FACULTY

Jutta Anderson

Jutta Anderson joined the JPII faculty in the summer of 2017. She is excited to be working in a small, Catholic school where she is able to truly get to know students and their families and can provide them with the best possible learning opportunities.  Mrs. Anderson came to teaching later in life. After earning a B.A. in Business Administration from the University of Bayreuth, Germany in 1996, and an MBA in Accounting and Taxes from the University of Würzburg, Germany in 2001, she worked as an accountant before she earned an M.Ed. (Secondary Mathematics) from the University of Phoenix in 2009. She has been teaching mathematics at middle and high schools ever since.  During the 2018/19 school year she will be teaching both levels of Geometry, Pre-Calculus, and AP Statistics.  Mrs. Anderson is the spouse of an active duty soldier and has lived and worked in four states and three countries. She enjoys traveling, skiing and snowboarding, carpentry, and spending time with her far-flung family and her dogs.

Dr. Sherry Garrett, Ph.D.

Dr. Sherry Garrett is an alumni of the University of Texas at San Antonio.  She holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in English, a Master of Arts Degree in Educational Psychology, Counseling and Guidance, and a Doctorate of Philosophy in Counselor Education and Supervision.  Dr. Garrett has a Texas Teacher’s Certification in English for grades 6th-12th, and a Texas School Counselor Certification for grades K-12th.  She has been an English teacher and Counselor at East Central High School.  She has also worked as an Adjunct Professor at the University of Texas at San Antonio, teaching Graduate School Counseling and Community Counseling courses.  Additionally, she has years of experience counseling college students at The University of the Incarnate Word.  Dr. Garrett has supervised and mentored numerous school counselors in training throughout the years.  She is an active member of St. James Catholic Church in Seguin, where she serves on the Pastoral Council.  In her spare time she enjoys spending time with her husband and their two teenage daughters.  Dr. Garrett is excited about being able to fully integrate her faith and counseling work at St. John Paul II and looks forward to building the Counseling Program.

Deacon Bob Gorman, Ph.D.

Robert F. Gorman is University Distinguished Professor of Political Science and Honorary Professor of International Studies at Texas State University.  He is the author of numerous books and articles on international relations, international law and organization, refugee and asylum policy, ethics, patristic era philosophy and the history of ideas. His recent books include What’s Wrong with Global Governance (Acton Institute Christian Social Thought Series, 2016) and Toward the Common Good: A Catholic Critique of the Discipline of Political Science (Scarecrow, 2011). He is a member of the Catholic Society of Social Scientists, serving as editor of its book series. He is a former Council on Foreign Relations Fellow, and has worked in the U.S. Department of State's Refugee Program Bureau and at Africare, an American nongovernmental organization.  He has an undergraduate degree in political science from Seattle University, and an MA and Ph.D. in political science from the University of Oregon.  He was ordained a deacon in 2000 for the Archdiocese of San Antonio and serves at Saints Peter and Paul Parish, where he specializes in catechetical and retreat ministries.  He writes regularly on the subjects of Church teaching, history, liturgy and homiletics for the Homiletic and Pastoral Review. His wife, Mary, is a retired Catholic School elementary teacher.  They have three children and eight grandchildren.  Deacon Gorman teaches government and theology, including a dual college credit course in global studies.

Friar Bryan Hajovsky

Friar  Bryan Hajovsky, OFM Conv, is a native of South Texas and is one of five children of +Bernie and Nancy Hajovsky. Friar Bryan is a Conventual Franciscan Friar of the Province of Our Lady of Consolation, USA, and is a Roman Catholic priest.  He earned a Bachelor of Science in Wildlife & Fisheries Sciences from Texas A&M University in College Station, TX, and an S.T.B. and Master of Divinity from The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C.  During his free time, he enjoys hiking, camping, jogging, and spending time with family and the friars.   

