The Holy Cross Staff
Father John Dumas, Pastor
Father John Dumas began his ministry at Our Lady on the River Parish in July 2022. A native of Pontiac, Michigan, Fr. Dumas grew up attending St. Vincent de Paul Parish before his family moved to Oxford, where they joined St. Joseph the Worker Parish in Lake Orion.
Before entering the priesthood, Fr. Dumas earned a degree in Economics from the University of Detroit and worked for several years in the banking and financial services industry. Feeling called to serve God in a new way, he entered Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit and was ordained to the priesthood by Archbishop Vigneron on May 22, 2010, the feast of St. Rita of Cascia.
Fr. Dumas has served at several parishes throughout southeast Michigan, including St. Isidore in Macomb Township, Divine Grace Parish in Monroe County, and St. Aloysius Gonzaga in Romulus.
He feels blessed to now serve as pastor of a parish dedicated to the Blessed Mother and is eager to help parishioners and students grow closer to Jesus Christ.
Vivat Christus Rex!
Betsy Davenport, Principal
Betsy Davenport brings over 15 years of experience in education and a deep commitment to faith-based leadership. She holds both a Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education and a Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership; both from Oakland University. Additionally, she is a certified Catechist.
Her professional background includes teaching in both public and Catholic schools, where she developed a passion for nurturing the whole child – academically, spiritually, and emotionally. Prior to her role in school leadership, she worked for the Michigan Attorney General’s Office as a Consumer Programs Presenter and with the OK2SAY program, educating students and communities across the state about safety and advocacy.
Betsy leads by example, with compassion, dedication, and always through the lens of our Catholic faith. She believes that a strong partnership between home and school helps students grow into confident, kind, and faith-filled individuals.
When she’s not at school, she enjoys spending time with her family and friends, exploring the outdoors, and traveling.
Stacey Thimmes, Administrative Assistant
Rebecca Haynes, Administrative Support
Ms. Haynes brings a wealth of experience to the school office. A graduate of Algonac High School, she attended Central Michigan University, where she completed coursework in Public Administration, and holds Municipal Clerk Certification.
Her career has spanned both education and public service. She spent two years at Algonac Elementary School as Assistant to the Principal and most recently retired as City Clerk for the City of St. Pete Beach, Florida.
Ms. Haynes was drawn to our school’s upbeat and caring atmosphere, strong student-to-teacher relationships, and beautiful location along the St. Clair River. She values positive communication and enjoys being part of a community that supports students and families each day.
Outside of school, Ms. Haynes loves spending time with her family, friends, and her dog, Billy, who reminds her daily to find joy in the simple things. She also enjoys boating, fishing, gardening, and reading.
Annie Doan, Academic Success
Mrs. Doan attended Saginaw Valley State University where she earned her Bachelor of Arts Degree with an Elementary Education major and English minor. She has taught grades 2, 3, and 4 with both single and multi-age classroom settings. She has taught kindergarten through 8th grade reading and math intervention. She is passionate about teaching intervention because it allows her the opportunity to work with a variety of grade levels and she enjoys providing targeted support to help students reach their full potential. She feels blessed to teach at Holy Cross because she gets to work in a faith-filled environment with an amazing group of staff and students. Outside of school, Mrs. Doan enjoys spending time with her family and attending concerts.
Andrea Schultz, Preschool
Ms. Andrea Schultz attended Saginaw Valley State University, where she earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education with a major in Social Studies. Before joining the Holy Cross community, she taught preschool for over six years in both Algonac and Utica. She then took time away from the classroom to stay home with her children; who are now proud Holy Cross students themselves.
A lifelong St. Clair County resident and graduate of Marine City schools, Ms. Schultz is deeply rooted in the community she serves. In her free time, she’s usually on an adventure with her kids; exploring the outdoors, building things, and, as she says, “getting messy!” She enjoys staying active and spending time outside in every season. In the winter, you can find her snowboarding or playing ice hockey, while in the summer, she loves wake surfing, hiking, softball, boating, and relaxing outdoors.
When asked what she loves most about Holy Cross, Ms. Schultz shared, “The close-knit community. The small class sizes make it easier to connect with all the students in the school, not just the ones in my classroom.”
