Administration

Ms. Ann Feltner, Principal

This will be Mrs. Feltner’s 10th year as Principal of Saint Peter’s Catholic School in beautiful Beaufort, SC. Mrs. Feltner has lived in Beaufort since 1996, and Saint Peter’s is her beloved parish. Mrs. Feltner was a Saint Peter’s school parent, a teacher’s aide, a teacher (Pre-K, 3rd grade, 5th grade, as well as middle school Religion and English), and now an administrator. Four of her six children attended Saint Peter’s.

She truly loves Saint Peter’s, and her goal is to lead this school to excellence and ensure that it is always at the heart of the parish. She is truly devoted and committed to Catholic education and believes that our children are the future of the Catholic Church. Mrs. Feltner grew up in Ohio and attended Catholic schools from 2nd to 12th grades. She is a graduate of the University of South Carolina’s Education program and has completed the Educational Leadership Master’s program at the University of Dayton. She is the mother of six grown children; 5 boys and 1 girl and has 14 beautiful grandchildren. God is Good all the time!

Mrs. Cecilia Collins, Executive Assistant

Mrs. Cecilia Collins has rejoined the Saint Peter’s family after a short retirement from being the church bookkeeper of 15 years. She will be assisting in the school office as the executive assistant on Monday’s and Tuesday’s.

Cecilia attended the University of South Carolina-Columbia with a bachelor’s degree in Hotel, Restaurant & Tourism. She and her husband have two grown children, both alumni of Saint Peter’s Catholic School!

Mrs. Yesenia Torres, Administrative Assistant

We are thrilled to have Yesenia join the Saint Peter’s Catholic School community as our Executive Assistant Wednesday through Friday. She grew up in Southern California, and after spending a few years in Texas, is happy to have found their new home in the Lowcountry.As a mom of three (all at Saint Peter’s), she understands the importance of a nurturing and supportive environment for her kids.

With her background in accounting and bookkeeping, she’s eager to bring her skills to the school and contribute to our community. Her faith is a central part of her life, and is excited to be part of a school where she can blend that with her professional work. She’s looking forward to getting to know everyone and working together to make a positive impact on our students.

Teachers

Mrs. Joy Atkins, Pre-K3 Teacher

Mrs. Joy Atkins has been a part of our Saint Peter’s Catholic School family since 2006. She was born and raised here in beautiful Beaufort, SC. Joy has always had a love for children and a passion for shaping the lives of others. Joy has a daughter who is enrolled at our school.

Mrs. Joy has worked in the preschool setting for many years and is excited to be in the classroom to teach our little ones. She is looking forward to a school year full of fun and excitement!

    Ms. Kate Laban, K3 Assistant

    Ms. Kate Laban will be joining our St. Peter’s family as our PreK3 Teacher Assistant. She was born in Charleston SC and grew up on the Edisto River. Kate attended USCB and has her Bachelors degree in science, majoring in Human Services and minoring in Education. She has worked with young children, in various caregiving roles, since she was in high school. She currently resides in St. Helena Island. She enjoys spending time outdoors and with her nephew and 3 nieces, her dog and her family. Kate is looking forward to working with our youngest St. Peter’s students.

    Mrs. Samantha Baez, K4-1 Teacher

    Mrs Baez and her family moved to Beaufort, SC from New Jersey almost four years ago. She and her husband, Nathan, have three daughters Teagan, Phoebe, and Heidi, and they are in the process of adopting a fourth child.

    Mrs. Baez has 12 years of teaching experience including pre-k, kindergarten- 8th grade science, and high school physical education. When her family moved to South Carolina, she took a break from teaching to stay home with her daughters. Now that her youngest is in school full time she is ready, and excited to step back into the classroom.

    Mrs. Baez is so excited for a fantastic first year at St. Peter’s!

