we are saints, scholars, disciples of Christ, and LEADERS
Fr. Waldemar Latkowski, C.Ss.R
Pastor
Rev. Waldemar Latkowski, C.Ss.R., serves as pastor of the recently united parishes of Our Lady of Charity and St. Mary of Czestochowa. He is a Redemptorist priest of the Province of Warsaw, and has been a parish priest and superior of his religious community. This year Fr. Waldemar celebrates 25 years of service to the Lord. He previously served as the pastor at St. John Paul II Parish in Perth Amboy, New Jersey, where he introduced liturgies and programs to suit the needs of the English, Polish, Spanish and Portuguese-speaking people.
Mr. Frank Zárate, Jr.
Principal
Frank Zarate, Jr., is proud to serve as the principal at Our Lady of Charity School. Mr. Zarate holds a B.A. degree from UIC with a double major in the Teaching of English and the Teaching of Spanish, and an M.Ed. in Instructional Leadership, also from UIC. His 2013 doctoral degree is from National Louis University in Chicago, where he wrote his dissertation on reducing out of school suspension rates. Mr. Zarate has taught all grade levels, from kindergarten to high school seniors, in both private and public schools, and has worked in a variety of school administration capacities. It is his goal at OLC to help create "saints and scholars," and to make a Catholic education a reality for any parents desiring it for their child.
Mr. Sean Knight
Preschool
Mr. Sean Knight graduated from Illinois State University with a B.S. in Education majoring in both secondary education and community health education. He immediately began teaching preschool in a classroom setting in summer of 2000. A few years later he began working on his master’s in early childhood education and graduated from Roosevelt University in 2008. When he thought he was finally done with schooling, he returned to obtain his English as a Second Language endorsement from Kendall College. He additionally teaches at National Louis University. Prior to joining the Our Lady of Charity family, Sean taught at various nonprofit early childcare facilities around Chicagoland.
Mr. Matthew Arenas
Kindergarten
Mr. Matthew Arenas teaches kindergarten at Our Lady of Charity School. He has his Professional Educator License in Illinois for teaching Early Childhood, English as a Second Language, and Special Education. Mr. Arenas previously worked for several years in the school at All Saints Episcopal Church in Chicago. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Early Childhood Education in June 2022 from DePaul University, and is a graduate of Riverside Brookfield High School in Riverside and St. Louise de Marillac School in LaGrange Park. Matthew believes that "human beings learn by observing and being supported by parents, teachers, caregivers and peers. Children emulate the adults in their life to learn how to act in society." No doubt about that!
Ms. Julie Contant
1st Grade
Miss Contant received a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education with a middle school endorsement from Northern Illinois University. She earned her English as a Second Language certificate in 2017 from Northeastern University and has been teaching at the primary level for the past 5 years. Miss Contant grew up in the Chicago suburbs and attended a Catholic school during her grammar school years. She currently teaches kindergarten and is loving it.
Her two Dutch Shepard / Labradors, named Peanut and Cashew, turn three in March 2022. Miss Contant loves relaxing outdoors and spends her free time with her family and friends going mini golf or practicing another language like Spanish and sign language.
Ms. Cary received a master’s degree in Teaching and Learning Elementary Education from DePaul University and a bachelor’s degree in social work from Clarke University. She has been teaching at OLC for 11 years. Ms. Cary enjoys spoiling her 12 nieces and nephews, exploring nature, and working with children and animals. In fact, Ms. Cary published a book about animals that can be found in Illinois, called Illinois Animal Alphabet.
Ms. Kate Cary
2nd Grade
Mrs. Helen Immordino
3rd Grade
Mrs. Immordino graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Elementary Education and holds an endorsement in Social Science as well. This is her 25th year in education and she has taught all grade levels from first through sixth. She has had the opportunity, at a personal and parental level, to experience the outcome of a Catholic education, and firmly believes in the many benefits a Catholic education provides, both academically and spiritually. Mrs. Immordino enjoys spending time with her family, reading, running, and being outdoors.
Ms. Mary Tierney
4th Grade
Miss Tierney attended Catholic grammar schools, high school, and college in the Chicagoland area. She earned her bachelor's degree at Saint Xavier University, and was a teacher’s aide in a Special Education classroom in the Burbank School District 111 for two years before coming to Our Lady of Charity School. She has taught here for over thirty years. In 2017 Miss Tierney received her Illinois State Board of Education endorsement in teaching English as a Second Language.
