Mathematics Department

List of 19 members.

• 

  Mr. Van Gundersen 

  Mathematics Teacher
• 

  Mr. Patrick McGee 

  Mathematics Teacher
• 

  Mrs. Colleen Perlman 

  Director of Student Activities
• 

  Mr. Peter Sisto 
• 

  Ms Emilia Wiecek 
• 

  Ms. Sheila Walsh 10

  Mathematics Teacher/Department Chair

  Bio

  Following in her father’s footsteps, Sheila Walsh ‘10 made Saint Ignatius College Prep her high school home. Little did she know that decision would lead her to her life’s work.

  
  

  “I absolutely loved my teachers here in high school. They were the best and actually inspired me to be a teacher. If it weren’t for them, I wouldn’t have been a teacher at all,” says Walsh.

  
  

  The educator who inspired her most? Math teacher Lynne Ruozzi. 

  
  

  Ruozzi’s passion for sharing information made Walsh more interested in math than any other discipline. 

  
  

  She says, “I love that math is everywhere, and I love the problem-solving aspect.” 

  
  

  That aspect, according to Walsh, is what can help regardless of the career you choose. She points out that you take math to develop problem-solving skills which you can apply to real-life situations. 

  
  

  “You have to feel confident that you can do whatever task is in front of you,” Walsh emphasizes, “You don’t have to love math, you just have to know you can do it.”

  
  The alum who was inspired by a Saint Ignatius teacher now hopes to light a fire with  her own students – giving them essential problem-solving skills to help them tackle challenges the world will inevitably send their way.
• 

  Mr. Gregory Beatty 

  Math Resource Center Facilitator
• 

  Ms. Jennifer Boka 

  Mathematics Teacher

  Bio

  Ms. Jennifer Boka believes mathematics is a skill you can develop rather than a gift you are born with. “Most students think that to thrive in math they must have some sort of incredible talent,” she says. “But that’s not true. Math is a skill that we can improve by practicing and learning each day.” 

   

  Ms. Boka hopes to build mathematical skills that will help her students long after they leave her classroom. “These skills should stay with my students as they advance in math at Saint Ignatius and in college,” she states. “One of my favorite moments as a teacher is when a student tells me that something they learned in my Algebra II class helped them solve a problem in their Calculus class.”

  
  

  Academics is just one part of Ms. Boka’s role in the Saint Ignatius community. Ms. Boka is the coach of the Scholastic Bowl team, a Jeopardy-like trivia group that competes at schools across Chicago. “Scholastic Bowl is a place for students with esoteric knowledge to shine,” she shares. “If you know a lot about something random, like opera or Chinese emperors, we want you to join us.” 

  
  

  Ms. Boka is also the moderator of Club ASIA, the Alliance for Saint Ignatius Asians. The club engages in a variety of Asian cultural activities, like making sushi or learning traditional Filipino dances. “We welcome everybody to Club ASIA,” she says. “We aim to create as welcoming of a community as possible that engages with and celebrates all of the different facets of Asian cultures.”
• 

  Ms. Meg Cady 

  Mathematics Teacher

  Bio

  Teaching in Catholic schools runs in the family for Ms. Meg Brewick. “Both of my parents, my sister and my brother have taught at Catholic high schools or colleges,” she shares. “So of course I want to teach at a school rooted in the Catholic faith like Saint Ignatius College Prep.”

  
  

  Indeed, it is the presence of faith in the school’s day-to-day activities that Ms. Brewick cherishes. “Faith is something that is central to each day here,” she says. “The Jesuit mission is such a stabilizing force. It grounds us each day in purpose.” The presence of Jesuit faith can be seen in daily Masses or the community Examen each afternoon. 

  
  

  Students in Ms. Brewick’s Geometry Honors and AP Calculus AB classrooms will find themselves engaging not just with the class material, but with each other. Her classes begin with a question-of-the-day icebreaker - today’s was “What is your favorite part of Thanksgiving?” - and students will frequently work in groups to complete projects and assignments.

  
  

  But the crucial component to Ms. Brewick's pedagogical mission is critical thinking. “I want to turn my students from dependent thinkers to independent thinkers,” she explains. “Jesuit institutions value critical thinking, and I want my students to struggle with and think critically about the material. I want them to know how to reach conclusions and gain knowledge on their own.”
• 

  Mr. Stephen Cahill 

  Math Teacher
• 

  Mrs. Heather DeJonker 

  Mathematics Teacher
• 

  Mr. Tom Dorrance 

  Mathematics Teacher
• 

  Ms. Connie Koustenis 

  Mathematics Teacher

  Bio

  “I’ve always loved math. So when I was in school, it baffled me that some of my classmates didn’t enjoy the subject,” shares Ms. Connie Koustenis. “So it became my goal to make math a fun and captivating subject for everyone.”

  
  

  Ms. Koustensis fulfills her commitment to making math fun by “meeting students where they are” and creating an environment that makes math enjoyable and accessible for all students. She highlights how the Jesuit mission of the school permeates throughout the halls and classes: “The teachers and students are collectively committed to the mission of the school,” she says. “We’re all aligned in our mission, supporting each other as we work together toward the same goal.”

  
  

  Ms. Koustensis acknowledges that not all of her students will study mathematics in university or work with mathematical principles directly. But she equates learning to exercising. “Sure, nobody is going to force you to run a mile or deadlift, but it helps your mind and body to be in good physical shape,” she explains. “It is the same thing with math. No matter what your profession is, it is necessary to have problem-solving skills, attention to detail and critical thinking - all of which we develop in math class.”