      Mrs. Veronica Preziosi, K4-1 Assistant

      Mrs. Veronica Preziosi has a Bachelor of Arts degree in English with a concentration in literature from William Paterson University in New Jersey, and an Elementary Teacher (K-6) degree from New Jersey City University in New Jersey. She taught in New Jersey for eight years and has taught in South Carolina for four years. Mrs. Preziosi was the fourth-grade teacher at Saint Peter’s for two years.

      Mrs. Preziosi loves teaching, going to the beach, camping with family and friends, doing arts and crafts, and is an avid reader. She enjoys visiting her children and grandchildren in New Jersey as often as she can. Mrs. Preziosi is a member of Saint Peter’s Catholic Church.

      Ms. Lindsay Craig, K4-2 Teacher

      Ms. Lindsay Craig, has been teaching for just over two years in the Beaufort County School District and is excited to teach at St. Peter’s this year in the K4 First Steps room! She is originally from Collegeville, PA and graduated from Kutztown University of Pennsylvania in 2021, majoring in Elementary Education. Ms. Craig enjoys spending time with family and friends, football season, and the beach.

        Mrs. Victoria Shepherd, K4-2 Assistant

        Victoria Shepard is very excited to be a K4 teacher assistant at Saint Peter’s Catholic School. She has always enjoyed working with children and decided in 2005 that teaching children was her calling. Victoria has experience in physical education, motor development, and has taught in Reggio Emilia and Montessori environments. She believes that curiosity should be encouraged, and that children and adults should always pursue new information about the world around them. As a graduate of Catholic school, she knows first-hand how important it is to learn about our faith in the classroom and to serve our community.

        Victoria and her family moved to Beaufort in 2014 from Connecticut. Her children, David and Maggie, attend Saint Peter’s.
        During her free time, she enjoys cooking, gardening, spending time outdoors, and playing with her dogs Cessie and Luigino.

        Mrs. MaryAnn Taormina, Kindergarten Teacher

        Mrs. Taormina, a life-long Catholic, was born and raised in New Jersey. She moved to South Carolina last summer. She resides in Bluffton with her husband John and son John-Michael.

        Mrs. Taormina received her degree from Felician University in New Jersey. She has a BA in Early Childhood and Elementary Education. Her entire career has been in Catholic Education, many of those years teaching First Grade.

        She looks forward to working, playing, and praying with her students this year. Mrs. Taormina is so happy to be a part of our school family!

          Ms. Nneka Payne, K5 Assistant

          Ms. Nneka Payne is thrilled to be a part of the Saint Peter’s Catholic School family. She is excited about starting her new journey as a K4 Assistant. Ms. Payne was born in Hampton, South Carolina and raised in Beaufort, South Carolina. She earned an Associate degree in educational studies at the Technical College of the Low Country with a concentration in Early Childhood, Elementary, and Special Education.

          Her philosophy when educating students is, “students are able to thrive when they are in a comfortable and creative environment”.

          Mrs. Dorothy Combs, 1st Grade Teacher

          Mrs. Combs earned her undergraduate degree from College of Charleston, BS Special Education, Behavior Disorders. She earned her graduate degree from USC, Med Learning Disabilities. She has over 25 years of teaching experience in various positions.

          Mrs. Combs was born in Charleston and raised in Beaufort. She is a life-long member of Saint Peter’s Catholic Church, married for 25 years, and has one son. She enjoys spending time with her family, the great outdoors of the Lowcountry, and teaching children the love of learning, while helping them grow in their faith.

          Richia Jeter, 2nd Grade Teacher

          Mrs. Jeter is the second grade teacher at Saint Peter’s Catholic School. This will be her first year at Saint Peter’s, but her 13th year teaching. She was born in West Virginia, but moved to South Carolina when she was 10. Her class was the first to graduate from Bluffton High School. She graduated college from the University of South Carolina, with a Masters in Elementary Education and has taught second, third, and fourth grades. Her children, Steven and Scarlett, also attend Saint Peter’s. She loves to read, work out, and spend time outdoors with her children.

          Her philosophy is that she promises to love and teach her students as if they were her own.

