Ms. Bertz is thrilled to be teaching her fourteenth year of first grade and her ninth year at Romona! She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education from St. Norbert College, a Masters in Special Education, LBS1 and EL Endorsement from Concordia University. She is passionate about creating a learning experience for her students that is welcoming, safe to make mistakes, and engaging. What are the two most important promises in our class family? Be kind and have fun learning!

When Ms. Bertz isn't teaching she loves to listen to music, spend time outside, and with her family and friends. Ms. Bertz loves to spend time looking for new books to read at the bookstore or library too! When she finds a good book, she can't put it down! What books do you love? We'll share so many incredible stories together this year. Will we be shouting "Piggie!" or reading a book with no pictures? There's so many adventures for us to start! Ms. Bertz can't wait to meet you!

Mrs. Candela is so excited to begin the new school year and support your child through all the amazing growth that happens in first grade! This is Mrs. Candela's 16th year teaching. Mrs. Candela has a Master’s Degree from DePaul University in Language, Literacy, and Specialized Instruction and a Bachelor’s Degree from Augustana College in Elementary Education with endorsements in Mathematics and English as a Second Language. Over the course of her career, Mrs. Candela has taught 1st, 3rd, 7th, and 8th grade and was a Learning Behavior Specialist in K/1. Mrs. Candela also loves spending time with her family, doing yoga, running, and playing games. She is looking forward to a wonderful year at Romona!

Mrs. Carpenter is excited for another fantastic year in first grade at Romona! She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education with a concentration in reading from Purdue University (Boiler Up!), as well as a Master of Arts in Differentiated Instruction from Concordia University – Chicago. Mrs. Carpenter is passionate about creating a welcoming and inclusive learning environment, providing learning experiences that are engaging and empowering for each individual learner and, of course, having fun in first grade! 

Outside of teaching, Mrs. Carpenter loves spending time with her friends and family, designing and crafting, reading, and exploring her neighborhood in Chicago. From sports to restaurants to hobbies, she is always up for trying new things!

Mrs. Carpenter is beyond excited for the fun, learning, and adventures that are in store for her and her first graders this year!

Mrs. Juchtman, formally Ms. Louis, will be starting her fifth year at Romona and ninth year of teaching. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from the University of Alabama (Roll Tide!). She also holds a master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction from Florida International University. 

Outside of school, Mrs. Juchtman, her husband and their dog, Shrek, love to travel, bake, and explore different restaurants in Chicago where they live!  Mrs. Juchtman cannot wait to meet her incoming 1st graders! Welcome to the crew, Juchtman's Jellybellies!