  
  

  Outside the classroom, Ms. Koustenis brings her passion for the school community to the Hellenic Club, a student group dedicated to celebrating the rich culture of Greece. “It is a place where students can come to continue traditions and bond over shared heritage,” she says. Come to the club and you’ll find a festive environment with Greek food, music and movies that is (for some) almost as fun as her math class.
• 

  Ms. Alexandra Lehan 

  Mathematics Teacher

  Bio

  “I believe that one’s profession should be the intersection of the world's needs and your interests,” shares Ms. Alexandra Lehan. “For me, that intersection is teaching mathematics.”

  
  

  Ms. Lehan’s Algebra and Geometry classes operate under an “I do, you do, we do” method of teaching that encourages collaboration. “I want my students to talk to one other and work together to solve problems,” she says. “I see my classroom as a collaborative problem-solving environment where students can find multiple different ways to solve a problem.” 

  
  

  Ms. Lehan is the moderator of Saint Ignatius’ Coding Club. She describes the Coding Club as a place where younger students develop core computer science skills and where upperclassmen can pursue, and possibly publish their own projects as well as help younger students with challenging coding problems. 

  
  

  When asked why she chose Saint Ignatius College Prep as her teaching home, Ms. Lehan will tell you two things: the faith and the students. “Faith is integrated into everything we do at school. Retreats and daily masses are pillars of our community,” she shares. “We also have extremely hard-working and driven students. I want to challenge them and help them reach new heights.”
• 

  Mr. James Owens 81

  Mathematics & Social Studies Teacher
• 

  Ms. Nicola Steele 

  Mathematics Teacher

  Bio

  Ms. Nicola Steele is one of the many math teachers at Saint Ignatius College Prep who worked in other fields before becoming a teacher. Ms. Steele studied aerospace engineering in college (with a specialty in interplanetary trajectories) and worked in finance and technology consulting before earning an MA in education and becoming a teacher. 

  
  

  “When I'm teaching a mathematical concept, I enjoy showing how it fits into the broader map of mathematics and real-world applications,” she says. “I also hope to direct students who are interested in studying mathematics at a higher level towards the academic and career paths that align the most with their particular interests.”  

  
  

  Before moving to Chicago, Ms. Steele attended and taught at Catholic schools in her hometown of Sydney, Australia. She notes how Catholic schools guide students to a purposeful use of their skills after they graduate. “Catholic and Jesuit schools encourage students to be men and women for others and use their passion and their talents for the good of the world, not just themselves” she says. 

  
  

  Ms. Steele knew about Saint Ignatius College Prep before she moved to Chicago in 2024, and the school has fulfilled her high expectations. “With the beauty and the history of the buildings, the excellent colleagues in the department and the Jesuit values at the core of our community, Saint Ignatius has been a truly inspiring place to teach.”
• 

  Mr. Todd Strobel 

  Mathematics & Science Teacher, Head Boys Volleyball Coach

  Bio

  Mr. Todd Strobel has spent his teaching career furthering the Jesuit mission of cura personalis at schools across the country. “A Jesuit school is a special place,” he shares, “one where care for the whole person is emphasized above all.” Mr. Stobel’s introduction to Jesuit education was a summer spent working at Regis High School in New York City when he was a student at Notre Dame. He also taught at Gonzaga College High School in Washington D.C. before joining the Wolfpack. 

  
  

  “What I love about teaching, especially in the Jesuit context, is being a part of the holistic formation of future leaders,” he explains. “My goal is to help students grow not just as learners, but as individuals.”

  
  

  Mr. Strobel pivots between teaching math and science, this year leading AP Calculus AB and AP Physics sections. “I have high expectations in my classroom,” says Mr. Strobel, “but I support my students through all of the challenges these courses can present.” Students in Mr. Strobel’s class can expect an energetic atmosphere that is, as he describes it, “fun, but serious.”

  
  

  Mr. Strobel also coaches the Boys Varsity Volleyball team, a sport which he sees as challenging student-athletes in just as important of a way as the classroom. “Coaching volleyball allows me to guide the players through all of the different facets of a sport - learning teamwork, overcoming setbacks and celebrating victory.”
• 

  Mr. Patrick Winter 

  Mathematics Teacher
• 

  Ms. Amy Zabojnik 

  Mathematics Teacher

  Bio

  The apple didn’t fall far from the tree when Amy Zabojnik decided to teach.

  
  

  Both of her parents were educators and encouraged her to join the ranks. Given her natural strength in math, that became her focus. 

  
  

  Zabojnik loves teaching because of the students.

  
  

  “They care about you, and they know you care about them,” says Zabojnik.

  
  

  She hopes her students know she’s there to help them grow in the classroom, and she’s rooting for them personally as well. She wants them to succeed in all aspects of life, not just in mathematics.

  
  

  She leads by example, and works to be well-rounded. It’s not unusual to hear folks refer to Zabojnik as a “supermom.” On any given day you’ll see her taking her kids to and from various sports and extracurricular activities, preparing meals and spending time with her family. 

  
  

  Outside of the house, her favorite place is the gym. Her passion for fitness runs deep – so deep she wakes up at 3:30 a.m. to be at her workout by 4:00 a.m!

  
  

  Then it’s off to school, which has become a family affair. Zabojnik says she was thrilled when her two sons decided to join the Wolfpack. From firsthand experience, she knows that “the kids here are truly amazing.”

  
  

  Her message to students: Make good choices, and don’t make decisions based on temporary feelings.