            Chris Smith, 3rd Grade Substitute Teacher

            Chris Smith has lived in Beaufort since April 2023. He passed the permanent California Basic Educational Skills Test (“CBEST”) in September of 2021, and taught for two school years (2021/2022 and 2022/2023) at St. Peter Martyr Catholic School in Pittsburg, California. During those years he taught grades 3, 4, 5 and 6. During the 2021/2022 school year he taught for 5 full-time weeks with the 5th grade class as a long-term substitute. With the exception of mathematics at the higher levels, he taught all subjects for these grades. He also has hundreds of hours of volunteer teaching work, primarily with grades 1 – 8. Chris served us as a substitute teacher, in all grade levels, during the 2023-2024 school year. He is a member of Saint Peter’s Catholic Church.

            Mrs. Claire Galloway, 4th Grade Teacher

            Mrs. Galloway received her undergraduate degree from the University of Georgia and her Master’s in Education along with a graduate STEAM Certification From Clemson University. Her previous experience includes teaching at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic School, Charlotte, NC, and in Greenville County Public and Charter Schools. Her focus is student centered and is based on learning through experience and discovery.

            Raised a Military kid Mrs. Galloway has lived in multiple states and overseas. Her and her husband’s love of the outdoors brought them to Beaufort, SC. They have five adult children and five grandchildren. She enjoys spending time with family and friends. Favorite activities include outdoor adventures, gardening, and the Arts. She is a member of the Marine Turtle Conservation Program.

              Mrs. Mary Wijewardena, 5th Grade Teacher

              Mrs. Wijewardena is excited to be the fifth-grade teacher at Saint Peter’s. She was born and raised In Sri Lanka. She moved to New York in 2021, and then decided to move to the beautiful state of South Carolina, then moved to Beaufort. She is an active member of Saint Peter’s Catholic Church.

              Mrs. Wijewardena has a background working as a high school teacher, Religion and Psychology coordinator, and examiner. She also worked as a public speaker and as a student counselor with 13 years of experience. She graduated in Psychology & Counseling and in Theology. She loves to work with charities and help with art therapy.

              Mrs. Wijewardena will be teaching fifth grade Elementary Language Arts (ELA), Science and Social Studies as well as sixth grade Science and Social Studies.

              Mrs. Karen Kessinger, 6th Grade Teacher

              Mrs. Karen Kessinger has been teaching at Saint Peter’s Catholic School since 2013. Before coming to Saint Peter’s, she taught for three years at Infant of Prague Catholic School in Jacksonville, NC. She is married and has five children, and three grandchildren.

              Mrs. Kessinger received her Bachelor of Education degree at UNCW in Wilmington, NC.

              She will be teaching Sixth Grade Elementary Language Arts (ELA), Religion, and Math, as well as Fifth Grade Religion and Math.

                Ms. Paige Inglis, Teachers’ Assistant

                Paige Inglis graduated from Beaufort High in 2016 and spent part of her junior and senior high school years assisting at St. Peter’s School as part of her high school experience. She has an affinity for children and thoroughly enjoys being around the children at the school and helping out in various classrooms.

                Paige attended St. Peter’s from K-4 through 5th grade so she knows her Catholic faith traditions. Paige is very thankful to have the chance to help others to understand the abilities of special needs children.

                It is her hope that they will go on in their lives to befriend those in the community who are like her and know, in a very personal way, that we are all God’s children, made in His image and likeness.

                Mr. John Uhlman, Teachers’ Assistant

                Mr. John Uhlman retired from the United States Marine Corps after 20 years of service. Upon retirement he graduated from California State University, Fullerton, with a degree in History and a teaching credential. He taught high school Social Studies and was a Para-Educator for special needs children in Southern California before relocating to Beaufort in 2017. He joins St. Peter’s after teaching five years in the special education classroom at Beaufort Middle School. Mr. Uhlman enjoys time with his family, spirited Boykin Spaniel, Max, gardening and football.

