Teaching Staff
Ms. Destiney McIntosh
Pre-School
Destiney McIntosh graduated from the University of Dayton in 2019 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Early Childhood Education. This is her third year teaching at Immaculate Conception. In her free time she loves to write poetry, books, and content for her blog.
Contact her at dmcintosh@icsdayton.org
Ms. Aariana McIntosh
Pre-School
Aariana McIntosh began working with kids in 2018, although she originally thought she might be an art teacher or music teacher or science teacher. The decision was difficult, but she decided on pre-school because she could do them all! Ms.Mac has worked with kids of all ages.
Choosing pre-school was a no brainer considering how much she loves to watch the exponential growth kids go through in the early days of learning. In her free time she loves to paint and draw. This is Aariana’s first year teaching as a lead teacher.
Contact her at amcintosh@icsdayton.org
Mrs. Laura Bramlish
Pre-School Aide
Mrs. Bramlish (otherwise known as “Miss Laura” to the students) has been a lifelong parishioner of Immaculate Conception Church, she began her volunteer work with school age children while in high school as part of the Children's Liturgy Program at that time. Later, while her children attended ICS, she served as a certified PREP teacher for the parish. For the past 10+ years, she has once again been involved with the Children's Liturgy Program offered at the church. Upon retiring from a 30-year career with the Domestic Relations Court in Montgomery County, she began her new career here at ICS as an assistant to the Kindergarten Teacher in the fall of 2015. She went on to serve as an assistant to the First Grade Teacher for a two-year period. Since then, she has joined the preschool program and is starting her third year working with them.
Contact her at lbramlish@icsdayton.org
Ms. Elizabeth Schweitzer
Kindergarten
My name is Elizabeth Schweitzer. I started at ICS in 2013. Back then, I was the preschool teacher as we began building the preschool program. After a year of teaching preschool, I moved to teaching Kindergarten and have been loving teaching Kindergarten ever since. My favorite subjects to teach are science and math, probably because those were my favorite in school to learn. In my spare time, I enjoy playing the cello and making dinner for my family.
Contact her at eschweitzer@icsdayton.org
Ms. Maddie Rinderle
Kindergarten
This is Ms. Rinderle's second year teaching at Immaculate Conception. She has helped in second grade, preschool, and kindergarten classrooms and kindergarten was her favorite! She graduated with her Bachelor's degree from the University of Dayton and has attended Catholic schools in Cincinnati and Dayton for almost her entire life. She loves that she is working at Immaculate Conception and has always felt called to work in a Catholic school.
Contact her at mrinderle@icsdayton.org
Ms. Christina Acernese
First Grade
Christina Acernese is in her seventh year of teaching in Catholic Education. She found her purpose in teaching the young minds of today. Being an avid learner herself, she always likes to think “outside” of the box to make learning engaging and fun for the students. She also has her reading endorsement and one of her passions is teaching young children to read. In the past, she has worked as a professional tutor helping students improve in their reading and math.
Christina comes to us from Galion, Ohio. In Galion, she was the First and Second Grade Teacher, as well as the Third and Fourth Grade Science teacher for five years. In her first year at Galion, she was the Title I Reading Specialist and Ms. Haus was her principal. Christina made many wonderful memories and connections with the parishioners, families, and teachers at St. Joseph Catholic School and they will always hold a special place in her heart. She is looking forward to creating new memories and connections with the families, teachers, and parishioners at Immaculate Conception School.
Christina wants to thank the parents/guardians of the students for this amazing opportunity and responsibility of teaching their children. Most importantly, she wants to thank God for the blessing and guidance to become a teacher.
When Christina is not teaching, she enjoys cooking, reading, singing, playing her flute, and dancing. She is a Buckeye fan and is looking forward to the Fall weather. She loves Fall and describes it as if God took a paintbrush and colored the leaves in crimson red, sunflower yellow, and vibrant orange. Christina also loves her family and friends and appreciates having them in her life and spending time with them. She is blessed with a wonderful family who helped her get her classroom ready this year and her relocation to Dayton. She prays we all have a wonderful school year.