Mr. Karl Holub
5th Grade
I graduated from Columbia College in Chicago with a BA, and minored in communications. My first job was at WLS talk radio. From there I operated a mortgage company from 1998 until 2010. I went back to Roosevelt University to get my education degree with a master's in Education. I have two children Ethan, a graduating senior attending the University of Illinois, and Dori, a high school sophomore. My first teaching job was as a STEM teacher. I was later hired at Our Lady of Charity, and am the 5th-grade homeroom teacher. Teaching at OLC has been a wonderful experience. I coached soccer my first year and have a great relationship with my students and parents. I'm a true believer in the quote, “Students don't care how much you know until they know how much you care.” I enjoy coming to work every day educating my students. God Bless.
Ms. Phoebe Unzueta
6th Grade
We at OLC are delighted to welcome our new 6th grade religion and social studies teacher, Ms. Phoebe Unzueta. Ms. Unzueta is a graduate of St. Leonard School in Berwyn, St. Joseph High School, and DePaul University. She completed her student teaching in history in the spring of 2022 in Morton High School District 201. Ms. Unzueta believes that "teaching history is not exclusively about the names of people and dates of significant events, but additionally about building foundational skills. The building of these skills, whether they be in literature or analytical, can prepare students for success in their other classes and
even more so beyond the school setting." We agree with you, Ms. Unzueta!
Mr. Joseph Letendre
7th Grade
L. Joseph Letendre has been the middle school language arts teacher as well as the 7th grade homeroom teacher at OLC since 2002. He holds degrees in psychology, philosophy, and theology as well as a teaching degree from Dominican University. Mr. Letendre is also a writer who has published a number of articles as well as three books. He is a Benedictine Oblate of Chicago's Monastery of the Holy Cross. He and Susan, his wife of 40 years, have three children and four grandchildren.
Mrs. Margaret Sweeney
8th Grade
Mrs. Margaret (Peg) Sweeney was born in Cleveland and grew up in New York. Her family later moved to Illinois, and she graduated from Adlai E. Stevenson High School in Lincolnshire. She continued her studies at Illinois State University in Bloomington and received her bachelor’s degree in Education there. Post-graduate studies were completed at Dominican University in River Forest. Mrs. Sweeney has been a teacher at Our Lady of Charity School since 2004. “Mrs. Sweeney is a very kind and caring teacher, who cares greatly about all of her students,” said 8th graders Ethan Motes and Jayden Panduro.
Mrs. Lisa Johnson
Teacher Aide
My name is Mrs. Johnson. I attended high school at Alan B. Shepherd, and started college at Moraine Valley in the fall, while I was a nanny for two little boys. I started working as a teacher and assistant director at Mary Sears Children's Academy in 1990. While there I received My Child Care Professional certificate through the State of IL. I came to Our Lady of Charity in the fall of 1999 as the pre-k teacher, and taught here for 10 years. For the last 11 years I have been working in all different classrooms as an aide and the librarian. In 2020 I recently earned my Paraprofessional certification and a now working pack in preschool. I have been married for 23 years and have a great son who will be 22 this year. My family and I enjoy traveling around the midwest with a group called Northwest Territory Alliances putting on recreations of the Revolutionary War. I love being part of the OLC family and I have enjoyed watching all your children grow educationally and spiritually. I am proud and honored being part of so many of your children's lives and watching them grow into wonderful young ladies and gentlemen. Thank you.
Mrs. Martha Cortez
Teacher Aide
Ms. Martha Cortez is a teacher aide at OLC and also serves as our school librarian. She is a graduate of Morton East High School and is currently pursuing studies in Early Childhood Education and in Business Administration at National Louis University in Chicago. Ms. Cortez previously worked as the center director at Crème de la Crème Preschool in Glenview, where she enjoyed meeting families and giving them tours of the facility. Martha is the parent of two children at OLC, and is committed to our school's success.
Mr. Pedro Infante
School Secretary
My name is Pedro Infante and I am the new school secretary at Our Lady of Charity. I grew up in Chicago and have lived here all my life. I attended Pulaski International School for elementary school and Charles A. Prosser Career Academy for high school where I was in the International Baccalaureate program. I received my B.S. degree in Game Development, with a focus on Game Design, from DePaul University. Since graduating from DePaul, I have held a variety of positions. I worked in the parish offices at St. Anthony Church here in Cicero, and at St. Simon on the South Side. Most recently I worked at St. Genevieve Church on the Northwest Side. I like having the opportunity to help people who are part of the church community here in the Archdiocese. I also have a passion for music that started at an early age and continues to grow. I have been a musician all my life and play a variety of instruments, including the accordion, and I also sing. I hope the students and parents here at OLC find that they can depend on me to be a responsible secretary.
