John Bacon is originally from Arkansas, where he was a Southern Baptist Christian. His experience in ministry and study of theology brought him closer to Catholicism through the Anglican Church. John served as an Anglican priest and church planter for four years. While serving as a pastor, John realized that the Catholic Church was indeed the Church founded by Jesus on the rock of Peter, and took the necessary steps to be received into the Church. John comes to us from Saint Matthews Catholic Church and School, where he has been the Director of Religious Education and the instructor for middle school Religion. John is devoted to the legacy and pontifical teachings of Pope St. John Paul II, especially his lectures. He is passionate about forming young men and young women in the joy of the Gospel and in the formation of virtue so that they might obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God.

Mr. Bacon has a podcast called Thirty Minute Theology; where you can learn more. You can also learn about his conversion story in his interview with the Cordial Catholic.

Eric Schreiber is originally from Denver, CO., and has been living and teaching in Dallas, TX the last eight years. In Dallas he taught High School Theology at a college preparatory high school where his love for Catholic Education has been continually fostered. The beauty of education can only be understood in the truth of Christ, and the mission of every Catholic educator is to guide and form students in that reality.  Eric graduated from Franciscan University of Steubenville with a Bachelor of Arts in Theology. In September 2021 Eric completed his Master of Arts in pastoral Theology with his thesis on Redemptive Suffering. In May of 2022 he began a Doctorate of Philosophy program in Catholic Theology and Leadership, where he will continue his formation as a leader for Catholic Education with an expected end date of May 2025.

Scout Lappe is a recent addition to the DMA family as she and her family relocated from Oregon so her children could attend our school.  Scout is an Idaho native, a Carroll College graduate, and a former Army logistics officer. Scout loves the outdoors, great books, and traveling.

Patty has been blessed to be the Preschool teacher at Divine Mercy Academy since 2013.  She earned an Associate of Science Degree in Early Childhood Development and worked for the Head Start program for 15 years.  Patty is a native to Montana and raised on a farm by Power. She is married to Deacon Warner and together they have six children in which two of them are currently attending Divine Mercy Academy and four grandchildren (expecting number five). They also have two grandchildren who are also attending Divine Mercy Academy. 

Deacon Warner and Patty have lived in Belgrade since 1990 and are active members at St. John Vianney and have been active supporters of Divine Mercy Academy since it was established.

Melanie Ganje comes to Divine Mercy Academy with a Masters degree in early childhood education from Pace University and a plethora of teaching experience in private faith-based schools nurturing young learners. She has spent the last 21 years in Belgrade raising her three daughters.  Passionate about creating a foundation for her students that instills a love of learning and cultivates and embraces the wonder and joy of discovering the unknown, Melanie believes that children learn by doing.  Her classroom management philosophy relies on the tenets of respect, kindness and clear expectations. Melanie loves spending time with family, all things culinary, most 80's music, fresh flowers and candles, and stacks of books bedside ready to crack open.

Miss Matthews grew up in rural Oregon and received a Liberal Arts Degree at Thomas Aquinas College in California. Being the third oldest in a family of nine children, Elizabeth has always loved working with children, especially the little ones. She has taken Christ’s words, “Unless you become like one of these, you will not enter the Kingdom of Heaven” to heart, and often finds herself learning from the very children she teaches. Hence, she is very excited to join DMA’s mission in drawing the students into a greater love for Christ and pursuing the Good, True, and Beautiful.

Katie was born and raised in Georgia, but is grateful to have called Montana home since 2007. She and her husband have three beautiful children. She studied K-8 Education at Montana State University, (Go Cats!) and continues to learn from the BEST educators each year through the Institute of Catholic Liberal Education. She is grateful God saw fit to bring her dream of teaching to fruition! Katie is a convert to the Catholic faith and can not get enough of the sacraments (particularly the Eucharist and Confession), the communion of the Saints, and the beauty of the Mass. The richness, beauty, and truth of our faith is what she loves to share most with her students and it is her aim to encounter Christ with them every day as they pursue truth, beauty, and goodness in the classroom. The JOY of the Lord is her strength, and children are her delight.

Mrs. Nealen grew up in Michigan, surrounded by the wonder of nature.  She received her Post- Baccalaureate teaching certificate from Eastern Michigan University and converted to the Catholic faith in 2006, after which she taught in the Diocese of Lansing for several years, prior to getting married.  Upon her husband's separation from the Marine Corps, her family moved to Montana, where she pursued a Master of Science in Science Education and began learning about the classical model of education.  She has previously taught 2nd and 3rd grade at DMA and is excited to return to the school to teach 5th and 6th grade.

Travis J Vermulm was born in Cut Bank, MT. He attended University of Great Falls (now University of Providence) from 2014-2019 where he competed as a collegiate wrestler. At University of Great Falls he converted to Catholicism and decided to participate in a year of service in Philadelphia, PA after his undergraduate studies. From there he studied in a Masters of Ministry and Theology program at Villanova University just outside of Philadelphia. After getting his Master's degree he felt a call to be back home in Big Sky country and is excited to be working in Belgrade as the Upper School Philosophy and Theology teacher. He hopes to bring his passion for the subjects as well as his love for his home state to the students of Divine Mercy Academy.

Originally from the Front Range near Denver, Colorado, Emma graduated from Wyoming Catholic College in Lander, Wyoming with a B.A. in Liberal Arts. After being homeschooled through middle school, she attended a small liberal arts high school where, under the guidance of several phenomenal teachers, she fell in love with the liberal arts in general and with writing and literature in particular. She was especially struck by her teachers’ great passion for their own subjects and their earnest search for truth, beauty, and goodness wherever they may be found. Her desire and prayer is to recreate that atmosphere of ardor and earnestness for her own students. In her free time Emma enjoys hiking and camping, spending hours in used bookstores, cooking good food, and exploring the great outdoors with her husband.

Bio coming

Katherine grew up in a musical family. Her mother, a graduate of Westminster Choir College, taught her piano and voice, and she sang at home, in choirs, and in her local community theater's musicals. Katherine studied art at Hillsdale College, where she sang in choir, continued piano, and began percussion lessons. After graduation, Katherine taught combinations of art, Latin, science, and Bible for several years at private and charter schools in Texas. Since she moved to Montana, she has primarily been a stay-at- home mom. Katherine became the Director of Music at SJV in the fall of 22, joined the Catholic Church at Easter of 2023, and is excited to deepen and share her love of music and the faith as the head of Schola at DMA this year.