Contact her cacernese@icsdayton.org
Ms. Jami Kovacs
First Grade
Hello, my name is Jami Kovacs. I am a Dayton native but moved to Sidney, Ohio when I was in the second grade. I attended Immaculate Conception School until we moved. In 2016 I graduated from Wright State University with a Bachelor Degree in Early Childhood Education. I taught as a substitute teacher and long term substitute in Kettering, Ohio. In 2021, I accepted a position as a Paraprofessional in Kettering, Ohio. I'm excited to share that this is my first year having my own classroom outside of my 6 years as a substitute teacher.
When I am not teaching I’m at home with my 3 boys playing cars or doing some kind of creative activity. I enjoy baking with them and going on evening walks.
Contact her jkovacs@icsdayton.org
Ms. Cassie Phillips
Second Grade
Miss Phillips is a Dayton native, having attended Queen of Martyrs, St. Helen’s, Our Lady of the Rosary and Chaminade Julienne Catholic Schools. She is very excited to be part of the Falcon Community at ICS and continue her teaching career with IC’s community of disciples!
Contact her at cphillips@icsdayton.org
Mrs. Jennifer Shepard
Second Grade
Jennifer Shepard began teaching in 2007. She studied Interdisciplinary Studies K-8 at Liberty University and in 2014 she moved to Ohio. In the past year she has felt a strong call to teach in a Christ centered school, and she began praying about that call (Proverbs 16:9).
When Jennifer is not teaching she enjoys spending time with her family, cooking, being outdoors, reading, doing puzzles, and exploring the marvelous state of Ohio. She loves a rainy day where she can enjoy a cup of coffee and a good book.
Jennifer is excited to join Immaculate Conception and looks forward to a great school year!
Contact her at jshepard@icsdayton.org
Ms. Ann Sacksteder
Third Grade
Mrs. Sacksteder is native to Dayton, having grown up in the Five Oaks neighborhood, and attending Corpus Christ and CJ. After College she took a couple years to travel and teach. Her teaching experience includes time spent in Ghana, Kenya, The Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota, Inner City San Antonio, Cincinnati, and Dayton. Seven years ago, God blessed her with the opportunity to teach here at Immaculate Conception where she has found a diverse and welcoming home.
Contact her at asacksteder@icsdayton.org
Ms. Kendall Jans
Third Grade
My name is Kendall Jans and I am originally from northern Wisconsin. My husband is in the Air Force and we got stationed at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, and that is why we currently reside in Ohio. I got my Bachelor’s in Elementary Education at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls and am currently pursuing a Master’s in Literacy Development at Wright State University.
In my spare time, my husband and I love to go hiking with our dog. I am also an avid reader, so you can almost always find me reading a book! I’m so happy to be teaching 3rd grade at Immaculate Conception School and helping to shape the future of my students. I was blessed with this opportunity and I am beyond excited to be part of this wonderful community.
Contact her at kjans@icsdayton.org
Ms. Alexandra Bartley
Fourth Grade
Alexandra Bartley grew up in Oak Park, IL, graduating from Oak Park River Forest High School in 1992. She completed a Bachelor of Arts in Classical Civilization and Archaeology at the University of Cincinnati in 1996. After college, she worked as an archaeologist, excavating ancient Native American cultures at Fort Ancient and the Grand Canyon. She completed a Master of Arts in Language Arts and Literature at Eastern Michigan University in 2001, where she also taught writing and literature courses.
Since then, Ms. Bartley has taught a variety of age groups, from infants to college-age. She has also worked as a writer and content editor in academic publishing, creating textbook materials and standardized tests for clients, including Pearson, Time-Life Books, and GED Testing Services. She joined the Immaculate Conception family in 2018, teaching third grade. This year, she will be teaching Reading, Writing, and Social Studies to Grade 4. She loves working with students, expanding their minds and watching them grow. When she is not in the classroom, she enjoys spending time with her daughter, Katherine, who attends Immaculate Conception. She also loves reading, writing, hiking, and spending time out on the lake.
