Faculty & Staff

I was born in Argentina, the seventh of ten children. At the age of 12 I entered the high school seminary to later become, at the age of 25, a missionary priest of the Institute of the Incarnate Word. I had ministered in Italy, Philippines, Papua New Guinea and Ireland before coming to the USA. After serving in different dioceses in the US, I came to Spokane at the end of 2016. I was assigned first to serve as parochial vicar at St. Mary’s in the Valley and then in the Walla Walla parishes. I came to St. Charles on July 2019 and I am very excited for the future of our school as we embark in transitioning to classical liberal arts curriculum.

Trudy Girkins welcomes all of our families to school each day and is the first voice you hear when you call the school. She keeps the office running smoothly! Trudy started the St. Charles Food Program in 2003, when her three children were students at the school.  Prior to the hot lunch program's inception, no meal service program was in place. She continues to serve lunch on Thursdays.

My name is Kayleen Stragier and I am teaching preschool this year. 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.

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. 

I am so excited to be joining the St. Charles community, and feel blessed to share in this journey of faith, joy, and an exploration of what is good, true, and beautiful!

Catholic schools have been a home for longer than I can remember, and there is nowhere I would rather teach than in an environment such as this!  I have had the pleasure of spending most of my life connected to Catholic education, having attended St. Aloysius, Gonzaga Prep, and Gonzaga University.  I went on to receive my masters from Washington State University.  

I have taught in Catholic schools my entire teaching career and am deeply grateful to spend my days in a faith community, where I have the pleasure to build deep relationships with my students.  I treasure the time I get to work with these children, and am thankful for each day!

Apart from teaching, I am passionate about my faith, my family & friends, my pets (and all animals), reading, and Spokane Chief Hockey ;)!  

Xanthe Kraft has long appreciated the connectedness of ideas across disciplines and is an avid proponent of the Classical model of education. She holds an M.A. in Teaching: Secondary Education from Liberty University, an M.A. in Digital Musics from Dartmouth College, and a B.A. in Computer Science and Philosophy also from Dartmouth. She cantors at St. Francis Xavier parish and directs liturgical music across the diocese of Spokane. She taught K-8 Music and High School World Literature before joining the St. Charles faculty in the fall of 2021.  She enjoys hiking, tea, and discussing ideas big and small.