Laura Mireles is the Office Manager at Saint Marguerite Catholic School, where she has proudly served for seven years. Known for her dedication and warm approach, Laura plays a key role in ensuring the school office runs smoothly while providing support to both families and staff.
Originally from Mexico, Laura came to the United States at the age of 16 and has built a life rooted in faith, hard work, and community. In addition to her office responsibilities, she is an active member of the school’s leadership team and generously helps with lunch duty, always bringing a friendly smile and caring spirit to everything she does.
Outside of work, Laura enjoys spending time with her family, embracing the joys of motherhood, and spending time outdoors. Her commitment and kindness make her a valued part of the Saint Marguerite Catholic School community.
Our School
Saint Marguerite Catholic School is the only private, faith-based school serving Tooele County.
Where Students Learn, Pray, Grow,
and Become Strong in Spirit.
Saint Marguerite Catholic School is a parish-affiliated Catholic school serving students in pre-school through the seventh grade. We strive to nurture the spiritual, intellectual, social and developmental growth of each child. In partnership with parents, we foster a safe and caring environment which promotes academic excellence, celebrates Catholic faith, builds community, encourages mutual respect and provides service to others.
History
Faculty & Staff
Montana girl at heart, Chris Nielsen has proudly called Utah home for over 30 years — and she wouldn’t have it any other way! A devoted member of Saint Marguerite Parish, she and her husband Tim have been happily married for 34 years and raised three sons who love the outdoors just as much as their mom does.
Chris earned her Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice and Sociology from Montana State University and started her career in Corrections before discovering her true calling in early childhood education. She joined Saint Marguerite Catholic School through the Alternative Routes to Licensure program and has been a cornerstone of the school ever since.
With 18 amazing years of teaching first grade under her belt, Chris now serves as both Lead Teacher and Administrator — and still finds time to oversee the Cross Country program and give back through parish and community service. When she’s not inspiring young learners, you’ll find her baking, hiking, or soaking up time with family and friends.
Chris’s teaching philosophy is all about teamwork with parents to help each child grow academically, personally, and spiritually. Her greatest joy? Watching her students blossom in both knowledge and faith. She loves to remind her students: “Do everything with a good and grateful heart” — and she truly means it every single day.
With 25 years in education, Mrs. Ayana Adams is the kind of teacher who makes every student feel like they truly belong. Her two guiding principles have never wavered: every classroom should be a safe and nurturing space, and every child deserves to become a lifelong learner. When kids feel valued and supported, there’s no limit to what they can achieve!
Mrs. Adams holds a Bachelor’s degree in Special Education with an emphasis in Early Childhood Education and Severe Disabilities, a Master’s degree in Special Education, and has also earned her K–6 Elementary Education License and K–12 Mild/Moderate Disabilities License. Safe to say, she knows her stuff!
At Saint Marguerite, she wears several important hats — serving as MTSS Coordinator, teaching first grade literacy, and coaching fellow teachers on effective instructional practices. She’s a true champion for students’ academic, social-emotional, and behavioral growth.
Outside of school, Mrs. Adams is all about family time and exploring new destinations. Wanderlust + wonderful educator = one incredible person!
Mrs. Child has been teaching at Saint Marguerite Catholic School for 17 years. She began her teaching career when her youngest child started preschool—he is now entering his third year of college.
Mrs. Child and her husband, Ben, chose Catholic education for their children because of its focus on forming the whole child. The strong moral foundation, sense of community, and commitment to service have helped prepare them to contribute positively to society.
The Child Family have three children: Ceci and Lizi, who both recently graduated from Gonzaga University, and Benji, who is in his third year at the University of Portland.
As a family, they love taking road trips, especially ones that include visits to national parks and state capitol buildings.
