Gesu Staff
Mr. Champion
Mr. Champion is a seasoned educator with thirty-four years of service experience in education. He spent twenty-three of those years as Principal/Administrator. Mr. Champion has a Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education from Oakland University in 1975. In 1983 he obtained a Master's degree in Educational Administration, with a minor in Computer Science, from the University of Michigan.
As a veteran educator, Mr. Champion has served on numerous accreditation teams. In this capacity, he chaired twenty-one different Schools Accreditation Teams for the Michigan Non-Public Schools Accrediting Association and served as a team member on several other accreditation teams. He has also participated in various Leadership Training programs like Leading the Future project, New Visions for School Leaders, Instructional Technology, Web Literacy, and MILIFE among others. He has been the Principal at Gesu Catholic School for the past 6 years.
Mrs. Laurin
Mrs. Laurin obtained her undergraduate education at the University of Illinois, where she graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Elementary Education in 1980. Upon her graduation, she immediately proceeded to Valparaiso University School of Law and graduated with a Jurist Doctor degree in 1983. Mrs Laurin practiced law as a Prosecuting Attorney, LaPorte County, Indiana and also in private practice specializing in real estate law.
Not giving up her passion for education, Mrs. Laurin taught middle school (5th - 8th Grades) at St. Aloysius Catholic Elementary School. She also trained as a school administrator with the Archdiocese of Detroit and The Skillman Foundation at Christ the King and St. Luke/St. Brigid Catholic Elementary Schools. In 2005, Mrs. Laurin earned a Master's degree in School Administration from Madonna University. She has Teaching Certifications in the States of Michigan and Illinois. Mrs. Laurin joined Gesu Catholic School as the Assistant Principal in 2006 and enjoys working with parents and students. She is married with two wonderful children.
Ms. Finch
Ms. Finch is a fourth year student at the University of Detroit Mercy, majoring in Film and Video Production. She started at Gesu as a Work-Study student in 2003, and then returned in the Summer of 2005 as Gesu's new Secretary.
Ms. Bell
Ms. Bell has been a Teaching Assistant at Gesu's Pre-School program since August 1993. She has undergone a Two-year course of study in Child Psychology at Wayne State University. Ms. Bell also attended Henry Ford Community College. She enjoys working with children and collaborating with their parents.
Mrs. Montbriand
Mrs. Montbriand has taught Kindergarten for twenty years - nineteen of them at Gesu. She earned a Bachelor's degree in Education from Kent State University in Ohio, and a Master's degree in Reading and Language Arts from Oakland University.
She loves working with her students and believes they are helping her pull through the "empty nest" syndrome this year. Mrs. Montbriand has three children, the youngest of whom went off to the University of Michigan this past August. One of her sons teaches Chemistry and Physics in Tallinn, Estonia, and her eldest daughter is a third-year law student at Wayne State University. Mrs. Montbriand is committed to helping her students on the road to lifelong love of school and of learning as she did with her own children!
Mrs. Piotrowski
Mrs. Piotrowski has been teaching at Gesu Catholic School for 17 years - 16 of those years in the First grade! She loves teaching First grade because she finds it incredibly rewarding to see students learn to read, write, and add and subtract numbers. Mrs. Piotrowski's proudest professional moment was attending the U of D Jesuit High School graduation of a student she taught in her very first year as a Kindergarten teacher.
When not teaching, Mrs. Piotrowski enjoys spending time with her husband and son, and their two cats and a dog. She also sings in her Church Choir at St. Matthew Church in Detroit.
Ms. Schick
Ms. Schick has a Master's degree in Elementary Education and an endorsement in Early Childhood Education. She has taught at Gesu Catholic School for 15 years. Until she switched to teaching the 2nd grade 7 years ago, Ms. Schick taught in the Kindergarten. For the last 8 years, she has coached the Girls Volleyball for the 4th through the 8th grades.
