending time with my two dogs (Snickers and Cookie), and my husband Joe. e-mail mrs.skillman@vzw.blackberry.net
Barbara Vargas - Middle School
I began teaching in 2004 at St. Thomas Aquinas Elementary School in the Bronx. During my first two years I taught sixth grade. Then I taught middle school history. History has to be my favorite subject. Religion is my second, which would explain why I teach in catholic school. During the 2008/2009 school year I came to Las Cruces Catholic School as an educational assistant mid year. I worked with first and second grade. It was a wonderful experience. However, being back in middle school reminded me that I have so much to offer the youth of today. I’ve always loved learning and I hope that my enthusiasm of learning is passed on to my students.