Clare Haugen

Mrs. Haugen has 15 years of teaching music to 4 ^th -12 th graders.  She is a musician in San Antonio area, plays with Kerrville Symphony and South Texas Symphonic Orchestra, plays with a professional string quartet, and teaches private lessons.  She has her music degrees from UTSA, and Master’s in Music Education from Texas Tech University.  Mrs Haugen is a member of OLPH Catholic Church in Selma, TX.    She has 2 sons, a husband, and a dog named Penny Pythagoras. 

Meredith Hernandez

Meredith Hernandez 

Andrew Iliff

Mr. Iliff is the school's principal, now in his ninth year in the role.  He has a Bachelor's Degree in Economics and Philosophy from the University of Notre Dame, and a Master's Degree in Educational Administration from Trinity University.  He is a certified English teacher, earning his certificate through coursework at St. Mary's University.  He was a teacher, coach, and administrator at Central Catholic High School, and was the principal at St. Luke Catholic School in San Antonio.  He also taught in the Bronx at Cardinal Spellman High School, through a volunteer program run by the Archdiocese of New York.  He has taught courses at SJPIICHS (Economics and AP Language & Composition), and will teach Economics again this year.

Mary Ledford

As a native of San Antonio, she began college at Incarnate Word, attended various colleges in Mississippi, Georgia, and Oklahoma during her husband's Air Force career, and earned Bachelor's and Master's Degrees in Latin and Latin Literature from the University of Oklahoma.  Upon returning to settle in San Antonio, she did her educational certification courses at Trinity University, becoming certified to teach Latin and History.  For the past 23 years, she has been a teacher in North East ISD, 21 of them at Roosevelt High School and the last 8 as the Department Head of Foreign Languages.  She and her family have been active members of OLPH-Selma for the last 21 years.  She has led Adult Scripture studies, served on ACTS retreats and ACTS Core, been a member of the Pastoral Council, and currently is a lector, communion minister, and member of the Liturgy and Art & Environment committees.  Mrs. Ledford teaches Latin I, Latin II and Dual Credit Latin III.

Mirla Leon

Mrs. Leon received a BA in English as a Foreign Language from Instituto Universitario Pedagógico de Maracay, Venezuela and a Master's in Community College Teaching with an emphasis in Spanish from Pittsburg State University, Pittsburg, KS.​ She taught Spanish at Bethlehem Catholic High School in Bethlehem, PA from 2001 to 2016.  From 2000 to 2001, Mrs. Leon taught at St. Thomas More and St Michael’s the Archangel Schools in Allentown and Bethlehem, PA respectively. She has also taught at Jenks High School in Jenks, OK, and Neodesha High School in Neodesha, KS. Mrs. Leon also taught English as a Foreign Language at Independence Community College in Independence, KS, and Liceo Jose Martí in Puerto Cabello, Venezuela.

Gabe Macias

Gabriel (Gabe) Macias - Raised a military brat. Lived all over the United States and Europe growing up. Graduated High School from John Marshall High School in San Antonio. Received a Bachelor of Science in Behavioral Sciences from the United States Air Force Academy. Received a Masters in Aeronautical Business Administration from Embry Riddle University. Took part in the "troops to teachers" transition program to receive qualification to become a teacher after serving 21 years as an Electronic Warfare Officer flying on the B-52H. He taught Algebra I and Algebra II at Central Catholic High School during the 2014-2015 school year before becoming full time with St John Paul II Catholic High School in the 2015-2016 school year. Gabe is also the head women's soccer coach. He was a four year Varsity letter man in high school in: Football, Wrestling and Soccer. He then walked on to the Air Force Academy soccer team where he was a three year varsity letter man and captain (senior year). Following the Academy he played for the All Air Force team and the Shreveport-Bossier Lions USISL Semi-Pro team. He has coached girls Varsity soccer programs in Utah, Germany and Texas.