Bethany Child
Teaches 3–6th grade math/science; 2nd grade religion & sacramental prep, DRE & Safe Environment Coordinator, & Leadership Team
Cristina Alvarado has known since the very beginning that she was born to be a preschool teacher — and her students are lucky she followed that calling! Her journey started right after high school, when she earned her Child Development Associate credential through the National Credentialing Program, specializing in children from 45 days to five years old. Along the way, she also volunteered in a local nursery school and got her first hands-on taste of caring for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers. She was hooked!
After graduating, Cristina co-founded a daycare with friends, then went on to coordinate a publishing team that wrote English preschool and PK–6 grade books. She joined the Saint Marguerite family in 2021 and has been bringing joy to the preschool classroom ever since, implementing age-appropriate lessons focused on emotional development, social skills, early literacy, fine motor skills, and so much more.
What keeps her going? Listening to children’s amazing stories and their infectious passion for life — it genuinely brightens her day, every single day.
Mrs. Ana Alizamani brings over four years of heart and expertise to the Pre-K classroom at Saint Marguerite Catholic School — and her students are better for it! She holds Utah state certification and has completed advanced coursework in innovative teaching methodologies through Arizona State University.
What makes Mrs. Alizamani extra special? In addition to her early childhood education expertise, she weaves in her background in nutrition to help students develop healthy habits that support their overall well-being. She’s truly invested in nurturing the whole child — academically, socially, and emotionally.
Her guiding belief says it all: Every child, regardless of age, deserves love and nurturing support to grow into an independent individual capable of creating a brighter future for themselves and others. We couldn’t agree more!
Mrs. JoAnn Gebs is kicking off her third year at Saint Marguerite Catholic School — and her classroom is always full of music, laughter, and learning! She holds a Bachelor of Science in Music Therapy from Utah State University and a Science of Reading credential from Arizona State University, making her uniquely equipped to connect with young learners in the most meaningful ways.
Her music therapy background isn’t just a fun bonus — it’s a superpower that helps her students grow both academically and emotionally through creativity and hands-on experiences.
At home, Mrs. Gebs is the proud mom of eight children (five girls and three boys — yes, eight!). And when she finally gets a quiet moment? She’s an enthusiastic binge reader who has been known to pull an all-nighter just to finish a great book. No judgment here!
Mrs. Bonnie Neal is a compassionate early childhood educator who brings creativity, patience, and a whole lot of heart to the kindergarten classroom. She holds a Child Development Associate (CDA) credential from the National Credentialing Program through USU and an Associate of Arts with a focus on Business from Kaplan University — plus over 20 years of First Aid/CPR certification, because safety always comes first!
Her diverse background in business and environmental science gives her a wonderfully unique perspective in the classroom, supporting strong classroom management and a genuine commitment to nurturing young minds in an inclusive and engaging environment.
Mrs. Jeanine McEachern is literally living her childhood dream — she always knew she wanted to be a kindergarten teacher, and here she is! This is her sixth year teaching kindergarten and her first year at Saint Marguerite Catholic School, and we are so glad she’s here.
She holds a Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood Education from BYU, a Utah Professional Teaching License, and a LETRS (Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling) certification. In short, she’s exactly the kind of dedicated, well-prepared educator every kindergartner deserves.
Mrs. Caraleen Marks has deep roots in Catholic education — she attended Utah Catholic Schools from Kindergarten all the way through high school at J.E. Cosgriff and Judge Memorial. So teaching at Saint Marguerite isn’t just a job; it’s a homecoming!
She went on to earn a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology from the University of Utah and a Master’s degree in Early Childhood Education from Wheelock College in Boston, MA. Her career has taken her through The Children’s Center in Salt Lake City and Tooele County School District before landing at Saint Marguerite.
Outside of school, Mrs. Marks is a well-traveled gardener who loves her family deeply. Two green thumbs and a passport — sounds like the perfect combo!
I am an Elementary School Language Arts teacher with a professional background in Middle School Special Education. I am deeply committed to fostering a love of reading, writing, and the arts, and to cultivating creativity, confidence, and critical thinking skills in all students. My teaching philosophy centers on creating an inclusive and engaging learning environment where every child feels supported and empowered to reach their full potential.
