Meet the Staff
Ms. Patricia Bailey holds a M.A. from Michigan State University in Special Education and a
B.A. from Westminister College. She served as Department Chair and teacher of special needs
students for 10 years in the Prince George’s County Schools in Maryland. Her second career has
included working in retail merchandising and most recently as the Bookkeeper for Bay Haven
School of Basics for the past 6 years. Ms. Bailey joins the staff at SPHS as our Bookkeeper and
Registrar. She enjoys reading, traveling, spending time with family and friends and playing
games on the computer.
Mr. Ricardo Bellon holds a B.A. in Elementary Education and Mathematics from the University
of South Florida in addition to endorsements in Middle School and E.S.O.L. He has taught for
29 years at the elementary, middle and high school levels earning numerous recognitions as
Teacher of the year at Nokomis, Tuttle, and Gulf Gate Elementary Schools in addition to
Sarasota High School. His outstanding work in the classroom has also earned him recognition as
Sarasota County Elementary Teacher of the Year, Sarasota County Model Classroom Teacher
Award, Sarasota County Teacher of the Year in 2000 and The Florida Council of Teachers of
Mathematics (FCTM) Teacher of the Year. Mr. Bellon is a NeXt Generation Teacher Leader
and very active with the County, State and National chapters of the Council of Teachers of
Mathematics serving in various leadership roles including presenter, organizer and President.
Originally from Cuba, Mr. Bellon enjoys traveling, photography and reading.
Mr. Daniel Cole holds a M.S. Degree in Administration from Notre Dame and a B.S. in
Psychology from Purdue. He is certified in and has taught English, E.S.O.L., Social Studies,
Speech, Business Education, Family & Consumer Science and Technology Education. Mr. Cole
is a NeXt Generation Teacher Leader and his teaching experience includes the college, middle
and high school levels in a variety of institutional settings. Prior to his 19 years of teaching
experience, Mr. Cole worked in the private sector including surveying, construction project
engineering, sales, marketing, advertising and various entrepreneurial businesses. He is also an
accomplished musician and vocalist who performs locally.
Ms. Michele Davis holds a A.A. in Sociology with a minor in Economics from Cortland
College, New York where she also studied abroad in North London University, England and a
Masters of Education from Stony Brook University, New York. She has taught at the middle,
high school and college levels in both inner city New York and in Florida in the areas of Social
Studies, Sociology, Physical Education and Health. She also holds certifications in Family &
Consumer Sciences, PK-3, and Middle Grades Integrated Curriculum as well as her ESOL
endorsement. Ad avid traveler, Ms. Davis has visited throughout Europe, Australia, New
Zeland, Fiji, Mexico, Costa Rica, Caribbean, Canada and the United States.
Ms. Stephanie Dunda holds a B.A. in Biology with a minor in Spanish from Wesleyan College
where she spent a semester studying at the Universidad Nacional de la Plata in Argentina. She is
a NeXt Generation Teacher Leader and is a District trainer for Kagan Cooperative Learning,
Angel Web and the high school representative with the Florida Association of Science Teachers
(FAST). Ms. Dunda has written and been awarded several grants to fund her integrated schoolwide
community partnership projects and was selected as the Phoenix Academy Teacher of the
Year. Ms. Dunda has also worked in the private sector as a marketing manager and brings her
business expertise into her classroom. In her leisure time, Ms. Dunda enjoys competing in
marathons which take her travels throughout the country.
Mr. C. Michael Epperley holds a M.A. In Counseling from Wright State University, Dayton,
Ohio and a B.A. in Spanish from Ohio State University where he studied at the University of the
Americas, in Mexico City. He is licensed as a Mental Health Counselor and holds teaching
certification in Elementary Education, Spanish and Guidance Counseling. Mr. Epperley has
served as a counselor at the elementary, high school and adult levels and was recognized as
Florida Counseling Association Elementary Counselor of the Year and runner-up as the National
awardee for the American Counseling Association. He has authored a series of three books,
enjoys playing tennis and tenor saxophone, back packing, traveling overseas, growing
bromeliads and orchids and continues his study of Chinese having recently returned from a twoweek
tour of China.
Mr. Daniel C. Holda has a B.S. in Administrative Sciences from Southern Illinois University.
