Mrs. Heuer

Advanced Math Teacher/Math Tutor

“One of my favorite things about teaching is being able to witness the moment of acknowledgment and understanding among my students,” says St. Hilary School Advanced Math Teacher and Math Tutor, Mrs. Heuer.  She notes that she feels privileged to work with a variety of students at different grade levels in the area of mathematics.

Mrs. Heuer believes the strong faith aspect and high academic expectations are key points in a St. Hilary education.  She says that after attending Catholic schools through high school, it is exciting to be able to reenter that environment and give back as a teacher.  She feels that St. Hilary sets high standards for learning, while modeling a strong center for students and teachers to grow both spiritually and mentally.

A graduate of Bowling Green State University, Mrs. Heuer holds a Degree of Bachelor of Science in Education in Integrated Mathematics.  She says she holds high expectations for herself as well as her students, and believes she can learn from them as they learn from her.

Mrs. Metzger

Art Teacher

Drawing out the creativity in St. Hilary School students has been Mrs. Metzger’s job since 2000. “I try to make art not be intimidating, and to make it enjoyable for my students,” she says of her job as art teacher. She says she enjoys using creativity in working with students, and helping them see the world in a new way. “I enjoy watching them change in their abilities, self-esteem and awareness, and seeing them grow emotionally,” she says.

Two of Mrs. Metzger’s favorite areas to teach in her art classes are drawing and ceramics. She enjoys drawing and working with clay, and loves sharing that enjoyment with her students.

Mrs. Metzger also loves having the ability to share her faith with the children she teaches. “I like to bring an appreciation of the Catholic faith into the art studio,” she says. She feels St. Hilary teachers are fortunate to be able to include Catholic doctrine and the practice of faith in their teaching. “I feel very blessed to be here at St. Hilary,” she says.

The fact that St. Hilary is a family-oriented environment differentiates it from other schools, according to Mrs. Metzger. In addition, she says faculty members are caring and work well together. “The students feel safe and happy here,” she says.

Among her most memorable St. Hilary experiences have been creating the sets for school plays and working with students in art club. Mrs. Metzger says she has also enjoyed having a representative from the Akron Art Museum join her sixth grade students for a week to assist them in completing an art project.

A graduate of Ohio State University, Mrs. Metzger holds a bachelor of arts degree in art education. She hails from Columbus, and likes to visit her family there whenever she can. She also enjoys reading and spending time at art museums and galleries. An animal lover, Mrs. Metzger has four cats and two dogs, who frequently accompany her on walks.

Sister Carol Joy Cincerelli, H.M.

Enrichment Teacher

When Sister Carol Joy came to St. Hilary School in 1995, she brought with her a brand new program based upon the arts. She created the class specifically for St. Hilary, and called it “enrichment”. Sister Carol Joy enjoys using music, literature, painting, sculpture, drama, and other forms of expression to teach students in kindergarten through fifth grade about the arts and the people who create them. A large component of the program is its focus on drawing out the creativity in students, and teaching them to express themselves in various artistic ways. The works the students study become the foundation for their own creative expression.

Sister Carol Joy describes her class as “a gifted program, but one that appeals to and is available to all children, not just the very bright.” She says that St. Hilary students have a good foundation to build on, which makes it a delight to introduce them to the subjects she presents in her enrichment classes. “I enjoy enriching their lives,” says Sister Carol Joy of her students and her passion for immersing them in creativity. She also cherishes her ability and that of her co-workers to infuse subjects with Catholic beliefs. “We must not only touch people’s minds, but we must also touch their hearts in order to truly teach them,” says Sister Carol Joy. In her 45 years as a teacher, Sister Carol Joy has touched many lives. She says she taught about a third of current St. Hilary parents when they were second graders, and now “sees them” in their children, who are her students today.