Beyond the classroom, I enjoy spending time outdoors, listening to music, and exploring new places. I am the proud parent of three children and the grandparent of one wonderful grandson. Traveling and experiencing diverse cultures and cuisines continue to enrich both my personal life and professional perspective as an educator.
Miss Caroline implemented a complete curriculum for Preschool, Pre-K and K-8 students in addition to creating the former school logo, the Mountaineer mascot logo, and the 40th anniversary logo to celebrate Saint Marguerite Catholic School’s birthday. Miss Caroline does not just teach students to create Art from what they see, but to create Art from what they feel. She likes to give students ways to view life from a variety of perspectives, allowing students to make beautiful mistakes and showing them that Art is not about perfection. She can be heard saying, “We should always do our best,” “You can never have too much glitter in an art piece; and, “Glitter is definitely good! More glitter is better.” If you stroll through the halls of Saint Marguerite, you will see the legacy wall she established for graduates to create a Sacred Heart of Jesus before heading off to High School, and you may hear them reciting the prayer of Saint John Baptist de La Salle, “Jesus live in our hearts forever.”
She considers herself a mixed media folk artist, creating comical characters out of wood, paper, ribbons, paint, glitter – lots and lots of glitter. She loves the holidays and decorating for them. Each piece she creates is a mini, original “masterpiece” that is intended to generate a smile.
Miss Caroline and her husband live in the shadow of the Oquirrh and Stansbury Mountains with dogs, cows, goats, sheep, cats, chickens, roosters, horses and the occasional coyote grazing just past her backyard fence. She loves the season of autumn for the beautiful fall foliage, warm and spicy smells of bonfires, and the anticipation of Thanksgiving. She tries to celebrate Christmas in a small way everyday and believes we need to embrace the whole idea of two Christmases a year!
She leaves us with something to ponder – Did you know Mona Lisa does not have any eyebrows?
Mrs. Teresa Monosso brings five years of dedicated experience to her role on the student support team at Saint Marguerite Catholic School. Her commitment to helping every student succeed is a quiet but powerful presence in the life of the school community.
Eight years in, and Judy Arellano’s enthusiasm for Saint Marguerite Catholic School hasn’t dimmed one bit! She has had the honor of working alongside a truly exceptional administration and a wonderful group of students, and that privilege is not taken lightly.
Passionate about fostering academic growth and nurturing character, Judy finds daily inspiration in the school’s strong community values. Every day is a new opportunity to create a positive, supportive learning environment where every child can thrive — and she shows up for that opportunity wholeheartedly.
Rosa Meneses plays a vital role in getting our Saint Marguerite students safely where they need to be — and we are so grateful for her every single day!
Rosa Meneses
Bus Driver
Cheryl King
Librarian
Affectionately known as Grandma Cheryl by the students, Cheryl King has been bringing warmth, wisdom, and a love of books to Saint Marguerite Catholic School for eight wonderful years. She first came to the school as a foster grandparent, and it didn’t take long before she became a permanent, cherished part of the community.
Before her library days, Cheryl had quite the remarkable career — she served in the U.S. Army, where she made history as one of the first women in Germany to become a firefighter, and also served as a military policewoman. She’s never been one to shy away from a challenge!
Cheryl is also a proud stage 4 cancer survivor, having courageously battled the disease for over 34 years. Her resilience and radiant positivity inspire everyone around her — students, staff, and families alike.
Every day in the library, Cheryl finds deep joy in supporting the academic and personal growth of her students. She is honored beyond words to be part of such a special community and to make a difference in the lives of young learners.
Alumni
Welcome, Saint Marguerite Catholic School Alumni. We are grateful to have shared in your early education and would like to stay in touch with you to hear about the amazing things you are doing. You continue to be in our prayers!
Please visit our page often to find information about events, volunteer opportunities, and the ways you can stay connected with your Saint Marguerite Catholic School community.
We want to hear from you. You can also reach us at office@stmargschool.org or (435) 882-0081.