Originally from the Chicago area, he relocated to Sarasota in 1984 with his wife and two young
sons. Mr. Holda worked for Ross Products Division of Abbott Laboratories for 23 years as a
medical/pharmaceutical territory manager, retiring in 2000 as a member of the Top Performers
Club. His second career has been with Sarasota County School District as a school bus driver,
and for the past four years, as a security monitor at Sarasota Middle School. Mr. Holda looks
forward to following some of his students to SPHS as he joins our staff as Security Monitor. In
his leisure time, he enjoys fishing, golfing, and riding his motorcycle.
Ms. Cathie Janssen received her Bachelor of Fine Arts with a concentration in photography
from the University of North Texas, Denton and her Master in Arts Education from the
University of South Florida, Tampa. She was employed in the apparel industry for 25 years in
various parts of the United States and produces custom work in art to wear. Ms. Jansen has
taught both CAD/Drafting and 3-D art in the Visual Performing Arts Program (VPA) at Booker
High School for the past six years.
Ms. Betty Jensen has… She has taught at the elementary, middle and high school levels and is
certified in English 6-12, Emotionally Handicapped, Learning Disabled, ESOL, and Gifted
instruction as well as holding certification as a school social worker. She has a second home in
Mexico where she enjoys being with family and friends.
Mr. Jeffrey Kahler holds a M.S. in Education from Elmira College, Elmira, New York and a
B.A. in History and Secondary Education from the State University of New York at Genesso.
He also holds School Administration Certification from SUNY Cortland, and has created an
alternative school in upstate NY, served as an assistant principal , and, most recently, as the Data
Coach and Testing Coordinator at Booker High School. Mr. Kahler has extensive teaching
experience in history, government, economics and Advanced Placement European and World
History in addition to coaching basketball, tennis and track and field. He is an instructional
facilitator for Curriculum Mapping and Project Based Learning. Mr. Kahler enjoys exploring his
new home town with his wife and young daughters having recently relocated from Upstate New
York to Florida.
Ms. Suzanne McLauchlin holds a M.A. in Special Education from the University of South
Florida and B.S. from Florida State University in Mental Retardation. She has taught special
education classes and served as an Exceptional Student Education Liaison in both Georgia and
Florida serving students in grades K-12. Ms. McLauchlin serves as the ESE Liaison at SCTI
overseeing compliance and coordination of ESE services for co-enrolled high school students. In
her spare time Ms. McLauchlin enjoys traveling and reading children’s books to her five-year
old daughter.
Dr. Jennifer Putnam holds a Ph.D. in Educational Administration with a minor in Business and
Finance, a M.M. in Music Education and a B.A. in Instrumental Music Education all from
Michigan State University. She has taught instrumental music in grades 5-12, served as a
guidance advisor in the middle grades, and as an administrator at the middle, high school and
central office levels. As principal of Novi High School, Novi Michigan, her school was
recognized as one of the Top 100 High Schools in the Nation in U.S. News and World Report
and was recognized as a Blue Ribbon High School in Washington, D.C. Dr. Putnam opened the
first regular charter high school in Lee County, Florida for CSUSA which was recognized as the
Governor’s Eighth Most Improved High School in Florida in their second year of operation.
Originally from Rochester, NY she enjoys boating, golfing, gardening and the numerous fine arts
venues in the Sarasota area.
Ms. Susan Reuther brings a varied background of experiences in the private sector to her
position of Administrative Assistant. Susan has managed a designer warehouse company, served
as Operations Planner & Supervisor of Customer Service for Champs Sports, as a business
accountant and credit and collections supervisor. Originally from Maryland, Ms. Reuther is an
accomplished bowler and enjoys running, riding her motorcycle and shopping with her daughter
who attends UCF.
Ms. Joeline Wells holds a B.A. from the University of South Florida in English Literature in
addition to her K-12 Reading Endorsement and Teacher Certification. She was a founding
member of the Venice High School Intensive Reading PLC where the focus was on promoting
individual student growth in reading, writing, oral communication, study skills, grammar usage
and mechanics. Ms. Wells brings prior career experience in various financial businesses to her
classroom. She has worked in insurance, sales, real estate, and in various financial institutions as
banker, branch sales manager and assistant vice president. She has served as a loan underwriter
and auditor and was the Branch Sales Manager and Assistant Vice President of Republic Bank.
Ms. Wells enjoys riding her horse, reading and spending quality time with her three children.