Contact her at abartley@icsdayton.org
Mr. Jim Lay
Fourth Grade
Mr. Lay, known as Coach by the students, is in his first year of teaching full time at Immaculate Conception. He has been at Immaculate Conception the previous five years as a part-time Title I teacher in Mathematics. This year, he will be teaching Fourth-Grade Math, Science, and Religion. In the previous sixteen years, he worked at Dayton Public School as a Math Curriculum Specialist. His undergraduate degree is from Wright State University in Business Administration with an emphasis on Economics. His master’s in education at Antioch University. He also has got an endorsement through Wright State University. While he is not from the Dayton area, he has lived in the suburbs of Dayton since 1981. He looks forward to working with the students, parents, administration, and staff at Immaculate Conception this year.
Contact him at jlay@icsdayton.org
Ms. Emily Johnson
Fifth Grade
My name is Emily Johnson, and the 2022-23 school year will be my first at ICS. I will be teaching 5th and 6th grade English Language Arts, and I am so excited to share my love of reading with your kids! For the past 8 years, I have been working with special needs students and am a recent graduate of Western Governors University with my Bachelors in Special Education for grades K-12 and Primary General Education for grades Pre-K through 5th. I also have my reading endorsement through the State of Ohio. In November, my husband Eric and I will celebrate our 20th wedding anniversary, and together we have 2 daughters: Tess and Ava. Tess just graduated from High School and started the fall semester at The University of Cincinnati. She is working towards her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, specializing in exotic animals. She plans on becoming a zoological veterinarian. Ava is a sophomore at Franklin High School and plays percussion for the FHS marching band. She is currently working on getting her driver's license. We love to travel as a family, especially to the beach! We also have 2 dogs, Duke and Willow; and 3 cats, Spooky, Dory, and Gerbil. I am thrilled to be at ICS and love the feeling of family from all the staff and families! Go Falcons!
Contact her at ejohnson@icsdayton.org
Mrs. Stephanie Snurr
Fifth Grade
My name is Stephanie Snurr, and this is my sixth year of teaching at Immaculate Conception School. I am a fifth grade homeroom teacher and will be teaching fifth and sixth grade math this school year. This is my twenty-third year of teaching math and my twelfth year of teaching science. I started my career at St. Anthony’s and taught for seventeen years there before I came to ICS. I believe in making learning fun and meaningful for my students, and I do my best to get to know them not only as my students but as people, too. I live in Springboro with my husband, Darren. We have been married for 23 years. I also live with my daughter, Callie, who is 17 and is a senior in high school at Springboro High School. She works and takes college classes. We have one dog, Mae, and two cats named Theo and Esme. My son, Cameron, is 20 years old and attends Wittenberg University and is a captain on the football team and plays linebacker. We are a sports family and enjoy attending sporting events together, and we all love the beach and try to go to the Gulf of Mexico every summer. In my free time, I run and lift weights. I like to read and to cook and bake. I like to spend time with my family and my friends. I feel very blessed to be here at ICS, and I thank God every day for the opportunity to teach here and to learn and grow with my students and their families.
Contact her at ssnurr@icsdayton.org
Ms. Peggy Powers
Sixth Grade
Mrs. Powers teaches 5th grade Language Arts and Social Studies. Over the past 18 years she has dedicated her career to our Catholic Schools in the Dayton Area. She is a Daytonian and her parents were both born and raised here. She has six siblings which includes her twin sister, who is also an educator. She is an aunt to twenty-three nieces and nephews who she adores. She looks forward to working with you and your child this year!
Contact her at ppowers@icsdayton.org
Mrs. Mollie Specht
Seventh Grade
Mrs. Specht teaches 7th and 8th Grade Math, as well as 7th Grade Religion. She is originally from Toledo, Ohio, but moved down to Dayton to attend UD. Having grown up in Catholic schools as a student, she feels incredibly blessed to be able to continue in Catholic education as a teacher, especially at a school as Christ-centered as Immaculate Conception. Mrs. Specht has been teaching at ICS since 2004, though each year feels fresh and exciting with different groups of students to work with, new teaching strategies to try, and changes that just naturally come along! Outside of teaching, she enjoys spending time with family and friends, learning new things, doing outdoor activities, watching college football and basketball, and reading.
