Our Upper School faculty consists of highly qualified teachers who specialize in their subjects and have many years of teaching experience. Most hold advanced degrees, and all are practicing and faithful Catholics who believe in Maria Kaupas Academy's mission. Their ultimate goal is to serve God and His Church through their teaching.
All teachers undergo substantial Safe Environment certification on both an initial and ongoing basis, as well as FBI criminal background checks. Further information is available here. The Rev. Eric Bergman (Pastor, Principal, History) received his Master of Divinity in 1997 from Yale University and was ordained to the Episcopal priesthood the same year. Perceiving a call to be reconciled to the Catholic Church, he was ordained to the Catholic Priesthood under the Pastoral Provision of Pope John Paul II in 2007 and has served as Pastor of the St. Thomas More congregation since that time. Under the terms of the Pastoral Provision, Fr. Bergman received permission from the Holy Father to be ordained to the Catholic Priesthood, although he was already married; he and his wife Kristina have ten children.
Mr. Paul Campbell (Music History / Music Theory / Choir) received his Bachelor's Degree in Sacred Music from Westminster Choir College, Princeton, and a Master's Degree in Choral Conducting from the Indiana University School of Music, Bloomington. He has overseen music ministries in some of the country's most notable flagship churches and has served as Music Director at St. Thomas More Parish since 2008. He and his wife, Sandy, have six children.
Mrs. Virginia Pinto Sosik (Art) is an award-winning artist, fine art educator, presenter, and art advocate holding a fine art degree from Marywood University. Her works and acquisitions are found in public and private collections worldwide. She has over thirty years of experience in Northeastern Pennsylvania in fine art education, graphic design, and fine art. She taught for fifteen years at Marywood University in the School of Continuing Education, the Everhart Museum, the North Pocono Community Education program, and Penn Foster. In addition to her volunteer efforts in local art projects, Mrs. Sosik provides private and group fine art instruction, art portfolio development and consultation, and home school fine art instruction from her studio in Dunmore, PA
Mrs. Annie Hounsokou-Lefler (Literature, Philosophy, Spanish, Future City) has a doctorate in Philosophy from the Catholic University of America. In addition to teaching in various colleges in the Scranton area, Annie has been a Spanish interpreter, translator, and teacher since 2009. Annie lives in Scranton with her husband, Nathan, and their three children.
Mr. Mark Kelly (Theology & History) is a Teacher, Writer, and veteran senior non-commissioned Officer. He studied for an M. Div at Reformed Episcopal Seminary and earned an MA in Theology from St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in Philadelphia. In over 30 years of military service (20 Active, 10 Reservist), he has instructed civilians and military, both foreign and domestic, on five continents. Mr. Kelly remains a congenital autodidact and an active member of the Order of Malta.