St. Joseph Parish School

Faculty and Staff

Sr. Judith P. Abique, SPC belongs to the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Paul of Chartres, Philippine

Province. She has been in St. Joseph Parish School as a missionary from the Philippines since 2011.

Prior to joining the SPC Congregation, Sr. Judith P. Abique, SPC worked as a college Religious Education

instructor for several years and was actively involved in both Religious and Civic organizations.   Her

previous professional experience as SPC Religious includes teaching Grade School and High School

Religion, Head of Christian Formation, Academic Team Leader, Recollection Facilitator, and High School

Principal.

Sr. Judith P. Abique, SPC completed her Master of Arts in Religious Education at Ateneo De Manila

University, Philippines (FIRE) in 2011 prior to being sent to Hawaii as a missionary.

Being at SJPS has broadened the perspective of Sr. Judith P. Abique, SPC. The spirit of collaboration is

very strong among Administrators, Faculty and Staff, and parents, PTG and School Board. This is

imperative to be consistent in accomplishing the mission of this Catholic School.

Hello, my name is Jamaica Agustin. This is currently my third year of teaching first grade here at SJPS. I

graduated from the University of Hawaii at Hilo with a Bachelor's in Communication and Education. I

am pursuing my Graduate degree at Chaminade University of Honolulu for a Masters in Instructional

Leadership and will be graduating this December 2017! I have been living on Oahu since I was 3 years

old. I enjoy running, hiking, trying out new places to eat in town, and taking advantage of school breaks

for traveling. I also enjoy teaching and SJPS has given me the opportunity to explore and share my gifts

and talents.

