Mrs. Patricia Cummins has been teaching Spanish at St. Ambrose Catholic School since the fall of 2002. In 2010, she received the Diocesan Middle School Teacher of the Year Award. She loves the warm, spiritual atmosphere at the school and the enthusiasm the students bring each day.
Sra. Cummins received a BA in Spanish and French as well as a MA in Spanish Language and Literature from Boston College. After studying in Spain and France, she went on to teach at Boston College and the University of Maryland, European Division. She worked in the kindergarten and preschool/handicapped programs for the Department of Defense Schools overseas and after relocating to Fairfax, Va. as a substitute teacher for Fairfax County Schools.
Sra. Cummins and her husband Brian are originally from Boston and have been married for 35 years. They are members of St. Mary of Sorrows Parish in Fairfax. They have five children. As an Army family, they have traveled and lived in many places, most notably, Germany, Korea and England. Exploring other cultures is a favorite activity.
In her spare time, Sra. Cummins volunteers with various service organizations, most recently the USO and the Boston College Alumni Association. She enjoys walking, reading, sewing and learning about new places.
This is Mrs. Healy’s twenty-first year as St. Ambrose School’s librarian, following three years as the kindergarten aide. She was born in Mt. Vernon, Ohio, and received her Bachelor of Education degree from The University of Virginia. She taught second and third grades for eight years in Albemarle County, Virginia. When her sons were born, she retired and was a regular room mother and library volunteer through their elementary school careers.
Mrs. Healy and her husband of 46 years have been St. Ambrose parishioners for 35 years. She has two grown sons. The oldest is married with 2 sons, and the youngest is married with one daughter, living in New York. That leaves only her 11 year old corgi “puppy” at home to keep her and her husband company!
Mrs. Healy’s love for children’s literature led her to the St. Ambrose library. She read to her boys daily when they were young, and is passionate about the importance of parents sharing books with their children every day. Now she enjoys reading to her grandchildren!
After graduating from the Franciscan University of Steubenville, I taught algebra to students from 7th-12th grade at Lincoln International Academy in Managua, Nicaragua. Upon returning to the states, I accepted a physical education teaching position at St. Michael’s Catholic School in Annandale and taught there until I left to start a family, 11 years later.
When my children were older, I returned to teaching and feel very blessed to be a part of the St. Ambrose community and look forward to having a fun-filled year teaching your children.
I live with my husband, 4 young adult children and Chihuahua, Maybellene. We live in Mclean in Saint John the Beloved Parish, where we have been active parishioners since relocating to Virginia in 1989. In 1979 I received a B.S. in Biology from Saint Joseph’s University in Philadelphia and in 1981 completed the Physician Assistant program at Hahnemann Medical School’s College of Allied Health Professions (currently part of Drexel University) in Philadelphia and became certified.
I am delighted to be part of the fantastic team of faculty and staff at Saint Ambrose School. This is my second year supervising the Health Clinic. This year I will be working additional hours at the school – teaching Health to grades K – 5 and as Director of Saint Ambrose Extended Day Program. I am blessed to be given these additional responsibilities and I look forward to serving this wonderful school community’s students and their families this year.
I am excited to join the faculty at St. Ambrose this year! Teaching and music are two of the most important things in my life, and I’m thrilled to bring that to the students at St. Ambrose. I have a Bachelor of Music Education degree from the Schreyer Honors College of Penn State University and a Master of Music in Vocal Performance at George Mason University.
For the past year, I have taught music at St. Philip Early Childhood Center and St. Rita’s Preschool, both within the Arlington Diocese. I’m a parishioner at St. Charles Borromeo Church where I am the cantor for the Saturday vigil Mass. As well as teaching at the schools, I have an active voice and piano studio in Northern VA and DC where I teach students of all ages and abilities.
