Carlo Giannotta, Principal
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Experience: Carlo Giannotta has been the principal at Grace Christian Academy for the last 17 years. He has been part of GCA for 23 years, teaching 5/6 for 3 years and 3/4 for 4 years before taking on the role of principal while also teaching 7/8. He completed both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees at Concordia University River Forest.
As principal, he finds himself wearing many different hats. Whether supporting his teachers, planning school improvements, coaching basketball, or tackling a variety of odd jobs around the school, Mr. G continues to enjoy getting to know many wonderful students and families. He is happy to be part of providing quality, Christian education to families in the community. Outside of Grace: When he’s not at Grace, Mr. G enjoys watching his Detroit sports teams, golfing, and spending time with his family. What makes Grace special: Grace has great staff, great students, great teachers, and great families. We all work together to give our students a wonderful Christian education. Word of Encouragement: “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” Galatians 2:20 |
Karina Gaytan, Pre-K 3 &4
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Email: kgaytan@gcachicago.org Experience: Mrs. Gaytan has 8 years of experience working in the Children's Ministry at her church, teaching and assisting with VBS and other children events. This is her second year teaching Pre-K at Grace. Previous to Grace, she worked as a parent educator for early head start & head start at SGA youth and family services. There she enjoyed coaching and helping families as well as students with special needs. She has also worked from home as a hairstylist for special events like quinceañeras and brides. Outside of Grace: She enjoys time with her family, traveling, attending church and assisting in church events. She enjoys going shopping and decorating or redesigning my house. She still is a hairstylist for friends and families when she has extra time. What makes Grace Special: Starting the day teaching about God’s love to her students. The friendly and safe environment that Grace provides for students to learn and grow academically. A word of encouragement: Matthew 19:14 NIV "Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of Heaven belongs to such as these." Matthew 22: "Jesus replied, "You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'" |
Jill Giannotta, Kindergarten
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Email: MrsG123@gcachicago.org Experience: Mrs. Jill Giannotta (Mrs. G.) has been part of the Grace Christian Academy family for over 20 years. She attended Concordia University in Chicago to prepare for her teaching career. She has taught full time for 13 years including teaching 2nd grade, 1st/2nd grade, kindergarten, and extended care. While her children were still small, she led and taught the Title 1 tutoring program for 6 ½ years. In addition to her current role teaching kindergarten, she helps coach volleyball and cheerleading at Grace. She also makes time to teach Sunday School during the school year and lead VBS at her church during the summer. Outside of Grace: With her oldest daughter in high school, her husband serving as GCA’s principal and her youngest 2 daughters attending Grace, finding time outside of school can be a challenge. Mrs. G. says her free time is most often spent watching her children in competitions or concerts and taking them to practices. She enjoys time with her family and free moments to surf Facebook and Pinterest. Other hobbies include gardening and sewing although she admits she doesn’t get to do them much anymore during this busy season of life. What makes Grace special: Mrs. G. loves the freedom to share the love of Jesus and His salvation with all of her students. She has loved watching so many children grow up at Grace including her own! A word of encouragement: “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9 “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.” Proverbs 22:6 |
Jazmun Brooks, 1st Grade
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Email: jbrooks@gcachicago.org Experience: Jazmun has over 7 years of experience in education working with Pre-school students. 2020 is her first year as a first grade teacher and she is thrilled! Ms. Brooks loves being a teacher and making learning enjoyable while creating relationships with students. Outside of Grace: Jazmun is doing homework, cooking up new recipes, raising her daughter and enjoys shopping! What makes Grace special: Jazmun loves the values that GCA holds and their connection to the Little Village Community. She also enjoys teaching to the smaller class sizes! Words of encouragement: God can do all things but fail! |
LeSandra Nava, 2nd Grade
Email: lnava@gcachicago.org
Experience: Mrs. Lesandra Nava has taught at Grace since 2015. She began her teaching career nine years ago, teaching in early childhood programs from birth – 5 years old in addition to experience teaching with a teen parent program in Cicero and Berwyn. She completed her Bachelor’s degree at DePaul University in Early Childhood. She has been a great addition to GCA, teaching our 3-year-old preschool, and now teaching 1st grade and 2nd grade. She, her husband, and their three children live in the neighborhood and her youngest 2 children are students at Grace. Outside of Grace: Beyond the classroom, Mrs. Nava likes to stay active. She enjoys boxing, dancing, and walking the trails around the city. What makes Grace special: Mrs. Nava says the closeness of the staff, teachers, and students are what make Grace such a special place.
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Mrs. Erin Ross, 3rd-4th Grade
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Email: eross@gcachicago.org Experience: Mrs. Ross discovered her love of teaching while teaching English in Madrid, Spain. She then decided to move to Chicago to earn a Master's in Curriculum and Instruction with a focus on English as as Second Language form Concordia University. 2020 will be the start of her 8th year as a teacher! Outside of Grace: Mrs. Ross enjoys spending time with family, traveling, playing volleyball, running and cooking. What makes Grace special: Grace allows students and staff to share their faith through a Christian education. The small class sizes create space for individualized academic instruction. A word of encouragement: "Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 |
Emily Sweeney, 5th-6th Grade
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Email: esweeney@gcachicago.org Experience: This is Ms. Sweeney's second year at Grace and her sixth in education. Formerly a reading interventionist in a public school, she is happy to be teaching all subjects at GCA. She is also completing a Master's degree in Bilingual Education at Dominican University. Outside of Grace: Ms. Sweeney enjoys attending church, time with her family, reading, exercising, watching movies and sports (she's a Cleveland native and a Cleveland fan!) and helping others as much as possible. What makes Grace Special: My students! I love being able to learn from and with them, sharing Jesus' love with them and watching them grow. I feel blessed that their families have chosen to share them with me and the GCA family. A word of encouragement: A word of encouragement: "For God called you to do good, even if it means suffering, just as Christ suffered for you. He is your example, and you must follow in his steps." 1 Peter 2:21 |
Joseph Hansa, 7th-8th Grade
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Email: jhansa@gcachicago.org Experience: Joseph Hansa returned to Grace Christian Academy after completing his teaching degree 16 years ago. He is an alum of GCA and has taught 7th/8th grade for his entire teaching career. He attended Concordia University River Forest and Concordia University Chicago. He also has prior experience as an instructional coach at Fleetwood and a summer camp counselor. Outside of Grace: Mr. Hansa enjoys life outside of school with what he describes as an ongoing, voluntary, and self-motivated pursuit of knowledge and fun. What makes Grace special: For Mr. Hansa, giving back by serving the community where he grew up in the school where he received his elementary school education are part of what makes his teaching experience at Grace so special. He says he loves that Grace is providing Christian education to the Little Village community and continues to offer small class sizes that makes Grace feel like a family environment. A word of encouragement: “Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve… as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.” Joshua 24:15 |
Additional Staff:
Office Manager: Diane Perin
Email: admin@gcachicago.org
Admissions/Marketing Director: Christina Mertz
Email: cmertz@gcachicago.org
Lunch Program: Belinda Bjorkland
Use admin email
Email: admin@gcachicago.org
Admissions/Marketing Director: Christina Mertz
Email: cmertz@gcachicago.org
Lunch Program: Belinda Bjorkland
Use admin email