                Specialist Teachers

                Mrs. Karin Bennett, Physical Education Teacher

                Mrs. Bennett will be teaching Physical Education at Saint Peter’s Catholic School this year to grades Pre-K3 through Sixth Grade. She also enjoys coaching the many sports that Saint Peter’s offers.

                Mrs. Bennett graduated from Coastal Carolina University with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Marketing in 2007. She also studied Elementary Education and was a student teacher at Conway Elementary School.

                Mrs. Bennett has been married to her husband Ted, for 10 years, and they have two children that attend Saint Peter’s Catholic School.

                  Mrs. Nicole Meredith, PE & Library Assistant

                  Mrs. Meredith has been a substitute teacher at St. Peter’s for 4 years, and is excited to officially join the staff this year as PE assistant and library assistant.

                  She graduated from the University of Texas at San Antonio in 2010 with a Bachelor of Science in Biology.

                  The Marine Corps first brought the Meredith Family to Beaufort in 2011. After several moves, they decided that this is where they wanted to call home in 2019. Mrs. Meredith and her husband, Jordan, have been married 14 years, and have been St. Peter’s parents for 6 years with 3 children currently attending.

                  Mrs. Lynne Milner, Art Teacher

                  Mrs. Lynne Milner is our Art Teacher at Saint Peter’s Catholic School. She has been teaching for over twenty years.She received her Bachelor of Science in Art Education from the University of Georgia. Mrs. Milner has taught in both public and private schools.

                  Because we are a Catholic school, the study and creation of sacred Art also holds a special place in Art the class.

                    Mrs. Yolanda Sams, Spanish Teacher

                    ¡Hola! Mrs. Yolanda Sams is our new Spanish Teacher this year. She is a native of Spain where she received her education at Mary Immaculate Catholic School. She studied abroad in England. Upon moving to the United States, she acquired a Bachelor of Arts in International Studies at the University of Washington, and her Master’s degree at Chapman University.

                    Welcome to our school Mrs. Sams. Mrs. Sams is very excited to meet your children!

                      Mrs. Terri Lynn Ingram, Music Teacher

                      Ms. Terri Lynn Ingram joins Saint Peters this year from Brooks, Georgia, with 28 years of teaching experience. She will be teaching general music to the younger students and preparing the upper grades for instrumental music. Ms. Ingram began piano at 4 years old and continued her studies on piano and French Horn until she graduated from The Catholic University of America, Washington, DC. Ms. Ingram studied under musicians from the National Symphony, Boston Symphony, and the Atlanta Symphony. Ms. Ingram’s youngest son is a student at John Paul II. She also has 4 adult children and 3 grandchildren. Ms. Ingram is excited to share her love of music with our students at Saint Peters. May our music be a joyful noise unto the Lord!

                        Extended Care

                        Mr. Alan Lehman

                        Mr. Alan Lehman was born and raised in Philadelphia, PA. and Trish in Savannah, Ga. Upon graduating from Delaware Valley College in 1973, he was hired by a Federal Law Enforcement agency and moved to Washington DC. He’s been married for over 44 years and raised 3 daughters in the South Jersey Area. Mr. Lehman worked in the College Graduation Recognition and Achievement Industry for 40 years. Retired in 2017, moved to Beaufort in 2020.

                        Mrs. Patricia Lehman

                        Mrs. Patricia Lehman was born and raised in Savannah, Ga. She was hired by a Federal Law Enforcement agency and moved to Washington DC in 1973. She’s been married for over 44 years and raised 3 daughters in the South Jersey Area. Mrs. Lehman worked in the College Graduation Recognition and Achievement Industry for 40 years. Retired in 2017, moved to Beaufort in 2020.