In addition to teaching, I am an active performer. Last summer, I was an Apprentice Artist with Charlottesville Opera. I have received numerous awards, including the first prize in the American Council for Polish Culture’s Marcella Sembrich Vocal Competition, the Annapolis Opera Vocal Competition Richard and Cheryl Hack Award, and first place in both VA State and Mid-Atlantic Regional NATS. Some of my favorite roles include the Queen of the Night (Die Zauberflöte), Madam Herz (The Impresario), Le feu (L’enfant et les sortilèges), Carrie (Carousel), Fiona (Brigadoon), and Eileen (Wonderful Town).
While I’m not singing and playing the piano, I enjoy cooking, hiking, and reading.
After graduating from Radford University with a BS and MS in International Economics, I spent many years as a programmer. Some of my previous employers include: UNC-Chapel Hill, the World Bank, and Lockheed Martin.
My husband, Frank, and I have one child at St. Ambrose whom I’ve been blessed to be able to stay at home with. My school activities include STEM, room mom, substituting, and extended day. Outside of school I enjoy spending time with family, traveling, and reading.
I’m very excited to teach Technology this year and continue being a part of the St. Ambrose community!
Sarah is not new to St. Ambrose. She is a past PTO President, Room Parent, Religious Education Assistant and Parishioner. She and her husband, Bill, have one daughter who attends St. Ambrose.
With a Bachelor’s degree in Social Science from Providence College and a Master’s Degree in Education from the University of Saint Mary, she is thrilled to be able to apply some of the skills she learned while homeschooling, student teaching and in her painting, sculpture and art history classes to bring a cohesive picture of art, faith and learning to all the artists who attend St. Ambrose.
In her spare time she enjoys, writing, travel, cooking, an occasional 5K race and time spent with her family which includes a Vizsla.
I graduated from George Mason University in 2017 with a bachelor’s degree in Integrative Studies, with a concentration in Elementary Education. I am planning on pursing my Masters in Elementary Education in the near future.
From a young age, I always wanted to teach. I was blessed to be around many individuals involved in education both in my family and at the schools I attended, and their examples and encouragement led me work to achieve my goal of becoming a teacher.
I have lived in the Northern Virginia area my entire life, and attended Arlington Diocese schools for my elementary and high school years. I have been a part of the St. Ambrose community for the past four years. I have worked in both first and second grade as an instructional assistant, and have also worked in the extended day program.
I am passionate about working in a Catholic school where I can work to foster a faith filled environment for our school’s wonderful students. I am looking forward to bringing my ideas, innovations and enthusiasm into the classroom.
This will be my 12th year as a Teacher’s Aide at St. Ambrose School. St. Ambrose feels like home to me – my husband, Mike, and I have been parishioners since 1992. All five of our children graduated from St. Ambrose School – we were St. Ambrose parents from 1995 until 2013!
After undergraduate studies at Bryn Mawr College, I attended Case Western Reserve Medical School. Upon completion of a 3 year residency in Pediatrics at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, I served 4 years in the US Army, assigned to the Pediatric Clinic at Fort Belvoir, VA.
I practiced Pediatrics part time for another 13 years before “retiring”. In 2007 I began a small business, selling crocheted items at local holiday fairs. I share my love of crochet with the students in the school’s Crochet USA club. In my free time I enjoy reading, walking, and cooking.
I am honored to be a part of the wonderful and caring staff at St. Ambrose School.
I love music and have a passion for sharing it with my students. My mission is to communicate my enthusiasm and passion for music to my students. I want them to learn the importance of appreciating, understanding, and communicating so they will create music in their own self-expressive ways.
Some information about me:
B.A., Music, with an instrumental music education concentration, George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia
20 years music teaching experience including:
Performed with the 257th Army Band “The Band of the Nation’s Capitol”
Performed with Washington Metropolitan Philharmonic Orchestra
As an artist, performed and recorded seven full-length products and toured nationally for seven years.
St. Ambrose Catholic School
3827 Woodburn Road, Annandale, VA 22003
Phone: 703-698-7171
Fax: 703-698-7170
St. Ambrose School admits students of any race, color, and national origin.