A graduate of St. John College of Cleveland, Siena Heights College and Lake Erie College, Sister Carol Joy holds a bachelor of science degree in education, a bachelor of arts degree in art, and a master of science degree in gifted education. She has completed coursework beyond her master’s degree, as well. Having published 16 books on art as it relates to literature, learning, religion, and other topics, Sister Carol Joy is a regular presenter on these subjects at schools in Ohio and elsewhere. In addition to teaching elementary school children, Sister Carol Joy has taught at the college level and frequently leads workshops and in-services for other teachers. She has been a speaker for Ohio’s Right to Read program, and is a recurrent storyteller for Borders Bookstores.

Sister Carol Joy was named the Akron Creative Woman of the Year in 1996, and has received numerous grants for her work. She was named a Teacher of The Year by the Diocese of Cleveland in 2006. A native of Ashtabula, Sister Carol Joy loves to paint and write.

Mrs. Six

French Teacher

Profile and Photo Coming Soon! 

Mrs. Toth

Music Teacher
Grades 1-8

“Teaching music is not a job,” says Mrs. Toth. “It is my vocation and my life.” Since 1987, Mrs. Toth has broadened the musical horizons of her students at St. Hilary School. “I try to see each child for who they are when they come to me, and try to advance them to what they can achieve,” she says. Although singing is her favorite area, she incorporates a lot of instrument playing in her lessons. Third graders spend the entire school year learning to play the recorder, for example, and cap the year with a recital presented to their parents.

Mrs. Toth enjoys teaching because every day is different, and there is always the possibility for good things to happen. St. Hilary students are special, she feels, because they have expanded opportunities and are blessed with a great deal of talent. She says their educational experience is richer because they are exposed to many activities and experiences outside school that they can bring with them to share with their classmates.

Among the things Mrs. Toth feels set St. Hilary apart from other schools are its high level of parent and teacher involvement, and the numerous extracurricular activities offered to students. She also feels fortunate to have many tools to incorporate into her teaching, such as books, CDs, instruments, and even a synthesizer/sequencer. “We are blessed to have a theater and art fund in our parish foundation that helps to support our music program,” she says.

In addition to her work as the St. Hilary music teacher, Mrs. Toth also serves as the music director for the school’s spring musical each year. Her most memorable experience was the 1998 performance of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. “The kids were fantastic, and the show was phenomenal,” she says, adding that each year brings a new crop of talent and an exciting show to present.

A graduate of Kent State University, Mrs. Toth holds a bachelor’s degree in music education. Married for over twenty years, Mrs. Toth has three sons. One currently attend St. Hilary School, and two are St. Hilary graduates now attending Catholic high school. Mrs. Toth enjoys music, reading, theater, and musicals.

Mrs. Taylor

Kindergarten Music Teacher 

A love of music and the ability to share it with others are what St. Hilary School Kindergarten Music Teacher Mrs. Taylor loves most about teaching.  Her young students are afforded many opportunities to play classroom instruments, express themselves through movement, and simply have fun making music together.

Mrs. Taylor feels an involved community that truly cares about the whole student is what differentiates St. Hilary from other schools.

A graduate of the University of Akron, Mrs. Taylor holds a Master of Vocal Music (Performance) Degree.  She and her husband of nearly 20 years have two young children.  Mrs. Taylor is a digital photography and scrapbooking enthusiast, and also enjoys cross-stitching.

Mrs. Stamets

Physical Education Teacher

Helping her students find a life-long activity they can become interested in is the goal of St. Hilary School physical education teacher, Mrs. Stamets. “I want them to get interested in being active and find something they can enjoy for the rest of their lives,” she says. Mrs. Stamets says her classes are not about seeing who is the most skilled in an activity. “Grades are based on the level of effort students put forth,” she says.

Mrs. Stamets enjoys teaching because she loves to see the joy her students find in what they are doing in class. “It is exciting to turn them on to new things,” she says. She tells of a time she was introducing the basics of golf to one of her classes, and met with some opposition from a group of boys. The next school year, that same group of boys asked her when they could learn about golf again, because they had really enjoyed it once they tried it.

Having the ability to talk about faith and incorporate it into her lessons is important to Mrs. Stamets. She says she feels blessed to work in what she describes as “the best gym facility in the area”. She is also grateful to work in a school that offers the ability and has the resources to try different things.

