Mrs. Heldmann

Catholic Classroom Mandy comes from a family of educators, so she naturally followed the path of education for her life's work. She is currently in her seventh year of teaching kindergarten at St. Mary's Parish School. Prior to coming to St. Mary's, Mandy taught kindergarten at St. Matthew School in Glendale Heights, and also spent a year working as an assistant to the Director of Curriculum at Fenwick High School.

She received her Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education from Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, Texas. At TCU, she was active in her sorority, Chi Omega, for which she served as Corresponding Secretary. Mandy continues to participate actively in the Chi Omega Alumni group in the Chicagoland area, serving as Vice-President and as Treasurer. Mandy takes great delight in the fact that her alumni group has donated hundreds of dollars on a yearly basis to worthy causes.

She is also proud to have furthered her education by earning a Master of Education degree in Interdisciplinary Studies in Curriculum and Instruction at National-Louis University. She researched and wrote her thesis on the benefits of journal writing with kindergartners.

In her limited free time, Mandy enjoys traveling, as well as reading about American history, cheering on her beloved Cubs and Bears, shopping, and spending time with her nieces. She truly enjoys working with young children, who are full of enthusiasm and creativity, and always eager to soak up knowledge.