Aloha! My name is Kelly Boquer-Wintjen. I have been involved with St. Joseph School from the day my son started PreK in 2007. I have served on the PTG Board, helped to establish the Title I Program, worked as a substitute teacher until I officially became the Junior High mathematics teacher in 2011, and currently I work behind the scenes helping with financial matters. I enjoy spending time with my family (16 when we are all together). I enjoy learning, and I am currently enrolled at Wayland Baptist University in the Doctor of Management program. Whenever we can, my family likes to travel and experience what the world has to offer. I look forward to working with you! Ms. Capinpin has been sharing her passion, skills and spirit with the St. Joseph Parish School community for four years. She has been teaching, facilitating, and learning with children in the first grade class classroom. As an advocate for Early Childhood Education, Ms. Capinpin continues to share her knowledge with other professionals in the Education field through presentations at various Early Childhood Conferences and by volunteering for the community. She received a Dual Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education with an emphasis in Early Childhood Education. Living out St. Joseph Parish School’s mission of being a lifelong learner, Ms. Capinpin is currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in Early Childhood Education. She looks forward to bringing meaningful experiences and valuable lessons into children’s lives. As a car enthusiast, she has a love for fast import cars. Her hobbies include exploring the island off-roading in her Subaru, doing auto body repair, golfing, and archery. Hi there!  My name is Fedelina Carlos and I began teaching 2nd grade here at SJPS since 2014 when I worked as a substitute for Kelly Services.  When I returned home here to Hawaii from teaching abroad in Seoul, South Korea for 4 years, I worked briefly as a Skills Trainer.  Prior to that, I worked with Hawaii DOE as a secondary teacher.  While my license is in secondary education and received my Bachelor’s degree in Sociology, I have enjoyed teaching the 2nd graders and growing in my faith through the sacraments that are received in this grade.  I enjoy spending time with friends and family when I am not in school.  My son, Aaron who attends here is my inspiration to become a better teacher, mother, friend and a role model.  He reminds me every day how blessed I am to be here at this school and how we can accomplish our goals together and be R.E.A.L.  SJPS is very important to me because God knew that I needed to be in a Catholic School not only to fulfill my passion in teaching, but more importantly to share my love through Jesus, my Savior. Hi! My name is Denise Cashman and I am the Office Manager/Admissions Director here at SJPS.  I wear many different hats and look forward to coming to work every day because I never know what I will encounter in my office! I am happily married and we have two beautiful children.  My husband, Jason, has been a basketball coach for several years at SJPS and is also the Girls JV bowling coach for Damien Memorial School.  He graduated from Kamehameha and we have been married for almost 20 years.  My daughter, Kaylin, attends Damien Memorial School and my son, Andrew, attends school here.  I have a younger sister, Cheryl, who lives in Colorado with her husband, Daret, who is an Air Traffic Controller, my nephew Ronan, and my four-legged nephew, Appa.  Growing up as a military child, I have been to beautiful places and seen many different cultures.  I was born here in Hawaii to a German dad, who was stationed at Schofield, and Hawaiian/Filipino mom.  Shortly after my sister was born, we moved to Kentucky. From there we lived in Germany for 6 years where I made a lot of friends and learned to speak a little German. (I sure do miss the food!) We traveled a lot and got to see so many awesome things.  We then moved to Colorado where I graduated from high school and began my banking career.  After my dad retired, we all moved to Hawaii where I have been living ever since. I have been in the financial field for 25+ years.  Starting off as a credit union teller, I gradually worked myself up to Consumer and Mortgage Loan Officer.  I was fortunate to be able to stay home when my son was born and began working at SJPS when he began school here.  I started as a Teaching Assistant and was blessed to begin working as the Office Manager 3 years ago.  In my (rare) spare time, I enjoy going to the movies, sewing, crafts, bowling and spending time with my family.  My favorite color is purple.  Any shade of purple.  Lavender, Magenta, Eggplant, Lilac, Royal, Orchid, Fuchsia, Violet, Amethyst…   When you get a chance, stop by the office and say hi! My name is Maria Cristobal.  My family and I came to Hawaii from the Philippines.  We lived with my grandparents on the Island of Hawaii.  As my siblings and I graduated from high school, we moved to Oahu to attend college. Eventually, my grandparents decided to sell their house when all of us moved away, then came to live in Oahu too because they can no longer be by themselves.  All of our families took care of them however we could.  Grandpa was one of the pioneers to work in the sugarcane plantation from the Philippines.  We learned to appreciate, help, share and work hard from our elders.   Grandpa passed away in his late 90s and Grandma was 101 years young. Two of my siblings are retired from the military service. I attended Cannon’s Business College in Honolulu, receiving a diploma.  