Many memories from her years as a teacher stand out in Mrs. Stamets’ mind. She recalls the warm welcome she received from her co-workers when she joined the St. Hilary faculty in 1999. One vivid memory Mrs. Stamets relates is of helping a special needs child learn to skip, and the joy both she and the child experienced when they achieved their goal.

A graduate of the University of Akron, Mrs. Stamets holds a bachelor of science degree in education. Prior to becoming a physical education teacher, she taught ballet for 17 years. Married for nearly 25 years, she has two children who have attended Catholic schools through high school. Mrs. Stamets enjoys watching her children’s sporting events, as well as jogging.

Mrs. Schwarz

Spanish Teacher

Seeing her students learn and grow academically, spiritually and in character is one of the things St. Hilary Spanish teacher Mrs. Schwarz most enjoys about teaching.  She loves seeing her students’ horizons broadened to develop a better understanding of people and things outside their own world.  In her classes, students speak Spanish rather than English as much as possible, and are encouraged to continue to do so outside of class.  Mrs. Schwarz makes her lessons lively by including the study of Spanish culture, music, food, and daily life, in addition to the language itself.

Mrs. Schwarz enjoys the opportunity to teach scripture and faith in addition to Spanish at St. Hilary.  She feels this, as well as high expectations and standards set for the students, differentiates St. Hilary from other schools.

A graduate of the University of Akron, Mrs. Schwarz has a bachelor of arts degree in social work and is licensed to teach Spanish to grades K-12.  Prior to teaching, she worked for the judicial system as a pretrial services officer.  She also teaches junior high-aged girls at her church.  Married with two children, Mrs. Schwarz enjoys reading, especially Spanish novels, walking, knitting, and crocheting.

Mrs. Slanina

Media Center Coordinator

As media center coordinator, Mrs. Slanina is always eager to share with her students the latest technology information she has acquired.  A student of technology herself, Mrs. Slanina is currently completing coursework to earn a master of education degree in instructional technology.  “I can bring up-to-date information directly from my master’s coursework to my technology classroom,” she says. 

Mrs. Slanina believes engaged and caring families and dedicated, bright students distinguish St. Hilary from other schools.  In her first year of teaching, Mrs. Slanina is excited to begin her teaching career at St. Hilary School.

A graduate of John Carroll University and Kent State University, Mrs. Slanina holds a bachelor of arts degree in English/communications, as well as a master of library and information science.  Prior to becoming a teacher, Mrs. Slanina worked for about ten years in various marketing and communications positions.

Mrs. Slanina and her husband have two young children, one of whom attends St. Hilary School.  In her spare time, she enjoys running and reading. 

Mrs. Weber

Media Center Coordinator

“I believe technology instruction is no longer a luxury in schools,” says St. Hilary School technology teacher Mrs. Weber.  “Learning computer skills has become as essential as mastering the traditional core subjects.”  Admittedly amazed at how quickly technology has evolved, Mrs. Weber remembers her own initial exposure to computers the size of an entire room and floppy disks the size of phonograph records.   Teaching technology at St. Hilary School for two years, Mrs. Weber has been employed at the school in other capacities since 1998.  Her background as a kindergarten teaching assistant makes her especially well-suited to the grade levels she teaches.

From dismantling a hard drive and investigating its components to creating a Power Point presentation, Mrs. Weber’s students are well-versed in technology by virtue of her classes.  Because she feels computer skills have become basic life skills, she is dedicated to preparing her students for their future education, a career, and life in the real world.  “It is my job to give them the tools they need now, so they won’t be at a disadvantage later,” she says.  She feels fortunate to work at a school where a commitment to technology education has been made.

A graduate of the University of Akron, Mrs. Weber holds bachelor of science degrees in both biology and chemistry, and has completed two years toward a bachelor’s degree in education.  Herself a product of St. Hilary School, Mrs. Weber has been married to her “high school sweetheart” for over 30 years.  Two of her three adult children attended St. Hilary, and one daughter is now a Catholic school teacher.  Mrs. Weber enjoys reading and furthering her knowledge of technology through online classes.