                        Resource Staff

                        Mrs. Kay Ahern, Special Education Teacher

                        Mrs. Ahern is the Special Education Teacher at St. Peter’s Catholic School. She came to St. Peter’s last January.
                        Mrs. Ahern was born and raised in Charleston, SC, and was thrilled when she had the opportunity to return to the lowcountry after living in the Atlanta area for almost 40 years. She earned her undergraduate degree in Health and Physical Education, and her graduate degree in Interrelated Special Education. Mrs. Ahern has also taken advanced courses in using The Orton Gillingham Approach to Reading.

                        Mrs. Ahern is an avid cyclist and spent her vacation this summer cycling through the Andalusia region of Southern Spain. She has been married for 47 years to her husband, Dan, and has two sons.

                        Mrs. Gil Westerfield, Math Specialist

                        Mrs. Westerfield retired from Laurel Bay Schools in June 2016 with 27 years of experience in the Department of Defense School System (DDESS). Mrs. Westerfield holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Early Childhood Education/Elementary Education from the University of South Carolina and a Masters of Education from Cambridge College. She is also certified as a Reading Specialist in grades K-5.

                        Mrs. Westerfield began her retirement career at Saint Peter’s Catholic School in 2018/2019. She is the Learning Center’s Math Specialist for grades 2nd through 6th. Mrs. Westerfield provides math support to students individually or in small groups to help improve or enhance math skills. She collaborates with classroom teachers to meet the needs of her students and has a strong belief that ALL children are innate mathematicians and problem solvers.

                        Also, when needed, Mrs. Westerfield has provided extra reading support for students the past two years. This will be her fifth year at Saint Peter’s Catholic School.

                          Mrs. Laura Richardson, Reading Specialist

                          Mrs. Richardson retired from Beaufort County Schools in 2018 after 35 years as a school library media specialist. She is National Board certified in School Library Media and South Carolina state certified in Elementary Education and English as a Second Language. Since retirement from full-time teaching, she began teaching swimming lessons at the Y, serving as docent at her church, and volunteering with the Kairos Prison Ministry.

                          Mrs. Richardson came to Saint Peter’s Catholic School in 2023/24 as a reading specialist in the Learning Center for grades 2nd through 6th, providing English Language Arts support to students individually or in small groups.

                            Mrs. Lori Meinert, Reading Specialist

                            Mrs. Meinert earned her bachelor’s degree at the University of MO- Columbia, and her master’s degree at Washington University in St. Louis in physical therapy. She worked as a pediatric physical therapist specializing in neuro-developmental disorders in children. Her background includes working in the MO First Steps program as an early childhood examiner and service provider. She has worked as a therapist in pre-school, elementary, and high school settings and as a university instructor. With this chapter of her life, she has decided to combine her interests of reading, working with children, and brain development in learning. Mrs. Meinert looks forward to providing reading support to children in the Learning Center.

                            Sister Agnes Marie Winter, Office Assistant

                            Sister Agnes Marie Winter celebrated her 50th jubilee as a Sister of SS. Cyril and Methodius this year!Born and raised in Lebanon, Pa., she entered the community in 1967 and made her vows in 1970.

                            Sister Agnes served at St. Gregory the Great as a teacher and office assistant from 2007-2020. She also has worked at the St. Francis Center Outreach on St. Helena Island since her community started running it in 2013.

                            Her sisters noted that she was quite athletic as a younger person, playing basketball for her high school girls’ team, bowling, skiing and more. She holds Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from Alvernia University and Catholic University of America, respectively.

                            Welcome Sr. Agnes Marie!

                            Mrs. Rebecca Clarke, Nurse

                            Mrs. Becca Clarke is excited to be Saint Peter’s first school nurse. Mrs. Clarke and her family have lived in Beaufort since 2011, and all three of her children have attended SPCS.

                            Becca has a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from Elizabethtown College, Elizabethtown, PA. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree from the University of Delaware, and a Master of Science in Nursing from Point Loma Nazarene University, San Diego, CA.

                            Becca loves to travel and has been on many European pilgrimages. Her most recent trip was to The Holy Land. In her free time, Becca enjoys reading, being outdoors, and of course spending time with her children.