Work experience includes working in a bank (Personnel Dept. and Loan Dept.), one session in the Hawaii State Legislature for then Finance Chairman Calvin Say (House of Representatives), and here at St. Joseph School. I began working at St. Joseph in 2003 when my child started Preschool.  This is my second year as a Paraeducator in Junior High.  At St. Joseph School, I assisted in Kindergarten, First and Second Grade.  I did After School and Morning Care for several years; did Billings too for extended care. I like cooking and taking care of our little garden at home, growing many plants; and visiting places when possible. Visited the Philippines, traveled to Hong Kong, Canada, and states like CA, NV, NY, MD, WA, DE, VA, and Washington DC.  St. Joseph is important to me because the Parish and School are very dear to me and my family.  My nieces, cousins and relatives attended St. Joseph School; and our families are long time parishioners.  I am very blessed and grateful of the faith formation and academic achievements my child received while attending St. Joseph School.  And for myself, assisting to teach children in many levels of background is rewarding because I am reminded that we learn differently and we come from different economic and social status; and most of all we can pray at school as a community.  I know many parents including myself wants faith formation as their primary reason for sending their children to St. Joseph - to know, to love God, and to learn to be a Catholic.  Over the years, I met many colleagues and students that became my teachers and friends at St. Joseph.  Thank you and God bless us all. I am a teaching artist working with students from Pre-K to 8th grade. I have a Bachelor’s of Arts Degree in Studio Art from the University of Hawaii Moana and currently working on my Master’s Degree in Fine Art at the UH Manoa.  I have been teaching and working in the education business for over 11 years with a passion that has been growing year after year.     My art work has been exhibited throughout the island of Oahu such as Chinatown (April 1-30 2013, First Friday), The Art Zone, HawaiiUSA Bank, Living Stone Café, Hilton Hawaiian Village, ING Direct Cafe (2012), WAG Show 2014 at Pahoa Tower, 3rd Cup Solo Show 2013 and 3rd Cup Collaboration Show 2014, St. Joseph Mural Project, 2015-titled "Jacob's Ladder" displayed throughout the island of Oahu, and currently self-studying digital art 2016. (eportfolio-www.nickdagdag.weebly.com) I have a beautiful wife name Rose and three amazing children Isaiah, Noah, and Azariah. I love them very much. God is Good. Janis Davis-6th-8th Language Arts Teacher   Originally from Rhode Island, I came to Hawaii thirty-one years ago, first teaching on Maui, Hawaii, for fourteen years in a Catholic School before moving to Oahu to teach at St. Joseph Parish School.  This will be my seventeenth year of teaching literature and language arts at St. Joseph.  I also taught in Rhode Island and New York.  Prior to choosing a career in education, I spent eight years in the United States Air Force.  I graduated from the University of Detroit Mercy with a B.A. in English and earned my M.A. in Guidance and Counseling from Northern Arizona University. In addition, I am certified in the Orton-Gillingham Reading, Writing, and Phonics program and All Kinds of Minds which addresses how students learn and ways to maximize their learning. Teaching in the Junior High Division allows me to see the students’ growth over a three-year period and prepare them to be successful in high school.  Recognizing the demands of high school, the Junior High Division also focuses on building confidence, character, and morally responsible citizens. In my free time, I am passionate about reading and enjoy travelling, visiting historic sights, spending time with family, and just being grandma to my six grandchildren. Aloha, my name is Janice Eala and I'm a kindergarten teacher.  This is my first year teaching at SJPS.  I received my bachelor’s degree in business administration with a minor in finance from Hawaii Pacific University.  I also hold a master’s degree in elementary education from Chaminade University.  Prior to teaching at SJPS I taught in public schools for 5 years.  I was born and raised in Hawaii and have never lived anywhere else.  SJPS is important to me because my educational beliefs mirror the school's mission statement.  In my free time I enjoy spending time with my family which consists of my husband and two children.  We enjoy playing at the park, going to the beach, and watching movies.  My husband and I enjoy watching our son play baseball and our daughter at her dance performances.  I serve at St. Elizabeth Aiea Parish as a Eucharistic minister, lector, and first grade catechist.  Both of my children serve as altar servers at our home parish. My son is also a 5th grade catechist aide. Aloha, my name is Laura Gabriel. I was born and raised in Northern California.  My bachelor’s degree is in Recreation and Leisure from California State University of Long Beach. In my younger days, I wanted to work for Disney’s Park Administration. After marrying the love of my life and having two children, I changed my career towards education so I could be a part of my children’s lives a little bit more.  