Ashley Gryszkiewicz, Kindergarten and First Grade Multiage
Kelly Suchota, Second Grade
Mrs. Suchota holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education from Oakland University and a ZA Endorsement in Early Childhood Education from Saginaw Valley State University. SHe is also a certified Catechist. Before joining Holy Cross, she taught first grade for 17 years at St. Germaine Catholic School, where she developed a deep passion for helping young learners grow academically, socially, and spiritually.
When asked about her work, Mrs. Suchota shared, “My passion is working with young children!”
Outside of school, Mrs. Suchota enjoys camping with her family, creating arts and crafts with her Cricut, playing cards, and spending time at the beach. Her warmth, creativity, and dedication make her a wonderful part of the Holy Cross community.
Leslie DeMeulenaere, Third and Fourth Grade Multiage
Leslie DeMeulenaere holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education from Wayne State University and a Master’s Degree in Reading and Literacy from Marygrove College. Additionally, Leslie has studied Special Education at Saginaw Valley State University, which has provided her with a strong foundation in both general and specialized education. Her professional experience includes working as a Vision Therapist at Birmingham Vision Care in Bloomfield, MI, where she focused on helping individuals address vision-related learning challenges. She is also a certified Catechist.
Leslie is especially passionate about being part of the Holy Cross Catholic School community. She appreciates the warm, nurturing, and family-first environment that the school and parish offer, sharing, “The people at Holy Cross have become like family. I feel that it is a great place for my children and students to grow. I love the flexibility we have with our teaching, so we can use our unique styles to teach to the individual needs of our students.”
Outside of school and parish life, Mrs. D (as she is affectionately known to our school community) enjoys spending time with family, thrift shopping, crafts, and taking walks. She also enjoys embracing other cultures by hosting exchange students from Europe (Spain) and placing students with other families. Additionally, Mrs. D enjoys working as a realtor within the local community.
Lisa Kiger, Fifth Grade
Mrs. Kiger has her Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education from Wayne State University. She is a certified Catechist. Her favorite thing about teaching at Holy Cross is that our school community is like a family. She shares, “I love teaching at Holy Cross School, our school is like one big family. I can go to any one of the staff members for help.” Mrs. Kiger comes to us with a variety of experience. She has previously taught preschool, kindergarten, second, fourth, and sixth grades. When Mrs. Kiger is not teaching, she enjoys spending time with her husband and two children. She enjoys camping, golfing, playing cards, and finding rocks on the beach.
Angela Gormley, Middle School Religion and Science & Sixth Grade Homeroom
Mrs. Gormley attended the University of Michigan, where she earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Biology. She also holds a Secondary Teaching Certificate with a minor in General Science and is a certified Catechist.
When asked what she loves most about being part of the Holy Cross Catholic School community, Mrs. Gormley shared, “As a teacher, I have learned that the students quickly become one of your own ‘kids.’ Because we are a small school, we get to spend a lot of time with our students, which allows us to know them on a more personal level. I also love how the younger students look up to the older students, and how the older ones often help the younger. There is a sense of family here at Holy Cross.”
Outside of school, Mrs. Gormley enjoys hiking and visiting National Parks. She and her family have explored parks across the country; from Denali in Alaska to Acadia in Maine, and from Sequoia in California to Congaree in South Carolina, and many in between. She also loves reading, watching movies, and spending time with her family, especially when they’re having meaningful conversations together.
Nicole Monahan, Middle School Math and Social Studies & Seventh Grade Homeroom
Mrs. Monahan earned her Bachelor’s Degree from Oakland University and a Master’s Degree in Education from Lesley University. She is married and the proud mother of two children, with whom she loves spending quality time. Outside of school, Mrs. Monahan enjoys a variety of crafts, including beading and basic sewing. When asked what she values most about being part of the Holy Cross Catholic School community, Mrs. Monahan shared that she treasures the opportunity to share her faith with students each day.
Carrie Johnson, Middle School English Language Arts, Eighth Grade Homeroom, & Testing Coordinator
Ms. Johnson graduated from Oakland University with a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education, majoring in Language Arts. She has also completed graduate coursework through Marygrove College and Augustana University toward a Master’s in Education. She is a certified Catechist.
Ms. Johnson has been part of the Holy Cross Catholic School community for over 15 years. When asked what she enjoys most about teaching at Holy Cross, Ms. Johnson shared, “The sense of family and cohesiveness between the students and staff members. Since the class sizes are small, I know my students on a personal level and can differentiate learning according to individual needs. The students are more like my kids, so there is a balance of appreciation, respect, and trust. I am also grateful that we can openly share our faith and integrate religion into academic subjects.”
