Elementary

I have been teaching Preschool here at St. Charles since 1993.  I have a degree in Early Childhood Education with a Special Education certificate.  My love for St. Charles School and for teaching has been my inspiration to teach these little humans all these years.  It's a new adventure every day!

I grew up in the Seattle area.   I attended St. Francis of Assisi Grade School, Holy Names Academy and U of W, all in the Seattle area.   I was married to my husband, John for over 45 years before his passing.   I have two daughters, 4 grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildren.  I have been teaching preschool at St. Charles for 28 years.   Catholic education is my passion.

I have gone to private school my whole life, starting at St. Joseph Catholic School in Issaquah WA from K-8, to Eastside Catholic High School, and then Gonzaga University. I graduated from Gonzaga with a degree in Psychology and then did their Masters of Initial Teaching program and got endorsements in Reading and English Language Learners. I have been at St. Charles since 2017 and love teaching Kindergarten here! I have a rescue dog, Duke, that I am obsessed with and during my time off I like to travel.

I received my  BA from Washington State University in Elementary Education with a minor in Early Childhood Education.  I have been part of the St. Charles community since 1994.  I have teaching experience in Preschool, Second Grade and First Grade. 

My name is Kayleen Stragier and I am co-teaching in the 2/3 combined classroom.  This is my 2nd year in this classroom and my 9th year of teaching.  St. Charles has always played a huge role in my life.  I am a proud alum of St. Charles (class of '99), my mom taught here for several decades, and my brothers, nephews, and nieces all graduated from here.  The St. Charles community has always had a family sense to me, so when I came to teach here it felt like I was coming home.  When I am not teaching I enjoy the outdoors, running, baking, and spending time with my husband, daughter, and dog.

Dan Dodge, Second and Third Grade Teacher

My name is Katie Schneck and this is my second year teaching at St. Charles. I grew up in Hanford, California with my wonderfully big family. I moved to Spokane in 2014 thinking it would be a temporary move. However, it turned permanent very quickly. I met my husband within two weeks of being here and now call Spokane my home. We have two yellow labs, Hank and Bert, who think they are more human than dog. Our favorite things to do are to spend time at Deer Lake with family and friends, golf, and travel whenever we have the chance.  I attended California State University, Channel Islands where I received my B.A. in Liberal Studies. Then, I moved to Spokane and attended Whitworth University where I received my teaching certification and M.A. in Education. I am very fortunate for the opportunities that I have had and look forward to what is to come

Daphne Funston is the fifth grade teacher at St. Charles. She grew up in the Spokane area and is the youngest of five kids. For elementary school she attended Trinity Catholic School and for high school she attended St. George’s. 

Miss Funston graduated from Eastern Washington University with her teaching degree and an endorsement in Middle Level Mathematics. She also has a passion for teaching art and science.

In her spare time, Daphne likes to kayak, rock climb, hike, swim, read, and craft. She hopes to have the chance to travel to Africa one day.