I have been working in education for 14 years. This is my first year teaching at St. Joseph, as a PE Teacher. I’ve worked as Academic Counselor, Coach, Mentor, Hula Instructor and PE Teacher. During the summer I love teaching summer school at Kamehameha Schools. I’ve been married for 24 years to my husband Gene. Our children, Ko’akea (22) and Maile (18) both attending college in California. My hobbies include nearly all water activities, sports, traveling, Polynesian dancing and hanging out with my pets. My name is Lydia Garrod and this is my second year teaching kindergarten at St. Joseph. I have a bachelor's degree in Elementary Education with a reading endorsement. I am passionate about books, coffee and kids. I love all of the above and jump in with both feet with everything I do. I have lived in Hawaii three years, my husband works with Hart and is a systems engineer for the rail. I am originally from Seattle and love the rain! I love to travel to Europe and always want to go on more adventures. I have two children that are 21 and 18. One is graduating college and one is graduating high school. My husband and I are celebrating our 25th wedding anniversary this year. Aloha! My name is Nacia Hatch and this is my first year teaching 4th and 5th grade Social Studies at SJPS. I am back on island after 3 years in the mainland with my husband, Ryan who is stationed at Camp Smith. Many moons ago, I graduated from the Belmont Abbey College, in North Carolina with a Bachelors in Education. This will be my 8th year as a teacher. I’ve taught in Catholic schools in Virginia, Ohio, and my home island of Kauai. I have three awesome sisters (I'm the middle!), three adorable nieces, three handsome nephews, (Best Aunty Ever!) and two fantastic parents, who live in the mainland. When I'm not teaching, I love to spend time with Tori, my overgrown puppy and Kiawe, my cuddly kitten, spend time at the beach, hike with Mr. Hatch, and eat (bring on the poke!). Hello, my name is Alysia Ignacio and I was born and raised here on the island of Oahu.  I am currently the Pre-Kindergarten Teacher.  I received my Bachelor’s Degree in Family Resource at the University of Hawaii at Manoa.  After graduating from UH Manoa, I worked at St. Timothy’s Pre-school for 4 years and then moved to St. Joseph Parish School where I have been teaching for 10 years.  I enjoy working with ages 2-5 because I get to be a part of their first learning experience and being able to watch them grow. I am an Aunty to 3 beautiful nieces and a loving and kind hearted nephew.  I enjoy spending as much time as I have with them when they are not busy with their extracurricular activities.  Aside from family time, I get to enjoy my own “ME” time as well.  I have been dancing hula with Na Maka O Pu’uwai Aloha for several years.  Besides dancing, I get to travel and see different parts of the world, learning and experiencing more about the Hawaiian Culture and as well with the other different cultures. My name is Ms. Gerilyn Ilao and I am currently on my 3rd year of teaching 2nd Grade at St. Joseph. I have lived in Hawaii for 7 years. I moved here from Guam to attend Hawaii Pacific University, where I earned my Bachelor's degree in Elementary Education. Some of my hobbies include reading and collecting books, exercising, spending time with my family, and catching up on my favorite television shows. St. Joseph is important to me because they gave me my first teaching opportunity and, as a result, helped me to better strengthen my faith in God. Aloha!! My name is Arne Kawamata and I've been teaching P.E for the last 10 years at St. Joseph Parish School. I'm also the school's Athletic Director. I oversee the sports program after school which participates in the Catholic School league for grades 4, 5, 6, 7 & 8 in basketball, volleyball and track. My current position is Facilities Manager for the Church and School. I continue my education at Chaminade University towards a degree in SS Secondary Education. I've lived in Hawaii my entire life and because of the people here I'm not ever sure I would be able to live anywhere else? My family consists of my parents who sacrificed and worked hard and long so my siblings and I got everything we needed. I have 1 brother and 2 sisters, my younger sister is the only one not living in Hawaii. I have 3 wonderful girls, two of whom attended Catholic Schools from K-12 and one that is still in the 4th grade, at St Joseph Parish School. My loving and beautiful wife, Rosie, her faith in "GOD" is what keeps us grounded. I loved the outdoor activities like swimming, paddling and playing sports but now days I'm more content with just laying/sitting around and relaxing in the shade and enjoying the cool breeze. I've been so blessed to be given the opportunity to teach at St. Joseph Parish School. I came in with the thought that I was going to be the teacher and  behold I've become the student and it's because of all the wonderful opportunities "Christ" has given me to learn from those around me. In my past I worked in healthcare for 5 years and 10 years as a plumber and now 10 years as a teacher. I would say that the last 10 years working at St. Joseph has been a journey that the lord has bestowed upon me and I'm forever blessed. Thanks be to God!!! Aloha, My name is Keala Kia.  I started my teaching ministry at St. Joseph Parish School in 2006.  When I first began here, I taught Religion, Social Studies, Math and Science to 4th graders.  Today, I teach 3rd graders Religion, Language Arts and Social Studies.  I enjoy volunteering my time and have spent my years being an Ohana Council advisor, hula instructor, and now I am involved in Social Outreach. I have lived in Hawaii all my life and grew up in Pearl City.  I currently reside in Waipio.  I graduated from the University of Hawaii at Manoa and am a proud UH fan.  I am married and have 4 children.  I am a hula and baseball mom and am often found taking them to practices, attending games or performances.  I am also a parishioner of Resurrection of the Lord Catholic Church in Waipio.  In my spare time, I like to do arts and crafts and watch favorite TV shows such as Hawaii 5-0.  I also spend time volunteering for Waikele Community (my dad is a board member).