Contact her at mspecht@icsdayton.org
Mrs. Trisha Nemeth
Seventh Grade
Trisha Kraus-Nemeth will be teaching middle school Social Studies and Writing at Immaculate Conception School this year. While it is her first year teaching at ICS, she has been an educator for over twenty years. Most recently, she taught 6th grade Science and Social Studies at a charter school in Dayton for four years and was at Warren County Career Center in Lebanon, Ohio for the previous five years, after taking a break from teaching to stay home with three rowdy boys. Raised in southern Ohio, Mrs. Nemeth calls Spring Valley, Ohio her hometown and attended Wright State University for her bachelor's degree in education and the University of Dayton for graduate studies. She is recently married to Jason Nemeth and they have five teenage boys who live with them in Springboro, Ohio. Mrs. Nemeth loves the outdoors, running, hiking and spending time with her friends and family. She is extremely excited to be joining the ICS family and feels "blessed beyond measure" to share her faith while teaching some really amazing kids!
Contact her at tkrausnemeth@icsdayton.org
Mr. Greg Wiesemann
Eighth Grade
Greg Wiesemann was born and raised in Kettering, Ohio. After several years working in the retail industry Greg decided to pursue his passion of history and his dream to share that with students. He graduated from Sinclair Community College in 2007 and Wright State University in 2011. He continues to pursue his passion for education as he works toward a Master of Education at Mount Vernon Nazarene University. Greg has worked as a substitute teacher for Kettering City Schools for ten years. This will be his 4th (non-consecutive) year at Immaculate Conception, where he will be teaching 8th grade Social Studies and English/Language Arts.
Greg has been married for 27 years. He and his wife have raised 5 children and have recently welcomed their first grandchild. In his spare time, he enjoys following the best teams around-the Cincinnati Bengals and the Cincinnati Reds! He also enjoys hiking the Metroparks with his wife and sons and watching retro television shows like Hogan’s Heroes.
Contact him at gwiesemann@icsdayton.org
Ms. Mary Cordonnier
Eighth Grade
Though Mrs. Cordonnier was not raised in Dayton she has had the opportunity to live here for over 20 years and is a a graduate of Wright State University, go Raiders!
Contact her at mcordonnier@icsdayton.org
Mrs. Sandy Beall
Art
Mrs. Beall was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan and moved to Dayton with her parents when she was in the 8th grade. They joined Immaculate Conception parish within weeks of arriving in Belmont. She has been a parish member for over 45 years. She attended Carroll High School and received a BFA from the University of Dayton.
After graduating from college, she spent many years working in management and in retail sales for Elder Beerman Stores but her dream to teach elementary school Art never left her. While two of her children were still attending Immaculate Conception, she approached the principal and suggested that the school needed an Art Teacher. She was thrilled when she agreed and the next year, Mrs. Beall began teaching part-time Art. Throughout the more than 16 years that she has been at ICS, Mrs. Beall has taught Art along with Religion, Social Studies and Physical Education. As a teacher, Art has always been her favorite subject.
Mrs. Beall is married to a retired Dayton Police officer and has three grown children (all in the military) and two dear grandchildren. In her spare time she loves to walk, watch movies and spend time with her family.
Contact her at sbeall@icsdayton.org
Mrs. Christina Pultz-Miller
Music
I have been a Catholic school educator since 2015 and have taught music and choir to grades PK-8. I strongly believe in using meaningful relationships as well as engaging experiences to inspire students in my music classroom. In my time at the Ohio State University I performed with the Symphonic Band, Collegiate Winds, University Chorus and other chamber ensembles. I moved to Dayton with my family in 2016 and have had the joy of singing in Immaculate Conception’s Rock Mass Choir over the years. I graduated with a Master’s of Arts in Teaching from Miami University in the Spring of 2022. I truly love the time I get to spend with students and strive to enrich their lives with a fun and charismatic approach to music education.
Contact her at cpultzmiller@icsdayton.org
Mr. Todd Barhorst
Gym
This is Mr. Barhorst's fourth year as gym teacher at Immaculate Conception. He is a product of a lifelong Catholic education as a graduate of Precious Blood elementary and Chaminade Julienne High School. He has been a varsity baseball coach for the Chaminade Julienne baseball team for 11 years and took over as head coach in the fall of 2019. He is passionate about working with kids on physical education, team work, and accomplishing goals.
Contact him at tbarhorst@icsdayton.org