Ms. Doyle
Ms. Doyle has been teaching at Gesu School for 19 years. Through the years, she has taught the Kindergartners, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th graders. For most of those years, Ms. Doyle taught the 3rd grade. She includes a lot of physical activities, the arts, and friendly competition in motivating students to learn. She loves teaching here, and working as a team with all the wonderful families at Gesu!
Mr. John Kiley
Mr. Kiley graduated from Wayne State University. He majored in Special Education Visually Impaired and has a Masters Degree in Administration. Teaching for twenty-six years in the Archdiocese of Detroit, Mr. Kiley spent eleven of those years as principal of St. Juliana School. This is his second year at Gesu, and he will teach a fourth grade homeroom, as well as, instruct science to grades five and six. In his spare time, Mr.Kiley enjoys traveling, outdoor and sports activities. He is looking forward to an exciting year at Gesu.
Ms. Ball
Mrs. Ball earned a Bachelor degree from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, and is in the final stages of earning her Master's degree in Education from the University of Detroit Mercy with a 4.0 GPA. She is an Army veteran and loves to travel with her husband of 16 years and her two children: Nathaniel and Claire. Mrs. Ball specializes in Language Art and Literature and will be teaching reading, writing and grammar to 4th, 5th and 6th grade students. Mrs. Ball has taught in both the suburbs and the city and is excited to pass on her passion for reading to her students. She feels blessed to be here at Gesu. Carpe Diem!
Mrs. Florance
Mrs. Florance earned her Bachelor’s degree from the University of Detroit Mercy and is in the final stages of earning her Masters degree in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Detroit Mercy. Mrs. Florance specializes in the areas of Mathematics and Social Studies. She will be teaching Mathematics to 4th, 5th and 6th grades and Social Studies to 6th grade. She has been teaching for 5 years in the Archdiocese of Detroit and is excited to be joining the Gesu family. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her husband of 13 years and her two children. She is looking forward to a wonderful year teaching Mathematics and Social Studies.
Ms. Davison
Ms. Davison graduated Summa Cum Laude from Oakland University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education, majoring in Mathematics and Science. This is her third year at Gesu. She previously taught in the Pontiac Public School District. Ms. Davison has two sons who are actively involved in sports
Ms. Kuzniar
A graduate of Gesu Catholic School ('77), Ms. Kuzniar has a Bachelor's degree from Eastern Michigan University and a Master's degree from Wayne State University. Ms. Kuzniar is a life-long Detroiter and lived on an Island in Southeastern Alaska for 10 years. She considers herself lucky to work with the students and parents here at Gesu Catholic School.
Ms. Sevier
Anita Sevier has a Master's degree in Urban Planning from Columbia University in New York City and an Undergraduate degree in Economics from the Catholic University in Washington DC. A native of Colorado, Ms. Sevier has lived in Detroit with her husband Terry and 3 children for the past 19 years.
Ms. Sevier supervises Work-Study students from the University of Detroit Mercy and Marygrove College. She also coordinates Gesu's largest fundraiser. Her favorite project is the Gesu Community Green which she started in 2001 and continues to improve. The Green project has received numerous recognitions and provides a unique opportunity for collaboration in the community.
Mrs. Brown
A 29 year veteran of Ameritech, Mrs Brown joined Gesu School upon her retirement in 1995. She started as a volunteer and then in 2000, became the Tuition Coordinator. Her volunteer efforts included the Hot Lunch Program and volunteering as a Lunch Mother. Mrs. Brown was also a Gesu Parent, whose son graduated in 2002.
Mrs. Fuller
Mrs. Fuller is a passionate Genealogist and a one time delegate to the Girls' Scout National Convention. A native Detroiter, Mrs Fuller has been a part of the Gesu Community for several years volunteering in School and Church programs. Four of her children and one grandchild passed through Gesu Catholic School. She is currently the Coordinator of the School Lunch Program and also serves as the School Activist.