Outside of school, Ms. Johnson enjoys spending time at her cottage, traveling, boating, painting, reading, and being with family and friends. She especially treasures the times when her daughter, a student at the University of Detroit Mercy, and her son, a student at the University of Michigan, are home to share family time together.
Cassidy Shaune, Director of Religious Education
Mrs. Shaune is a graduate student at Franciscan University of Steubenville, pursuing a Master’s degree in Catechetics and Evangelization. She is a certified Catechist and Coordinator of Youth Ministry in the Archdiocese of Detroit, and earned her Bachelor’s degree in Theology from Franciscan University in 2023. She loves the Holy Cross School community because of its joyful atmosphere and its commitment to being authentically Catholic. My favorite things include the rosary, art, reading, and thrifting.
Jessica Watkins, Teacher Assistant
Katelyn Pokorny, Teacher Assistant
Ms. Katelyn graduated from Algonac Community Schools. She teaches Tae Kwon Do at Lifecare Chiropractic in Algonac. She started karate at 5 years old and is now an instructor. Since Ms. Pokorny was a little girl, she always pretended to be a teacher. She would make her sisters be the students and collect old work from teachers to use. She loves reading. Ms. Pokorny loves to be active! Outside of school, she loves to take her daughter on adventures. Working at Holy Cross has inspired her to go back to church and be more mindful of the young eyes always on her. She attended Catechism at Holy Cross while growing up. When asked what she loves most about working at Holy Cross she said, “ It’s been a blast! I hope that I have made a positive impact on the kids just like they have for me.”
Kathy Boulier, Food Service Coordinator
Mrs. Boulier was born and raised in St. Clair Township on a dairy farm, attended St. Mary’s Catholic School for 8 years, has been married for nearly 50 years, and raised two children. She retired most recently from Pepsi after working almost 40 years in the clerical field. Mrs. Boulier’s favorite thing about Holy Cross is the staff is wonderful and everyone seems to work together so well. The kids are great. She said, “It has been fun watching them grow through the years that I have been here.” During the summer months, Mrs. Boulier spends a lot of time gardening, planting flowers, canning, and freezing whatever she can. Also, she and her husband try to get in as much camping as they can throughout Michigan during the summer and look forward to fall camping when the campgrounds are not so full. During the winter months, Mrs. Boulier enjoys making quilts for the family.
Cecelia Horton, Food Service Assistant
Ceil has lived in Algonac for over 40 years. She has a very large family. Her family owned Margaret Jeans Restaurant in Algonac, and she worked there for 43 years. Ceil also worked at Kroger in Algonac for 19 years. When Ceil was asked what her most favorite thing about working at Holy Cross was, she responded, “The teaching of faith is my most favorite thing about Holy Cross.” Outside of working at Holy Cross, Ceil loves spending time with her family and friends. She likes to go to lunch and shop. Ceil enjoys playing cards and reading. She also enjoys having cook-outs with friends and family.
Ryan Spaulding, Athletic Director
Ryan brings a wealth of experience in athletics, coaching, and leadership to our school community. A dedicated athlete from a young age, he played football for Dakota High School, Western Michigan University, and semi-professional teams including the Michigan Mercenaries and Renaissance City Chargers. He also excelled in track and field at Dakota High School, where he was a four-year varsity athlete and served as team captain for three years.
Ryan’s passion for coaching spans multiple sports and levels. He has coached football for the Westside Dolphins in Columbus, Ohio, the Macomb Mustangs, and the 8th-grade team at St. Clair Middle School for three years. In soccer, he has coached AYSO Region 673 (East China) for eight years and the Nationals Bluewater Club for two years. Beyond coaching, Ryan has contributed to the growth of AYSO 673 through leadership roles on the Board as a Child and Volunteer Protection Advocate (2018–Present) and as a Coach Instructor (2022–Present). He is currently helping to rebuild the Nationals Bluewater region (formerly Nationals St. Clair).
In addition to his athletic expertise, Ryan has a successful career as a Product Engineer, bringing 17 years of professional experience in this area to his role as Athletic Director. With his combination of athletic skill, coaching experience, and leadership, Ryan is committed to fostering a positive, inclusive, and challenging athletic environment for all students.