I am absolutely thrilled to be a member of the St. Francis de Sales family! Teaching is my true passion—I have wanted to be an educator for as long as I can remember, and I consider it a profound privilege to guide students as they learn and grow.

I have been a proud Catholic school teacher for over 30 years, including the last 5 wonderful years right here at St. Francis. I hold a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Rowan University and a degree in Elementary Education from Rutgers University, and I maintain elementary teaching certifications in both New Jersey and Maryland. Over the course of my career, I’ve had the unique and rewarding experience of teaching every grade from kindergarten through eighth. This broad background gives me a deep understanding of a child’s academic journey and allows me to meet my fifth graders exactly where they are.

In my classroom, I believe in utilizing a wide variety of dynamic teaching strategies to cater to the individual learning styles and needs of every child. Most importantly, I deeply value partnering with parents. When we work together as a unified team, our students truly thrive!

One of the greatest blessings of teaching at a Catholic school is the ability to live out my faith every day, infusing Christ’s love into both our academic lessons and our daily classroom life. I always love the fresh start that each new school year brings, and I spend much of my summer preparing, planning, and organizing to ensure a warm, welcoming environment for my incoming class.

When I am not in the classroom, I enjoy immersing myself in audiobooks, spending time out in the gardening beds, and making memories with my family and our amazing dog, Bo.

If you ever have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact me at pholmes@sfdscs.org.

May God’s light continue to shine brightly on us all this blessed school year!

Warmly,
Mrs. Patricia Holmes