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Newspaper Columns >
St. Richard's is where God wants her
by Carol Breidenbach
Catholic Chronicle
7 May 2004
SWANTON – Joan Page says teaching at St. Richard School for 17 years is exactly where God wants her to minister. "The staff members, parents and students are wonderful. It is a caring community that works together and supports each other in solving problems," Joan says.
 ANSWERING GOD'S CALL--Joan Page feels she is where God wants her to be: teaching science at St. Richard's School. Joan teaches science and is responsible for developing the new middle school concept. Middle school offers more independence, responsibility and freedom. Her dream is for the middle school to be so successful with enrollment that adding a wing will be necessary.
Joan was influenced by Franciscan Sister Mary Frances, whom Joan remembers as a kind and caring person, and then associate pastor, now bishop, Albert Ottenweller.
"I always wanted to be a teacher," she says and started college after the youngest of her four children entered first grade. Contributing to growth in other's faith is her reward, she explains.
She praises principal, Ursuline Sr. Bernarda Breidenbach. "She has helped me grow spiritually and makes me feel like I can do anything. Sr. Bernarda's faith and spiritually are contagious and she inspires me to do more for God through the school."
Sr. Bernarda says, "Joan exemplifies what it means to be a strong, dedicated teacher in a Catholic School. She believes in and lives our Mission Statement: 'To be Christ's eyes in seeing the needs of creation; His ears in listening with mind, heart, and spirit to others; His arms in supporting each other; His hands in reaching out to help; His feet in taking action.'"
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