Mrs. Melissa Manaker

Mrs. Melissa Manaker, Principal, returns for her first year as Principal of Saint Rita School.  A Michigan native, she has enjoyed a variety of experiences in school settings to include long term preschool substitute, teaching positions in fifth grade, middle school math, science and religion as well as high school yearbook. She holds an undergraduate degree in Public Administration from Michigan State University, a Master of Arts in Systematic Theology from Christendom College and is currently working on a Master of Education in School Administration through Marymount University. Mrs. Manaker holds also holds the Advanced Catechist certification in the Diocese of Arlington, as well as endorsements in Algebra and Geometry. Mrs. Manaker embraces the mission of Catholic schools to form students academically and spiritually in a Christ centered environment that conveys the Gospel in truth, fosters community, and prepares our youth for service at home and within the community. One of her favorite quotes, which guides her teaching philosophy, is that “every child is a unique and unrepeatable gift of God” (Pope Saint John Paul II on the Capitol Mall, Washington, D.C., October 7, 1979.  Her greatest joys are seeing students achieve the “aha” moment in learning, while also growing in their knowledge that they are truly beloved of God.