Marguerite (“Margo”) Moreau McCarthy

An art educator, painter, printmaker, graphic designer, and musician, Margo McCarthy has taught art at every level, from pre-kindergarten through college; she retired in 2014 from the North East Independent School District, having taught elementary, middle, and high school art there since 1996.  Mrs. McCarthy earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Art Education from Louisiana State University, and a Master of Fine Arts degree in Painting from The George Washington University in Washington, D.C., where she was also employed as a Graphic Illustrator for the U.S. Department of Transportation and several private companies.  A professional artist, her paintings, prints and drawings have been featured in print publications and online media, and reside in private and corporate collections across the country.  She conducts art workshops in association with the McNay Museum of Art and the San Antonio Museum of Art, Summer Studio courses at the Southwest School of Art, and is a member of local, state and national Art Education Associations, the San Antonio Art League, and Gentileschi Aegis Gallery Association.  Mrs. McCarthy is a member of St. Mark the Evangelist Catholic Church, where she serves as a cantor in the music ministry. 

Michael O'Bryan

Mr. O'Bryan joined our staff in 2014-15,and is currently teaching Speech and Health.  He has a thirty year career in teaching around this area of Texas, primarily as an English teacher.  He has a Master's degree from Texas A&M-Kingsville and is certified in both high school History and English.  He is a very experienced coach as well, serving as both head and assistant coach levels in football, track, and basketball.  He has also worked with students in academic team speech events.

Heather Patillo

Mrs. Patillo has over twenty years of teaching experience in schools throughout the country (Colorado, California, and Virginia) as her family has moved to different military bases.  She has taught middle school through community college and has a Masters in Curriculum and Instruction from Chapman University and a Bachelor of Arts in English from Colorado State University. She also served ten years in the U.S. Army Reserves.  Mrs. Patillo has been teaching English I and English II at SJPII since 2010.

Sandee Phelan

Ms. Phelan is our librarian and freshman technology teacher.  She earned a BS in psychology from Texas A&M University-College Station and an MS in library science from Simmons College in Boston, MA.  She grew up all over the country with her military family, but has always called New Braunfels home.  Ms. Phelan leads our academic team and has assisted with retreats, and has worked very hard to build our school's library collection.

Martha Sweeney

Ms. Sweeney has a long career in education, over thirty years of teaching Mathematics in Texas high schools.  Most recently, she helped to open a new high school in Katy, Texas, the 5A Seven Lakes High School (Katy ISD).  She served as the math department chair there previously, and has taught just about every Math course offered in high schools. Ms. Sweeney attended Catholic schools as a young person.  She has a Master’s in Education and an undergraduate degree from the University of Texas, and is excited to have the chance to give back to Catholic education, knowing how much she received from the schools she attended in Memphis growing up.  She teaches upper level math courses here and directs our mathematics instruction.

Amy Thomson

Mrs. Thomson has earned two degrees from Trinity University, an English undergraduate degree and a Master's in Teaching, and is currently in the process of earning a third, a Master's in Educational Leadership.  Before coming to SJPII, she spent a year abroad teaching English as a foreign language in Chile, and then worked as a ninth grade teacher and team leader at Lee High School in North East ISD.  She taught upper level English courses at SJPII from fall 2012 to spring 2016, and also became the Professional Development Coordinator in the fall of 2014.  In the fall of 2016 she became the Academic Dean; along with continuing to lead professional development, she works with teachers to maintain and improve SJPII's college preparatory curriculum, and with students to help ensure their academic success.

Michael Travis - emeritus

Michael Travis taught 9th and 10th grade mathematics and brought thirty-eight years of experience to the classroom, twenty-one of them at Fox Tech and the rest in high schools in Massachusetts.  He passed away in February 2013, and is survived by his wife of thirty-one years, Jackie.  We consider him to be an enduring presence on our campus and among our teachers. 

He earned his Bachelor's degree and a Master's degree from Bridgewater State College in Massachusetts.  He and his wife have been active members of St. Helena's Parish, where Mr. Travis was a member of Knight of Columbus Council #7965 and a Fourth Degree Knight Assembly #2102.  While at Fox Tech, Mr. Travis served in a variety of departmental leadership roles, and was a part of a team of math teachers that consistently overcame difficult situations to improve student learning.  Mr. Travis - we love you - keep us in prayer.