Marquette Catholic School

09/03/2026

Our next teacher to feature is brand new to us this year, Brooke Koop! She attended the College of St. Scholastica and received her B.A. in Business Management. When her kids were small she chose to stay home with them and picked up the hobby of oil painting. She even painted a scene of Gooseberry Falls which ultimately landed her a private gallery at the Great Lakes Aquarium in Duluth! She is so excited to share her talents and the joy of art & music with the children at Marquette. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time outdoors with her family and their animals. The Koop family has; 3 dogs (Archer, Lana, Eddie), 2 Cats (Maggie & Donut), 4 Ferrets (Chonky-Chip, Bluey, Bingo, & Muffin), 4 Turkeys (Leroy, Pinecone, Wynter, & Chicken), and also 15 chickens! Thank you, Mrs. Koop, for jumping in to lead, love, and serve our Marquette family! 💙💛

09/03/2026

Thank you Marquette families! What a beautiful evening of celebration for this upcoming school year! We can't wait to see you next week! 💙💛

09/02/2026

Tonight’s staff feature is our super Business Manager, Stefanie Scharber! Stefanie and her family came to us from the Babbitt and Ely area parishes five years ago and they quickly became a committed part of our MCS family, and also Holy Spirit parish. Stefanie, her husband, and their five children live on an old dairy and cattle farm on 40 acres north of Virginia. Stefanie loves to bake and cook from scratch and can often be found in her kitchen, plentiful gardens, or with her chickens! The Scharbers are an outdoor-minded family that loves to fish, hunt, ice fish, snowmobile, snowshoe, ski, or be out on their boat at their family cabin. Stefanie says, “We love Jesus and we are always working to bring each other closer to Him!” Thank you, Mrs. Scharber, for all the ways you lead, love, and serve this mission, our parish, and our school! 💙💛

09/01/2026

Tonight's feature is the awesome, Shelby Peterson! Mrs. Peterson first came to us to teach preschool and help us grow from one section to two! She worked in surgery as an RN at VRMC/Essentia for many years before coming to Marquette. This year she will have the new adventure of being our new gym teacher! Shelby is so excited to have a brand new granddaughter and loves working on home projects with her hubby, Travis. Mrs. Peterson especially LOVES hunting! She also loves watching their daughter play hockey and taking Starbucks runs together. Shelby says, "God has carried me through every season of my life and for that I am forever grateful." Thank you, Mrs. Peterson, for all the ways you lead, love, and serve this mission and our school! 💙💛

08/31/2026

Next up is our extra friendly front of house face, Laura Hadrava! Laura and her family have been part of the Marquette Catholic School community for five years. Laura holds a diploma in Administrative Support and has a year of prior experience as the receptionist at MCS while the buildings were split. Mrs. Hadrava spent several years managing a hair salon and brings skills honed through diverse roles; each one, in retrospect, preparing her for this calling. Most of her years were joyfully spent raising her children with her husband, Mike. They have 2 MCS graduates, Maria and Gabe, who now attend MIB, along with current students Tom, Sam, and Rose, who often brighten her days with their frequent fly-by’s.

Laura says, “From day one, we’ve cherished the culture of peace, joy, and unmatched family support here. I feel blessed to assist our dedicated staff, visit Jesus in the Chapel daily, and pray quietly from my desk for our faculty, students, and the school’s future. As it is written, “Train the young in the way they should go, even when old they will not swerve from it” (Proverbs 22:6).”

Thank you, Mrs. Hadrava, for all the ways you lead, love, and serve this mission and our school! 💙💛

08/30/2026

08/30/2026

Our next awesome staff member of the day is the incredible, Mary Wildes! Mary was born and raised right here in Virginia. She is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin - Superior, receiving a bachelors degree in Elementary Education with concentrations in Early Childhood and also Special Education. Mary first started teaching in 1988 and came to us in 1998! She has taught pre-k, 1st, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, & 8th grades! At one point Mrs. Wildes took a short hiatus and went to work in the public schools. She realized she missed teaching the faith and being able to refer to it on a regular basis. She was happy to return to us and has been here ever since! Today she is our Student Support Services Director and is able to work with children of all ages. Mary says she feels so blessed to have taught two generations of MCS students. “Marquette Catholic School isn’t just a job, it’s an extended family. It is just a feeling you get when you walk into the doors.” Thank you, Mrs. Wildes, for all the ways you lead, love, and serve this mission and our school! 💙💛

08/29/2026

Next up on our series of incredible staff members that we are featuring is the amazing, Emily Koch! Mrs. Koch spent the majority of her time as a stay-at-home mom while her kids were growing up. She returned to school to get her degree as an adult once her youngest entered school. She knew from an early age that she wanted to be a teacher. Mrs. Koch came straight to Marquette and has spent the last 2 1/2 years here with us, and she says she would not change a thing! She joined the Catholic Church roughly 28 years ago and she has spent 23 of those off and on involved in the Religious Education realm as Director of Religious Education and also in Youth Ministry. She loves continuing to learn about the Catholic faith while walking with the students every day. She says, "we learn from each other." She is so excited to see what this year brings! Thank you, Mrs. Koch, for all the ways you lead, love, and serve this mission and our school! 💙💛

08/28/2026

Come one, come all! Pumpkin Bingo is back! Join is for nostalgic fun, and the ever anticipated final pumpkin! We can't to see you there! 🎃💙💛 📣

08/28/2026

Our next teacher feature is the fabulous fifth grade homeroom and middle school teacher, Jenna Dickinson! Jenna was born and raised on the Iron Range. She holds a B.S in Human Development, a minor in Exercise Science, and a MEd K-8. After leaving for college and starting a family, her family moved back to the area. This is her tenth year teaching in the classroom setting. She stayed at home and homeschooled for 5 years before coming to Marquette. Her two girls attend Marquette and they are all so grateful that they get to be here together! God landed her and her family out in Palo where they have a hobby farm. They are passionate about their relationship with God, caring for their animals, skiing, swimming, biking, running, and music. Jenna says that life is a journey and it’s so exciting to see where God lands us each day! Thank you, Mrs. Dickinson, for all the ways you lead, love, and serve this mission and our school! 💙💛